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whence the king would cord is remarkably and a x rd excellent by ic chronicle of i i call her the woman of the locks and whereas the queen of s eyes were of a cold grey colour and too prominent s were blue with round about and whereas the queen of did nothing from to night but and talk like the was ever caring for others and whereas the queen of always loved to be helped to the always helped her to the and whereas the queen of was full unto her brother and loved him as her own foul it came to that the king wearied a little of his and loved his wife exceedingly now by of this queen s coming to and taking fo much upon her it naturally that i my place a little not only as woman at court but in the thoughts of the king and of the queen and thus my approaching to be the chief thing talked of alfred the king was minded to build and a noble for at and to make in this of the of we we fee a feminine by ic chronicle of me the thereof but the which was to be of would take long to and moreover he was rather of money wherefore he and my father thought it good that i become at abbey in which is to st or as we in the vulgar tongue st the mothers and amounted but to twenty and were had in reputation as well for the of their rule and their as for their handling of the needle and their in making wherefore i was taken thither by my good father to do the to wit of my intentions we were three days on the road and one night at the holy mother received us right was at the honour and wealth about to be conferred on her add to which as i have learned the arrival of a new face in a religious is as that of an angel we of the in the chapel the abbey which flood aloof from the town and on a little formed by the of two rivers was on piles of oak and by that the built of timber like by ic chronicle of ground would not bear the weight of and was by many and the chapel had till of late been of and for lack of to the windows the and had been to fly in and out and and to build their within the roof i returned with my father to to await needful forms i a couple of by the road a making of a gate the whereof lay on the ground and i noted that as much of the wood was prepared to lie under the ground as above it for the greater then remembered i s homely and was a little troubled that i had indeed but the of a at the king s palace gate were gathered many men and and one of our own up unto my father the lady hath arrived then my heart rejoiced for that my ed mother who had made the journey by had reached the royal and when i her loved face with the deep lined marks of her late pains on it that were no pains now i felt that heaven had her dear life and by ic chronicle of unto my vow and i was ready to yield up a willing alfred the king looked grave but yet kind when he me and faith he thou taken the now and wilt not i think fall back i he would not think highly of me if i did then or ever my father returned unto king which he very did we had a little of family before we parted for ever for i his face no more very bitter was our together but my mother was a very woman and would on no account put a block in my path by her i wonder even now that they not my a little earlier nor it a little more than it to me they did after all i was very young and tender alfred the king had other on his mind it fell one day that i was a capital g with gold and with and with purple when he came and me overlooking me i thought that he was again making merry at my she was living in the time of who of her in terms of high by ic chronicle of and was about to him what fault he was now finding when i heard him give a deep and looking up he was not thinking of my work in any wife but of afar and me look up he faith woe is me my i not if to any good i have as yet been born the land is full of what have i done nothing the land is full of what have i done nothing the land is fuu of ignorance and fo is its king and what have i done nothing woe is me i all men love you my king he but i for i know be done and i know not how to do it nor what it is ho the happy man that ever had a hanging over his head by a and yet fo it always is with me and he groaned in and turned away another time we were riding at a breathing pace through the green when we heard a behind the to his fellow thou not thy cap unto the king and the other made na i for as comely as he is wi s blue an white see alfred s by ic chronicle of teeth he s as as a an up poor an they do but is fox tail i fe none of then the king to me under	2
his breath bitterly so all men love me i am a is mine my i did but to keep them from notorious lying and violence and taking of by a few examples and they i hang men for one for another then i and that of all men kings are born to trouble as the fly upward and i pitied him in my heart i that nothing including worldly pomp royal beauty of felicity can give entire peace which cannot be found out of nor yet in but only in god i did not yet apprehend this perfectly as about this time alfred the king returned the book to the of offering them twenty hides of land with men and belonging if they would part with it but they would not as they alleged its value to be above therefore they returned him his and holy ring this on no authority than that of which we by ic chronicle of about this began the doctrine of newly brought over from france to be much about and among us to me it the people of that land needs like the of old be ever running after new thing as not many years back they took up the religious of images and thought to bring us unto it we would not unto them there are among them that fable a place where the of them that were neither bad nor good as though of any but the and are to be kept until that the prayers of the living them free i can only that it will be a bad day for england when are allowed to creep in and among us they will for that we are too wanting in and too fond of our neighbours i hope it will not be in the time of me they not be in this if i can help it need not repeat is none at all the book b one of the relics in the department of the by ic chronicle of now the time of my as drawing nigh my women were bu in making me the given number of white and i divided among them as as i could my pale and dark and all the of the gay coloured i no longer want for and of attire is the rule of the religious life my white double the price of the coloured and were more trouble to make for there were certain folds in the wide i was minded to have fitted with much for the greater grace which my maidens much trouble and tears whereupon my mother s woman was heard to there was trouble in fitting a bride than a would fain have all the credit to and when the younger woman tried the fitting and it was heard to young people are wonder wife now a days and yet i have been thought to know a from a now s was that i enjoy as much world s as in the little time me remained whereas i and my mother me in it that i by ic chronicle of partake of nothing that interfere with my there was a the in and a full brief one the which my heart on as as it could have done on any of the world this was my looked for journey to st s in company of the king and the queen who were minded to fee me to the and who i thought would afford me even and dearer than even my father had done and i that the of this journey its and and my naturally being in my companions thoughts blinded me no little to the beyond but mark how things turn out my mother was too feeble for the journey alfred the king was detained at court by and he to the of the to the i could have to go with me i ventured to name this unto the king he why alas how hard a matter it is when why is to give a answer i did not and the matter as it was by ic chronicle of now was in her heart to go with me at one day s journey nothing could her so a company of was appointed and the queen thinking it fair to be a party and being no ways minded to keep with my mother of going and returning with truly this would have all and if he had had the feeling would not have thought to between the parting embraces of two dear happily gave it up partly alfred the king went not partly that her hair always with much riding in the wind let her it ever fo much with honey and thus my loved and i had not the trouble of her company i will not much of my parting with my mother it could not fail that we weep fore i dried mine eyes as as i could whoever you are now a reading this book you cannot need to be told that great was at st s by the arrival of the queen who thought fit to go with me the whole way all that day there was and the day following commenced my by ic chronicle of three days retreat which i bore better than i had looked for that is more brave like but i think not much to my good for my thoughts were all in tumult then i and we all went to the queen had received the king s by a then i in white flood the chapel door and knocked the and holy mother what i wanted i made that i to be admitted as into the community they let me in and led me up unto the altar then the cut off a lock of my hair and me and gave me a i and went away quite at noon departed in going up unto	2
it might be of a difficult the prayer bell would ring and after prayers came dinner and after dinner the hour of when it was to note after what various and child like the would all under the holy mother s eye and in her hearing too and if ihe heard a word thought and they were many the was which for the of the i never have been for for it was no to me at the hour s end the bell twice then each down repeated and ave maria and returned to her allotted duty and then my real began for j literally eye hole by ic chronicle of if i returned not unto the i applied at the will of the king and of the holy mother to the of church which as and in this abbey was i for it exceeding bad in king alfred s royal chapel i had been to have my foul lifted as unto heaven while as faith to the great organ with a the ear being by the windy while the in the gilt the fingers had me much with their holy after the of john the who brought the roman method of into our and i learned many of their by ear and could finger them on the organ and i regretted that there was no better method of marking the time to the characters that the notes than that derived from the quantity of over them for be uttered and long drawn out even as long as the breath will without making the finger red in the or to an abrupt and to this i e en invented a way for mine own ufe by ic chronicle of which alfred the king laughed at and yet had good in it to wit the words beneath of above the notes and placing above each note a to how long the finger hold his breath whether while one might deliberately count one two three or four and this invention i was fully in mine own mind would greatly improve the of and i be i to impart it to my but meanwhile it was that i it a little more wherefore i took every afforded me by the holy mother which was chiefly of an afternoon to the of all i could and it commonly fell that as i was beginning to remembrance of things and and was to heaven s gate like a lark the bell would ring then the of the round went on in one day i a hundred now the night of my s life though i could not i could weep i with her little child in her arms its tiny hands and pulling her hair over her face and my pale mother by ic chronicle of grave like fitting by and looking on as if ihe noted them not but were thinking of me then i wept and wept and thought of s remember thou taken no vows as yet thou only to enter the community and i was fore then while as i lay weeping i minded me of bringing the news of my mother s and of my going into the king s chapel before and a vow to a willing unto the lord if fo be my mother s life might be and as as i me of this my foul was no more but i yielded to a quiet peace and my hands on my and fell on next day i was into the of the holy mother she bade me give up any little and i might have about me that might keep up remembrance of the world without i gave up one or two little love tokens i had hoped from their i might retain but there was one i affirm and declare by whatever is that i remembered not at the time nor indeed had on my to wit that lock of king by ic chronicle of alfred s hair which was cut off the time of all that ever he came unto our and which i had with one of s and now was as a book mark i declare i remembered it not afterwards i thought it was too late the time was gone by it would fo and to produce it the holy mother would think i had kept it back of which i had not i had clean forgotten that word whatever thou about thee and i had it not about me so there could be no fin i would it to the next time and do as he bade me yet as it fell i in very deed it that time only to remember it again afterwards fo that it became a unto me then i hid away the but i where it was had i had to fire or candle i would have it and fo i fretted and was for my fin and at told of it with tears and truly i had forgotten it at and i keep it now or give it up to my great and relief the he was very old and indulgent though not very clever to take little heed about it and i might keep it oh the by ic chronicle of led joy of that it was not that i cared o much in very deed about the book mark it was the token of i loved as that it had been the of fin unto me and i thought that the holy mother had been the of that fin by of me that god would not have required bearing this occurrence in mind i have ever been very with the young committed to my keeping quick to deceit even about trifles but gentle with them and not for why we each other s are they not already heavy enough there were a few illuminated and in our library to	2
which i was allowed and a named was in this art and gave me much fo that i became in the execution of delicate and ornamental letters when i had this art months i happened to obtain a view of the i had illuminated for king alfred which he had lent unto the holy mother and alone as i was in the my cheeks were warmly when i beheld what performances i in by ic chronicle of my folly and ignorance had before the king what could he and he have thought of them and how was it he laughed no more were that troubled me greatly at i was more heartily for having been guilty of a folly than i might do for a fin i took heart and to be a good even yet he that and not his pace tlie week of my new as though it never would end my neck grew to the collar at and the zeal with which i applied unto my took for the all of and my life and labour of the brain my health the holy mother took grief for if i died before my what would become of the goodly that were to be to the moreover was well towards me none the fo for my being the queen s though no of that worldly were made no account of within abbey me fall by ic chronicle of i needed not to be into the the of the rule in my and me to exchange the too employment of my pen for a certain of in her garden even this was little enough for one that had been to fo much in the open air and i paced the narrow walks amid the flower beds i in my mind whether women god more for being up like birds in and whether when i came to be i might not in this any wife the rule now while i was at my pen the were at their needles their was a very miracle for and as it was much in in the world without and brought no gain unto the abbey they were to work garments of empty pride in colours which i thought ent with their for had they not by their own examples borne the and the of this world the the and the fine linen and had they not adopted of a a and of well hair by ic chronicle of led and i was nigh to of much and bathing a great indifference to the application of water sorry am i to it but fo it was never have i yet been able to why to the heart unto god we go with hands never could i fee the peculiar of st s of wearing his boots day and night for months together till they dropped his feet nor was there anything i admired in queen of and our patron faint than her wearing none but under garments and rarely a hot bath things of be approached with reverence and there may be very improving in dirt though i have never been able to find it but on the contrary have always endeavoured to among the poor that unto me for an that was next to to a certain extent it was to the who fine linen or they would have their work a new pattern was to them a thing of infinite moment this i by in later times we find patterns for a s by ic chronicle of and tracing for them figures of angels men and women hunting and c the which they with their minute in the manner i think the garment that made to fin could have been than of the robes which they worked but they were too to be able to depart from what was down for them in any wife without in difficulty alas for the poor they were more like grown children than i had that women might be the evening that i abode among them i had a moving of the to which they were during time a was to on the floor and trace the form of the with her tongue for having betrayed of impatience when one of the mothers her for having her work by her finger and while i was at heart and could not forbear glances at the holy mother who immovable fate the others only among and had no touch of for her the poor by ic chronicle of when i thus noted day by day how and were my allotted companions to my lot whom i had from the of holy the deep of our and the of alfred the king i was within at the thought of becoming like my who only to my devotion my walk with god became and languid i it with tears unto the he the and and after all concluded with bidding me look forward to my new abbey the had indeed not yet been laid but an hope however gives the foul a and in my mind i it already and and glazed with loud bells and deep organ and beheld the taking of the of in the great council and ruling a community of holy and high born all all all meek adorned with teeth like ornaments or the word though only to wooden buildings was in common to by ic chronicle of and all profoundly attached unto then i and me how we would relieve the poor the the ignorant entertain noble travellers to foreign parts and be well reported of all then i in my mind that at the time my in of of mercy was but i not the properties of like nor to wounds like nor to ufe the vein knife like my mother nor to drinks like wherefore i made prayer unto the holy mother that i might take my turn in the which readily granted	2
with thy poor and would have touched them with a little a thing i looked not for in a though i dared not her with my lips mine eyes did fo in fo plainly that thou art red now we will let nature hold her own and her hand by ic chronicle of led that night the king told me more of the current affairs of the realm during the year than the holy mother would have recommended my hearing but who unto a king what thou wherefore i had matters to my mind upon for many a day and i am that the of moving takes our thoughts from too intent and too about petty troubles the being all fo without any was to how happy you all here were i not a queen i would fain be a and the king eating our which indeed were very delicate if you holy ladies are always eating good things no marvel you are fo fat and well liking if indeed i have often thought of their there were certain law deeds and certain of the portion of lands allotted to me unto the abbey but the part was kept back till i take the black veil after the king and the queen had retired unto the chamber i remained kneeling before the until the at day cakes by ic chronicle of break i received the holy communion then i was as a bride and the queen adorned me with jewels and my hair with the comb had in my childhood when mine eyelids quiver me and thou art quite worn out dear child by thy tending of that poor then my led me to the of the altar then we non then the my s and cut off a large of my hair then i retired into the carrying my habit and i was clad in it and my hair cut round then i returned carrying my late garments which after an the appointed i trampled on before the altar then the me and gave me a and a the of the day was given to mine was taking to the of the poor who looked on her with great reverence and and certain words which the queen aid in after time he never forgot when the king the queen the and all the gay train had departed i in my new habit returned to the where by ic chronicle of the poor now lay in one of her feeling my hot tears drop on her face her eyes and gazing on me with an like love and gratitude faith sweet angel but i for was a weeping but this was my place i held unto her till died and returned to the and completed for king alfred a copy of the of st john the reading whereof for the time was to my foul s immortal good i to find therein no word of nor nor of the life and thereof unto the but he st john s was a very good and profitable as far as it went but wanting in many particulars i find in the other so i took his word for it having no help for it and learned of st john all i could till i had attained unto the of the other which occurred not until i had taken the black veil and then though i found therein no warrant for the i had no help for it and was forced to hope that though they it not they would not have forbidden it now this my being of a far by ic chronicle of execution from the formerly mentioned gave the king great and he it to be in a golden with precious which he was after all but a poor for fo rich a the page was in gold on a pale ground the in gold on a dark blue ground this labour occupied nearly the of my year s and there being then no whether or no i i took the vows with all the privacy and belonging my nine days retreat found me in a and more of mind than when i was wavering between one and another i as before death unto the and received the day was in by the of the great bell muffled as if i were in very deed dead then high the and altar all in black while the was a the mothers and drew nigh the each bearing a lighted i on a black cloth mine arms extended as if on a during the a a copy of the that belonged to by ic chronicle of for the dead then the removed my white veil and i retired into the where my head was then my head was covered and i returned unto the who my black veil and my the holy mother produced the with my vows which repeated in a low voice only to be heard by the and he holding the before me to the very of to whom i was now giving for ever then i the on my knees and the holy mother it and then the covered me the black veil and gave me the and i the holy mother s feet and we non i was called mother this was another and a very awful one in my life i was not yet nineteen years of age but i to have left the world many years sometimes that appeared a dream this but i to all i could only that what were meant for my helps my and now and then the question do we love the more for the world through a black veil however while we continue in the body the veil in by ic chronicle of many things remain on our hearts the world will look enough when we come to leave it my experiences as they were were exchanged	2
for of another fort by the of the holy mother she was of middle age hale and hearty but one day ate too freely of a raw which full well her could not bear well we all have our temptations and we know we are not to abide here for ever and ihe had the ufe of the that came from rome too late for it her not from and wherefore i no great by the fame when it came into my made a of it to one who thought more of it and who on any wife is the happier for it while whatever it may give her at her death in unto my i found in the late holy mother s place there was indeed none other among the fo well born fo well endowed with goods nor fo generally beloved and i had always i by ic chronicle of eventually be of but there were fo many elder women than i who had been a long time in the that i was taken at unawares and much at my new though free and authority i found unprepared and gave much unto prayer five were at my which was very and in private they favoured me with the of their own experiences on many matters of which i found profitable others not the offered me their homage with a that was genuine enough for they concluded from my youth and they enjoy to their rule i the of days and nights in retreat fading praying and and having at length made out my future i proceeded to work it out in the manner i record in my next book which i am be my and wherein i have moving to relate touching our from great danger by alfred the king by ic book vi h n i in my mind how a thing is life it we need not to be in fo great a hurry as we often are to get over the points between one period of it and another here had i been impatient enough i to find of and now that i was of i found taken by therefore it was that for days i up in retreat bearing in mind that great require great preparations even though habitual be not a wanting there be with and our maker with which our friends not in this my retreat feelings as i had not known when i took the white and black and i found by ic chronicle of my thoughts and taking quite a new bent and the movements of my will tending quite another way until i my whole internal being change the and amount of which i was not fully of at the time nor i think have ever been till now that i come to look back from this i had no more dreams and and with enemies i found i was awake and felt i be doing it was dinner time and on a day when i left my retreat and took the s place at table every eye was fixed on me it fell that day that our was not with the care i made no comment but ate thereof and without egg to which the others helped the turn it was to read delivered to us the life of the who lived upon bread and milk and i was after had come to an end without that all had when becoming aware that from me was a i with ejaculated the s grace thanks be to god for my good dinner and by ic chronicle of immediately noting thereupon a general if not on the lips yet in the eyes of all i looked at them and with great and determination repeated let us thank god for our good dinner and then pronounced the latin every eye before mine then i went to the late s cell which i intended to make mine own and i dire that the feather bed with and all that belonged be carried into the for the ufe of the with mine old hard without either or then i went into the holy mother s parlour where there were many papers to be read and and therein i found things that liked me and that liked me not while thus with a fire of burning on the hearth one tapped at the door and at my bidding came in and humbly on the ground i daughter and got off her knees and with many drew nigh unto me and the hem of my garment i concluded great matter was in hand but it was to by ic chronicle of tell me of an intolerable in her cell which had long thought her health i told her might exchange it for the cell i had left and fo continued my affairs next day this name was anew and with that in her new cell there was a draught my holy that was enough to blow her head ofi i regarded her keenly but remembering to have heard her once complain of the i told her that might remove my bed into my old cell and have the s cell the now thought they had only to and have and next to inform me that was quite her hand for and that we had better eat daily than that her cunning to that or be on and in addition to eggs and and that we have gaudy the saxon do not to have adopted new names on their we read in of c good a saxon female name by ic chronicle of days on other and unto this i would not incline mine ear no not for a moment and thereafter i began to unto them that was no proof of to their obedience i kept them up and i like of to certain it had been well for me had i only applied to	2
i was but young yet i have that the barbarous of the had all along been very grievous unto me being very little removed from the of cats i now took them to on this matter and told them how it was to devotion but my was only received with looks i was to carry this matter through and being gifted with an harmonious voice and a competent knowledge of i made ufe of the holiday to call the together and give them a little i was fore let as well by their as in upon my on her bringing forth a note which i was within her would flatter and flatter by ic chronicle of and at the let fly her voice with that it cracked and produced a that in of forth into laughing when was heard of all the my heightened colour were fore there was no other portion for than dry and a dark cell but it was not that my wrath was and upon my her very warmly for her fo rebellious and violent that for the of common order and i was to put her in bonds by force was removed into a dark cell all the way thither and on the eye bread and water was her diet it was day too our was eaten and i within my chamber to in of on broken rule and authority i was all and ignorance but i where was all and and was when lo i heard a horn wind the gate alfred the king had come down to the of the and had ridden by ic chronicle of over to fee how i and give me greeting never was word more i received him with tears in mine eyes he and would wit why they were a thereupon we had a long which was of the moment to me in the of mine after life he thought me much to be blamed than i thought indeed forth into laughing when he heard the origin of the offence he admitted the were grievous and be to clear he i needed no clearing i the to do him to wit of all had happened her fears had her cheeks and her mouth as tight as a button by of which when had departed the king can that girl ever laugh i could hardly take her own word for it thereafter the was brought into his trembling like an leaf fo as that her guards were little wanted the king looked as grave as though he were in the he i had no knowledge until now how hard a woman could hit thou have thy and n by ic i chronicle of rather have helped me fight the it is to me alfred that any born a woman within her heart find it to give of to one fo young o gentle and fo worthy of all honour as this holy mother i alfred have known her ever was a child and know no one a woman born fo worthy to be loved her own my wife believe me ye are favoured among women to have a mother for your genius and acquired learning nay i not to all this and who is not only holy but not only learned but who good offers of marriage that might wholly give to heaven and fame for and book is beginning to be abroad in foreign parts to conclude i alfred king am fully in my own mind that if ye will but give wholly and with one heart unto the of your holy mother there is little of your becoming the famous not alone in england but in to nothing of the more eminent among you being hereafter and to further and promote by ic chronicle of this end it but that ye obedience unlimited good holy continual piety and take heed unto your you at the door commonly known as or the good i have your holy mother who is long and to overlook this once your on condition of and a week s entire and now let us to prayers the king went with us to and loudly and cheerily i did my to imitate his example the poor like in a but more than and the was very and to us all then the king ordered his to be brought i not now on the board and lodging for three days you owe me for that parcel of land and he to e our and as he departed fo that i only could hear farewell i now return to er and i e a common condition under the saxon kings when the were the only places of reception for by ic i o chronicle of tell i left your face two inches than i found it my good little you have been early in authority over an community but be brave be be and all will be well the king departed leaving a and behind him like as we find in the green woods and air and it much for him to fo well of me in hearing of my and from this time there was nothing among them but and obedience shortly there arrived from the king a of and for the ufe of the who would apply to write but i grieve to that after much trouble there was not one among them that attained unto the pen of a ready writer this is no a gift from above it comes not to all therefore i was fain to let them apply unto that for which they truly to have capacity to wit their needles rather than to labour painfully at that for which they had no true as about this time departed holy and went to glory verily he was a and iron pens by ic chronicle of faintly man if ever there was one he was born to rule and	2
might have worn a crown he would not left the world be too great a unto him yet and if all our good men were to up what manner of rulers we have ruled the ruler ever and anon even after his death as will be related hereafter he took the at times rome and in a one feature of his was notable he would try to out the qualities of his brethren and unite them all in as the of one the patience of another he might have found them all in our lord but now come i to our great and dreadful peril the under who had abode in cambridge by the of twelve months now prepared for as the manner of their nation is by up their with dreadful their words their and hither and thither like fo many mad creatures it might very well have been that this would take place fo as the fighting commenced we according to by ic chronicle of our wont had the danger while it was a little way off and fate by our apples and drinking hot ale all the winter and if any one ventured to remark the are coming the only he had for his pains was oh they are are they only let them i and fo we went on in this of for why god help who were fo little troubled to help and the king now and then thought he do but not how he do it and it came to the entered into their and fail for i remember it was st s eve i was looking forth of my at the two days old moon and the great planet a above him as it were a s when i became ware of a fierce red light from village anon a s horn at our gate and the tells me a poor immediate of me fo i unto him evil he was a rough the saxon moon was by ic chronicle of all with and thus unto me he at i my flocks to fold i on the top of the and looked the then i what a little white cloud no bigger than my hand a from the fail were in the fun at length i counted thirty then fled i to give alarm but my knees trembled and my tongue to the roof of my mouth the gathered to look out but what could they do some fled inland to the wail fame to drive oflf their to carry their wives and their children to the meantime landed the they like bees they the like they not their ranks they went forward every man on his ways with his over his head like the of a flame of fire that the fl was the hum of their voices they and before them not a handful of or but whole herds and flocks to feed thereof by of their cattle hence our milk maids their cows by calling cap cup by ic chronicle of numbers the land gathered the r burned our and all the that were therein next they will come to the and the abbey and now holy mother take thought what you do for who hall deliver you out of their hands i go and me my land and let all that are in and all that are and all that are frightened come within our as as they can and we will do our for one another then i gave him a and a drink of warm ale for his foul was fainting within him and his returned unto him and he went forth and the bell rang us to night prayer so as the keys were laid on the altar and the were in their i me into the chapel and lay down on my face before the altar and prayed hard and wept fore and i ah lord god have mercy on us have mercy on thy people england and this time what is the difference between a people that and a people that not come among us and with great might us there is none that for us but a by ic chronicle of only thou o lord i wherefore the where is now their god before the next morning the poor people came unto us with a few and cattle with only a pig or an or a couple of with only the clothes on their backs to take within the not that there was much to be within them for our as i have was chiefly and at the mercy of the brand but it made a fort of point the being already over full and of the in lone and huts had a notion enough that the would reverence holy ground others more thought god would care for his own and be our of defence others had pity for us and to make common and fight for us along with their own wives and children and thus it fell that the with round about our which might be as it were an half acre that a yoke of oxen might plough was of women children and live while without the on the only that dawn j by ic chronicle of had no natural defence from the of the two rivers the men drew up and ill armed enough but to a man and ready to die at their ere an evil happen unto us but what were they fo many and how i that the lord s would be to deliver us out of the hands of the heathen any more than he had delivered any of the all along the i thought of and how the was before the altar the prior in the the prior in the only a little child to tell the tale i thought of with its abbey and its library the	2
glory of the age for fifteen days a burning the and all i thought of the of who their faces that they might the who indeed fled away to a man but not before they had fire to the and burned every foul alive and now here were very headed by the chiefs and matters and in cruelty and within our fight and even our hearing for we could catch the faint rumour as of the yelling of a pack of fox by ic chronicle of hounds in far off and now and then a s and a long cry and this all the blood hounds and wolf hounds within our ready to their throats and their and the oxen and the and the and the wailing and the mothers weeping and there had been room for them in the latter i gave in charge to the to and comfort and thereby divert their thoughts from their own a little for in they were fore and many a white and many a black veil was quivering with fears that could not be i bade them be much in prayer for i on the wall right over the gate and prayed at my receiving news ever and anon from and now and then my prayer for the help of god with a for a little more help of man for i could not help noting with of heart that not a fighting man had come to our aid but as were under my own all the having at the which truly could make a better defence but which therefore was all the by ic chronicle of led in need of them such are men whom we women fo often love more than we love god but mark the the fell i the flew all the that were therein they thereby obtained the command of the whole country round about and the brought news that after for a while and the and they were to march upon us one wail who can wonder even turned red and then white i have always forgotten to find a convenient place for that my father having been on a to me at the time our land died i had to great advantage and mine own made him his we now together on the wall anon we fee a great and the glitter of and the were in a thicket we were all praying hard within and without the but it the will of god we be still i bare in mind that it was as to him to by few as by many the moment as the by a rumour among the or by the breaking of a few by ic chronicle of and i thought is his arm that it cannot may it not be his good to help us but my were fo quickened by the immediate of danger that i think i could have heard a cock crow or have a light a twenty miles off i heard between his teeth i can die for her but that won t her and he looked down the wall and then quickly at me as much as to shall we down headlong together but this was a of the evil one for there were others within the as as and depending on me for and i looked away from him with mine eyes towards the wood whence i each moment to fee the i heard him give a great but the next moment he uttered a loud cry and me by the pointed towards the our eyes with our hands from the rays of the declining fun we could make out a troop of advancing upon us from that as the glimmer of the emerging from the judges vii by ic chronicle of led wood we hemmed in on either i cried aloud heaven help us but the fame moment his face all a blaze the lord tis the king and fo it was and fo heaven did help us we heard them from afar give three jolly cheers and did not our men cheer too i can never dwell on that without wet eyes from what a did the king that day work for me and the poor how he and his men laid it on and drove the villain right into and the at his feet they dropped they fell where they dropped down there they lay dead the lean wolf and the hungry rejoiced it was a great a deadly yea they took much prey the king was a mighty wind that the clouds like they rolled from the of the hills and the valleys laughed and how his leaped out of his he loved to defend the weak the field was for miles with and he them back to the merely they the left cambridge for where waa a between the and on all but one here alfred made them on the relics c by ic chronicle of towers that on the rocky banks even here his hand did not leave them nor his right hand to hold them till they ware on his holy ring the ring of the holy then he left them and and returned with his warriors by night and we went forth and and him a of our t t but what cared for wearing on his holy ring yea or on their own which they held much more or for breaking the holy truth which they held not on any wife had they kept it they would have their own nature which was akin to all evil they attacked an party of the king s the very fame night while we were making merry and giving of thanks within doors and making off in the dark they conveyed to whence the king in vain to di lodge them and now commenced the l that england ever knew alas	2
my brother would that i could have aided thee or that the of and and had been in thee to know what to do and to do it then after the year of seven battles thou not have been years a fugitive and by ic chronicle of a wanderer on the face of the earth hunted like a on the mountains a like david the of in the thy dwelling with the wild of the field and thy body wet with the of heaven like unto the great king of oh then was fulfilled the dark of that thou be and brought low thy people not what had become of thee and were as lacking a or as from the corn for their and their hope had from the lord his hand was not that it could not but our had between us and our god therefore he removed every as it were a tent that a man up the thereof he tore up our homes as one out of the garden when the mould is wet with dew he gave up the walls of our palaces into the hands of the enemy and let our young men and maidens perish by the we were a very unto our foes and a to that were round about us for this our eyes ran down with water and our cheeks were with weeping the found of the harp and the by ic chronicle of was no more heard the mirth of the land was gone was as as lent and there was no merriment at the remained the apple dropped from the bough the might break the hedges there was no man cared to them the wolves might round our folds there was no man had to them the might prey on the corn there was no one minded to them men fate by the hearth and or like a growl they longed to unite and make head and their thought was where is the king my father was at rome fo my mother took with me how to have a refuge to offer my mother we were in a than when the took us at unawares for our poor had been much repaired and by my and whereas our were better for keeping in than for keeping out the king ere he departed from our gave that a good wall be about us on our indeed this made our dwelling cheerful but far more and the king to by ic chronicle of how he held us to be us heavy with well round them containing i know not what but plate and bags of and goodly we were to have them in charge and they have never been claimed yet about this time the following was much in the mouths of the people what thou in the the blue eggs of the what thou in the the blue flowers of the what thou in the the blue eyes of the king what look ye for i th air the path of a what look ye for i th air the of a lark what look ye for i th air the flight of a king s arrow never yet look d i for an eagle in a pit nor for a in a green but yet in a have i a burnt where a king hath his meat thus their very were and their for we were in fo that we were a long while without hearing aught of what was from and the like whom we entreated one day a ragged and with bleeding feet came to the gate to an and he was yet he fell all along upon the earth by of his by ic chronicle of failing him through travel and much we had him into the and i his feet and when his returned unto him i fed him with bread and wine then i fought of him news of the king and thereupon thus he i was by a few to the king him fought i in we would wit were he alive or we us another king therefore i with hair like a s and i my face and my hands and went ragged and i him into the remote into a land of and and waters but i found not the hare in his form neither the fox in his cover one day an arrow me and a man after a i him anon through the and thought it was the king i followed by on his track he had the on his and he made his way through the down to the edge of a lake there he a and then i followed the banks of the lake till at length i came to a ford i got to the which was all in a of wood many animals of the fort were in it i came by ic chronicle of upon and i and heard the of anon i come to a and fee a woman a goat she was to look on for beauty i knew her to be the queen she carried her within doors into a little cot then i up to the door that was only with a latch i heard one reading it me a book the reader s voice was fo pleasant i would fain have lifted all night then i heard a young infant weeping and the mother checked it and you if you wail fo loudly i will give you to the but its cries with and the reader went on with his book another man s voice now founded and i heard him my king there is little meat on this now i have it then he i now knew for the king made laughing and then you and i my eat the for i i ll hunt no more to day he was then forth fo i	2
the latch and begged looked they all and what are we found out here v and the king held with me but i let him not wit who i was i begged by ic chronicle of for a of bread and the king bade the fetch a loaf the we have but one left and this we can the king this poor needs it i am minded that he have half oh that all the wants of my people could be in like manner so he the loaf in twain it was one of the they call and i him once and again i was nigh but did not my thus far was fulfilled i had learnt where abode the king so i towards who had me but fell among thieves by the way there was nothing they found to take from me fo they beat me and left me alone but my was and i think you have my life i was bitter in heart when i found him with his fair wife and his friend in the hunter s but my heart melted when he of his people for i a tear in his eye and within him was made known in his breaking of bread now from what i afterwards learned it appeared that this for he was no returned unto who had him and made by ic chronicle of known unto them where he had found the king whereon they unto him in the royal or of as it was afterwards indifferently called and anew their aided him their to a place of whence they might continually to the sometimes they the better the but on any wife they returned to their which beginning to be of by them that were faithful their party and they made a rough bridge to the on which they two towers meantime news was brought to the king of the movements of the but as the reports agreed not always together he wanted to have more thereof one evening when the days were but cold i was fitting by the light of a fire of when the in without a word a tall dark figure clad in with a harp at his back and holding by the hand a little child five years old with fair hair falling all over her i knew him at once for the king after our greeting he i by ic chronicle of come to put under your our little who is minded to be with you as long as you will keep her and her mother s and mine is that you make her as much like as you can then he down his harp and warmed his hands and dried his hair which was wet with rain and he the time is now come to do and i hope to find how to do it i am bound for the camp i ah my brother go not alone amid fell and not to weep but he and if thou have a thing half done it to thy neighbour if thou have it whole done do it i am weary of my life with doing nothing to for my people and now i will them at a place and lead them to or die i have dreamed of holy who by me and up why thou behold the time is come so fill me a cup of wine my and weep not to break my heart then to cheer me and make me of good courage he told me how brave hearted and had and for all the and of their living in by ic chronicle of how it had been to harbour with her under the green boughs only he i heard my people s cry in mine ears day and night and he told me what pains he had been at to find the place and how he had carried to it on his before i found it he a man found me on the he me who i was and what i fought i told him i the king who had been beaten and i was looking for he took me home to a s cot they gave me food and lodging i abode with them certain days when the name was had his he came in and fate by the fire and with for made i laughed and told him he be a he had been born for a he better be a herd that can herd his than a king that cannot his people if a wolf attacks my pigs i throw at him and him away which is down the king afterwards encouraged him to apply to letters and finally made him of by ic chronicle of more than king alfred does with the one sabbath the man and his would go forth leaving certain cakes well and well a on a pan over the fire and the good me thou s to tend thine arrow an thy fee to t lad t one o t is an turn them to but my thoughts to other matters fled and the were and the coming back like a king and one of mine ears and then the other and couldn t thee the lad thee for t thou to eat them i bare it meekly only her whether were of kin to the then we of matters unto the kingdom and unto this poor then he took up his harp and to depart you hear good or ill tidings i him the wall and thou us now brother he gave it an look and made oh yes you are now enough it may hap that i you the queen and looking round about him and by ic chronicle of then at me he thou rt but young yet and without another word rode away the place looked dull in the and then he thought me a blot	2
or ere many had came the glad tidings that he had rallied his people in at the of they met a to be much by the news of his taking arms like the people unto him with nothing was to be heard but horns trumpets and the ringing of arms two days continued the on the third the king led them forward he their with his words who can like the king they came at length on the foe and making merry then who tell what they fought beneath the king s eye the arrows flew like then followed the and anon each man was at another with his as a bearer the king in his heat cried see leads us and the cry ran from mouth to mouth what remains to tell the were like the remained the king by ic chronicle of it was a day to be much remembered the king followed hard after them to their and them men from all quarters continued to flock to his the the king the weaker the fourteen days they endured and great famine then their were brought low even the foul of and they for the king s mercy then alfred the king bare in mind his old that he would they were converted than confounded and having on their to his will it be he put them under a brief of preparation and them nigh unto he them to be admitted into the church by the holy waters of he flood for who with thirty chiefs was it was a notable a memorable day for twelve days the i there was joy in heaven over that fight in in the heart of holy the thing was done quickly i had of one of the afterwards who took part in preparing the there was not time he for many we by ic chronicle of them how they might be by we that well into them and let the alone for they were but poor blind thought i ye might have done when and called me to i found building and on all not after the old but good of wood and every and that was was of full employment and good wages and of every were in high and in of the troubled times many came from beyond the and of the king s payment made his integrity of all his credit flood high for even kings are in good or bad credit like the merchants according as they pay their bills and keep their and though there was at the a hard run upon his yet the money and carpenter le tree even in the century oi pro cured men from france who not only glazed church windows but taught the the art o making for windows lamps drinking c by ic chronicle of went in a circle and came round again for why the and being paid could in their turns pay for their meat and drink of running up at the ale the and fo forth could pay their and in due without the or out of fight to hide among their people that had buried their money and plate dug it up again and thus as i the coin of the realm was current and the more for being round of ran merrily back into tlie the rolling as it goes this is the true end and of money in which it both and and thus it fell that all his doings being ordered in the fame wife like and the king came of all men to be relied on and the confidence in him became that and at length all the saxon kings round about him voluntarily put in under him and made him in fine head and of all england this over their hearts and minds was dearer to him i than many a over the he conquered the by ic o chronicle of led by the of others he won his brother kings entirely by what he was now the of the of king alfred and the good deeds that he did and the wife laws that he made and the that he is it not all tt down by how he the under in where they turned their into hooks and cultivated the land and would not countenance the of that landed and fought and were beaten thereafter the country had much and the made this that was much by the people oh england know thy see the lord hath given thee a good king the feed in the a little child may guard them the girls may go to the wells gold hang on the the com in the for they look to it in winter set up the the running we are at peace and in we the happy ones men the lord the may now up their church plate from the water the may in their the wolf his own fore foot for there are no dead bodies wealth let us god oh england know thy the is in the land of a i thought when was the kingdom of heaven was coming at but no the time was not come well there is by ic chronicle of a too in the little world of our own hearts that will continue there fo long as we are in the body but it with whether to or to him what to alfred the king was twenty and eight years old when he returned unto his kingdom that was ten years and here am i of this poor abbey is being but i doubt very much if i accept the thereof for i have become to mine old quarters though they are gloomy and unto mine old though they are my rule is become popular fo that i have been to many in of the new wing among the comers have been one or two hopeful	2
height the old tree is a of great age and great size with curiously curved branches its bark with years and with fine green grey moss it stands forward a little in advance of a wood it is the home of thousands of living things whose separate colonies exist upon it undisturbed except in so far as they prey on one another from the and up above to the of tiny insects on the trunk and the small that among the and at its root it is believed to have other also who troop out to dance under it by moonlight it is called the tree the ladies tree it is the subject of many day dreams if you could stand under it but it has perished you a noble purpose would have day dreams too then there is a haunted stream flowing round it from a sacred fountain that is the the of the neighbourhood and strange properties of healing the young people of the village are accustomed to lead their dances beneath the favourite tree and hang on its boughs the village priest comes once a year to say mass under it f hard by is an ancient little chapel richer les branches de ce et et pour s l on au d et aye pour le cents qui est de nature n le s en est le pays de et de de torn ii p t l se d des le cur pour les ann e dire a la nobly won to the virgin with a little beside it with hands clasped upon her head the young girl stands beneath the suddenly she why the shadow reaches the brook it must be past and begins to run with all her might towards the village till she meets an old man coming along with a bunch of keys are over cries she in dismay aye aye answered the old his head else i should not be going home why i never heard the bell ring ft because the bell never rang qui s est en un du pays de la on les l d un en des de et ii i a noble purpose ah how had of you exclaimed the girl in disappointment why did not you ring it people who have never tried it don t know how hard bell ringing is said the onward they that want the bell to ring should pay the what a fuss about nothing those who have a mind for prayers will come without the bell and they that want the mind won t come for all the ringing i have a mind to come but how can i know out in the fields what the time is if i don t hear the bell do you think i am going to ring it for you alone if i do you ought to pay for it why so i would if i could said poor in her apology for a pocket here is my only piece of money and i will nobly won j give it to you if you will but ring the bell in future in future is a long time said he after examining and ringing the coin and then it but i will ring once in a way for you my and much good may it do you saying which he went onward what were you saying to the said a brisk black eyed girl coming up from behind and laying her hand on s shoulder i was giving him my only piece of money said to ring for the old rogue ought to do that without your paying him said and besides do you know people wonder at your going so often to church et ac et ad et et i a coloured and said is it of them if i leave g i to do undone indeed that is more than i can moat people pray too seldom rather than too often where hare yon been all day keeping the sheep and since i folded them i hare been standing a little under the tree that is not a good place i think said to frequent by one s self why it is scarcely a stone s throw from home no but you know what your says she has seen there and they might devote ad testimony of upon oath two and twenty years afterwards de y ii per de et f nobly won draw you in and we should all wonder what had become of you that would be an uncomfortable end said thoughtfully i should not like the to draw me but i can hardly think such power would be given them there is the more need to pray for sub ut et non in in in in des et de et et estates ad et et ad et et de et la et c testimony of ii la des io a noble purpose heavenly protection but see that old soldier sitting by the he looks very tired and very poor how sorry i am i have no money have you any not a sou said we can speak to him kindly at any rate good evening father good evening daughter pity a poor old soldier where did you get wounded you poor old man fighting the english and see i have had my right arm shattered by a and can fight no longer and see this cut over my left eye and this on my to match it ah poor old man it is if you will come home with me i will wash it in milk and cover it with a plaster will you come to be sure i will said he gratefully lay nobly won ing firm hold on her with his left hand as she helped him to rise you see i can no weapon now so i am discharged	2
said la what would you do if you were on the seat of war i come from where we have been beaten by the earl of the of that place y i ne he since taken and se er i and and has now sat down be re the mr key of tie country how i it will hold out heave only know bat it is to lie feared its fall will be v o time but oh if you kid bat seen die even before the came in to deprive them of cover the with their own hands every castle and in the as well as twelve churches belonging to the four orders of by which means they could discharge cannon from their all round the town mind the soup and don t it cried her mother three stout healthy youths here came in and after a few words dropped into their places and began eating their supper with nobly won the two eldest were true sons of the soil but were alike with a difference for round shouldered and of few words had a touch of sentiment in him which few would have dreamed of while a fine specimen of rustic strength would have made a good man at arms the youngest was an ardent looking boy who listened with eager interest to whatever was said by the soldier there were two wooden and three one of which was to the stranger the second was shared by the father and mother and the third used in by their children this allowed intervals for polite conversation you come from then said passing his spoon to his wife yes but it was only preparing for defence when i left it being i should not a noble purpose have been worth my bread in a little while they will be eating dogs cats and the lads here exchanged glances and then ate their soup with additional relish were going from church to church even the elder citizens were learning the use of arms and those who were too weak to fight engaged in prayer the believing that the loss of this important city will be the finishing stroke to himself and his kingdom has sent thither his most captains the noble de the de the brave la hire and especially the flower of them all the count de base son to the late duke of i have heard of that young gentleman said and of most of the others too though we of the border here do not get french news very fresh nobly won u father cried abruptly this good old soldier tells us there is an old prophecy that france shall be saved by a young maiden by you no doubt said he at which there was a general laugh i do not see what there is to laugh about said she tell me old man did the say whereabouts the young maiden was to be found aye aye replied he between and curious that said she in an i wonder who the maiden is said the don t you see we have all done said her mother clear the table wash up and fetch your yes mother just tell me old man why you are so assured that will be lost nay my the english and a noble purpose united are in such strength and are building all round the town to hem it in they have such able leaders lord lord and especially a man who breathes fire at his very nostrils but if our people were to unite against them as one man might they not win the day even yet no doubt of it said he then why do not they heaven knows the people are and the though a sweet young prince is too what is he like oh he is fair to see smooth faced with hair and deep blue eyes that are kindly rather than fierce like those of the murdered duke of but is he brave is he good nobly won aye aye my said the old man i will remember him in my prayers said she sin brings sorrow said dare abruptly t if that duke had not been so vain of being a lady nor boasted that the of loved him he would not have been slain by the duke nor would the duke of in his turn have been slain oh that is going back to eve s apple perhaps you will sing us a song young man said la to the eldest youth i don t care if i do said his throat though my voice is only what will you have et or r the of the poor and of the last by all means said la a noble purpose for we shall be ready to cry amen to every line so at it he went in the following manner though a few lines will suffice as a specimen seeing that the whole composition is not much shorter than the one hundred and nineteenth ah princes lords lawyers and small and great and warriors with swords who on our daily sweat to some comfort give er we needs must live but live we cannot long we if god deny his powerful aid against the poor man s cruel foe who doth our goods by force and us with pride and scorn away our wine and corn the effect of this ballad or was rather than especially translated by the rev w shepherd for nobly won when to a tune that was always falling into a minor and got at least two notes flatter as it proceeded singing entirely through his nose or else as if he had a lock of wool in his throat sometimes abruptly pausing to recover the words and then going on again when every one thought he had done well that s enough to	2
put any one to sleep said by way of encouragement when he had finished thou art already go to bed this instant and you too why are you resting your head upon your hand are you ill or only tired looked ashamed and took up her there there said more kindly put away thy spinning and go to bed leave off dreaming with thine eyes open and brooding upon matters too deep for thee and say vol d noble purpose thy prayers and the lord will watch over thee yes mother and stole off with an of her to the where like she made her bed full hard and nothing soft that s a nice tidy likely of yours observed la to as herself in the early closing movement the girl s a good girl enough replied he rather pleased when she leaves alone her and but she is given to strange she was scarce thirteen when she came in one day about noon from the garden looking quite dazed and told her mother who had sent her for some pot that she was standing there all alone when suddenly there a bright light all about her and she heard an unknown voice say nobly won continue to be a good girl and god will bless thee hum what thought you of that said la what thought i of it why if she had been a girl i should have thought it a lie but i never caught her lying in my life i therefore suppose she was only in one of her dreams when the sun happened to shine out from behind a cloud and that somebody passing along outside the hedge unseen said those words that s what i make of it i never agreed with thee though father about that said and that thou very well knows yes yes i know mother another thing was curious said he dropping his voice mysteriously had a dream one night a very forcible dream that saw riding along with some soldiers but sooner than that d a noble purpose should come to pass said he throwing out his hands with sudden vehemence i d drown her with these hands or an if i were dead that there should do it thou hears me aye aye father said come i said it is high time we should be and asleep nobly won chapter iii the old man slept heavily and when he awoke in the morning he found all but his hostess dispersed on their several where is the young girl said he as he accepted a bowl of milk and a piece of black bread is at her prayers replied she has been good at them ever since she could speak for i taught her that prayer was the direct road to heaven and to peace on earth too that peace which comes of a quiet mind good mothers make good daughters observed la i would willingly have seen her again however give her my thanks and blessing for bringing me to this hospitable roof a noble purpose i wish you a safe journey returned and am glad to have had an opportunity of showing that i remembered your brother s kindness to us at la providence meanwhile kneeling before the altar of the village church which was scarcely a stone s throw from the house was clasping her hands and pouring out her soul to the two saints to whom it was fondly hoping that they would present her prayers more than herself at the throne of grace ah st ah blessed st margaret for our poor why should the wicked say where is now their god oh when shall there arise a and she wept and beat her breast and then arose poor girl having availed herself of such helps as she had been taught to use trusting her prayers would be heard nobly won a few sheep spinning in the field she kept she not be idle till she slept on her way to the fold it being yet little past daybreak she met a young by name going to his daily labour good day pretty maid said he pretty maid and i have nothing to do together said however i wish you a good day and a better mind what s the matter with my mind said you are a and i wish all at the bottom of the sea ha ha ha who told you i was a why are you not cried you know you are you re the only in what then a noble purpose the duke of is a wicked man who civil war and takes part with the english and they who him are like unto him ha ha ha it is droll you amuse me i should like you to amuse me always when shall you and i marry when the sky falls said she indignantly go your ways the sky is falling now for i have just felt a drop of rain on my face very well then speak to the priest go your ways for a said hastening away from him and after looking at her for a minute or two as she retreated with a mixture of admiration and mockery passed on she drove the sheep and two cows to pasture and sat spinning hour after hour under a warm hedge as she nobly won her she recalled all that the old soldier had said and tried to piece it together s a maid shall deliver france v repeated she a maiden between and and thick coming images arose before her till the dropped from her relaxed grasp and with dilated eyes and parted lips she saw or seemed to see now the chivalry of france sweeping by n fell disorder over the torn and trampled now the victorious english in full pursuit now the solitary figure of a youth leaning on	2
best to bring you up in the ways of and above all to lying i have told no lies said bursting into tears i never caught you in one till this mo pursued and i hope i never shall again for i would rather you had never been born than that you should depart from the ways of poor we are and homely but honest and sincere we have always been mother sobbed why won t you believe me how can i said rapidly better own one fault at first than it by making false excuses you went out of this house this morning a good and innocent girl how you have since been spending or your time i know not though vol a noble purpose i shall be sure to know soon or late but most likely with idle companions in proof of it your sheep were lost your you back hot and weary and with your clothes looking as if you had been dragging them through every hedge and to cover all this to your too kind mother you invent an absurd story a profane story i may call it about st michael and i don t know what all i would scorn it said crying scorn it and welcome my from this time forth for or all the world will scorn you st michael what should possess you to go and take the name of that worthy gentleman in vain oh child for shame i thought i had taught you better and the two grand ladies too st and st margaret no doubt i am glad you did not venture to bring in nobly won blessed lady pray how might they be dressed i hardly marked their dresses mother said drying her eyes and trying to command her trembling voice but yet i think they were in a kind of something all over shiny there there don t go on for pity s sake interrupted with contempt and aversion or you will only make bad worse something all over shiny indeed a likely thing for saints of the first quality that might wear every colour in the rainbow to be dressed so as that you could help taking notice thou rt a very poor child after all and i pray thou never mend by practice repeat this all to the priest at thy next confession and don t be surprised if he puts thee to some good wholesome penance meanwhile to begin with i desire that you will strictly hold your tongue till bed time e a noble purpose but mother silence not a word said if you speak again you shall be silent for a week and you know i will be obeyed sighed acquiescence and you may fill up your time by all this said her mother pushing her towards her and spinning it right off humbly obeyed and was glad of some mechanical employment just at this time her father and brothers came home from work and looked disappointed enough at not finding supper ready how s this said dare in surprise this is no time to be spinning will mind what she is set about said sharply as she poured out the nobly won soup she has been herself and is in on it muttered while his sons exchanged expressive looks and shrugged their shoulders two large tears dropped on s apron seeing which her youngest brother immediately went up to her and took her hand come to your children said shortly come you don t instantly obeyed never muttered hold your tongue sir dead silence how we all are cried at length as dull as can t you be saying something interposed is to hold her tongue till bed time it is a penance j a noble purpose ma foi said getting up from table then i shall go and look after this was the of the neighbourhood don t said his mother in desperation but was gone never mind mother said go and fetch him back but went after him and did not return as for he on the floor with his the cat tormented the and pulled the dog s tail till his mother said you had better go to bed as soon as had finished her spinning she was sent to bed also then said dare to his wife mother how could you think of that girl and making us all as stupid as you had much better have given her a good on the head nobly won chapter iv tt said after looking jl cautiously round to be against i don t think s head will bear much it has been quite as grievous to me as it can have been to you to put the poor dear in disgrace but the case demanded it mischief is best in the bud you may an but not an oak here she has been at her dreaming and again and to having seen st michael the i warrant you aye aye cried looking hard at her and two female saints continued t dressed in gowns a noble purpose what did they say to her she says that he said and they said that she should put the king on the throne of france said with a low whistle and how does she mean to set about it heaven knows i should think so this is worse and worse her become more and more dangerous we must beat it out of her mother i think ah no she will never stand it what say you to it out of her with cold water i hope never to live to see my daughter treated like a witch said the matter is not so bad as no but there s no saying what it may come to suppose we get the priest to her that would be treating her as if she were c nobly won j	2
possessed by the evil one said reproachfully and may not she be i wonder to hear you father talk so of your own daughter may not the child have had intercourse with heaven after all the worst of it is i fear it may only be an idle tale to account for her letting the sheep go astray and her spinning idle tale wicked tale mother how the lose the sheep ah well they re all found again and she may have dropped asleep and so lost them yes and all this but she need not believe in it waking tell thee what mother i believe a husband would put all this nonsense out of her head sooner than anything else so i shall cast about for one s oh she is too young for marriage yet a noble purpose father or else there need be no casting about for i ve one in my eye who well he would do as well as any else yes and he has a kindness for her and though she cares for him yet if i encourage him a little he ll come forward and at least put these dreams out of her head do so then mother by all means i will father where are those idle boys who are keeping us up oh here they come don t let us make any remark young people should not be made of too much importance so the young men were allowed to go to bed and their father and mother barred and bolted the door the one saying and the other like parson and clerk nobly won c may i talk this morning mother said humbly the next day yes if thou use thy tongue replied to s immense relief for she neither liked silence nor being in disgrace will keep the sheep to day continued so take this bundle of foul linen and wash it in the river hammer it well and mind it gets a good this was part of s regular work and on the present occasion the more gladly availed herself of it because she thought the group of women who were sure to be engaged in like manner at the water side would do more to divert s thoughts than could be effected by her usual solitary employment it is true that was not usually fond of her hearing the village gossip but it struck her in her present anxiety that in one evil she might have another r a noble purpose and that it was even better for a young girl to hear a certain amount of idle talk than to be left hour after hour to with her own heart and fancy in which she may have been right it is doubtful however how much a highly imaginative character may gain of what is original and vast and high that would never but in seclusion and quiet have struck root downward and borne fruit upward then let her mother set the bundle on her head and with bare feet and a little wooden bat in her hand took her way to the banks of the here a cluster of women were washing while others looked on and talked the skirts of the former being pinned up nearly to their knees displaying beautiful feet with toes as level even and fair as ladies fingers no fewer than three of these women were nobly won s she being very liberally provided in that respect though there is no proof she ever was any the better for them except for their good will and prayers and truly it seems to me that those who take on them that holy office owe at least that much to their somewhat more than in common is thought a woman of fifty who was one of these was seated with more ease than dignity on a reversed clothes basket and holding forth to her companions in the following manner only noticing her by a familiar nod why should she call her child say you why because she had been cured at the shrine of the saint of that name whose legend you of course are acquainted with oh tell it us again if you a noble purpose please said eagerly it will refresh s memory and you know how fond i am of it well began there was once a grand lady called the dame d whose three brave sons went to the holy land they were taken captive by the of egypt who desired to them to being little of an himself he set upon them all the doctors and learned men he had about him who did not make the least impression they were cast into deeper than ever and the at his wit s end was considering what he should do with them when it suddenly occurred to him that his only daughter the princess a young lady of extraordinary beauty spoke excellent french and was also a profound he therefore desired her to array herself nobly won in her richest attire and go instantly to these three young knights and convert them out of hand the knights were no little astonished as you may suppose to see a young lady of beauty enter their dressed in gold silver and all manner of precious stones it so happened that when she came in the eldest of the three brothers was engaged in carving a small figure of our blessed lady well the princess entered at once into the and got so much the worst of it that she was mute for want of something to say so then it occurred to her to ask the d what he was doing in reply he gave her a complete outline of the christian faith which so amazed her and addressed itself to her better feelings that she was effectually converted during the night the little image	2
which a noble purpose the young knight had failed to make anything of was supplied no doubt from some heavenly quarter by that beautiful little statue of our lady which is to be seen to this day t and which to be more attractive to the s daughter was perfectly black was black then inquired no question of it said and so was s daughter only dark perhaps said you will not be surprised continued to hear that princess was so charmed with this image that she was the more easily induced by the knights to her own wicked religion and escape with them to a christian land at dead of night therefore with all her jewels in her pocket she stole softly down stairs unlocked the and fled with the knights to the banks of the nobly won where they found a vessel which immediately brought them to france the dame of welcomed her brave sons and their transport the princess was and a beautiful church was built by the pious knights for the reception of the miraculous image whose virtues in healing all manner of sickness have never ceased certainly can testify to that said she went to the shrine and her s completely cured well now i should say the cure was after all said for she sadly i ain ashamed of you said you should not let these young girls hear such well but does not she if she does it must be from want of faith vol f tc tc a noble purpose she was healed effectually enough at we should all beware of into is not the good duke of a patron of the shrine and did not poor unhappy king charles the sixth make a pilgrimage to it our dear too has made there which doubtless will be heard yes without a doubt said in a low voice for she believed in some strange wild stories but she had the root of the matter in her for all that which of the three knights did the beautiful princess marry inquired with interest princess did not marry any of them replied she took the veil ah what a pity no pity at all i think said it was a fit end to her holy life and brave deed and doubtless she prayed for the con nobly won j version of her father whom she must have grieved to why should marriage always wind up a story if one has grace to do a good and great thing surely one may then die in peace and she set to her washing without attending to any more gossip she had already heard enough to set her dreaming of unfortunate knights being freed from their perils and by brave and sped on their way by saints and angels when the family re assembled in the evening did nothing but at the stupidity of keeping sheep all day why what else are you fit for you silly boy said a girl may keep sheep as well or better than a boy said and i don t so much mind keeping them along with because she tells me stories of the dog of p a noble purpose and the forest of and sir and the lion and the de who made his wife eat the s heart s head is lined with plenty of such as that said his mother where she it up i know not except of and ballad and of one sort and another it does neither of you any good for it makes you discontented with the station into which you were born oh mother indeed i m not discontented interposed who was spinning i am as happy as i ever wish to be and the only thing that me is that the king and country at large should be in such trouble we have nothing to do with the king and country at large said and nothing is more ridiculous than for young persons to with matters too high for them put nobly won some to roast here comes and very likely he will stay to supper oh mother please don t ask him cried not ask him indeed i shall ask who i please without to ask consent of my children pray what is your objection to my doing so he is such a very stupid forward young man mother stupid forward we must take people as we find them we expect them to make for us and why should not we make for them you yourself require plenty of allowance to be made for you mistress here he comes sure enough came in with a flower in his button hole a clean washed face a a noble purpose round his hat and a look that seemed to indicate the consciousness that his arrival was not altogether unexpected to her disgust saw her mother making much of him and heard her tell him he was welcome bid him be seated hope he would stay and ask him a variety of questions about his family their and circumstances how such a one made his farm answer what such another got for his cow how much another would give his son on his marriage and what another would give with his daughter a good daughter observed she is just so much property you needn t no one is thinking of you a good daughter as i was saying who can wash and and spin and is just so much property and when her parents give her away it is exactly the same as giving away a bag of money it nobly won ji may be copper or it may be brass but still it s so much property grinned and his hair and his hat and said something that sounded like oh is it though yes it is said positively and i being the only married person present am	2
likely to know most about it here comes father though my lad you ll oblige me by sitting on this bench it s just as soft as the stool at least no harder and always likes his own seat well as i was saying i suppose you ll settle some of these days no you weren t said but it don t signify yes i suppose i shall well then i wish you a good wife with all my heart said oh said i have not far to look i have one in my eye j a noble purpose oh indeed said looking surprised and who may she be i wonder ah she s one that can do all those things you said and perhaps a lot more has she any money well that s what i should like to know said his hat only i don t like to ask not much i should suppose but a little would be better than nothing certainly it would said or if her parents are too poor to give her any money perhaps they would give a cow or a calf or a horse or pig or two or three sheep or a few you re more likely to know than i am said abruptly for you re her mother you don t say so said oh oh oh capital capital repeated with indignation anything but that i think nobly won we must talk it over said in great glee when we are by ourselves and i dare say we shall be able to arrange it with mutual mother how can you say so interrupted please don t child be quiet you are too young to come forward in these things bear with her she s but young and shy oh yes bear with her said with a grin which thought made him look ugly said she to him in a low voice but with a look of great determination tis no good i cannot bear you jl noble purpose chapter v from this time poor was so incessantly persecuted by addresses that they did indeed answer the end her mother had mainly in view of chasing away her dreams and but the process was so and disgusting to her that the poor girl was ready to wish herself dead as character came out was indeed secretly forced to own to herself that he was not the man she would have chosen for her son in law and that she should not vex much if he failed in his suit but as he answered her present purpose she left to the task of him and received him with smiles whenever he came nobly won s daily toil as a kept him employed till sunset but then he never failed to present himself and if dare did but welcome him with a doubtful the young men whose lives were not too amusing were well pleased should have a lover and indulged in many a jest at her expense was her only ally and thought it a shame to torment her had so good an opinion of himself that when he had once got over the awkwardness of speaking on the subject he did so in good faith believing it impossible he could be disagreeable to any one told him so however so that he stole a few minutes from his work one morning to see alone and ask her what he was to think of s saying once and again she would not have him lad said with a mischievous gleam in her eye for j a noble purpose which she ought to have been ashamed of herself and resolved to try a bold stroke for a wife did not wait for sunset but went off straight to the sheep pastures was spinning on a bank under a on the skirt of an exhausted while her dozen or so sheep and two or three fed on a patch of short sweet grass before her the trees were thin of leaves but there was a ripe feeling in the air and the trees and bushes looked as if they had been touched up with a velvet brush dipped in honey the scene was rural and charming in the extreme with occasional features of a bolder description in the distance the lark was high in air and she herself was softly singing a hymn to the virgin a sound of snapping twigs as pushed his way through some made her look up nobly won you here at this time of day said she in surprise aye said he throwing himself on the ground a few paces from her i thought i would for once make holiday it will be no holiday to me if you are coming to spend it here said i have no respect for people who their work how you are i never came near a girl with such a bitter tongue why do you come near me then i m sure i do not want you and more than that if you are going to stay here i shall go home and tell mother for she has expressly told me a hundred times never to have anything to say to young men oh well but she did not mean me for i am a great favourite not of mine said with my father and mother would not send me a noble purpose out here to keep the sheep if they thought any one would follow me and favourite or no favourite my mother would be as angry as ever she could be if she thought you were here now so go your ways like an honest fellow and mind your you are talking of what you know nothing about i have seen your mother this very morning and she knows that i am come here to bring you to the point the point will	2
be that i shall set the dog at you said here knows better than to fly at me said snapping his fingers at him and whistling which the dog however did not exactly incline to take in good part the long and short is that you are promised to me and my wife you shall be so why make more nobly won a c who promised me to you i should like to know said she in high scorn that s neither here nor there promised you are and you shall perform has my father ever promised you know he has not i did not say he had has my mother i don t believe it perhaps she has perhaps she hasn t i ve seen her since you have you have promised me yourself over and over again was there ever such a false word you have i have said to you a hundred times will you marry me and when will you marry me and you ve always named some time or other here called her dog and began to collect her sheep what are you going to do said following her a noble purpose fold the sheep in broad day said she if i cannot get quit of you in any other way i will justify myself to my mother if you dare me to it i will have you up before the official at do so and welcome said she expose yourself to defeat and derision if you will i will obey the ha there s a wolf cried glad of an excuse to end a in which he gained no advantage and he abruptly pushed through the as if to scare it though had a strong persuasion that no wolf was there to her great relief however she heard his retreating footsteps presently whose flock was nearer to her than she knew of came up to her and found her crying s oh what is the matter v said will be so tiresome sobbed nobly won he in asking me to marry him and have not you said no often enough often enough why i mean never to say yes why should not you say yes said h on the whole he is a very good fellow a very good fellow would take no for an answer and speak the truth instead of saying i had promised to marry him which is the greatest falsehood that ever was ah well love leads folks into strange errors said he must love you very much or he would not you so he says he will have me up to the official at said i dare say it is only an idle threat however i almost hope he may because then i shall speak right out before witnesses and so the matter will end vol i g a noble purpose that will be a very unpleasant way of ending it observed not at all said taking up her with a sigh i shan t mind it however small s hope could be that would have him after such rough speaking on both sides he resolved to plague her by his threat and accordingly on the second morning from their meeting a or arrived and her to appear at dare who was just going to work when the arrived was highly indignant at this proceeding which converted him from a ally of s into his decided foe he set upon his horse and walked beside her to who was standing at the entrance of the court house looked rather when he saw dare accompanying his daughter nobly won though he could hardly have expected him to let her come alone one or two acquaintances who happened to be in the town followed them in to watch the proceedings the official who was a plain sensible man asked why the young girl was brought up before him with much declared she had promised to be his wife and now refused to her promise having with alacrity taken her oath that she never had made him any promise of the kind and dared him to say where and when after many thought to turn the whole thing into a joke at her expense and said abruptly why you said you would marry me when the sky should fall and sure the sky must have fallen in since st michael and all angels have dropped out of it g a noble purpose looked enraged but her father and the other burst into a fit of laughter and when the official had had the joke explained to him he laughed too come come my pretty maid said he good the young man has given you a for your you expect him to believe that saints have come down from heaven and he expects you to acknowledge that you promised him yourself in marriage set one against the other we will think no more of either you are cleared of the alleged promise and suppose we set things straight by your giving him your now but would not hear of such a thing and the official seeing by her look how completely she was in earnest dismissed them all to look out for a wife somewhere else i know where he might find one thought nobly won and if he ever gives me the opportunity i will speak a friendly word for the opportunity however was not given for who considered himself an ill used man never spoke another word to her so was left during the winter to the undisturbed workings of her inner being while in the sight of all she was spinning sewing looking after the stock and performing all the humble duties of her little world in as a spirit as if she were out of it she found herself listening to voices that came she knew not how or from whence without surprise or fear	2
they said or seemed to say that she must do and suffer great things they bade her go forth fearing nothing that flesh could do unto her for that she should be with strength for a certain allotted task by power from high and when the a noble purpose voices ceased and the mysterious passed away she used to weep and that she might be borne away with them and prostrate herself to kiss the ground they had the shepherd has left us some account of the hardness of a shepherd s life in winter sometimes literally giving his life for the sheep and has given us a picture of a shepherd s winter in champagne in s time champagne was not accounted part of france it was the and thus a safe conduct was necessary for a traveller in either direction during this winter of would sometimes stray through and bring word how was being by strong called and they told how the earl of the city from the top of the nobly won over against the bridge called les had met his death from a cannon ball and had been succeeded in the command by lord who was endeavouring to reduce the city by famine gathered up every scrap of intelligence from these chance sources and went about revolving them in her mind meanwhile she had as many little and in her daily life as heretofore but she was too much pre occupied to take account of them at length one day she went and stood by her father and presently said father i must go to and why said he startled to speak to the thou art surely mad said he looking at her oh no dear father i am not the voices tell me so they bid me go a noble purpose they who the voices bless my heart and soul said dare you know father is now closer than ever it is the last struggle for the kingdom that can be made if it falls the english will sweep over the land as the does when it bursts its the will be driven for shelter to the mountains yes if falls we are lost bless my heart alive ejaculated her father as long as food can be got within the walls continued they may hold out but the english are closing them in all round tower after tower wall within wall are them in and when the circle they must perish her voice dropped but every syllable was whispered nobly won a said dare roughly rouse yourself you re dreaming you re not yourself don t go on talking in this uncomfortable manner she passed her hand over her brow and said quietly with a little sigh what is the matter a great deal is the matter i think said dare you were talking goodness knows what nonsense about shapes and voices and such like ah yes dear father the voices say i must go whither to the my poor girl thy wits are wool gathering the and ye are bent on mere folly will you let me go father in a word no a noble purpose s eyes filled with tears but she said no more she drooped scarcely ate and sometimes shed tears but without any complaining one fine frosty morning in january a middle aged peasant looking very brisk and cheerful drove up to the house in a country cart and scrambled out is t thee man cried dropping the she was and throwing her arm about his neck aye aye tis i replied he kissing her very heartily and what will you say when you hear that is in bed with a fine healthy little girl v say why that am very glad indeed of it brother i ve come over to know whether you could manage to spare to us for a few weeks till my wife gets about again nobly won with all my heart said and in fact i think it will do the girl good for she has not been quite well lately so after a good deal of chattering and bustle was started off beside her uncle along the road to in a cart that was used for the most part to fetch home and hay or carry twenty or thirty of apples and to market she did not even wish good bye but she nodded in passing to and called out to her a noble purpose chapter vi said one evening when she had been with and his wife about six weeks and they were all sitting round the fire the mother with her sleeping babe in her arms what is the name of the governor of sir robert de replied he a right brave and noble gentleman i want to see him uncle you child said they both uncle do you believe in dreams and certainly i do replied he with simplicity and solemnity my first wife appeared to me soon after her death nobly won if i were to say to you uncle s that could not be what should you reply my dear child i should merely reply that you knew nothing at all about it i know what i know that you have not seen a thing i have seen is nothing whatever to the purpose that s exactly it exclaimed joyfully my dear uncle i have had a dream no not a dream but a vision an impression a i do not know what to call it however some of the saints from heaven have appeared to me and have given me a mission and a message that mission i must execute that message i must deliver t my dear child you don t say so said he looking at her perplexed and with a certain degree of pleasing awe but with no incredulity whatever how have they appeared to you r	2
a noble purpose and what have they said has it been in this very house this is deeply interesting simply and earnestly told her tale and and his wife believed every word of it dear heart said he after a thoughtful pause and have you communicated this to your father and mother yes uncle and they believe it no more than they would believe your seeing my aunt as for that said after another pause they might believe it or not but i am as sure of it myself as that i see you sitting there and i am equally sure that i saw the of our poor little baby put in who was a very simple sort of good creature besides there was that young man thou of nobly won who died for love of my sister thou what she saw as for dying of love i always thought he died of drinking observed but he might do that and yet not lie easy in his grave be that how it may i am certain i had a from and i am equally certain uncle that the blessed saints spoke to me as i have told you and bade me go forward without fear so to morrow i must see the de stop a bit said i can improve upon that the de is what i might call a man a man to put a young girl like you out of countenance so i will go to him myself oh yes that will be best said you are very kind uncle said but i a noble purpose i do not feel at all afraid of him and i think it would be better for me to go however it shall be as you both wish so next morning good presented himself at the governor s door and requested to have speech of him after some he was admitted robert de was a man about fifty who like most of his time had seen some service though at present peacefully occupied his garb partook of the profession of arms that is to say he wore a red silk called a with sword and dagger in his belt his head was covered with a hood cut into a peak behind beneath the shade of which appeared a rugged countenance with keen grey eyes and shaggy eyebrows his large leather gloves lay on the table beside him while he was doing something to his hawk s nobly won well old man said he rather contemptuously what hast thou to say great sir replied with a profound i know well that your is most affected to our sovereign lord the king whether you know it or not is of ve y little importance i think said de still at his employment the troubles of the times pursued call for a remedy heaven has undertaken his majesty s cause and spoken by the mouth of blessed saints to a young girl of humble origin what on earth are you talking about said the governor looking up at him in my lord it is even as i say st michael and other saints have revealed t a young girl of the means of saving france vol h a noble purpose and what may those means be she will herself reveal them your to his grace the king the i should say his majesty charles the seventh proclaimed himself king of france immediately on his accession you do him slight therefore in calling him your pardon gracious sir will it please you then to grant a safe conduct to my niece to his sacred presence a safe conduct certainly not what will you ask next i wonder the saints my lord having saints nonsense box the girl s ears well and send her back to her parents you may show this old man out so poor found himself in the open air in less than no time was anxiously awaiting him at his nobly won cottage door though the cold wintry wind cut like a knife well cried she eagerly and running up to him as soon as he appeared oh my dear it won t do it won t do he won t hear of it what did he say inquired in great disappointment tell me everything that passed how cold you are dear uncle you have taken a chill let me rub your hands i will warm you a little wine no no thank you said and yet after all i think i will say yes oh my dear he is quite the man of consequence scarce looked up from his hawk s all the while i was there scarcely heard me out sneered me to scorn gave me a flat denial and sent me packing am sorry indeed i should have exposed you to such usage oo a noble purpose you know uncle t wanted to go myself my dear it would have never done it would have never done there are some things that old folks can do better than young ones yes uncle and there are some things that young folks can do better than old ones it is not that you should be and brow beaten but i have made up my mind to all that i look upon it as part of my regular wages as a set off against the honour and glory of delivering france what shall i bear a message from the saints of heaven to my earthly sovereign and care for the of one of his meanest officers i am willing to bear the scorn both of the governor and of the whole court if so be i can but win my way to the king s ear at last she spoke so and with such un nobly won affected earnestness that beheld and listened to her with reverence child said he	2
such as you are born to do great things i could no more speak and look like you than i could fly like an eagle if so be and it so being that you must speak to the king you have no more to do than to speak and look at the governor just as you do to me to turn him round your finger that is just what i hope and think uncle therefore to morrow if it please you i will go to him myself and meanwhile i will strengthen myself by much prayer a girl who gets to her knees as often as you do said her uncle cannot but prosper accordingly they both set off for the next morning and as they approached the town they could hear the ringing ah said joyfully what cheerful a noble purpose sounds they seem to welcome me i always so love the sound of bells if the door keeper had not been a friend of s it is likely he might not have admitted them as it was however their names were carried in to de just as he was the king s condition to a noble gentleman named de and lightly observing what a ridiculous visit he had received the previous day from a who had come several miles to tell him of a girl who could save france as i live here he is again exclaimed de and with the girl in his hand let us hear what she has to say by all means said de and and his niece were shown in s apparel was neat and clean but extremely humble she still wore the red which was beginning to be rather nobly won and a coarse red hood and cape of her mother s covered her head and shoulders because of the of the season de resting both hands on the of his sword and sitting a little behind the governor never once took his eyes off her so said de looking at her you are the girl that is to save france step forward did so and so did now then let s hear all about it my lord interposed silence fellow said de you had your say yesterday fall back a little if you speak again without being spoken to i shall desire you to withdraw s colour heightened a little but she remained calm and silent now then said de fixing his eyes on her a a noble purpose beau said she steadily i am a young girl of i come to you in the name of the lord to tell you that the is to take heart and hold out for that by mid lent he shall certainly be delivered the kingdom is not his but the lord s and it is the lord s pleasure that he should hold it for him she crossed her arms on her bosom and ceased said de with a little after a short silence that is your message is it is there any more the will surely be crowned and i shall see him at ho pretty well i think aside to de who replied neither by word look nor smile then turning again to who gave you this message her eyes sank a little and she said faltering nobly won it l n way the michael hum that s fine any else there were two fair ladies with him oh indeed what were these fair ladies like they were like like fair ladies ha just so they stood upon the ground i suppose like other fair ladies or were they up in the clouds did they frighten you do you mean the first time aye j de ce ha so i should think did you tell the priest no nor your parents yes what did they say of it they held me in great a noble purpose ho i think they showed their sense what is your employment i keep sheep and in the winter when the sheep are i spin how old are you eighteen speak up look me in the face she did you think yourself a modest girl sir will you not let me help the king as these simple words burst from her lips de gave a great sigh and shifted his position though he continued to look intently at her the expression of his face entirely changed instead of merely curiosity and it sympathy respect and affection it was quite otherwise with de however nobly won i think said he throwing himself back in his chair this is as a piece of nonsense as ever i heard you have been dreaming over your sheep and your spinning it bears much less the impress of a saint than of the devil why did not you tell your cure of it at the time go go you are an idle girl if not a bad one beau began silence i say i will hear no more nonsense leave me took her reluctant hand and led her away dreadfully alarmed at the governor s displeasure oh said he as soon as they were in the street did not i tell you it would never do see how terrible is a great man s frown be at ease uncle said calmly his frown cannot hurt us rough words io a noble purpose break no bones and though he may seem a great man to us may be he is a very little one in the eyes of the king i am no ways and fear him less now i have seen him than i did before i shall go to him again to morrow to morrow aye and day by day till i gain my will of him child child this is mere madness how am i to come here with thee day after day	2
that must not be said and she looked so that her pitying uncle said if indeed there really were need of thy remaining in oh indeed there is need of it why then there is the wife of a worthy who at a word from me would give thee a lodging nobly won oh speak the word then uncle so to the they went meanwhile de and de were comparing impressions my conviction is said de that she is good and true never saw i maid more tut tut said de she faced it well out hut yet her eye a little for a moment before mine she thought i should not swallow st michael it may be delusion said de musing but on my life there is no deceit in it then there is the finger of the devil would not he rather take the other side think you well there s some sense in that and de laughed i suppose you believe in the saints said de gravely no a noble purpose but not in their appearing to not without high cause but here is high cause you believe in the girl then de on my faith i do that is i believe in her honesty and i see no reason to doubt her mission well and the governor shrugged his shoulders if i were you persisted de i should let the king hear of it who i i cannot do that wherefore should you not even as an instrument to be turned to good account hum i did not think of it in that light certainly others may believe in her though i do not mark you j do therefore i am suggesting quite an unworthy motive j nobly won in marry it is quite worthy of its subject said de the king would only laugh at me and i have no mind to be laughed at no need to be you need only advise his majesty that a maid of had a miraculous vision and so forth without committing yourself well said de after thinking it over a little i am really more inclined to suppose the matter to come from the powers of darkness than of light there can be no harm i think in having the girl by the none whatever then if there be an evil spirit in her it will be cast out de summoned a servant to him and then said inquire where that young girl h a noble purpose chapter vii de was as true a son of chivalry as ever drew sword without fear and without reproach he was one of the royal and of noble birth at this time he seems to have been off duty whether he had already done his sovereign good service in the field as is highly probable or had chiefly attended at and we know not certain it is that he had the true spirit of a whose sworn duty it was to defend the de i e de du de france or of the king s stable such is the rendering kindly supplied me by the secretary of the society of nobly won orphan the widow the maiden the poor the and the oppressed to destroy tyranny and to safe travelling in undertaking s cause therefore de was his under more than one of these heads for the rest he was a calm serious dignified looking man and his age was thirty six on leaving sir robert de de went straight to his intimate friend and companion de commonly called the de this gentleman like himself was a noble but apparently had not received there were many noble gentlemen of small landed estate the term has nothing to do with either or it from only in being frequently applied to military whether landed or i am indebted for this to my uncle mr vol i i u a noble purpose who remained simply to avoid the expenses of and they lost nothing of real power or position by this for they were entitled to lead their followers into action under a as the knight led his under a and the knight under a banner these independent wore silver spurs while those of knights were silver gilt the de was just now leading the life of a retired country gentleman rather at his and amusing his leisure with lt the of wood and of an of the with his by the mystery of the river being understood not fishing but for water fowl he also tried his hand at a lai or now and then though his gift in this way was small and nobly won he was very fond of he was accustomed to be a good deal under the influence of de the more so for being three or four years his junior and cast pretty much upon him for society to him went de and related the curious scene he had witnessed at the governor s adding his conviction that the maiden was worthy to be believed and observing that out of the mouths of and the lord had sometimes ordained praise de heard him with wonder and when de wound up with what should you say if i told you i held it a good and wise thing to see this girl safe on her journey he burst out laughing and said by my faith i should think you either foolish or mad and i have never been accustomed to consider you either de argued that since he had appeared to him neither mad nor foolish a noble purpose fore it was possible he might not be so now and talked the matter over with him and yet forcibly which was his usual manner meanwhile having procured a lodging for his niece with his old acquaintance le the took leave of her and departed le who was a respectable married woman	2
of about thirty years of age put a few questions to who was quiet and of her words and then returned to her own affairs spent much of her time in prayer and filled up the rest of it in spinning for her hostess on the following day she was preparing to repeat her visit to sir robert de when standing at her door exclaimed maiden here comes our nobly won in his stole and with him the governor and sundry other persons and they are making straight for this house if the governor comes to me it will save my going to him said as she spoke de entered accompanied by the de and de while a little knot of curious remained outside looked somewhat alarmed but displayed simple surprise that is the girl said sir robert abruptly to the without addressing a word to either of the women and scarcely looking at them her at once and let us see what comes of it the who was rather young and looking proceeded to any evil spirit that might be in her to come out of her m a noble purpose and any good spirit that might be in her to remain where he was all this submitted to very calmly after which she told the governor she hoped he had satisfied himself that she was not in league with the powers of darkness all the better for you if you are not replied he take heed to give no colour to such a supposition by your future conduct saying which he turned on his heel and was followed by all but the de what did it all mean said looking bewildered oh said smiling do you not know there is an old prophecy that a maid between and shall save france i am that maid et earn si ab et si ii nobly won looked for she had heard the prophecy formerly but had not connected it with de now broke silence maiden said he you have well borne the test do not fear the of the governor it is his duty to be wary and send the no however i think you will win to him yet and as the dangers by the road will be great i offer myself to you in all true as your champion to see you safe to the saying which he kissed the of his sword u do you accept me t most certainly i do said colouring with pleasure and i thank heaven for having given me so honourable a conductor ah surely all must go well since assistance is thus vouchsafed me de addressed a few more words to her but finding her shy and tongue tied a noble purpose courteously bent his head and relieved her of his presence thinking her the simplest in the world and smiling to see how little she troubled herself as to who was to bear the expenses of travelling or feared to trust herself with one of whom she absolutely knew nothing meanwhile the who had lately her saw her quietly come into church with her hostess and perform her with the utmost appearance of seriousness and piety j and was thereby impressed in her favour on returning to her lodging met the de who had not yet spoken to her but who did so now as if they were on the best of terms he had been with de about her and was curious to hear what she had to say for herself ma said he cheerfully what is this you are doing here must we not submit to nobly won see the king from his kingdom and ourselves becoming english sir said she very seriously i am come to ask the de to send me to the he has no care for me nor for any words of mine but yet it is needful that before mid lent i should stand in the s presence even should i in reaching him wear through my feet and have to crawl upon my knees for no one upon this earth neither king nor duke nor of the king of no one but myself is appointed to recover this realm of france yet i would willingly remain to spin by my poor mother for war seems no work for me but go i must because my master wills it whom call you your master then said de there was talk at this time of the infant son of charles vii to the daughter of the king of a noble purpose the king of heaven replied she reverently he it is who has sent me well said de holding out his hand to her i believe you say true and i promise you on the faith of a gentleman and in the hearing of god that i will lead you myself before the king when do you wish to begin your journey sooner now than to morrow and sooner to morrow than later replied she there are things to be thought of first rejoined de do you mean to go in the clothes you have on you must ride a horse for about four hundred miles and those short red of yours are scarcely suitable the voices replied she have told me to wear the garb of a man et post of de nobly won oh indeed said de with a sudden movement of his eyebrows for this was his first introduction to the voices and he did not precisely know what to think of them and have you any clothes of that sort to wear no said faltering for she could not think of any one but her uncle likely to lend them her and a sudden quick blush as bright as it was unexpected arose in her face as it occurred to her how she would look in a suit of s never mind said	2
said wiping her poor eyes as dropped the money into her lap and pray what did he give them to you for nobly won for my trouble in going to him and wherefore did you go because he sent for me with a safe conduct and the governor himself took me with ever so many men at arms yes yes said in a subdued voice the grand people have all taken her up and it is the will of the lord and we must be mute since he has made her his mouth piece well it s all a mystery and perplexity to me said not that i would for an instant the will of the lord if i knew it to be so it all seems so extraordinary extraordinary evils require extraordinary said and sometimes get them whatever a live duke a could want to see in your round pursued girls must be at a and what now vol l a noble purpose might his s grace say for curiosity was her sorrow a little he said he was sick and like to die and wanted to know if i could cure him if he had sent to me now said there would have been some sense in it for there s a many things i know how to treat with what grows in the fields and hedges but i thought it was one of the privileges of the rich to have a learned doctor whenever they liked whether they were ill or only fanciful without caring for the cost even if their were wrapped in gold leaf and what now might be his complaint he did not tell me said and drinking of his s self most likely said shortly that s what the rich mainly suffer from well put in addressing himself nobly won to tis no good the matter i ve a good way to go home and a many things to do got you a horse and me and another have made up the price between us for it was a matter of sixteen so i hope you ll take care of it and not break its knees oh thank you uncle what can she want was beginning and while i was for it persisted that brave gentleman of yours came up that has taken your matter in hand not the dark but the light one the de don t you call him and he remembering to have seen me come out of this house asked me what i was about and whether it had any reference to you and when he found what it was he was well pleased and the horse for me by pointing out a little white about the knees l a noble purpose but lie said it was a good serviceable horse and more than equal to your apparel which was of the meanest and that he had been asking the de how he could send you such a suit but it seems he the younger squire had had light things said to him by the governor about going and all over the country with a young woman which had his feelings and so he was you should not be too smart the things will do very well said who was now blushing painfully at the words had put into the governor s they were entirely his own and quite a free translation of what de had said to him and he went on continued to speak of this extraordinary project and truly we may all thank heaven that so discreet and virtuous a gentleman has taken the matter in nobly won hand for if he had been some young fellow whose character was not worth you would have been just as ready to go with him i should not said indignantly while inwardly thanked his law for this hit well pursued if you get through it it will be more owing to him i think than to yourself is he then so discreet a gentleman as you say inquired anxiously itself replied and the other from all i hear is just such another though a trifle younger both are turned thirty dear me thirty is no age at all said i grant you said it s the sense more than the age but these gentlemen have sense and virtue too a noble purpose there s some consolation in that said who was weeping softly while with her arm about her mother s neck was shedding rivers of tears on her bosom but without the least noise or any from her purpose go on go on brother said in a voice as weak as his wife s give us all the consolation you can by telling us whatever good you know of these gentlemen without any i have not forgotten the dream i had long years ago that was going along with soldiers and i did say at the time that sooner than it should come to pass i would drown her like a but now the time s come i don t find it so easy and here making an unfortunate attempt to laugh he only gave a sob you see said soothingly that you did not know the whole meaning of the nobly won dream and thought she was going off with the soldiers in a sort of way whereas the whole thing is quite respectable and approved by all the town here made a diversion by saying dinner is now ready and i hope you will partake of it for you have come a long way and must needs be hungry well i wondered what it was that made me so weak said and maybe that is the reason so as you are so pressing gossip i don t care if i take a fm not a bit hungry said oh but you must join us said or	2
i shall think there is something amiss in the fare or the invitation come come there s nothing amiss in the fare i will undertake to say observed for a noble purpose what s good enough for you must be good enough for us i always say what will do for me ought to do for my guests yes if they take you by surprise said otherwise one would willingly provide a little better i am sure there is no need in the present instance said so they all drew about the table on which stood a large bowl filled with steaming soup and in her husband le from the shed he came in looking very black but very good tempered with teeth as white as a chimney sweep s there were but two which were common to them all and at starting there was a good deal of old fashioned politeness and you first no you first but hunger soon asserted its dignity and the went briskly round with the precision of a military exercise in those days nobly won there was even a sentiment attached to eating out of the same plate and drinking from the same cup i believe knights and their were accustomed to do it i am certain it was the rule for a man and his wife and in the even now may be seen eating out of the same bowl with the same spoon even who was a remarkably spare for so healthy looking a girl partook of the soup with relish and could not help saying how glad the poor people in would be of this oh bother said her father on which she gave him a look of mild reproof but said nothing feeling the subject had better be left alone filling a cup with wine passed it round saying this is of last year s give me your opinion of it so then they all a noble purpose tasted it and gave their opinions and a good deal was said of this and other and in general and then they got to the and apple crop and then to and fetched out an apron full of apples and handed them round saying eat one of these it will settle your teeth and began to one herself in a way to show that she at any rate had a good firm set they were a kind of april cheerfulness all the more so that le having come in fresh stuck to general subjects when the little window of the room was suddenly darkened by several persons passing it and the next instant there was an tap of the at the house door come in always cried so the latch was raised and in walked a of six citizens of to wit the butcher the baker the nobly won maker the the and the tailor who to and le were quite among the upper ten thousand all the dinner party stood up impressed with an awful sense that something uncommon was about to happen and the tailor stepping forward towards to whom he bowed with his feet in the first position with much solemnity delivered himself thus virtuous the citizens of conscious of your exalted worth and the lofty motives which inspire your present desire to present you with a suitable of their sentiments in the shape of a cape with a hood to it and other which being made of the very best materials by my unworthy self we hope will fit to which receiving the parcel of a noble purpose clothing from his hands replied with the utmost propriety mr citizen tailor and you ye other citizens and respectable of it gives me satisfaction to receive this proof of your sympathy and i hope by the blessing of heaven to show that it has not been thrown away after this exchange of a general hand shaking and took place which impressed all but especially well said she with when the had retired i always said that mine has been a remarkable life i have never known one day what would happen the next who would have thought husband that a child of ours should have received an honour like this from the chief citizens of a large market town nobly won certainly it is a very uncommon proof of the interest they take in said looking considerably pleased and i must say the confidence they evidently repose in m her makes me more inclined to confide in her myself oh thank you father said it may be said he tapping her on the cheek kindly that we old folks have been all wrong with our precautions and prudence for this is a remarkable case but in cases in general mind you the precautions and prudence of old people are all in the right oh yes i am quite willing to admit that said so are we all echoed and then you baggage why don t you go and put the things on said her father cheerfully that we may see how they look a a noble purpose ah that is an excellent proposal said they all and as was burning to do that very thing she made no objection but carried the bundle into the other room and shut the door then the others drew round the fire and said what an extraordinary thing the whole affair was and what an extraordinary girl must be and all the more so for having previously given no signs of being anything but ordinary and how well she looked even in the shabby suit though it was best not to let the young baggage know it and how odd it was her not being a bit afraid to trust herself with these gentlemen and what it showed and how they hoped and prayed the gentlemen would be as good as they seemed and lead her into no	2
another about the state of the country and she do better than listen de spoke nobly won of the english as and de observed how in times the had been the and the whole realm of england to their and he described how the english hated them and were by them which was all new to and he went on to tell how king john of england lost all his french possessions that had come to him by lawful inheritance and how our national honour thereby incurred a stain which his were impelled to wipe out de here observed that our henry the third and edward the first and second did not do much towards it de replied no edward the second played into the hands of the french by weakly to do homage in the person of his son for his french possessions and that it was not surprising that the young prince when he a noble purpose became edward the third should show more spirit and even seek the crown of france in right of his mother but that was no reason why he should get it and as it was he got a good deal more than it was well for him to have in was a bad thing for any country people that spoke different languages would never in reality be brothers though they might be friends de at the thought and then de went on to observe that henry the fifth of england to divert his own subjects from strife among themselves must needs send troops over to the duke of which was as impertinent as between master and man for those proud overgrown were subjects whatever they might think of it and he went on in a way touching up all the one after another more briefly than has done all of which as nobly won de was very likely to know it already may have been for the benefit of but when they began to talk of the first of the duke of and then of the duke of leaving the quarrel to their respective sons they were getting to events which they themselves indeed could not remember but which their fathers had witnessed and of which they could speak with animation and detail and they traced the rise and progress of this present war and how on the death of our henry the fifth his son though yet an infant seemed to have every advantage on his side the whole power of england at his command soldiers to warfare and accustomed to victory and such as france alas could not boast mastery not only of but of paris and of almost all the northern provinces but said de our sovereign a noble purpose as the english know in their hearts is the true and heir of the whatever steps may have been taken to set him aside he has the loyalty of his his soldiers and the mass of the people to count upon and god will protect the right saying which he looked at and smiled the odds would not be so against us said de abruptly if it were not for philip of of the english themselves were we fairly matched i should have no fear there is immense force in them however said de look at their and i am however in great hope that the provisions which is even now endeavouring to convey to his troops from paris may be by the strong party have waiting for him at sir william t nobly won this was spoken the day after the famous battle of the in which our was victorious and the french completely defeated should the good cheer added de t which has provided for his own men be whipped up by and and carried into it will be acceptable enough there for they are now reduced to such desperate straits that if our young maiden here looking at does indeed save them it can hardly be by anything short of a miracle de s countenance here became a little troubled and presently taking advantage of the of the by road he rode on a few paces in advance de continuing beside endeavoured to converse with her but finding her shy and silent he presently rode on to de leaving her to herself a noble purpose what troubled you just now said he to him i saw by your looks that you were pray heaven said de in a low voice glancing over his shoulder as he spoke that the maiden may be honest and true what doubt is there of it said de in surprise i at least have none and i thought you had not nor had i but yet supposing all should not be right why should we suppose so said de de only up his face into an incomprehensible expression you should have thought of this before said de impatiently it is too late now to entertain suspicions you are embarked in the enterprise and must make the best of it for my part i think nobly won doubts are injurious see we are coming to a river and turning about he took s rein and guided her horse as they dashed through the water which proved rapid and deep the excitement of the passage did them all good de began to relate an accident that had occurred to him in attempting to ford a river which swept him v down the current and de the story with another and another apparently forgetful of his late suspicions they slept at the abbey of st the first night where they heard that many bands were abroad next morning they plunged into a thick wood with nothing deserving the name of a road through it only a couple of full of water which led them a course sometimes under huge trees with low sweeping branches that made them stoop to	2
have put duke charles up to sending for the maid on pretence of wanting her assistance for the purpose of seeing what she really t nobly won was and whether she laid claim to any miraculous powers or not it may have been so said de musing she conducted herself on that occasion in a way no one could have reckoned on de said he was never so struck dumb in his life i hope she will not make you and me feel so silly have no fear of it said de who however did not relish the suggestion after a pause by the way de said he still in a cautious there is one thing which has much surprised me respecting yourself what is it said de all attention you know said de the wound my affections in the lamentable death of the lady rendered it impossible for me ever again to entertain the thought of marriage but i must say i a noble purpose i marvel that you who have never sustained such a should persist in remaining a bachelor that s a sore subject my friend said de biting his lip and de st has to answer for it you know that a year or two ago she was the loveliest girl at court i wore her favour i won her grace and we were on the very brink of bringing things to a conclusion when she had the impertinence to ask me what were my dispositions a very odd question for a young lady j said de if very said de i so you know and did you break with her upon that for no reason well that was rather a strong measure nobly won fm always hot and quick it s my nature i cannot be as calm as you still if your heart had really been bestowed i took it back again for a girl in her to be considering what she should get if i died caused a in my feelings it was very strange certainly said de what could put such a thing in her head i wonder she said every man ought to care for the welfare of others as much after his death as before it and that therefore every man who had anything to leave ought to make his will especially on the point of marriage and in such unsettled times there was a good deal of truth in that de yes but from such a quarter noble purpose might not you have yielded the point i told her i had an aversion to making my will while i was well and likely to continue so i might as well order my coffin as should be sure to want it some time or other she laughed which i thought and said making my will would bring me no nearer to death i thought she must want a pretence to break with me and had found a very one so i returned her letters and and made my bow and came down to at as for i knew she wanted me to distinguish myself and win my golden spurs and that i could not annoy her more than by sinking into a mere country gentleman i would not go to court now if i had not ascertained that she is safe in her father s old in but our fire is just out and we shall be in the dark nobly won so we may as well ourselves to the s bed of dried leaves t well said de it is a strange story i a noble purpose chapter x the being so superfluous as to think he would walk round the premises and see all was right entangled his foot in the rope of the s bell and gave a sudden toll which startled every one from their sleep and frightened himself as much as any one because at the same time he heard a rush from the immediate neighbourhood of the of what he took to be a pack of wolves he got a sound for his pains and turned into the cow house rather it being the apprehension of the whole party that this noisy of their whereabouts would draw on them the very danger they sought to avoid nobly won in spite of this they were soon fast asleep again but a little before day de the king s messenger was awakened by what seemed to be the tramp of a considerable body of men who by their irregular march and voices he judged to be no than they should be and there seemed to be a few among them for he heard a horse he listened in the utmost anxiety lest they should come up to the but in the extreme darkness they overlooked it and passed onward one of them audibly saying it cannot be but that we shall overtake them as soon as they were quite gone de went to the two gentlemen and said to them fair i regret to tell you there are loose in the wood who if we are may our safety about a couple of hundred as i should think passed a noble purpose close by us just now and i conclude them to be looking for us since i beard one of them say it cannot be but that we shall overtake them if they be mere they will be glad enough to make you pay heavy for your liberties and if they be who have got wind of the maid s pretensions they will give you no liberty on any terms wherefore my is that without waiting for the sun we should steal off as soon as we can dimly discern our way not by the road we intended which would bring us on their heels but by a circuit of a few miles through the wood the de reflected	2
a little and then said since the troop as you tell us is so numerous it will be no cowardice but mere prudence to do as you say only let us beware of nobly won going far astray and coming back again to the same place for though i have been before it was long ago richard the replied de knows the wood well and says he can guide us let him take the lead then in heaven s name said de and the sooner we are in the saddle the better they all mounted therefore while it was yet barely light and the air felt chill and raw richard the leading the way over slippery ground and under sweeping branches which required the most careful riding after about an hour thus spent in perfect silence richard the came to a dead stop and said faith i believe i have lost the way after ail a noble purpose u then thou to have thy fool s well said de indignantly that won t mend matters said de softly and they were all at a thinking which way they should go when exclaimed joyfully hark there are church bells oh then all s right said the plunging again into the wood and the rest followed blindly after him trusting he had recovered the scent i hope we shall be in time for prayers said t prayers cried de very we have other fish to than to pull up at every church door for prayers i can tell you why you might have prayed in the chapel all night if it had been your pleasure prayers indeed bless my heart and he rode on in advance very de nobly won ey presently joined him while prayed that they might all be safely where s that girl said looking oh out of de gin to be sick and tired of this job what already said de what do you mean by already said i mind dangers and as little as any man when i see my clear but as to this business i tell plainly i have my i had most dreams in that old night and whatever they might i k they no good said de the hers bed was full of and kept me awake ch was worse than your dreaming even that himself came and gave you cold pig are travelling on an empty stomach which i a noble purpose does not agree with you but all these and will be when you g something to eat one would think we knew exactly that would be to hear you talk said de and besides i am not quite a slave to w meals i hope but i own it does try a man temper to be wandering hither and thither i this way after a that does not know from a oh yes i do beau said richard tl who could not silently lie under th gross he has the longer tail ai a tip of black at the end of it de laughed called mm a ap and bade him go forward out of hearing of de resumed he presently a troubled voice when i looked round that girl just now hei lips were nobly won like this now why should she be talking to herself probably at her prayers suggested de saying her prayers at proper times and seasons is one thing said de but to oe always at them in season or out of season is another and i own i don t like it how do we know she is not saying them backwards if i had good reason to think her a witch or a i should be tempted to pitch her down the next stone or at any rate leave her here in the wood to shift for herself aye but luckily you have no good reason said de and i really think de if you yourself would just say over six and as many we should very likely at the end of that time find ourselves out of the wood vol o a noble purpose de made a face but just at that instant richard the cried out be of good cheer we are in the right track there said de laughing you see the very proposal for it brought us through de did not answer but forward and suddenly they all came out on the brink of the table land on which grew the wood and saw down below them a wide tract of country a great deal of it under water and covered in other parts with dense woods while in a clearing just beneath them was a small hamlet and a village inn before which they could plainly discern lounging a good many men both horse and foot some of whom were in plate that flashed in the sun de said rely on it fair those are some of the men who passed the nobly won and that others of them are hanging about although i see a knight s among them i doubt their honest intentions and my advice therefore is that we keep on this table land under cover of the wood accordingly they all turned into the wood again to the secret annoyance of de who would gladly have had his breakfast the still led the way and soon brought them to a forest whereon stood a neat s hut with a stone for horses beside it ve gladly exclaimed here is a place at which we may bait and riding up to the door loudly called out house which was answered by a shrill scream from within husband oh husband the are upon us a poor woman exclaimed wringing her hands peace you silly woman we are no a noble purpose but said the going into the house and are on the king s service	2
on which the poor woman s fears were and when she found what they wanted she gladly gave them refreshment for she had just her cow and drawn a of hot from the oven she was very kind to and said to her i see you are a woman for your long hair has escaped from your hood and she took her into another room to wash her face and bind her hair and told her she must not be surprised at her fear of the for they had carried off her only son and my little girl said she was devoured by the wolves the poor woman cried when she said this and comforted her kissed her and prayed for her the came in and said the forest was with so it was then nobly won decided that the travellers should remain where they were till dusk and then slip away under cover of the dark and the s wife was glad of their company for she said they protected her and she led a lonely life she dressed them a good plain dinner and towards dusk the came in and said the coast is clear now and i will start you on your way so he led them through the woods till the moon was up and then bade them good night before they separated there passed them a long file of wolves silently trotting one after another with their to the ground but whatever mischief they were after they did not offer to attack them had found a subject on which she could speak at last for when de asked her if she were frightened she said no and she told him several wolf stories current in her neighbourhood which greatly interested him a noble purpose but what most cheered his fancy was the legend of the were wolf which could assume the form of a man at pleasure thus they rode on hour after hour as long as the moon was up but when the moon had set the night became so dark that it was no good to go on for they only got entangled in the trees then de and de had a little consultation and then de commanded a halt and that the horses should be round them while they rested and one man should play while the rest slept then said de to maid seat yourself with your back against this tree you may keep awake or go to sleep whichever you like for it concerns no one but yourself but the de and i are going to be on either side of you and if the wolves come they will eat us first saying which he cast himself nobly won on the ground and was or seemed to be asleep in a moment and de followed his example only keeping awake long enough to say his prayers was grave but not frightened and addressed herself with great seriousness to her she remained awake thus employed a great deal longer than the others but at length she too was overcome by weariness and fell into a light sleep de pacing his rounds kept his eyes and ears open so that the very grass could not grow without his seeing and hearing it when two or three hours had thus passed day began to dawn and de waking with a start cried where am i this is even worse than the s cell the others started up at the sound of his voice and were soon in the feeling stiff and but presently emerging a noble purpose from the forest they were sweeping along at a pace that warmed them and at length they reached a inn with a faded on the ale stake here they alighted for breakfast and de who was now on familiar ground ordered hot dishes to be prepared saying they were on the king s service take some wine maiden said de offering a thou art she would not taste any however till she had tempered it with water are you then the maid of cried the woman of the inn joyfully oh i have heard of you and people are expecting you along the road god give you good fortune good maiden the best i have is at your service the after looking hard at de and de now stepped forward nobly won and said i suppose you have heard of the lost battle lost no by whom v said they both together by us replied the the duke of as you must know had collected five hundred carts loaded with provisions for the troops yes yes the command of the was given to sir john or whatever they call him with sixteen hundred men they started from paris on ash wednesday and proceeded by short as far as here the foremost of our great captains de the two of france the of scotland young and many others who had long been waiting with three or four thousand men to the offered him battle only think a noble purpose what odds the day should have been ours how went it said the impatiently the english captain formed his carts into a square leaving only two at these he placed his and men the merchants and baggage being in the centre in this way they waited two full hours for our troops who drew up over against them but out of considering a had only six hundred englishmen and all the rest you would say he ought to have been beaten but he was not our scotch began the battle by attacking the but were with immense slaughter j about six score gentlemen and five hundred common men were killed most of them but what were we about cried de nobly won many of our lords were killed and wounded and then our captains drew away the english cried and sat down to and beer they	2
passed the night comfortably in and next day conveyed the five hundred carts triumphantly into their camp before so many of the carts were laden with that they call it the battle of the only one englishman of note was killed only one prisoner made and he was a the intense disgust of the at this cannot be described as for she was quite confounded at what appeared to her the of the french though she was ashamed to say so yet she was really grieved to hear that some of them were killed named ou of course see le de s de which i have only obtained since my ms went to press a noble purpose and wounded it only made her the more anxious to push forward and stem if possible this tide of misfortune and as her were quite of the same mind they pursued their long long journey with very little rest or refreshment now across plains now struggling through rivers and panting up steep banks now forcing their way through and now concealing themselves behind rocks or in gravel from some band of sometimes passing ruined castles burnt and deserted villages sometimes keeping aloof from robbers towers and then again obtaining entrance in the king s name to some walled town and refreshing themselves at some inn where the came curiously about them and learnt their errand and wished them success whether de had prepared the nobly won way for by spreading the news of her mission on his way to or not it was clear that her fame had her and that the people were everywhere looking for her as for one that should save france there are some people whose confidence is much by the confidence of others and de as he rode boldly and proudly at her side quite forgot those suspicions which had lately made him ready to drop her into a gravel pit in fact he now really liked her very much in an honest kind of way for he could not but be won by her piety her modesty her her courage and her silent endurance of many and daily hardships as for her mission he left that to take care of itself it was quite out of his line to say whether she were or were not inspired the king must look to that all he had undertaken was to lead her to the king a noble purpose the king himself was at this time in as great perplexity and trouble as it was in his nature to be in his grand old castle of the remains of which may be seen to this day on the rising ground between and the of our richard de lion he was every fresh success of the english but very little to go forth and face them as long as he had the immediate means of leading an easy life the loss of the battle of the stunned him a good deal he summoned a great council to consider what was to be done for the safety of and on the very eve of its received from his messenger de a letter from the maid of saying she was coming to his assistance and was awaiting his orders at the village of st de nobly won charles knew not what to do de account of her had not impressed him in her favour and he felt very little inclined to be the tool of an on the other hand she might be an useful instrument and revive the fainting courage of his people after some consideration he desired that she should come to the town of and there await his orders meanwhile was as de remarked making up for lost time by hearing three masses a day in the church of st at and passing nearly her whole time within its walls there an old priest showed her a curious old sword marked with five crosses which much pleased her and she said that if she were so happy as to find grace in the sight of the king she would ask him to give it her after a little suspense de a noble purpose returned and said she was to go forward she asked where she was to lodge and was told at an inn she then begged very earnestly to know whether there was any respectable women with whom she could lodge saying it was her mother s particular desire de replied that a very respectable woman named would provide for her near the castle with which she was well satisfied meanwhile it was warmly in council whether charles should see her or not the duke d on t and other great leaders all had their several opinions that of the king s favourite the de la was not without its weight some thought t son of le sage first duke d on he was prisoner to the english and now on his endeavouring to raise his of six hundred thousand crowns v nobly won she must be mad others feared she might be in league with evil spirits others were persuaded she would prove an artful others again thought that true or false she might be an useful instrument next day several members of the council waited on her to hear what she had to say in a stone room with little in it but a table and some chairs and benches they found a modest self possessed looking girl who only showed by her deepening colour that she was at all embarrassed standing in the dark close fitting habit with wide sleeves that might have become the son of a country gentleman her long dark brown hair simply bound round her head one hand resting on the table in what was unconsciously the attitude of a princess receiving a while a step behind her and no more stood two men who might	2
well have been vol p a noble purpose the said princess s lords in waiting and one of whom at least was personally known to some of the council as to the king they were received not with a country girl s short quick dipping courtesy but with a slight grave bend of the head on their inquiring the nature of her message to the king she declined to deliver it except to himself saying that it came from the king of heaven de and de who had been so struck by her on the road were now still more so at the with which she baffled the curiosity of these practised and they themselves retired from the interview filled with surprise and admiration and returned to the king with a highly favourable report in the words of an english poet who died before was nobly won god had such favour sent her of his grace that it ne seemed not by that she was born and fed in as in a cot or in an ox s stall but so discreet and fair of eloquence so and so of reverence and so the people s heart embrace that each her loved that looked in her face accents melting in the mouth at were written of the ideal might ve been of the real there no prose more true than genuine poetry to conclude the decision was made and e hour named at which she was to appear fore the king p a noble purpose chapter xi the royal was one blaze of and crowded with and men at arms when the shepherd girl of entered it attended by the two faithful who had sworn on the cross to lead her to the king these two were now dressed to their rank in velvet suits and short caps and no arms except their swords and but in her wide close fitting and had no but her own beautiful hair as she passed onward some viewed her with and levity every demonstration of which however was checked by the stern looks of her companions wind nobly won ments were swelling in the distance everything had been prepared to and her the glare of fifty fell on the gold and gems and and scarlet robes of the first nobility in and no fewer than three hundred knights some of these were bending gracefully to whisper soft nonsense to the fairest ladies of the land who shone in every of the rainbow and every variety of those of the old school who attended queen wore sweeping trains of velvet the length of which however was regulated by those attached to the queen mary of favoured the fashion of deep borders of fur to their silken skirts which of widow of louis the second king of and and duke of and mother of duke of and of mary of married to charles the seventh of france afterwards king was now twenty two years of age and married to the duke of s daughter noble purpose they gathered over the arm in graceful folds there were head dresses like that reminded one of the leaning tower of and also moon shaped cushions and stuck over with pearls and bead work these outrageous head dresses were being vehemently preached against by an mar at paris and some of the youngest and fairest ladies had the sense to prefer golden and shining and were not wanting in this vanity fair and certain young pages were in fits of suppressed laughter at the court who threw himself in s way in a ridiculous attitude but a stern glance from de who knew him very well made the poor shrink into a corner besides this a real was present there is an illustration of the scene in but clearly of no authority since is in woman s clothes whereas the nobly won text on the same page tells us was dressed like a man and the king looks advanced in years whereas he was but seven and twenty this good looking good humoured young monarch was the only simply dressed man in the assemblage and purposely so to see whether would mistake for him the de la who assumed his place for the it was an interesting moment the count de met and ushered her forward the girl came slowly up the hall but with firm eye and step so intent on the king that she was thoughtless of self the music had ceased there was silence and de and de saw the and burned to her of it but could not their hearts beat faster than they would have done at the approach of the enemy reached the she looked at the in a noble purpose its centre with surprise and disappointment for she had long ago heard the king described and knew his general appearance she looked round however saw him their eyes met and she went up to him at once oh what a great sigh de and de gave simultaneously there was a general hum of relief and applause like instinct made her scent the blood royal we may make merry at it but it was no jest to them every eye was strained to see what she would do next she knelt simply and reverently on one knee at charles s feet god give you good life gentle king were her first words they are in history spoken in her distinct yet gentle voice quite a womanly one young de la afterwards called it i am not the king said he smiling he is there po x fc nobly won in the name of god she replied it is none other than yourself most noble i am the maid sent on behalf of god to aid you and your kingdom and by his command i announce to you that you shall be crowned in the city of and	2
shall become his lieutenant in the realm of france come that is a good hearing said charles no longer but how am i to know that you say true gentle said she earnestly why will you not believe me i tell you that god has pity on you and your people for st louis and are on their knees before him day and night praying for vou and for them i hold this one of the most striking figures that ever was used whether in earnest or for effect a noble purpose charles was struck by the with which it was uttered you speak like one in authority said he but i must have some farther proof of you than mere assertion before i accord you my belief come let us have a word or two together and her to follow he led her to the deep of a window all tie company falling back out of ear shot and there held conference with her speaking to judge by the dumb show like friend with friend and now it was that in the of the object of interest the fell upon the second and de found himself surrounded by a swarm of brother and other old acquaintances of various degrees of rank who overpowered him mt i nobly won was borne off seemingly an captive t y a crowd of young even to the very side of the two queens who had a thousand inquiries to make of him being of a gallant and genial disposition in spite of a late fit of the he now absolutely in the sun of royal favour and gave those majestic ladies a vivid and correct sketch of s story and his connection with it up to that very moment they were pleased with him and praised his behaviour he of course omitted the incident of his thinking to throw her into a gravel pit at this moment the king exclaimed in a voice audible to them all strange this maiden has told me things which render it absolutely impossible for me to doubt her mission a universal hum ran round while he gracefully taking by the hand e st a noble purpose up to the and presented her to mary of and queen de now found himself and as he fell hack a voice whispered into his ear what would de st think of this night and day through woods and with a maiden of low degree f w the lady de st is welcome to think whatever she will of it replied he coldly though greatly annoyed her opinions are of no moment to me i will tell her so when i see her replied the dame de la for i return to to morrow de low and passed from her it is singular thought he what a mean little thorn can the amiable dame de la tour who was i better friend to him here beckoned him to her side and spoke with him as a kind aunt nobly won have done inquiring of his welfare during his long absence from court hearing with interest all he had to say of his present adventure and telling him in return much news of his friends and relations accompanied by occasional kind to de st for whom she assumed de to entertain a regard she added when i return to i shall repeat to her all you have told me de thanked her even more in his heart than in his face and wished she were going tomorrow it is the office of some to and of others to heal one we love and one we don t soft music was again breathing all around and a was throwing balls and the was dancing with the two from were present a circle had formed round the where yet remained at the royal de j a noble purpose stood a little behind the inner ring an observant witness at length the queens dismissed her observing she must be tired and de stepping forward took her hand retreating backwards with her through the circle and then led her quickly down the hall followed by de the not minute they were in the cool night air crossing the lighted court then in the outer darkness groping their way to the lodging arrived there de pressed her hand heartily saying i think you now be satisfied and her to the good offices of the widow he and de retired to their quarters looking full at as she entered hardly knew what to make of her she asked her if there were anything she wanted i want nothing so much as to w said t tin nobly won she laid her arms on the table and her head on her arms but tears did not come presently a gentle voice beside her made her start it was not the voice of but of father who had been sent to her by queen he was a pale fine old man nearer seventy than sixty with the transparent skin and face that has given but with the deep dark penetrating eyes and sweet expression we are familiar with in cardinal this old was instructed to her and form a judgment of her character and pretensions but the goodness of his heart made him understand and pity her and he applied himself to comfort and strengthen her before he did anything else u du des de de des de st noble purpose father cried directly she saw him will you hear me confess certainly said he greatly pleased so went out closing the door after her and the poor girl knelt at his feet and confessed after she had risen she said father will you write a letter for me to my parents willingly daughter said he so when writing implements were procured she dictated to him thus put maria to begin with all things should be done in	2
the king and earnestly fixed her eyes a little above his head heaven be praised said she softly crossing her arms on her bosom said the king sharply at his voice she violently started and instantly awoke how came you why came you said he fearfully the angel brought me i followed the angel said she simply you hear her said charles looking round all bent their heads without s a noble purpose you see the crown said she to them pointing to the oh yes said they all with one voice and the angel i can t exactly say i did said la whom she addressed nor yon to d n not precisely ah well but you did to the king wh was mute you all see the crown said she appeal and passing her hand over her eyes as i to assure herself she was awake oh yes we all see it said they in chorus take care of it give it him to the king who took off th and gave it to d on it is very precious said she to d guard it as you would your life he bowed nobly won then she waved her hand and turned to go saying to the king you know you will be crowned at i hope so she sighed deeply and retired down the hall they all looked at one another the king drew a deep breath and said gentlemen this is passing strange passing strange said they all i think she saw something said the king she seemed to me asleep said d was it herself think you de la go inquire of the guard if they saw aught de la did not at all like the errand but obeyed and returned saying all the guard acknowledged seen the maid and that they had supposed she came on the s business a a noble purpose next day the soldier who had insult was drowned in trying to ford a river of course people talked i have no wish to make others apply the fc passages as i have done only used then material but they are worth reading on her trial se la re ell et si son le respond de respond c est bon e fin or se qui l d ou s il par respond h de hai en il a j a la le au et a mon f du de il j et au u se qui la respond de les d et de la et charles de le et a la ne c c nobly won what do you make of it to me it is quite plain that believed in this vision whatever it was which took place she expressly says the first day she saw the king and her were completely in their to shake her testimony there seems no way of for it than a noble purpose chapter xii the first result of the king s was her being removed poor lodging to be the guest of the sir dame de at the ch du de was grand master household here she received crowds of interested visitors all of whom were and amazed by her sense modesty and she went frequently to church and there was often observed to shed tears never wavered on the subject of her every other subject she was perfectly r able the w so il interested i nobly won that he sent for her often he wanted to see her ride and was surprised at her the duke d on who was on his to obtain his was among her warmest the who had come from the city to plead for the king to send to them to satisfy his council however charles resolved to take her to to be examined there by the university and parliament de said de coming suddenly into his lodging one morning u it is time for us to decide what we shall do is going in the king s train to shall we cast in our lot with hers any longer or not which way do your own inclinations tend said de we have fulfilled our oath of bringing her to the king and the adventure may either end here or be carried on a noble purpose i declare i have warmed in it sa when we come to look back c journey how interesting it was and plenty of credit for it too which is neither of us took into the calculation a seem if all goes well at bold blow will certainly be struck for and it will be curious to see how on there so that on the whole if it b no difference to you i would sooner g than go back it makes a great difference to me j de for i would a great sooner go forward poor is hardly to spare us yet and may perhaps like friends better than new ones we have through a good deal together already yet the tough work is only beginning that we three may as well stick the oi ge k s ts j nobly won very long and then we can all go back to agreed and i am glad of it for i like the maid more and more then since we are going to join why should not you and i de become brothers in arms and unite ourselves in a holy bond of friendship like your du and de i have thought of it already said de and am greatly inclined towards it though du is a much greater favourite of mine than de then do you as you are the better write out a form at once and i will sign it that will be hot and quick said de smiling and we shall not want a bond to keep us together a noble purpose no time like the present and no better security	2
than a bond said de so as de saw his heart was in it he made no more opposition but took pen ink and and wrote out a form somewhat shorter than du s but to the same purport to all whom these letters present may concern de diet de and de of the king of france s stable greeting be it known to you that to confirm perpetual love and friendship between us we promise swear and agree between ourselves to the thing here following be it known that i de de desire always to go hand in hand with you fe in whatever enterprise or you undertake always provided it shall not nobly won be against the king of france and our lords and i promise you to aid you and comfort you to the utmost extent of my ability in whatever thing you may require item if any one e the king of france shall attempt to harm you in body or goods i promise to rescue and you to the best of my ability item whatever comes to me in the way of of prisoners or lawful spoils of war you shall have half item i will defend your body as if you were my brother and in case i should know of anything whereby you may sustain wrong or blame i shall you with it and i de promise you de the very same things to wit c c and these things we and do promise and swear to observe and perform on the holy touched by us and we put our vol a a noble purpose and at this day of april in the year of grace this document being to the entire satisfaction of de was duly signed sealed and delivered and by an embrace and now said de as neither of us are rich and your page de is i propose we should send him home and make my boy serve us both which de gladly accepted i remember said de was a boy of s age thinking a man of thirty six well stricken in years whereas now i am thirty six i feel myself just as young i was ten years ago and find life as full of romantic interest and though in the i have had many troubles and one great grief i find that every human pain may be if without the sting of sin and the nobly won burden of crime i am ready to believe now that thus it may be at forty six and even fifty six de looked doubtful i cannot say as to that said he but i am quite willing to try the king had already supplied with a page in a quick sharp boy of good birth named louis de who in after life was de et de this who was highly pleased with his appointment did not find his dignity at all soiled by brushing the clothes and performing the errands of the maid of behind whose chair he stood at meals the king and court now removed to where s case was referred to the learned doctors she was lodged at the house of an advocate of the parliament whose wife treated her with kindness a noble purpose the poor girl foretold no more than came to pass when she said riding to i know that great trials await me at this place but the lord will bring me out of them all de of and lord of france assembled the most eminent to take part in the they proceeded to s house where received them in the and then seated herself on a bench they called on her for an account of her mission which she gave with simplicity and without hesitation said a t you say that god desires to save the country surely he can do it without your assistance let the men at arms fight said she and god will give them the victory and in s nobly won voices speak to you said father in his sharp provincial accent in better french than yours said she quickly which made the grave doctors smile do you believe in god rejoined father angrily well then god will not expect us to put faith in you unless you give us a sign i did not come here replied she to perform signs and miracles my sign will be to raise the siege of give me troops and i am ready to start the examination was protracted day after day and in the two were sent to to learn what character she bore there the assembly also consulted the of who wrote a on the subject during the intervals between her received visits of curiosity and a noble purpose interest from ladies of every quality and even from her themselves grey haired judges all came to see what she was in private life and were in her favour still they continued to her with doubts and to quote learned authorities for their scruples hear me said she there is more in the book of god than in any of yours i know neither a nor b but i come from him to raise the siege of and to the at it will be needful however to write first to the english the minor returned from with a satisfactory report finally not to go into every painful detail it was decided that she was a good girl and true and that the king might avail himself of her assistance charles showed his alacrity to do so by immediately t t j t a nobly won commander that is she became to all and purposes as much a or leader of knights as a woman could be a beautiful of plate adapted to the graceful of her neck and shoulders was made for her but she begged the king to let	2
her have the sword marked with five crosses in the church of st at which was accordingly sent for the of st sent her a crimson velvet embroidered with golden de lis and from some other quarter she received a blue satin hat and fringed with gold but her preference was for she gave her own directions for her banner it was to be of white sat embroidered in the middle with a figure of the holding the globe in his hand o a noble purpose seated on clouds with two angels him one of whom bore a lily and with the maria under this sign she would conquer de and de now joyfully came to welcome her into their brotherhood you are now said they our sister in arms superior in military rank to ourselves and we shall fight under your banner pray address us no longer by the cold title beau but as your brothers de and de and to you said she i must always be we take you at your word said they readily had a little incident for de s ear among the many and of high degree who had paid their respects to her at the advocate s there was one young lady of aa ko nobly won she happened to have no other visitor this young lady s countenance lovely as it was had decidedly something in it she made a thousand minute inquiries of especially respecting her journey without ceremony and almost on politeness throughout her cross questioning she fixed on her a pair of brilliant black eyes that seemed determined to read every thought in her heart when her was ended she paused for an instant and then rose saying i shall now go and you may tell de that de st entirely of his adventure in all its details and hopes he will soon make his dispositions would you not like to tell him yourself said he will soon be here no no said w a noble purpose much i particularly want to avoid seeing ii him you may think we are friends but we are the bitterest of enemies i came from c for the sole purpose of seeing you b and am going to return thither immediately a you may give him this if you like and she kissed her i most certainly shall not said vi so you may take it back again and she tc kissed the pretty young lady all the better said laughing oi and dropping her thick veil as she followed louis de who had a broad smile on his v face the court now returned to and the king s earliest step was to the regular household of a lady of distinction her squire was to be the d a man of bravery and who had served under a second page was found for her nobly won in louis s brother her two were named and her to her great joy was father besides these she had a dame de a d and inferior servants the duke d on started for to collect the troops that were to escort provisions to but where was the money to come from charles s good natured face assumed a look of deep thought must borrow again said he at length of and who was deserves what used to call an inter chapter a noble purpose chapter xiii in those days when and other were the distinctions of rank as well as wealth the carried on a trade whose father s fortune had been made in this way was himself quite a merchant prince at his ships covered the seas and sailed all over the known world three hundred in his employ exchanged the wares and produce of france for the valuable skins of other countries grew rich and his spirit was as generous as his fortune on one u hundred nobly won thousand gold crowns to pay off the free companies in the year with which this story commenced charles the seventh had made him master of the at then he made him his and afterwards master of the at paris to be the king s indeed was more honour than profit for his were so low that s in this office de said de la du de la il n y pas en to repay him with barren honours the king and made him governor of more than les de sa r au exact ii le simple de un et la hire le il ne put on pour a et de noble purpose this he made him his mend his adviser intimate companion the of lis secrets and certainly charles showed his sense in the selection of his he to him the conduct of difficult most likely he took his opinion about he made him and baron of st of of of at all these places built splendid palaces and castles he built himself two palaces in paris one where now stands the royal tie other in the de y at at at san h built him other palaces he built the of the cathedral at and to it a magnificent chapel see c ta pilgrimage to which nobly won but the greatest wonder of all was the house he built himself in it was like a dream we cannot invent such things now if we were to mix together fortress and and country mansion and town hall and build range upon range on old roman and raise strange shaped towers of all shapes and sizes and put a strip of a highly ornamented palace next to a of a grim old and set doors and courts and and where nobody would expect them and the whole with the most delicate and quaint on ornaments and and life like figures of the master and mistress in their quaint on the grand stairs and set figures life	2
size of a man and woman servant looking eagerly out of near the doorway up and down stated to a noble purpose their master we should only make a j and a failure we should not achieve a success like the man must have had an he could at will let run riot or control the bounds bound the one of his was a inscribed a impossible which in his case seemed on simple truth his emblem the hear with the pilgrim shell of his st found place in almost every and seemed like setting to it j his mark in the heart of his m was a perfect of a chapel and exquisitely two from it into the street held statues one of the king the other of h mounted on a mule shod the whatever fc nobly won the house is a not of passages that lead to nothing but that lead to what you would least expect in the middle of the dining hall floor just where it would be concealed by the table a large stone lifts up and a hiding place a long mysterious passage leads to a distant street over various doors represent the destination of the chamber within thus over the reception room a page is in guests over the chapel door a man is ringing a bell and the host is being carried over the kitchen people are busy cooking over other doors trees are over others barrels of rope piles of it would take too long to repeat all the exquisite little bits of fancy and imagination expressed at every turn in wood and stone the in concealed in wax n r vol s a noble purpose in courses of lace like foliage doors with elaborate carving a small room known as s study has a closet opening from it full of to this day it is covered with the most curious apparently relating to his own history he is to be seen in the different in his quaint hood gown and gold chain and royal secrets seem in the mystery in one group is seen approaching a female beneath a tree whose hand is raised as if to remove ft crown from her head a man with ft crowned head and a face full of anxiety looks from behind a tree in the background in the opposite direction they are watched by a grinning fool with cap and bells the en close n i and dire s x among the ts m nobly won charles duke of dying in a fierce contest for the succession to his ensued between of duke of queen s son who had married the duke s daughter and her cousin the count of was wounded and taken prisoner by the who were of de s party and the duke of consigned him to imprisonment at the top of a high tower still to be seen at where he amused himself as well as he could with music poetry and painting on glass his wife the it was this exertion of his talents says miss that finally terminated his for philip the good was so much pleased with the sight of his own portrait painted on glass by his interesting prisoner that he clasped him in his arms and after expressing the greatest admiration for his talents offered to with de for hia s a noble purpose presented herself a weeping before the king with the little margaret of in her arms and her other children led by her maid of honour the beautiful words failed the poor and turning to she bade her plead her cause for her which she did with such eloquence and grace that charles loved her from that moment at this time she was a and pure hearted girl and she sought to use her influence with the king to the advantage of his kingdom by urging him to delights and days though it is to be feared that in the end he did her more harm than she did him good his queen however showed her great kindness at first and liked her very much till she s v much v nobly won now was charles enough to wish to set his wife aside that he might marry and did he get to suggest it to mary of may not his doing so be in the garden scene may not the queen be contemplating the removal of her crown while the king concealed anxiously to what passes and the project is by some spoil sport not very represented as a fool at all events after inconceivable prosperity lost court favour through the false of to the death by poison of it a specimen of the things she could say is preserved she told charles an had her that she should win the affections of the greatest king in the world but said she that cannot be you since you let the english hold the best part of kingdom a noble purpose happened twenty years after the siege of and probably proceeded from natural causes but his enemies were eager to ruin him with the king he had been sent on a splendid to compliment the pope on his accession had at his own expense a castle and town holding out for king charles against the and he returned to be persecuted and ruined his goods were declared to the crown and he was cast into prison till he could pay a fine of a hundred thousand gold crowns he escaped from prison with infinite danger and difficulty he reached borne there with a faithful he managed to pay the fine to the infinite of his enemies there was a of his trial his were declared and himself innocent t a r a nobly won but in the meanwhile the fine old man who had passed onward to the island of had died there of a	2
she spoke of returning to her spinning returning to her spinning indeed cried no no you may depend on it shell not do that my will be a and hold up her head with any of them in and cut work with the wide sleeves they call which in my mother s time were called because they would hold whatever you put into them the was in but said nay sir nay you will bear with her the news has got into her head like new wine so the was appeased and went on till he came to her asking for her brothers cut a at this and looked full of joy but their parents were full of objections the proceeded and a noble purpose again came to do not fail to send f on which he clapped his hands boy hold your peace said his father giving him a rap on the head so the concluded the letter which ended with mind you send there said snapping his fingers with joy she has said it three times are you sure sir you have read the name right said may it not be or why woman one would suppose i could not read cried the and yet i have been thought to know from and besides said with a sigh i don t want to go i should feel awkward in kings palaces though fm all very well among and that s right m l a w v nobly won patting him on the back you know your place and keep it with which seemed gratified as for me said pulling up his head my genius is for action i feel it at any rate i must go said for she says so three times since she has said so three times i suppose there must be something in it observed does the church say so your reverence why in a case like this replied he i think it only never was an in her life said nor have i ever known her guilty of but if the thing is to be it is only we must have a little time to look about us for the boys must have two shirts a piece made oh mother interposed vol t a noble purpose let that stand in the way i can go as i am till i get there and then perhaps the king will give me some of his old ones peace said do you think you are to appear before his majesty like a beggar a fine opinion the queen s mother would have of me if she came to look into your bundle i trust i know what is due to their and shall certainly look out some pieces and shape them for you before you stir from this roof t and i will and them mother said for love of thou always an obliging girl said and patted her on the shoulder and whispered them with a hot needle and a burning thread for i long to be off you none of you seem to consider said the that they who walk in slippery nobly won places are like to fall s path is beset with dangers and she asks you for your prayers unless therefore you offer them not and mechanically but from the very ground of your hearts you will have yourselves to thank for any mischief that her having thus brought down their tone he blessed them and left the cottage t a noble purpose chapter xv to s impatience it now seemed that much valuable time was being wasted men and provisions were being collected at and she longed to accompany them to she plied heaven with prayer and and she plied the king with for action about this time a gentleman at named wrote thus to a friend in a young girl of eighteen from is about the king whom she tells that she will save and drive away the english and she says they will wound her there with an nobly won arrow but not and that the king will be crowned this summer at besides many other things which the king keeps to himself this girl daily her horse fully armed with lance in rest just like the king s other attendants and she fills all hearts with confidence this letter was dated april nd one day returning from church followed as usual by a great of people and awaiting her at her door one looking quite red and the other quite pale with emotion immediately they were embracing and kissing one another o my sister can this be you cried i took you for a young knight in this rich and yet thought i tis the face of but how you are altered how improved a noble purpose i hope to say as much of you in a little while brothers said and you must not mind the breaking in oh there s nothing i shall mind cried that s the right way to take it said she we don t come here to amuse ourselves but to save our country and that is no such easy work however we may make the best of it i have a great deal to say to you both but first i want to hear all about dear home and you shall talk and eat by turns for i am sure you must be hungry so she told her page louis who was listening with all his might and surveying the new comers with the most curiosity to bid the d send in some bread meat and wine and then said she you may stay away till i call for you as soon as he was gone she nobly won clasped her brothers hands now said she tell me about everybody and everything down to the cat and but especially about father and mother the youths	2
were not backward to obey these instructions and talked eagerly till a plain plentiful meal was served she helped them herself and said now it is my time to talk that you may eat i am longing said to hear all you have to say the king said who is a right noble gentleman has been very good to me he would not believe in me all at once without a reason and it was just and right that he should not but the lord sent him a sign whereby he knew he might trust me but then the parliament and church were to be satisfied so i a very examination in the a noble purpose doubts were removed so then the king gave me rank as a knight in token whereof ye may see my white silken banner also he appointed me a household and stables and a table as ye may see right good ones too said it is not to be supposed continued that he does all this for nothing he does it not for value received but for value to come he expects i shall raise the siege of and crown him at as i have said and as i believe i shall do but how said in perplexity that is not for you to ask replied die rest content r and obey my instructions fm sure i will for one said very anxiously nobly won and i for another said what shall we begin with well said she smiling you must begin with holding up your heads and not being so round shouldered they both pulled themselves up look about you and you will see how the men here carry themselves they are not a whit better looking than you but they have been and are skilled in all manly exercises so must you be if you would take place among them for you have nothing else to look to in birth you are lower than any of them but you are my brothers and that will make them respect you if they see you respect yourselves not else they know i fear god and honour the king they see i eat and scarcely touch wine they never light or vain word from my lips they will look for the like in you i a noble purpose her brothers faces grew rather long for the of their position had not before dawned upon them so you must behave as if the eyes of all france were upon you said she and what is more as if the bye of god was ever upon you which it is and now dear brothers you shall have no more preaching and i will help you to some of this pie had been casting glances at it for some time but he now partook of it with moderation and even said no thank you when offered him a second helping and now said she i will present you to my squire and to my two pages the d is a gentleman to be respected as well as loved i consider it very of him to be my squire and you must always treat him with n w t s r either nobly won of you as a general rule to talk too much or too loud till you see how others talk and behave that will give you leisure for observation i very much regret myself that we are losing so much time here but for you it will be a good thing because it will give you time to learn something of your new duties before you are called into action my two pages will be your chief companions they are of good birth and on the whole are nice boys but they may try to lead you into mischief and if they do all i can say is i shall hand you all three over to the d who will not be very scrupulous in your punishment a little at this and just at that moment the formidable entered and said maiden queen has sent for you i attend her grace this instant said and in the meanwhile d you will direct my brothers to a noble purpose his majesty has promised as you know that the eldest shall be a man at arms as for he must be a page i think the young gentleman cannot then be more employed said the d than in doing what i have already set de at and which may he called the page s first introduction to chivalry namely to at a stout stake with a staff first and afterwards with an old sword or there can be no better practice for him said he may have the sword the governor of gave me unless you can find him a worse if you will follow me young men said i use the word page as most familiar but in fact ox void the terms used for it till the time of philip de com ns nobly won the squire i will but attend my lady to the castle and will then find you good employment the king was just then playing with the d on and at the same time listening to one of the from now what is it man he was saying and at the same time holding a piece suspended between his fingers nothing disagreeable i hope now don t let it be anything disagreeable the looked and replied then i know not what to say charles moved his piece and then turning round upon him said quickly what is lost no replied the but it cannot possibly hold out many days longer unless are soon e a noble purpose don t move that knight said charles hastily to the i ve lost my bishop owing to this fellow s talking well my man you say you want it s	2
very easy to say so but who is to send them we had hoped your majesty aye aye you hope my majesty my i majesty has very little peace or quiet day or night what with your hopes one minute and your fears the next what you are short of provisions hey and of men your majesty the fewer the mouths to feed my good fellow now how much money do you suppose there is in the purse just four crowns that s all i have to swear by you have puzzled me had we not better the game your majesty this fellow s puzzle is worse than the nobly won other my good friend you think i am to you not in the least caesar could do two things at once and so can the he was de looked as if he thought charles the seventh was not caesar c the governor desired me to press upon you very the distress of the town men s spirits faint when their bodies are they may die behind their walls but they can scarce defend them a excitement such as the news that your majesty was coming in person why the maid is coming in person and is not she enough the maid with nearly six thousand men and a noble supply of provisions ah said the earnestly if it were not for these t a noble purpose there shall be no more my dear fellow the maid shall start for to morrow may god in heaven bless your majesty l n said the poor flushing with pleasure yes yes said charles rising from the board i give you the game i should have won it but for this worry j the maid as i say shall start to morrow and when i say it i mean it the joyful news of the king s intentions quickly spread and all was joyous preparation de before he and his fellow departed had an interview with who asked him innumerable questions and was not satisfied till he had enabled her to form a distinct picture of in her mind s eye he spoke of the two great towers of its cathedral soaring above the walls and forming a for miles and of the great yawning chasm in the bridge that te s a s which nobly won rose the famous english called les he said that though indeed the english had encircled the northern side of the city with their yet its was such that there were great between them through which could pass and that the were in fact isolated from one another and required great resolution to hold so that he advised to bring the on that side rather than along the south bank as she would then not have to cross the river under the fire of sir william s soldiers on the south bank and the could sally out to meet her and afford the enemy a diversion stored up all this and he spoke of the committed on both sides by the use of cannon which had its first successful trial in this siege and was regarded with immense terror and he described the it had made in t c tj x sa vol i tt a noble purpose how some of the english captains had made in the ruins and their men in their usual manner had raised huts of earth to shelter themselves from the arrows shot from the she seemed to comprehend the whole situation so well that the thought this woman has intelligence and decision and will needs do us good and when he took leave of her she said be of good cheer and expect to see me soon in i will i will said he heartily and mind you come by the north bank and then she led a solemn procession to church d carrying her white banner once and again she addressed the and said people all remember ye to pray for us while de was in the hurry of preparation fat v s nobly won brought him a letter observing as he did so that it had been left by a travel soiled messenger from de hastily desired him to stay the messenger in case the letter required an answer and then after opening one envelope after another till he was provoked came to a single hair in the paper were the following lines you asked me centuries ago for a lock of my hair which i refused but now that you are doing your as a son of france i remember your wish and yet keep my word for i think a single hair is quite enough for you i send my good wishes to your lady love though she is not the one if she is the other i hope you will cut off the head of u a noble purpose de with a light in his eye and a smile that curled the ends of his moustache the following and gave it in charge to the returning messenger you are mistaken in thinking my love is no lady for she is both one and the other however her name is not i thank you for the hair which i think i have already lost that will make her savage he and in return will leave you my heart which you despised while i was alive but may prize when i am dead my page will take care you shall have it i trust you will plant it in a and it daily with your tears which i shall prefer to your eating it with salt and your servant but not slave de de nobly won chapter xvi the little did not start till the sun was well up for they had to ride but twenty five miles to and the king wished to see them off that easy going prince	2
attended by la and a few others was early in the saddle and saw the train file by him in the following order the d carrying the white banner to the wind in full with a white such as we see in the to s flowing in graceful folds over her plate father on a mule noble purpose de and de well mi and richly armed with two the two brothers the two pages or to use tl term the and de p s page in all a very little party as it king to save france take care a hawk does not fly off wit maid said he cheerfully what we all do then have no fears for me beau replied with equal cheerfulness i si preserved and preserve others heaven grant it muttered he as si off surely something ought to turn me considering what a run of ill luck had fox m ft td t s nobly won forgive others their and never bear malice and love to see everybody comfortable is not that my character de la when the little party had passed out of sight the order of march changed a little d the banner as the wind made it troublesome and the two rode up close enough to join in conversation father was on the miseries occasioned by the overflowing of the notwithstanding the strong built on its northern side to protect the valley as soon as the snow began to melt on the mountains in which the river rises it began to the country sweeping away whole villages and detached cottages with all their inhabitants trees horses cattle peacefully sleeping in their were borne aa a noble purpose while here and there some aged person was heard calling for help from some or the upper branches of a tree while the principal persons of the w ere on this subject after wistfully the two boy pages behind him one of whom at length made him a signal of invitation dropped behind to them leaving to on by himself had quite enough to do to keep himself together finding himself on a steady enough horse and being into a thick jack over which he wore an iron and on his head a or open without or he was armed with a lance and a sword and as he had not had time to either it troubled him much to think how he should handle them and d o ra r k al when nobly won the first brush with the enemy occurred every one would be so occupied with their own part in the engagement as to take no note of his meantime he made a appearance enough and nobody guessed what inward were the poor fellow louis de who as yet had hardly exchanged a sentence with began by asking him how old he was to which he boy like replied going on for fifteen i should have thought you were more said louis who was should not you oh certainly said i should have thought him at least sixteen s well i am surprised at that said for at home i have never been counted tall perhaps because your t c a noble purpose taller said like strong and strong of course you know the allusion i cannot say that i do said allow me to ask if it is not impertinent said louis with an air of extreme civility how do you spell your name i don t spell it at all said nay but how should i spell it any way you like said it s all the same to me surely that cannot be said louis laughing because it makes all the difference whether you are noble or not oh then i can tell you in one word said i am not it appears to me said with affected gravity but i may be mistaken that you do not happen to know how to read nobly won you are quite right i do not said but added he i dare say i should if i were taught this reply threw his companions into such fits of laughter that some of their elders looked round at them on which they were instantly as grave as judges by this said will you teach me that would be rather too much to undertake said and would abstract my thoughts too much from more important duties i think it would be more in father s line you had better ask him oh yes i will said for he looks very good natured i wonder though said louis that when you lived at home in that old castle of yours the d arc did not bid one of his to instruct yo x s e bs f a noble purpose you did not like to learn and were allowed to have your own way being the youngest my father is no but only plain replied and he does not live in a castle but in a cottage is it possible exclaimed louis affecting the utmost surprise and where then did you get your good manners oh they are cheap in my part of the country though they t be in yours said smiling i suppose you found them too dear but i got mine for nothing blows are cheap though in my part of the country said louis and it give you as many of them for nothing as you like thank you but i never take anything without paying for it said and i would rather pay even too much than too little to a r s nobly won i ll remember that next time i want a few marks said louis my father is noble but poor my father is neither noble nor rich said but yet he is a good man for all that and a good judge of horse flesh too no doubt said of a draught horse	2
may be said but not of a fine war horse like that my sister rides marry i should like him to see her now perhaps you would like him to see you now said louis well it seems a long while since i left home said innocently and i should like to see him and for him to see me home sick said not in the least said stoutly ah said louis fc x a noble purpose have left my father has a splendid old castle in that has been in the family for several thousand years the walls are draped with and our ancestors achievements we have a three hundred feet beneath the level of the sea choke full of dead men s bones indeed said who saw no reason for him then it s a good thing there s no room for more why so because i should think there must have been a great deal of slaughter here again the pages went into fits of laughter you stoop too much said louis recovering himself a warrior should be as straight as his lance knew this to be true and therefore drew himself up immediately nobly won know i should make for you pursued louis following a plough dragging a little holes in the ground and dropping beans into them of course tend to curve the shoulders no offence i hope none at all said pray was any intended his companions laughed and then said see we are coming to some water now mind you are not the river very well and then said to louis suppose instead of mocking me you were to tell me all you know of gallant knights and of arms with all my heart said louis the only difficulty will be to stop me when once i have begun what shall i start with y a noble purpose that old castle of your father s that has been in the family thousands of years thousands hundreds indeed you said thousands ah my boy that castle is high high up quite in the clouds my poor old father is in heaven oh and the the is his grave mother earth you will allow is choke full of bones nay then there s an end said disappointed on the contrary i have not yet even made a beginning did not you want to know the institution and whole course of knight one law of is not to tell lies said do you mean that i have done so master nobly won said on the other side do you know are insulting my arms whom i am bound to rescue defend and on all occasions whether brother in arms or baby in arms said stoutly he ought not to say thousands for hundreds a baby indeed said louis why i have a lady love and that s more than you can say do tell me who she is said wit interest will you be secret oh yes the noble lady dare what my sister why she is a great deal older than you i prefer it she is the lady of my affections and you oh i ve no lady vol i x a noble purpose you must have then til have my sister why that is what little de said to the dame des well and will not she do as well as any other yes yes we will stand by her to the death and thus the boys among themselves while before them and the maid the the two gentlemen of and the squire held pleasant discourse in front and thus they onward till they reached the pleasant river and saw heavy sailing up stream with a wind with all manner of provisions ah sighed the would that those were bearing corn and wine to the city but they will only at the nobly won farthest reach and now maiden behold the distant towers of cathedral it was erected by st on the site of a house given to him by the heard and believed and soon they were the streets of the old town preceded by the white banner and attended by the chief and a tumultuous of citizens a noble purpose chapter xvii it is fine to enter an old fortified town at dusk when its walls frowning towers ponderous and irregular streets lie in deep shadow broken here and there by red fire light or yellow lamp light flickering through the quaint of old houses or the passing of a or lantern or the twinkling of some miserable little oil lamp before a shrine or at an apple woman s stall dark figures mysteriously draped pass hither and thither on unknown errands we regard them with a pleasing awe and wonder what have been their when to these sights we nobly won add the accompanying sounds the grating of wheels the of many feet the hum of a thousand voices boys to one another through lanes and here and there a baby crying a cat a or playing a beggar a sudden of street singers a sudden glimpse inside a lighted church full of people praying the scene becomes one of enchantment perhaps some one who reads these pages may have dined at the table d of some old inn on the when the holy coat was exhibited at and may have seen guests chamber maids everybody suddenly rise from whatever they were about and rush to doors and windows a procession of has entered the square a priest of some distant village is leading his to they are dirty travel stained and weary they o a noble purpose chant an hymn as they pass every head is uncovered every one looks on with a strange kind of fascination and wishes them good speed something like this was the commotion excited in by the entry of and her little band	2
she was the wonder of the hour women looked at her with tearful eyes and men regarded her with curiosity and reverence as she passed onward to the cathedral there was no lack of attendance that evening at afterwards the grey haired old in gown and gold chain her and her companions with his best but reminded him it was a fast day and would only eat a small piece of sweet it her she said to and heaven with much prayer and then said the to her nobly won maid ye are full young to undertake this journey to a camp of rough men hast thou no mother aunt nor woman of mature years to afford thee countenance replied my lord will afford me countenance i go to save france and sure there be no sons of france who would harm or hinder me ah said the shaking his grey head i wish all sons of france were as ye think but too certain it is that in the camp at are many both men and women who lead ill lives said women have no business there at all and if i find any such there as you say i shall turn them out the raising his eyebrows a little and turning to the d said in a low voice are you wise to take her on with you can good come of it think ye a noble purpose a what know i replied d in the same tone i can but obey the king and trust in god he who does so is wise said the then maiden since thou wilt neither eat nor drink except what might suffice a let my good wife lead thee to her which may please thee better than to look on while i care for more robust the old lady who wore fur round her black robe and cap and who looked like a dutch s wife stepped out of her picture frame here rose and taking s hand in hers led her out of the hall and we too will leave the and his guests to their wine by s direction father called off the three boys to bed it was one of the first really warm days of the season when they started next morning for nobly won the distance was thirty english miles light clouds were gently chased overhead by the soft air the fields were faintly tinted with the tender green of the corn and birds were in every thicket as they pricked over the plain clear trembling flashing from their polished steel they seemed bent on some fair or rather than on a forlorn hope but and her companions were full of gravity it appears then father said she from what you tell us that national sins have again and again been attended with national punishment and that when the people of god have from time to time as with one accord themselves before him and pleaded for his mercy he has been unto their prayer and given them from their enemies noble purpose time would fail me if i tried to to you all the instances of it daughter said father time however is not wanting at this moment said and how could it be better filled well then said he to but a few examples the people of god having with nations in the days of the judges were given over into the hands of the who oppressed them even worse than the english and us on their humiliating themselves one and all before the lord however it pleased him to deliver them by the hand of a great captain named and the land had rest forty years again the people did evil and again they were given over to their enemies again they cried with one voice unto the lord and he delivered them by the hand of a great nobly won captain named that time the land had rest eighty years we may suppose that generation to have died off the next did no better than their fathers had done they provoked the lord and he gave them over into the hand of king of again they wept and lamented themselves this time daughter their was a woman her name was she dwelt under a great tree a like the tree cried and she spoke to the chief captain as you might to de and bade him march with ten thousand men to mount and pour down upon the king s host who were assembled beside the brook in great multitude adding the lord will deliver them into thine hand this general however refused to go unless she went with him on which she rather contemptuously a noble purpose replied i will surely go with thee notwithstanding the journey that thou shall not be for thine honour for the lord shall sell into the hand of a woman served him right said de i dare say he thought pursued the that the woman spoken of was herself it was not so however with at his elbow went up to mount and then she spoke to him as you might to de and said up for this is the day in which the lord hath delivered into thine hand is not the lord gone out before thee mark those remarkable words daughter so and his rushed down from the heights and swept over the plain as the does when the snow has melted completely overwhelming the enemy s cavalry and especially who had himself so much on his war nobly won actually found them of no use at all and leaped out of his own and took to his heels like a hare with the hounds after it famous cried de and the woman inquired the defeated general pursued father fled ever so far away till he got to a wild quiet sort of place where was the tent of a poor	2
shepherd the man was not at home but his wife was and believing her friendly to him asked her for shelter and concealment she knew him well enough and hated him so when he asked her for a little water she gave him some milk and made believe that she wished him well and made up a bed for him but directly he was asleep she takes hammer and nail and strikes the nail right through his head with such a will as to pin him to the ground a noble purpose ah that was treacherous was s comment d s was the nail must have been a long one it was one of the long nails with which the tent was to the ground said the and now tell me have i given examples that the lord s hand is not slack to save when men call upon him for time would fail me to tell of his people under their kings of david and and and be assured however that the lord s arm is not that it cannot save would cried that i might play the part of anew aye but the camp and nation must be of its sins first said father our lord says it is of no use to call me lord lord if ye do not the thing that i say clearly not observed de nobly won there is pursued father who was himself an a of my order called brother richard lately returned from the holy land who has had it revealed to him that marvellous things shall befall in the year of grace and another brother named the immediate approach of the end of the world his preaching has been blessed to the of many souls in italy where his lies and as to brother richard he is drawing multitudes of poor to him at this moment in paris where he during lent at st his i am told begin at five o clock in the morning and last till ten or eleven and there are always five or six thousand persons present richard a paris ail commencement d et a le du a noble purpose a for myself said d a long sermon good or bad invariably puts me to sleep it is an infirmity i inherit from my father original sin is at the bottom of that infirmity observed the we all of us inherit that from our first father but we are not therefore held that is what i never can precisely understand said the squire be so good as to explain it to me in few words while father was with his request much debate was going on at concerning s pretensions and the reception that should be given her the pleasant city of hangs on the a c et son sermon du et et et y ou six k ts fc s ss s nobly won side of a steep hill which towards the river in the form of an the river is by a heavy solid looking bridge and along its bank runs an agreeable shaded by fine trees while the outline of the town is broken and dignified by the many roofs and of its old ch and by the of its cathedral the upper part of the city would be inaccessible but for continual flights of picturesque stairs in an old stone hall containing little furniture except some heavy chairs and benches round an old table sat a group of king charles s most noble captains to wit de admiral de captain la hire and the de and de lor which of all these think you was the real original of our nursery stories it was de vol x a noble purpose handsome young man with the glossy beard and glittering black eyes at the too early age of twenty he had become possessor of enormous wealth and bad run into strange excess of riot but had not thereby been from to high military distinction soon after this time he was of france eleven years only afterwards he was put to death for alleged at he was accused of putting to death hundreds of young children some said to renew his youth by a bath of their blood others that he might write with it books of this cry was raised against louis the doubtless without reason in both cases with the love of says dr peculiar to the lower orders of the french as of the irish they exclaimed s the king in our children s blood his ar our blood s secret bid cf the court of france e v nobly won the de was sayings i have received advice from this morning that the maid slept at last night and is even now on her way to us who or what is the maid said the admiral scornfully that her coming should be of any moment to us she does not you in the command i suppose that is as may be returned de the king has given her a banner and she seems to be coming in some sort as his as well one as the other of them i think said la hire the king s field non le l general d arm e le de et de pour du f de la si il on ne fist la le de y i y a noble purpose orders would do us no good but his presence would the troops this girl s interference is impertinent but the men believe her to be inspired and therefore will fight under her as if possessed i am not going to resign my to her though said de so i hope she may not find herself in a false position what matters it how the men s spirits are raised said la hire et already many who had gone home	2
are re assuming their arms for their country s cause they only wait for her to cheer and them them and welcome said the but to undertake anything in the nature of command will be simply ridiculous i for one am not going to be led by a she wear oo da i nobly won with her hair flowing over it i understand tied by a string or something what is her said the admiral two or three replied de a a squire two pages and a d h y her entry will be simple and said de lore that depends said de is she noble i am not sure how her name is i rather think it is only dare de observed who escorted her across the country is as true a son of chivalry as ever lived he is one of the king s of the stable he wears her colours of course white is her colour i understand she see a monument at constructed in when her appearance was fresh m k a noble purpose wears white a white and has a white banner we must give her a good reception at any rate said de since the king so wills it good quarters and a good table who knows but that with this she may be content as a good little girl should be and leave us to do what is after all only men s work only said la hire smiling a little t we men have not been able to relieve nor will she nor will she returned the quickly notwithstanding all this nothing will be done it is a grievous thing but must fall nobly won chapter xviii though the chiefs had so little relish for her assistance they were forced to yield some outward to the spirit of the citizens who were in a tumult of joy at the news of s approach when therefore she drew near to she saw them coming forth to meet her with every outward demonstration of respect while the hearty genuine cordiality of the multitude expressed itself in shouts that rent the air as usual her first object was the cathedral whither she repaired armed but attended by an immense of people the citizens were forward to show their a noble purpose hospitality to her and her train but her severe rule let her do little justice to their feast she inquired according to her wont for some worthy dame of respectability as her hostess and was assured that she was to be the guest of the most honourable and esteemed lady in the town she bade father for the morrow and sent one of her to beg de would come to speak to her without delay he did so accompanied by la hire beau said she you know my mission and my authority i trust you are ready to escort the provisions to all in good time maiden replied de lightly it is our intention so to do but it will be no easy enterprise in the face of the english flushed with recent success nobly won it will be your turn new replied she to be flushed with success for you will go forward in the name of the lord and at once de s colour rose la hire swore why do you take that holy name in vain said looking firmly at him by which we hope to conquer is that your reverence for your captain you owe the god of battles at least as much respect as you expect your men to show you maid i am corrected said la hire ah but said she earnestly do not content yourself with merely from swearing when i am by but altogether de burst out laughing is my turn coming said he you may as well ask me to walk like a however continued to look at la a noble fur pose will you said she by my maid i will said he abruptly you don t call that swearing i suppose it will be almost like talking dutch for i must learn a new language i will only swear by my de looked contemptuously but said god will bless you for it and i pray you go to church i did not see you there this evening all the men laughed here and de said you are in for it now never mind said la hire stoutly she is a good girl i can see with half an eye and i wish i were as sure of heaven we must talk of earthly things now observed de with impatience and with respect to the it is im nobly won important that it should proceed without delay said for the citizens are weak with hunger rest content said de the men of shall be yes but at once insisted and along the northern bank my dear child interrupted de with something of kindness in his tone what should you know of the count de has expressly us to follow the south bank leave these things to men who have studied them all their lives only you have not relieved she put in that s a stale answer said he impatiently to proceed along the northern bank of the would be highly dangerous and we should inevitably be cut off i have a noble purpose no right to throw away the lives of the king s subjects in that way nor any mind to risk my own in what would be mere folly content yourself with us by your presence and cheering the men onward and we will proceed fair and softly along the southern bank and through the province of where the of the english are weaker and worse guarded nay but said i will go with you along the north bank or not at all this is sheer obstinacy said de and shows nothing but you want to provoke me to throw	2
down my i suppose no said i want you to carry to along the north that is all all bless my soul my good girl interposed la hire i nobly won t dear captain said she to him do you believe me sent by heaven or not he was silent u i dare know nothing of the matter i am simply sent as a messenger to lead you to victory if you do not believe in me i have no more to say well but i v do believe in you grumbled de at least the king does which is to the same effect and do not the soldiers oh yes who put it into their hearts may it not have been the holy spirit may not the lord have the nation for its sins by these sad and may he not be willing and desirous to show mercy if so be we will but yield us humbly and to his guidance though it be but by the hand of a little child noble purpose oh if you are going to talk in that way ah fair sir believe in him as i do i wish i did exclaimed la hire with an oath oh upon my honour i didn t mean to swear maid you are very and very began the no said i scorn to be either ah well you must be tired with your journey pray how did you leave his majesty very anxious that you should relieve he expects it i hope his expectations will be gratified j meanwhile we will relieve you of our presence that will be a relief at any rate so fair a lady must need to lay aside her nobly won sir i am no lady nor yet fair and i shall wear till is saved and the king crowned then i will go back to my sheep little girl you are brave said la hire ah said she i see you are going to be a good man you will leave off swearing and go tj church oh aye and do you my child remember me in your prayers certainly sir and the brave too i have done so many times already i have prayed for each of you by name that god would your hearts and give you good desires de here gave a kind of and bowing low took his leave la hire paused for a moment i shall see you in the morning said he s in church then said for that is a noble purpose where i shall be and afterwards in the camp oh sir i know you are loyal and brave do help to save our poor country why that is what i live for aye but it must be by means one is to save another is to the camp by making the soldiers their hearts like dying men t the come i didn t swear that time give me credit for it maiden you had better preach to them yourself it is more in your line than mine and begin by telling them you have won over an old sinner like la hire not that i am very old neither good night he hastened after the who was towards his quarters what say you to this girl f began he there s a mighty air of inspiration about her nobly won oh she would talk one dead said de that s the worst of people who have no manners if she has no manners it follows that she has not bad manners observed la hire and i do not see that manners bad or good have much to do with it only this that she will not hear what is to be said on the other side and whatever may be alleged passes it over and returns to the original that we must march at once and along the north bank how do you mean to put her off asked la hire simply by never her that won t relieve though as she said and as you said before her my friend m sick of that stale answer i don t see what is to be done though vol z a noble purpose said la hire the other made no reply but walked on his at every step what do you mean to do said la hire the replied lead her a dance all about france out of france into spain and then back again la hire laughed but said i don t think that will do try it however said the and now will you sup with me v well you know i live by rule but the rule is never to refuse a good invitation so they both laughed and turned into de s lodging it may readily b supposed that there were in of ladies who were dying a the s to v k ss ic it tt nobly won to look her well over themselves with her voice accent forms of expression and ask her a thousand questions i will not say they to ask her to a more likely to wine and but at any rate they desired to show her the hospitality of the time and place that they might in return have their curiosity and self import ance gratified nothing however was more out of s way than a series of small evening parties or parties of any kind by whatever old fashioned name they might be called her object was with the aid of father to call all the city to repentance and if honourable women not a few her with their visits to be instant with them in season and out of season that they should convert their husbands by their walk not from house to house s things which they ought a noble purpose but at home themselves in good works and continuing in prayer and night and	2
day it may be supposed that such as these were as acceptable in many instances as a biting north wind to a person with a bad cold and that sundry ladies with or round like the moon pronounced her a very set up young person vastly and disagreeable but yet there were others pricked to the heart and by her enthusiasm who fell into the formed by the maid her and all the priests of and the streets with them the seven in addition to her banner she had a standard round which they rallied it was painted with the as for the soldiers father preached among them as might have done awaken nobly won ing a sense of sin that was vehement while it lasted expressing itself in groans tears and the breast la hire himself a soldier from the cradle was scarcely ever heard to swear and was not to be seen in church de readily to s desire that a letter should be written to the english chiefs before them to yield to king charles all the cities they held in his realm instead of writing restore to the king however his secretary wrote restore to the maid which she afterwards complained of this letter was received with scorn and derision by the english captains who returned for answer that they would burn the herald who brought it as coming from a and witch notwithstanding this threat however which was not put into execution an uncomfortable feeling of dismay a noble purpose and distrust arose in their minds as to her authority and mission and the soldiers especially being more ignorant and superstitious than their masters were quick to believe that she was from on high or with the powers of darkness meanwhile de to encounter the english yet wearied by the with which urged him to advance really practised the he had proposed to la hire and announcing that all was ready for the march started with some of his troops and provisions crossed the with the maid and yet had the art to persuade her they were keeping along the northern bank la hire s heart smote him for joining in the deceit and as de and de had not been of her council they knew not she was in error for the greater part of three days therefore they wandered up and down the dreary nobly won wilderness of than which it is impossible to conceive a district more arid monotonous and nothing met the eye but sand and gravel and and the poor inhabitants seemed and wretched passed the first night in her in the open air but it made her ill and the next night they were obliged to supply a lodging for her the priests of who had joined father in this availed themselves to good purpose of these two days in preaching repentance to the soldiers they led the way singing creator and on the second day administered the in the open air once s natural nearly detected the secret of their route she remarked on the of the sheep they passed and said they were no bigger than six months old noble purpose and yet said la hire they afford us the best mutton in france one would think then said she quickly that they were of the breed of this comes of talking to a thought he but he said nothing and she suspected no evil but began to wonder at the tedious length of their journey you will see said de from the very next ridge and encouraged by this she rode on oh exclaimed she in indignation and grief the river lies between us you have deceived me after all forgive me maiden said de it was by order and the was necessary it was not said she with flashing eyes you have betrayed your trust de made no answer nobly won see cried la hire there is with yonder boats let us ride down to hear what he has to say waved his hand to them as they approached and sprang ashore right welcome cried he and you too la hire maid you need no herald to announce you are you the count de said she i am said he and very glad of your coming was it indeed you said she who directed us to come by instead of te such was said he the advice of our wisest captains they were wrong they were wrong said the lord is wiser than they you thought to deceive me but you have il et de s a noble purpose only yourselves let no time be lost now in the supplies but a storm is coming on de and the wind is contrary the wind will change faint hearted man said she well well said he there will be a downright but since you insist i will give the necessary orders and in a few minutes all was activity and commotion cried excitedly the wind has changed de started and looked about him it certainly has said he nobly won chapter xix the which the had spoken of now came on in full force bending the heads of trees violently to the ground as it swept on its course vivid lightning rent the clouds and thunder rolled overhead and though it was scarcely sunset the gloom amounted almost to darkness the advantage this gave them in close to the english fort of st le and the impressive fact of the wind having suddenly changed in their favour were improved on by father and the priests of whose voices were heard above the storm the soldiers by their a noble purpose you are coming with us cried eagerly certainly not replied de ac my duty is to return for the other looked exasperated are none of you coming to help us said he his deep blue eyes glancing from one face to another faith i will said	2
whose black eyes were full of tears as she averted them from her lover evening was closing in upon them as they stood leaning against the sea wall of a little town overlooking the the place was romantic enough there were flights of steps a seemingly without beginning or end cut in the rock and hanging between earth and sky that might help a goat to but scarcely tempt human foot to climb it was difficult to say what was rock and what was building the huts were so rank with weeds springing from their roofs and walls that they were scarcely from the cliffs against which they were reared here and there on what seemed the face of the rock were from which some gay coloured rag or through which peered a lazy hairy face that showed it to be a human dwelling an old castle converted into a prison commanded the market place and a small inn faced the sea at one of the inn windows which had a balcony sat two very lovely english girls who were enjoying the freshness of the evening after a hot day their footman a fresh coloured good looking young man in coat and black was in front of the inn sweeping the horizon with his white sails were seen the sea in the the mouth of the bay was guarded by a small the air was fragrant with the perfume of the and orange trees which grew out of every and hollow about the town girls were returning from the well with their the stood at their doors a priest sat with the all at once a woman struck up the evening hymn to the virgin one voice after another took it up those who did not sing uncovered their heads took off his hat have you forgotten how to sing said he reproachfully no said but i cannot sing that hymn and yet i have often sung it with you these two young persons had been brought up in close companionship for their parents cottages were only separated by a few fields and they had no nearer neighbours they were poor and small farms the rent of which was paid in produce except on sundays and saints days they were never idle but there are many saints days in the and the sabbath is kept like a festival hence could his by looking forward to stated times when he might expect to meet each of them dressed in their best and claim her as his willing partner satisfied with the present he troubled himself very little with the future and when he did it was always to fancy himself and some of these days as man and wife but on the death of old s father her mother had moved into the town and supported herself by washing chiefly for the english travellers who put up at the inn she lodged with a brother who occupied one of the rude huts facing the sea already described was accustomed to carry the visitors linen to and fro and thus she fell under the notice of the young english ladies who were travelling with their father mr along the miss was in want of an italian maid and pleased with the modesty and even refinement of s appearance and manner she offered to engage her at what appeared to an italian enormous wages the offer was too good to be refused it would enable to place her mother in comfortable circumstances and though she strongly felt parting with her yet she had a young girl s love of change and a great fancy for the sweet young ladies fair as lilies whom it would be her privilege to wait upon as for thoughts of him never made the balance tremble for a moment she liked him very well very much that was all so she accompanied the family on their tour and on their return to england to the blank dismay of poor who had thought it hard enough to lose sight of her when she went to live in the town though he could still see her on sundays and holidays so quickly did the whole arrangement take place that he did not even know she was going till she was gone and then his air built castles fell prone like a child s house built of cards and now after two years the miss were italy and accompanied them a she had learnt to read the bible in her own language and had heard it familiarly explained she no longer sang hymns to the virgin or prayed to saints or crossed herself or told her beads or dipped her finger in holy water her old mother thought it very sad very sad and said my child you must take care the priests don t know of it or they will get you into trouble it me to the necessity of so soon losing you again but when he heard of it could not take it thus quietly coming into the town one afternoon in his smart holiday dress with his brown coat over his shoulder and actually a pocket handkerchief in his pocket he looked in on his old neighbour the widow for the chance of some news of and to his surprise and joy found with her herself how charming she looked in that neat pretty dress almost the dress of a lady yet not a bit fine the perfection of good taste with her black hair so nicely and those kindly eyes which had always seemed to love er they looked upon now kinder than ever felt but a beside her in truth though he was a good looking lad he was but awkward and barely of what we should call middle height but welcomed him with such ease and sweetness that he soon forgot all about himself in the absorbing pleasure of admiring	2
by the reading as he approached the man looked up at him with a pair of frank well opened black eyes and said how far is it to v scarcely two miles replied are you going there towards it but not to it replied the man rising and his bag my wares are likely to sell better in country than town you are a then a book more properly ah ah one of those good friends who provide us with lives of the saints and lives of o no said the man smiling i sell the word of life looked puzzled for a moment and then said do you mean la just so will you buy a copy by no means said walking briskly forward but the followed him i suppose you know you are liable to punishment for this said rather roughly for walking along the high road v no for selling books how do you know they are said his companion smiling when you have not looked at them v you told me what they were i told you i sold the word of life and you said it must be the bible therefore you admitted that the bible was the word of life was silent ah my friend you were right quite right pursued the this book is the word of god in order to be saved we must know and believe its contents and those who have experienced the happiness its contents impart feel irresistibly impelled to make it known to others else why should you find me here fatigue and danger in order to it you might have many other motives answered good pay for one just enough for my daily wants no more well if you don t take care what you are about you will be provided for by government at the expense of your personal liberty well what was right in st paul s case cannot be very wrong in mine he said i know that bonds and imprisonment await me nevertheless none of these things move me you yourself to st paul then at all events what was not too hard for st paul to bear should not be too hard for me you expect to be a sort of martyr i suppose god only knows he knows his own and if it please him to test me i hope i shall not be found wanting he looked upwards as he spoke was struck by his unaffected you are very earnest said he stopping short i am i am said the have you always been so oh no i wish i had been where do you come from from nice my father possessed a good house there part of which he let to visitors an english family ah those english said with disgust the without noticing him went on an english family came to us year after year you know the english are very zealous they converted us all all our little family the english visitors got up an society and employed to go about the country the word of god what is your name v well you had better not have attempted to penetrate into italy you ll come to grief i wish you a better trade can you tell me of one going to try i am a soldier of christ said and he offers me the whole of god take one of my books it will tell you what that is but shook his head and hurried away from him thinking to himself how strange it was that this book which had effected such a change in should thus have been thrust upon him at the very outset of his flight from her he had no friendly feelings towards it his heart was full of bitterness and of for the home he had so recently forsaken however he would not turn back nor pause on his journey except for refreshment till he had reached the nearest station once he was rather dismayed at the step he had taken however he determined to be as good a soldier as he could and in the course of a few days he wrote to tell his sister who was plunged into grief by it too had her troubles for she had always liked and it cost her pain to his advances but she was quite as much sustained by the belief of being in the right as he could be and she was accustomed to carry all her troubles to her merciful father though she took pains however to her regrets her kind young ladies perceived something was amiss with her and as she brushed miss s long fair hair she was won by her to tell that her old had sought her love but that she had told him she could not engage herself to one of a different faith nor give up that which was now her own poor s bright tears fell on her mistress s bright locks as she said this but she met with such kindly sympathy and such approval that she regained her composure and in a few days they proceeded on their tour without knowing the desperate step taken by chapter iii the cottage while after so hastily broke from him had pursued his way along the high road in the opposite direction till observing a path that off on his left he turned into it after walking for some time he perceived an isolated building among some fields and struck across to it amid crops of grain with of peas and beans and by rows of vines it was a building two in height and bore outwardly the appearance of and comfort but nothing could look much more dreary than the interior the light which was admitted by the barred but windows of a good sized kitchen revealed walls and black with smoke a rude bench and table a few	2
and kitchen composed the chief furniture coats straw hats pictures of saints hung on the walls in one corner stood a loom in which the home spun was woven for the linen of the family such was the home from which had stolen that morning and to which he must have brought had he prevailed on her to marry him but he saw nothing amiss in it for it had sheltered him from his birth a blind grandmother turning her eyes to the sun sat a while a young girl beautiful as hope sat on the ground beans her feet were bare her brown but beautifully formed neck and arms were but partially covered by her full snow white coarse linen over which was a short black a long dark and gay apron completed her dress but though her feet were bare she wore several rows of coral round her neck large coral ear rings and a silver in her rich black hair there was an almost sweetness in her mouth and eyes as without looking towards she shook her head and said smiling it is of no use for you to come to day father we have not a in the house i am no father said pausing at the threshold pray pardon me said the girl looking up i thought you were father who comes round every week to collect money for the blessed or rather for the in honour of her he is twice as large as you are so i paid you a poor compliment but since you are not he pray who are you v i sell good books said will you buy one why how can i v said have i not just told you i have not a in the house but yet you are a i can read a little and my grandmother loves to hear me shall you be coming this way again i have nearly finished weaving a piece of cloth for which i shall get paid to morrow o yes said who was charmed with her i can easily call again and if you like it i will leave one of my books with you on trust do so sir cried the old woman though we are poor we are honest but be sure you give nothing but what is good for i would not have her read a bad book for the world o no good mother nor would i i assure you this blessed book contains the history of the world from the beginning of time and all the particulars of the life death and of our lord christ certainly then it must be a good book said the blind grandmother and your voice sounds that of an honest man i am constrained to tell you the truth said for i bear his word who cannot lie he wills that it should be carried as a witness where it has never been found before and as a light to all who are willing to be enlightened you see i am a friend who loves your souls or i should not bring you these good tidings receive them then with gladness i could bring you nothing on earth so precious as this word it is a letter of pardon from the lord who is ready to bestow eternal life on you accept it then and find in it the remedy of sorrow and of sin ah our sins are many and have doubtless drawn down on us the lord s anger said the old woman sighing our have all died for three years we have had no grapes and now the olive fails io let me read you a passage to the purpose said and sitting down on a stool he quickly turned to the third chapter of and read although the fig tree shall not blossom neither shall fruit be in the vines the labour of the olive shall fail and the fields shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the yet i will rejoice in the lord i will joy in the god of my salvation these words you see are exactly expressive of what your own feelings ought to be in your present trial of faith although they were written hundreds and hundreds of years ago and this is the special beauty of god s word that whatever be your particular grief or sin you will find in this book something directly to it holy scripture is not of any private interpretation for the word of prophecy came not of old time by the will of man but holy men of god spoke as they were moved by the holy ghost the book must needs be a good book said the blind woman pray leave it with and call for the money to morrow evening she will then have been paid for her work after a little further left them remained standing at the open door dipping into the book and in its contents when a dark shadow fell across the page and a voice cried a ve maria answered the girl with a start as a begging of exceeding dirty and repulsive appearance stood before her i come for your pious beloved said he in a voice ah but father we have nothing to contribute said briskly what can we poor people do it is not our fault that we cannot grind stones into money i m sure we toil day by day and all day long and yet my father says he has too many mouths to feed words words daughter said father spare your breath to cool your indeed when do we get it v your then when do we get that y your of or that requires no father you are a smart girl a pretty and a witty people are seldom more apt to	2
show their than in defence of their if you have no money you have things i can turn to money i see no lack of plenty here your orange and apple trees are loaded with fruit your are spread out to dry your are in the sun and how many of them are ours t if the hen does but a brood in comes the or in comes the and carries off his share what have we poor people to live upon y you don t live on coral and at any rate o daughter daughter where there s a will there s a way the good woman doth not say will you have this v but gives it you and there s another proverb interposed the blind woman stoutly a beggar s is a mile to the bottom and again the worst pig often gets the best then you will get it said father laughing and that is what i complain of what do you think will become of your souls children children care not too much for the things of this life what book is that you have in your hand young woman you can find money for story books though you have none for our blessed lady s indeed father this is no story book a good man has lent it me till i can afford to pay for it a good man who came to the door many a bad dog has a good name said father i have seen a dog called caesar run away from a very small cat those that lack a penny for the priest often have a pound for the i had a dream last night and i saw girls flying up to the in white gowns and pearl these were the girls who had given to buy for her and i saw other girls without a bit of sitting in the dust and tearing their hair these were the girls who had refused her a single give me this book i say i want to look at it don t dog s ear it please father why do you think i never handled a book before child child i shall soon see what stamp it is of hum hum here is a great deal that i m sure you can t understand hum hum and had better not read and my opinion is that it is printed and sold without authority and that the man who brought it you is a wolf in sheep s clothing and liable to fine and imprisonment and that you yourselves have had a narrow escape a very narrow escape therefore i shall be acting the part of a true friend in taking it away from you and handing it over to the proper party ah father don t put it into your dirty bag the proper party is the man who lent it me if you take away his book what shall i say to him when he asks for it say this you are then see how the wretch will look that will be quite sufficient you are i consider this a only try it you are don t forget and away the old rogue leaving looking foolish enough never mind said her grandmother perhaps it was a bad book i don t believe it was said for it was full of good words and the man who brought it had a good countenance i wonder what will say about it little thinking poor that he was miles away from her instead of at in the adjoining field for he sometimes went into the town early and did not return till dinner so that they were not uneasy at his absence was by this time his business from house to house he did not find many customers but sold a copy to a who beginning to dip into it as soon as had left him opened on one of st paul s at a part difficult to understand and quickly became disgusted with his bargain he was indignantly tearing it up when it occurred to him that this was a proceeding as he might use the leaves in the way of trade he therefore carefully detached the sheets from the cover and used them during the remainder of the day in putting up small for his customers after this raised the latch of a dwelling where a father and son were making shoes and said briefly i bring you the testament of the lord christ that smells of said the looking up where do you come from v from nice replied this book is no other than the word of god s truth its leaves are for the healing of nations do you not risk in offering it for sale v i am well aware of it which is a proof of my sincerity no man would bonds but for some great venture i have read this book to the immortal good of my own soul and therefore i offer it to save yours buy it father cried the son eagerly is this the book the english pin their faith upon said the the same they stand or fall by it and our church it why v the book itself shall answer you and this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men have loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil and again search the for in them ye have the words of eternal life and they are they which testify of me well i shall like to read and judge for myself so after a little more talk the purchase was made and pursued his way the began reading his book that evening and he sat up reading it far into the night said he to his son when he went to bed that s	2
a curious book it has a great air of truth nay i cannot but be persuaded it is true but there is not a word in it about the pope s new chapter iv the js i cannot bear to see people in grief i will not dwell on the distress which s letter caused to his family not being much of a he had got a comrade to write it who had very much what told him to put in and confined himself to bare facts and brief s father was both angry and vexed but he was a man of few words and never once thought of stirring in the matter any more than he would have thought of putting a broken egg together again he had one mouth the less to feed on the other hand he and his younger sons must divide s share of between them since he was gone why it was the will of heaven he should go and perhaps some of these days it would be the will of heaven he should come back again and her grandmother soon confined their regrets to themselves and each other they were very desirous to send their assurances of affection and as did not know how to write she repaired to an old man with spectacles on his nose and a green cap on his head who on market days sat under an arch on an old chair with a little deal table before him on which he placed pen ink and paper and was ready to write letters for any who would pay him a trifle for so doing for the first time in her life applied to him with a few small in her hand and after patiently waiting till he had finished a love letter for a conscious who placed it in her bosom as she tripped away she offered herself to his notice well my pretty maiden what can i do for you this morning said the old peering at her through his glasses and courteously pointing to a low wooden stool for her seat please sir said rather i want a letter written to a young man ay ay my letters are mostly written to young men well i am ready how shall i begin v ah ah well your letter has plunged us into an abyss of grief good good abyss of grief how could you ever go and do so v what has he done v sir ah ah tut tut you will see him no more then oh sir please don t say so and s throat swelled don t believe you ever will though muttered the old man common case my dear common case these young soldiers make new acquaintance in every town they go to and forget their old friends if i were you i d forget him forget him no that i never shall exclaimed forget my brother r oh oh your brother is he that the question i thought he was your lover and between them both they a very nice expressed letter which proved true to s torn heart when he received it in due course while is learning the duty of a soldier and steadily rising in the good opinion of his commanding officer we must leave him a while to relate what took place in the town he left behind him on the evening following his flight a entered who had evidently walked far and fast he was a man of about years of age of middle height and well though not strongly built his dress though that of a gentleman was covered with dust and he had that dark look under the eyes which exhaustion he glanced eagerly towards the sea and a look of disappointment crossed his face the next minute he saw and turned into the inn which the miss s and their attendants had recently left now this inn which boasted the name of the outwardly promised but little and inwardly performed still less there were indeed a couple of decent apartments above stairs but below there was a common room which had no furniture except some rough benches and a great immovable table that table however was spread at one end with a clean though coarse cloth on which stood bread a plate of another of thin of ham and a of wine these seemed by no means to a healthy young man of eighteen who was attacking them his clean linen nut brown face and easy open mien were those of a gentleman his rested against the wall and he was exchanging some good humoured with the hostess when the new comer entered wiping his hot face and asked if he could have refreshment undoubtedly what will you v anything whatever you have you are warm said the youth politely while went for the the day has been hot replied the other whose chest still heaved with violent exercise you are come probably to take part in the shooting match to morrow is there one no fm not a shot that is i can look on you know precisely the first match took place to day the second will begin early that is why i sleep here to night it is hardly worth while to go home would it be far c over a mile do you call that much said the other smiling a little then after a moment s pause he said is that a government vessel at the mouth of the bay it is ha appeared at this moment with a dish of greasy looking which she set before the stranger who began to eat with the youth seemed unable to take his eyes off him and scarcely touched his own supper at length he said to him perhaps you like this v he pointed to the nothing could be than the inquiry	2
eats well with meat this was composed like most of green red root and the of hard boiled eggs the three colours were opposed the stranger looked up perhaps you like this v repeated the young man and rapidly indicating with his finger the red white and green you are right said the other quickly in the combination is suggestive interposed his hostess your plate is empty what will you have nothing more replied he carelessly unless yes see if your cellar does not furnish any better wine this is sour she went off do you come from la v no from oh do tell me something of the people who were arrested there i know nothing of them is it possible why a gentleman of the name of was arrested there three days ago for having taken part in some political movement o yes i heard something about it but did not take much notice of it i can give you no particulars at these words sighed deeply and ejaculated i how many efforts we make and always so we deceive ourselves replied the other we should cast away the illusions which have perpetually been our ruin if we would be free we should unite and we should act perhaps we shall do so yet k well i begin to think not the have a great want what is that they want a head a man who shall have the confidence of the whole nation a man who by his voice alone can rouse it a man who shall possess at once the military and the political genius necessary to procure our ah where shall such be found said wistfully i confess i know not but rely upon it this much desired man this washington so to speak of italy will yet arise and from the mass of the people in all great and stirring italy has never been wanting in great men he spoke with emotion but in a minute or two an appearance of great weariness succeeded and he said i positively must sleep as soon as i have for i am tired to death you have to me said the air of one who has undergone some unusual exertion to day you are right i could almost you have been hunting r no just the other way hunted r he looked at him quickly as if he would read his soul and muttered a random shot sometimes the mark appeared but at that moment two or three men entered whose presence effectually prevented further explanation the tired stranger hastily finished his meal and begged to show him his bed she led the way to a room containing two beds and observed that would sleep in the other bed who is he demanded the traveller who is he the dear young gentleman the son of a landed proprietor in the neighbourhood the darling of his father mother aunt and sister heir to an estate that has been in the family i cannot tell you how long the best the sweetest of young gentlemen ah well we shall not interrupt one another i dare say and the next minute he was cast on his bed but wide awake had opened one of the shutters before she left the room sufficiently to let in a stream of yellow moonlight and the indistinct hum of the little town was heard oh what a life is mine murmured he but yet it is dear as long as i have a fixed and high object to gain i do not live in vain and when i shall have won it i can die willingly as he mused thus the door softly opened and entered so soon after me v said he i expected to find you asleep said you appeared so dead tired how come you to be awake v do you not know what it is to be too tired to sleep besides i have many things to think of to speak frankly rejoined the young man sitting down beside him i cannot help suspecting you to be a political fugitive and what if it were so v i should with you that is all even if i were v of course beyond any other well then i am he started to his feet this was before the of italy and when it was like an sea youth as he was he had the popular opinions is it possible v exclaimed he then came you here listen i escaped only to day from the if you like to give me up to them you can for they will soon be on my track but i do not think you will you are young and have an honest face young people have seldom treacherous dispositions looked at him with intense interest what must you have gone through he said in a low voice you may say that see here said turning up his and showing the livid signs of the youth seemed unable to express what he felt how they must hate you to use you so said he i believe they do said bitterly they hate and fear me in return i hate them but do i fear them no i should like to hear some account of what has happened if i am not asking too much hear me then preparations had long been making the revolution was to begin on the d we were betrayed on the th i was arrested at the inn where i slept the police had discovered that something was going on through a at the inn i sent word to my friends to act without me a russian lady staying at the inn concerned herself in my fate and with much dexterity spoke to me in the presence of the and warned me that i was in great danger there was no prison there and therefore my guards were with me	2
day and night they did not object however to my speaking occasionally to the lady and to the servant maid to the latter i said under my breath i shall escape impossible returned she in the same manner do not attempt it you will only be i laugh at i replied i have worn them so long already i then bade her presently gossip with the guards she complied with and while they were i rushed out never looking behind me i took at once the open country and made for the coast leaping over two or three streams the very first of which probably brought the to a pause then i ran across fields and through woods and after three hours of sharp s pace arrived here expecting to find a vessel we had engaged lying off the coast instead of which a government ship watches the harbour and is evidently on the watch for us nothing remains therefore for me but to double like a hare and take to the hills they are doubtless looking out for you said but sleep sleep peacefully i will watch beside you as if you were a brother you must be up at three in the morning if you would pursuit but how without a guide i myself will start you off and wake you at the right time and stooping over him he kissed him looked moved and said how shall i ever you t you will wake me on the first alarm v rely on me thank you said and the next minute he was asleep it was still bright when they were up and away and over the hills who knew every path led the way but his companion kept closely up with him and when after an hour s hard walking they reached a solitary tract where they could draw breath conversed with his generous guide as friend with friend and told him his personal history it was a sad tale of wrongs and injustice of false and and burning and unworthy escapes and unexpected one thing was too evident if false had found innocent and truthful they had not left him so his mind was and by the poisonous moral atmosphere he had been compelled to breathe but yet he had not lost all his original nobility his love of his country was touching his sentiments original and often fine he had been high in command had held offices of trust and been the stern opponent of and when dared no longer proceed with him they embraced like brothers and he wistfully watched him out of sight chapter v the old country house his steps the greater part of the way he was so in thoughts on what had recently happened as to be insensible to the of the distance at length he struck into a lane between high banks which presently descended into a fertile valley by a very road which led to an old country mansion at t iq of this mansion stood a dusty travelling carriage surrounded by a small knot of people which instantly filled with surprise and excitement and made him his walk into a run here he comes cried one of the group who hastening towards him exclaimed the has arrived my sister cried how delightful a i surprise and hurrying in doors he sprang up the marble stairs clearing three of the shallow steps at a time and entered the di a large lofty apartment with on the doors and a ceiling where three or four persons were talking all together with the greatest glee ah here is cried the old gentleman of the house on which a young lady in a travelling dress ran to welcome him what what exclamations there was a baby boy also to be introduced and admired i am lost in wonder said who would have thought of seeing you dearest v nobody can be more surprised than myself said it is all owing to s kindness he has lately been oh i cannot describe to you how good happening to say one day lately what pleasure and delight it would give me to see you all again he said quite quietly and why should you not v i never was more surprised can you really be in earnest said i certainly said he i always mean what i say so then he told me how it might all be arranged as nicely as possible and said that as doctor and his wife were starting for the he would me to the care of and the rest of the way he will come and fetch me home himself very shortly but where is aunt at her beads i suppose is she as much of a as ever do come with me and see me surprise her away flew the gay with at her heels along a large and lofty at the end of which she tapped at a door come in said a voice within and peeping in with a face saw a withered old lady without a cap her thin hair in a very small knot on the top of her head getting up a few fine things exclaimed she dropping her yellow bits of lace and extending her arms it cannot be v who is it then aunt v said laughing and kissing her wonderful wonderful repeated the bewildered old lady and is not here but he has sent the baby to represent him the baby ah the precious child where is he let me see him aunt you are just like all the world you forget the mother in the child you will be miserably disappointed in the little gave her a look as if uncertain whether to believe her or not but led the way to the where the grandmother and foster nurse were in close conference over the baby after enjoying her aunt s exclamations of	2
delight and admiration fell aside with her brother and conversed with him apart at the window dear said she softly it is impossible to tell you how glad i am to see you are you well and happy v quite well my sister as to happy the life here is not too what is there wanting v said she looking at him earnestly what do you wish v i hardly know but i am sick of my useless life talk to about it when he comes he will give you the best advice oh i feel as if i never could love and esteem him enough and yet i have only had this feeling lately here she was away from him and being unable to take any concern in what followed presently went away passing through the gallery he met his father who said why my son you returned early from the shooting match i did not wait i had enough of it yesterday said in confusion and he was glad to escape further questions s father belonged to the middle class of landed he part of his own land and received a certain proportion of the proceeds of the half in kind even to his tenants chickens as truly had said for which he provided their dwellings and half their seed corn stock and leaves he was one of that country aristocracy of which has described so pleasing a specimen in his father of a family and like that old gentleman was remarkable for his economy and simplicity with regard to questions of church and state his principle was to make the best of things as he found them the family to a dinner which as had not been expected merely consisted of the ordinary fare to wit a supply of followed by a kind of soup boiled with a minute portion of pork these dishes with a basket of fruit the observed to her daughter the french have the reputation of being the best in the world is it true v o yes mamma said and they eat a great deal more than we do so do the english i have been told observed that the english ladies retire from table to drink brandy oh no aunt said laughing they retire that they may not even see how much wine the gentlemen drink and says there is very little excess now compared with what there was formerly his two most intimate friends are english no doubt said her aunt how very what can dear be thinking about v improving himself in english very likely said placidly we may trust him with his own safety yes indeed papa he is worthy of trust how delightful it is to hear you speak up for him so my child said do you go to many parties v to many pleasant little said but never without i am convinced you are quite a model couple o no a great many do the same has my cousin married yet no turned out to have a wife already and has she will go into a ah the poor thing how bad of how on his brother y there was some talk of getting him into the military college said but he wrote to his uncle to this effect intellect is the gift of god but it is mine till he me of it what did he mean by that v he meant that intellect was under a system of in the college and is it o yes belongs to young italy said his father with perfect take care my son you do not get into trouble are things pretty quiet now v said only so said any recent v o yes only within a few days d they say has got off again said who is he papa oh he has two or three names all known to the police dear me i wonder people cannot keep quiet and submit themselves to the powers that be said there can be no pleasure i think in being shut up in prison and fed on bread and water not said then why do they risk it it is worth while to risk a good deal in a cause which we have decided to be just yes if our decision is worth anything said his father i should be very slow to decide that what so many deeper heads than mine have pronounced just was the reverse chapter vi brother and sister never a social meal in italy was of by the family in a and solitary fashion each one having a cup of coffee and a morsel of bread in or out of bed whenever the inclination prompted sick of his life yet unable to cast off its sauntered and about the house and stables in his usual fashion and at passed along the towards his own room in search of his cigar case s door being open he looked in and saw her in a pretty morning of white muslin alone with her baby seated at the open window do come in cried she hesitated and looked embarrassed do come in repeated mamma is ordering dinner aunt is at church nurse has left me in charge of baby and i am as dull as a cat i have been looking out for you all the morning i have so many things to talk to you about i wish we could take a walk together stammered now really blushing she laughed merrily why what harm would there be in it v cried she married women walk about where they like and young english ladies married or unmarried constantly go about with their brothers and even by themselves yes i know they do said gradually approaching her what do you think there was an english lady not very young though who travelled through italy on horseback last year attended only by her man servant and	2
very pleasant too said pleasant enough no doubt but how very improper why did she come to any harm v not that i know of where was the harm then if she did not feel she was doing wrong it was not against the customs of her country but it was against ours true but do you know i have learned to think we are in some of our customs v i can easily believe that for you seem hardly like the same creature you were two years ago you don t think me altered for the worse i hope said quickly indeed i do not but i almost start at the change it is so difficult to fancy you the quiet little girl who came out of the ah that horrid cried if i have a dozen girls they shall never go into one my dear i am quite serious i can tell you they could not go into a worse place if it had not been for fear of being put into one for life i would never have married for you know i had seen him but twice and i did not like his looks much but you see he has made you happy said yes but it was quite a venture it might have been just the other way it generally is papa and mamma and aunt knew nearly as little of him as you and i did besides he really was not very agreeable at first and moreover he was not at all religious quite anti christian i am afraid i may say ah said that is too common a case two thirds of the young men of the present day are only a step above a step below you might say if you knew more about it said and a pretty deep step too why and i know several and they are very good people indeed quite above looked at her in some dismay i hope will be careful what he is about said he he may be as himself as he likes i should be very sorry if he were to make you so and so would my father and mother be it would break their hearts pray do not call an said he is full as good as i am if not better but at the beginning i grant you it was not so and if he had made me as as himself papa and mamma would have had to answer for it however he was then so and that there was little fear of my trying to be like him he openly told me that the first and only time the claims of religion had ever been pressed upon him was at twelve years old when he received his first communion since which time he had never thought of a hereafter nor entered a church if he had said that before marriage instead of after said it would have been more to the purpose oh it would have made no difference said papa would not have broken off the match all he would have for would have been that i should be allowed the free exercise of my religion and that has never been when we first went to live at we were very dull for we did not know anybody and as i had no did not much like my going out i was not accustomed to do so therefore did not mind it till i found most other young women did so and then i wanted to do the same and did not approve it and was rather cross about that time however he picked up an acquaintance at a with a spanish officer who stuck to him because could speak spanish which most others could not so i was allowed to visit this old officer s wife who was a and had been in england and at their lodgings we used to meet two or three english families ot course but none the worse i mean none the less agreeable for that thus we formed quite a pleasant little and used to have the most charming that was very fortunate for you said but the best of it was continued that from that time began to improve and instead of always grumbling and wasting his time at cards or he became fond of books and newspapers and but especially of conversation which made him infinitely agreeable tell me about these said throwing himself into a seat what did you do what did you talk about much less about politics or scandal than you would suppose indeed we had nothing to do with them though public affairs were sometimes discussed and as we ladies were not seated aloof we heard everything we took interest in everything then they talked about new discoveries and inventions and about free trade and protection and commerce and not deeply of course but quite deeply enough for me and they used to talk about different public men and different countries and about books and authors and pictures and painters and music and so that you see we had no want of subjects no indeed said drawing a long breath that almost was a sigh how delightful why can we have nothing like it here we shall if we ever have a free country ah that then pursued there were some delightful english girls daughters of a civil engineer who was surveying for a railway you can conceive nothing so fair such lily skins such lovely hair such delicate feet and hands but these girls took no care whatever of their in little round hats and black they took amazing walks with their father or with their brother hills rocks mountains they minded nothing they would put some cakes in a basket and start off with literally for nothing but to hunt for wild flowers insects and and when	2
i believe they to be copies of the holy bible which you know is quite unfit for general circulation indeed i do not know it because i never read it said i think i should like to do so if it came in my way for my curiosity is excited ah you young people have mostly ears said father the way this rascal s crime was discovered is he sold a copy to the who as soon as his back was turned began to examine his purchase and finding what it was he tore it up and used it for waste paper but mark the event the poor innocent people who came to his shop in the course of the day and carried their purchases away wrapped in these leaves what was printed on them and were so with what they read that they hastened back to the to give or sell them some more of his waste paper and his shop was literally with long after he had parted with the last leaf to them he told them they would certainly find the man about the town and might buy of him as he had done so these went looking about for him when they might as well have hunted for a needle in a bottle of hay by good luck old father had rescued one of the books from a poor ignorant girl before she had had time to derive much mischief from it and learning from her that the man was coming back to be paid he laid information against him in the proper quarter the result of which was that about an hour ago he was captured and clapped into prison was mute but though his eyes continued to the columns of the newspaper he did not read a word chapter vii su l ow happily the days of went by took care to to a walk the following morning with the bait of anne of in her hand as they were gaily passing through the the brother s eyes quickened by the sister to the perception of many natural beauties he had never cared to notice before the colour was brought into s cheeks by the unwelcome and unexpected apparition of a friend coming towards them the last man he would have expected to meet in a wood he had scarcely time to who would have thought of meeting when looking surprised and embarrassed also came up to him he however two years older than and more self possessed immediately e greeted him and cast a look of admiration and inquiry at his companion my sister the stammered instantly made the of bows who knew him quite well by report and looked on him not as a man but a boy said we have come out for a walk will you join us v with felicity returned greatly relieved if will allow me to profit by your kindness o yes the more the said we were going up to the little for me to read a tale of scott s to while she worked will it be any amusement to you v i shall enjoy it of all things i was quite surprised to meet you here so was i to meet you and then they all three laughed the joyous laugh of youth stay here are some wood said and they all began to hunt for them with great eagerness it seemed however to that off one particular corner to himself and she boldly accused him of having been on some superior in that quarter before they met him and now wishing to preserve them for himself this idea seemed to amuse immensely but he assured her she was quite in the wrong and that he could really show her where to find some beautiful which he had noticed as he came through the wood he her away a few paces when resolved to see whether his sister s accusation had any foundation peered down into the suspected corner and cried the ground here has been disturbed what do you mean what is there cried running back buried treasure t returned pulling forth a small thick book soiled and ruffled with the evident haste with which it had been thrust among the leaves how curious exclaimed how came it there v said laughing allow me to present the volume to its owner looked as red as scarlet as we say in the and taking it carefully wiped it why did you put it there v said still laughing and putting his arm round his neck y because i did not mean you to see it of course said smiling a little but evidently what is it you ought not to ask said it is bad manners o no it is not said quietly i need not have hidden it if it were what then since you will know mind i trust to your honour you may i swear it is then la he pronounced the name with unaffected reverence ah i guessed as much said i knew the look of it directly it is never out of the hands of those english girls i was telling you of at least it is always on their and they read it night and morning s interest in it seemed increased by this intelligence i should like to read it myself said he i am rather sorry now that i did not buy one yesterday of the v said he sold me mine i suppose you know he is in prison for it looked pained not for selling me this particular copy said he he knew it was a trade counted the cost and paid it could you the same v well i hope not to be tried otherwise i should not have hidden my copy do you find it worth the cost v i think it divine here is a shady	2
nook cried establishing herself in the shadow of the nobody is likely to interrupt us which book shall we read toss up looked i do not think you are serious enough to like my book said he try me i will be as grave as a judge which will the prefer v yours said drawing out her work i know my husband likes it here it is then said handing it to you read said throwing himself on the ground with his arms under his head and his hat over his eyes after an instant or two of in a low voice began reverently to read the second chapter of st and went on to the end of the seventh then he paused t said yes said it seems like the word of one looking down on the world from the highest point of view if we lived up to these grand yet simple words we should be angels no we should be christians why do the priests dislike it so much inquired because there are things in it which they cannot get over look here for instance how read you v the he shall utterly yes what is there in that v the image of the blessed what is that but an idol v you are very daring do not say such things i pray you in the hearing of my sister did you not say your husband liked this book v yes said how did he come by it said i should have thought him the last man to buy it one rainy day he was lounging the time away at mr s and grumbling because he was disappointed of some he had ordered miss said here is a volume that may possibly be quite new to you and which if you it thoughtfully will certainly banish he thanked her and having looked a little into it put it into his pocket observed that the rain had ceased and returned home with me he shut himself into his own room and remained there for hours when he came to dinner he was calm and very silent directly after dinner he disappeared again and did not return till supper this would have been dull enough for me had not the miss dropped in but as they did so i did not mind it in short continued to himself a considerable portion of every day for the purpose of studying this book which i need not tell you was la a french version of it instead of its making him he became wonderfully softened by it a mild light shone in his eye a heavenly peace sat on his brow a placid smile played on his lips and you know he is not regularly handsome exactly but i assure you i learnt to think him so what little there is of him is good said said giving him a smart rap with her fan he is not tall i own but people may be too tall many are so nor did i at first approve of his wearing spectacles but as his eyes are small he perhaps looks best in them at any rate i am now quite used to them and have no wish he should leave them off smiled how pleasant it is said he lazily to lie here and hear a woman intensely pleasant said i only wish i had a sister she would smooth all my and hard edges let me tell you said that was half ashamed to come out with me i had the utmost difficulty to prevail on him well you know it is against all rule said but it is pleasant sometimes to break through rules when they are bad ones said and read forbidden books when they are good ones said but it is time now for me to go home and look after my small child t the two young men rose with some reluctance and followed her into the did you hear of that futile attempt at s said in an under tone to shrugged and gave an expressive look do you know that escaped nodded we shall hear again of him some day perhaps and how v who can say but i feel for him and with him when can you and i have a talk together v when you will not till after to morrow though any time after that and he bowed his farewell at the door in spite of his friend s pressing him to enter hastened to her room and finding her baby just waking took him in her arms and dismissed the nurse immediately afterwards and sailed in looking very stately they seated themselves in chairs immediately before her and clearing her throat thus began we have a sacred duty to perform a sacred duty to perform echoed yes resumed and this duty must be performed however disagreeable you were brought up my dear in the paths of virtue and and when your education was completed your father and i you to the care of one of the best of husbands he may not be so very young or so very handsome dear mamma cried looking much hurt i am sure no one need complain of s looks and as to his age he is quite in the prime of life i am very happy my dear to hear you say so said yes so am i in but the better he is the more he ought to be considered pursued and a good wife will consider her husband the same or almost the same in his absence as in his presence you need not it mamma said a good wife will consider a good husband quite as much in his absence as in his presence even more so if it were possible then my dear why do you not suit your practice to your theory why mamma what can you	2
mean what would think my love of your all about the neighbourhood with dear mamma he would think nothing of it he would like it he sent me home expressly to be happy happy my dear yes by all means in a reasonable sort of way but this is quite unheard of quite quite outrageous i am sure said with a tear in her eye which dropped on her baby s face as she stooped to kiss it might be in much worse company than his own sister s unquestionably my love at proper times and seasons in the bosom of his own family but not about in woods why mamma what harm could there be in my helping and to pick a few v you don t mean le was with you oh my child my child what an you have been i could not have supposed you so heedless you a married woman yes i a married woman and a mother said beginning to cry might be supposed to have a little discretion and need not be treated quite as if i were in leading strings you my dear mamma live quite out of the world and aunt is all but a but the world is growing older and wiser every day everywhere except in poor dear italy and does not such senseless customs as separating dear brothers and sisters in the intercourse of daily life as if they were and well my love but is neither your brother nor your sister but a very handsome man and what would young man i consider him quite a boy said handsome he may or may not be for i never troubled myself to consider but my need fear no made to his disadvantage for my is worth a dozen chapter viii a man i s had not come home to make herself disagreeable she soon assured her mother that her wishes should be attended to and the walks should be given up she told this in an aside to the next time they met and as he was more sorry than surprised he contented himself with saying ah i knew it was too good to last and himself with anne of during the rest of the evening our readers if duly attentive may remember a certain priest who was with a at the commencement of this narrative the name of this priest was father he t ore by no means a good character but had a jovial manner which made him rather popular one night this priest was and found next morning lying dead in the street the public voice instantly pronounced two bad characters lately discharged from prison the but these were not apprehended by the police instead of them they arrested a tailor a coffee house keeper and all these three were men perfectly by crime but known to be of liberal principles the of s apprehension filled the little household of with consternation it was to no purpose that they knew him to be a young man of character and believed him to be perfectly innocent to be liberal was to be to be was to be suspected to be suspected was to be condemned cried white as ashes him as he hurried forth with emotion to the town beware what you say or even look or your turn may come next he gave her a look of grief and nodding assent went out the national guard had risen and seized every suspicious man in the place it may be added some ones too on reaching found that the examination had already taken place and whose sole crime was having been the first to see the body when they opened their shops in the morning had after a sharp that was not particularly been was imprisoned to await his trial in vain boiled and in vain he sought s friends and applied to men in office he was sent from pillar to post and unable to obtain any information save that he could not obtain access to the prisoner who was watching for him ran down to meet him when he returned seeing from his face that he had learnt nothing satisfactory she earnestly whispered be patient oh be patient in a few days m or as he was indifferently called arrived to the infinite satisfaction of and he was rather a plain little man of five and forty with spectacles and a moustache calm and he seemed truly glad however to see fly into his arms he had been one of the french officers occupying rome but was now on half pay which o obliged him to live in his own country and he was not rich enough to live in the capital passing he had visited a sister at the where was being educated had had a glimpse of in the parlour and decided on that slight foundation that he should like her for his wife having a mutual friend he soon made acquaintance with and soon made proposals for his daughter which as was not rich he was glad to accept shortly afterwards visited her daughter and after a little chat said my dear should you like to be married y replied that she had no particular objection and within a month she was the wife of a of sixteen at the time of his sister s marriage saw little enough of his brother in law and that little did not particularly attract him but s recent accounts of his transformed character and the evident joy with which she ran into his arms assured that there must be something in him and he embraced him in a truly manner wanted to know whether he had not been dull in her absence i replied that he had missed her very much but that he had not been dull he never was now they had so much to say to each other	2
that it seemed as if they had been apart a thought how delightful it must be to be so united and wondered whether he was in the way his father was out his mother was nursing the baby his aunt was at prayers he thought he would smoke a cigar how it with you v said suddenly not particularly well said but i have been delighted to see not particularly well what you v ii what is there for me to do but to shoot v do you want then to shoot men y that is your trade not mine but certainly if there were a war i would gladly be a be content you will be one before your beard is grown oh what mean you v cried leaping up running across to him and putting his hands on s shoulders gently my dear boy said laughing the glove is not thrown down yet f but you think it will be all the world says so and what all the world says must be true i hoped you brought news ah you thirst so for news si di is always your word how can it be otherwise everything of real interest everything is kept out of the newspapers we can only pass things from mouth to mouth true enough said in this very town pursued a crime has just been committed no account of which will ever get into the papers or reach the ear of justice and he related the murder of the priest and the of listened with grave attention this is a sad affair said he i must inquire a little into it to morrow as a i may do so more safely than you can perhaps we may find a silver key to his prison and starting up as who had stolen away reappeared with the baby he amused himself with his young a little while and then sitting down to the piano played the to william tell after which he sang the famous enough to make clap him and then pace the floor with a martial tread also he sang a little in which a father might be supposed thus to address his child tu mon id sur la le en ce des qui la pour done ma sur d je t examine s un pas tu mon c est et lies i sort tu au ta done ma sur d je t examine s un pas if he had not much voice made up for it with expression his of the father s charge was distinct grave and pathetic his sharp and startling as the crack of a rifle when he suddenly twisted himself round on the music stool there stood shedding tears this emotion which would have disgusted an englishman was understood and by the frenchman who tapped him on the arm with va mon you are easily touched and have been upset about this friend of yours to morrow you and i will have a talk together next morning as having taken his solitary cup of coffee was lounging on the stone bench outside the house smoking a cigar came forth shaven and drawing on his gloves as if about to take a walk are you going into cried starting up then i will go with you i was going to ask you have you any good lawyer in the town v ii that is to say doctor we call him but i don t know that he is so have you any acquaintance with him v o yes we meet at the suppose we call on him then he is not retained i suppose for v no poor has not much to spend on lawyers is his father alive v no his mother lives with him this business will kill her poor old soul the real are undoubtedly beyond the frontier by this time meanwhile false witnesses have been for young as he is is hated by the priests and why can you ask they know his opinions and i met him in the wood one day reading the bible ah she told me of that well he might have been worse employed a friend lately put it into my hands i knew of it only as the book of books by which they swear i read it from end to end a whole universe of new truths burst upon me i seemed to breathe a different air whatever else remained dark to me one thing appeared as clear as day that the peculiar of the church of rome are to be found they are not in the bible yet the bible is the word of god y i want no voice from heaven to tell me that for it speaks to my whole nature and meets its deepest wants and purest emotions as only the word of god can you are a then i suppose v said anxiously you may call me what you will but i give myself no name but that of christian i draw my religion from the bible alone and am ready to join whatever church does the same at whatever risk what has made so deep an impression on you said after a pause cannot be indifferent to me for i know you to be much better informed than myself but though i see glaring in our church i have always supposed the church itself to hold the truth which us the claims of the bible to our reverence and belief have never been made known to me but should the opportunity occur i shall gladly read it the poor man who sold a copy of it to is now his offence in the same prison indeed cried i must seek him out then for he must be a sort of martyr can you tell me anything of him v i met him on the road and	2
he offered me his books for sale he is a named he appeared a good sort of fellow his language was good and his dress and bearing respectable ah well you love darkness better than light i verily believe o no we are for light you have aspirations rather than principles and whatever you may thirst for you never yourselves so as to make your aspirations triumph too true sighed what a miserable failure that was again lately in which was concerned you know who he is don t you said quickly i saw him saw him cried stopping short he was a fugitive i helped him on his way do tell me all about it cried eagerly you need not be afraid was but too glad to pour out what he was full of to some one he looked up to and whom he could trust he told me added he in the next fact in which i am engaged i will succeed or die perhaps neither said i respect his genius and pity his misfortunes but what is the use of deceiving ourselves we must look upon one another for what we really are this man with all his real patriotism is by no means to truth the i admit have made him subtle and all are counted fair in war but he is cunning as a fox and i should be heartily sorry for you to be mixed up with him you will only share his fate probably an one without your country a be advised wait in patience a good time will come soon or late love your country and welcome make sacrifices for her when they are called for but don t throw away your life like a fool italy will have need of you some of these days chapter ix bonds and imprisonment here was to be a in the evening and workmen were busily boards and for while carts laden with were driving in from the country and women were of green white and crimson from their windows here and there with some other colour that the significant colour might not be too these preparations were not with s feelings and made the town appear even to him than usual here is s coffee house said he to and himself standing in the doorway i who did not just then seem with customers bowed made way for them and received s orders for a cup of and a newspaper which he brought to him himself at a little table apart meanwhile s arm was touched by a young man who was the only other person present and who said in a whisper i want to have a few words with you willingly said starting and seeing that his brother in law was engaged with he withdrew to another table on which stood an empty coffee cup and looked at his friend the two little groups thus occupying two of the shop i want to speak to you about pursued the young man whose name was and who belonged to the same with and i am all attention rejoined in the same under tone and fixing his glowing black eyes on him as if he would read his soul i am prepared to help him are you v by all means how v what is his case to day may be ours to morrow we should make common cause there are others prepared to join us he will never get off in a regular way the priests hate him and he has long been watched by the police you give him up then as lost v yes unless we free him you know the slave a wretch who would sell his soul for a glass of brandy well he has become very thick with the spy has been seen to gold has been heard to talk big and has an unlimited supply of cigars it appears was seen to talk with father the afternoon before the murder and heard to say rather you expect too much i cannot and will not this some little difference between them probably some trifle which could explain but which he certainly will have no opportunity of explaining whereas these words will be tortured and twisted into something again was seen at dark to part from a man at the corner of a street by whom v and heard to say depend on me then so declared next time he is examined rely on it will remember or invent a good deal more meantime he is to all but his but i have much more to tell you y s mother has you know a directly she becomes the least agitated this gets worse so that she shakes like a leaf and cannot get out a word now before she knew the danger was in my father stepped in to her well says he how goes all with you where is gone to says she which my father of course knew he had not says he he went there yesterday did he t no this morning says she before i was up he had the very badly last night poor fellow and i was obliged to send to the s for some for him after we had shut up for the night and i applied it to his tooth myself with a bit of cotton wool and it did him a world of good and made him sleep like a top now would not an englishman say here is clearly an there are three parties that can was at home and in bed to wit the the maid and the mother not a bit of it directly she heard what had happened fell a trembling and has done nothing but tremble ever since you can t get a word out of her my father spoke to the girl who by this time was in a so your young	2
master has disappeared said he disappeared says why he has gone to has he not says he oh sir said she you surely know he is under arrest poor young gentleman i feared to shock you says my father oh you needn t fear that sir says with a toss of her head my feelings are not at all concerned about him well young woman says my father you might show a little more humanity i think he slept at home all last night v i suppose he did said you suppose you mean you know said my father how can i know whether he slept or lay awake r said she getting very sullen oh well you know he was in the house said my father that was all i meant of course he was in the house i suppose said the perverse at least i don t know that he was out of it ejaculated ay indeed and now she has set off nobody knows where saying her mother is sick i don t believe she a mother she is spirited away somewhere that she may not give evidence but you have not heard of the last stroke yet what is that the the my father went over to him good day some if you please we want something sometimes to our by the way tells me her son had the so violently last night that she sent to you for after the house was shut up his face into an expression of indescribable she sent for but how do i know for whom or for what v my father was disgusted with the little he was a gossip of old father s moreover he has government patronage such as it is so of course he will say nothing that government does not wish him to say nor remember anything that government does not wish him to remember is lost groaned yes as far as justice is concerned my father who has undertaken his cause for love rather than money of carrying him through so now said with suppressed excitement now is the time for us to cut in how v will you be true to death and are you ready ready listen then we are in communication with the prisoner in these wretched times and in this one should always prepare for the worst and i when we were together pricked up our ears at some notable of the day and means of communicating with one another by should there ever be need the process is slow but sure and simple i have only had time as yet to exchange these brief words with him hope i hope became intensely interested but other persons entering the it was no longer a safe scene of conference and only added in a whisper with a look that spoke volumes meet me on the bridge at nine to night to which responded lo the arrival of the new comers also ended the conference between and and the frenchman calmly drank his coffee read his newspaper and listened to the floating talk around him as came up to him he looked up and said by the way i should like to see that poor i had forgotten all about him said i have just been talking to the son of our best who can perhaps tell me what to do and hastening back to who was leaving the he exchanged a sentence or two with him and then returned saying with a smile he says a to the will be sufficient bon said the other and rose from his seat him to the prison and after a short and conference with the head that disinterested and official showed them into s cell it was in the lowest and part of the prison an arched under ground gallery below water mark with a grate at the entrance through which alone it received light and air the atmosphere was offensive water was continually dropping from the roof and from the sides and floor a little straw on that floor was s bed and a piece of black bread and of water composed his only food looked up he was wan and but had as yet no of heart or hope to judge by his calm mien my poor fellow have they no better place for you than this ejaculated the kindly frenchman as he picked his way across the foul stained floor o yes sir rejoined with simplicity they have a much better cell in the prison a dry one which prisoners may have who can afford to pay for it but the sisters of charity said this was good enough and too good for me they the whole arrangement and denied me the two hours exercise which the at first allowed even taking the key of my cell themselves that he might not he has only had it back again to day speak french mon it is my native tongue as well as yours sisters of charity do they deserve the name v hardly sir i think but my good man this is rather hard dealing is it not for the bible v oh sir i counted the cost and do not complain joseph now lies in precisely the same circumstances in the prison of st for having ventured to say on reading the new testament that he found nothing about the conception in it the book p g could they show him that there was something about it that would have been to the purpose if they could said smiling but the law sir the law of the country was against him there is an article in the code to this effect that whoever with deliberate intent shall utter against god against the blessed virgin or against the saints shall be punished with imprisonment and the punishment may be extended to hard labour for a time according to the gravity	2
of the you have not been guilty of v no sir i was speaking with regard to whose words they as such precisely do you keep up your spirits tolerably in this place i m afraid mine would flag terribly i think of st paul s words sir but none of these things move me he bore a good deal more than i have been called to do yet i must not at the first trial you speak like a man a brave one a christian one at least i try to be when st paul asked what the lord would have him to he was told that he must suffer not inflict sufferings mark you sir on himself our good god does not require us to do that but just to bear what he puts upon us or what men put upon us which is not so easy ah sir they could not unless they were permitted our lord said thou have no power at all except it were given thee you teach me a lesson only through my master s words sir our master s words you are right he is mine oh blessed confession to him sir whatever i must not stay much longer with you but tell me is there anything i can do for you in the world without yes sir please write to my mother or rather to my brother he will soften it to her a will gave the name and address and added a short message which wrote down just then the looked in and said you must be quick sir those blessed sisters are coming pray cut short what you have to say i loo i will i will god bless you rely on me and keep up heart rely on god accept this trifle i wish it were more but i am not a rich man god bless you sir you did not tell me your name louis of i will remember it in my prayers they squeezed each other s hands and who had not said a word stepped forward and shook hands with him also when the door had closed on them turned his face to the wall and wept just then a little pipe outside the walls began to play a certain tune which he knew well it was a hymn tune he had often sung words to it something to the effect of our afflicted soul to christ draw near thy s gracious promise hear his faithful word declares to thee that as thy day thy strength shall be how singular who could know that tune here t who could play it t was it some one within or without the prison was it accidental or intended to comfort however that might be it cheered like a voice from heaven loi he could hardly have been more comforted had he heard the words fear not i am with thee when the pipe ceased his momentary sadness had quite departed he was strengthened and cheered and able to think over the unexpected visit he had received with great delight little by little his thoughts again he fancied he saw his mother s tears his own began to start some one without whistled the first four notes of the same air it was quite enough le n est pas le a little boy with white was meanwhile sitting in the street with his back against the prison wall this little boy had wandered far and wide he had known the green lanes and crowded courts of old england had received of christian teaching had been won into church or chapel where he had picked up the tune he had just played and then whistled thus you see readers there was no miracle it was only one of those cases of which we only see one side in which our good god makes the simplest agents the efficient instruments of his good purposes to us when his people cried for flesh in the wilderness the lord did not for them the cattle upon a thousand i hills he made the little birds of the air serve their need doubtless some which have been set down as supernatural might simply be accounted for thus for instance the ray of light which de took as a miraculous answer to his prayer may have been only the gleam of some passing lamp or the fitful light of the moon meanwhile and hastily conducted to the door by the were by him when they inquired whether they might see though gold openly gleamed between s finger and thumb impossible pray hasten it would be as much as my place is worth the sisters will be upon us but why should he be denied intercourse with his friends he is not condemned excuse me it is out of the question he is under particular recommendation chapter x non i he remainder of the day proved rainy but only produced a pleasant coolness in the air and laid the dust true to his appointment made his way to the bridge of san just as deep and thick darkness was succeeding the short twilight the dingy houses of were so draped and with coloured lamps that they were hardly to be recognised wreaths were suspended across the streets amid which glow worm lights played lively strains before some gaily lighted shrine of or saint at the shops an ornamental arch and at the entrance of the town was the station of a really good band and all the gentry of the neighbourhood slowly through the streets without the family groups of on foot who were in an orderly manner enjoying the show the smart report of fire arms and the of added to the of the the brilliancy of which was by the darkness of the night many of the peasant women were decorated with ornaments that must have descended to them through	2
many generations when they met their female friends their greeting was an affectionate kiss and it was pleasant to see the of these poor people whose lives in general were a monotonous round of hard work even the baby carried in the arms of its father came in for a share of the entertainment among the carriages which wound their way through the crowd might be seen the rusty old of containing himself his wife daughter and son in law all of whom seemed very well pleased with the had excused himself under pretext of seeing the better on foot how many things has young italy done under pretext he made his way however through the crowd as well as he could to the deserted little bridge where under cover of solitude and darkness his friend awaited him how late you are whispered i thought you never would come it is little more than nine o clock said and the crowd me well what are you going to do hush we must be as still as death it is so dark that a may be within of us i am going to hold communication with by what means said you shall see the result said smiling a little under cover of the dark you have heard i suppose of table v do you believe in it v said hush i believe there are some very clever connected with it my father who is you know a very acute man went the subject very closely with an american with whom he happened to be travelling and what he of him and repeated to me i have turned to account in a way however of my own and i tried it together before this misfortune overtook him and we therefore can act in concert so many stand for a given letter then a pause then another series of and so on till the word is completed the process you see is io necessarily slow though we invented to prevent mistake you may as well take down the numbers i shall name to you do you know where he is then and can he hear you yes here are my it is almost too dark to use them but you may o yes i can write in the dark so as to be come with me then and his arm in s he led him through ways till they found themselves beneath the prison wall on a side that was scarcely pierced by a window here threw himself on the ground bidding beside him and applying his mouth to the wall with both his hands made a peculiar hissing sound that supposed was meant to be audible within apparently it was so for presently whispered with a satisfied air he answers he then felt along the wall till he came to an of some sort into which he inserted his brass tipped cane with which he commenced a series of brisk sharp at regular intervals and then applying his ear to the counted the in response two three five seven are you putting them down v whispered he replied in the affirmative and in this occupation they remained absorbed for more than an hour long pauses occasionally as if were pausing to reflect all that is but a single sentence said at last drawing a deep breath as he relieved himself for a moment from his uncomfortable posture now i am going to put another question the answer to this was longer still and was going to reply to it when a sudden signal was given from within which signified interrupted all is over for this time said stretching and shaking himself come along we will go home and spell out what he has said what do you not know v how can i my whole attention was absorbed in the counting i could not at the same time spell and put together how then did you v my questions had no reference to each other they walked silently through a dark alley which brought them immediately out on the lighted street and on s carriage j io which was drawn up before a gaily illuminated shrine nodded to her brother who returned the salutation how haggard looks whispered she to her husband he does not seem enjoying the much the two young men merely crossed the street and passed into a much one in which stood the advocate s house they were admitted by an old woman and themselves to s bedroom where were a a rifle gloves fishing rods and a good many books in disorder now then said setting down a miserable little lamp he had taken from the old woman consisting of a twisted paper in a broken tea cup full of oil he opened the read me off the figures while i set down the letters my first question to him was what made you say to f s you expect too much i cannot and will not now for his answer here it is it related to a book he would have me give ah exclaimed i know what book it was gave him an look la go on stay mused that shows that there was then some difference between and the priest but none that would have led to blood knew he possessed a book and would not give it up that was all the teaching of that book if i mistake not would lead to injuries not them well said after a little my next sentence was we have the means of your escape have you though v cried yes to a certain point it will be a difficult matter but i trust we may succeed now for his answer how rejoiced he must be the answer was long and took time to it filled with blank disappointment there is not a shadow of proof against me and there is evidence	2
in my favour i must be soon or late and were i to escape a stain would rest on my character so like him exclaimed such madness ejaculated why he ll die as sure as i sit here no he feels the confidence of innocence said he does not know that the evidence he on said will altogether fail him it will never do to let the matter rest thus escape he must tell me are you ready to undertake a little risk in this matter v i have already promised it money we can raise among ourselves is you know a of ours my mother and his are half sisters his cousins and i are secure of getting him out of the and out of the town but how out of the state v let me ask my brother in law said he is a generous hearted man and has much more knowledge than we have that may ruin all you remind me of an incident in the history of england a plot for the destruction of the king lords and was detected owing to one of the betraying it to a nobleman in whom he had a personal interest ay but there is going to be no in this case is true as steel and would never stoop to treachery even if he refused help it is a very question said i know nothing of and therefore may be allowed to distrust him i knew little about him myself till quite recently he married my sister you know two years ago and immediately carried her off to a french provincial town where they have lived ever since chiefly with a few english families oh if he likes the english that the question said the english love liberty and hate injustice they would cheer him on in to escape legal murder i consent you should trust him since you his fidelity but proceed with due caution it may be no great matter to a frenchman that an italian more or less should die i visited a prisoner with him this morning said and his conduct was humane in the extreme a political prisoner v no a poor arrested for how could the silly fellow do such an thing doubtless the think us silly fellows for doing anything so as trying to free our country well such dense may think so and after a little more talk the young men parted every italian it is said prefers riding to walking consequently looked about for the old family rather than walk two miles by himself in the dark he found it very much in such a position as he had left it only before another shrine at another s the ladies eating and the of their acquaintance paying them their one of them afterwards his homage by paying for the the band was playing and apparently had the time to the family of for they did not seem at all surprised at s long absence and were as yet in their infancy therefore was able to contract her sufficiently to make room for her brother and the signal was given to the coachman to drive home as soon as he could get clear of the crowd stars were now brightly shining in the deep purple sky and an of lesser lights in the guise of fire flies darted hither and thither as they left the town behind them went into the balcony on their return to finish the evening with a cigar to him repaired and in a low voice imparted to him all he had to tell looked grave upon it he did not much wish to have anything to do with prisoners escaping from the ruling powers and if there were any escaping in the case he would have wished to in it it was a pity the escape could not be effected by sea could not some be engaged to aid the flight then again said he did not want to escape one could not make a man escape against his own will all this fell coldly on s heart he felt persuaded that must yield on reflection to the of the case but the coast was so watched just now there was a lying at the very mouth of the harbour and many smaller vessels were on the alert escape by sea would be most guarded against because most tempting and if he were caught his case would more than ever be hopeless there were as many ways of escape by land as there were points of the compass and plenty of good covers when pursued h started objections which could not he went to bed dejected next day asked his father s consent to accompany and on their journey to at least across the frontier wondered what his son could want his son replied he wanted change he was sick of the monotony of his life it was almost as bad as being a to such raised his eyebrows and after a little thought said he had no particular objection but he must not be more expensive than he could help crops were bad vines nothing looking up promised not to be expensive a few days afterwards he came with great glee to who as before was smoking in the balcony i have secured a said he see here it is read it well said after reading age eighteen height a and sixty eight hair black eyebrows forehead eyes dark nose straight lips full teeth even moustache not much chin pointed oval complexion olive well that s all right enough as far as it goes is not it v right yes but there is very little in it no mention of this little on my cheek they ll put it in for you if you are particular no thank you said laughing but this description would do just as well for another person as	2
for me it would not do for me no but it would do for some that i could name for instance said removing his cigar and looking at him i thought he observed presently that was some years older than you only twenty months and his moustache might be got rid of true well i see your game i cannot say it is right but you have great excuses one must venture something for one s friend i should not have been any more scrupulous at your age you will help him then across the frontier if we fall in with him we will give him a lift as a stranger you know who is weary i would rather meanwhile not hear any more about it and i advise you to say nothing of it to the good folks here oh i do not need such a warning i suppose not knows him by sight though i do not so we shall not pick up the wrong man and said unconsciously using the thought of a great poet if it be done at all best it were done quickly we start the day after to morrow so get over your friend s scruples that day and the next was to be seen making preparations that might have for a longer journey putting shirts etc into a small shirts that had his mark on them a little book of poems with his name written in it and his little of money finally a direction card on the outside inscribed at full length it did not occur to him that in all these to deceive was the essence of falsehood his thoughts were full of his unfortunate friend chapter xl the departure he carriage was waiting the luggage packed a little knot of assembled round the open to kiss the beautiful lady s hand shower blessings on her and the baby and speed the travellers on their way was speaking some last words to his daughter his wife was taking yet another embrace of her was giving money to the poor people and paying his and fat father with his hands folded on his ample chest and his brows shaded by his enormous hat completed the group and looked on with satisfaction at the bustle while with suppressed excitement sprang into his seat and could not resist within himself as he caught ii the old priest s eye ah old gentleman there is something on foot this time that you don t know of crack went the whip round went the wheels were never folks so glad x j ut t s spirits rose from the very instant they were in motion and in spite of a tear glistening in her bright eyes as she exchanged the parting look with her mother cleared up like a may morning and laughed and talked so gaily that said he had nothing to do but to listen ye should see our said he presently as they crept up a steep hill said laughing inclination is not wanting they are the of and a christianity prepare ye the way of the lord make his paths straight every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill shall be made low and the crooked shall be made straight and the rough places plain and the glory of the lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the lord hath spoken it is that the word of prophecy said with surprise the word of prophecy surely enough though whether i have any right to apply it in a secondary sense to the introduction and use of is a different question i see nothing incredible in it i mean in their being in the general of christianity perhaps this lovely country of ours may be with some of these days said and perhaps the day may not be so very far off said do not at the present monotony of your life but prepare yourself for the good time coming but how v cried eagerly yourself to fatigue hard fare manly exercises self control leave off cigars my good fellow read more and go to the read i would gladly read said somewhat bitterly but where am i to get books v keep up your french as much as you can you may have need of it some day with whom am i to speak french nay now you are making difficulties french is spoken everywhere and learn english too if you can it will be something to break your mind upon where am i to get a master teach yourself man don t be a do something earnest if it be but to break stones the will like nothing better than to see you the light and smoke the light cigar why you smoke cigars yourself in moderation only in moderation can bear witness and fm not an italian and my country does not want and we have not a foreigner sitting down on us and we are not an oppressed and france is not merely a expression and in brief cigars are less to me than to you why i wonder you can buy them at all when it is to the profit of the government well my sources of comfort are not so numerous that they need be hear him the poor fellow his sources of comfort and if his cigars are taken away from him he will sit down and cry ah poor italy italy is dead cover her up her away italy is not dead said stoutly nor are the whatever your may say or your own s very bitterness shows life precisely and my very bitterness shows my real desire to be of use to you i with you i pity you but one cannot help people who won t help themselves do you mean you with me or with italy v	2
both in this way did try to the generous spark of energy in his young relative and invite him to scorn delights and live laborious days who was alive to every noble impulse lent a ready ear to him and promised to read more think more take more exercise and smoke less the rest of the journey was infinitely agreeable to him at noon they rested during the heat of the day at a lonely inn the characteristic of which was certainly not cleanliness here they had a dinner which pronounced detestable and even the could not say much for as they were finishing dinner the waiter said in a low voice but loud enough for to hear the road is not too safe you had better not travel after nightfall you do not mean there can be any danger before nine o clock said i assure you he returned it is not well to travel late unpleasant things may happen oh well then we will travel early said lightly adding to his wife in french he wants to keep us here all night we shall reach the frontier before sunset showed no signs of alarm and as soon as the afternoon shadows began to they resumed their journey the way by accounts of the siege of rome in you never saw he added such a soldier as he was a a hero of romance yet he could not save rome said we may not have seen the last of him yet said you have been dazzled by the patriotism and the misfortunes of as you call him but is a much safer hero for your that man is the soul of honour he would not tell a lie to save his life there is a child like simplicity about him great modesty and perfect freedom from his convictions are strong but directly he is convinced of error he how much some men seem born to do said who yet do so little i mean they are forced to leave their work luckily my friend this life is not the end of all things the sun at length set gradually behind heavy clouds and had for some time been quite silent and the latter betrayed symptoms of while his brother in law looked gravely the summit of the next hill would bring them to the frontier here then we will alight and walk up the ascent said bon said her brother s hand as he quitted his seat he took a kiss and left her in the carriage which slowly crept up the hill the fell behind as the road turned beheld them at some distance and the next instant they were hidden by a steep bank covered with there was no fear now of for she was within sight of the besides though the italian twilight is short it was not yet dark nevertheless her pulse beat quickly and her eye and ear were on the alert the carriage stopped an official asked to see the the will be here directly said calmly they are only walking up the hill he glanced at the tickets on the luggage and at the same instant they came up here are our said cheerfully and gave them into his hand the official read deliberately the lady has an infant we shall be glad to get on said putting something else into his hand said the man his inspection all right and the two stepped into the carriage and drove onward one of them was but the other was not chapter xii home again s country house was built round a court the apartments forming three sides and the fourth being formed by a covered terrace the court was planted with orange and trees and one or two and moreover there was an ancient fountain in the midst on the ledge of which a handsome might frequently be seen himself the covered terrace was a favourite of the family and boasted a broad stone bench on which often lay two or three old scarlet cushions here the old ladies performed various and here was wont to smoke his cigar about a week after the departure of and was knitting on this bench muttering her prayers to herself and also keeping an eye on a brood of little chickens at her feet and finding time besides to think to herself our dear is doubtless enjoying himself nicely when himself walked in without unless of so moderate a as to be carried in his pocket possible is it walking home in this leisurely manner why you look as if you had dropped from the moon well and how have you enjoyed yourself and how far have you been and what have you seen i have enjoyed myself pretty well aunt thank you where is my mother v she was here just now well and how is v she was quite well when i left her and baby also that darling baby certainly he is the finest child i ever saw well he is a nice little fellow certainly but not very pretty he would be just like if he wore spectacles the idea of the precious little infant wearing spectacles you don t know the value of a nephew that s clear why that dear child is the very image of people see differently said is there any news none whatever except that the old hen is dead and caught an owl yesterday evening and father has the oh is that all all why what would you have the poor man have i mean is that all the news yes except oh i forgot one thing that will greatly astonish you has escaped indeed when the very day you went it was such a pity and should not know it because they took some interest in him it created quite a stir the police searched everywhere but i do not	2
think anybody was sorry they could not find him indeed how should they he escaped by sea oh indeed yes of course that was the easiest way and the recollected afterwards having seen a boat they could not make out put off and disappear behind the point well said after a pause i think i shall go into the town and hear all about it my dear child a mile and a half in the heat of the day you must be mad to think of it not at all aunt says it is very of us to be so afraid of a little fatigue and a little heat us who do you mean us young and therefore i mean to myself and take a great deal of exercise without heat or cold but my dear it is almost dinner time e e o no there are two good hours to dinner and to the time of day besides i want to borrow some books of my child sooner than you should get a i will lend you quite a new book the life of st francis of new oh aunt quite a new copy indeed it is some of the leaves not cut they will never be cut by me then said laughing and away he sped along the dusty road which led to he remembered having noted a pile of books heaped in a corner of s room and it struck him that here might be found some of the food for the mind which had commended to him but he had a still more pressing call to his friend in order to talk over s escape he met him on the steps of his own door and immediately they were embracing and kissing like as they were enter enter said i have a thousand things to ask and to say and he half pushed half dragged him into his room and closed the door well said he with all right i suppose was not my part managed you met at the appointed spot v we met at the appointed spot exchanged an embrace a few loving words and then parted i have had no tidings since but have no doubt all has gone well what an affair it has been and he drew a deep breath these things make one feel a good deal older this was your first affair of the sort v o no it was not a few days before i had helped to escape s and and he is by this time in england i fancy why i knew you were longing for i action but had no idea you had begun already you will make a well i wish i may it is rather a dangerous game but you should have heard my brother in law you cannot think what burning thoughts he poured out such assured hope for the future such contempt for our national and he says if we would succeed we must all low and personal interests in one common principle of union we must strengthen ourselves in body and mind by manly exercises and hard reading fm determined will for one and i have come to you now partly to into that heap of books and borrow what takes my fancy if you will and walk ride fence and box if you will i am ready for you but you never knew such a stir as was made when was missed the town was turned down as for poor old she will never recover it the abrupt and brutal investigation which took place brought on a fit of and she now lies in bed attended by an old woman is it possible said to make her understand that is safe v i think not besides it might be dangerous he charged me to her with it you know he is fond of his mother and i feel it a sacred duty to fulfil his parting request if possible well you can but try besides told me that i should find a treasure worth having concealed behind a picture in his room and bade me accept it as a token of his affection nay then go by all means you can hunt over my books another time they are chiefly law books and what is this s english i should like to borrow that if you could lend me an english book or two to pick out with it here then is an odd volume of i value it so little that i will make you a present of it and here is ha that will be a treasure indeed you know learnt his beautiful english from and the bible as you are not i doubt your being able to make out by the aid only of s dictionary however you can but try yes i can but try said putting the books under his arm this will at any rate be what called something to break my idleness upon he proceeded to the dwelling of which was in a gloomy back street with grass grown pavement finding the door he went in mounted the stairs and tapped at the door of the di no answer he pushed it a little open and saw that it was empty just then a weird looking old woman coming out of one of the caught sight of him and approached on his asking for told him seemingly with unaffected grief that she lay in a helpless hopeless state without any of her kindred to look after her on s asking her whether she thought could comprehend anything he might have to say to her of her son the nurse shook her head but said he might try and led the way to s bedside had never seen any living being so like death a momentary he stepped forward and kissed her hand with his usual affectionate respect	2
then after gazing wistfully into her glazed eyes he spoke into her ear as distinctly as it was possible to articulate safe he is safe it was difficult to say whether a faint expression of gladness did not on the poor mother s face persuaded himself of it though the nurse thought otherwise and after lingering by her a little longer and her hand he turned to the nurse and told her in a low voice that he had an errand to io s room the old woman who was touched by his feeling pointed the way to him and resumed her charge and entering his friend s room found everything there in the disorder occasioned by the visit the floor strewn with torn papers and the leaves of books the and pillow open and cast upon the ground whatever else the might have found they had not discovered the object of s quest a small picture of st hung in the shade and on removing this picture he discovered a small closet containing three books they were the bible which had bought of and the first two volumes of d s history of the like an area making off with the family plate basket from a butler s did steal off with these pearls of great price less exposed it may be to public notice at high noon when every blind was closed and many an eye shut in sleep than at midnight when the the and the were lurking in the corners of the streets the blind passionate love of the youthful for one whom they believe worthy makes them see everything as that beloved one sees it maintain what he like what he likes and carry the spirit of imitation often to a ridiculous extent for congenial society and pursuits had been by the and conceived the most impressive opinion of his powers of mind his judgment and experience therefore when bade him read he resolved to read when he advised him to learn english he determined to avail himself of the first opportunity of doing so and now that he found himself in possession of s bible he remembered that it was s book of books and was seized with a strange thirst for its contents in spite of walking himself into a fever he found himself too late for dinner and the family party dispersed his mother however embraced him with fond reproaches and helped him with solicitude asking few questions till he had appeased his hunger having satisfied herself of the welfare of and the baby she asked him how he had liked and and was astonished to hear he had not been to either ma come where in the world have you been i turned off and spent a few days with my uncle this uncle was of a small village and more to be commended for the qualities of his heart than his head he was brother to a kindly rather silly old man very fond of s visits when he could get them generally found these visits dull you me child had you and then quarrelled oh no no mother we were the best of friends well then your conduct is unaccountable would gladly have accounted for it but he knew that if he did his mother s would in a few hours have the benefit of his com he therefore began to divert her by the sayings of don and the answers of his deaf housekeeper and when at length she was called away from him he hastened to his room and began to examine his treasures there was an old in which they could lie hidden down he sat to the first chapter of and there he sat almost without moving for two hours during those two hours he devoured chapter after chapter like a romance he did not begin like by kneeling to ask for humility and to pray that the holy spirit might direct nd him he was too ignorant for but he read with strange wonder the sublime narrative of creation of the fall of the first of the flood of the confusion of tongues of the call of while he was in the history of the majestic old man and lost in wonder at his holy boldness in and pleading with the lord of all the earth heard his own name and reluctantly obeyed the summons at night before he slept he went through the histories of of jacob and of joseph he never slept till he had finished and then he went to bed with a head almost too full to sleep before he had left his family he had as usual the with his father mother and aunt next morning he was over it occurred to him that he could take his book to the old where had read to him and the associations of that spot were dear and pleasant to him thither he repaired without meeting a living creature and there while a fair page of nature lay open before him unnoticed and he turned the page of revelation suddenly he paused he had come to chapter xx how is this thought he there is something wrong at last the are given the second is thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain but here it is set down thou shalt not make unto thee any image nor the hum hum ha the third ought to be remember that thou keep holy the here in the corresponding one which is called the fourth is written remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day hum hum i la mi la fu la died di e non nd di ci la il e per those waters of spiritual life in which a lamb may and yet an elephant can swim affect different minds in different ways as various as their characteristics	2
it was the first chapter of st s gospel which so seized on the attention of mr alexander afterwards bishop of that he read on and on till from an incredulous son of he became a believing christian s mind was much less he was no deep but he had an of deception and having accepted the bible for the word of truth on the word of one whom he trusted he no sooner found the between the as they stood in it and as they were taught by his church than the veil was torn from his eyes and he became indignant under the sense of having been the of a from this moment he in reality ceased to be a and though he was a long long way e il died in due il mi e da mi la non la died di il per la di e a from the whole scope of the book of life he read believing that within this awful volume lies the mystery of mysteries and happiest he of human race to whom the lord hath given grace to read to learn to mark to pray to force the gate and learn the way having finished the narrative parts it must be owned he slowly and with interest through the portions meanwhile he turned to the thick close covered pages of d s work printed at in le it began sur le les qui p ne les just as it is with us thought un certain d d d et de au de i ou s les des us again muttered i know very well that hovered at one time on the brink of it can only be the bible that has saved him then he read how a vast and proud had weighed down the world how it was by christ who brought the human soul again into contact with the source of truth how the truth was gradually by human inventions and how from small rome at length the of the world it was like seeing the reverse side of the beheld events and historical characters he was acquainted with in a new point of view a new light fell on them and threw all the shadows the other way not being accustomed to tough reading he found it dry work till he reached he was greatly interested in him but le courage h he on till he reached the charming chapter beginning here he found himself in company with the that shook the world he followed little martin into the wood to make up his saw him under the s care heard him at christmas at the door of the benevolent peasant whose rough voice at first frightened him and traced his course till he reached the university then came an absorbing passage one day he entered the university library and turned over one book after another till at length he came to one which caught his attention he had never seen it before he read the title it was the bible a rare book at that time almost unknown his interest was strongly excited he was astonished to find in this volume a good deal besides the fragments of and read in church on sundays which he had supposed to all the word of god here were whole pages whole chapters whole books of which he had not had an idea just my case thought his heart beat continued the writer he devoured the pages with he happened to have opened on the story of and the little samuel he could hardly contain himself that child whose parents lent him to the lord all the days of his life the song of wherein she proclaimed that the lord had exalted the lowly and meek the little child growing up in the immediate presence of the eternal every word filled him with an emotion he had never felt before oh exclaimed he if this book were but mine and so he read it and re read it then read how the young man fell sick but struggled through his sickness how he took his degree how his friend was how he asked himself what would become of me if i were thus suddenly snatched from this life and how his soul was troubled he saw him trying to this trouble by entering the but no it would not do n there was a chained bible in the and to this martin resorted again and again to s the neglect of his prayers they should have been offered before he began to read but they need not have been long ones he tried to their number at the expense of sleep for seven weeks he scarcely slept he his appetite himself to dry bread and a but it would not do he felt he could not work out his own salvation and he knew not who could and would read with great how the poor was found lying senseless in his cell by certain and how the young boys by their sweet voices roused him to life and tears then the humane general of the when he came on his rounds noted the unhappy young man aod to his mind why these sad thoughts v said he instead of your body for your sins fling yourself into the very arms of confide in him in the beauty of his life in the of his death do not fear god has not lost sight it is you who have lost sight of him r and he went on to explain to him that the love of god was more than all and sacrifices the scales fell from s eyes but oh said he groaning i am such a sinner such a sinner well said cheerfully would you be a make believe sinner and have a make believe v it does us good to recall these things though	2
we know them so well already but to they were quite new and with ever increasing interest he followed through his career with him step by step he received a letter from one from the journey and voyage had been effected in safety his kind companions had frankly offered him a home as long as he needed one but he would not them with his support they gave him letters to their english friends among whom he hoped to find employment of some sort and he begged to write to him as soon as he could send him his address he longed to know how his mother was and only regretted her age and kept her in italy he could never discharge his obligations to and and now he incurred one more in committing his mother to their charge he thanked for providing him with linen and a small supply of money he regretted to say he must borrow some of to carry him to england but he trusted by and industry soon to repay them both and he hoped had found his proffered gift and accepted it ti i ed s heart ached at having to tell him of s death certainly it was what is commonly called a happy release but she had undoubtedly been frightened and worried out of her life s first letter was followed by a second giving his address in some street in the were in england but not in london so his letter to them was of no use he had put down his name at s among a host of others as a teacher of italian a young lady happened to apply the same day for an italian master on reading over the list she thought was the prettiest name and for no better reason her choice fell on him she proves a most delightful pupil he wrote and her mother treats me as a son the young lady her name is is training herself for a as her father died and unexpectedly left them in circumstances she is m every branch of education but italian i think myself happy to be her sometimes they invite me to tea on one occasion a friend of theirs gave me an opera ticket of course i enjoyed the treat immensely and who do you think sat next me and me in italian the man whom you knew as how sad his history is he is writing it now undertook the unwelcome task of him with his mother s death but before his letter could reach him wrote again after he described his impressions of england and the english but of course he chiefly judged by the surface for he seemed to have got into a little cluster of of all shades of but yet he struggled to see with his own eyes not theirs and to draw his own the english expect this war to be over before winter k he said there has been a report of the fall of alas the report was false and the were to spend that terrible winter in the also he said is clever but i him i never feel quite sure of his truth of his misfortunes there can be no doubt poor fellow he is now about the country was deeply affected by the news of his mother s death and considered himself the cause of it his letters became strongly with religious feeling which he frankly owned was by and her mother he even expressed a wish to enter the church and thus the winter passed on chapter xiii jt will be remembered that during the war an italian was formed with a view of being either sent to the or to some of queen victoria s to relieve our regular troops paid have a hateful name and have too often earned it by hateful conduct but this was formed of the most orderly well behaved men imaginable victor who already had an eye to the of italy thought himself happy in having this opportunity of giving some of his troops a taste of foreign service side by side with the tried of england and france and now a well trained soldier rejoiced when it fell to his lot to exchange the monotony of at home for the field abroad it was in the lovely month of may that the reached the and came to the assistance of the worn wearied fresh as healthy cheerful and neatly in grey their appearance was very much admired by the english who gave them a cordial welcome the fighting season was now coming on and the army was so much increased by that it was thought necessary to extend its position on the th therefore french lo xx and marched towards the the falling back as they advanced without offering any opposition the space occupied by the was thus nearly doubled and a plentiful supply of water secured the plains around them were covered with luxuriant and flowers in some spots were so covered with purple red and yellow blossoms as to look like liked his position very well though occasionally he was a prey to strange for home amid the on duty during the night watches his thoughts would dwell with a mixture of luxury and pain on amid scenes which owed all their colouring to fancy and would turn with much greater certainty of truth to at the daily round and common task feeding chickens and weaving cloth drawing water with the blind grandmother and her never far off he knew what bis father and brothers were doing in the fields wondered if his father had quite forgiven him and his brothers ceased to whether his grandmother and sister frequently talked and thought of him at such an hour they were dining at such an hour repeating the at such an hour sleeping or lying awake as the case may be thought he received	2
a letter from who wrote to him by her secretary about once a quarter and the old felt more interest in her genuine affection than in the love letters it was usually his lot to pen we pray for you daily she said and we pray for a speedy and righteous peace father keeps on well but seems tired at times you know he is always very silent your star ling and you sometimes for me i think of you always always expected soon to know what warfare really was and wondered how he should feel in the midst of a battle he looked with interest and curiosity at the shattered of soldiers he sometimes saw who had borne the of the campaign and regretted that they could not speak a mutual language seemed the only italian word they had at command occasionally he strayed towards the village of with its tower rising amid a grove of trees and now and then a stray shot from the lounging about it warned him that he was getting too near them one fine spring evening an english officer proceeded to pay a visit of curiosity and inspection to the camp on his way thither one of the on of the allied armies approached and offered to sell him a rare bargain that the had left behind them what was it a piano the officer laughed and shook his head it was rather too large to be put into a presently another camp offered him another treasure an old post chaise well thought he if any one has a mind for the piano here is a post chaise to put it in the drum had beaten to quarters ere he reached the camp where a singular scene presented itself strolling through it with apparent carelessness yet with a quick eye that continually glanced into the soldiers huts he beheld a sight which he thought he should never forget three or four lighted candles in almost every hut rendered their plainly visible and he saw circles of soldiers in various easy listening attentively to one of the party who read aloud he beheld groups thus occupied again and again approaching near enough to distinguish the nature of the book that thus interested them he found it to be the new testament it looks like a church said a young to him as he turned away deeply moved at the sight i assure you it generally occurs every night and the camp at this hour is peculiarly still it fills me with surprise and said the officer who would ever have thought to see a whole of occupied in reading the word of life too of all others approaching a young man stretched at full length and lying almost on his chest with his head supported by his hands and his elbows resting on the ground apparently in his book the officer him in italian and said thou what thou for it was he started violently and looking up at him with his bright honest eyes answered almost in the words of scripture how can i except some one teach me you must pray said the officer kindly you must pray for grace and light no one can read in the dark we read god s word in the dark till the holy spirit sheds its light on the page that holy spirit is given to them that ask for it ask for it in the name of christ and it will be given you will you v yes sir here the officer either turned shy or got to the end of his italian for he turned suddenly away looked wistfully after him i wish he had said a little more thought he for he might have set a poor fellow in the right way yet what he said was very good and i will act ki ft o thy holy spirit to me a poor ignorant sinner and me for thy dear son s sake it was a short prayer and a very good one a few days after the attack on the took place chapter xiv a strong minded lady ne fine day was proceeding to the town when he heard a strange cry of the tone seemed neither masculine nor feminine and when he approached the person who had cried out the question still seemed rather doubtful though he concluded that he saw a lady she was mounted on a very fine horse wore a very habit and collar her hat gloves and whip looked too a dog stood beside the horse and at the of her saddle hung a small basket containing a small the lady looked about thirty years of age but might be more she was tall upright and a good deal i thought you never would hear me said she in english as drew near and then in italian will you help an female under difficulties in the first place you see i have dropped my whip in the second i want you to direct me to a horse doctor picked up the whip and presented it with a profound bow and then laying his hand gently on the horse s neck said is this handsome animal in want of a doctor this no but my groom s horse has broken down completely and actually lies on the road helpless shivering and cold as ice about a hundred yards off so i told to stand by him while i rode on in search of help i certainly know of a horse doctor but have no great opinion of him said he bears a very indifferent reputation and probably would make your horse worse instead of better for the sake of a job oh that would never do said the lady come and see him yourself and give me your opinion of him was no great judge but he was curious to see	2
more of the lady whom he concluded to be english but who did not by any means realize his ideas of an the lady giving her a little with her heel and her rein lightly in advance and could not help admiring her a turn of the road brought them close to the groom and prostrate animal the former of whom immediately began tossing his arms aloft in despair exclaiming o there is no hope no help for him his leg is broken broken exclaimed miss for such was her name suddenly up this is bad isn t it v said she appealing to he must be shot if she had added and you must shoot him she could scarcely have given him a greater turn he almost expected her to produce a pistol from her and perform the feat herself meanwhile she rode on to the spot and throwing her bridle over the sprang to tiie ground thank you said she as silently stood at the head of her horse and she then proceeded to examine and handle the invalid animal with great care and without any fear why i don t believe his leg is broken you stupid fellow said she his knee is i grant you and i don t believe he would have stumbled if you had not ridden him so badly poor fellow poor fellow poor patting him with great tenderness to s evident satisfaction and then a little to him on which to s surprise and pleasure exerted himself and struggled to his feet trembling all over oh you rogue were you v said miss caressing him no no poor fellow you are really hurt you must lead him gently forwards and then we will see what we can do we are not far from sir are we v her manner had much increased in politeness to whom in fact she had not at first taken for a gentleman o no said you may ride there in ten minutes is there a good inn v i am afraid you may not think it such hum that s for i shall have to wait in it till my brother comes round in his however i am accustomed to it and i have letters of introduction to the and il ah they will do everything in their power then for you be assured they are our two principal men many thanks for your services sir my brother i am sure will be glad to acknowledge them here is his card and bowing to him she rode on the card was with captain j r n and miss was beneath looking over his shoulder perceived the groom close behind him and said you must not walk that horse too fast have you ridden far to day si and he stated the number of miles ha that was a long ride for a lady the lady thinks nothing of distances she has ridden that horse of hers two thousand miles is it possible per she has or at any rate two hundred all the way from have you been long in her service three weeks and have been travelling all that time all that time have you got into any difficulties on the road per we have we were once nearly captured by the ay and how did you get off luckily the did not see us lucky certainly said disappointed of an adventure ah i was frightened i can tell you but the was not frightened she had a pistol and she told me that if we fell in with the and i ran away from her she would shoot me do you think she would have done so v per and what has the lady done v once she a man across the eyes did he cry out r per and resent it y s no a per laughed he thought though the lady had called herself she seemed very little to need protection hospitality is the virtue of o civilized races said by virtue of two letters i was able to travel two weeks and some days without ever except on one occasion seeing the inside of an inn consequently miss no sooner sent her letters to the and than they hastened to lay themselves their houses and all they possessed at her feet and when after a little hesitation presented himself at the he found these two gentlemen descending the stairs miss was seated at the window of the room which had been occupied by the miss it commanded a charming view of the bay and of the open sea beyond she was still in her habit and she sat herself with a large green fan her head uncovered and a face by no means shaded by a profusion of yellow brown hair i am glad of this opportunity of thanking you sir for your kindness on the road said she not only offering her hand but giving his a cordial grasp do you speak english y not a word luckily i am pretty in italian though i my accent is not good these polite of yours the and have been laying everything they possess at my command i can hardly understand such cordiality from perfect strangers though of course it is not meant to be taken literally oh said i can venture to say their good will was not assumed curiosity mingled with their kindness in wishing to see you within their doors our lives are so that any accomplished traveller us amply for the utmost kindness we can have the good fortune to whatever claim i may have said miss to the of an accomplished traveller this is an agreeable characteristic of your nation when i was passing some poor people gathering last autumn they exclaimed have some have some there are plenty for you and for us you seem to have been a great traveller said rather her of late	2
years i certainly have been but during my early life i had little change so that being now without home ties with ho near relative in fact except my brother i wander hither and thither at will for i am quite old enough now to do anything that is respectable and now she added after a moment s pause l pray tell me something about yourself for i only know what your card tells me that you are indeed there is little to tell i am merely the son of a country gentleman my life has been a blank but that is your own fault i have no patience with you why is not my life a blank because i don t let it be so i should be covered with blue mould if i contented myself with doing nothing or with doing of my mind would grow quite like an old apple tree besides your life a blank why it has not been a very long one i should not take you to be twenty are you v reluctantly admitted that he was not well who expects or at least has a right to expect their life to be anything but a blank up to that time in the way of great events that is people do not generally have great offered to them before that age they are not ripe for them but in the way of of oh our lives may before twenty be anything but a blank you english have such energy said after a pause that s why we go ahead so my father began the world with almost nothing and died an man universally respected in the town in which he lived that would not have been the case if he had allowed his life to be a blank you should extend your views your ideas that is very well for you to say who may over europe at your will i only wish i had the means but without going beyond your own country there is plenty worth seeing within it perhaps you have never been to v to rome v no v i have never been beyond a day s journey from home said a little impatiently i thought so you should visit the different states and capital cities ma come v said with the emphasis of s i have not a horse and groom as you have per then said miss laughing with your on your back as my brother has done who might have a dozen horses and if he chose see how our young englishmen about during the long down icy slopes one another over and too often the of guides in germany what hosts of young students with fair flowing locks troop along on their walking making the air ring with their songs and laughter believe me it is very delightful i can quite believe that said but why should not you also persisted miss as i rode to this place i could not help remarking what a splendid tract of country i was in the through which the road is carried were veins of and not only in chalk but in one another you understand me v not quite said ah you are no the road itself is made and the views both and are particularly fine there is one distinction however between your roads and ours are you up in the subject v not exactly said ah you are no road you however the almost tropical vegetation around you the rocky paths with and mountain ash from whence you glance down on romantic ruins picturesque cottages and churches of singular architecture all this has so long been familiar to me said that you take no interest in it just so you are no painter i think i may also say no poet s colour deepened at this home question after a moment s silence he said gravely if neither poet nor painter there is something else beginning with a p i am a ah precisely just what i might have supposed a son of young italy and what are the young sons of italy going to do for their mother v that is a difficult question said i will answer it said miss s they must make themselves men at present they are boys really cried you are very hard upon us look here said miss laughing you and i are nothing to each other our acquaintance commenced may end as quickly as it has begun it is of very little moment to me that during the short time we are together you should think me an odd or even an ill bred woman but if during this short time i by putting things a little strongly make a new and useful impression it may be of real moment to you believe me i quite feel the force of what you say and am grateful to you pray do not spare me well then during the short time i am here come to me as often as you will i may be here to day gone to morrow for my brother is coming in his to pick me up i shall like you to see him he is a capital fellow but he is a sad hand at italian i wish then i could speak english said why should you not learn i will teach you if you like as long as i stay wherever i go i like to leave a mark behind me oh thank you thank you the thing i should like of all others i have a dictionary and a volume of but is quite too difficult for you learnt english from and the bible you are not said miss what you should begin with should be some nursery which would instantly fix themselves in your mind by their and would teach you the and accent	2
as well as anything else as for instance said as for instance sat upon a wall which i may by what shall i say is not the thing i e r non of course should have been however was immensely at this nonsense and especially at the number of feet in the last line which he said were quite enough for to stand upon and he wanted to know who the king was whether of or or any other and whether did not a bad constitution after a good deal of nonsense and sense had been talked she dictated to him something in english and then when she looked over it exclaimed oh what a hand is this your best in some confusion replied that he had not known she required his best let me see what your best is then he complied a little annoyed and took much pains ah said she after a pause during which he was very uncomfortable this is much too you know fm speaking as a friend oh do by all means put in well then since you allow me i will say that it is quite remarkable to me how you have in everything even in such a little thing or what you consider such a little thing as handwriting now in my country to write a fine italian hand has become quite a proverb makes his say we think we do know the sweet italian hand and walter scott represents the old ladies of queen elizabeth s time as the delicate italian hand in which the physician used to write his but the writing of you modern is not fine it is it is weak poor and now i tell you honestly that i am accustomed to judge of people s characters by their handwriting and i am seldom deceived i can almost always trace some ana if you care therefore to stand high in my opinion you know the way i shall never let you see my handwriting again said deeply and tearing the paper into little bits on the contrary my friend i hope i shall see a good deal more of it and see it a good deal better and i think i shall see both you are not one to a friend for speaking the truth no certainly nor yet to owe them a grudge i should like to see your writing with all my heart though you have seen it on my card and producing a gold pen from her lady s companion she it to a silver handle saying bad workmen find fault with their tools but good workmen take care to have tools that don t require to be found fault with i have used this pen of s seven years and never laid out twenty five shillings to more advantage in a bold beautiful hand she wrote whatsoever ye do do it heartily as unto the lord those words are in the new testament said yes they are have you read it all the better i see we shall be good friends i shall be glad to have you for my friend i will be then if you will be a friend to yourself and not what we english call a i chapter xv the in the ere was another rap on the head of poor the mind to strengthen and while on the glow d the steel yet the youth not feeling its full force went home to his mother and told her that she must absolutely and positively call on a surprising english lady sister of un who had brought letters of introduction to the and was overwhelmed at the idea she rarely stirred out or paid visits but and curiosity won the day and accordingly the old carriage was turned out the creaking wheels the dirty paint washed the eaten the lean long legged long horses were put to it and the in full was handed in by her son after a good deal of rocking and they got fairly to the and who had prepared herself to find the english lady in costly array was not a little disappointed to see her come out of the stable in her habit but miss took an early opportunity of informing her that she made a point of seeing her horse fed for otherwise he would only be filled with hay instead of getting a good feed of corn miss did not at all mind being asked questions and having her habit felt and examined and she promised to return the visit the day meanwhile she asked to lend her a good that she might look out for her brother went in quest of one and returned with a glass he had borrowed of a friend encouraged by his father s example called on miss chiefly by s praises he was therefore much disappointed to find her at least forty what could there be to admire in a lady of that age and in that hideous cloth garment who looked after her horse and whistled to her dog if such were english ladies wished to see no more of them and pitied s taste when miss rode over to return s visit the old fashioned hospitality of her reception was extreme and were brought out it was a necessity she should taste them and her whip her gloves her habit were emphatically pointed out to who touched and commented on them then sundry pieces of were brought out for her admiration which was especially excited by a cope was working for don she was so sorry miss could not see his robes they were incredible miss after being shown everything in and about the house rode through some lanes she saw across the fields the cottage where s family lived and desirous to compare domestic life in the country mansion with that in the cottage she threw	2
her rein to her groom alighted and crossed the fields seated at the door with her youngest brother at her knee raised her large liquid eyes and said enter enter dirt and discomfort so evidently reigned within that miss hesitated however dragging up her habit to escape if possible she picked her way into the kitchen saying in a raised voice as if were deaf said looking at her with as much interest as if she were a and she placed a chair the only one for her visitor ah repeated the grandmother whose eyes were as usual turned to the sun is that poor woman blind v cried miss stone blind said the lord has us has he not can nothing be done for her v nothing and can she do nothing v o yes she can spin she and i and that s how we live live you very well i should think your fields are full of crops ah the has half and we are heavily besides yes heavily besides echoed her grandmother what do you on black bread and sometimes or have some there are plenty no thank you how many of you are there v began to count on her fingers there s but poor is away he is fighting in the i wish the war were over then there s and and besides father and grandmother and me and do you all sleep in the up that ladder yes grandmother and i have a nice little room as wide as that stretching out her arms but you have a room beyond this we make the oil there why do you let the and chickens walk about the house y they do no harm they generally bring do no harm oh well said miss pausing and look ing at the little boy clad only in a little shirt peeping at her from behind his sister you are a pretty little boy said she do you ever wash your hands he looked at her on his hands and wiped them on his shirt you dirty little monkey cried she what should you say if i gave you this v and she held out a small coin he said nothing but stepped forward seized her hand with both his own and gave it a kiss ah said she dirty kisses are of no value to me if you would wash yourself clean i should like them very well did you ever hear my little man of christ v he nodded and pointed to a and child in a ah i see well i will tell you a story about him quite a true story you know we ought to mind whatever he said because he was the son of god who came down from heaven on purpose to save us and teach us and do us good well one day he was going along and he saw a very poor man who was blind like your poor grandmother and had been blind ever since he was born this poor man had never seen the blue sky nor the green grass nor people s faces so had compassion on him and what do you think he said to him he said go wash well the blind man if he had been stupid and might have said that will not cure my blindness but he was not so foolish as that because told him to go and wash he went he went and washed and oh what a surprise he came back seeing now do you go and wash and too v said the does not want washing said miss biting her lip but you do gave her an droll look but the little fellow ran off and presently returned with hands face and hair wringing wet from the spring ah that s a good boy said miss who had meanwhile been speaking kindly to his grandmother now you may kiss my hand and welcome and have the besides and look here i am going to give your sister all these to give one at a time to good boys that wash their faces and hands and giving the grateful girl all the small coin m she had she went away leaving a pleasant impression behind her that girl thought she made a bow that would have a and her head is set on her shoulders like that of a greek goddess but i doubt if those beautiful are more than once a week and at any rate they are with oil the poor old woman is a pitiable object patient but how fearfully ugly that poor old head of hers wants a cap and those dreadful eyes want a shade the boy dirty little fellow is a perfect how one would like to train him during this period became a thorough by no means an unusual or despised character at that day whatever it may be now in miss s company he spent but by no means wasted many a morning to his attentive ear while she swept the horizon with the she would utter her miscellaneous thoughts as thus your would give me her eyes or even her ear rings i believe if i wanted them the most obliging creature but how dreadful the attendance at your it quite me when a man walks into my bedroom to bring me a of hot water i have now induced to take that office on herself and bring me my morning cup of coffee which i think she likes because it gives her the opportunity on one pretence or another of looking over all my things james will not be content with a cup of coffee in bed he will expect a regularly laid breakfast what water powers are wasted in this neighbourhood if a remark is made on it the answer always is non ck and so you neglect the means of making	2
money it is only when nature is a harsh to her children that she has good sons then again your police your by the way you have a prison here i should like to see it have you ever been into it v yes said but i don t think it would repay your trouble it repay my trouble the worse it is the more it needs to be seen let us go there directly reluctantly complied you will only find a few there said he and a poor wretch who has sold and denied the conception to the prison they went where the usual application admitted them the a who had served under the first napoleon was evidently pleased as well as surprised at the sight of a lady he easily allowed himself to be drawn out both with regard to his own and to those of his charges these latter were according to him unfortunate rather than deeply guilty though every one of them except had committed highway robbery with violence and one of them was quite a notorious character this worthy who gave himself the airs of a chief even in prison was very engaged in knitting a waistcoat while his companions were playing at pitch and toss and one of them was through the grate with a pretty girl who had brought him and cigars the as keeper of this human stirred up the principal wild beast and invited him to show his teeth and claws to which he willingly in fact this s mind was so that he was evidently conceited on the subject of his and he added a or two here and there like a little to season the dish miss heard him with a look that would have him if anything could turning from him with disgust she i i begged the to let her see the poor this he was very reluctant to do however pure carried the day and they were admitted into the cell poor was brought very low his protracted confinement had made him as weak as a child and when he was spoken to in the accents of friendship and compassion he wept damp and foul air and low diet had made him subject to which him exceedingly he had at this moment a one on his neck which threatened miss offered to lance it for him and producing her calmly did so and then the wound with her handkerchief o the relief he was sick and in prison and she came unto him tears sprang into s eyes as he saw her perform this act of mercy and he thought he could have kissed her hand as fervently as did she patted the poor man on the shoulder spoke to him in his own language promised to make his case known and bade him hope his wrongs should be and his ended she spoke of the signs of the times which she said that great changes were at hand and she told him that in her own free happy country where the bible was the household more than one gifted preacher and scholar believed that the end of all things was close upon us even at the very doors and then said she our light will seem to have been but for a moment she took leave of him and shook hands with all the energy of her character which i have never attempted to as feminine and then turning to the strongly urged him to let the prisoner have better food she left the prison with the belief whether well founded or otherwise that this desire would be obeyed when described this prison scene to he reluctantly admitted it was fine and almost placed miss on a level with the heroine of but he that the act of mercy should have been performed by a lady so destitute of grace and softness who rode a horse as if she had but one leg protested that he had become quite a convert to her way of riding and thought it not only more graceful but more modest than riding cross legged on which said with a shrug if you will say that you will say anything as for and her sister they praise on the and only wished it had been on a more worthy subject than a wretched did you really and seriously said in their next conversation all you said to about the signs of the times well said miss one colours a little highly when one is moved and when one wishes to console but i really think that affairs have become so bad in italy that they mend but about the end of the world about the end of the world i can say nothing we are told that even the angels in heaven know not the day but yet our lord has told us to watch for the signs of its approach and has told us what they will be and many of those signs are to be seen around us i can only say that if i know myself i shall be glad come when it will glad repeated astonished yes said she calmly and looking earnestly at a thunder cloud on the horizon if that cloud were to part and suddenly disclose the lord coming with his saints it would give me a great thrill but i know i should be glad your courage must be immense said why so i am only sincere i know that i am a great sinner and have a sense of it but i know that he has undertaken to bear my sins if i will cast them on him and that i do and this naturally producing gratitude and affection how can i but be glad to see him face to face yes but the terrors of the lord are appalling to flesh and blood well unquestionably they must be	2
going to teach courage v oh well one can but die once and it will be in good company ril engage to bring you home to dinner i ve had points put into my sails on purpose to please you it was impossible to resist this proof of consideration so miss consented to the sail without another word of objection just as she had tied her veil under her chin to prevent its blowing away came in well said he smiling is there any wind to day not a sail in sight you are not going out i suppose indeed we are said miss and want you to go with us thought it would not do to show less courage than a lady so he you are not going to take hero said he she is not a water dog n hero won t stay behind i believe said miss perhaps she may prove a though the depth of the water enabled tne to lie close in shore it about so that it was no easy matter to step into it this being accomplished however the anchor was heaved and she over well to the wind a good deal more than liked but obeying the nicely this vessel is rather small said he small that s the beauty of it said the owner you would not have a pleasure as large as a three i suppose v i think said doubtfully instead of the it should be called the coffin this harmless captain though the next instant he called out sternly sir james you need not have had the large said miss the small one would have been quite enough you think it looks too much like a i suppose said he laughing oh we shan t come to grief this time we have not taken in one drop of water haven t we said miss as a large wave broke over hen i am wet through now at any rate how very it was of hero said to leave her fm sure she it what are you going to do with that said her brother i know somebody that would be glad of it here comes another said miss who is the somebody some professional arrangements and another postponed the answer perhaps the somebody is yourself no it isn t it s here they hold on said the captain what s your name keep clear of the hang that dog she ll bother you d better swim ashore i m coming round to you never mind me said miss but whistle to hero for she has scrambled up on my shoulder and keeps my back with her tail don t come round james of course i shall though said he and what do you call yourself you had better come too because we shall then have the boat to of us at present it presses against us don t you see but when we get round it will be a support yes it really will said miss i feel no fatigue whatever in my present position and could hold on for hours luckily said a boat is putting off from shore and the men are with all their might how do you like being drowned y said the captain you know st paul was a day and a night in the deep agreeable company makes anything pleasant said well here comes the boat said miss and i m not sorry for it when they had with some difficulty been picked up could not help saying did you know we should not drown v o no said miss but i thought it and there was no good in making a disturbance i am quite determined however not to go out in that again even if it is re covered and so they all got home when re n the adventure to he added that he had never known such coolness cool repeated cool enough i should fancy in the water all that time with the driving at the of your neck i advise you to hang up your cap as a offering in the chapel though he still affected to dislike miss thought almost as much about her as his friend did and daily looked to for the recital of some new thing at length he began to join the little party in a shy reluctant sort of way though the reluctance was not as genuine as the shyness as for the it was sent round to in a very condition to be and ultimately was sold to some man who gave what the owner called a mere song for it let us hope that he did not pay too dearly for whistle even at that rate miss decided to ride with her brother along the coast to and they asked to accompany them and spend a week or two there delighted plied his father so hard with entreaties to let him go that though unable to see the least necessity for this extraordinary indulgence yielded his consent and a small sum of money for necessary expenses he borrowed a lean long legged horse which he persuaded himself was rather a handsome animal and having made a surveyed himself in an old pier glass and decided that to use the imperial expression his general make up was choice all the household assembled in the to see him off as well satisfied with his appearance as the of s family with that of moses starting for the fair arrived at the he was joined by who came to witness the departure with interest and perhaps a little envy had often contemplated the way in which miss stepped on her groom s hand and was on her saddle in a moment and being desirous to have a better understanding of the process which seemed very easy he politely stepped forward and begged to have the pleasure of mounting her she	2
smiled and told him to lock his hands together and raise them when she stepped on them she laid her hand on his shoulder sprang up and down she came because of course had opened his hands so she and others laughed and so did he with a little confusion and would have made way for her groom no no try again try twenty times rather than give up so he triumphantly succeeded in the eyes of a little knot of including a couple of priests who were highly entertained s mother too was there she had been to miss who had been friendly and to her and she had been the first to see that the had and had roused the to put off now said miss as they quitted don t your tion on your horse s ears which he is accustomed to take care of for himself but look about you observe everything admire what is admirable and notice and consider how they might be some of these days per you may help to remedy them let me hear plenty of sensible and ingenious remarks and don t mind asking questions my first sensible and ingenious remark is said that it was very lucky your groom broke his horse s knees when he did or i should never have known you get out of the way of lit is very see how beautiful this range of mountains is and yet they are quite bare their beauty consists in their broken and endless varieties of colour with the foliage at their base we do not see and growing in the open air in our country this place might be made a paradise but those poor huts without window or chimney are unfit for human dwellings there are little windows near the roof said they are small to the glare of light and high up for safety hark there s a rifle shot said captain are we going to fall in with v it is a de said see there is a wedding party up yonder coming down from that little chapel it was a pretty sight and by frequent irregular of fire arms which made s horse turn round like a for miles along the bay they pursued a perfectly level road with cliffs of marble and slate descending to the water s edge new beauties were disclosed at every turn and learned to look at things with his friends eyes or sometimes accounted simply for something they drew wrong from the day s journey was delightful and they put up at a clean comfortable hotel where to s surprise he found they were to spend sunday with us said miss the sabbath is a day of rest not a day of amusement with you there are those among us certainly who at the light yoke but and outwardly we are a sabbath keeping people and i believe god s blessing will rest on us as long as we keep holy the sabbath day it proved a delightful sunday to in the morning he went to church and during the rest of the day they had of interesting and animated conversation sweet was his sleep f that night and pleasant his waking after an early breakfast they were again on their way and observed that their horses seemed the better for their day s rest the road soon be came very steep and as they ascended higher and higher the bay seemed to sink lower and lower beneath them from san the road began to descend and at miss made her companions observe the in the chalk and the veins of and this led to much talk between her brother and herself on of which knew nothing and as they rode on she told him something of the various theories of our modern they passed the third night at the next day s journey was a succession of delights and towards sunset they reached the superb bathed in a flood of golden light and now to s bewilderment they were mixed up with carts and post carriages all in a of dust he caught glimpses here and there under sombre of giant stairs with stone lions rushing down to guard them fountains sparkling in courts and statues lying among rank grass and he thought of the and and and they went to the di a respectable hotel commanding a fine view of the port and were in time for the table d the conversation was more mixed than was accustomed to and entertained him accordingly to the annoyance however of miss and the grave surprise and subsequent amusement of there was an english party of the name of and a strong minded female of the name of who talked so loudly such strange opinions and behaved with so little attention to the usual of polite society that they made themselves i and when afterwards whether those were specimens of good english society miss replied indignantly r not at all such people as those have no place in good english society and do their country serious evil by their conduct they cannot force their way at home but they think they may do so abroad by their money and do not see that they are both and the and party henceforth became the objects of miss extreme aversion j the more so that in miss she now and then detected an exaggerated illustration of her points so far then miss was though a and being very of good cheer an example ol what to eat drink and avoid the first day was devoted to sight seeing the had long been a dream of imagined delight to miss and now she found hei day dream surpassed she drew s tion to the architecture of its palaces where everything is grand noble and full of effect nothing poor or introduced for mere show then they went	2
to see the pictures at the where the and party were before them and where miss made a direct attack on by up to him and saying in a loud hard voice can you tell me the subject of that great ugly picture put on a look of not her with a distant bow on which she looked hard at him and then walked off saying ho i thought i heard you speak english at dinner yesterday but to day you don t understand it day after day there were churches palaces picture galleries benevolent institutions and curiosity shops to be visited and they continually found themselves crossing the path of the land party mr the father seemed a good tempered sort of man on whom his had little mercy dragging him from place to place whether tired or not miss said they quite weighed upon her mind she was so sorry for the impression they would make all through the country they soon passed onward and then she recovered herself after receiving a lesson occasionally they went in the evening to the the at which appeared excellent to though they were by no means in enjoyment of high public favour on other occasions they spent the evening at the villa of mrs winter an invalid english lady of refined and manners on sunday morning went to the cathedral in the evening miss said come with me i want to take you somewhere willingly said but whither to hear who is he v originally he was a but in early life he was by politics later in life he learned the truth as it is in our bible and became a preacher he is eloquent zealous and well in the i heard him preach this morning and think he may become a useful man if he is not imprisoned like poor they entered the door of a quiet looking house in a quiet looking street and entered a large room which had made in the walls of another so that might be heard in both fifty or sixty persons of the middle class were collected with in their hands and when the service began a good looking major took a prominent part in it who was seated at a small table gave out a chapter and reverently read the first verse each person present read a verse in turn miss and among the rest though the colour of the latter deepened and his voice was not very audible the chapter was then familiarly explained and questions were asked of one and another and answered with simplicity and precision a brief prayer followed and then a hymn was well sung with true italian then there was another prayer during the first they had stood and now they knelt then they sang again and dismissed them with a simple blessing as i sat there wrote a feeling witness of one f these meetings watching the countenances of these poor when i recollected that no secondary or inferior motive could have influenced them in becoming that nobody there had money to give or influence to exercise on their behalf that their only gain would be and had been suffering and scorn when i say i thought on these things and then observed the and seriousness of their aspect the growing intelligence that was in some instances obviously struggling with and the and stupidity of years the mingled expression of weakness and decision of self respect and humility which marked the countenances of others and above all the tranquil happiness at once cheerful and serene which the entire assembly i could not but feel that a sight like this was worth a volume of evidences to the truth of christianity it not only the intellect it puts to shame the of the heart chapter xvii exile hen was preparing to return home he was not a little astounded to learn from his father that certain discoveries at rendered his return there and that he had better remain t where he was he hastened in the greatest to tell miss this is a pretty business said she you s are evidently suspected though of what oh there is plenty to suspect me of if they do but know it said and he went on to tell her of s escape and of his acting as a guide to nay here is enough and to spare to any well behaved young gentleman said o miss and when we add bible visiting prisoners with english and attending prayer meetings the wonder ceases but what am i to do then said am i to be banished for ever from my parents and my home for ever is a long word and i don t think the present state of things can last for ever for the present all you have to do is to be patient and wait it s all very well to say be patient and wait said but how am i to live a man may wait for his daily bread twenty four hours but he cannot wait a year most true you sage have you not a sister at or or some of those places yes cried i had better write to or rather to and they will advise me but unfortunately they are by no means rich and i would not be a on them i should think very poorly of you if you consented to be one said miss they may offer you a home perhaps but you must do something for your own maintenance there is no disgrace in that quite the reverse no i don t think there is any disgrace in it but in fact what can i do ah my friend that is a question too many of you young may ask for my own part i should be ashamed to be unable to answer it for	2
myself if i were to be to morrow there are several ways in which i could earn money how v i might write a book or copy a picture or teach music or my own language or french and italian or be a daily or resident or teacher or or be a nursing sister or keep a fancy shop or a boarding e or many other things you have so many resources one efficient resource is enough i heard our say the other day that he wanted an italian who knew something of english could write a good hand do think you well you have very much improved perhaps you might pass muster o dear miss will you try to get this situation for me v i will or rather you must try to get it for yourself you shall bear a letter of recommendation from me the is my friend and knows i do not lightly use my interest i think he will engage you if he can in a very state of mind the application and was successful it was an immense relief to him for he had felt himself utterly at a loss with only a few pieces of money in his pocket and here he was supplied with em and he did not know what desk work was it would probably enough to him but he had always to public business and that included plenty of office so here was an opportunity of trying how he liked it miss kept him well up to the mark during the remainder of her stay in you know said she that they who in must accept the consequences i call yours very innocent plots they were not to destroy lives but to save them still you were acting contrary to the law under which you lived knowing the risk and now you have incurred the consequences be thankful you are at large instead of being shut up as was yea indeed but what a difference it made to feel that he could not go home a little while ago and the grievance was that he must go home soon and return to his old monotonous life but directly he found it he was filled with a great longing for the old home and the dear old faces he wrote to and and also to his parents but the worst of it was that he did not know whether the latter would ever get his letter however time would show meanwhile captain and miss returned to england and thus he was left without his best and most efficient friend however miss him up to the last for she sincerely pitied him and had conceived for him something of the interest which an affectionate aunt takes in a promising nephew if she had done something towards making him more and manly he had really softened her manner for she knew her weak points and could o io guard them she and captain were sorry that they should have been the instruments of s exile by their well intended invitation however events might all work together for good yet and so they returned to england chapter xviii the italian s life had not been since the expedition to the the italian being still in queen victoria s pay was distributed at the conclusion of the war among in different parts of england s corps went to a town in and though a put a notice in his window on many of them could only speak italian and felt lonely and strange a lady meeting a member of the bible society committee heard with much concern that a poor italian soldier had just died in the without being able to derive any religious benefit from two who had visited him because neither of them could speak his language surely said she you might at least give the other soldiers italian they could then read the word of god for themselves in consequence of this suggestion two gentlemen of the committee waited on the colonel of the regiment who was engaged the major however received them very politely and finding they wished for leave to present each soldier with a testament he replied you must be aware gentlemen that the british government is very careful lest a system of should be brought to bear upon the foreigners in her majesty s service however do not ask my permission the is always open use your discretion on this hint the gentlemen procured a grant of three hundred italian and then took counsel together how they should them they had no great inclination to present themselves in the square and finally they decided to place the copies with a friendly who professed himself ready to take any amount of trouble in the distribution as he could speak french the soldiers were in the habit of making small purchases of him in order to have a little chat now it so happened that the first italian who came into his shop was who had been the friend and comrade of the soldier just dead had lost his testament he knew not how or when but some of its had fixed themselves in his memory while therefore he to poor s wants with the utmost kindness he would now and then offer some such consolation as let not your heart be troubled in my father s house there are many come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and i will give you rest that is heavenly said where did you get it v in la said did not you have one in the no i cannot read say those beautiful words again did so till knew them by heart and just before his last sigh when said let not your heart be troubled he responded i will give you rest and smiled as he closed his eyes on this	2
world for ever was overwhelmed with melancholy for friendship had made some amends to his heart for his disappointment in love and now he felt quite alone in the world to the who had occasionally spoken kindly to him he was surprised and delighted at his holding out to him an italian testament and asking whether he would like to have it at first he could only seize it with joy exclaiming but his countenance quickly fell and thrusting his hand into his pocket he pulled it out empty and extended his open palm to the shaking his head as much as to say i have no money the assured him with a smile that the pile of on the counter had been given him to without money and without price on this clasped the little volume to his heart overwhelmed him with thanks and hurried back to the to spread the glad tidings bursting in among a group of his comrades he exclaimed with the greatest animation see see this delightful book has been given to me it is the new testament of our lord christ and you may have copies too if you like run i advise you and get it while it is to be had away they ran and for three days the s shop was literally often as many as eighteen or twenty being in it at a time reaching out their hands to receive it and crying out i t the were in what all this excitement about the book which many of themselves never cared to look into but on sundays and then secretly found stale flat and others who knew and felt the precious volume s worth glowed with pleasure at the reception it met with from these simple soldiers the good fellows overwhelmed the with thanks some of them exclaimed i r others clasped their treasure to their hearts others kissed it in less than three days two hundred copies were distributed the excitement spread to the officers several of whom applied for copies many asked for the old testament also that they might possess the complete every man signed his name on receiving a copy well what was the effect of all this t it is not fiction i am writing words of truth and some of them exclaimed we will be roman no longer many went to our churches and and conducted themselves with propriety and reverence and another young soldier named went to afternoon service at a pretty country church about three miles from the town a gentleman who was one of the congregation noticed their serious and as they left the church spoke to them and invited them to drink tea at his house he sent for an italian in his employ to bear them company so that they had the pleasure of free of ideas with a fellow and their conversation taking a serious turn he read to them and commented on several chapters of the new testament surely we may say now this was converse such as it men to have held and god to have approved but this was not all one evening and called on one of the resident of the town he was from home but his little daughter who had run to the door expecting to open it to her father met them with the glad look of her bright blue eyes which was meant for him the next moment she turned shy but when they inquired whether they could see the minister she french enough to tell them that mon papa pas they thanked her and withdrew when they called again the clergyman was at home and they were at once admitted into his study they wished to be admitted into the english church by he told them it was a step he could not take a long and very interesting conference ensued they were evidently simple men full of faith and humility and quite the leading articles of the christian faith several followed to their great and benefit and the clergyman became so well convinced of their sincerity that he felt constrained to administer to them the holy they so much on the following sunday afternoon therefore while some of the congregation yet lingered he received and his friend at the their unaffected solemnity had something very touching in it but to none more so than to a very lovely girl plainly yet dressed in black silk with a white straw bonnet who almost at the beginning of the service had recognised and had been watching him ever since in an english church and joining with such evident devotion in the service could hardly believe it her colour went and came and she found it impossible to think of anything else her prayers then had been answered they were both of one mind was this to be only a transient glimpse of him would he leave the church without knowing she was in it she hoped not she could not bear it she lingered behind as the congregation dispersed hoping that as he passed out their eyes would meet but he strangely remained he and his companion kept their seats till the clergyman in his white robes proceeded to the and beckoned them to it when became aware all at once of what was going to take place her heart swelled her eyes were full of tears and she pressed her hands tightly together the service over she lingered in the doorway passed out in following glanced at her in some surprise then gave a great start i o o how glad i am and i oh this is the sweetest moment of my life this is the crown of my happiness and there they stood murmuring broken words of and affection clasping each other s hands and unconscious that miss stood by a spectator having heard something of from s	2
confidences she comprehended the situation come home with if you will said she kindly and spend the evening at our house it must be very pleasant for friends so long to meet and under such touching circumstances coloured to his temples and at once by the of the lady saluted her with the greatest respect and after a hasty explanation to who was wondering what had become of him he attended home both of them as grave and silent as judges but happy the kind explained in few words spoken aside to the housekeeper how she would have a young soldier added to her and the good lady though surprised did not look by any means displeased at the intelligence as for george he happened to be taking his holiday with his family so that there was no to the pleasure of the little party and when the housekeeper after tea settled herself in her high backed chair to invite a little repose with her hands placidly folded on her lap there was no bar to s pouring out his whole heart to in the deepening twilight he had already given her the little history of his life since their last meeting and now that she knew all about the past there was nothing to do but enjoy the present and look forward to the future it was no use asking her to marry him now he and his comrades were on the point of leaving england but they would plight their faith to one another they would be patient and wait they would be punctual and never lose sight of the hope of marrying some future day s had made him so much more manly and self that who had formerly considered him rather boyish and very rustic was greatly impressed and the testimony he had just borne to his steady lively faith in christ as his only was sufficient assurance of his christian belief and so after two or three more delicious with her left the town with his comrades many pleasing circumstances connected with them caused them to leave a good name behind their conduct had been not one of them had been guilty of a as they passed the shop of their friend the many of them ran in to say adieu adieu and the officers saluted him by waving their swords chapter xix a plot and its punishment a da se the time had not come yet however and meanwhile italy wanted a good deal of help besides her own up to the late revolution the story of italy is the that ever was because there is so much sin in it there was a noble country with a nobly endowed race and the fragments of some noble old institutions but the people themselves had become they were over ridden by and by a corrupt the whole head was sick and the whole heart faint but italy was weeping for her sins and her woes there is no country so easy to we have our with her heroic matron mien seated queen like grasping her and shield what shield the word of god looking but pitying at that beautiful chained woman stained with tears who says is it nothing to you who pass by and we were always passing by running over the in the length and breadth of it admiring its art mocking its religious it it doing everything but helping it or if we tried to help it was in an way offered tracts perhaps where they were sure to bring others and maybe ourselves into difficulties even miss with the kindest intentions took on a pleasure trip which ended in exile the next two years were of great importance in the formation of his character his religious growth for a time fell back he formed with some young who did him no good his appointment however ended sooner than he expected because he proved unequal to it this him but was of real use in making him sensible of his then he paid a lengthened visit to and then his brother in law by dint of great trouble got him employment in a public office at and here found himself among thoughtful men older than himself who were full of living interest in the progress of events and prepared to act steadily whatever might happen they were above all intelligent admirers of d the fragrance of whose pure life was it reached regularly with whose freedom of tone tempered with moderation was very to him he saw things from a distance in an european point of view and was with the opinions of sensible englishmen he was engaged to marry as soon as he could maintain a wife meantime she had gone into a nobleman s family and was satisfied to toil and to wait and that is what we must all do pursued i wish were more disposed to do so he is in paris now on some restless mysterious errand it is plain to me that his whole life has been a sacrifice on the altar of his country many of his thoughts are original exalted and seemingly prophetic but what painfully strikes me is the involuntary he has contracted under the tyranny of his foes to use a line of s his spirit is subdued to what it works in the fine sense of truth is to deceive to to seem to him means for a desirable end he calmly relates how he has had recourse to these means to his foes to corrupt their agents to escape from their now a man s integrity under such circumstances cannot escape damage he is no longer a good citizen or a safe friend you may pity him but you cannot trust him it is curious to see how completely blind he is to what he has become he takes a very high tone and speaks	2
of his own character and principles with dignity well i am greatly mistaken if he be not a he is in no want of money there is a frenchman with whom he is very intimate and whence they derive their supplies i know not but between them they are certainly well off a poor of ours named who married an english girl of eighteen by whom he has one child was lately in deep distress i helped him a little now and then and one day having rather more money in hand than usual i went to his lodgings with the intention of offering him some relief the young wife who had her infant in her arms thanked me very much but told me that a few p days earlier a kind benefactor had stepped in the frenchman who had inquired into their wants and had then given her husband such a sum of money as enabled him to take his clothes out of and supply his family with food it was very good of the gentleman she said but i could not help suspecting that his goodness had some object to gain by it especially when she told me that he and her husband had then had a private interview together the result of which was that the latter was to undertake a journey and she in the meantime was to receive twelve shillings a week so that now we are quite comfortable said she kissing her baby and your husband is still absent do you know where he is gone v he went first to sir and now he is gone to paris well it was no concern of mine and i did not want to make the poor young thing uneasy but somehow i did not think things were going quite right nor do i now this was written towards the close of december about a fortnight afterwards europe rang with the attempt of on the life of the emperor napoleon it had been planned with such utter of the of innocent blood that it excited feelings of horror and terror throughout the civilized world an italian of noble birth a man of superior education and accomplishments of enlarged and generous ideas had early in life himself by his liberal tendencies and had been subjected by the government to a series of and condemned to the without any regular trial he had been attached with a train of common to a chain which from time to time was jerked by their driver he has left his own account of the horrors of the escaping from his foes again and again with ingenuity he at length took refuge in england in england he lived five years protected by the laws and constitution of the country he who is protected by the laws should obey the laws but he was consumed by the desire to free his unhappy his beautiful land and himself on his he looked for its through the french emperor and his burning impatient hopes were disappointed he had not the fortitude to wait he could not believe that louis napoleon could say as charles had done the time is not come he considered him the of italy and by the thought resolved to attempt his life in a way that should be certain and dreadful without caring for its probably the destruction of many other persons this was he whom had known under the name of he took four or five congenial minds into his counsels and among them they devised a deadly instrument the of which when thrown on the ground would cause instant explosion and inflict death or on all within its range six of these engines of destruction were at and conveyed abroad travelled to paris as an englishman under the name of there he was joined by three of his they provided themselves with in case the should fail and to make assurance doubly sure one of them named armed himself with a with which no doubt other means failing to strike the emperor to the heart man god on the th of january the four met at noon and held a secret conference at five o clock three of them dispersed it was generally known that the emperor and would visit the opera that night they were expected to arrive between eight and nine o clock at half past six the four re assembled one of them was seen to carry something obviously very heavy in a pocket handkerchief from that time there is no account of them till just before the emperor s carriage arrived some hundreds of spectators were then assembled something having created suspicion a police officer went to the emperor s private entrance and finding there carried him off to the station house where a a revolver and a were found on him in another quarter of an hour the emperor s carriage arrived and three of the were thrown what was the result they did not injure a hair of the man they were intended to destroy but inflicted five hundred and sixteen wounds on the persons who were about him it would be vain to describe the confusion the terror of the scene himself who stood in the very front was himself struck by one of the fragments and subsequently by his own blood on his track the fifth was found was apprehended in a at his lodgings what must have been the feelings of when he found that his intended victim had escaped while he had brought destruction on himself and his and injured a host of persons who had never offended him death may the chain oppression may cease when we re gone but the the stain die as we may will live on he did die as decent as a death as poor well could did not deal in made his peace to the best of his lights with heaven owned	2
that he had against the emperor that emperor who was as the event proved to be the friend in need of italy after all his death was not as terrible as that which he had intended for the emperor he went to the sadly with a certain sorrowful dignity about him but the the stain die as he would must live on that is just when we take means to accomplish our ends unhappy mistaken man to bring death and disgrace on himself and others in instead of patiently and awaiting the s knife never yet cut the way to true freedom chapter xx j his attempt was a to he was more appalled by the crime than by the fate of a man whose motives after all sprang from passionate love of his country the result of that love by moral and religious check so shocked him that there was no need any friend should point the moral of the tale and he would gladly have shut out the hearing of the general voice of comment but it was the theme of every newspaper every coffee house every s shop as each has its own and though open to all is practically appropriated to its own set it depended of course on the coffee house being of the black or red party whether you heard a black or red opinion on the subject then again the is a domestic institution and young italy too often turns out to submit himself to the s hands and at the same time hear what news is stirring either from himself or those who are awaiting their turn thus heard many opinions of the conspiracy and he devoured all that related to it in the public prints watched the progress of the trial with painful interest and read the details of the execution with a bleeding heart when wrote to him this deed has your country s freedom he could not it to s letter looked for domestic news and he was not disappointed after giving him sundry home details and alluding to the difficulties he had incurred in consequence of s bible and other books having been found in his room during a visit she went on to say as for this bible reading you must not grudge the cost my brother if you are unwilling to abandon it you know well how i bore testimony to the change that extraordinary book wrought on and you know how the name of god so lightly used in common exclamation never passes his lips now but in deepest reverence of late he has openly joined the little band of here which so shocked my feelings that i made a point of going to a particular church to offer special prayers that he might not lapse into at length one sunday he so asked me to accompany him that i could not resist pleasing him and at the same time satisfying i was so pleased and impressed by the service that when next day madame asked me why i had not been at church i could not help telling her the reason you never knew anything like her exclamations she declared she should think it her duty to tell the bishop and spoke warmly of the grief my would occasion at home in vain i assured her that had not been from but converted from her and reproaches made me thoroughly wretched and i know not how i should have continued to withstand them had they not been cut short in a very striking and fearful manner you remember m well he was carried off by a few hours sudden and severe illness when i heard of his death the morning after having seen him in perfect health it seemed to me such a warning of the of life and the danger of that i went at once with to his good minister and his prayers that i might be guided into the right path i feel sure that they have been really granted and now i have chosen my lot and if you do the same you must as i say count the cost to me the result has been perfect peace this letter awoke in thoughts and feelings that had long been he did not at this moment possess a bible and knowing how sorry and would be to hear it he resolved to buy one at the first opportunity meanwhile as it was sunday he resolved to attend the service in a beautiful church in the re it had already struck him as an object of curiosity from bearing on its front the inscription stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest to your souls my soul wants rest thought he for of late it has been strangely it was yet too early for service but he found a group of soldiers in full uniform stand ing before the door openly about to enter the temple and worship there under the protection of law he looked at them with surprise and interest some of them had a on their breast about the size of a half crown and one of these catching s eye he made a pretext to him by asking how soon the door would open the soldier saluted and said in a few minutes may i ask what you wear v the presented us by her majesty queen victoria indeed cried regarding it with lively interest after one or two questions he concluded by asking his immediately remembered him though he had been unaware of the fact that one of s sons had and the door opening at that moment he entered without exchanging more than a smile with the young man born on his father s estate the service seemed to rather arid after the pomp of	2
the yet he was struck by its simplicity and and was interested in the sermon in the course of which the preacher remarked that the first convert to christianity was an italian and dwelt on the special obligation which rested on his hearers to their pure christian doctrine by their lives as quitted the church he was struck by the singular beauty of a young lady who was leaving it she was dressed in deep mourning and wore an expression of to solemnity he followed her some distance down the re but his attention being diverted from her when he looked for her again she was gone it certainly was an unworthy motive which took the following sunday to the temple but though he did not see the fair object of his search he went again and again with the hope of doing so meanwhile what he heard there arrested his attention the habit of prayer revived he bought himself a bible and hymn book and as good habits strengthened and good principles formed the idle motive faded away being obliged to use the economy in his pleasures he often denied himself a dinner in order to go to the theatre as otherwise he had no resource but the coffee house and its newspaper with the little back room devoted to card playing books he had none at the theatre he looked wistfully at the happy fellows who over fair ladies in the boxes and whispered soft nonsense in their ears had he heard how very and silly the nonsense was he might not perhaps have envied the of such at length he obtained the ee to one or two houses where ladies were at home to their friends on certain evenings but the mistress of the house was generally the only female present and a twentieth share of her attention even if it were equally divided hardly seemed worth seeking having occasion to change his lodgings he sought some that he was directed to by his who said that though they were not in a very quarter they were cheap and respectable he found the owner of the house fish at the door when he her she gave him a pre occupied and glance and said that if the young gentleman would have the goodness to step inside she would attend to him directly stepped into the dark dirty passage whence he could see into a room through the wide open door of which came of sweet toned laughter standing on the threshold he saw two merry little girls who were playing instead of attending to the before them while a young lady at work was mildly suggesting a little more application whenever they saw him they became mute and perceiving he was stepped out of sight with an bow in that instant however he had seen that the young lady was the same whom he had followed down the re and he immediately felt a strong disposition to engage the lodgings whether they were attractive or not the next minute having her purchase out of sight came to him wiping her hands and begging to know how she could serve him i apartment yes she had an apartment just suited to a single gentleman but yet not quite so young a gentleman she was afraid there were obstacles well she did not mind showing him the apartment but she was persuaded it would not suit him however when she took him upstairs and showed him a clean cheerful room with a bed in a recess he told her he liked it extremely and inquired the terms she hesitated seemed but at last named a very moderate sum quite within his means and proceeded to say that is if you are a very quiet gentleman sir and have the fear of god before your eyes for otherwise we are such quiet people so easily put out that i would rather wait a little longer for a smiling he said to her i go to the temple every sunday every of reluctance instantly disappeared oh then said she you are one of the right sort none find it worth while to be regular attendants there who have not found the pearl of great price that is taking a great deal for granted i think said not too much not too much rejoined she where there is nothing to the eye nor bring us into credit with the world nor fill our purse it must be a good motive that takes us there for otherwise there would be none i would fain hope that a good motive takes me there said but you know the heart is above all things when once we do know that we are on our guard against it said she emphatically and i do trust dear young gentleman for your own sake as well as for ours for mine that your ways are ways of you speak like the mother of a family a grandmother sir all my children are dead but i have two sweet little living with me mere children they will not you beyond their laughing rather loudly sometimes oh i shall like to hear their laughter said i have heard too little laughter of late years have you other v dr sir at the of the house he prefers being there because of the sky view he is a great star and can tell of wonderful things wonderful i of a star that were it not so far off would give us light sixty times as bright as the sun what a mercy for us sir that it is so far off and yet have we ever thanked god for it v strange things said vaguely oh indeed it does sir and dr sits up nearly all night to study them therefore he sleeps by day the good man and needs that the house should be	2
quiet but at times and seasons in cloudy weather for instance he gives himself a little and then the little girls can t make too much noise for him he with them races with them becomes a child himself dr will find me a very quiet neighbour said i shall have no other then v no other sir and i and that is all is one of your little girls v said no sir no daughter but as good as a daughter and it was on her account said and lowering her voice that made me at first hesitate to accept you as because you see you are a fine young gentleman and fine young gentlemen sometimes take things into their head and are not discreet not discreet then bad things happen and sorrow and tears and i would not for worlds have anything to do with young gentlemen because at present my has no ideas no ideas oh fear not me said seriously i am discreet to the last degree and should never presume to raise any ideas that s how it should be if will but be as q you say for my poor girl she s almost more to me sir than a daughter for i feel the charge so responsible her mother was my foster child her father lies in the state prison her friends will do nothing for her unless put her into a but she holds to the belief and would by no means take the veil so you see sir how i am the care of this girl on me and she must be as safe with me as in a and a good deal safer too i hope said once for all have full confidence in me i will not abuse it if you feel you cannot trust me do not have me i can go somewhere else but i do trust you said you have an honest face and i dare say have sisters of your own one very dear sister who is married and a dear papa and mamma no doubt v ah my parents are very dear to me said but i have not seen them for a long time i am banished from them there again exclaimed and for what v indeed they know best the authorities chose to think my books and papers me that s just the way with them well we shall have a fellow feeling for you they always single out our and best it almost seems best we should be born with no ideas no ideas s confidence might have been worse placed than in who would not have betrayed it on any account he found a barrier placed between himself and the young person whose outward appearance had so him but now that he had a clue to her little history he would not have presumed on her position for the world on the contrary a feeling made him ready to be her protector and champion if need were meanwhile he even took pains not to cross her path so that they need not have known that they lived under the same roof two or three weeks passed without s seeing the philosopher at length one day as he ascended the stairs he heard some one calling aloud overhead for and looking up saw a pale man with flowing white locks and a green skull cap looking down over the chapter xxi hen we from a pleasure that we are withheld from by a strict sense of right it is peculiarly grateful to us when the natural or course of events puts it within our grasp thus at the year s end who had so respected s fears found himself actually possessed of the esteem and friendship of the whole household it would be difficult to say with precision how this was brought about dr broke the ice in the first instance by loudly everybody from sleep one night and them to his to contemplate some interesting through his all that had to say for it was that it doubtless strange events strange events while the sleepy children expressed their surprise and disappointment that the did not look much bigger through the the old cried and bade them go back to their pillows but he vouchsafed some excellent remarks to and to because he said they were intelligent and understanding this little incident seemed to make them no longer absolute strangers to one another and though the link was of the slightest cherished it and thought the presence of a lovely girl in the house imparted fragrance to it then won by his pattern conduct could not refrain from now and then on s such a rare temper she guides the children with a rein of silk they will mind her when they don t mind me and not through fear all through love they will do anything refrain from anything at her bidding and her with kisses oh you know what ladies are in the world at large how how how full of caprice and what worthless ideas my has no ideas she is all good ness all sense if her father were free she would be perfectly happy she would live in poverty with him and think it sweet a piece of bread and a would suffice her for him she would work her fingers to the bone and you cannot say as much for the ladies who pass evening after evening between the and the theatre my might have shone with them but for adverse circumstances she is better as she is good as pure gold and without ideas by being without ideas did not imply a dense state of ignorance but simply a mind or with evil ah the good doctor finds her a great help sometimes she would add at dead of night when all are drowned in sleep but	2
arriving and insisted on receiving and who had just joined his friends what a happy evening that was to them after hearing all there was to hear abroad they came home to the temperate little supper neatly spread for them in s best room where on excuse of common cause the whole house drew together dr from his study and from her frame silent indeed yet speaking with her eloquent eyes and varying colour which so distinctly wrought that you might almost say her body thought love rapidly and is by some common object of deep interest that shows us to each other in our best light s eyes now so continually sought and met s that at length hers were modestly cast down and she betrayed embarrassment but she was soon startled into stronger feeling said i left the english in a fine state of confusion they have taken this very awkward moment to parliament just at the time when it should be in perfect working order then after a moment s pause he added we owe them much gratitude that mr has carried his point and procured the of and his fellow who are now on their way to us was going to utter an expression of joy when exclaimed my poor father and burst into tears she was instantly the object of every one s tender sympathy but especially of s and he in a low voice offered her the warmest congratulations she acknowledged them by a grateful look but was so much overcome as to be obliged to retire accompanied by the before the room however she turned round at the door and raising her eyes said in broken accents can give me any idea when my dear father will arrive here v in a very few days and i will make it my care to let you have the earliest tidings of it she bent her head in thanks and withdrew what a charming girl exclaimed directly she was gone if i were you i should be deep in love with her how do you know he is not said this coming campaign may win him favour in the eyes of his lady love though this was spoken lightly in the deep of his heart thought oh that it may be so chapter xxii have a particular favour to ask of you said granted before asked returned readily what is it v let me be the one to tell of her father s arrival oh you selfish wretch said laughing nay would not you be selfish rejoined to claim a privilege which would be nothing to you but a great deal to me v i see how it is with you said and be assured that if instead of being nothing or but little it were a great deal to me you should have it a thousand thanks you oblige me exceedingly nay only think of my obligations to you i owe to you and liberty and perhaps life your exile has been the result i never viewed it in that light said what other light could you view it in returned assisting in my escape and reading my books were surely the only against you look on me as your obliged friend for life i only wish i could make you some less trivial return than the present perhaps when fighting side by side in the struggle which is now imminent some opportunity may occur with regard to that charming girl who to judge of her on so short an acquaintance seems worthy of you be assured i will help your suit instead of it worthy of me i only wish i were worthy ol said as to a suit i prefer none yet but should the war give me an opportunity of myself i may have some ground on which to the approbation of happily there is no of rank between us my family is as good as hers and no better and my father would like me to marry early circumstances permitting let me see how old are you v twenty two almost twenty three and how manly you are grown you may hold up your head with the young man in but you must learn to hold it up and will be none the worse for a few weeks are you for the or the the who enter the regular army en to remain in it till six months after the war i confess the is a favourite corps of mine and of plenty of others said laughing all new comers are eager to obtain admission into it several hundred are under training at let us be among them said s is to consist of three of twelve hundred men hark do you hear what the is playing one of the songs that have sprung up for the occasion and sang the words i air all son i su e la a al l la r the of brave young men from all quarters to the standard enabled leaves of absence to be granted to those who had long been separated from their families and took advantage of it to run home embrace his family and bring back his brother as a the blind grandmother the whole family cheered them on their way one morning hastily tapped at s door and being desired to enter stood in the doorway and said with emotion prepare yourself the desired moment is at hand my father exclaimed turning pale but the next instant she recovered herself sprang forward to welcome him and the pale wasted prisoner and his child were locked in one another s arms withdrew from so tender a scene but his self denial was duly rewarded for doctor who was eager to receive full details of s imprisonment insisted on giving an entertainment the same evening to all the family including and and then	2
the captive s narrative was given at length he was determined to join the army though his health did not promise a very efficient but he declared that freedom and happiness would soon make a man of him again and so the event proved on the morning before good friday we english were startled by two at complete with each other the first spoke of peace the second announced the almost certainty of immediate war had insisted on s instantly or threatened to declare war in three days two hundred thousand men on the banks of the or within three days march of it made this threat of no slight import while the little state at the foot of the perhaps soldiers including those in garrison occupied the opposite side of the river glowing with patriotism but probably not strong enough to delay the enemy s march on the capital a single day during the three days pause the chambers full powers to the king the announcement was received by the public with enthusiasm and when count appeared on the top of the wide flight of stairs leading from the chamber he was loudly cheered till he made his escape out of sight the had o been presented by baron on saturday april he remained in till the three days had expired at half past five on tuesday evening count delivered to him the answer of the baron quitted at six and was escorted to the frontier by a officer that night a hundred and twenty thousand crossed the they were commanded by general and thus the first step was taken of which it had been said that the party taking it would physically have the advantage morally precisely the reverse then there was in hot haste king victor published a to the effect that the message was an insult to be with disdain and that he would be the leader of his people let our war cry be the independence of italy second to him in command was general meanwhile troops were pouring from paris to and the railway trains to and were crowded with soldiers eighty thousand french troops were expected in italy during the week four thousand workmen were busily clearing the passes of from snow little did think when he crossed alone on foot and at midnight that he might enjoy the silence and solitude little did he think as his imagination peopled the dark with sights and sounds and it seemed to him as if all the that ever toiled up that ascent were then marching up at dead of night in one close array their and gleaming up those star lighted that in eighteen months of merry hearted would be along that pass to deliver italy with all and means for the purpose down to their coffee pots coffee mills blankets and flannel after all it was who turned the scale with regard to our young choice of the regular army their preference had certainly been for the romantic service of but who certainly was neither young nor active enough for a in the and who you may think had made out that was under her influence had said to him i hope you will take care of my father her pleading look was more than he could resist nay he felt it a privilege to lay her under an obligation my life for his he said fervently he shall sustain no harm if i can help it her grateful look him he then told his friends of his resolve they tried to shake it found it out of the question and so themselves with him and as to serve till six months after the end of the war then they applied themselves most vigorously to for which there was little time enough was delighted to have secured her father this little body guard but yet she dreaded losing sight of him again and would wistfully say o that i could go with you he bade her be grateful for the they had so recently received without wishing for meanwhile the not knowing how to take advantage of their first step crept a few miles into the country halted surveyed and made no important movement for seven days while poured into all that time and every moment was improved during the next five days the ally fell back and began to throw up along the as if permanently to remain there in position their vast numbers enabled them to form a line right across the country from the to the po general occupying the line stood face to face with them whose amounted to about four thousand struck a blow wherever he could with his flying bands was now at his happiest facing the enemy the horrors of war as yet hidden in its glories a pure young love in his heart his earliest friends for comrades and a fine character before his eyes in whom he learnt every hour better to appreciate what talks they used to have and how much the elder man had to say of the past and how much the younger ones hoped in the future their first engagement was a small one at none of them were hurt similar small engagements ensued during the next few days which chiefly served to bring the troops into practice one day when they were merely resting on their arms and was seated beside a small enjoying a cigar and conversing by with his young companions noticed a little two wheeled provision cart approaching them which presently drew up and a youth scrambled out rather awkwardly looked hesitatingly towards them and then away from them a new hand apparently muttered cried hastily laying his hand on s arm excuse me but that is yes i am right and he coloured violently is the nonsense said indignantly well said you should know better than i sir but indeed indeed	2
it is with a hasty exclamation sprang to his feet threw away his cigar and walked quickly towards the cart followed a few paces behind by while and were struggling with laughter the recognition had taken place before came up in a very like attitude was clasping her father s hand in both her own and bending down her face while he in an voice was but my child your discretion had forsaken you your fears for me were needless and you would only me by being at hand as for lodging in some farm house the farm houses are all abandoned and lest they should cover as for a few girls having joined us in uniform it has been altogether a folly and mistake on their part whatever they may do you must go back began to cry and turning her head away towards the left she saw colouring very red she faced about again a fine soldier you would make indeed said her father a pretty when the sight of the first young soldier you meet turns you as red as a turkey cock indeed this has been too of you said you are unaware of the risk altogether a false move said her father you must go back again my child shall i see her home sir said no i shall get leave to accompany her myself said have the goodness to take charge of her for a few minutes till i have seen our commanding officer of course this was no unpleasant task to who hoped the officer might not easily be found he seated himself beside who had placed herself on the hill side and drawn her cloak around her and began with this was heroic and kindly intended of you to the last degree i am very glad will not let you stay but we shall never forget the honour you have done us the devotion you have shown to him and the cause you see he is quite well we have had a little brush or two with the enemy but it has done us no harm they are retiring as we advance we keep a good distance between us and it seems as though we should only have to walk them through italy show them the door and shut it after them then if there is so little danger said why should not i be with papa there are plenty of dangers for ladies said and nothing at present your taking this step if indeed he had been wounded then if he should be wounded said she quickly you will not be surprised to see me again v let us hope there will be no occasion for it said we need not meet troubles soldiers especially what a delightful com your father is he tells us such interesting things can you wonder then at my anxiety about him said certainly not but i must just relate to you something he was telling us this afternoon probably you may not have heard it and by degrees he won her out of her low spirits and when returned he found them conversing very calmly together that s right said he i never can bear to see tears now then scramble into your little cart as soon as we have it what are all these good things for us and wine why we shall feast like princes what is in this little bag v please do not open that papa it is mine oh your i suppose black pins and so forth and making her laugh in spite of herself he helped her in and got in after her flourishing the whip in splendid style did not return till late and when next saw him he inquired whether he had accomplished his little journey without yes he said i placed my daughter in safety i am glad you insisted on her return said but surely her enterprise was heroic and very touching the result of much love and little judgment said there is no knowing how far under such guidance poor may be led or chapter matter of history emperor napoleon landed at on the th of april his reception was most brilliant the imperial passed between a street of boats from which a shower of flowers was strewn upon it when count received him on landing he called him mon and kissed him on each cheek thence attended by the religious civil and military authorities he proceeded to the palace and showed himself on the balcony to the enthusiastic at night the were beautiful and a gathering formed a dark background to the shining city the emperor came to fight not to be f ted and soon passed on to the seat of war only some unimportant engagements had as yet taken place he surveyed the country with very few attendants on horseback in the of a general the common people welcomed him with gladness and ran out to salute him he conversed with them in italian at an old italian who had been in exile ever since approached and exclaimed with tears running down his face il r the emperor was moved and spoke to him kindly this was on the th of may on the night of the th the emperor was roused from sleep by an de camp of d to tell him that he expected to be attacked at daybreak or soon after it is that all said napoleon it was hardly worth while to disturb yourself next morning he started early on a ride to the field of meanwhile d whose corps was scattered over a great extent of country sent forward six of cavalry to check the enemy s advance and general was ordered to get his division immediately under arms and start for other forces were ordered to support general nothing can the beauty of the country about the hills are clothed with and gardens	2
the plains with fields of and and the vines hang in between the trees here and there a walled town or an old castle crowns a distant height this fair scene was destined to be the field of a battle the cavalry were driven back by the upon where they were brought up by the force of and a fierce contest took place in the streets from which the french were driven after two hours hard fighting but now a most arrived of two and half a battery of the village was and the were driven back though in good order general pursued them a little while and took two hundred prisoners the retreated to where they had and retired yet farther during the night this battle the emperor missed by going to see and by not giving credit to the warning he received during the night he was yet however to show himself a good soldier in the field on may made a dash into and took prisoners and cannon on the th victor led his troops across the in the face of the enemy who were fortified in then ensued s first battle the was carried after an obstinate resistance at the point of the their loss was very great had a slight wound which rather gratified him than otherwise on the th endeavoured to but were and pursued by the king who took prisoners and eight cannon four hundred were drowned on the st of june the french drove the from about this time and were a good many more important additions had been made to the but with no relation to this story there was no more brilliant soldier at than victor wherever the fight was there was he the moral force he thereby exercised was immense the vainly endeavoured to restrain him he pushed forward into the of the fight great events now followed fast the battle of took place on the d of june the emperor wrote to the five thousand prisoners are taken is of the enemy are killed or wounded this was under the mark the brief summary gave no picture of the struggle for the bridge at the heaving masses on either side supporting their comrades in front the plunging of shot and rattling into the living mass it left imagination to paint the the streaming blood the frightful wounds the imperial guards with the emperor in their midst supported the shock of the enemy for two hours this decisive victory procured the freedom of only twelve miles distant the had quietly but most anxiously awaited the course of events the in their passage through the city left town and castle and treasure at the disposal of those who should come after them the citizens speedily availed themselves of their liberty to place themselves under victor s protection the continued to pursue the who were in full retreat towards the poor general of whom the times correspondent said at the beginning of the war that his prominent characteristics were boots and well was s in consequence of this defeat and succeeded by general the had been completely ignorant the french were turning their right flank till a french general with a guard of came suddenly upon one of their who was mending his trousers as soon as they found their flank turned they were compelled to fall back they withdrew across the in such haste as only imperfectly to blow up a magnificent bridge which the french therefore made use of with the aid of a few many of the soldiers poor fellows had not tasted food for twenty four hours most of those who were sent wounded to were wounded in the back by the dreaded which they dared not face war is a dreadful thing but this was a just and necessary one if ever war was some of italy s enemies were taken off about this time by natural death the king of and prince and now the emperor issued one of his famous to the the fortune of war having brought us into the capital of i am about to tell you why i am here when attacked i resolved to support my ally the king of the honour and the interest of france making it a duty to me to do so your enemies who are also mine endeavoured to the sympathy which has been felt in europe for your cause by making it believed that i only made war from personal ambition or to the territory of france if there are men who do not comprehend their epoch i am not of the number in the enlightened state of public opinion there is more grandeur to be acquired by the exercise of moral influence than by fruitless and that moral influence i seek with pride in to restore to freedom one of the finest parts of europe your reception of me has already proved to me that you understood me i do not come here with the system of the sovereign nor to impose my will on you my army will only occupy itself with two things to combat your enemies and to maintain internal order it will not throw any in the way of the legitimate of your wishes providence sometimes nations as well as individuals by giving them a sudden opportunity for greatness but it is on condition that they know how to profit by it profit then by the opportunity which is offered you to obtain your independence yourselves fly to the standard of king victor who has already so nobly shown you the path of honour remember that without discipline there can be no army be to day only soldiers and to morrow you will be the free citizens of a great country hitherto the campaign had been to a season of intense interest and pleasure there were dangers there were but they only the glories of the	2
evidence when he saw bending over her father the next instant he found his hand tenderly clasped by his beloved mother o the bliss of that moment henceforth they were very happy even in spite of the began to think he should live to see italy made yet believed in the emperor and could not forget all he had done for them and when the newspapers shortly said that had intimated that if the carried their any farther she should make common cause with and bring on a european war exclaimed there did not i tell you so the emperor had his reasons he stopped because he had not strength to go on he had his reasons no doubt said i am old enough now to think a part is better than none and became great friends s mother had a warm and tender heart she was shocked that a young unmarried woman should have undertaken a journey of such risk and devote herself to such cares she insisted on taking the night watches herself and as soon as possible and were removed to the house of a friend of the already well filled indeed but where a room was given up to the two sick men and another to and their intercourse thus became very close and something like a family tie sprang up between them if not like that of mother and daughter yet like that of affectionate aunt and niece though they were all eagerly looking forward to the time when the should be up and about again yet in fact they were living some of their happiest hours at lowest ebb man s thoughts are oft elated he knows not that the present struggle of active virtue and the war she bravely holds with present ill sustain d by hope does by the skill of some conceal d and happy become itself the good which yet seems distant far t and when and received leave of absence till they were fit for actual service a happier party could not be imagined than the four persons who together by easy stages not to but to had pressed on the father and daughter a warm invitation to be her guests till s health should be re established which to s joy was gracefully and cordially accepted their journey through the country was very interesting though they did not willingly pause anywhere but for necessary rest and refreshment trampled blood stained fields ruined dwellings and destroyed crops bore tokens indeed of the heavy price the country had paid for freedom and the emperor s name was still uttered with aversion but how much they owed him after all and how much gratitude they would now have expressed but for distrust of hidden motives prince louis napoleon the king s son in law and the emperor s cousin had been assigned a peaceful though rather part and made a progress through the recently provinces on his way to he reached the nearest town to s home and by way of a genial reception the authorities decided that twelve pretty girls of the class dressed in white their hair beautifully arranged and decorated with flowers should meet him at the gates and it may easily be conceived what a joyous excitement this programme occasioned strange to say from being a decided foe to progress had by recent events been converted into a hearty liberal and he and s father exchanged congratulations on the military of their sons this royal reception delighted them both and made some amends for their being out of the line of the emperor and king they took a lively interest in it and made themselves as busy as bees at length the royal approached and the good tempered looking prince met admiring glances on whichever side he turned not excepting the beaming looks of who as lovely as any of the chosen twelve and with a white silk handkerchief neatly arranged over her beautiful hair had secured an excellent point of view as the prince reached the gates where the of fair maidens awaited him two of the prettiest took his horse s rein while the other ten ranged themselves on each side of him and thus they conducted him to the entrance of the mansion prepared for him not to be by them the prince on offered an arm to each of the blushing girls who had held his bridle and with an air of good humoured gallantry ascended the wide marble stairs with them then them he kissed them each and bowed and smiled his thanks while their modest cheeks with the brightest this little incident caused no small and amusement and certainly confirmed and strengthened the when alighted at the last railway station a book offered him a bible it was who had been let out of prison though he looked older and thinner his countenance beamed with joy at his own and the of italy from the to the the word of god could now have free course and though the boon was as yet but very little appreciated no one where victor s sway extended could be imprisoned for it who recognised immediately congratulated him on his release and bought one of his books as did who told him he had endured a longer than himself went on his way rejoicing how it was to breathe the sweet pure air and see the deep blue sky overhead and the tinted mountains of in the distance his life was delightful to him he visited towns villages and lone farm houses seldom selling a book without dropping a word in season in with the t at in which city the priests had been wont to boast that had never taken root he found nine pursuing the same work as himself when his stock of was exhausted he repaired thither for a fresh supply and started afresh with renewed spirit in spite of bad	2
weather and swollen rivers he would stand crying in the market places la la holding an open volume high aloft and seldom or never in vain one day having arrived at he met an old jew going towards the the jew him with the single word v hebrew no said but i wish well to the oh indeed said the old man rather that is a rare thing and pray what good can you do them silver and gold have i none said but i have what is far more precious and of this i would fain make you and your people and pray what is that v do not you value your soul above all earthly treasures v why of course i do said the old man what then v soon or late you and i and all mankind must appear before the judge of the whole world now this must be a dreadful thought when we take a of our past lives oh in how many things have we acted contrary to his holy will and and do we not therefore deserve his wrath and indignation you have now no sacrifices for sin how then can you make do you not in thoughtful hours dread to appear before the god you have offended when he sits in judgment t the old man looked much annoyed and shrugged his shoulders saying go go you are a silly saying this he entered the put on his and turned towards and his prayers but the words had spoken remained in his head on coming out of the he found him selling his books in the streets and answering the questions of the old man stood apart and as he thought unobserved listening to him while he spoke of god s love to mankind in sending his only son to make for their sins that through his sacrifice once offered all who believed on him should be saved when the people had dispersed and was about to move onward the old man approached him and said your words disturbed my prayers and made me altogether unhappy i therefore come to ask you what it was you were about to tell me concerning our souls perhaps if i were to tell you you would not believe me said because i am a here are your own consult them he then handed him a small hebrew bible open at the d chapter of the jew read it and then said of whom does the prophet speak v then nothing opened and ex to him the reasoning and that this must needs be the very christ the old man after listening to him some time said ah this is a doctrine indeed i wish i had been taught it from my infancy now i fear it is too late i am old you cannot a fresh good branch into the stock of an old wild tree fear not said god s word expressly declares that you being wild by nature shall yet your be contrary to nature into a good tree here are the very words in the chapter of st paul s to the take them home and read them i will mark them for you come and talk them over with me at night he told him where he should be found gave him a new testament and some tracts and from that time till his departure from the jew was his nightly visitor he seemed in a very state of mind and earnestly desirous of salvation what changes exclaimed he one day in the governor of compelled us to strictly confine ourselves to our now several jews sit in the italian parliament at giving their on the highest interests of the country surely better times must be at hand for our people the number of jews in and is considerable and took care never to be without a supply of their own in hebrew as well as the entire word of god in italian blessed are they that sow beside all waters chapter xxv all s well charming the old villa looked when the travellers reached it with the and the old court and the perched on the ledge of the marble fountain and the faded scarlet cushions lying on the old stone bench exactly as of aunt sat on the bench looking somewhat wan and weird for she had secretly for with many an tear but now she hastened towards him in ecstasy at his return covered with glory she said fondly looking at his and then there were and to greet him with the warmest of and his kind father much more than of and old father and more genial than ever and tears mingled with smiles and embraces and seeing all noting all with glances from her long fringed lashes thought oh how happy a home how good he must be for them all to love him so as for his world known woes had made him a distinguished character he and at once and understood one another ah were as happy as happy could be looked just as and as when we first made acquaintance with it but there was a change in the inn having been and discharged in the very last that took place had made the best of his way to had married her in a church and with her and his had bought the then vacant by the death of the became as distinguished for cleanliness as it had been notorious for dirt as famous for its excellent as it had been infamous for its horrid and withal reasonable in its charges and noted for female attendance instead of a great dirty man bringing hot water into ladies for had lived so long in england that she knew and had acquired english tastes and as the english were likely to be her best customers she determined to make her house	2
is but on yonder behind the cherry orchard and i will there take out your thorn before you can say ave it will be long enough before i say ave returned the traveller smiling but i thank you heartily good mother and will readily ac your kindness gently then don t hurry said she helping him up if it were not for this load of for our old white cow i d carry your bag for you if not yourself into the bargain come said he laughing i m rather too heavy for that i m not worth what i have been it s true said she but the time has been i can tell you first sees when i have lifted a sick person a good deal heavier than you are however no good comes of the case as it stands is that you must carry your bag and i my grass in now said the traveller they let the cows help themselves to their grass is it possible said the old woman what strange people they must be i ah i don t grudge my trouble for poor and i am sure she thanks me in her dumb way with her large brown eyes the english would tell you rejoined the that she would thank you much more for turning her out into a field of she would conduct herself like a returned the old woman fling up her tail and heels sky high and waste ten times more than she ate and eat till she burst children sick persons and animals must take what is given them and be thankful but see there is our cottage with the row of white on the roof and there s lis in her scarlet standing in the porch the feeding her tame from her mouth the poor bird is so fond of her that he often shows his gratitude by bringing her a or a and one day he into her mouth a fine live worm i will soon give me one of her needles and i will have out your thorn in a minute meantime i cannot bear to see you limp so surely i can carry your bag let me try i why tis as heavy as lead you must be carrying an iron weight m round your neck for a penance v oh no good mother i torment myself with no such self imposed and as to my load of books i assure you that to me my is books have you my son will be them presently he s a r book that fellow i often tell him he should have been a priest instead of a poor wood by this time they reached the foot of a few rustic steps which led to the door of the low heavy built cottage with its tiny peering out through a luxuriant man sees tie of ivy which also clustered round a in the porch containing a rude weather stained group of the virgin and child with a little lamp of blue glass hanging before it in the porch feeding her tame bird stood a young girl of eighteen with a fresh sweet face drooping eyelids and sweeping dark lashes falling on her rosy like cheeks there was a great air of modesty and goodness about her as soon as she saw the old woman approaching she ran out to relieve her of her and cast a look of smiling inquiry towards her companion i want one of your needles said the old woman this worthy young man has broken a thorn into his foot and i have promised to extract it for him lie there then said to the grass tumbling it down against the wall and into the cottage is this one too small grandmother no this will do exactly said the old man come in friend come in make no ceremony you are welcome the the stranger thus stepped into tlie cottage and found himself in a large old kitchen with a shaped chimney in it oh the hearth of which glowed the embers of a very small fire a thick wooden pillar decorated by a supported the from which of dried apples and a rude table was covered by a clean white cloth on which were spread knives and cups a large loaf a strong smelling cheese a di h of huge crimson their green leaves yet glittering with recent washing and a tall brown of beer on a smaller table near one of the little was heaped quite a cloud of clear white muslin at which to judge by the and of cotton close at hand had recently been busily employed at a just beneath the other window sat a somewhat hard man of about forty intently occupied in what seemed to be rather clumsy some of which were in progress others finished and adorned with a little red and white paint on their faces sees while round him lay tools paint pots and ready to hand welcome friend said he nodding at the stranger as he looked up for a moment from his work which he immediately resumed that s my son said the old woman he s very busy which is the reason he cannot seem more glad to see you now then patting a wooden settle by the hearth as she spoke sit down here my good fellow whip off your shoe and put your foot on this stool and we ll have out the thorn in a come give me the other shoe too and i ll clap them together outside the door for they are covered with dust mercy on us though how your foot is you must have walked far on it i fancy after the mischief was done just look at it cast a hasty glance over his shoulder and at the same time eyed the new comer from head	2
to foot there was something foreign and picturesque in his simple dress he was of yet vigorous make and appeared about eight and twenty of age the expression the of his mouth and eyes was exceedingly good his complexion was brown and healthy his hair dark and slightly curling cried he drawing in his breath with a comic air df pain as the old lady made rather a sharp with her needle if i can find aught of the thorn said she my name s not the long and short of the matter is your foot must be set on a little bread and milk to boil that i will directly said the girl proceeding to obey her with the milk stands i had but just finished when you came in i am afraid you are going to make a long job of it my kind friend said the is your time so precious said mother looking up in his face oh no only i had hoped to push on to the town before dusk and get me a bed the town is full to overflowing said she for to morrow as you doubtless know is our saint s day and there is to be a grand procession which strangers are from all parts first sees to see wherefore even if you manage to limp or thither which i very much doubt it is extremely unlikely that you would get any better accommodation than a stable whereas it you remain here ou shall sup with us and have a clean bed and i will dress your foot and your travelling with comfort to morrow will that suit you do you think suit me my generous hostess i am only too ready to accept your say no more then but consider yourself one of us till the morrow you are welcome is not he heartily welcome said and now said she that i have bound up your foot you shall remain just where you are and get your bread and cheese not your beer though for milk will be better for you to night or suppose yes there is some fresh not that we allow ourselves such a treat often but to morrow is a festival i will grind it directly and meantime as you are feverish shall give you a draught of new milk the ho gratefully applied his lips to the brim of the foaming hich she smiling held to him delicious i cried he yes there s like new milk when you can t get beer or coffee said youve knocked over the red paint mind where you re going girl do come from far master oh yes i am always on the tramp they call me the i have books to hawk books capital cried his work for a moment i should like to turn over the contents of your bag only that i am so busy maybe you will read us a spell by and by gladly said do you happen now pursued to have a copy of the terrible and history of the man wolf who lived in the forest of and devoured many women and children no first sees ah i fear tis out of print more the pity have you then the heroic history of count who on his return from tlie holy land found liis wife married to his deadly enemy whereon the count fought his rival the rival the count and the took poison neither have i that master oh no mine are good books books well i hope i like books too said looking a little disappointed however you shall read me a spell after supper which is now ready said his mother so wipe the paint oflf your hands master and come and say grace like a good christian what a noble white lily you have in your garden said gazing at it through the open door with admiration ah that s for me to morrow said with a bright smile i am to walk in the dressed in white crowned with ivy and carrying the lily will not that be charming the you will be charming doubtless said rather gravely and ray two little brothers are to sing hymns of praise in white and crowned with flowers hymns to god to our patron saint oh said coldly then addressing himself to you seem very busy making master observed he i repeated laughing no my time is not quite so much wasted as in doing that they are images of our patron saint i oh i i suppose you are aware that an image of our blessed lady fell down from heaven many years ago into a certain pool in these parts ever since the water of that pool has been famous for miraculous especially on the day of our patron saint a church was built over the pool a town formed round the church and for many years the of to it on the saint s day caused money to freely among us of late sees years zeal of has been much diverted to other but a revival has been occasioned by the zealous preaching of some which will we expect result in a great of to our shrine to morrow to supply the demand for images of the virgin and our saint which is looked for i have nearly completed a stock that would surprise you most of them are already dressed j my mother will complete the others after supper as fast as i can hand them over to her and will sell them at the church gate tomorrow so there you have the history of my as you call them concluded laughing the will be lovely continued turning her beautiful eyes toward the streets are already decorated with boughs across so as to form charming adorned with gold with silver and with flowers will be seen at the	2
corners of the streets blue green and scarlet will float from the windows the bells will ring the will sing hymns incense will the perfume the air the scene will be one of enchantment i and there is to be a miracle play added her grandmother and was to have played the virgin mary but another girl her out of the part which our bore i will say for her with the sweetest temper oh it is not worth speaking about said softly blushing and looking away the virgin mary repeated do you know now the sound of her name coupled with a play on my ears i suppose you will think me a fastidious fellow oh no i shall not said for really a strange kind of feeling came over me after i had accepted the part for it seemed to me i was not good enough so that on the whole i was rather thankful that put herself forward i am sure if you are not good enough she is not nor cannot be cried mother warmly what say you sen ii what i say returned ia that i think you had best not make the girl conceited i m pretty nearly sick for my part of hearing of nothing from morning to night but muslin gowns ivy crowns and all the rest of it they re all very well in their way and why are we without the children where are and school must have been over long ago they re being kept in for a said mother their voices are sweet as pretty as master knows right well he makes much count of them and will them to the last tis no use setting on their thick milk before the they return it will only burn oh here they are i at the same moment two rosy panting little boys burst into the kitchen they had evidently been racing home and were still so full of play that they could not refrain from giving each other sundry and fine curly headed little they were too but much more fitted for their coarse and shoes than for angels garments of white and gold give over said returning his brother s box on the ear and then staring hard at and his foot what made you so late boys said their father there was another father thank goodness the last and crowds of people to hear us among others some english travellers such bodies i but so grand i and i heard one of the ladies whisper to one of the that wo sang like little angels and how spiritual it was father heard her as well as i i know i could see it in the troubles corner of his eye and then he swelled out his chest and beat time more than ever but just then little who is always up to some mischief ran a brass pin into me up to the head i do believe i so that made me cry out and then father in a rage gave me a rap on the head for which i could have cried out still louder only i dared not so i only a little and the english lady looked greatly put out and muttered what a shame it was a shame too wasn t it father see there goes another procession along the road priests and all cried running to the door how tired they look all in a of dust men and boys women and girls all muttering over their i wonder where they ll all sleep to night where indeed grumbled they never consider that beforehand that s tho worst of these all tho are full even the stables said i heard people say so the oh they must pack in where they can said mother gazing after the procession well but there s no place left to pack in persisted the lord will provide said mother well i hope he will muttered returning to his work bench but i shouldn t like to be among that for all that no well and why not as well as any other honest girl if the lord will provide where s your faith mother his mother made no answer but began stirring the thick milk over the fire unable to l ave his seat had obtained a bird s eye glimpse of the procession through the door picturesque i sighed he and yet you look sad said who overheard him i fed sad he replied his eyes do know said she softly as she stood near him at her sewing i liked what you said about the virgin just now indeed yes even though it was rather at my expense there seemed something beautiful in your reverence for her for my part i quite ah said he with another sad smile that is precisely what do not is it possible and come master cried from his work bench you promised to read me a spell from one of those books of yours after and so i will gladly replied his bag you know i told you they were all on grave subjects none the worse for that are they published by authority oh yes by the highest authority nay then you can t read amiss what will you have said hesitating here is the life death and of our lord christ and the what he said on earth and what people said to him that cannot be otherwise than good said wringing the nose of one of his little saints with a pair of but yet one knows all that so well have you ne er a life of some saint oh yes here s the life of as great a saint as ever lived that must be st peter then said no it is not st peter i won t tell you his name but i	2
will read you something about him and then you shall tell me who he is very well perhaps i may be deeper in legends than you think fellow though i am said smiling and dipping his brush into the white paint at this time began reading aloud in a distinct impressive voice there arose no small stir about that way for a certain man named a who made silver for brought no small gain to the whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation troubles and said ye know that by this craft we have our wealth moreover ye see and hear that not alone at but almost throughout all asia this now i come to his name said interrupting himself can you give it me no you e me returned who had paused from his work but go on the style and story please me but craft who was this a saint why was it a craft to make and sell her ah now you are stretching the word beyond what is here meant said craft here stands for trade though it might well be said that it craft truly in the worst sense to make and get silly ignorant people to buy them in honour of a false goddess saint was the of of womanly and purity hum said well go on this man hath persuaded and turned away much people saying that there can be no gods which cure made hands so that not thb only this our craft is in danger trade you know master just as your craft is saints but also that the temple of the great goddess be despised and her magnificence destroyed whom all asia and the world just as we all worship the virgin mary put in when they heard these pursued they were full of wrath and cried out saying great is of the and the whole city was filled with confusion and having caught and men of paul s companions in travel j ah now you ve let the cat out of the bag cried tis st paul keep on i like it r they rushed with one accord into the theatre and when paul would have entered in unto the people the suffered him not and certain of the chief of asia which were his friends sent unto him desiring that he would adventure himself into the theatre troubles some therefore one thing and some an other for the assembly was confused and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together and they drew alexander out of the multitude the jews putting him forward and alexander beckoned with the hand and would have made his defence unto the people but when they knew that he was a jew all with one voice about the space of two cried out great is of the and when the town clerk had appeased the people he said men of what man is there that not how that the city of the is a of the great goddess and of the image which fell down from just like our virgin muttered seeing then that these things cannot be spoken against ye ought to be quiet and to do nothing for have brought hither these men who are neither robbers of churches nor yet of your goddess wherefore if and the which are with him have a matter against any man the law the is open and there are let them one another i but if ye inquire anything concerning other matters it shall be determined in a lawful assembly for we are in danger to be called in question for this day s uproar there being no cause whereby we may give an account of this and when he had thus spoken he dismissed the assembly how well he reads exclaimed with admiration as closed the book how spirited the is said his brush which had remained idle you may set aside that life of the saints for me master i shall buy it but there are lives of other saints bound up along with it said all the better if they are equally well written i like the so much that i will take them on trust thank you my worthy friend may god s blessing be on you as you read i think you will find you have not made a bad bargain but yet shall i give you or two by all means said spent a little time in turning over the pages i hardly know whether you will like to hear what i have opened upon now said he hesitating it is spoken by one having authority let s have it then by all means said don t scruple man nor matters i the speaker says pursued they that make a image are all of them vanity and their things shall not profit they are their own witnesses they see not nor know that they may be ashamed who hath formed a god or a image that is profitable for anything behold all his fellows shall be ashamed and the workmen they are but of men let them all be gathered together let them stand up yet they shall fear and they shall be ashamed together the smith with the both in the coals and it with and it with the strength of his arms yea he is hungry and his strength he the no water and is faint the carpenter out his rule he it out with a line it with and he it out with the compass and it after the figure of a man according to the beauty of a man that it may remain in the house he him down and the and the oak which he for himself among the trees of the forest he an ash and the rain doth it then shall it be for a man to	2
burn for he will take thereof and warm himself yea he it to bread and yet thereof a image and it he part thereof in the fire with part thereof he flesh he himself with it and i am warm i have seen the fire and with the thereof he a god t down to it it unto it deliver me for thou art my god i that is strongly put said as paused strongly put is it not said has not your good mother just swept up your and thrown them on the fire yes only i don t worship these if you don t those will who buy them well that s true if one could suppose now that what you have just been reading was spoken by one who had a right to speak it is said his whole face lighting up with some fire from within it s the word of god himself it begins the aye and the book is the bible i thought as ejaculated mother with a long breath that was almost a sigh the bible i m curious to see one said with a singular expression stealing over his face i ve heard of it often and he stretched out his hand don t touch it father cried stepping forward not touch it j and why not it s dangerous i the how do you know have you read it oh no but the priests say so it teaches bad things it teaches people to despise the blessed virgin nay interposed listen to this and the angel came in unto her and said hail thou that art highly favoured the lord is with thee blessed art thou among women that s the said what you call the is nothing more or less than a text taken out of the bible bead it with your own eyes i it was found here and nowhere else i thought you said just now added softening his voice that you were pleased with me because you saw that i the virgin i did i but you replied that you did not love her no you said you quite adored her i only said i could not do that i can reverence and love her but i only god i not the mother of god no created being christ himself said woman what have i to do with thee he addressed his mother as a very woman i won t hear you said flushing deeply it s rank what business have you to come here saying things to our faith i love i the virgin she is my hope my life my all i clasping her hands and looking upwards with intense devotion take our religion from us and you take everything it is fine reasoning and discussing things now when we are all in health but who gave us that health who obtained it for us with every other blessing who may withdraw it from us in a moment and what have we left on our death beds if we have our best friend all excellent most excellent said in a penetrating voice if spoken of the son instead of the mother the son the of the mother say rather the father hears the of the son you are than i i can t argue with the you cried passionately but you shall not my faith nor the faith of my dear little brothers go to bed the minute we have sung the ave maria play for us at once father and reaching down a she gave it to and with her face averted from and an arm round the neck of each of her little brothers prepared to sing the evening hymn to the virgin played a few solemn notes the little boys lifted up their voices and sang like s heart so wildly that she could not command her voice she sang a few faltering notes struggled with a sob kissed her father and was gone m drew the bow across the strings of his so as to produce a sort of wail and then set it aside what an uproar you have made said he abruptly dear dear dear said mother more in sorrow than in anger to think that you should make such a return as this for my bringing you home and doing so much for you i you have sent oflf to bed quite in a poor dear i grieve said that my conduct should appear to you so ungrateful as i know it must do i was hungry added he with feeling and you gave me meat i was thirsty and you gave me drink i was a stranger and the you took me in lame and in pain and yon unto me don t name it said mother herself in lighting a brazen lamp which the daylight rendered necessary christians should help one another and a christian i take you to be in spite of the hard things you have been saying even our blessed lord did that sometimes said his objected it to him this is a hard saying who can receive it v and yet what he had been telling them about his flesh being meat indeed the true bread from heaven became easy enough to re when he the feast ah we are all poor ignorant creatures said there s many a nut i find too hard to crack without counting those you given me to night but let us see this book of yours continued he smiling and stretching out his hand perhaps it may have all the more for me for being at any rate i m too old to be hurt by it but i m glad has gone off out of hearing s for though the and these wretched little images has somewhat my reverence for them i love to see	2
obliged to break them with a stone in the morning i have resumed the chase but even the excitement of a life like this was not enough for me my mother died my sister went to live with some relations and i re i s history solved to be a soldier aud fight beside my farther i should have known you had been cried mother by the carriage of your head when you got rid of the bag but your martial tread my son was spoilt by your ah said smiling i was not in the army long enough to learn much or to do much the war was just over my good father died and i was by an injury to my finger and allowed a trifling an english clergyman engaged me as his travelling servant before i had been with him long i would have served him for nothing so greatly did i become attached to him i on his death bed i told him that when he was gone i thought i should devote myself to the distribution of the holy he approved of my resolution and told me how to commence my task and where to get a of me to begin my labours among those from whom i should be unlikely to meet with decided opposition this i did at first with the great success in parts of france and holland i met everywhere with the greatest kindness and held many interesting conversations with those who received me often read ing praying and with them far into the night they called me the col because i carried my bag round my neck at length i was seized with an intense longing to my native valley and see how it with my only sister whose name was though we commonly called her she had be i attached to a young man who was a roman catholic and after my mother s death had gone to reside with some roman catholic relatives who to my sorrow had her to their faith this had not diminished my affection for her i undertook a protracted journey to see her selling as i went and at length having surmounted the pass of the col de la i came in sight of my smiling valley dotted with villages churches and rows of oh how beautiful it looked i a man stood gazing down on it in profound thought on my s history ing him a traveller s greeting he turned his large brown eyes slowly round upon me it was my friend go on said you make me work all the better i found continued that he had brought his cows up to a patch of rich pasture on the mountain side and was spending the summer in a little in a of the rock he gave me milk bread and delicious honey and made many inquiries as to where i had been and how i had been living i found he had married and was the father of two children whom he had left with his wife in the valley below when i asked of him news of my sister his face clouded and for a few moments he was silent and what to say poor said he at last it was generally supposed that michael would marry her however it proved that his own intentions were quite for he became the husband of the only child of a rich farmer had too much self command to show herself disappointed but yet and i noticed that her the cheek grew paler but my good friend nothing can pain her any one day in crossing the bridge her mule alarmed at the troubled water beneath which was carrying along trunks of trees as if they had been threw her into the river which swept her away before any assistance could be offered a cross marks the spot where her body was found my wife often hangs a on it this unexpected calamity so overcame me that i sat down and wept bitterly my life seemed suddenly to have lost all its sunshine comforted me as well as he could and would have detained me with him but it was the sabbath morning and i was anxious to press forward and pour out my trouble to god in the little house of prayer where i had expected to sing songs of rejoicing the grey headed school master was already reading the bible lessons when i entered the church with a full heart sat down among people who had known me from infancy as soon as the good ascended the desk his eye fell with a kind of uncertain recognition on me he s history proceeded calmly with the service in the midst of which a man whose face i well recollected approached with a young infant in his arms as a candidate for wrapped in the pink and silver mantle i had so often admired when a child our as we call our minister was accustomed to his simple and impressive to the times and on the present occasion he alluded to the which was just over his text was thou shalt rejoice in all the good things which the lord hath given thee thou and the and the stranger that u with thee though these latter dear friends said he m conclusion had no of their own they rejoiced in the abundance of others and so should you nay though you should be not only a stranger but have come to us from afar with travel soiled apparel brow and feet and instead of finding a smiling home to welcome you should come to a desolate hearth and a turf covered grave will not the good father of all bind up your wounds and wipe all tears from your eyes he will he the will if you will but cast your on liim and say	2

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