" THE STORY OF OUR LIVES FROM YEAR TO YEAE.'—SHAKHSPEAKE. ALL THE TEAR ROUND. A WEEKLY JOURNAL. CONDUCTED BY CHARLES DICKENS. WITH M-HICH IS INCORPORATED HOUSEHOLD WORDS.

[I°- 485.] SATURDAY, AUGUST 8, 1868. [PKICE 2rf.

On forcing the door of the room, tbe de­ THE MOONSTONE. ceased gentleman was discovered, dead, with Bl THB AniHOB or " TpK WOUAH IS WBITB," &C &C. the pillow of the bed over his face. The medical man who examined him, being iuformed of this SECOND PEBIOD. THE DISCOVERT OF THE circumstance, considered the post-mortem ap­ TRUTH. (1848—1849.) pearances as being perfectly cohipatible with murder by smothering—that is to say, with SIXTH NAIRRATIVE. murder committed by some person, or persons, Contributed by Sergeant Cuff. pressing the pillow over the nose aud mouth of I. the deceased, until death resulted from conges­ DOBKISG, Surrey, July 30tii, 1849. To tion of the lungs. Franklin Blake, Esq. Sir.—I beg to apolodse Next, as to the motive for the crime. for the delay that has occurred in the produc­ A small box, with a sealed paper torn off tion of the Report with which I enp;aged to from it rthe paper containing an inscription) fnmish you. I have waited to make it a com­ was founa open, and empty, ou a table in the plete Report; and I have been met, here and room. Mr. Luker has lumself personally iden- there, ^by obstacles which it was only possible tiQed the box, the seal, and the inscription. He to remove by some little expenditure of patience has declared that the box did actually contain and time. the diamond, called the Moonstone; aud he The object which I proposed to myself has has admitted having given the box (thus sealed now, I hope, been attained. You will find, in up) to Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite (then concealed these pages, answers to the greater part—if not under a disguise), on the afternoon of the all—of tlie questions, concerning the late Mr. twenty-sixth of June last. The fair inference Godfrey Ablewhite,which occurred to your mind from all this is, that the stealing of the Moon­ when I last had the honour of seeing you. stone was the motive of the crime. I propose to tell you—in. the first place—• Next, as to the manner in which the crime what is known of the manner in which your was committed. cousin met iiis death ; appending to the state­ On examination of the room (which is only ment such inferences and conclusions as we seven feet high), a trap-door in the ceiling, are justified (according to my opinion) in draw­ leading out on to the roof of the house, was ing from the facts. discovered open. The short ladder, used for I shall then endeavour—in the second place obtaining access to the trap-door (and kept —to put you in possession of such discoveries under the bed), was found placed at the open­ as I have made, respecting the proceedings of ing, so as to enable any person, or persons, in Mr. Godfrey Ablewiiite, before, during, and the room, to leave it agam easily. In the trap­ after the time, when you and he met as guests door itself was found a scjuare aperture cut in at the late Lady Verinder's country house. the wood, apparently with some exceedingly sharp instrument, just behiud the bolt which n. fastened the door on the iuner_ side. In this way, any person from the outside could have As to yotir cousin's death, then, first. drawn back the bolt, and opened the door, and It appears to me to be established, beyond have dropped (or have been noiselessly lowered any reasonable doubt, that he was killed (while by an accomplice) into the room—its height, as he was asleep, or immediately on his waking) by already observed, being only seven feet. That being smothered with a pillow from his bed— some person, or persons, must have got admis­ that the persons guilty of murdering liim are sion in this way, appears evident from the fact the three Indians—and that the object con­ of the aperture being there. As to the manner templated (and achieved) by the crime, was to in which he (or they) obtained access to the obtain possession of the diamond, called The roof of the tavern, it is to be remarked that the Moonstone. third house, lower down in the street, was The facts from which this conclusion is empty, and under repair—that a long ladder drawn, are derived partly from an examination was left by the workmen, leading from the of the room at the tavern; and partly from the pavement to the top of the house—and that, evidence obtained at the Coroner's Inquest.

485 194 [Angii.itS, IhOS.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Conducted by on reluruing to their work, on the morning of I have only to add, Ihat the verdict at the the 27tli, the men fouud the plank which tiicy Coroner's Inquest was Wilful Murder agamst had lied to the ladder, to prevent auy one from some person, or persons, unknown. Mr.'Able- usiug it in their absence, removed, and lying on while's family have offered a reward, and no Ihc ground. As to the possibility of asceiiding efTorfc Jias been left untried to discover the by this ladder, glassing over the roofs of the guilty persons. The man dressed like a mechanio houses, i)a5.sin,i( back, and descending again, un­ has eluded all inquiries. The Indians have been observed—it is discovered, on the evidence of traced. As to the prospect, of ultimately cap­ the night policcnifin, that he ouly passes through turing these last, I shall have a word to say to Shore Lane twi^e in an houi', when out on his you on that head, wheu 1 reach the end of the beat. The It'stiniouy of the inhabitants also present Report. declares, lli:it Short; Lane, after midnight, is In the mean while, having now written all one of the qiii'.'les). and loneliest streets in that is needful on the subject of Mr. Godfrey London. Here ag;dn, therefore, it seems fair Ablewhite's death, I may pass next to the to infer that—wilh ordinary caution, aud pre­ narrative of his proceedings before, during, aud sence of niiud—any man, or meu, might have after the time, when you and he met; at the ascended by the ladder, aud might have de­ late Lady Verinder's house. scended again, unobserved, Oucc on the roof of the tavern, it has been proved, by experi- Uient, fhat a man uiight eut through Ihe trap­ "With regard to the subject now in hand, I door, while lying down on it, aud that in such a may state, at the outset, that Mr. Godfrey Able- position, the para|)L't iu front of the house would white's life had two sides to it. conceal him from the view of any one passing Tiie side turned up to the public view, pre­ iu the street. sented the spectacle of a geutleman, possessed Lastly, as to the pnrson, or persons, by whom of considerable reputation as a speaker at the crime was committed. charilable meetings, and endowed with, ad- It is known (1) tliat the Indians had an inte­ ministiative abilities, which he placed at the rest in possessing Ihcmselves of the Bianiond. disposal of various Benevolent Societies, mostly (2) It is at least jirobable that the man looking of the female sort. The side kept hidden, like an Indian, whoju Octavius Guy saw at from the general notice, exhibited this same the window of the cab, sjieakiug to the man gentleman in the totally different character of dressed like a mechauic, was one of the three a man of pleasure, with a villa iu the suburbs Hindoo con^]urators. (3) It is certain that which was not taken in his own name, and with this same man diessed like a mechanic, was a lady in the villa, who was not taken in his own seen keeping Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite in view, name, either. all through the evening of the 26th, and was My investigations in the villa have shown me found iu the Ijedroom (before Mr. Ablewhite several due pictures and statues; farnitura was shown into it) under circumslanccs which tastefully selected, and admirably made; and a lead to the suspicion that he was examining the conservatory of the rarest flowers, the match room. (4) A morsel of torn gold thread was of which it would not be easy to find in all picked up in the bedroom, which persons expert Loudon. My investigation of the lady has re­ in such matters, declare to be of Lidian manu­ sulted in the discovery of jewels which are facture, and to be a species of gold thread not worthy to take rank with the flowers, and of knowu in England. (5) Oa the morning of the carriages and horses which have (deservedly). 27tli, three men, answering to the description produced a sensation in the Park, among persons' of the three Indians, \Yere observed in Lower well qualified to judge of the build of tue one, Thames Street, were traced to the Tower and the breed of the others. AVharf, aud were seen lo leave London by the AU this is, so fai-, common enough. Tlie villa, steamer bound fur lioLterdam. and the lady aro such familiar objects in Loidcni. There is here, moral, if not legal, evidence, life, that I ought to apologise for introduaBC that Ihe murder was committed by Hie Indians. them to notice. But what is not common and Whether the nmn jicrsouatiug a mcclmuic not familiar (in my experience), is that all these was, or was not, au accom])lice in tho crime, it line things were uot ouly ordered, but paid for. is impossible to say. That he could have com­ The jiictures, the statues, the flowers, the jewels, mitted the murder, alone, seems beyond the the carriages and tho horses—inquiry, proved, limits of probability. Acting by himself, he to my indescribable astonishment, that not a could hai'diy have smothered Mr. Ablewhite— sixpence of debt was owing ou any of thwnj. who was the taller and the stronger mau of the As to Ihe villa, it had beeu bought, out and two—without a struggle taking place, or a out, and settled on tho lady. cry being heard. A servant girl, sleeping in I might have tried lo find the right readii^ 1 he next room, heard nothing. The landloi-d, of this riddle, and tried in vain—but for Mr. sleeping in tho room below, heard nothing. The Godfrey Ablewhite's dealh, which oausedi ani whole evidcuoo ])oinls to the inference that inquiry to be made into the state of hiS'affairs more than oue nuui was concerned in this crime The inquiry elicited these facts :— — and the circumstances, I repeat, morally That Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite was entrusted; justify the conclusion that the Indians eom- with the care of a sum of twenty thousand pounds Miitted it. —as one of two Trustees for a youug gentle-

y^ Charles Dioksne.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [August 8, 18C8.] 195 man, who was still a minor iu the year eighteen the dose (prepared in a little phial) to Mr. God­ hundred and forty-eight. That tlie Trust was frey Ablewhite—who has himself confessed the to lapse, and that the young gentleman was to share he had iuthe matter, uuder circumstances receive the twenty thousand pounds, ou the whieh shall presently be related to you. Mr. day when he came of age, in the month of Godfrey is all the readier fo enter into the con­ February, eighteen hundred aud flt'ty. That, spiracy, having himself suffered from your sharp peuding the arrival of this period, an income of tongue, in the course of tlic evenlug. He joins ail hundred pounds was to be paid to him by Betteredge in persuading you to drink a little his two Trustees, half yearly—at Christmas, and brandy and water before you go to bed. He at Midsummer Day. That this income was privately drops the dose of laudanum iuto your regularly paid by the active Trustee, Mr. God­ cold grog. Aud you drink the niLxture. frey Ablewhite. That the twenty thousand Let us now shift the scene, if you please, pounds (from which the income was supposed to Mr. Luker's house at Lambeth. And to be derived) had, every farthing of it, been allow me to remark, by way of preface, that Mr. sold out of the Funds, at different periods, Bruff and T, together, have found a means of ending with the end of the year eighteen huu­ forcing the money-lender to make a clean breast dred and forty-seven. That the power of at­ of it. We have carefully sifted the statement he torney, authorising the bankers to sell out the has addressed to us; aud here it is at your stock, and the various written orders telling service. them what amounts to sell out, were formally IV. signed by both the Trustees. That the signa­ Late on the evening of Friday, the twenty- ture of the second Trustee (a retired army third of Juue ('forty-eight), Mr. Luker was officer, living in the country) was a signature surprised by a visit from Mr. Godfrey Able- forged, in every ease, by the active Trustee— white. He was more than surprised, when otherwise, Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite. Mr. Godfrey produced the Moonstone. No In these facts, lies the explanation of Mr. sueh diamond (according to Mr. Luker's ex­ Godfrey's honourable conduct, in paying the perience) was in the possession of any private debts incurred for the lady aud the villa— person iu Europe. and (as you will presently see) of more besides. Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite had two modest proposals to make, in relation to this magnificent Wc may now advance to the date of Miss gem. First, Would Mr. Luker be so good as Verinder's birthday (in the year eighteeu hun­ to buy it ? Secondly, Would Mr. Luker (in dred and forty-eight)—the twenty-first of June. default of seeing his way to the ]]urchase) under­ On the diy before, Mr. Godfrey Ablewhitc take to sell it on commissiou, and to pay a sum arrived at his father's house, aud asked (as I down, ou fhe anticipated result ? know from Mr. Ablewhite, senior, himself) for Mr. Luker tested the Diamond, weighed the a loan of three hundred pounds. Mark the Diamoud, and estimated the value of the Dia­ sum; aud remember at the same time, that the mond, before he answered a word. His esti­ half yearly payment to the young geutleman mate (allowing for the flaw iu the stone) was was due on the twenty-fourth of the mouth. thirty thousand pounds. Also, that the whole of the young gentleman's Having reached that result, Mr. Luker opened fortune had beeu spent by his Trustee, by the his lips, and put a question: *' How did you end of the year 'forty-seven. come by this 'f Only six words! But what Mr, Ablewhite, senior, refused to lend his volumes of meaning iu them! son a farthing. Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite began a story. Mr. The next day Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite rode Luker opened hLs lips again, and only said over, with you, to Lady Verinder's house. A three words, this time. " That won't do !" few hours afterwards, Mr. Godfrey (as you Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite begau another story. yourself have told me) made a proposal of Mr. Luker wasted no more words on him. He marriage to Miss Verinder. Here, he saw his got up, and rang the bell for the servant, to way no doubt—if accepted—to the eud of all show the gentleman out. his money-anxieties, present and future. But, Upon this compulsion, Mr. Godfrey made an as events actually turned out, what happened ? effort, and came out with a uew and amended Miss Vermder refused him. version of the affair, to the following effect. On the night of the birthday, therefore, Mr, After privately slipping the laudanum iuto Godfrey Ablewhite's pecuniary position was your brandy and water, he wished yon good­ this. He had three hundred pounds to fiud on night, and went into his own room. It was the tlie twenty-fourth of the moulh, and twenty next room to your's; and the two had a door thousand pounds to find in Februarv eighteen of communication between them. Ou entering hundred and fifty. Failing to raise these sums, his own room Mr. Godfrey (as he supposed) at these times, he was a ruined man. closed this door. His money-troubles kept him Under those circumstances, what takes place awake. He sat, in his dressing-gown and slip­ next? , pers, for nearly an hour, tiiinking over his posi­ You exasperate Mr. Candy, the doctor, on tion. Just as he was preparing to get into bed, the sore subject of his profession; and he plays he heard you, talking to yourself, in your own you a practical joke, in return, with a dose of room, and croing to the door of communication, laudanum. He trusts the administration of found that he had not shut it as he supposed.

jf^ 196 [August 6,1868.] ALL THE TEAR ROUND. [Condoeud by He looked into your room to see what was the Godfrey Ablewhite was too great a fool to have matter. He discovered you with the candle in invented it. Mr. Bruff and I agree with Mr. your hand, just leaving your bedchamber. He Luker, in considering this test of the truth of heard you say to yourself, iu a voice quite un­ the story to be a perfectly reliable one. like your own voice, " How do I know ? The The next question, was the question of what Indians may be hidden in the house." Mr. Luker would do, in the matter of the Up to that time, he had simply supposed Moonstone. He proposed the following terms, himself (in giving you the laudanum) to be as the only terms on which he would consent helping to make you the victim of a harmless to mix himself up with, what was (even in practical joke. It now occurred to him, that his line of business) a doubtful and dangerous the laudanum had taken some effect on you, transaction, which had not been foreseen by the doctor, any Mr. Luker would consent to lend Mr. God­ more than by himself. In the fear of an ac­ frey Ablewhite the sum of two thousand cident happening, he followed you softly to see pounds, on condition that the Moonstone was what you would do. to be deposited with him as a pledge. If, at He followed you to Miss Verinder's sitting- the expiration of one year from that date, Mr. room, and saw you go in. You left the door Godfrey Ablewhite paid three thousand pounds' open. He looked through the crevice thus pro­ to Mr. Luker, he was to receive back the Dia­ duced, between the door and the post, before mond, as a pledge redeemed. If he failed to he ventured into the room himself. produce the money at the expiration of the In that position, he not only detected you in year, the pledge (otherwise the Moonstone) taking fhe Diamond out of the drawer—he also was to be considered as forfeited to Mr. Luker detected Miss Verinder, silently walching you —who would, in this latter case, generously from her bedroom, through her open door. He make Mr. Godfrey a present of certain pro­ saw that she saw you take the Diamond, too. missory notes of his (relating to former deal­ Before you left the sitting-room again, you ings) which were then in the money-lender's hesitated a little. Mr. Godfrey took advan­ possession. tage of this hesitation to get'back again to It is needless to say, that Mr. Godfrey in­ his bedroom before you came out, and disco­ dignantly refused to listen to these monstrous vered him. He had barely got back, befo.*e terms. Mr. Luker, thereupon, handed him back you got back too. Yon saw him (as he sup­ the Diamond, and wished him good night. poses) just as he was passing through the door Your cousin went to the door, aud came back of communication. At any rate, you called to again. How was he to be sure that the con­ him In a strauge, drowsy voice. versation of that evening would be kept strictly He came back to you." You looked at him iu a secret between his friend and himself ? a dull sleepy way. You put the Diamond into Mr. Luker didn't profess to know how. If his hand. You said to him, "Take it back, Mr.Godfrey had accepted his terms, Mr.Godfrey Godfrey, to your father's bank. It's safe there would have made him an accomplice, and might —it's not safe here," You turned away un­ have counted on his silence as on a certainty. steadily, and nut on your dressing-gown. You As things were, Mr. Luker must be guided by sat dowu in the large arm-chair in your room. his own interests. If awkward inquiries were You said, " / can't take it back to the bank. made, how could he be expected to compromise My head's like lead—and I can't feel my feet himself, for the sake of a man who had decliaed under me." Your head sank on the back of the chair—YOU heaved a heavy sigh—and you to deal with him ? fell asleep. Receiving this reply, Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite did, what all animals (human and otherwise) do, Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite went back, with the when they find themselves caught in a trap. Diamond, into his own room. His statement He looked about him in a state of helpless IS, that he came to no conclusion, at that time despair. The day of the month, recorded on a —except that he would wait, aud sec what hap­ neat little card in a box on the money-lender's pened in the morning. chimney-piece, happened to attract his eye. When the morning came, your language aud It was the twenty-third of June. On the conduct showed that you were absolutely igno­ twenty-fourth, he had three huudred pounds to rant of what you had said aud done overnight pay to the young gentleman for whom he was At the same time. Miss Verinder's language trustee, and no chance of raising the money, and conduct showed that she was resolved to except the chance that Mr. Luker had offered to say nothing (in mercy to you) on her side. If him. But for this miserable obstacle, he might Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite chose to keep the Dia­ have takeu the Diamond to Amsterdam, and mond, he might do so with perfect impunitv. The Moonstone stood between him, aud ruiii. have made a marketable commodity of it, by He put the Moonstone into his pocket. having it cut up iuto separate stones. As mat­ ters stood, he had no clioice but to accept Mr. Luker's terms. After all, he had a year at his V. disposal, in which to raise the three thousand This was the story told by your cousin (under pounds—and a year is a long time. • pressure of necessity) to Mr. Luker. Mr. Luker drew out the necessary documents Mr. Luker believed the story to be, as to all on the spot. When they were signed, he gave mam essentials, true—on this ground, that Mr. Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite two cheques. One,

y ^c dtorles Dickens.j ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [August 8,1668.] 197 dated June 23rd, for three hundred pounds. I have only to remind you, before closing Another, dated a week on, for the remaining this Report, that there is a chance of lay­ balftuce—seventeen hundred poimds. ing hands on the Indians, and of recovering How the Moonstone was trusted to the the Moonstone yet. They are now (there is keeping of Mr. Luker's bankers, and how the every reason to believe) on their passage to Indians treated Mr. Luker and Mr. Godfrey Bombay, in an East Indiaman. The ship (after that had been done) you know already. (barring accidents) will touch at no other port The next event in your cousin's life, refers on her way out; and the authorities at Bom­ again to Miss Verinder. He proposed mar­ bay (already communicated with by letler, over­ riage to her for the second time—and (after land) will be prepared to board the vessel, the Iiaving been accepted) he consented, at her moment she enters the harbour. request, to consider the marriage as broken off. I have the honour to remain, dear sir, your One of his reasons for making this concession obedient servant, RICHARD CUFF (late ser­ has been penetrated by Mr. Bruff. Miss Verin­ geant in the Detective Force, Scotland Yard, der had only a life-interest in her mother's pro­ London).* perty—and there was no raising the missmg twenty thousand pounds on that. SEVENTH NARRATIVE. But you will say, he might have saved the In a Letter from Mr. Candy, three thousand pounds, to redeem the pledged FRIZINGHALL, Wednesday, September 2Gth, Diamond, if he liad married. He might have 1849.—Dear Mr. Franklin Blake, you will an­ ^one so certainly—supposing neither liis wife, ticipate the sad news I have to tell you, on nor her guardians and trustees, objected to his finding your letter to Ezra Jennings returned anticipatmg more than half of the income at to you, unopened, in this enclosure. He died his disposal, for some unkuowu purpose, in the iu ray arms, at sunrise, on Wednesday last first year of his marriage. But even if he got I am not to blame for having failed to warn over this obstacle, there was another waiting you that his eud was at baud. He expressly for him in the background. The lady at the forbade me (o write to you. " I am indebted Villa, had heard of his contemplated marriage. to Mr. Franklin Blake," he said, "for liaving A superb woman, Mr. Blake, of the sort that seen some happy days. Don't distress him, are not to be trifled with—the sort with the Mr. Candv—don't distress bim." light complexion and the Roman nose. She felt the utmost contempt for Mr. Godfrey His sutferings, up to the last six hours of his Ablewhite. It would be silent contempt, if he life, were terrible to see. In the intervals of made a handsome provision for her. Other­ remission, wheu his mind was clear, 1 entreated wise, it would be contempt with a tongue to it. him to tell me of any relatives of his to whom Miss Verinder's life-Interest allowed him no I might write. He asked to be forgiven for more hope of raising the "provision" than of refusmg anything to me. Aud then he said— raising the twenty thousand pounds. He not bitterly—that he would die as he had lived, couldn't marry—he reaUy couldn't marry, under forgotten and unknown. He maintained that all the circumstances. resolution to the last. There is no hope now of making any discoveries concerning him. His How he tried his luck again with another story is a blank. lady, and how ihat marriage also broke down The day beiore he died, he told me where to on the question of money, you know already. find all his papers. 1 brought them to him on "You also know of the legacy of five thousand his bed. There was a little bundle of old pounds, left to him shortly afterwards, by one letters which he put aside. There was his un­ of those many admirers among the soft sex whose finished book. There was his Diary—in many good graces this fascinating man had contrived locked volumes. He opened the volume for to win. That legacy (as the event has proved) this year, and tore out, one by one, the pages led him to his death. relating to the time when you and he were I have ascertained that when he went abroad, together. " Give those," he said, " to Mr. on getting his five thousand pounds, he went to Franklin Blake. In years to come, he may Amsterdam. There, he made all the necessary feel an interest in looking back at what is arrangements for having the Diamond cut into written there." Then he clasped his hands, separate stones. He came back (in disguise), and and prayed God fervently to bless you, and redeemed the Moonstone on the appomted day. those dear to you. He said he should like to A few days were flowed to elapse (as a precaution see you again. But the next momeut, he agreed to by both parties), before tbe jewel was altered his mind. " No," he answered, when actually taken out of the bank. If he had I offered to write. " I won't distress him ! I ot safe with it to Amsterdam, there would won't distress him!" gave been just time between July 'forty-nine, At his request, I next collected the other and February 'fifty (when the young gentleman papers—that is to say, the bundle of letters, "came of age) to cut tlie Diamond, aud to make the unfinished book, and the volumes of the a marketable commodity (polished or unpolished) of the separate stones. Judge from tliis, what * NOTE.—Wherever the Report touches on the motives he had to run the risk which he actually events of the birthday, or ot the three days that fol­ ran. It was " neck or nothing" with him—if lowed it, compare with Betteredge's Narrative- ever it was " neck or nothing" with a man yet. Chapters vm. to XIII, 198 [August 8,1868.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Condneted bjr Diary—and enclosed them all in one wrapper, Let nobody suppose that I have any last sealed with my own seal. "Promise," he said, words to say here, concerning the Indian Dia­ "that you will put this into my coffin wiih mond. I hold Ihat unlucky jewel in abhor­ your own hand; aud that you will see that no rence—and I refer you to other authority than other hand touches it afterwards." mine, for sucli news of the Moonstone as you I gave him my promise. And the promise may, at the present time, be ex^jecting to receive. has been performed. My purpose, in this place, is to state a fact in He asked me to do one other thing for him— the history of the family, which has been passed which it cost me a hard struggle to comply over by everybody, and which I won't allow to with. He said, "Let niy grave be forgotten. be disrespectfully smothered up in that way. Give me your word of honour that you will The fact to which I allude is—the marriage allow no monument of auy sort—uot even the of Miss Rachel and Mr, Franklin Blake. Tfis commonest tombstone—to mark the place of interesting event took place at our house in my burial. Let me sleep, nameless. Let me Yorkshire, on Tuesday, October ninth, eighteen rest, unknown." When I ^ried to plead with iiundrcd and forty-nine. I had a new suit of him to aller his resolution, he became for the clothes on the occasion. And the married couple first, and only time, violently agitated. I could went to spend the honeymoon in Scotland. not bear to sec it; and T gave way. Nothing Family festivals having been rare enough at but a little grass mound, marks the place of his our house, since my poor mistress's death, I rest. Iu time, the tombstones will rise round it. own—on this occasion of the wedding—^to And the people who conic after us will look, having (towards the latter part of the day) and wonder, at the nameless grave. taken a drop too much on the strength of it. As I have told you, for six hours before his If yon have ever done the same sort of thing dealh his sufferings ceased. He dozed a little. yourself, you will understand and feel for me. I think he dreamed. Once or twice, he smiled. If you have not, you will very likely say, "Dis- A woman's name, as I suppose—the iiauie of C-nstlug old man! why does he tell us this?^ "Ella"—was often on his lips at this time. A The reason why is now to come. few miuutes before the eiul came, he asked mc Having, then, taken my drop (bless you! yon to lift him on his pillow, to see the sun rise have got your favourite vice, too; ouly your vice through the window. He was very weak. His isn't mine, and mine isn't your's), I next applied head fell on my shoulder. He whispered " It'.s tiic one infallible remedy—that remedy being, as coming!" Then he said, " Xiss mc 1" I kissed you know, Robinson Crusoe. Where I opened his forehead. On a sudden, he lifted his head. that unrivalled book, I can't say. Where the The sunlight touched his face. A beautiful lines of print at last left oif running iuto each expression, an angelic expression, came over it. other, I Know, however, perfectly well. Itwas He cried ont tlireo times, " Peace! peace! at page three hundred aud eighteen—a domestic pe»ce!" His head sank hack agaiu on my bit concerning Robinson Crusoe's marriage, as shoulder, and the loug trouble of his life was follows : at an end. " With those Thoughts, I considered my So he has gone from us. This was, as I new Engagement, that I had a Wife"—(Ob­ think, a great man—thongh the world never serve! so had Mr. Franklui!)—"one ChiH knew him. He bore a hard life bravely. He born"—(Observe again! that might yet be had the sweetest temper I have ever met with. Mr. Franklin's case, too!)—"and my Wife The loss of him makes nic feel very lonely. Ihen "—What Robinson Crusoe's wife did, or Perliaps I have never been quite myself again did not do, " then," I felt no desire to discover. since my illness. Sometimes, 1 think of giving I scored the bit about the Child with my pencil^ up my practice, and going away, and trvinir and put a morsel of paper for a mark to keep what some of the foreign baths and waters will the ])laeo: "Lie you there," I said, "till the do for mc. marriage of Mr. Fiaiikliu and Miss Rachel is It is reported here, that you aud Miss Ve­ some months older—and theu we'll see!" rinder arc to be married next month. Please The months passed (more than I had bar­ to accept my best cnngratnkilions. gained for), aud no occasion presented itself for The pages of my poor friend's Journal arc disturbing that mark in the book. It was not waiting for you at my house—sealed up, with till this present month of November, eighteen your name on the wrapper. I was afraid to huudred and fifty, that Mr. Franklin came into trust them to the post. my room, in higfi good spirits, and said, "Bet­ My best respects and good wishes attend teredge ! I have got some news for you! Some­ Miss Verinder. I remain, dear Mr. Franklin thing is going to happen in the house, before we Blake, truly yours, THOMAS CANDY. arc many months older." " Does il conceru the family, sir ?" I asked. EIGHTH NARRATIVE. " It decidedly concerns the family," says Mr. Franklin. Contributed by Gabriel Betteredge. " Has your good lady anythhig to dowilh it» I AM the person (as you remember, uo doubt) if you please, sir?" who led the way in ihese pagos, and opened ilic " She has a great deal to do with it," says story. I am ai.so 1 ho person who is loft behind, Mr. Franklin, beginning to look a little sur­ as it were, to close the story up. prised. Charles Dickens.] ALL THE rEAR ROUNIJ, [Augusts, 1868.] 199

" You needn't say a word more, sir," I an­ plainly resolved on beforehand, as a means of swered. "God bless you both! I'm heartily preventing their being traced, I lost no time iu glad to hear it." returning to England. 1 left the steamer at Mr. Franklin stared like a person thunder­ Gravesend, and discovered Ihat the Indians had struck. "May I venture to inquire where you gone from that place to London. Thence, I got your information ?" heasked. "I only got again traced them, as having left for Plymouth. mine (imparted in the strictest secresy) five Inquiries made at Plymouth, proved that they minutes since." had sailed, forty-eight hours previously, in the Here was an opportunity of producing Robm- Bewley Castle East Indiaman, bound direct for son Crusoe! Here was a chance of reading that Bombay. domestic bit about the child which I had marked On receiving this intelligence, Sergeant Cuff ou the day of Mr. Franklin's marriage ! I read caused the authorities at Bombay to be commu­ those miraculous words wilh an emphasis whieh nicated with, overland—so that the vessel midit did them justice—and then I looked bim severely be boarded by the police immediately on her in the face. " NotCy sir, do you believe in Robin­entering the port. This step having been son Crusoe P" I asked, with a solemnity suitable lakeu, my connection with the matter came to to tlie occasion, au end. 1 have heard nothing more of it siuce "Betteredge !" says Mr. Franklin, with equal that time. solemnity, " I'm convinced at last." He shook hands with me—and I felt that I had converted him. THE STATEMENT OP THE CAPTAIN, (1S49). With the relarion of this extraordinary cir­ I am requested by Sergeant Cuff to set in cumstance, my re-appearance in these pages writing certain facts, concerning three men (be­ comes to an end. Let nobody laugh at the lieved to be Hindoos) who were passengers, unique anecdote here related. You are welcome last summer, in the ship Bewley Castle, bound to be as merry as you please over everything for Bombay direct, under my command. e!se I have written. But when I write of Ro­ The Hindoos joined us at'Plymouth. On the binson Crusoe, by the Lord it's serious—and I passage out, I heard no complaint of their con- request you to take it accordingly ! duet. They were berthed in the forward part When this is said, all is said. Ladies and of the vessel. I had but hw occasions myself gentlemen, I make my bow, and shut up the of personally noticing tliem. story. In the latter part of the voyage, we had the misfortune to be becalmed, for three days and EPILOGUE, nights, off the coast of India. I have not THE FINDING OP THE DIAMOND, got the ship's Journal to refer to, and I can­ not now call to mind the latitude and lon­ gitude. As to our position, therefore, I am only THE STATEMENT OF SERGEANT CCFF'S MAN, able to state generally that the currents drifted (1849). us in towards the hind, and that when the wind ON the twenty-seventh of June last, I re­ found us again, we reached our port in twenty- ceived instructions from Sergeant Cuff to follow four hours afterwards. three men; suspected of murder, and described The discipline of a ship (as all sea-faring as Indians. They had been seen on the Tower l^ersons know) becomes relaxed in a long calm. Wharf, that morniug, embarking on board the The discipline of my ship became relaxed. Cer­ steamer bound for Rotterdam. tain gentlemen among the passengers got some I left London, by a steamer belonging to an­ of the smaller boats lowered, and amused them­ other company, which sailed ou the morning of selves by rowing about, and swimming, when Thursday, the twenty-eightli. the sun, at evening time, was cool enough to Arriving at Rotterdam, I succeeded in finding let them divert themselves in that way. The the commander of the Wednesday's steamer. boats, when done with, ought to have been He niformed me that the Indians had certainly slung up again iu their places. Instead of this, been passengers on board his vessel—but as far they were left moored to the ship's side. What as Gravesend only. Off that place, one of the with Ihe heat, and what wiih the vexation of three had inquired at what time they would the weather, neither officers nor men seemed reach Calais. On being informed that the to be in heart for their duty while the calm steamer was bound to Rotterdam, the spokes­ lasted. man of the party expressed the greatest sur­ On the third night, nothing unusual was heard prise and distress at the mistake which he and or seen by the watch on deck. When the his two friends had made. They were all willing morning came, the smallest of the boats was (he said) to sacrifice their passage money, if the missing—and the three Hindoos were next re­ commander of the steamer woiUd (mly put them ported to be missing too. ashore. Commiserating their position, as fo­ If these men had stolen the boat shortly reigners in a strange land, and knowing no after dark (which I have no doubt they did) reason for detaining them, the commander sig­ wc were near enough to the land to make it nalled for a shore boat, and the three men left vain to send in pursuit of them, when the dis­ the vessel. covery was made in the morning. I have no This proceeding of the Indians having been doubt they got ashore, in that calm weather 200 [AuguBl 8, 18C».]' ALL THE YEAR BOUND. [Conducted b;

(making all due allowance for fatigue and distant, journeying on foot, from the sacred clumsy rowing), before daybreak. city. On reaching our port, I there learnt, for the I had not been long on the road, before I first time, the reason my three passengers had noticed, that other people—by twos and threes for seizing their opportunity of escaping from —appeared to be travelling in the same direc­ the ship. I conld only make the same state­ tion as myself. ment to tlie authorities which I have made To such of these as spoke to me, 1 gave myself here. They considered me to blame for allow­ out as a Hindoo-Boodhist, from a distant pro­ ing the discipline of the vessel to be relaxed. vince, bound on a pilgrimage. It is needless to I have expressed my regret on this score to say that my dress was of the sort to carry ont them, and to my owners. Since that time, this description. Add, that I know the hm- nothing has been heard, to my knowledge, of guage as well as I know my own, and that I am the three Hindoos. I have no more to add to lean enough and brown euough to make it no what is here written. easy matter to detect my European origin— and you will understand that I passed muster with the people readily : not as one of them­ selves, but as a stranger from a distant part of THE STATEMENT OF ME, MURTHWAITE, (1850), their own country. On the second day, the number of Hindoos (In a Letter to Mr. Bruff.) travelling in my direction, had increased to Have you any recollection, my dear sir, of a fifties and hundreds, On the third day, the semi-savage person whom you met out at dinner, throng had swollen to thousands; all slowly in London, in the autumn of 'forty-eight ? Per­ converging to one point—the city of Som­ mit me to remind you that the person's name nauth. was Murthwaite, and that you and he had a A trifling service which I was able to render long conversation together after dinner. The to one of my fellow-pilgrims, during the thinl talk related to an Indian Diamond, called The day'sjourney, proved the means of introdncmg Moonstone, and to a conspiracy then in ex­ me to certain Hindoos of the higher caste. istence to get possession of the gem. From these men I learnt that the multitude Siuce that time, I have been wandering in was on its way to a great religious ceremony, Central Asia. Thence, I have drifted back to which was to take place on a hill at a little the scene of some of my past adventures in the distance from Somnauth. The ceremony was north and north-west of India. About a fort­ in honour of the god of the Moon ; and it waa night since, I found myself in a certain district to be held at night. or province (but little known to Europeans) The crowd detamed us, as we drew near to called Kattiawar. the place of celebration. By the time we Here, an adventure befcl me, in which (in­ reached the hill, the moon was high in the credible as it may appear) you are personally heavens. My Hindoo friends possessed some interested. special privileges whieh enabled them to gain In the wild regions of Kattiawar (and how access to the shrine. They kindly allowed me wild they are you will understand, when I tell to accompany them. When we arrived at the you that even the husbandmen plough the land place, we found the shrine hidden from our armed to the teeth), the population is fanatic­ view, by a curtain hung between two mag­ ally devoted to the old Hindoo religion—to the nificent trees. Beneath the trees, a flat pro­ ancient worship of Brahmah and Vishnu. The jection of rock jutted out, and formed a species few Mahommedan families, thinly scattered of natural platform. Below this, I stood, in about the villages in the interior, are afraid to company with my Hindoo friends. taste meat of any kind. A Mahommedan even Looking back down the hill, the view pre­ suspected of killing that sacred animal, the sented tlie grandest spectacle of Nature and cow, is, as a matter of course, put to death Man, in combination, that I have ever seen. without mercy iu these parts, by the pious The lower slopes of the eminence melted im- Hindoo neighbours who surround him. To perce]itibly into a grassy plain, the place ofthe strengthen the religious enthusiasm of the meeting of three rivers. On one side, the people, two of the most famous shrines of graceful winding of the waters stretched away, Hindoo ])ilgrimage are contained within the uow visible, now hidden by trees, as far as the boundaries of Kattiawar. One of them is eye could see. On the other, the waveless Dwarka, the birthplace of the god Krishna. ocean slept in the calm of the night. People The other is the sacred city of Somnauth— this lovely scene with tens of tnousands of sacked and destroyed, as long since as the human creatures, all dressed in white, stretch­ eleventh century, by the Mahommedan con­ ing down the sides of the hill, overflowing queror, Mahmoud of Ghlzni. into the plain, and fringing the nearer banks Finding myself, for the second time, in these of the winding rivers. Light this halt of tbe romantic regions, I resolved not to leave Kat­ pilgrims, by the wild red flames of cressets and tiawar, without looking once more on the torches, streaming up at intervals from every magnilieent desolation of Somnauth. At the part of the innumerable throng. Imagine the place where I planned to do this, I was (as moonlight of the East, pouring in unclouded nearly as I could calculate it) some three days glory over all—aud you wiU form some idea of

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ChftriflB DlckflDi.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [August S,1B6&] 201

the view that met me, when I looked forth the same events revolve in the cycles of Time. from the summit of the hill. What will be the next adventures of The Moon­ A strain of plaintive music, played on stone ? Who can tell! stringed instruments and flutes, recaUed my attention to the hidden shrine. I turned, and saw on the rocky platform, the figures of three men. In the central figure of CARNIVAL TIME IN BRITANY. the three, I recognised the man to whom I had spoken in England, when the Indians appeared AT daybreak one crisp February morning, we on the terrace at Lady Verinder's house. The entered the quaint old city of Nantes, escorted other two, who had beeu his companions on by a motley caravan of peasants, who were that occasion, were no doubt his companions wending their way with their various stock to also on this. the market square on the quays. After we One of the Hindoos, near whom I was stand­ had passed the seven ancient nridges which ing, saw me start. In a whisper, he explained conduct from Ihe southern bank of the Loire, to me the apparition of the three figures on the over as many islands, to the northern bank, platform of rock. whereon the old Breton capital mainly lies; They were Brahmins (he said) who had for­ after we had taken a glimi)se at the stunted- feited their caste, in the service of the god. looking cathedral, which rears its square towers The god had commanded that their purification above the city, and had for au instant stopped should be the purification by pilgrimage. On to gaze at the old dueal castle, standing in an that night, the three men were to part. In enormous ditch, half below the level of the street; three separate directions, they were to set forth —we reached at length the square on the crest as pilgrims to the shrines of India, Never of the hill upon which Nantes is built, where more were they to look on each other's faces. stands, invitintj to a rather gloomy hospitality, Never more were they to rest on their wander­ the Hotel de France. ings, from the day which witnessed their se­ Here took place a brief but lively struggle paration, to the day which witnessed their between hunger and weariness; but the gar<;on death. having conducted us to one of those almost As those words were whispered to me, the oppressively comfortable rooms which you find plaintive music ceased. The three men pros­ sometimes in provincial France, aud having, trated themselves on the rock, before the cur­ moreover, imparted to us the fact that break­ tain which liid the shrine. They rose—they fast would be served at eleven, and not an looked on one another—they embraced. Theu instant before, Tompkins abruptly declared for they descended separately among the people. sleep hy dropping heavily upon the bed— The people made way for them in dead silence. boots, coat, and all—aud sounding a nasal In three different directions, I saw the crowd trumpet in honour of tired nature's triumph. part, at one and the same moment. Slowly, the I have to thank my companion's snoring for grand white mass of the people closed together the confused and martial dreams which fol­ again. The track of the doomed men through lowed me. Once I thought that the bugle the ranks of their fellow mortals was oblite­ blasts of the Black Prince were sounding in rated. We saw them no more. my car, summoning me to the attack ou the old Breton Castle; but I was held back by a A new strain of music, loud and jubilant, crowd of screaming bonnes, with their long rose from the hidden shrine. The crowa around lace caps, who raised, with their shrill voices, a me shuddered and pressed together. perfect pandemonium about my ears. In the The curtain between the trees was drawn midst of all this hubbub I awoke, rubbed my aside, and the shrine was disclosed to view. eyes, and turned over. More regularly than There, raised high on a throne; seated on the ticks of the fantastic clock ou the mantel, his typical antelope, with his four arms stretch­ sounded still the snores of Torapkms; but an ing towards the four corners of the earth— instant after I, lying there wide awake, heard there soared above us, dark and awful in the the same screeching of bugles and yelling of mystic light of heaven, the god of the Moon. bonnes, which I had thought a horrid dream, And there, in the forehead of the deity, gleamed the yellow Diamond, whose splendour had last I aroused Tompkins. shone on me, in England, from the bosom of a "Perhaps," said he, a trifle pale,—"perhaps woman's dress 1 it is a revolution I" Yes I after the lapse of eight centuries, the This gave a practical turn to the matter, and Moonstone looks forth once more over the it luckily happened, that the garpon just then walls of the sacred city in which its story first summoned us to breakfast. began. How it has found its way back to its * But what is all this hubbub ?" asked I, in wild native land—by what accident, or by what the choicest of " conversation-book" French. crime, the Indians regained possession of their " In the square, monsieur ?" said the stolid sacred gem, may be in your knowledge, bnt is Breton, as if nothing unusual were gomg on. not in mine. You iiave lost sight of it iu Eng­ "Of course." land, and (if I know anything of this people) " To-morrow is the Mercredi des Cendres, you have lost sight of it for ever. monsieur," in a tone which expressed, " You're So the years pass, aud repeat each other; so a noodle not to know it." _i^

[August 8,1 BflS.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Condacted hy What to-morrow had to do with to-day's awhile, our obligmg Breton friend conducted uproar, I could not exactly see, and so I inti- us through the long and narrow Rue CrebiUon, matcil to him. the main thoroughfare of Nantes, which was " The day before Ash Wednesday, monsieur, already so crowded with masquers aud specta­ is Carnival day; therefore it is the Carnival tors that we moved with great difficulty, and which has disturbed Me.'^sieurs les Anglais." were persecuted by the merrymakers at every You must know that Nantes, on all tlie days of step. The old houses were supplied, on every the year excepting two, is the most droning, hum­ story, with long iron balconies; and upon one drum, stupid, sleepy old town between BLscay of these we took up our position. From the and the Bospliorus." But tho two days when point at whieh we stood, we could sweep with the ox-capital of Britany is galvanised uito our eyes the whole street, terminating in a something resembling a wide-awake city, are square at eilher end; and here it was tuatwe the Sunday and the Tuesday before the begin­ saw the Carnival in all its glory. ning of Lent. Tompkins, despite the benevolent warning of We hastily consumed the conventional monsieur, our friend, had insisted on wearing Breton breakfast which was set before uS'—the the shining silk hat whieh hehad just purchase soup and St. Emillon, the fried fish and filet de at Bordeaux; for he is somewhat foppish, and boeuf, the sour bread and preserves, the shrimps had caught sight of the damsels who, in jaunty and watercresses—and Tompkins, for once, in French costumes, filled windows in every direc­ his anxiety to get out, forgot to grumble at the tion. We had hardly taken our places on the absence of coffee. balcony when poor Tompkins's hat danced off A Nantes merchant, who was a bachelor and sportively in mid-air, closely pursued by a shat­ lived at the hotel, hearing our conversation, po­ tered orange, until both were lost sight of in litely offered to show us the sights. the surging crowd beneath. " I beg you, messieurs," siiid he, in the "U'e were now pelted with a storm of the grand Breton style, " not to wear holiday same too juicy fruit, which came from right and suits." left of us. Orange women, with hu^e baskets- "Why not?" ful of their popular stock, were pressing to and "Because," he replied, smiling, "orange fro in the throng, selling their oranges by the juiee gives a somewhat unpleasant variety to dozen at a time, while the air was thick with the colour of one's cloth." the yellow fruit as it sped to and from the Later in the day we knew what he meant, to balconies. It was an equal warfare between our cost. man and man; the strongest arm and truest Accompanied by our new friend, we passed eye were sure of the victory. On the balconies from the hotel court into the square. The steps on either side of the street might be seen groups of the theatre opposite were covered with a of jauntily dressed gentlemen, each with his perfect forest of bonnes' caps. The tops of stock of oranges; and wheu any peculiarly the houses, the balconies and windows, and the amusing masquers passed in the line of vehicles, the side-walks, were crowded with lookers-on, these would open the battle by pouring down who were boisterously enjoying the scene. upon them fruity hail. Then would ensue a Here was a totally new phase of the Breton most vigorous retort, the carriage of the at­ character, which I had thought, from previous tacked party stopping, and delaymg the whole experience, stolid aud jihlegmatic. It was uot procession until they had " had it out." Tomp­ such a scene as you witness in the bal masque kins was in a measure consoled by seeing hats, at the Paris Opera. It was more free and but now as glossy as his own, flying crushed k boisterous, more overflowing with homely fun; every direction, and falHng to the ground, far more original in the costumes, the antics, trodden to flatness by the crowd. Now, the and the contagious high spirits of the actors. ridiculously long proboscis of some Carnival I almost shrank back iuto the sheltered precincts Achilles is whisked off aud sent flying yards of the hotel, as I saw a party of sereamingbounes away; now, a monkish beard is shaven close come rushing towards where wc stood, blowing and clean, and its loosened hairs fall in a shower their tin trumpets and wavingtheir brawny arms. over the people round about. Sometimes, the Groups of meu and women and boys were scat­ combatants, with their stubborn Celtic blood, tered over the square, iu every conceivable dis­ are goaded to a momentary warmth on either guise, and performing every conceivable caper, side; then the oranges fiy thick and fast and crowding and hustling and shouting, maliciously at haphazard, and are thrown, in the blindness pursuing the bonnes who were not disguised, of sudden choler, furiously into the crowd at but had ouly come out to see the fun, lustily large; where, mayhap, they yield their fragrance blowhig uncouth horus, and each trying to ou the person of an unoffending priest, as in outvie the others. Perhaps the most amusing long gowu and broad-brimmed hat he hastens of all were the mullitudes of little wild gamins nervously along; or attack some pompous old —poor ragged urchins, whose home is the coachman, in wig and livery, who, as he is street, whose bed is the doorstep, and whose soberly conducting his master's carriage through food comes how and when chance ordams—and the throng, receives an orange plump in the eye, chimney-sweeps, with their sooty merry faces; or, before he knows it, finds his gold-banded tliese held hiirh orgies in the streets. hat missing from its horsehair pinnacle. After observing tiic scene in front of the hotel Bnt these orange battles were not confined

>w durles DiekenB. ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [August 8,1868.] 203

to manly combatants; there were Amazonian would pelt right and left, supplied with an jousts, whieh threw the others far iuto the shade. armoury of oranges; while their paper shields Now and then a squad of gendarmes would would soon yield to the energetic response of rush in upon a party of combatants, and with the balconies above. Next, would come an loud voices and much gesticulation seek to end imitation house, out of whose windows mascu­ the fray-for this orange pelting is really against line bonnes were leaning and fighting with the law—but then the opponents of those thus Amazonian force. Anon, you would observe interfered with, would pour down a resistless a countryman, iu the costume of some remote volley upon the agents of order, who would village, prancing along on his donkey, and thereon ignominlously retreat. No one was mimickmg to the life rustic augularity. A safe from the juicy missiles, which ilew to and favourite joke seemed to be to imitate the fro as far as the eye could sec on either side; street beggars who were familiar to the town. and the screaming, and laughing, and howling, There was a cart fitted up as a cii-cus ; and here and " sacrrre-bleu"-ing could be heard echoing were chattering clowns, and mock acrobats, everywhere througii the narrow streets of the and pretentious ballet dancers, ludicrously like. usually drowsy old town. There were meu dressed as bonnes, who rushed The shops were all closed, excepting tliat about with bonne-like nervousness, and seized here and there some enterprising tradesman the opportuuity to kiss llie genuine bonnes had lent out his windows (at a napoleon a- (provided they were pretty), who were so un­ piece); the church bells were ringing lustily; lucky as to come iu their way. Oue little over the public buildings the national tricolour urchin, besmirched from top to toe, who was liad been raised in honour of the festivity; and mounted ou a donkey cart, whisked off a gen­ «very now and then would emerge from some darme's chapeau, and clapped it on his own side street a long train of peasants, in the stubby head, replacing it by his greasy and •quaint costume of their district, who had fragmentary cap ; iheii rode dancing off, scream­ trudged, mayhap, some dozen miles that morn­ ing with glee ; while the guardian of order, in­ ing, to have their share of the Carnival frolic. clined to be severely indignant, yet unable to In the street which lay below us, narrow, and resist the Infeelious mciTiment about him, enclosed between six and seven-story houses, hastened laughing after him. a rolling, running, shouting crowd were tiding One of the spcetrums that whisked by, was a this way and that, without method or distinc­ sheaf of corn, whose ears flapped to and fro in tion; a mosaic of peasants and shopkeepers, of harmony with its movement, and whieh showed portly old aristocrafs and blue-blouses, of boys certain very clear indications of being a sheaf and policemen, of devils'and crusaders, harle­ of the gentler sex. In the midst of the pro­ quins and Turks, Bottoms and bandits—the cession was a Tower of Babel, with lif tie figures scene and colour changing wilh kaleidoscopic of workmen employed in erecting that piece of swiftness; a pandemonium of noises, from the presumptuous architecture. Here, stalked by famous Breton fish cry, to the discordant an apparently marble pedestal, which anon squeaks of violins aud the many-keyed cafer- would stop, and stand stock still, as if it had been waulmg of the less musical mass. In the midst rooted to the spot for ages ; and confidential of the crowd struggled painfully the long line of couples, who had something very particular to vehicles which made up the procession of the say, would conceal themselves beliind it, the Carnival. These were of every imaginable sort; occupant of the pedestal listening with great there were the carriages and four of the prefect glee to their muttered confidences. The variety and of the mayor, sandwiched between boxes of illustrations from natural history—the bears, on wheels and rustic donkey carts; there were and kangaroos, and gorillas, and giraffes— the stately lookers-on from the aristocratic would have shamed the Zoological Gardens; Cour St. Pierre, aud the humble but witty while the Grand Exposition was well nigh out­ masquers from the neighbouring villages. done hy the representatives of all nations, Mingled together, and jumbled into an almost who hurried along. Underneath the wmdows, indistinguishable mass, was this medley of where the Breton belles sat laughing at the classes, for one day democratically free and scene, a group of serenaders, decked iu romantic equal, enjoying that " oue touch of nature," costumes, would stop, and howl forth a bur­ love of humour, which "makes the whole world lesque lute scene from Don Giovanni; while, kin," I never shall forget Monsieur the Pre­ at a little distance, some dmiccrs, setting a fect, as he sat in his carriage with its heraldic fable on the side-walk, would iirocced fo per­ blazon, its powdered and gold frhiged coach­ form thereon a rollickhig " break-down," to the man and footman, with a halt-embarrassed smile general delight. upon his face; while all about him was this weird mass of boisterous masquers, waging And so round and round, for four mortaf their orange war, and giving to the picture of hours, this quaint procession wound, and the official dignity a most ludicrous frame indeed. thousands of Ihroats, becoming hoarser and The vehicles which contained the ma-^ijuers hoarser as the day advanced, sustained their were laughable enough. Now, you would sec a unremitting hubbub. At length the carriages movmg castle, with its bastions, its turrefs, its and the donkey-carts, the chaises aud the port holes, and its donjon-keep; and from its castles, as they repassed, showed signs of a towers, burlesque knights in cuirass and helmet. long and severe siege. There were oranges and orange-juice everywhere; broken pieces of X:»

204 [August 8,18C8.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Oondnctedfay

orange lay in piles within them, and stuck hair, jumped upon the table, and gesticulating to their wheels and sides; the dresses, hats, as only a Frenchman can, burst into a loud, and faces were covered with the yellow stain wild drinking song. When he came to the of oranges. The warriors of the day begau to chorus—which was something about oh yes, look jaded and worn; to take off their heavy we'll drink till the dawn, or some sentiment hats, stifling and dilapidated masks, and sit equally original—it was roared out lustily by limp in their seats, and refresh themselves with the rest; men and women jumped on the table wine and rest. and waved their hands, or danced with a wild Shortly after four (theCarnival liaving begun at glee which was positively catching. Another noon) the crowed began to slacken,vehicles began round of punch brought out, iu spite of the to drop out of the route, and the procession to law, the glorious Marseillaise, which sounded show long gaps in its line. Everybody seemed even grandly, so fervid were the voices, and to be hastening to the square and the steps of so earnest tlie faces. The drinking over, the the theatre, and soon the procession had disap­ table was quickly pushed aside, the floor was peared, excepting that now and then an un­ swept, aud partners were chosen. Two sprightly usually persevering party came rollicking up blue-bloused feUows stationed themselves on a the street, singing some rude Breton song, and raised bench, with fiddle and trumpet, and trying to provoke one last battle by launching forthwith struck up a lively waltz. And such the flattened oranges, which yet remained, at waltzing as ensued! Without rhyme or method, the tired crowd. 13y this time the masquers these lusty folkwhirled off at every angle, regard­ were somewhat the worse—or, considering less of consequences, and wholly given up to their greater vivacity and humour, perhaps the moment's ecstasy. Now and then there somewhat the better— for the white wine, which would be a general over tumbling, couple after is freely drunk, as may be imagined, on Car­ couple coming to the ground, and presenting nival day; aud in the square, and on the portico to the beholder a confused spectacle of petticoats of the theatre, the orgie was still kept up, uutil and cotton stockings hopelessly mixed up with the thick dusk of a moonless February evening blue blouses and wooden shoes. The revel threw a damper on the revellers, aud sent them ended with a grand jig, a combination of an reeling, singing, frolicking homeward. Irish jig and fashionable ballet, performed by " A curious sight," remarked Tompkins, as a blue blouse and a bonne. So frantically did we descended, and passed into the street, " but they distort their bodies, and pose themselves; after a fellow has beeu travelling all night, a the man throwing the girl ofer his shoulder, she little too long to keep one's interest alive. I'm kneeling and he bounding over her head; that glad it's over." every moment you almost expected them to fall " Over P" said our Breton friend, with a shrug to pieces. The man, as he danced, smoked a and lifted eyebrows, " Then monsieur does loug ci^ar; and now and then a long puff of not care to see how they finish the Carnival?" smoke, issuing from his mouth, produced^a very "By Jove! Is there anything more ?" ludicrous effect. "If monsieur is not too tired, after dinner, we will go to one of the cabarets, and see the Carnival dauce." Tompkins consented with a ^runt; for, tired AT THE CLUB "WINDOW. as he might be, he was determined, as he said, *' to have his money's worth out of these I. POCOCUR,:VNTB. Frenchmen." SirrrNG alone at the wiudow, We passed throush a zig-zag labyrinth of I -watch the crowd of people, narrow streets and dingy alleys, and liually de­ And study as they pass me scended to a cellar some steps below the level of The warp and woof of life ; Woven with good and evil, the street, where we found ourselves in a buvette, With Borrow and rejoicing. with a sanded floor, aud where some labourers With peace and true itffection, were busy drinkmg the favourite white wine. With agouy and strife. Our guide led us along a dark narrow pas­ sage to a long, low-studded, rudely-built hall, I think as the old men saunter, with brick floor, and tallow candles disposed at Of the pangs they all have suffered, rare intervals along the wall. The guests were In the hard up-mountain struggle, of the working classes, and were dressed in To the bare and frosty cope ; Of their patience and endurance. their every-day attire, the long lace coifs of the And the victory snatched from Fortune, damsels being conspicuous everywhere. We had Out of tlie pangs of death, just takeu our seats when a portly, jovial old Or at best forlornest hope. fellow, his head surmounted by a square paper cap, entered, followed by two gardens, who I think, neither sad nor happy, brouglit in a large table, and set it in the middle But filled •with a vague surmiaing, ofthe room. Anon the landlord reappeared with That the young men strutting so proudly Must run the self-same race; a huge bowl, from whence a savoury steam arose No pity for the hindmost, and filled the air. Shouts of delight greeted And much applause for the foremost; the good cheer; glasses were quickly filled; Applause and pity both idle, while a great brawny fellow with shaggy red To the heart not right in its place. ^^

Oharles Dickens.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [AuguEt,8, ISflS.] 205

I think as Lazarus passes. IV. THE EPICUREAN. That perhaps he has had his chances, What is the use of plodding, And knew not how to use them, Plodding for ever and ever, To make himself rich and great. To gain the bright hjilf million, And lift himself up to the summit. Too dizzy, perchance, to be envied, That shall lift us above the crowd ? Bat proud enough to scorn And dying, a fall nine-tenths of ua Without a sole enjoj-ment, All men of meaner estate. Worthy a true man's taking, I think that Dives flaunting liy kindly Heaven allowed ? His riches in the sunshine. May owe his gold to his fathers, I'm not afraid to he humble. Not a penny to himself. For though my fortune's little And that all things taken together, I make that little suffice Men are but busy spiders ; For the pleasures it can buy: That Fate the busier housewife A pint of Claret or Rhenish, Or a well-cooked dish iu season, Leaves on, or sweeps off the shelf. A Look, a gem, or a picture, But I neither laugh nor sigh To please the mind and eye. At the rights or wrongs I witness ; I take the -world as it passes I've something to spare for the needy And would mend it if I might. Who make no trade of their sorrow, But as I cannot, I may not. And as much as half my income And 80 go home to my pillow, For the wants of the friends I love; And wrap myself in the blankets. And I pity and laugh at the selfish And wish it a calm good night. And self-degrading zanies, Who look so much beneath them,

n. THE DEMI-SEMI LUNATIC- That they cannot see above. Says Fate to the Fated, It signifies little—thinking— "Unravel my skein." So I shall go home to dinner, Says the Fated to Fate And drinking a flask of Burgundy '* 'Twere eternally vain." The King and the Pope of wine; Says Body to Soul, I'll pledge my love (my wife), " We are mysteries twain." Like " rare old Ben" in the ditty. "Wherein do we differ ?" Who left a kiss in the goblet. Says Pleasure to Pain; As I can do in mine. *' Are not living and dying I'll laugh : we'll laugh and be happy, Mere links in a chain ? And free of hatred and envy, And is not the antidote We'll think in our single mindedness Part of the bane?" That we are truly wise; Unriddle my riddle And if we are not—what matters ? Oh sphinx of the plain ! For if love and satisfaction It weighs on my spirit Be not the heat of wisdom, It addles my brain. I care not where wisdom lies. PLAIN ENGLISH. m, THE ANGRY PESSIMIST. Yoa prefer a buffoon to a scholar, IF every other part of life in this island of A harlequin to a teacher, ours be (as we are by some expected to be­ A jester to a statesman, lieve) perfect, our method of teaching is de­ An Anonyma flaring on horseback fective, and sadly defective; painfully out of To a modest and spotless woman— the straight line, and immeasurably below the Brute of a public! ideal point. Our school-books seem writteu for Ton think that to sneer shows wisdom, children not to understand, rather than to make That a ^be outvalues a reason. diflBcult things easy to them, and obscure things That slang, such as thieves delight in, plain. Dry details from which every pictorial Is fit for tbe lips of the gentle, fact has been eut out; dull catalogues of mere And rather a grace than a blemish, words to whieh no living interest is attached ; Thick headed public! dates without a single dramatic incident to help towards the remembering of them; lists of You think that if merit's exalted battles and of kings, for history ; lists of chief 'Tis excellent sport to decry it. towns, of departments, of rivers, and of vague And trail its good name in the gutter; aud awful " boundaries," for geography; these And that cynics, white-gloved and cravated, Are the cream and quintessence of all things, are the cheerful means hy which we endeavour Ass of a public ! to make children love their books, and think learning better than houses or lands. It is You think that success is a merit, one of the strauge contradictions of human That honour and virtue and courage nature, that we go on seeing evils, and lament­ Are all very well in their places, ing them, but never attempt to remedy them. But that money's a thousand times better ; We know that our method of teachmg the Detestable, stupid, degraded, young, our school-books, and our range of Pig of a public! \^ 206 [iugUBt 8,1868,] ALT. THE YEAR ROUND. [Conducted by

lessons, arc all equally preposterous, and yet we please them ; you m us I; "exclude," not "shut do uoUiing to mend them. It seems as if we out;" you must "commence," not "begin;" believed iusome wholesome inilueuce of menial you must " be profound," rather than "deep;" pain. As though, by making knowledge espe­ and you must be very particulai- to be "impli- cially difficult we made it especially valuable, catecl in a certain transaction," instead of and planted the seeds effectually, in proportion " mixed up in some matter." One grammarian to the anguish of the operation ! sets his face against " by dint of argument," There are four things which may be taken " not a whit better," "the tables are turned," as the cardinal points of education—grammar, &c., as wanting in tiiat vague virtue called arithmetiCj history, aud geography; four names purity of style; another advises, as a more ele­ of torture to the young, but which, under any gant mode of diction," I prefer mercy to sacri­ raiional system of teachuig, might be made fice," instead of " I will have mercy and not four sources of pleasure and interest. As for sacrifice;" and thinks " he violated his pro­ grammar, which is tbe only one of the four to mise," infinitely better style than "he broke be touched on here, one might think that some his word." "The devouring element" is high- intellectual Ilerod had been the compiler of polite for " fire;" " he gave utterance to a sen­ mnst of the published treatises ; aud that his timent," is far before the plain "hesaid;" "to object was the hopeless bewildering of youthful signify assent," beats the sturdy "Yes" all to brains, and the final snuffing out of youthful nothing. Even a great preacher—great in elo­ inlcllectual light. Yet even grammar might quence, great in goodness, great in mind- be made full of what artists call colour, if we maundered once into " the source of light dis­ chose to study the best way of setting it forth. persing its rays," when all he wanted to say Certainly that way is not to be found in Lindley was simply " the sunshine." Murray; with bis dull rules rattling against Grammar-writers, and the teachers of gram­ the mind, like dry bones; without a morsel of mar, do even more than this. Not content flesh to cover their anatomy; nor yet is the way with taking all the pith and marrow out of to be found in some of the modern issues, whicli the English language, and making it a mere are even more pedantic than Liudley Murray, anglicised Latin (so far as tiey are able), they and infinitely more bewildering. Here are two still further perplex the youthful learner bythe instances of modern grammar-writing. In one gnarled and hopeless subject of their themes. little work, otherwise sensible, the following " Which do you prefer, a classical or commer­ classification of adverbs is commended to the cial education ? State your reasons." This is one young learner: "Adverbs of quality, of ofthe questions calmly put to the boy of twelve afirmafion, of contingency,, of negation, of ex­ or fourteen for whom this grammar is written. plaining, of separation, of conjunction, of inter­ " What inferences are you entitled to draw rogation, ol pre-eminence, of defect, ol preference, from the extension of railways to all parts of of equality^ of inequality, of gradation, of in a the country?" is another question. "Proves place, of to a place, of toward a 2^lace, ol from future state of rewards and punishments," is a a place, of time present, of time past, of time third tickler. "The first request is au impos­ future^ of time indefinitely, of time difi/iitely, sible one," says Mr. Meiklejohn, from whom of order, and of quaiitify."^ Another author these extracts are quoted; the second is absurd of a practical grammar, divides adverbs into and senseless; and the tliird is surely beyond nine classes, and coujunctions iuto sixteen. the powers of most grown-up people. Answers Among these, are adverbs that express manner are likewise expected to such questions as by quality, manner by degree, and manner by these: " Is Law or Physic more advan­ affirmation—whatever these terms may mean. tageous ?" " Is Agriculture or Commerce pre­ Among the conjunctions, are conjunctions of ferable ?" Considering the experience of four­ purpose, of condition, of conce.mon, and so on. teen years of age, these questions are certainly \\ hen teachers attempt to erani such indi­ occasions for the exercise of some imagination. gestible material as this iuto the tender brains But to go back to grammar, pure and simple. of youth, who cau wonder if those brains obsti­ "We all know what utter weariness of spurit, nately and vehemently refuse to be fed upon what headaches, confusion of mind, moral pros­ the husks and chaff offered them for food? tration, and persoual disgrace, what rivulets of Who can expeet any other than the general tears, and dire punishmeuts of various kinds, result of ordinary schooling, which is, that boys have marked the path of those Juggernauts of and girls will do their best to forget all that the school-room—the makers of grammars their masters and mistresses have made believe written not to be understood. And yet this to teach them, and that the real education most painful of all the dry sticks giveu to the begins when the "scholastic courses" cud? youug to transform iuto a flowering branch, Almost all gram mar-writers have a great dis­ might be made interesting if treated as it ought like to short words instead of long words, and to to be treated; that is, in connexion with history Saxon words instead of Latin words. You must aud other matters having some relation to "accumulate," not "heap up," if you would human life. Any one who has taught inteUi- geutly, or seen intelligent teaching, in a school, * Quoted from o lecture (What is and What must remember with M'hat delight children re­ may be Meant by Teaching English), by J. M. D. ceive lessons which are made aramatic or pic­ Meiklejohn, M.A. torial. The dullest fact, if helped out with

'V ChkrlwDlckenB.] ALL THE YEAR BOUND, [August 8,1868.] 207 any collateral information couneetmg it with navian words." In the names of places wc human life or animate existence, has a charm for have by for village, iu Whitby, Grimsby, &c.; the young that at once fixes it in their me­ fell for hill (Norse fjcid) iu Crossfell, Seawfell; mories ; and a dense-witted, wearied, yawning gill (this should be spelt ghyll), a ravine, in class can be brightened up into a little circle of Ormesgill; Scar, a steep rock, in Scarborough; bright-eyed listeners all agape for knowledge, Tarn, a small deep lake, in Tarnsyke, &c. Had if uie teacher strike out of the stupid old Mr. Meiklejohn been acquainted with the lake droning track, and begiu his uext section with country, he could have infinitely enriched and an anecdote or au illustration. amended his examples, but we have taken what There is one part of grammar, at present a we have found, there being enough to illustrate terrible weariness and vexation of spirit, which the principle. There arc said to be thirteen hun­ might be made very pleasant reading, aud that dred aud seventy-three names of places in Eng­ is the derivation of words. There arc better land, of Danish or Norse origin, among which methods of teaching this art and mystery than ave the islands ending in cy—ey, ea, or a, being by mere lists of Greek and Latin roots; and in all different forms ofthe Norse word for an island an admirable section called the Matter of the —as Jersey, Cesar's Island ; Athelney, Noble's English Language, Mr. Meikleiohn has shown Island; Auglesea, island of the Angles, &c. in his Easy English Grammar how charmingly The greatest addition to our language has this subject can be treated. Though our lan­ been from tlie Latin, either directly to a small guage is an aggregation of mauy materials, rather extent, durins; the Roman occupation from than oue broad stream flowing from one original A.D. 43 to 480, or to a large extent when source, and merely clianginj^ by the way, yet Roman missionaries introduced Christianity it has a certain inner life of its own which assi­ among us in A.D. 596; or indirectly, by the milates all these varying materials, and welds intrqauction of the Normaii-Erench language them into one harmonious whole. Certainly and literature iu the time of Edward the Con­ the manner of construction is somewhat irre- fessor first, and later, when William the Con­ gidar, and the application is not unfrequently queror came. The Latin clement in Euglish strained, but this is because we have never comprises ten-fortieths of the whole ; the purely given any serious scientific attention to the English is twenty-five fortieths ; and the creation or preservation of our tongue, but remaining five-fortieths are made up of Keltic, have trusted to chance and ha])hazard, and the Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, Italian, Hin- natural cohesion of verbal particles, when once dostanee, Spanish, Dutch — in fact, from placed in contact with each other. Conse­ words of almost every language of the globe. quently, a full and exhaustive system of analysis One hundred and fifty-four Greek and Latin and derivation shows some strange and un­ roots give thirteen thousand English words. looked-for results. Once all Keltic, we have From pono, to place, we have two huudred and now comparatively few words of the old tongue fifty words ; from plico, to fold, two hundred ; left among us. The Thames, the Severn, and from capio, to take, one hundred and ninety- the Trent; the Meudip Hills, the Chiltern, seven; from specie, to see, one hundred and and the Malvern; Devon, Wilts, Kent; Lou­ seventy-seven; from mltto, to send, one hundred don, Dover, Liverpool, are all Keltic names of and seventy-four; from tcneo, to hold, one rivers, hills, counties, and towns respectively; hundred and sixty-eight; from tendo, to stretch, 30 are names of places beginning with Abrr, one huudred and sixty-two; from dueo,to lead, the mouth of a river, as Arbroath, formeriv one huudred and fifty-six ; from logos, a word, Aberbrothwick, aud Abcrwiek, now Berwick ; one hundred and fifty-six; from grapho, to the names of places beginning with Caer, a fort, write, one hundred and fifty-two. Yet great as as Carlisle, Carnarvon, Caerltou; with Dun, a is this classic influence, it is greater in the hill, as Dumbarton, Dunmore, Huntingdon; fixed than in the moving language. We write with Lin, a deep pool, as Linlithgow, King's down in our dictionaries one-fourth or ten- Lynn; with Llann, a church, as Llandaff, fortieths of Latin words, we speak from thirty- Llanheris; with Tre, a town, as Coventry (or six to thirty-nine-fortieths of Saxon words, and convent town); with Inver, the mouth of a we write I'rom twenty-nine to thirty-eight- river, as Inverness, Iiivcrary. Also certain fortieths of the same Saxon. In Macaulay's common words are Keltic, ns basket, trap, cart, essay on Bacon there arc thirty Saxon words gown, pike, crag, whip, brave, cloud, plaid, out of every forty, while in the ]>J"ew Testament crockery, tartan, darn, wire, mattock, mop, there are thirty-seven. "All the common words rasher, rug, button, crook, kUn, flannel, gyves, of every-day use, all the joiuls of the language, gruel, welt, mesh, rail, glue, tackle, coat, pranks, all that makes it au organism, all the words balderdash, happy, pert, sham, and others. The that express the life of individuals or of the Scandinavian or "Norse element is found chiefly nation are pure English. In one word, all that in the provincial dialects of Northumberland, makes a language a language is Euglish; the La- Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Cumberland, and West­ tm element merely fills up gaps and intersflees." moreland, where we have force for waterfall, Auother odd and interesting part of grammar greet for weep, ket for carrion, and lile for Is the tracking out of the meanings of words Rttle; "all of which," says Mr. Meiklejohn, changed by constant application. Thus, jjazette, from whom we are quotmg, and who is respon­ which was once gazetta, a small Venetian colu sible for these assertions, " are pure Scandi­ said to have been the price of the first news- ^

203 [Augusts. 1868.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. (Oonducted by

paper, is now the newspaper itself; bombast, tinent, is the lazy, drawling, slovenly manner formerly a stuff of soft loose texture, used to of speech current among our countrymen and stuff out clothes, is now a pompous inflated countrywomen. Not a letter has its due value, style; boor, a rustic, is now an ignorant ill- and none of the nicer shades of intonation are mannered person; villain, a serf, is a wretch; given. Those subtle distinctions which are so pagan, a villager, is a heathen; lumber, or finely marked in the French manner of speech are things formerly stowed away In a Lombard's or witli us ignored altogether; and we give such banker's room, is now any kind of useless ac­ words as witch and which, where and wear, rain cumulation—in America, timber; treacle was and reign, without the faintest sound of differ­ anciently therlac, a remedy against poison, and ence; while we clip cousin to coz'n, clothes to specially an electuary made of various drugs clo's, preference to pref rence, slur often into pounded together and mixed with honey, now orfen, put h's after s's or soft z's, muddle up it is only molasses, the syrup which runs from fortune into fortshun, and figure into figgur. sugar; stationer, or a mau with a stall or Besides this grave delinquency in pronuncia­ station for selling goods, is a man who sells tion, we often speak ungrammatically in our paper and pens, &e., only; romance, the Roman current daily conversation. How many stumble language, is tlie kind of fictitious literature hopelessly over the traps of I and me; and originally written in that language; cheque, a how many get entangled in the difficulties chequered cloth for counting money, is a piece of the past tense and the past participle! of paper representing mouey ; and stool, a chair, " That is between you and I only," is a phrase is now really a chair for the feet. These are by no means rarely heard; " it is me," is even just a few instances of what might be done less rare. A very common error lies in taking towards making the study of grammar attrac­ the plural verb immediately after the pluiS tive to the young, and investing nouns and verbs noun, thougli the noun with which it rightly with a human an4 therefore a living interest. agrees is in the singular. "One after another Auother thing rarely taught at all, and never of my children have gone;" "the last of his taught well, is the art of correct and beautiful enemies have died;" while, even in writing, speaking. How few people can read aloud such horrible English as " neither he nor she decently, or speak properly and pleasantly ! As were there," is constantly to be met with. for accent, the chauces are as nmety-nine to a It is very much to be regretted that lan­ hundred that it will be thrown in the wrong guage has been made of little account in our place; as in that famous example of the clergy­ English education; that we have no standard man who, having to read liow Saul after solici­ of excellence, either for grammar or pronun­ tation was persuaded to eat, read it thus: " Aud ciation ; and that we take no pains with the the woman had a fat calf in the house, and she organ if even we had this standard as onr rule. hasted and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded Schools, where deportment and dancing, and it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof. And how to get into a carriage gracefully, and how she brought it before Saul and before his to come into a room with an air, are taught, servants, and they DID eat!" Children are never leave the voice and daily speech alone, trusting taught to manage the voice in speakmg. Sing­ solely to the power of imitation for a correct ing comes mto the category of an art, and method of pronunciation and the avoidance of therefore attention is paid to it, but speaking auy gross mistakes in grammar, but never is of the natural functions only, and for this making the management or modulation of the nature alone is made answerable. Few nations voice of any real account, nor holding the art speak so badly as the English. We all know of conversation as an art useful to be learned the clipping, drawling, mouth-shut murmur in and necessary to be studied, before it can be which the young man of the period speaks; we practised. It would be a good thing if the all know the sharp, short, asthmatic, catcliy teachers of our young people could and woilld way in which some of the girls of the period take in hand the art of speakin*: both with re­ speak ; or that deep chest-voice aff'ected by the gard to the management of the voice and the more horsey kind; or that shrill head-voice de­ carefulness of conversalibnal grammar, as weU lighted in by the fast sort not specially horsey; as with regard to conversation itself. or that thin half-whining voice whieh some of the more quiet and modest kind seem to think part of their quietness, and essential to DOGS WE HAVE HAD. their modesty. The great aim of most young people seems to be to clip off their words as A. VERT yellow, wiry, not to say stubbly many letters and syllables as tliey possibly can, terrier of the middle size, with ears cropped to and to make what remains as indistinct as they the pattern that suggests the sharp points of can. It seems as if the horror of trouble wliicu the old-fashioned, now exploded " gills ;" with is infesting a certain section of our young iron-grey whiskers, and a general air of watch­ people had extended to the labours of the lips; ful inquiry for rats; brought back 'with a and that the neat and careful formation of string rouud her, by a ragged boy. This is words was something quite beyond the ordinary Vixen the First, originally purchased in open energies of life. The lirst thing which strikes market, and who, after a day's absence, has all English people who have ears and keen per­ been brought home. Her ransom costs half- ception of sounds, on returning from the Con­ rown. Her first introduction to the family trr:

Chftrl«8 DlckeBB,] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [August 8,1863.] 309 had been from under a hall chair, whither she over the plain. It was all over. I was alone. had retreated, and whence she looked warily. What was a review now to me ? I was When it was attempted to draw her from this miles from home, and towards home I now lair (disrespectfully by the neck), she growled went, moodily, and in deep grief. There, faces and snapped. On this display of an evil soul, of surprise and eager questions met me. " What it was almost resolved to deport her, but on have you done with The Vixen?" Question entreaty one chance was given her, of which she answered testily, I fear with petulance even. availed herself so speedily, so engagingly, as to Tired and heated, not in the mood to be ques­ become an universal favourite, the best of com­ tioned, I entered the study, about to fling myself panions, most honest of creatures. This was iu into the easy-chair, and mourn privately and the old school days, when the alliance between wearily. When lo! I see in the easy-chair; dog and boy is of the strictest sort. There is a fagged also, and very dusty and travel-stained, fedlng of equality, then. She shared in every­ the yellow runaway, the sauve qui pent, thing. As he read and studied, she had her Ufting her head, as if it were from a pillow, corner, where, coiled up into something like a languidly, wagging her tail, uncertam whether snail-shell, and makiug a pillow of her own hind about to receive punishment or congratulation. leg, she dreamed the most exquisite dreams, and The boyish heart condoned everything—nay, groaned over charming processions of endless deemed that she had rather won honours. She rats. There were more delightful holidays when had never taken that journey before, yet had the sun was shining, and we went forth for the made her way home by an unfamiliar road, and whole day's walking—a prospect she had fore­ must have travelled at headlong speed. thought of, and enjoyed as much as her master. Then, after miles of walking, we came to the We were always on the best and most familiar park, and the copses, and sat under a tree, terms, and yet she had a quick temper. She and basked in the sun; the master finding was passionate; but she knew that failing, and Rookwood excellent company, while the Vixen, controlledit. On a fevf occasions alittle chastise­ with a profoundly business-like air, cultivated ment was threatened, and she retreated under a her natural history, and explored the district as chair, and there, as from a fortification, looked if she were a canine botanist, hound to report out, all tusks, and teeth, and snarl, with her on the Flora of the region. Surely, in these upper lip turned inside out, filledwit h a demo­ burrowings and uptumings, these testings with niacal fury. The next moment she would be eye and nose, they see and discover as many all love aud friendliness. things of interest. Sometimes she would start She was not regarded with much favour a rabbit, and pursue it, hopelessly; but these above stairs, as wanting refinement and elegant were rare openings. Very plea.sant were those manners. It was as though one had "taken bivouacs, yind I feel the scent of the May up" with a friend of low estate. 1 think she blossoms floating past me now. was aware of this unreasonable prejudice, and, regarding it as Insurmountable, never attempted Once, there was a large review of soldiers in to soften it away. In this she showed her this place, and we agreed to go together, as sagacity; yet once when there was company, usual. But I noticed that the Vixen was a gentleman playing the violin—an Instrument rather taken aback by the long files of red she detested—the door was pushed open softly, coats: taking a few steps towards them, halt­ aud she entered, bearing a large junk of ing, and, with suspicious inquiry in the nostrils, stolen beef. There was a kind of pride in her scrutinising the arrangements up and down. achievement, with yet a latent sense of the un­ She did not like the distant bugle, and looked lawfulness of ihe act, there was an air of guilt, round uneasily. So, with the hoarse sounds of and also of stolid audacity in the manner in command, the faint hum and clatter, and the which she entered, walking slowly and leisurely tinklmg of arms, chains, and bridles; these in through the midst ot the company—half unpastoral associations were not what she ex­ skulking, half inviting attention, her eyes pected, and she made slow progress, drawing rolling round the comer towards her master back her head and putting the question with with a comic expression of doubt. The scene her quivering nostrils: " What tlie deuce, my was true comedy, for it was a polite meeting— dear fellow, is all this?" But when the silks and fine clothes, tea and the " quality"— artillery came thundering and clanking up beside and the intruder, wiry and unkempt and a little us, and the first gun and the second nearly dusty, had come direct from the stable. Was shook her off her balance, without a second's It the vanity of her sex prompted her to pay delay, she fled, with ears down, body stretched that visit with her purloined booty? Was it out, hare-like, a victim of sudden panic, scour­ ambition, or a love of fine company? She was ing the wide plain. I beheld her between two free of the kitchen, or, better still, the garden, lines of soldiers. I saw her through the smoke, where, with that grizzly nose of hers, she had giving one hurried glance over her shoulder. For dug many a little pit, usiug the same feature her, the end of her world was come. Pandemo­ afterwards as a shovel, to cover up secreted nium was at her heels. Grief and rage filled my treasure. heart. My companion was gone for ever—gone into that cloud of smoke. I should never see Vixen the First lived many years, during her again. I made a vain attempt at pursuit, which we enjoyed many delightful country but saw her grow into a yellow speck, far away walks together, and she killed innumerable rats, and swam in rivers and brooks, and fought \^ 210 [Anguat 8,1868.] ALL THE TEAR ROUND. other dogs with credit and reputation, and mitted that he never attempted to bite them; was a most pliant and entertaining companion. but after his meal, or Indeed at any season, when Some; imes her tastes, being of a vagabond sort, he was stretched at length on his rug, any en­ led her away from home in the company of dearments from even the privileged hand of hia dogs about town, who were of wild and even mistress, were resented with testy growlinw profligate manners. These excesses gave her a and ill-humoured movings away. The only taste for the pleasures ofthe table, and an im­ one for whom he had toleration or the faint ap­ moderate fancy for meat, which hnd the usual pearance of regard was a person of low degree, fatal results of a free life. In due time she an old retainer of the family, who kept a little was laid up with an attack of the malady so whip privately for his special behoof, and fatal to canine personal charms. There was who used to hold conversations with 'him the usual fierce scralchlngs, and finally the through the pantry-window. "I'll give TO» wiry hair began to come otf in patches. Emi­ the whip, sir, I will," &c. To this official, I nent physicians were c:iiled In, and some sort am proud to say for the sake of our common of cure elieeted. But the moral weakness was animal nature, he was almost fawning in his not to be eradicated—nay, it developed with behaviour, making affectation of being over­ restraint; and a fatal outrage, when she was detected on the table-cloth after lunch, in the joyed to see Mm, and when the retainer act of trying to get a convenient hold of a would return, after an absence of a week, limbless fowl, preparatory to carrying it away, goin;*—artful hypocrite—into convulsions of caused a council to be held at once in refer­ whinings, jumpings, aud such pretences of de­ ence to her case. It was resolved, after a light. His mistress has been away a -month, secret deliberafion—our opiniou had not then and he has been known to trot up the kitchen much weight iu the councils of the house—to stairs to see what the commotion of her return get rid of Vixen the First: not, I am happy might be about, stand at a distance, look on at to say, by execution or other violent measures, the new arrival, then coolly turn his back, and but by conferring her as a gift on a gentleman strut leisurely down again, as though the in the country, who fortunately had a taste for matter was unworthy his attention, i^ it " varmint"—'in the sense of what is Bohemian was almost impossible not to feel an interest in in the matter of sport—and for this reason was him, for this very indifference or independence. willing to overlook those cutaneous blemishes. And he had his good points also. He was a per­ But though unlike the leopard, she might, fect gentleman; seemed always to recollect lus change her spots, she could not overcome her good birth and breeding, and no persuasions old appetites, whetted by sharp country air and of servants could retain him below in their pastimes; and we were soon grieved to learn kitchen quietly, save in very cold weather, that the amateur of " varmint" had found him­ when he had his reasons ibr engaging the gi-eat self constrained to part with his useful assistant. fire there. He was always Intrigi^^ng to slip More than two years later, at a sea-side place, away from servants. But, faithful to his prin­ a decayed-looking " cur" came creeping across ciples, he knew their dinner hour to the mo­ the street from the liccls of a Sykes-lookiiig ment, aud no seductions of high society would fellow, and looked up to me with wistful recog­ theu prevent his going down to join them at nition, as though half afraid that such acknoM'- that desirable time. Sometimes if detained ledgment would take the shape of the prompt above by stratagem, he would at last esc^e, and sharp kick. There was something very and would come galloping in among them, pant- piteous in this cringing self-depreciation. The dog, too, was thin and bony, and the tail, once ing, with an air, as though he were conferring carried so jauntily, as a knowing fellow wears a favour, and as who should say, " I waa un­ his hat, was now gathered up timorously under avoidably detained, but I have since tried hard the legs. Suddenly Sykes gave a whistle and to make up for lost time." a sharp curse, and the luckless animal slunk off. He had likewise learned litUe tricks of begg­ That was the last I saw of Vixen the First. ing rouud the table for food—a practice a little humiliatmg for a gentleman of his birth, bnt still consistent with his principles. For, if invited "to beg" where food was not con­ A year or so later some one brings to the cerned, he would resent It, and if importuned, house a little diminutive Sky terrier, coal black, would growl. During meal-time he certainly rough-haired, not uncomely, and about two gave liis mistress the preference, going on hands long. This gentleman is known as short excursions to any one who invited him "Jack." Being a lady's property, he is forth­ with any conspicuous morsel, but returning to with pampered, and made free of drawing-rooms her side. If, however, she said, "No more, and bedrooms : which I feel acutely as a retro­ sir," and showed him the palms of her hands, spective injustice to the memoi-y of the lost he at once turned away from her, with uncon­ Vixen the First. cealed contempt, taking up his residence with Jack was, I suppose, the most delightful some more promising person. No bare endear­ instance of real, natural, undisguised selfishness ments could in the least detain him. Another that could be conceived. Loaded with benefits, merit of his was rare persoual courage. He stuffed with delicacies, lie made not the slightest was afraid of no one, mau, woman, child, or pretence of caring for the persons who so fa­ dog. For so tiny a creature this was really to voured him. Injustice to him, it must be ad­ be admired. Attack him wilh a stick or ^

Oharlea Dlckena.] ALL THE TEAR ROUND. [August 8,1868.] 211 nmbreUa, and he would stand on his defence, dren shrank from her as she jogged by with with his face honourably towards you, growling, tlie true bull dog, wary, business-like air. snarling, and even mewling with rage, and all But she did not want for pluck or courage, the time retiring cleverly and slowly until he as every street boy knew—a class whom she got to shelter. regarded with detestation. Half a mile away, In the streets he trotted along witli infinite the sight of a pair of bare legs, a cap, and a dignity, and towards other dogs bore himself torn jacket, threw her into a furv : down went wilh a haughty contempt. Nothing was more her iiead and ears, and she was off like an amusing than to see a big, frisking, free- arrow, and presently flying round the bare mannered dog mn at liira and coolly tumble legs. Beggar boys, boys with baskets, all sorts him over in the dust, and to see the little of boys, had the same effect: low men with a outraged gentleman pick himself up, all over generally blackguard look fell under the same dust, growling and snarling with rage and odium. I am inclined to believe that m a pre­ mortification. More amusing still was it to sec vious state of life she bad suffered persecution a great Newfoundland dog stalk up, not quite from beings of this sort. She was up to an.vthing sure whether this could be a rat, or one of his in the way of sport or gamesomeness, aud if pur­ own species, whom he was bound to respect. sued by any rough, at whose heels she had been As he became importunate in his curiosity, aud flying, would retreat under a cart, and there troublesome m his half friendly, half hostile at­ stand snarling aud spitting iiorribly. Some­ tention, it was delicious to see Jack tura and times correction became necef-sary, and then snap dehberately at him, sputtering ra^e, while she would take her corporal punishment with the giant would start back confounded, not eyes closed fast, shrinking away from it, and knowing what to make of it. crouching, but with true Spartan fortitude, never uttering even a yelp. Her intelligence Seven, eight, nine years roll by, and he Is was surprising. If her master assumed nn actually getting to be a little old gentleman. expression of displeasure, she grew disturbed He wheezes and coughs a good deal as he goes and uneasy. And here was a favourite exer­ up-stairs. His black eyes are not so brilliant cise to show off her sagacity. When he was as of y^ore. But he has become snappish and reading and she half snoozing with her chin on impatient, more testy aud selfish than ever. her forepaws, he would say in a low quiet He is, in fact, just like other old gentlemen. voice of displeasure, " What made you do it ? His appetite is just as great, and he will eat What dy'e mean ?" Her motion would be to hearty meals, which, however, do not agree raise her Jieacl and look rouud in a mourufully with him; and though he Is usually unwell deprecating way, ns who should say, "What is after these hearty banquets, the lesson Is it, master ?" If the reproach were repeated, quite thrown away on him. His fine black she would look again with her ^reat sad eyes, the whiskers have turned grey and rusty. In the tail pleading slowly, and finally raising herself house, too, changes have taken place. He has in the most deprecating way, would steal over, lost friends, and it grieves me to think that in and with a sort of groan, would raise herself on these old days of his he found a change, and her hind legs and piteously implore forgive­ learnt what the world was. I wonder did he ness. The moment she saw a smile, her tail make a sort of Wolsey reflection on the world, watrged joyfully. •when, with much wheezing and coughing, he Tiad toiled up-stairs, and coming confidently iu at the drawing-room would be met with a stern She haa the sweetest disposition, this Vixen " Go down, sir !—go down !" But what could the Second. She had even taught herself, God one do for him? He was not the young buck knows how, a sort of moral restraint and disci- he used to be, and he had, besides, an afi'ection [jline. She had her rule of life, based upon « hat of the hinder leg, something in the nature of she thought would be pleasing to the Great alight paralytic stroke, brought on by excess at Being, so he seemed to her, that guided her table. existence. Take an instance. We all know those harmless salutations and flirtations inter­ changed among those of her race, who are per­ Another wiry yellow dog arrives on the scene, fect strangers to each other, aud which appear carried in the arms of a Jewish-looking gentle­ almost an etiquette. No one had so keen a zest man, in a squirrel cap, whose profession is dogs for these interviews as Vixen. Her remarkable —with so gentle and amiable an air about her, air, a little bizarre, but highly attractive, drew and with such a resemblance to my old favourite, crowds of admirers around her. Yet when they that I at once redeem her from captivity for the cairie with their insidious homage, she would sum of fifteen shillings, and christen her " Vixen indeed stop, for she knew what was due to the the Second." courtesies; she would,for a second be dazzled; but in another moment the moral principle She was the strangest combination in phy­ had asserted itself, and wilh a secret agony sique; with the yellow wiry-haired body of the —for the struggle cost her much, she was dog ordinary terrier, she had the snout of the l)ull after all—she tore herself away, and came rush­ terrier, perfectly coal black, and the brightest ing to make up for even tlmt second's dal­ and largest of black eyes set darting forward liance. On one occasion only did her resolu­ like dark earbnncles. With this truculent tion fail her, and that was when a matchless and remarkable exterior she showed herself bull-terrier of a dazzling snow-white, and an the most engaging and gentle creature. Chil­ \ 212 [August 8, 1M8.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [OoDdaeted bj exquisite shape, breed, and symmetry, made high sense of duty, though trembling with cold, some advances. He was dressed in the height and much buffeted by the rou^h waves. of the mode, richly, with a collar decorated Jack, yet alive, shared In all our excursions, around with silver and most musical bells. and shared Vixen the Second's kennel. At This capt ivating creature was too much for her; last, however, the time came when these pleasant she was deaf to all augry calls—threats even— relations were to be broken up for ever. Old seemed determined to pursue this fascinating Jack began to fail, yet gradujilly. VThen the acquaintance, and prepared to give up all and cheerful cry for going abroad reached him, he follow him. But this was a brief intoxication, would rise, walk a short way eagerly, then re­ the old, old story, all for love, and the world collect himself, as it were, and go back. Ik well lost. She was observed to be quiet and prefered his easy-chair by the fire. He grew pensive all that day, and when she went out more cross every day, or rather hour. He found again, looked about restlessly for the brilliant the temperature of his own private house in white admirer: he, of course, had long smce the yard too severe, and used actually to simu- forgotten the incident, and was busy enslaving late exhaustion, to get taken in and be laid some other charmer. before the kitchen fire, and treated with ten­ For Vixen the Second, the kitchen had not that derness and interest by female hands. He charm which it has for other dogs. Neither would bask in that agreeable atmosphere, had she that liking for ostlers, footmen, &c., lying with an almost comic languor, apparentiy wiiich her kind usually entertain. She was without sensfe or motion, save when any one always scheming to get up-stairs; below, her touched him as if to remove hira, when he would ears were always strained for the far-off whistle; forget his part, and emit a low cantankerous indeed, her organisation was so delicate, aud her growl. Seeing the success of this mamEuvre, affection so strong, tliat she knew the peculiar he often resorted to it, until the public at last sound of her master's step as the hall-door refused to be so imposed on, and rather neg­ opened and lie entered. After breakfast every lected his touching symptoms. This only made morniug there was heard a faint "pat-pat" him more peevish and disagreeable. A more on the oilcloth in the hall, drawing nearer. genuine symptom was the small size to which Those who watched her found that this was he was shrinking: growing smaller every hour; her favourite secret gait, with which she con­ originally a little dog, he had become now of a trived to make escape from below when they very tiny pattern—his rich black coat had grown wished to detain her, thus passing the pantry- rusty, and his dark face and muzzle had turned door on tiptoe. Sitting at his [study-taole, her an iron grey. In these later days he tookrefoge master would see iier moving Inward myste­ in a sort of indifference, which had the air of a riously, and presently a wistful nose, and a pair wounded reserve. He kept himself to hinwel^ of more wistful eyes were introduced, softly look­ as it were. Invited in, he did not seem to ing round the edge, and saying as plain as nose care to accept civilities. The paralytic affection and eyes could say, "Do let me come in, please." seemed to gain on him, arching his oack rather, She would stay in that position until the solicited and drawing up his hinder leg. Poor Jack 1 invitation was given, then enter on her favourite One winter evening set in more than usually gait, receive congratulations, and proceed to severe—frosty, with a bitter wind. Events of take her favourite turning round and round some importance had been going forward m the before coiling herself properly. Often, with a mansion, and throughout the day, beyoud the heavy sigh, she would let herself drop full customary invitatiou to come and take his length upon her side and lie out lazily. This breakfast, uot much notice had been bestowed was all sheer coquetry, for she could have on him. Later, at a less engrossing period, a entered boldly and in the usual way of her faithful maid, perhaps feeling compunction, kind. The only exception was after washing went to look after him and bring him m. He day, below: a terrible ceremony, which she was discovered, his meal, untouched, lying near shrank from. When she saw the large tub him, cold and collapsed, and with scarce^ any brought out, she skulked under the table with sign of life. He was carried in tenderly, and signs of horror and repulsion; then, in the carefully laid down on the warm hearth, and first tmguarded moment, disappeared iuto some rubbed carefully and assiduously. The sight of strange and ingenious place of concealment, his loved kitchen fire, and its genial warmth— which for a lon^ time dened the strictest search. the sun to which this little canine Parsee always After this washing operation was happily over, turned his face with something like idolatry- she would come bursting in abruptly, her wiry seemed to draw him back to life. Hw eyes hair standing on end through imperfect dry­ opened Iauguidly,his little shrunkenbodyglowed ing, and would go prancing about, snuffling and anew. But as he made an effort to get nearer coughing, evidently thrown off her centre by to the fire, the head dropped over quietly, and the operation. It was the soap, I think, whicli the hinder leg gave a little twitch. Lile bad affected her, through the smell of the alkali em­ ebbed away very gently. A simple basket, con- ployed. It was no craven shrinking from the tahiing liis poor old remains, was carried un- water, for she swam bravely; and on the coldest osterttatiously to a neighbouring square, where days, when curs were cowering away from the a friendly gardener, who had often noted hun water's edge, she would plunge in boldly to taking his easy morning constitutional over the fetch out sticks, evidently in obedience to her pleasant sward, undertook the sexton's duty, Chftriea Dlokeiu.] ALL THE TEAR ROUND. [Auguflt 8,18fi8.] 213 and performed the last decent offices in a pretty scamper, the drinking at the clear brook side, flower bed. Vixen the Second attended as the book drawn out on the soft bank, with moumer, but behaved with something like reader and hook reflected in the brlfflitest and levity, and yet, at the same time, exhibiting au most flashing of mirrors, while Vixen the uneasy curiosity about the basket; otherwise Second is away on short explorlngs. Now a she showed no concern. wliirr from the root of the old tree that stoops If Vixen had a penchant it was for butchers' over the water, and the restless investigator has shops: which she discovered afar off, and to made out a nest, uow a sudden plash and yelp which, if we were on the other side of the of disappointment, and the nose is pointed street, she crossed over, in a most circuitous quivering, as a great water rat leaps In, evicted and artful fashion, and with a guilty creeping from his lodgings. way, quite foreign to her. She never stood Sometimes the journey would be enlivened irresolute in front of the entrance, sniffing from by incidents of broad farce. She was not with­ a distance, as some foolish dogs do, who are out a sense of the higher grotesque. We once repulsed with a kick. She entered privately met a strange wiry old maid in a limp skirt, a under the counter, crept round leisurely, and little short cape, a " poke " bonnet of the day of invariably secured some choice " swag." In­ George the Fourth, and a long spiky parasol. deed, some of her robberies were too daring, This lady arose suddenly from a bench where as on the day we visited the confectioner's she had been reading in a pastoral way; the shop together^ when she partook of various effect on Vixen was a humorous one; she gave delicacies, yet lingered behind on some pre­ a start and a short grunt, jumping from this text. She was presently seen to emerge at full side to that, and looking back at me, as who speed from the confectioner's door, carrying should say, "What sort of Yahoo have we with infinite difficulty a large bath bun in her here?" She quite divined the harmless cha­ mws, the confectioner himself in an^ry pursuit. racter of the apparition, but saw it was abnormal, and accordingly contented herself How she got possession of this delicacy could with sliort barks; then took a short wheel iu not be ascertained; he said, " it were when his front of the apparition, and lay down with her back was tumed," an affront he seemed to feel. nose to the ground, like an ludian skirmisher He was, of course. Indemnified, and the daring with a musket pointed. shoplifter was foolishly allowed to retain the property, eating it in pieces of convenient Or, one might come suddenly on a stray size. tVhen taken to sit for her portrait, she party of boys with a donkey. One of the imparted a dramatic element into that opera­ happiest and most satisfactory moments con­ tion. The thorough Investigation she made; ceivable for the gamin mind. There would be the sniffing at the chemicals; the speculation as to a tall fellow or two, who equally relished their the apparatus, camera, &c., which seemed to have share of the donkey, though scarcely to be some suspicious connexion with fire arms; the ranked in the category of boys; one of whom, searching behind the theatrical draperies; but by superior force, was presently mounted, his when business came, her sense of duty at once feet almost touciiing the grouncf, and then the asserted itself, and the operator owned that he whole cortege set oft in exquisite delight, the tall had found his human sitters more difficult to youth riding stiffly and warily, as the donkey iiad its ears suspiciously straight and a queer "pose" and far more affected. She arrayed look on Its mouth. Off they set full speed, voices herself on the cushion placed for her, and gazed chattering and screaming with delight, the dust with her bright eyes intently on a bit of biscuit in clouds, hoofs pattering, and a whole rain of hehi out ostentatiously behind the camera. pokes, thumps, imshes, pinches! Comic, and There was a gentle motion in her tail, but this I so it seems to Vixen, who, in a second, has firmly believe she was not conscious of, or she her ears down, stoops, and is off at full speed. would have suppressed it. The result was sur­ She gives low shrieks of enjoyment, and as prising—I am looking at it now—sharp, clear, the clouds of dust clear, she is seen keeping unblurred, aud life-like. up with the party, attaching herself to the The relations of dog and boy are always of heels of the donkey, giving liim every now and a lively sort. I do not speak of the ill con­ again a short sharp bite. In a moment the ditioned boy, who torments his dog, throws donkey's back shoots up in the air, and Vixen stones at him, half drowns him In water, ties a is rolling over in the dust, and left behind; tm kettle to the tail. Sueh X should like to in a second moment she is up again, shrieking see hunted hard over the country, with all the and yelping with enjoyment, and again has honest dogs of the parish at his heels. But the her sly bite below, but Is more cautious in good manly boy finds a friend and companion avoiding the return stroke. Up goes the back in his dog, a sympathiser and friend, who is again, and suddenly there is a great scramble, always glad to see, or to go with, him. The and abrupt stillness, with a cloud of dust rising hotter, the more dusty the day, the longer slowly. As it clears away afar off, I am toiling the country road, the more w'elcome to Vixen on behind. I see that the last uprising of the the Second. Once the great green park was back (stimulated by Vixen) has been success­ reached, with its eddymg hills, its delightful ful—that the lazy boy has been shot oyer slopes and swards, under the thorns, then the donkev's head—that one of his infantine supremest felicity set in; the race, the eating aides has been upset in the confusion—that of grass, the tossing of the head, the fresh 214 [AugOBt 8,18G8.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Condnctsd bj

the donkey has been down himself as far as his stretch of miles along a sort of pier. Vixen knees, but is now standing like a stock or a was not full of alacrity—was _ rather heavy, rock iu the centre of the disaster. with a curious suspiciousness in her manner, This faithful friend, and those who admired halting every uow and agaiu, and looking about and respected her, were soon to be parted. her as if she expected danger. Still she exerted It has been mentioned that she was of a herself on every invitation to investigate IIOIM delicate, finely strung nature, susceptible In for rats, &e., but her heart was not in the the highest degree; skilful acquaintances work. It was mere complaisance—the old wish remarking the curious prominence and lustre to oblige and be agreeable. We walked untU of her wonderful eyes, prophesied iu a highly evening, then we turned. A butcher's boy encouraging way, " I shouldn't be at all sur­ passed, though without his insignia, but she prised if that dog went mad one of these days." knew him—the old instinct—and I own it was .This had the air of a special revelation; but not with displeasure that I saw the sharp wiry who is surpri.sed at any dog going mad one of ears go down, and Vixen make at his legs. He these days ? We treated the prophecy with con­ was some way in front, and she had some tempt. *It came to pass that the family had to distance to rush. To my surprise, she quite go and travel, and vixen the Second was left passed her old enemy, pursuing her course as. behind, according to the newspaper phrase, if, to use the butcher's expression, "atliousand " during a protracted sojourn." Special in­ devils were at her tail." The yellow figure structions were left that she should enjoy every grew smaller in the distance. I jumped on a luxury of diet, walkings, &c.; but as was wall and saw it growing yet smaller—still learned on return, nothing could a charm impart. going on at the same frantic pace. Now she Whether the matron in whose charge she was was a faint yellow speck ; now she was a mile left, performed her trust conscientiously, it Is away, now out of sight. I never saw her again. not for me to say; her own rapturous decla­ A tragic exit—as it were rushing away into ration, that " if ever there was an 'appy dog space. on this world's earth, it were her," seemed A fishing village was between me aud my to be confuted by Vixen the Second's silent home, where there was an Idle, noisy, ne'er-do^ protest, and cowering away as the matron well throng, ripe for any baiting or any mis­ made advances. I had more reliance on that chief. I asked for her here, but they had simple assurance of the honest creature who seen nothing. Yet there was an odd manner had never deceived, than on the matronly about those desperados, as I recollected after­ Gamp's volubility. Vixen was in a tumult of wards. W^hcn I got home, no Vixen's wiry joy to welcome us, and executed many strange head was put out of the study-door. Perhaps aud characteristic dances in testimony of her the poor honest creature had met a crael end joy; but otherwise she had grow-n dull and among these ruffians; perhaps she had felt her dejected. The matron (I heard later) had been megrims coming on, aud from the pain had fond of giving tea parties, having a large circle rushed away, and these fellows had raised of friends, and was therefore inclined to " drat" the cry of "Mad dog!" and had hunted that ere dog, or any thing that Interfered with the gentle creature to (ieath. I have another her social pleasures. She had never treated theory, quite consistent with her gentle temper, Vixen the Second to any delicious country that she felt madness coming ou her, and rashed walks, or green fields. However, wc would off thus into the void and into space, severing now resume them on the old scale. all ties, in preference to doing involuntary in­ We went out "to shop" that very day, and, jury to those she loved. But I have no warrant entering a bookseller's, Vixen went off as usual to for this theory. explore corners behind the book boxes, unearth bits of india-rubber lying In corners, and keep her nose in practice by finding traces of rats or DURHAM DEEDS. cats. The shopman comes mysteriously, and says; I HAVE a dim recollection of a portrait sup­ " Why X think, sir, your dog Is ill." posed to repi-esent his Royal Highness the I follow him into a most seductive place, Duke of York, as Bishop of Osnaburg. They tremendously suggestive of rats, and there see had sent me down—a weakling child—to a poor Vixen the Second rolling contorted on the country farmhouse to live or die, whichever grouud iu a fit. Think she was ill! my destiny might be. Opposite the ingle nook It was a long struggle; but the faithful glared the duke bishop in flowing cauonicids, creature, when encouraged and called to, a mitre on his head, red with jewels of gigantic made a wild effort to raise herself on her con­ size, and a crozier in his right hand. But he vulsed hinder legs, as she was accustomed to wore jack-boots with tremendous spurs, was do to receive friendly approbation, but instantly girded with a sword, and his buccaneer belt fell back and rolled upon the ground. She got was stuck full of pistols. On his left, rose a over it—walked home a little wild and con­ village church out of a quiet grave-yard; on fused, but still walked home. Next day we set his right, a village in flames, women and children off on a long, long walk, the first of the series, flving in despair, and dragoons charging fiercely whieh should gradually restore her lusty health. down upon them. I wondered, child as 1 was, It was a fine fresh day, and we took a long whether aU bishops were princes, and whether

•V ;^

Ghulea Dfokeas.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [August 8,1B«8.] 215 the grave old prelate, who once prcaclied so facture of cases lor sky-rockets. With equal mildly to the farmers, commanded a regiment recklessness and no less criminality, the records of dragoons. of the palatinate were applied to stop up holes Osnaburg, they told me, was somewhere in made by rats aud mice, to khidle fires, and even Germany, and things were different there. But make bonfires in times of public festival. Bar­ I have since found that even iu England rows full, it is in evidence, were kicked about bishops were formidable potentates in the good tlic palace green, under the bishop's nose. old times. The Bishops of Durham were pala­ Little boys of the episcopal city made kites of tines as weU as prelates, and if they preached them, and for many a day the cooks of Durham the blessing of mercy ex cathedra, they uot uever wauled a bundle of deeds wherewith to unfrequently gave short shrift and summary singe a goose. No " class " of documents can execution to petty wrongdoers whose guilt iu now be formed, of a date anterior to the Ponti- these degenerate days would be expiated by (ieate of Antony Bek, who governed from 12S0 a week's imprisonment. No doubt many a to 1311, thougli occasionally in turning over a shivering criminal was affectionately consigned heap of manuscripts, a stray parchment is Ibuud to the episcopal scafibld. A Bishop of Durham of earl I (M- date, proving that a series did once w^ then the undisputed master of a small king­ exist. The executors of Cosins, Bishop and Pa­ dom, but the despotic power of more extensive latine made sliort work of a vast quantity of re­ monarchies was concentrated in his person. The cords. They feared—provident and careful men bishop coined money at his owu mint.levied taxes —lest in succeeding generations troublesome for his own behoof, raised troopers for the de­ questions might arise concerning the titles to fence of his owu realm or tlie maintenance of his tlie estates whieh the bishop had continued to own power. He named his ermined judges of ain ass: so to obviate this inconvenience, they assize, of Oyer and Terminer, of gaol delivery, deliberately burned eight chests full of the and of the peace. He could, if he pleased, ancient muniments of the see! In 1G47 the pardon all intrusions, trespasses, felonies, out­ Scots swept into Durham, and in the language rages on women, and misprisions of treason. of the historian, " made havoc of the bishoprick He took, for his own perquisites, all fines for and violated all its rights." One Captain alienations, amercements, forfeited recogni­ Brewer, with a company of troopers at his heels, zances, post fines, and bishop's silver. He threw from the windows all "the records, books, granted licences to feudal lords to crenolatc papers, aud muniments he could find, and broke and embattle castles—a privilege not appre­ up the presses which contained them, for fire­ ciated by the miserable serfs around. The wood." Prior to this invasion, a " great deal bishops were lords admiral of the seas and box" full of charters and evidences, amongst waters within the palatinate. They " enjoyed" whieh was " that noted and famous record," —that is the term—all wrecks of the sea, royal the Liber Ruber or Red Book of Durham was fish, anchorage, wharfage, metage, and for- brought to the house of one George Neusam of feitm-es. They were partial to game and York city, without letter or direction. Given venison, and therefore held in their own right by him to one Richard Harrison, the box and forests, woods, and chases, with courts to decide its contents were never heard of more. So late aummarilyall questions incident to venerie. They as 1S54, when an Act of Parliament placed the appointed all the authorities of the palatinate, records of the palatinate under the charge of and these held office only " during the bishop's the Master of the Rolls, it was fouud that all pleasure," or for his life. They held courts the records of the Durham county courts had of justice, and named the judges, and these disappeared, and uot a fragment remained to courts embraced a Chancery, an Exchequer, a tell of their imture or their value. court of Common Pleas, and a county court, with full authority and severe sanctions. More than four huudred years ago. Bishop Neville raised a "goodly stone building" for 0 the good old times! And O the dear old the reception of the palatinate records. Here days! And O the preaching parrots! And they were deposited, but not safely, as the woful what a loss we have had of it! (This by way destruction of the records proves. The autho­ of Mrenthesis.) rities of the university of Durham wished to When so many courts, jurisdictions, privi­ acquire Bishop Neville's structure for the pur­ leges and prerogatives existed, and when wars pose of a library, and the queen transfeiTcd to between the Scots and borderers led to numerous them her rights in the building on condition transfers of property, an immense mass of docu­ that they should provide a sufficient edifice ments necessarily accumulated. These docu­ elsewhere to supply Its pLice. Li the autumn ments when they do not directly relate to, of 1854, before the removal of the records to indirectly illustrate, the history, antiquities, the new building, tliey were inspected by Mr, public and private life, customs, rights, pro­ J. Duffus Hardy, who reported on their general perties, crimes, and punishments of the pala­ condition. He'found most of the records "iu tinates of old. The collection if complete would a lamentable state." The several officers having now be of immense extent, but evil fortune charge of them were ineompetent to read them befell it from the first. It is said that the or afford any assistance to legal or literary precious manuscripts from which the Complu- inquirers. One of the officers, a man seventy tensiau edition of the New Testament was years of age, had been appointed to his post printed were subsequently used up in the manu­ when eighteen mouths old! There were uo

•.IV i.iijiiuii.r]r 216 ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [August 8,1868.] inventories, calendars, or indexes, throughout the office, " bnt no attention has been paid to the several offices, and the condition of the Mr. Watson's remonstrances.'* whole mass of documents was disgraceful. Mr. The records of the county palatine of Lan­ Hardy recommended that the documents in caster having been found in a condition some­ each repository belonging to the crown should what resembling that of the records of Dur­ be sorted into classes and catalogued, before ham, were transferred to London, where they their removal to the new building constructed are admirably kept and accessible to all. The for their reception. Durham is the seat of a records of Chester, similarly circumstanced, university; its bishopric was one ofthe richest have been arranged, repaired, and the greater in England; the county gentry are affluent, portion of them brought under public know­ and proud of their ancient lineage. They were ledge by a printed calendar. The Master of supposed to be interested in the preservation the Rolls proposed either that the Durham re­ and accessibility of the public records. Mr. cords should DC transferred to London, or that Hardy naturally thought his suggestions would the people of Durham should secure the services be adopted. He returned to Londoa, heard of a competent keeper and a clerk to aid him, that the records had beeu transferred to the at the expense of about seven hundred pounds new building, and then for several years the a year. The justices of the peace and many officials were untroubled by inc[uiries. of the gentry object to the transfer of their The records, however, might have been ancient muniments to London. allowed to continue, as the deputy-keeper of Nevertheless they will not pay for their keep. the rolls states, " in their present disgusting The interest of these papers is almost wholly state of decomposition and filth until they had local. They are not to be coiifounded with the been entirely destroyed," but for au accident. ecclesiastical documents belonging to the Mr. Scott F. Surtees, on an important trial, bishopric, or with the valuable illustrations of had occasion to consult the Registry and our early history and literature which are care­ Record Offices at Durham. One document, fully preserved in the cathedral. They are very important to his case, could not be found, recoras of proceedings In which the bishop was and it was not until Mr. Surtees had secured concerned of old time as a secular prince of the services of Mr. Langstaffe, " the ouly Durham, of great local value, but ou the whole, person who knew anything about the Durham probably of slight national importance. But, records"—at an expense of five pounds—that according to au Act of Parliament providing the document was forthcoming. Mr. Surtees for such cases, they will have to be brought to added to his statement that tlic state of the London because Durham declines to pay for Registry and Record Offices at Durham is a the due custody of its own papers. disgrace to the age iu whicli we live; and, addressing; the Master of the Rolls, expressed a hope " that for the benefit of those who are FAREWELL SERIES OF READINGS. interested in the history of the north Humbcr BT principality, these valuable papers might be MR. CHARLES DICKENS. more accessible to the historian and the archjeo- MESSUS. CHAPPELL AND Co. beg to announce logist." that, knowing it to be the determination of Ma. Mr. Surtees' letter was dated in June 'Sixty- BiCKENB finally to retire from Public Eeading BOOH seven, and on the first of October, Mr. Duffus after his return from America, they (aa having been Hardy again proceeded to examine the condition honoured witb his confidence on previous occasionfl) made proposals to him wtiile be was still in the of the records in the episcopal and university United States achieving his recent brilliant successes city. Thirteen years before, he had reported there, for a final FAREWELL SERIES OP KKADIKOS in that "the records in the office of the clerk of this country. Their proposals wore at once accepted by the peace are in a lamentable slate of disorder. MR, DICEEHS, in a manner highly gratifying to thenu Papers, books, and parchments are littered The Series will commence in the ensuing autumn, about the floor more than knee deep, some and will comprehend, besides London, some of the chief towns m England, Ireland, and Scotland. strewn upon tables, chairs, and window-seats; It is scarcely necessary for MESSRS. CHAPPJKLL AHD others huddled together on shelves and In cup­ Co. to add tliat any announcement made in connexion boards." He had to state, after his last visit, with these FAREWELL READINGS will be strictly ad­ that "their present slate of neglect is, if hered to, and considered final; and that on no con­ sideration whatever will ME. DICKENS be induced to possible, worse than it was thirteen years ago, appoint an extra night in any place in which he shall when that report was made. The documents have been once announced to read for tho last time. have the appearance of having been pitched All communications to be addressed to MESSRS. into the rooms with a fork because they were CHAPPELL AND Co., 60, New Bond-atreet, London, W. found too filthy to be handled." The present clerk of the peace has frequently called the Just published, bound in cloth, price Ss. 6d., attention of the justices of the peace for the couuty of Durham to the discreditable state of THE NINETEENTH VOLUME.

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