第4章

Thusthingswentontillthisdayofmymother’sdeath。

ButbeforeIgofurtherImusttellthatSquireBozardlookedwithnofavouronthefriendshipbetweenhisdaughterandmyself——andthis，notbecausehedislikedme，butratherbecausehewouldhaveseenLilyweddedtomyelderbrotherGeoffrey，myfather’sheir，andnottoayoungerson。

Soharddidhegrowaboutthematteratlastthatwetwomightscarcelymeetexceptbyseemingaccident，whereasmybrotherwaseverwelcomeattheHall。

Andonthisaccountsomebitternessarosebetweenustwobrothers，asisapttobethecasewhenawomancomesbetweenfriendshoweverclose。

ForitmustbeknownthatmybrotherGeoffreyalsolovedLily，asallmenwouldhavelovedher，andwithabetterrightperhapsthanIhad——forhewasmyelderbythreeyearsandborntopossessions。

ItmayseemindeedthatIwassomewhathastytofallintothisstate，seeingthatatthetimeofwhichIwriteIwasnotyetofage；butyoungbloodisnimble，andmoreoverminewashalfSpanish，andmadeamanofmewhenmanyapure-bredEnglishmanisstillnothingbutaboy。

Forthebloodandthesunthatripensithavemuchtodowithsuchmatters，asIhaveseenoftenenoughamongtheIndianpeoplesofAnahuac，whoattheageoffifteenwilltaketothemselvesabrideoftwelve。

AttheleastitiscertainthatwhenIwaseighteenyearsofageIwasoldenoughtofallinloveaftersuchfashionthatIneverfelloutofitagainaltogether，althoughthehistoryofmylifemayseemtogivemetheliewhenIsayso。

ButItakeitthatamanmayloveseveralwomenandyetloveoneofthemthebestofall，beingtrueinthespirittothelawwhichhebreaksintheletter。

NowwhenIhadattainednineteenyearsIwasamanfullgrown，andwritingasIdoinextremeoldage，Imaysayitwithoutfalseshame，averyhandsomeyouthtoboot。

Iwasnotovertall，indeed，measuringbutfivefeetnineinchesandahalfinheight，butmylimbswerewellmade，andIwasbothdeepandbroadinthechest。

IncolourIwas，andmywhitehairnotwithstanding，amstillextraordinarilydarkhued，myeyesalsowerelargeanddark，andmyhair，whichwaswavy，wascoalblack。

InmydeportmentIwasreservedandgravetosadness，inspeechIwasslowandtemperate，andmoreaptatlisteningthanintalking。

IweighedmatterswellbeforeImadeupmyminduponthem，butbeingmadeup，nothingcouldturnmefromthatmindshortofdeathitself，whetheritweresetongoodorevil，onfollyorwisdom。

InthosedaysalsoIhadlittlereligion，since，partlybecauseofmyfather’ssecretteachingandpartlythroughtheworkingsofmyownreason，IhadlearnedtodoubtthedoctrinesoftheChurchastheyusedtobesetout。

Youthispronetoreasonbylargeleapsasitwere，andtoholdthatallthingsarefalsebecausesomeareprovedfalse；andthusattimesinthosedaysIthoughtthattherewasnoGod，becausethepriestsaidthattheimageoftheVirginatBungayweptanddidotherthingswhichIknewthatitdidnotdo。

NowIknowwellthatthereisaGod，formyownstoryprovesittomyheart。

Intruth，whatmancanlookbackacrossalonglifeandsaythatthereisnoGod，whenhecanseetheshadowofHishandlyingdeepuponhistaleofyears？

OnthissaddayofwhichIwriteIknewthatLily，whomIloved，wouldbewalkingalonebeneaththegreatpollardoaksintheparkofDitchinghamHall。

Here，inGrubswellasthespotiscalled，grew，andindeedstillgrow，certainhawthorntreesthataretheearliesttoblowofanyintheseparts，andwhenwehadmetatthechurchdoorontheSunday，LilysaidthattherewouldbebloomuponthembytheWednesday，andonthatafternoonsheshouldgotocutit。

Itmaywellbethatshespokethuswithdesign，forlovewillbreedcunningintheheartofthemostguilelessandtruthfulmaid。

Moreover，Inoticedthatthoughshesaiditbeforeherfatherandtherestofus，yetshewaitedtospeaktillmybrotherGeoffreywasoutofhearing，forshedidnotwishtogomayingwithhim，andalsothatasshespokesheshotaglanceofhergreyeyesatme。

ThenandthereIvowedtomyselfthatIalsowouldbegatheringhawthornbloominthissameplaceandonthatWednesdayafternoon，yes，evenifImustplaytruantandleaveallthesickofBungaytoNature’snursing。

Moreover，Iwasdeterminedononething，thatifIcouldfindLilyaloneIwoulddelaynolonger，buttellherallthatwasinmyheart；nogreatsecretindeed，forthoughnowordoflovehadeverpassedbetweenusasyet，eachknewtheother’shiddenthoughts。

NotthatIwasinthewaytobecomeaffiancedtoamaid，whohadmypathtocutintheworld，butIfearedthatifI

delayedtomakesureofheraffectionmybrotherwouldbebeforemewithherfather，andLilymightyieldtothattowhichshewouldnotyieldifoncewehadplightedtroth。

NowitchancedthatonthisafternoonIwashardputtoittoescapetomytryst，formymaster，thephysician，wasailing，andsentmetovisitthesickforhim，carryingthemtheirmedicines。

Atthelast，however，betweenfourandfiveo’clock，Ifled，askingnoleave。

TakingtheNorwichroadIranforamileandmoretillI

hadpassedtheManorHouseandthechurchturn，anddrewneartoDitchinghamPark。

ThenIdroppedmypacetoawalk，forIdidnotwishtocomebeforeLilyheatedanddisordered，butratherlookingmybest，towhichendIhadputonmySundaygarments。

NowasI

wentdownthelittlehillintheroadthatrunspastthepark，I

sawamanonhorsebackwholookedfirstatthebridle-path，thatatthisspotturnsofftotheright，thenbackacrossthecommonlandstowardstheVineyardHillsandtheWaveney，andthenalongtheroadasthoughhedidnotknowwhichwaytoturn。

Iwasquicktonoticethings——thoughatthismomentmymindwasnotatitsswiftest，beingsetonothermatters，andchieflyastohowIshouldtellmytaletoLily——andIsawatoncethatthismanwasnotofourcountry。

Hewasverytallandnoble-looking，dressedinrichgarmentsofvelvetadornedbyagoldchainthathungabouthisneck，andasI

judgedaboutfortyyearsofage。

Butitwashisfacewhichchieflycaughtmyeye，foratthatmomenttherewassomethingterribleaboutit。

Itwaslong，thin，anddeeplycarved；theeyeswerelarge，andgleamedlikegoldinsunlight；themouthwassmallandwellshaped，butitworeadevilishandcruelsneer；theforeheadlofty，indicatingamanofmind，andmarkedwithaslightscar。

Fortherestthecavalierwasdarkandsouthern-looking，hiscurlinghair，likemyown，wasblack，andheworeapeakedchestnut-colouredbeard。

BythetimethatIhadfinishedtheseobservationsmyfeethadbroughtmealmosttothestranger’sside，andforthefirsttimehecaughtsightofme。

Instantlyhisfacechanged，thesneerleftit，anditbecamekindlyandpleasantlooking。

LiftinghisbonnetwithmuchcourtesyhestammeredsomethinginbrokenEnglish，ofwhichallthatIcouldcatchwasthewordYarmouth；thenperceivingthatIdidnotunderstandhim，hecursedtheEnglishtongueandallthosewhospokeit，aloudandingoodCastilian。

’IfthesenorwillgraciouslyexpresshiswishinSpanish，’Isaid，speakinginthatlanguage，’itmaybeinmypowertohelphim。’

’What！youspeakSpanish，youngsir，’hesaid，starting，’andyetyouarenotaSpaniard，thoughbyyourfaceyouwellmightbe。

Caramba！butitisstrange！’andheeyedmecuriously。

’Itmaybestrange，sir，’Ianswered，’butIaminhaste。

Bepleasedtoaskyourquestionandletmego。’

’Ah！’hesaid，’perhapsIcanguessthereasonofyourhurry。

I

sawawhiterobedownbythestreamletyonder，’andhenoddedtowardsthepark。

’Taketheadviceofanolderman，youngsir，andbecareful。

Makewhatsportyouwillwithsuch，butneverbelievethemandnevermarrythem——lestyoushouldlivetodesiretokillthem！’

HereImadeasthoughIwouldpasson，buthespokeagain。

’Pardonmywords，theywerewellmeant，andperhapsyoumaycometolearntheirtruth。

Iwilldetainyounomore。

WillyougraciouslydirectmeonmyroadtoYarmouth，forIamnotsureofit，havingriddenbyanotherway，andyourEnglishcountryissofulloftreesthatamancannotseeamile？’

Iwalkedadozenpacesdownthebridle-paththatjoinedtheroadatthisplace，andpointedoutthewaythatheshouldgo，pastDitchinghamchurch。

AsIdidsoInoticedthatwhileIspokethestrangerwaswatchingmyfacekeenlyand，asitseemedtome，withaninwardfearwhichhestrovetomasterandcouldnot。

WhenIhadfinishedagainheraisedhisbonnetandthankedme，saying，

’Willyoubesograciousastotellmeyourname，youngSir？’

’Whatismynametoyou？’Iansweredroughly，forIdislikedthisman。

’Youhavenottoldmeyours。’

’No，indeed，Iamtravellingincognito。

PerhapsIalsohavemetaladyintheseparts，’andhesmiledstrangely。

’Ionlywishedtoknowthenameofonewhohaddonemeacourtesy，butwhoitseemsisnotsocourteousasIdeemed。’

Andheshookhishorse’sreins。

’Iamnotashamedofmyname，’Isaid。

’Ithasbeenanhonestonesofar，andifyouwishtoknowit，itisThomasWingfield。’

’Ithoughtit，’hecried，andashespokehisfacegrewlikethefaceofafiend。

ThenbeforeIcouldfindtimeeventowonder，hehadsprungfromhishorseandstoodwithinthreepacesofme。

’Aluckyday！

Nowwewillseewhattruththereisinprophecies，’

hesaid，drawinghissilver-mountedsword。

’Anameforaname；

JuandeGarciagivesyougreeting，ThomasWingfield。’

Now，strangeasitmayseem，itwasatthismomentonlythatthereflashedacrossmymindthethoughtofallthatIhadheardabouttheSpanishstranger，thereportofwhosecomingtoYarmouthhadstirredmyfatherandmothersodeeply。

AtanyothertimeIshouldhaveremembereditsoonenough，butonthisdayIwassosetuponmytrystwithLilyandwhatIshouldsaytoher，thatnothingelsecouldholdaplaceinmythoughts。

’Thismustbetheman，’Isaidtomyself，andthenIsaidnomore，forhewasonme，swordup。

Isawthekeenpointflashtowardsme，andsprangtoonesidehavingadesiretofly，as，beingunarmedexceptformystick，Imighthavedonewithoutshame。

ButspringasIwouldIcouldnotavoidthethrustaltogether。

Itwasaimedatmyheartanditpiercedthesleeveofmyleftarm，passingthroughtheflesh——nomore。

Yetatthepainofthatcutallthoughtofflightleftme，andinsteadofitacoldangerfilledme，causingmetowishtokillthismanwhohadattackedmethusandunprovoked。

InmyhandwasmystoutoakenstaffwhichIhadcutmyselfonthebanksofHollowHill，andifIwouldfightImustmakesuchplaywiththisasImight。

ItseemsapoorweaponindeedtomatchagainstaToledobladeinthehandsofonewhocouldhandleitwell，andyettherearevirtuesinacudgel，forwhenamanseeshimselfthreatenedwithit，heislikelytoforgetthatheholdsinhishandamoredeadlyweapon，andtotaketotheguardingofhisownheadinplaceofrunninghisadversarythroughthebody。

Andthatwaswhatchancedinthiscase，thoughhowitcameaboutexactlyIcannottell。

TheSpaniardwasafineswordsman，andhadIbeenarmedashewaswoulddoubtlesshaveovermatchedme，whoatthatagehadnopracticeintheart，whichwasalmostunknowninEngland。

Butwhenhesawthebigstickflourishedoverhimheforgothisownadvantage，andraisedhisarmtowardawaytheblow。

Downitcameuponthebackofhishand，andlo！hisswordfellfromittothegrass。

ButIdidnotsparehimbecauseofthat，formybloodwasup。