wessex tales-第57章

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as　if　she　had　not　sufficiently　considered　her　act　of　coming　out；　she
drew　herself　back；　saying　with　some　constraint；　'Mr。　Stockdale！'

'You　knew　it　was；'　said　Stockdale；　taking　her　hand。　　'I　wrote　to　say
I　should　call。'

'Yes；　but　you　did　not　say　when；'　she　answered。

'I　did　not。　　I　was　not　quite　sure　when　my　business　would　lead　me　to
these　parts。'

'You　only　came　because　business　brought　you　near？'

'Well；　that　is　the　fact；　but　I　have　often　thought　I　should　like　to
come　on　purpose　to　see　you　。　。　。　But　what's　all　this　that　has
happened？　　I　told　you　how　it　would　be；　Lizzy；　and　you　would　not
listen　to　me。'

'I　would　not；'　she　said　sadly。　　'But　I　had　been　brought　up　to　that
life；　and　it　was　second　nature　to　me。　　However；　it　is　all　over　now。
The　officers　have　blood…money　for　taking　a　man　dead　or　alive；　and
the　trade　is　going　to　nothing。　　We　were　hunted　down　like　rats。'

'Owlett　is　quite　gone；　I　hear。'

'Yes。　　He　is　in　America。　　We　had　a　dreadful　struggle　that　last　time；
when　they　tried　to　take　him。　　It　is　a　perfect　miracle　that　he　lived
through　it；　and　it　is　a　wonder　that　I　was　not　killed。　　I　was　shot　in
the　hand。　　It　was　not　by　aim；　the　shot　was　really　meant　for　my
cousin；　but　I　was　behind；　looking　on　as　usual；　and　the　bullet　came
to　me。　　It　bled　terribly；　but　I　got　home　without　fainting；　and　it
healed　after　a　time。　　You　know　how　he　suffered？'

'No；'　said　Stockdale。　　'I　only　heard　that　he　just　escaped　with　his
life。'

'He　was　shot　in　the　back；　but　a　rib　turned　the　ball。　　He　was　badly
hurt。　　We　would　not　let　him　be　took。　　The　men　carried　him　all　night
across　the　meads　to　Kingsbere；　and　hid　him　in　a　barn；　dressing　his
wound　as　well　as　they　could；　till　he　was　so　far　recovered　as　to　be
able　to　get　about。　　He　had　gied　up　his　mill　for　some　time；　and　at
last　he　got　to　Bristol；　and　took　a　passage　to　America；　and　he's
settled　in　Wisconsin。'

'What　do　you　think　of　smuggling　now？'　said　the　minister　gravely。

'I　own　that　we　were　wrong；'　said　she。　　'But　I　have　suffered　for　it。
I　am　very　poor　now；　and　my　mother　has　been　dead　these　twelve　months
。　。　。　But　won't　you　come　in；　Mr。　Stockdale？'

Stockdale　went　in；　and　it　is　to　be　supposed　that　they　came　to　an
understanding；　for　a　fortnight　later　there　was　a　sale　of　Lizzy's
furniture；　and　after　that　a　wedding　at　a　chapel　in　a　neighbouring
town。

He　took　her　away　from　her　old　haunts　to　the　home　that　he　had　made
for　himself　in　his　native　county；　where　she　studied　her　duties　as　a
minister's　wife　with　praiseworthy　assiduity。　　It　is　said　that　in
after　years　she　wrote　an　excellent　tract　called　Render　unto　Caesar；
or；　The　Repentant　Villagers；　in　which　her　own　experience　was
anonymously　used　as　the　introductory　story。　　Stockdale　got　it
printed；　after　making　some　corrections；　and　putting　in　a　few
powerful　sentences　of　his　own；　and　many　hundreds　of　copies　were
distributed　by　the　couple　in　the　course　of　their　married　life。


April　1879。







End