第5章

Thenextstroketookhimonthelips，knockingoutatoothandsendinghimbackwards。

ThenIcaughthimbythelegandbeathimmostunmercifully，notupontheheadindeed，fornowthatIwasvictorIdidnotwishtokillonewhomIthoughtamadmanasIwouldthatIhaddone，butoneveryotherpartofhim。

IndeedIthrashedhimtillmyarmswerewearyandthenIfelltokickinghim，andallthewhilehewrithedlikeawoundedsnakeandcursedhorribly，thoughhenevercriedoutoraskedformercy。

AtlastIceasedandlookedathim，andhewasnoprettysighttosee——

indeed，whatwithhiscutsandbruisesandthemireoftheroadway，itwouldhavebeenhardtoknowhimforthegallantcavalierwhomIhadmetnotfiveminutesbefore。

Butuglierthanallhishurtswasthelookinhiswickedeyesashelaythereonhisbackinthepathwayandglaredupatme。

’Now，friendSpaniard，’Isaid，’youhavelearnedalesson；andwhatistheretohindermefromtreatingyouasyouwouldhavedealtwithmewhohadneverharmedyou？’andItookuphisswordandheldittohisthroat。

’Strikehome，youaccursedwhelp！’heansweredinabrokenvoice；

’itisbettertodiethantolivetoremembersuchshameasthis。’

’No，’Isaid，’Iamnoforeignmurderertokilladefencelessman。

Youshallawaytothejusticetoanswerforyourself。

Thehangmanhasaropeforsuchasyou。’

’Thenyoumustdragmethither，’hegroaned，andshuthiseyesasthoughwithfaintness，anddoubtlesshewassomewhatfaint。

NowasIponderedonwhatshouldbedonewiththevillain，itchancedthatIlookedupthroughagapinthefence，andthere，amongtheGrubswellOaksthreehundredyardsormoreaway，IcaughtsightoftheflutterofawhiterobethatIknewwell，anditseemedtomethatthewearerofthatrobewasmovingtowardsthebridgeofthe’watering’asthoughshewerewearyofwaitingforonewhodidnotcome。

ThenIthoughttomyselfthatifIstayedtodragthismantothevillagestocksorsomeothersafeplace，therewouldbeanendofmeetingwithmylovethatday，andIdidnotknowwhenImightfindanotherchance。

NowIwouldnothavemissedthathour’stalkwithLilytobringascoreofmurderous-mindedforeignerstotheirdeserts，and，moreover，thisonehadearnedgoodpaymentforhisbehaviour。

SurelythoughtI，hemightwaitawhiletillIhaddonemylove-making，andifhewouldnotwaitIcouldfindameanstomakehimdoso。

Nottwentypacesfromusthehorsestoodcroppingthegrass。

Iwenttohimandundidhisbridlerein，andwithitfastenedtheSpaniardtoasmallwaysidetreeasbestIwasable。

’Now，hereyoustay，’Isaid，’tillIamreadytofetchyou；’andI

turnedtogo。

ButasIwentagreatdoubttookme，andoncemoreIrememberedmymother’sfear，andhowmyfatherhadriddeninhastetoYarmouthonbusinessaboutaSpaniard。

Nowto-dayaSpaniardhadwanderedtoDitchingham，andwhenhelearnedmynamehadfallenuponmemadlytryingtokillme。

Wasnotthisthemanwhommymotherfeared，andwasitrightthatIshouldleavehimthusthatImightgomayingwithmydear？

Iknewinmybreastthatitwasnotright，butIwassosetuponmydesireandsostronglydidmyheartstringspullmetowardsherwhosewhiterobenowflutteredontheslopeoftheParkHill，thatIneverheededthewarning。

WellhaditbeenformeifIhaddoneso，andwellforsomewhowereyetunborn。

Thentheyhadneverknowndeath，norIthelandofexile，thetasteofslavery，andthealtarofsacrifice。

HavingmadetheSpaniardasfastasIcould，hisarmsbeingboundtothetreebehindhim，andtakinghisswordwithme，IbegantorunhardafterLilyandcaughthernottoosoon，forinonemoreminuteshewouldhaveturnedalongtheroadthatrunstothewateringandoverthebridgebytheParkHillpathtotheHall。

Hearingmyfootsteps，shefacedabouttogreetme，orratherasthoughtoseewhoitwasthatfollowedher。

Thereshestoodintheeveninglight，aboughofhawthornbloominherhand，andmyheartbeatyetmorewildlyatthesightofher。

Neverhadsheseemedfairerthanasshestoodthusinherwhiterobe，alookofamazeuponherfaceandinhergreyeyes，thatwashalfrealhalffeigned，andwiththesunlightshiftingonherauburnhairthatshowedbeneathherlittlebonnet。

Lilywasnoround-checkedcountrymaidwithfewbeautiessavethoseofhealthandyouth，butatallandshapelyladywhohadripenedearlytoherfullgraceandsweetness，andsoitcameaboutthatthoughwewerealmostofanage，yetinherpresenceIfeltalwaysasthoughIweretheyounger。

Thusinmyloveforherwasmingledsometouchofreverence。

’Oh！itisyou，Thomas，’shesaid，blushingasshespoke。

’I

thoughtyouwerenot——ImeanthatIamgoinghomeasitgrowslate。

Butsay，whydoyourunsofast，andwhathashappenedtoyou，Thomas，thatyourarmisbloodyandyoucarryaswordinyourhand？’

’Ihavenobreathtospeakyet，’Ianswered。

’ComebacktothehawthornsandIwilltellyou。’

’No，Imustbewendinghomewards。

Ihavebeenamongthetreesformorethananhour，andthereislittlebloomuponthem。’

’Icouldnotcomebefore，Lily。

Iwaskept，andinastrangemanner。

AlsoIsawbloomasIran。’

’Indeed，Ineverthoughtthatyouwouldcome，Thomas，’sheanswered，lookingdown，’whohaveotherthingstodothantogooutmayinglikeagirl。

ButIwishtohearyourstory，ifitisshort，andIwillwalkalittlewaywithyou。’

Soweturnedandwalkedsidebysidetowardsthegreatpollardoaks，andbythetimethatwereachedthem，IhadtoldherthetaleoftheSpaniard，andhowhestrovetokillme，andhowIhadbeatenhimwithmystaff。

NowLilylistenedeagerlyenough，andsighedwithfearwhenshelearnedhowcloseIhadbeentodeath。

’Butyouarewounded，Thomas，’shebrokein；’see，thebloodrunsfastfromyourarm。

Isthethrustdeep？’

’Ihavenotlookedtosee。

Ihavehadnotimetolook。’

’Takeoffyourcoat，Thomas，thatImaydressthewound。

Nay，I

willhaveitso。’

SoIdrewoffthegarment，notwithoutpain，androlleduptheshirtbeneath，andtherewasthehurt，acleanthrustthroughthefleshypartofthelowerarm。

Lilywasheditwithwaterfromthebrook，andbounditwithherkerchief，murmuringwordsofpityallthewhile。

Tosaytruth，Iwouldhavesufferedaworseharmgladly，ifonlyIcouldfindhertotendit。

Indeed，hergentlecarebrokedownthefenceofmydoubtsandgavemeacouragethatotherwisemighthavefailedmeinherpresence。

Atfirst，indeed，Icouldfindnowords，butassheboundmywound，Ibentdownandkissedherministeringhand。

Sheflushedredastheeveningsky，thefloodofcrimsonlosingitselfatlastbeneathherauburnhair，butitburneddeepestuponthewhitehandwhichIhadkissed。

’Whydidyoudothat，Thomas？’shesaid，inalowvoice。

ThenIspoke。

’IdiditbecauseIloveyou，Lily，anddonotknowhowtobeginthetellingofmylove。

Iloveyou，dear，andhavealwayslovedasIalwaysshallloveyou。’

’Areyousosureofthat，Thomas？’shesaid，again。

’ThereisnothingelseintheworldofwhichIamsosure，Lily。

WhatIwishtobeassureofisthatyoulovemeasIloveyou。’

Foramomentshestoodquiet，herheadsunkalmosttoherbreast，thenshelifteditandhereyesshoneasIhadneverseenthemshinebefore。

’Canyoudoubtit，Thomas？’shesaid。

AndnowItookherinmyarmsandkissedheronthelips，andthememoryofthatkisshasgonewithmethroughmylonglife，andiswithmeyet，when，oldandwithered，Istanduponthebordersofthegrave。

Itwasthegreatestjoythathasbeengiventomeinallmydays。

Toosoon，alas！itwasdone，thatfirstpurekissofyouthfullove——andIspokeagainsomewhataimlessly。

’Itseemsthenthatyoudolovemewholoveyousowell。’

’Ifyoudoubteditbefore，canyoudoubtitNOW？’sheansweredverysoftly。

’Butlisten，Thomas。

Itiswellthatweshouldloveeachother，forwewereborntoit，andhavenohelpinthematter，evenifwewishedtofindit。

Still，thoughlovebesweetandholy，itisnotall，forthereisdutytobethoughtof，andwhatwillmyfathersaytothis，Thomas？’

’Idonotknow，Lily，andyetIcanguess。

Iamsure，sweet，thathewishesyoutotakemybrotherGeoffrey，andleavemeononeside。’

’Thenhiswishesarenotmine，Thomas。

Also，thoughdutybestrong，itisnotstrongenoughtoforceawomantoamarriageforwhichshehasnoliking。

Yetitmayprovestrongenoughtokeepawomanfromamarriageforwhichherheartpleads——perhaps，also，itshouldhavebeenstrongenoughtoholdmebackfromthetellingofmylove。’

’No，Lily，theloveitselfismuch，andthoughitshouldbringnofruit，stillitissomethingtohavewonitforeverandaday。’

’Youareveryyoungtotalkthus，Thomas。

Iamalsoyoung，Iknow，butwewomenripenquicker。

Perhapsallthisisbutaboy’sfancy，topasswithboyhood。’

’Itwillneverpass，Lily。

Theysaythatourfirstlovesarethelongest，andthatwhichissowninyouthwillflourishinourage。

Listen，Lily；Ihavemyplacetomakeintheworld，anditmaytakeatimeinthemaking，andIaskonepromiseofyou，thoughperhapsitisaselfishthingtoseek。

Iaskofyouthatyouwillbefaithfultome，andcomefairweatherorfoul，willwednoothermantillyouknowmedead。’

’Itissomethingtopromise，Thomas，forwithtimecomechanges。

StillIamsosureofmyselfthatIpromise——nayIswearit。

OfyouIcannotbesure，butthingsaresowithuswomenthatwemustriskalluponathrow，andifwelose，good-byetohappiness。’

Thenwetalkedon，andIcannotrememberwhatwesaid，thoughthesewordsthatIhavewrittendownremaininmymind，partlybecauseoftheirownweight，andinpartbecauseofallthatcameaboutintheafteryears。

AndatlastIknewthatImustgo，thoughweweresadenoughatparting。

SoItookherinmyarmsandkissedhersocloselythatsomebloodfrommywoundrandownherwhiteattire。

ButasweembracedIchancedtolookup，andsawasightthatfrightenedmeenough。

Forthere，notfivepacesfromus，stoodSquireBozard，Lily’sfather，watchingall，andhisfaceworenosmile。

Hehadbeenridingbyabridle-pathtothewateringford，andseeingacoupletrespassingbeneaththeoaks，dismountedfromhishorsetohuntthemaway。

Nottillhewasquiteneardidheknowwhomhecametohunt，andthenhestoodstillinastonishment。

LilyandIdrewslowlyapartandlookedathim。

Hewasashortstoutman，witharedfaceandsterngreyeyes，thatseemedtobestartingfromhisheadwithanger。

Forawhilehecouldnotspeak，butwhenhebeganatlengththewordscamefastenough。

AllthathesaidIforget，buttheupshotofitwasthathedesiredtoknowwhatmybusinesswaswithhisdaughter。

Iwaitedtillhewasoutofbreath，thenansweredhimthatLilyandIlovedeachotherwell，andwereplightingourtroth。

’Isthisso，daughter？’heasked。

’Itisso，myfather，’sheansweredboldly。

Thenhebrokeoutswearing。

’Youlightminx，’hesaid，’youshallbewhippedandkeptcoolonbreadandwaterinyourchamber。

Andforyou，myhalf-bredSpanishcockerel，knowonceandforallthatthismaidisforyourbetters。

Howdareyoucomewooingmydaughter，youemptypill-box，whohavenottwosilverpenniestorattleinyourpouch！

Gowinfortuneandanamebeforeyoudaretolookuptosuchasshe。’

’Thatismydesire，andIwilldoit，sir，’Ianswered。

’So，youapothecary’sdrudge，youwillwinnameandplace，willyou！

Well，longbeforethatdeedisdonethemaidshallbesafelyweddedtoonewhohasthemandwhoisnotunknowntoyou。

Daughter，saynowthatyouhavefinishedwithhim。’

’Icannotsaythat，father，’shereplied，pluckingatherrobe。

’IfitisnotyourwillthatIshouldmarryThomashere，mydutyisplainandImaynotwedhim。

ButIammyownandnodutycanmakememarrywhereIwillnot。

WhileThomaslivesIamsworntohimandtonootherman。’

’Attheleastyouhavecourage，hussey，’saidherfather。

’Butlistennow，eitheryouwillmarrywhereandwhenIwish，ortrampitforyourbread。

Ungratefulgirl，didIbreedyoutoflauntmetomyface？

Nowforyou，pill-box。