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COfJDUCTED-BY >

WITH WHICH IS llMCOl^O^TED

SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1872

his umbrella and walking-stick in the cor­ THE YELLOW FLAG. ner, his folded gloves and clothes-brush Bx EDMUND YATES, ) laid out upon the table; up the heavily AUTHOR OF "BLACK SHEEP," " NOBODY'S FORTUNE," <&a &C. carpeted stairs; past tbe closed drawing- room door, and on to Mrs, Calverley's bed­ BOOK II. room, at the door of which she knocke'i. CHAPTER III. A CHECK. Bidden to come in, Pauline entered, and MR. CALVERLEY dead! The announce­ found the widow seated prim and upright ment, so suddenly and so calmly blurted in a high-backed chair, before the fire. ^ out by the footman, so took Pauline by " This is sad news, my dear friend," surprise that she Hterally staggered back commenced Pauline, in a sympathetic voice; two paces, and supported herself against "this is a frightful calamity." the wall. Dead, on the very day, almost " Yes," said Mrs. Calverley, coldly," it at the very hour when he had promised is very bard upon me, but not more than I to meet her, when sbe had calculated on have always expected, Mr, Calverley chose worming from bim the secret which, once never to live in his own home, and he has in her possession, sbe had intended to use finished by dying out of it," as the means of extracting information " I have beard no particulars," said Pau­ about Tom Durham, and of putting her on line. "Where did the sad event takeplace ?" to her fugitive husband's track. Dead ! " Mr. Calverley was found dead in a rail­ What was the meaning of it all ? Was way carriage, as he was returning from the mystery about this unknown man, those ironworks," said tbe widow, witb this not-to-be-mentioned invisible partner, vicious emphasis on the last word, " He Claxton, of deeper importance than she had entered into that speculation against my thought ? Were Mr. Calverley, Claxton, will, and he has now reaped the reward of and Tom Durham, so intermixed with his own obstinacy," business transactions of sucb a nature that Pauline looked at her curiously. The sooner than confess bis connexion with dread event which had occurred bad not them the senior partner had committed softened Mrs. Calverley in tbe sHghtest self-destruction ? The thought flashed like degree. lightning through Pauline's brain. But " This is very, very sad," said Pauline, ere she had time to analyse it, the solemn after a pause. " If I were to consult my voice of the footman repeated in its croak­ own feelings I should withdraw, and leave ing tones : you to your overwhelming grief, which no " Mrs, Calverley wishes to see Madame attention can solace, and which must run Doo Turt as soon as possible." its course, and yet I cannot bear to think "Yes," said Pauline, in reply, "I will of you alone and unaided ! What would go to Mrs. Calverley at once." you wisb me to do ?" Past the range of hat-pegs, where the " Yob had much better stay," said Mrs. dead man's coats and hats still hung; Calverley, shortly. "I feel myself quite past the little study, through the open unequal to anything, and there is a great door of which she saw a row of his deal to be done," boots standing in order against the wall. The tone in which these words were SSiS ^ J 91 VOL. vni. A 'Wl' :& 242, PSnly 27, W72.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Conducted by nttei'ed was cold, peremptory, and tm- present, then, here I stay. The house |)leasant, but Pauline took no notice of it. will not be .so duU as it was before, for SSbe kad a .^reat deal to think over, and •these eccentric Eqglish people, orflinarily so would take the first opportunity of arrang­ triste and reserved, seem to earcite them­ ing bea* plans. As it was, she busied her­ selves witb deaths,and funerals.; .and now self in seeing to Mrs. Calverley's oomfort. this priest, this Monsieur Gurwood, who •She bad long since relieved ber of tbe-sii- was on the point of going away, wUl (perintendence of domestic affairs, and now have to remain to attend to the affairs, she made suggestions for an interview with and to be a comfoa't to bis sorrowing "the milliner, for the ordering of the servants' mother, I am much mistaken if there is mourning, and for the general conduct of not something to be made out of Monsieur »the household, in aU of which ihe widow Gurwood, He is sly and secretive, and coldly acquiesced. i will hide all be knows, but my power of Then, so soon as sbe could, Pauline will is stronger than bis, and if, under these sought tbe privacy of her room, and gave altered circumstances, he learns anything herself up to meditation. which may interest me, I shall be able to " Was there ever anything so unfortu­ get it from bim," nate," sbe thought 'to herself, as, having Mrs. Calverley remained in her room changed ber neat French walking-boots that evening, occupying herself in writing for slippers, in order not to be heard by up her diary, w'bich she bad scrupulously Mrs, Calverley in the room beneatb,she com­ kept for many years, and in comparing her menced pacing up and down tbe floor, " was record of the feelings which she imagined there ever anything so unfortunate ! By tbis' she ought to havo experienced, and which man's death my wbole position is changed ! was very different ifrom what she really did Not that I think there is any doubt of ^perience, with tbe entry in a .previous diary stabflity of my interest in this bouse! of a dozen years ago, on the day of George Though it was he that first suggested that Gurwood's death. She bad bad a second I should come here, I bave so strengthened interview with Jidadame Du Tertre, and myself since then, I stand so well with the bad talked over the arrangements of the wretched creature down-stairs, the woman imilHner, and had discussed the advisability with a beart like a dried pea, that had he of a short run to Brighton, or some other lived and tried to bring his influence to lively place—it must be a lively place at bear against me it would have been un-! such a wintry season—for cTiange of air availing, Iliad better stay," she thought. and scene. And sbe bad made a v^ry " Housekeeper, dame de compagnie, drudge fair meal, whioh bad been sent up to lier even, if sbe coxdd make me so, and all for on a tray from the dinner-table below, at my board and lodging. Well, it is worth which Martin Gurwood and PauHne were my while to remain for that, even now, seated, solemnly facing each other. though by this man's death my chief pur­ The presence of the butler at tbis repast, pose in coming here is defeated. In the always annoying to a man of Martin Gur­ dead man I have lost, not .merely my first wood's simple habits, was on this occasion friend and patron, but one whom I had in­ perfectly unendurable; .and, after requesting tended sbould be my victim, and who alono his companion's assent, bo instructed the oould save me in tbe matter dearest to my domestic to retire, telling him tbey would heart. To all left here now that rascally wait u,pon themselves. husband of mine was unknown. Even of "I thougbt you would not mind it, the name of Tom Durham they have only Madame Du Tertre," be said, with a grave beard since the accoimt of his supposed bow, after the man "bad withdrawn. " At a death a,ppeared in the newspapers. The time when one is irritable, and one's nerves clue is lost just when I had my hand upon are disturbed, it is beyond measure an­ it! And yet I may as well remain in this noying to me to have a person looking on, place, at aU events until I see bow matters watching your every mouthful, and doing progress. There is nowhere I could go to nothing else." on the chance of bearing any news, unless, " I am most thankful that you sent the indeed, I could find the agent who signed servant away. Monsieur Gurwood," said that letter which Monsieur mon mari gave Pauline, "more especially as I could not me tbe day we were at Southampton. He speak to yot. in bis presence, and I am or she, whichever it may be, would know anxious to learurfuH^paiiticulars of what has something, doubtless, but wbetber they occurred." ' . , '• would teU it is anothen matter. For the Why did Martin Gurwood's pale face

^ 4 X" E5. Charles Dickens.] THE YELLOW FLAG. [July 27,1872.] 243 become suffused with a burning red? WTiat which Mr. Calverley used, and given them was there, Pauline thougbt, in ber obser­ my own misinterpretation. Ah, and so vation to make bim evince sucb emotion ? there is no one of the name of Claxton, or " I scarcely know-that T am in a position if there be he is not a partner ? So as far to give you any information, as aill I know as being able to rdHeve Mr. Calverley was myself is learned at second hand." concerned, it came to the same thing. Of "Anything will be information io me," course with a man so precise, all the busi­ ness arrangements, wbat you call the will said Pauline, " as all Mrs. Calverley told me ( was the bare fact. You bave never been and those things, were properly made ?" to—what is tbe place called—Swartmoor, "Oh, yes; all in strict order," said I suppose?" Martin, grateful for the change of subject. " No, never," said Martin Gurwood, with "Mr. Jeffreys went from hence to the increased perturbation, duly marked by lawyer's, and has since been back with a Pauline. " Why do you ask ?" copy of the will. With the exception of a " I merely wanted to know wbetber it few legacies, all tbe property is left to Mrs, was an unhealthy place, as this poor man Calverley, and she and I are appointed seems to bave caught bis death there." joint executors," " Mr. Calverley died from heart disease, "That is as it sbould be," said Pauline, brought on by mentail worry and excite­ " and what might bave been expected from ment." a man like Mr. Calverley ! Just, upright, " Ah," said Pauline; " poor man !" And and honourable, was he not ?" she thougbt to herself, " that mental worry "I always beHeved him -to be so, ma­ and excitement were caused by his know­ dame," said Martin, with an effort. ledge that he had to encounter me, and to " And bis death was as creditable as bis tell me the true story—for be was too dull life," pursued Pauline, with ber eyes stiU to devise any fiction whidh I should not fixed upon her companion. " He was have been able to detect—of bis dealings killed in the discharge of his business, and with this Claxton." no soldier dying on the battle-field could After a pause she said: '" These worries have a more honourable death. You agree sprung from his intense interest in his with me, Monsieur Gurwood ?" business, I suppose. Monsieur Gurwood ?" " I do not give much heed to the kind of " I—I should imagme so," said Martin, death which faHs to the lot of men, but rather fiushing again, "Mr. Calverley was de­ to the frame of mind in which they die." voted to business," "And even there, monsieur, you must "Yes," said PauHne, looking straight at aiUow that Mr. Calverley was fortunate. him. " I often wondered he did not give Respected by bis friends, and beloved by himself more relaxation; did not confide his wife, successful in his business, and the conduct of bis affairs more to bis sub­ happy in bis home " ordinates, or at least to bis partner." "Yes," interrupted Martin Gurwood, The shot told. All the colour Idf t Mar.- "but it is not for us to pronounce our tin Gurwood's face, and he looked horribly judgment in these matters, Madame Du embarrassed as be said, " Partner, Madame Tertre, and you will excuse me if I suggest Du Tertre ? Mr. Calverley bad no partner," that we change the subject." "Indeed," said Pauline, calmly, but When dinner was finished Pauline went keeping her eyes fixed on bis face; "J up-stairs again to Mrs. Calverley's room, and thougbt I understood that there was a had another long chat with the widow before gentleman whose name was not in the firm, she retired to rest, Mrs. Calverley had been but who was what you call a sleeping made acquainted with the fact that It had partner, Mr,—Mr. Claxton." arrived, and her son bad suggested her " There is no such name in the bouse," visiting the chamber where It lay. But said Martin Gurwood, striving to master she had decided upon postponing this duty his emotion. " From whom did you^bear until the next day, and sat with PauHne, this, madame—not from my mother ?" moaning over the misfortunes which bad "Oh, no," said Pauline, calmly; **1 happened to her during her lifetime, and think it was from Mr. Calveriey himself." ' so thoroughly enjoying tbe recital of her " You must surely be mistaken, Madame [ woes that ber companion thougbt she would never leave off, and was too glad to Du Tertre?" take ber leave for the night at tbe first op­ "It is more than proba,ble, monsieur, portunity which offered itself. said Pauline. "In my ignorance of the Once more in the safety and solitude of language I may bave mistaken tbe terms

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=& 244 [July 27,1872,] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Conducted by ber own chamber she resumed ber medita­ must have been used to induce Mr. Calverley tion, to go into that speculation of the ironworks, " That was a safe hit that I made at dinner and I think that very likely we may fiud or the priest would never have changed some papers which will throw a light upon colour like a blushing girl. This reverend's the matter." face is like a sheet of plate-glass—one can PauHne's eyes brightened as she listened. see straight through it down into bis heart. Perhaps the mysterious Mr, Claxton was Not into every comer though. There are mixed up with the speculation, or the recesses where he puts away things which drawers might contain other documents be wishes to hide. In one of them lies some which might lead to a solution of his secret of his own. That I guessed almost identity. But she answered cautiously. directly I saw him; and now there is, " It may be as you say, madame. ShaU in addition to that, another which will I step down and ask Monsieur Martin to probably be mucb more interesting to be good enough to go to the office and me, as it relates in some way, I imagine, to search the desk on your behalf?" the business in which Claxton is mixed up. "Nothing of the sort," said Mrs. Cal­ It must be so, I think, for bis tell-tale verley, shortly. " This is a private matter colour came and went as I mentioned the in which I do not choose to ask my son's partnership and that man's name. Now, assistance. You are good enough to act as bow am I to learn more from him on that my confidential friend, Madame du Tertre," point ? He is uneasy when allusion is made she added, with the nearest possible ap­ to it in conversation, and tries to change proach to softness in ber manner," and I the subject, and it is plain that Mrs. Cal­ wish you to represent me on this occasion." verley knows nothing at all about it, Mr, Pauline took up the hard thin hand that Gurwood, too, is evidently desirous that his lay on the coverlet, and raised it to her lips. mother should not know, as be betrayed "I will do anything you wisb, my dear sucb anxiety in asking me whether it was friend," she murmured, scarcely knowing fi:om her I bad heard mention of the how to conceal her delight. partnership. And there is not another "In the top right-hand drawer of the soul to whom I can turn with the chance of dressing-table you will find Mr. Calverley's bearing any tidings of Tom Dm'ham. bunch of keys," said the widow. "One " Stay, what did this man say about of them opens bis office desk. If you will being appointed joint executor with his give me my blotting-book I will write a mother ? In that case he will remain few lines to Mr. Jeffreys, authorising you here for yet some time, and aU the dead to have access to tbe room. Once there, man's papers wiU pass into bis hands. Such you will know what to look for." of tbem as are not entirely relating to the An hour afterwards Pauline walked into business will be brought to this house, and the offices at Mincing-lane. Signs of mourn­ I shall bave perhaps the opportunity of ing were there in the long strips of wood, seeing tbem. In them I may discover painted black, which were stuck up in front something which will give me a clue, some of the windows; in the unwonted silence hint as to why Claxton obtained the agency which reigned around, the clerks working for Tom Durham, and on what plea be noiselessly at their desks, and the business asked for it. That is all I can hope to visitors closing the doors softly behind learn. About tbe two thousand pounds tbem, and lowering their voices as though and the pale-faced woman, this man who is in the presence of Death, the messengers dead knew nothing, I must glean what I and porters abstaining from the jokes and can from such papers as I can get hold of, whistling with which they usually seasoned and I must keep a careful watch upon the their work. movements of my friend the reverend." Pauline was shown into the little glazed On the following morning Mrs. Calverley room, already familiar to her, and was remaining in bed to breakfast, and Pauline speedily joined by the head-clerk, to whom being in friendly attendance on her, it she handed Mrs, Calverley's note. After suddenly occurred to the widow that she reading it Mr. Jeffreys hesitated, but only for should like to know the contents of the an instant. From his boyhood he had been drawers in the writing-table used by her brought up by Mr, Calverley, had served deceased husband in bis City office. him for thirty years with unswerving " I have always been of opinion," she fidelity, and had loved him as deeply as his said to Pauline, after mentioning this sub­ unsentimental business nature would per­ ject, "that some extraordinary influence mit. In his late master's Hfetime no. re-

4^ =1P y X «> Ch&ries Dickens.] THE YELLOW FLAG. [July 27, 1872.] 24-5 quest of Mrs. Calverley's, unendorsed by struggling clerk, and lived with bis old her husband, would bave had the smallest mother iu tbe suburbs. In another lay weight with the bead-clerk. But Mr. Cal­ scores of loose sheets of paper covered with verley was no longer the chief of tbe house ; his manuscript notes and calculations, the no one knew how matters would turn out, first rough draft of bis report on the affairs or into whose hands the business would of Lorraine Brothers, the stepping-stone fall, and Mr, Jeffreys had understood from to the position which he bad afterwards Messrs, Pemberton's, the lawyers, that occupied. Mrs. Calverley was appointed as executrix, But amongst aU the papers written and and knew that it would be as well for him printed there was no allusion to the to secure a place in ber favour. So taking Swartmoor Ironworks, no reference to what a key from bis pocket be requested the concerned Pauline more nearly, the name visitor to follow him, and ushered her up of Claxton, and she was about to give up the stairs into the room on the first floor. the search in despair, and to summon Mr. There it was, with tbe exception of the Jeffreys for his farewell, when in moving absence of the central figure, exactly as she touched something with ber foot, some­ she had last seen it. There stood bis thing which lay in the well of the desk d^sk, the blotting-pad scribbled with recent covered by the top and flanked on either memoranda, tbe date index stiU showing side by the two nests of drawers. At first tbe day on which be bad last been there, she thought it was a footstool, but stooping the pen-rack, the paper—all the familiar to examine it, and bringing it to the light, objects, as though awaiting his return, she found it to be a small wooden box, Mr, Jeffreys walked to tbe window and clamped with iron at the edges, and closed pulled up the bHnd; then looked round witb a patent lock. The key to this lock the room, and in spite of himself, as it was on the bunch in her possession; in an were, heaved a deep sigh, instant she had the box on the desk, had " It is Mrs. Calverley's wish, madame, I opened it, and was examining its contents. see," he said, referring to tbe letter which " Of no value to any one but their owner." he held in bis band, " that you should be The line which she had seen so often in the left alone. If you sbould require any advertisement sheets of English newspapers assistance or information from me, and rang in Pauline's mind as she turned over will sound this bell," be pointed to the what had been so jealously guarded, A spring-bell on the table, which his master miniature portrait on ivory of an old grey- had used for summoning him, and him haired woman in a lace cap with long, atone, " I shall be in the next room, and falling lappets, and a black silk dress; a will wait upon you at once." Then be folded piece of paper containing a long lock bowed and retired. • of silky white hair, and a written memo­ Left to herself, and certain that the door randum, "Died April 13th, 1868;" two was safely closed, Pauline took tbe bunch newspaper cuttings, one announcing the of keys from ber pocket, and soon bit death of Mrs. Calverley, of Colebrook-row, upon the one she required. One by one IsHngton, at the date just mentioned, the the drawers lay open before ber, some al­ other the marriage of John Calverley, Esq., most empty, some packed to the brim, most with Jane, widow of the late George Gur­ of them with a top layer of dust, as wood, Esq., and only daughter of John though their contents had been undisturbed Lorraine, Esq., of Mincing-lane and Bruns­ for years. What did she find in them? wick-square. Then Pauline came upon a An assemblage of odds and ends, a col­ packet of letters stained and discoloured lection of papers and written documents, witb age, which on examination proved to of printed prospectuses of stock-jobbing bave been written to bim by his mother at companies, some of which had never seen various dates, whUe he was absent travel­ the light, while others had perished in ling on the business of the firm. their speedily - blossomed maturity years And nothing else. That box seemed to ago. One contained a set of red-covered have been used by the dead man as a domestic account-books, neatly tied together sacred depository for the relics of the old with red tape, and on examining these woman whom he had loved with such filial Pauline found them to be the receipted tenderness, whose memory he had so fondly books of the butcher, baker, &c., " in ac­ cherished. Stay! Here was something count with Mr. John Calverley, 48, Cole- else, an envelope cleaner, fresher, and of bi'ook-row, IsHngton," and referring to a newer shape than the others. She took it period when tbe dead man was only a out and opened it eagerly. Ah, at last! It HF •1= -J-- .:.- -L Q& 246 [July 27, 1872.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Conducted by contained a half-sheet of note paper, on in its composition:; if I aan told that it is all which were these words: new wool, whether West or North of Eng­ " October 4, '70. Transferred to private land make, I am entitled to object to the account, two thousand pounds. To be given presence of shoddy. But if I procure a to T, D. at request of A. C." so-called melton, tweed, or pilot-cloth, She had found something, tben—-not whether for coat, vest, or trousers, although much, but something. T, D. was, of course, the name itself may be a deceptive one, the Tom Durham, and the A. C, at whose re­ purchase is not necessarily unprofitable quest the money was to be paid to him: was merely because shoddy is present; it is, in equally, of course, Mr. Claxton. Sbe had this case, a question of price. Shoddy is never heard his Christian name; it must be simply wool which has been used before; Albert, Alfred, Andrew, or something ofthe if new wool be added, many a month of kind. hard wear, and many a bard shower may Pauline replaced the paper in the enve­ be borne by it, without any unsightly be­ lope, which she put into her pocket. No trayal of its xsrigin. need to tell Mrs. Calverley anything about Quite early in the present century, the that—tha/t was ber prize. It contained no woollen manufacturers of Yorkshire turned reference to the Swartmoor Ironworks> and their attention to this matter. Old woollen would bave no interest for the widow. So rags, old carpetsj old worsted stockings, she locked the box, and replaced it in its were sold as manure, when no further use former position under the desk, pressed tbe could be found for tbem; but some of the spring beU (the famihar sound of which sharp-witted Yorkshiremen were convinced made Mr, Jeffreys jump off his chair), that the short fibres still retained a por­ thanked the chief clerk on bis appearance,, tion of their original strength, and of that and took leave of him with much suavity. peculiar felting or entangling property Then she took a cab, and returning straight whioh gives closeness of texture to woollen to Great Walpole-street, reported to Mrs, cloth. But how to get the wool out of the Calverley the total failure of her mission. fusty old fragments: bow to-gepaa«,te.it There is a certain amount of bustle and fibre from fibre ? Mills were erected, and confusion in Great Walpole-street, for the machines constructed for the purpose. So time has arrived when It is to be removed. abominably dirty and dusty are the bits, At the Oxford Arms, intersecting Horatio- that the processes had to be kept quite dis­ street, the hearse andthe mourning-coaches tinct from those relating to new wool; and have been drawn up for some time, aaid some moral critics-, beHeving that dirt and the black-job gentlemen lare busying them­ cheating must necessarily go together, selves, some in fixing plumes to the horses' gave the nam-e of devil's-dust to the dis­ heads, others in getting out the trappings, integrated, or at least disentangled fibres. staves, hat-bands, and other horrible insignia Like many other critics, they were a little of their calling. Then the cold fowls and beside the mark; for though the dirt is sherry having been consumed by the unquestionable, cheating is not necessarily mourners, the dismal procession files off to an element in the matter. Cleanliness is Kensal Green. Whence, in less than a next to godliness, we know; but bow if a couple of hours, it comes rattling back with personally clean man happens to be a some of the occupants of its carriages rogue ? laughing, and all of them talking—all save Let us suppose that Mrs, Motherly, a Martin Gurwood, who, in addition to his careful housewife, sells all ber old woollen real grief at the loss of the dead man, is scraps, instead of consigning them to the thinldng tba't about that time Humphrey dust-bole. The heterogeneous dealers to Statham has gone on bis mission to the whom she sells them find purchasers iu cottage at Hendon. various directions. The seams and irregu­ lar knots, the bleared and blotched portions, SHODDY, CHALK, AND JONATHAN,ar e cut away, and are applied—some for making into flock for stuffing cushions NOT that shoddy is exactly a bad thing and mattresses, or for giving a surface to in itself. It is only bad when intended to flock paper-hangings; some for making deceive; when it presents itself to the world into coarse rough paper; some as a ma­ as something which it is not. If I order a terial whence prussiate of potash may be new coat, and am told that it is made of West obtained; and the rest as a manure, chiefly of England superfine, then I am not treated for hop-grounds. Then the smoother bits, honestly if there be any admixture of shoddy free from seams and knots, are sent to

•«= ^cSt ^ Charles Dickens.] SHODDY, CHALK, AND JONATHAN. [July 27,1872.] 247 Yorkshire, where they 'are torn up into the warp of cotton. In tbis way the goods shoddy. But, as there are three degrees may be made to vary as much in kind of exceUence in most things, so are there as in quaHty, no matter wbat they are in this—mungo being the best, shoddy called—heathers, tweeds, or cheviots, for the next best, and extract the worst. tourists' suits; petershams, beavers, bear­ Mungo is tbe rag of good woollen cloth, skins, or deerskins, for over-coats; pilots, the best being veritable new bits-—tailors' for pea-jackets; friezes, for sale in Ire­ cuttings too small to be available for the land; witneys, for mantles and cloaks; piece-brokers ; shoddy is obtained from the cheaper kinds of so-called mohairs and poorer cloth, and from old carpets, rugs, alpacas; flushings, for sailors' and work­ blankets, flannel, and worsted stockings; ing-men ; paddings, for stuffings and stiffen- while extract is the woollen portion of ings ; linings; coloured blankets for niggers mixed or union goods, in which the warp and fur-hunters ; convict-cloths and police- threads are cotton, the weft only being cloths ; army-cloths and navy-cloths—aU made of wool or worsted. "In regard to may bave, and often really have, mungo, the latter, it may appear strange that any shoddy, or extract in their composition. chemical process can be profitable for No small trade this. Five years ago such a bumble material; but chemistry is it was estimated that a hundred milHon always starting something new in this way. pounds of wool-rag or rag-wool were Certain acids, alkalies, or salts have the worked up annually by the Yorkshire cloth- property of dissolving the cotton and makers ; and now the quantity must be leaving the wool intact: hence the produc­ much more. About four-fifths are home tion of extract. As to shoddy and mungo, produce, the rest is imported from Germany, the rags are treated ruthlessly enough. Holland, and Denmark. The continental They are thrown into a machine,, the in­ woollen manufacturers have not yet done terior of which is studded with teeth by much in the making up of shoddy into thousands, which act against and into one cloth; some of tbe rags are sent to another, and tear the rags into separate England for sale as rags, the remainder is fibres—very short, but long enough to bear ground up into shoddy and shipped in that the subsequent processes. One machine will state. Dealers in Yorkshire buy all that produce from half a ton to a ton of sucb comes to'hand, rags and shoddy alike, sort stuff in a day. But, oh tbe dust! Millions it into many kinds and quaHties, and sell of particles settle down at the bottom of, it to the manufacturers of different lands the machine, and millions more find their of textile goods. way out through crevices into the factory We repeat, there is nothing reprehensible rooms. Try what tbey vrill, the manufac­ in this utilising of half-worn woollen fibres, turers cannot control this dust. Biatley, provided the commodity be not sold to us and some other Yorkshire towns, tell the as "all new wool,'* Let us settle down in tale plainly enough; and as the rags are the beHef that nearly all cheap and middle- often of ill odour in the first instance, the class wooUen cloth contains some mungo dust of course does not emit a very refresh­ or shoddy, in smaU or large proportion as ing perfume. If the dust be all of one the case may be; that it wiU render a fair colour, sucb of it as can be collected is sale­ amount of useful service; and that it fe able to flock-paper makers; if mixed and worth what it has cost. unequal, it is still available as manure. But we cannot give such a verdict in The shoddy, the mungo, and the extract regard to the chalk which chokes and over- are made into cloth, but not alone. So weighs nearly all the calico now made. much of the felting property has departed Under a plea which has a smaW amount of from the wool that the cloth would fall to usefulness to recommend it, the manufac­ pieces too soon ; and therefore new wool is turers have gone on to an extent, which added to remedy the defect. Herein lies fair dealing cannot justify. We call the the great feature of the shoddy trade. offender chalk, because there is a popular There is no limit to the number of pro­ belief that chalk is the word, although portions between tbe new wool and the this d-oes not absolutely correspond witb rag; tliere may be ten parts of the for­ the fact. In preparing cotton yarn for mer to one of tbe latter, or ten of the the weaver, the threads require a cer­ latter to one ®f the former, or equal tain amount of preparation or dressing parts of both, or any other proportion. to smooth tbem, to lessen tbe amount And, moreover, the manufacturer may use of friction vfhile the weft is crossing the this mixture only for weft -threads, making^ warp ia the loom, and to increase the :,: • ,: i,:)> o:lii .•'•.:. • .JC: -ii -Mi tUi>, A :& 248 [July 27,1872.] ALL THB YEAR ROUND. [Conducted by strength — all good objects, tending to of the goodness of any description of make the caHco what it ought to be. But yard-wide cloth; and with the scarcity of s§e bow tbe matter has travelled on from raw material came the practice of giving a one stage to another. The substance fictitious weight to cloth containing less employed was at first a kind of size or thin cotton, in order to make it appear that it glue, made by boiling animal membrane ; contained more. It became a matter of and hence the name of sizing. Then came rivalry with sizers which of them could, a kind of liquid flour-paste, afterwards on tbe order of tbe manufacturer, anxious superseded by a fermented muddle of flour to meet tbe demands of merchants, put and tallow, Tbe quantity used was gradu­ most foreign matter upon tbe cotton warps. ally increased, until the mixture amounted From this practice of heavy sizing, the to about twenty per cent of the weight of more respectable manufacturers long kept cotton in the calico. The next advance aloof; but they did so at the expense of was made on the score of colour. Some of their immediate trade; and for the last tbe sizers or dressers, observing that the three years, every yard of cotton cloth mixture gave a brownish tint to the calico, made at Todmorden, and many other if inferior flour were used, made experi­ places, has been weighted with quantities ments which led them to the fact that a of size. small addition of china-clay—such as is These are the words of Doctor Buchanan: dug up in Cornwall for the use of the bow they came to be used we may now Staffordshire and Worcester porcelain explain. A few months ago a memorial manufacturers—would give whiteness to was presented to the Lords of the Privy the mixture. They also found that the Council, from more than sixteen hundred china-clay so far reduced tbe glutinous operative weavers in the factory district of quaHty of the flour that the warps would Todmorden. The memorial told the calico weave easily with a smaller amount of story thus : taUow in the mixture. Thus far the calico " That for several years a material called weavers had reason to be satisfied with the kaolin, or china-clay, has been introduced change, and no particular harm was done; into the manufacture of caHco and other but they were tempted into a path which grey goods, gradually led away from—well, let us call " That in some mills sizing, including it tbe path of rectitude. When the war china-clay, is laid on to the warp to the with Russia caused a considerable rise in the extent of forty, sixty, and even one hundred price of tallow, some of the manufacturers per cent, omitted this ingredient wholly or in great " That before the American war the per­ part, and made up the deficiency with centage was ten, china-clay, of course purchasable at a much " That ingredients believed to be poison­ smaller price; but the total percentage of ous are used to make the china-clay adhere dressing was not much greater than before, to the warps. relatively to the weight of calico. The " That to prevent the breaking, through makers of the better kinds of calico, or the dryness of the atmosphere, it is necessary firms which looked out for the maintenance to close the ventilators in tbe weavers' of their good name in the eyes of the world, sheds, continued to prepare a white dressing by " That through this closeness of venti­ using good flour witb tallow, ignoring the lation the weavers are compelled to inhale china-clay altogether. the dust from the china-clay that rises Matters thus went on until the eventful from the warps, mixed witb the poisonous cotton famine in 1862, when the closing of ingredients," tbe American ports by tbe i'ederal forces The memorialists proceeded to detail the nearly cut off the supply of cotton on which modes in which, according to their opinion, England bad been accustomed to rely. their health was affected by this state of Cotton rose rapidly in price ; the best kinds things; distress from heat and thirst, diffi­ were almost unattainable ; while the poorer culty of respiration, loss of appetite, bron­ kinds do not weave weU without a large chitis, and other uncomfortables; and amount of dressing or sizing. So far finally urged that the Lords of the Council there was a justification for increasing tbe would send a medical inspector to inquire proportion of sucb additions to calico ; but into the wbole affair. They did so ; Doctor mark tbe result (we wiU quote official Buchanan was sent; and his report has been language in narrating it) : " Weight for published among the parliamentary papers. length bad been, as it still is, the chief test He inquired into the various substances

•^ si ?X1 Charies Dickens.] (( TO BEGIN WITH RATS." [Jnly 27,1872.] 249 known by the general name of sizing or either of man or beast. An analytical dressing—flour, taUow, Epsom salts, chlo­ chemist was requested to examine it. He ride of magnesium, sulphate and chloride reported that it consisted entirely of fibre, of zinc, animal size, and china-clay, com­ generally resembling oat-husks which had bined two or three together, in various been calcined and ground. There was ways, and found that the last-named is tbe scarcely a trace of anything that could be most generally used of aU, Coarse and caUed nutriment. It would be worse than middling calicoes bave fifty to ninety per sawdust if eaten either by man or beast, cent of dressing given to them, of which because the husks would irritate the in­ one-third is clay. terior membranes and bring on inflamma­ We wiU not go into the medical details tion. In no sense could it be caUed meal. adduced by Doctor Buchanan, acting in his The accused, driven up into a corner, and official capacity as medical officer of the anxious to show that Jonathan is not Local Government Board. He found that sawdust, was obliged to admit that it is it really is the case that the calico-weaving oat-husk; but contended that it is not a rooms are full of dust, one-half of which "foreign substance" within the meaning at least consists of fine particles of china- of the Act of Parliament. But the Bench, clay ; and that this dust acts injuriously on fortunately for the cause of justice and the lungs of the workpeople. And while morality, decided that Jonathan is a very this is going on, we have the uncomfort­ " foreign substance" indeed, when used as able consciousness that we are buying clay an adulterant of meal; and they signified and caHco instead of calico alone, Messrs, their opinion by imposing a fine and costs. Huckaback and Dimity, drapers and mer­ It came out, during thetrial, that Jonathan cers, of course do not admit this; they had been known among the millers for would deny that they ever sell a yard of fifteen years; it was mixed witb maize- clay; but it is a fact that among the meal, barley-meal, and pig-meal. The coarser goods, at any rate, a so-caUed yard mixers undersold the honest millers in the of caHco has a seriously large per centage market; for genuine meal would naturally of clay in its composition. be more costly to produce than meal plus And now, bow about Jonathan ? Who oat-husks. is he ? We bave learned a little about shoddy and mungo in wooUen cloth, and chalk, or rather clay, in calico; but—who "TO BEGIN WITH RATS,' or what is Jonathan? Jonathan, then, is a thing, not a person: a thing whose name "Do you know," asked MaximUian, has but recently come under the notice of " what a rat-king is ?" the public; and, unhappily, this thing is a "A king of the rats, I suppose," inno­ cheat, a deceit, an adulterant, a sophistica­ cently repHed Edgar. tion, a sham, a shame, a discredit, a dis­ " Oh dear, no," said Maximilian. " A grace. rat-king, or, as they would call it in Bran­ Let us give tbe particulars of a recent denburg, a ' Rattenkonig,' is a mucb more prosecution in the North of England, sup­ complicated entity than you imagine, con­ pressing the names of the offenders and of sisting of a number of rats, witb their the town, in the hope that the town will tails so entangled together that they cannot mend its ways, and induce the offenders to get apart. Such a combination is said to reform, A miUer was summoned before the have been found towards the end of the magistrates, by order of the local board of seventeenth century. No fewer than fif­ health, charged witb having in bis posses­ teen rats were discovered with their tails sion " sixty-three sacks of an article, sup­ twisted together after the fashion I have posed to be sawdust, for the adulteration of described, so that the whole group, if we meal, contrary to the provisions of the may trust the record, bore no small resem­ Adulteration of Food Act." The article, it blance to a plaited chignon of the present appears, was known to the trade by the day. After they had been discovered they mysterious name of Jonathan, It was endeavoured to make their escape ; and all clearly proved that tbe sacks filled witb the attempts to kill them or to separate them commodity had been delivered at the mill; by means of a broom proved fruitless. Boil­ but it had to be shown what Jonathan ing water thrown upon them by a servant- really was. A witness for the defence said girl at last terminated their complex lives ; it was meal: a witness for the prosecution but even after death their tails were not to asserted that it was not fit for the food be disentangled."

IP

J^ 250 [July 27,1872,] PALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Conducted by " There is no knowing what we may find «I don't see it," sneered Edgar. , "We in those old Brandenburg Marches," ex­ bave not the slightest notion where Remus claimed Laurence. " Near a town called was buried, and for all we can prove to the Rheinsberg, 'which takes its name from tbe contrary, his remains may lie near the Rhein, a river which empties itself iuto the banks of tbe Havel, or of the Mississippi, Havel, and is not to be confounded with its or of whatever river you please. On the celebrated namesake, is a lake, from which other hand, we are all aware that King tbe river perhaps derives its source. In Henry was comfortably interred in his this lake is an island, where they say years favourite city, Quedlinburg." ago was discovered the tomb of no less a " To say nothing of the fact," added person than Remus, who, as we were taught Laurence, "that the earliest chroniclers to.believe, was killed by bis brother Romu- who write about Henry do not say a word ius on the site of Rome." about his bird-catching," "And whose existence," interposed "WeU, gentlemen," said Maximilian, Edgar, " we have since been taught to dis­ looking somewhat humiliated, "let me believe altogether." observe, that when you do agree, your " Tbe discovery was made long before unanimity is wonderful. Let us settle the the days of Niebuhr," said Laurence, " at dispute by conceding that tbe hawks seen a time when people were much more ready by Remus, and Heniy's pet falcons, were to believe than they are at present. The most probably birds of a feather." tomb seems to have consisted of two marble "Or of no feather," impertinently sug­ blocks, one somewhat longer than the gested Edgar. other; and the conviifcing proof that the "Laurence's story, if story it can be huge bones discovered within it were those caUed, is, however," continued MaximiHan, of Remus, was the fact that on one side " so far important, that it almost ridi­ there was a representation of six birds " culously illustrates a truth, about which we " I see," cried Edgar, " these were, of were all agreed long ago, that ancient course, the birds seen by Remus upon monuments often, instead of throwing light Mount Aventine." upon true history, are sources of mere false­ " On the other was an inscription," pro­ hood. But while we are mentaHy in ceeded Laurence, " which, however, was Brandenburg, let us glide upwards from scarcely legible." this Rheinsberg, or Remusberg, or what­ " Capital!" shouted Edgar. " Six birds ever it is to be called, and taking a south­ carved on one stone and a few scratches on western direction, arrive at Tangermiinde, another, are sufficient to constitute an his­ near Stendal, in the Old March, with which torical monument!" we are all famihar. We shall find there a " I assure you tbere bave been learned story of the Maid Lorenz, which is one of people who have not treated the matter so tbe most popular in tbe district." lightly. It has been argued that the river " We need scarcely say ' proceed,'" said ought to be called Remus, and that Rheins­ Laurence, " especially as the lady seems to berg might be conveniently converted into have been a namesake -of mine." Remu&berg. Nay, some have said that " Her full name,*^ returned MaximiHan, Remus could have effected bis escape to Ger­ " was Emerentia Lorenz, and so mar­ many vrith the greatest ease. In his time vellous was her beanty that all Tanger­ tbe most powerful people in Italy were the miinde was proud of her. She was like­ Tuspans, The Tuscans were called Tuis- wise well endowed witb .property, real and cones, and Tuiscones is only a variation of personal. She bad a town bouse admirably Ueutschen, Now, of course people of the furnished, and withal a large patch of .same race are sure to be on friendly terms woodland, bordered by good arable land. with each other," Now, one fine morning, in Whitsuntide, "I am not sure that history exactly when all nature wore a very pleasant and proves the ti'utb of that proposition," promising aspect, this beauiful Brandenburg remarked Maximilian, "Indeed, the doc­ heiress, straying into a forest, there lost her­ trine it embodies was exploded long before self, and after much wandering about, lay tbe Flood, by Cain and Abel, It would be down and slept. When she awoke the sun more rational to conjecture that the six was already setting, and the way out of the birds were the hawks vrith which King wood seemed harder to be found than ever. Henry the Fowler was amusing himself She was therefore compelled to abandon when the Franks and Saxons ofiered bim the search, and make up her mind to re­ the crown of Germany." main beneath tbe trees aU night. Tho =4 ^-. rib Charles Dickens.] " TO BEGIN WITH RATS.' [July 27,1872.] 251 return of morning brought with it renewed " Ay," said Edgar, " how it would have hopes, but again evening came, the wished- been altered if it had faUen into the bands for discovery bad not been made, and of one of the professed tale-makers; tbe Emerentia was obliged to pass another Countess d'Aulnoy, or Madame de ViUe- night in the wood, feeling very weak neuve, for instance, would assuredly have thVough want of sustenance, the few berries converted the stag into an enchanted prince, which she bad eaten through tbe day and we should have had another Royal Ram proving anything but substantial fare. On or Beauty and the Beast, witb all sorts of the third morning, however, when she courtly decoration." awoke from her night's sleep, she felt her­ " WhUe we are on the subject of Tanger­ self invigorated, and uttered a fervent miinde, I can tell you another tale, which is prayer, vowing that, if Heaven in its not so pretty, but far more curious," said mercy would allow ber to leave tbe wood Maximilian. and return home, she would devote herself "Then do so by aU means," returned to a secluded reHgious life, and never Laurence. »:'• ^>'- marry. When her prayer was just con­ "WeU, tben, many years ago an aged cluded—and sbe was stiU on her knees—a couple lived in one of the streets of Tan­ stag rushed through the thicket, and, germiinde, and gained a subsistence partly suddenly stopping himself, remained sta­ by hard work, and partly by training bees. tionary before ber, as if surprised to find One day, while the old man was in his her in so secluded a spot. garden watching bis hives, his vrife came " After awhile he touched her with his to the back door of the house to call him horns, motioning her to follow him, and as in to dinner. To her astonishment she per­ she did not appear to understand, be knelt ceived standing behind him, and looking down, so clearly inviting ber to seat herself over his shoulder, a man dressed in a long on his back that she, without hesitation, flame-coloured cloak, with a red cap on his accepted the offer. Away they went, the head. So great was ber terror, that she stag being evidently acquainted with every returned into the house vrithout calling her inch of the track, and soon the wood was husband, where ber alarm was increased, behind them, and Tangermiinde in sight. when glancing at a picture, which had Without stopping, the stag carried his fair bung against the wall from time imme­ burden through the streets of the town, till morial, she observed that it bore a strong he reached the portals of the church of St. resemblance to the red-clad, pale-faced Nicholas, where he knelt down, and Eme­ stranger in tbe garden. When her husband rentia aHghted, While sbe was engaged came in after awhile, she questioned him within the holy edifice, rendering thanks about his strange visitor, but be did not for her delivery, he remained respectfully seem to ujiderstand what she meant, and at the door, and afterwards accompanied strongly asserted his opinion that she bad her to her bouse, which henceforth he made been dreaming." his home, now and then paying a visit to " Some woxdd have entertained a less the forest, but never remaining long ab­ courteous hypothesis," interrupted Edgar. sent. A collar, which she fastened round " Courteous or not, it led to a few words," his neck, and which was inscribed with her proceeded Maximilian, " causiug the first name, protected bim from injury as he quarrel that had ever ruffled the Hves of went to and fro, the inhabitants of the this worthy pair. On the noon of the fol­ town generally regarding bim vrith venera­ lowing day, the old lady, going to the tion. To her vow of celibacy she rigidly back door as before, saw the same appari­ adhered, and she set up in the church of tion ; but her husband, so far from seeming St. Nicholas, to which she bequeathed ber to be aware of its presence, walked straight estate, a stag's head, upon which was a full- through it, without meeting any apparent length figure representing herself. This obstacle, and asked her if the visitor of the figure, I believe, stiU remains in its place,, previous day had again made his appear­ although the church has been converted ance. Sorely perplexed, the old lady, on into a hospital, and it is said that strange that very day proceeded to ber confessor, uneai'thly noises are beard if any one and asked him what bad best be done ventures to touch the horns ofthe stag." under these very difficult circumstances. "That is a very pretty story—pretty She was informed that on tbe next day she from its simplicity," observed Laurence. ought to enter the garden herself at the " The supernatural element creeps into it time of noon, make a sign of the cross, without destroying its natural interest," and boldly ask tbe stranger whence he bad

'1F ^\ ^ riSs^ 125 2 [July 27,1872.] ALL THK YEAR ROUND. [Conducted by come, and whither be was going. This "We have heard of similar positions counsel she followed, and at the prescribed before," ejaculated* Edgar. hour went into tbe garden, her husband, "The poor girl, lamenting her hapless for some reason or other, refusing to ac­ state, sat one evening in the garden," con­ company her, in spite of her urgent en­ tinued Maximilian. treaties. The stranger was tbere, tbe "The identical garden, afterwards te­ questions were asked, and by way of an­ nanted by the old couple ?" inquired Lau­ swer, the poor old lady received from an rence. icy cold band a slap which levelled her " The identical garden, afterwards te­ witb the ground. When her husband came nanted by the old couple," echoed Maxi­ to look for ber, she lay extended on a spot milian, " Suddenly, in the full light of the in the garden where two paths crossed. moon, she saw standing in the cross-path The stranger was not to be seen," a little red man, who, bidding ber not to " It is a. strange feature in this story, be alarmed, asked her to come to the same that the spectre, contrary to precedent, spot on the following evening. She com­ selects noon for the time of bis appear­ plied witb the request, and at the appointed ance," observed Laurence. place found the little man, who, seating "And perhaps it is still more strange," himself beside her, narrated his own his­ added Maximilian, " that the red man tory. He was, it seemed, the ghost of a should reappear within the last forty years. Wendish prince, who, by birth a heathen, The death of the poor old lady, who ex­ had become a Christian through his love pired three days after her encounter with for a Christian lady, and had deserted a the apparition, and carried to the grave bride of his own race in consequence. five black finger-marks on her cheek, oc­ Having overheard his declaration of love curred long ago; but according to popular made to her rival on the banks of the Elbe, beHef, a little girl, of two years, belonging the forsaken damsel fiung herself into the to more recent owners of that bouse, could stream and perished. The prince buried never be prevailed upon to walk on the her with all honour; but her father con­ cross-path, but always chose some other way, demned him to wander upon earth until he and when asked for her reason, exclaimed, was released from the spell by a, pair of ' Redman ! Red man !' The child died at faithful lovers, whom no consideration the age of five, and they accounted for her could separate. Not having been fortunate terror by affirming that she had actually enough to find a couple answering to this seen a red man standing on the indicated description, he had had recourse to other ex­ spot," pedients. He had, for instance, built a con­ "This red man seems to be very fond vent, endowed it witb all his wealth, and of kilHng people," observed Edgar, "Did even died in it; but all this had been to no be box the ears ofthe little girl ?" purpose, and since the hour of his decease " On the contrary," replied Maximilian, he had been a miserable wanderer. Now, " though he was seen in the garden after however, deliverance seemed at hand, and the death of the old woman, he never he bade the girl meet bim on the following molested anybody," evening with a spade in her hand." " He must have been intensely good- "That will make three evenings," inter­ humoured," said Laurence, "to allow the posed Edgar ; "he would have economised old man to walk through him." time if he had told his story, and given "True—and all things considered," re­ his orders for the spade on the first." marked Edgar, " I think the old woman " Have you forgotten that predUection had better have left him alone. But after for the number three which is visible in so all, what is this red man supposed to many legends and popular tales ?" asked ^ be?" Laurence, " That I cannot say," replied MaximUian, " I stand corrected," said Edgar, •" but there is a story connected with that " The girl came as required, although apparition, which, perhaps, you would like there was a violent storm, and though au to hear, though it is possibly a compara­ oak on the cross-path was struck by light­ tively recent invention. You are to suppose ning, she boldly used her spade, and dug that ages ago, the son of one of the great the ground till she came to an iron chest men of Tangermiinde fell in love vrith a girl full of gold and precious stones. This of humble condition, though his father had treasure she presented on the following chosen for him a lady to whose famUy he morning to her lover, who, releasing his was deeply indebted." father from aU pecuniary difficulties, mar-

'^ /? X 4^Charle s Dickens.] CHRONICLES OF LONDON STREETS. [Juiy 27,1972.] 253 ried ber without obstacle. The little red Ah me! what know or what care I ? Or what hath love to do with " why" ? man was never seen again, and it was How simple is the reason! therefore to be presumed that be had at­ I love her—for she is my love, tained the desired repose ; but bis portrait And shall while stars shall shiiie above, was painted from memory, and hung up as And season follow season. a grateful monument in the bouse." " Here we bave the picture that was CHRONICLES OF LONDON seen by tbe old woman," remarked Edgar; STREETS, " but altogether tbis pretended introduction OLD ST. PAUL'S. does not accurately fit the popular story. THE somewhat credulous and simple- The red man ought not have reappeared, hearted antiquaries of Charles the Second's after he bad assisted the girl to marry her reign fought hard with Sir Christopher lover, and yet it is to account for his Wren, because he would not allow that a appearance at an after date that tbe tale is Roman temple to Diana ever stood on the told." site of St. Paul's. There had indeed been " At all events we understand why be a vague tradition among the learned for slapped the old woman's face," said Lau­ many centuries that in the reign of Edward rence. " The ghost of a man, who has the Third an incredible quantity of stag- built a convent, and ended his life in peni­ boms, boars' tusks, and skulls of oxen had tence, is, from the legendary point of view, been dug up in St. Paul's Churchyard, and an honest ghost, and would, therefore, these bones, the antiquaries insisted, were naturally disHke to be exorcised like an remains of ancient sacrifices to Diana. eril spirit." Moreover, they pointed with triumph to a "Nevertheless," objected Edgar, "be small household image of the chaste god­ need not have hit so bard." dess that had been found between the deanery and St. Paul's. But Wren would listen to none of these things. He stuck LOVE'S EEASONS. steadUy to facts, and assured the Scri- "WHY do I love my darling so ? bleruses of the day that in all his excava­ Good faith, my heart, I hardly know, tions he had not found a single bone or 1 have such store of reasons; 'Twonld take me all a summer day— born. Nay, saying half that I could say But what be did find was curious. In­ Would fill the circling seasons. side the old Roman praetorian camp he discovered, deep below the aisles of the old Because her eyes are softly brown, My dove, who quietly hath flown church, rows of Saxon graves lined with To me as to her haven ? slabs of chalk, and Saxon stone coffins. Because her hair is soft, and laid Below these, in due sequence, came the Madonna-wise in simple braid. And jetty as the raven ? British graves, with here and there among the earth ivory and wooden pins that Because her lips are sweet to touch. had fastened the woollen shrouds. In the Not chill, nor fiery overmuch, same level, and deeper (eighteen feet from But softly warm as roses. Dear lips that chasten while they move. the surface) were Roman funeral urns, Lips that a man may dare to love. lamps of red Samian ware, vessels for hold­ Till earthly love-time closes? ing tears, and vessels used in sacrifices. Outside the old praetorian camp, therefore, Because her hand is soft and white. according to the Roman custom, there Of touch so tender and so Ijght., That where her slender finger had evidently been a Roman cemetery. Yet, Doth fall or move, the man to whom singularly enough, the old theory of the The guards of Eden whispered, " Come!" Temple of Diana cropped up again in 1830, Beneath its spell might linger ? for in that year a rude stone altar, with au Because her heart is woman-soft, image of Diana upon it, resembling in form So true, so tender, that I oft and attitude the Diana ofthe Louvre, turned Do marvel that a treasure. up under the foundation of Goldsmiths' Hall So rich, so rare, to me should fall, Whose sole desert—so small, so small, (Foster-lane, north side of Cheapside). So Is—loving past all measure ? that those who love old traditions can stiU believe that during the Diocletian persecu­ Because she has such store of moods. tion the first Christian church on the site of So archly smiles, so staidly broods. So lovingly caresses; St. Paul's was puUed down, and a temple So that rdy heart may never tire to Diana built on its ruins, while at West­ Of monotone, or more desire minster a shrine to Apollo displaced St. Than she, my love, possesses ? =y X ^

254 [Jnly 27,1872.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Conducted by Peter and bis keys. One thing, at least, is at tbe high altar, and tw-cnty-two nobles at certain, that in the old times, when the the shrine of St. Erkenwald. north of London was aU swamp and forest, WUliam the Conqueror is said to have the Romans on the banks of the Thames bestowed valuable privileges and immunities frequently erected shrines to the dirine on St. Paul's; at aU events, tbe cathedral huntress. clergy claimed them as real. The very Mellitus, a companion of St. Augustine, year the stern Norman died a great fire was the first bishop of London, and Ethel- swept away tbe Saxon cathedral, and pro­ bert. King of Kent, founded and endowed a bably reduced to ashes the bodies of cathedral, which he dedicated to St. Paul, MeUitus and Erkenwald. Bishop Mauritius who, as ecclesiastical tradition asserts, first set strenuously to work to rebuild his brought Christianity to Britain. For thirty- cathedral, and tbe Conqueror., almost on eight years the pagan Londoners resisted his death-bed, gave towards the restoration the Christian bishops, nor, till the brother of the stone of the Palatine tower, perhaps a St. Chad of Lichfield arrived at St. Paul's Roman fort, that stood where the Black­ did their shouts cease to Wodin and friars monastery afterwards arose. For Thor, Erkenwald, the fourth successor of forty years Mauritius and his fi-ugal suc­ MeUitus, brought, however, wealth and cessor, De Belmeis, went on building St. saintly glory to the cathedral. His greatest Paul's, and Henry the First granted ex- miracle was tbis. The worthy man used einption to all vessels which entered the to preach in the forests round London; Fleet laden with stone for the new cathe­ after a certain rough drive one of the two dral, ijo^.i-i wheels of the cart that conveyed him on During tbe strife between King Henry his rounds came off, and there be must and the ambitious Becket, Gilbert Foliot, have remained water-logged , had not the Bishop of London, and Becket's rival, was sound wheel miraculously moved on alone, excommunicated by Becket, one of whose and carried him' safely to bis savage con­ emissaries had the courage during high gregation. Even a greater miracle happened mass to approach the altar and thrust the after his death, at his sister's nunnery at sentence into the hands of the officiating Barking. Directly they beard of his death priest, shouting at the same time: the ny^nks of his abbey at Chertsey made " Know all men that Gilbert, Bishop of forced marches to Barking to secure his holy London, is excommunicated by Thomas, body ; but the canons of St. Paul's, equally Archbishop of Canterbury," anxious to found a profitable shrine, pushed In the troublous reign of Edward the for Chertsey too, and arriving there first, Second, the threshold of St. Paul's was first bore off the body in triumph towards Lon­ stained with the blood of a murdered man. don. The Chertsey monks and the nuns Walter Stapleton, Bishop of Exeter, and of Barking followed, weeping and protest­ lord high treasurer of England, who held ing. Heaven seemed to hear their cries; London for the king, had demanded the a tempest came on, and the River Lea rose keys of the City from the lord mayor, who in fury. A pious man present adjured was swerving to the queen's side. The both claimants to leave the matter to the citizens rose in arms and frightened their decision of Heaven. The London clergy mayor into treason. The cry was raised, burst forth into a litany. The Lea at once "Death to the queen's enemies !'^' The calmed down, the procession passed over to mob fell on a servant of the Despensers and Stratford, and from thence marched in sun­ cut off his-bead. Tben rushing to the shine to St. Paul's. Tbe shrine soon became bishop's palace (Exeter - street. Strand), famous; pilgrims began to pour in, and they broke down the gate and destroyed with the richer pilgrims came costly offer­ all the jewels and plate, Tbe bishop riding ings. King Stephen translated the body out in armour towards Islington, galloped of Erkenwald from the crypt to a spot be­ back to St. Paul'sto claim sanctuary. At the hind the high altar. Three goldsmiths of north door he was dragged from his horse, London were employed a whole year at the and with two of his retainers beheaded in shrine. The relics of St. Mellitus were for Cheapside. The bishop's body was tossed ever eclipsed. The dust from the new contemptuously into the Thames. tomb, mingled with water, wrought re­ The reforms of Wycliffe brought fresh markable cures, and brought in many a uproar into St, Paul's, In the last year penny to the dean and chapter. When of Edward the Third's reign, when the King John of France was taken prisoner old king was fast 'dying, Wycliffe was at Poictiers be presented four basins of gold summoned to St. Paul's for his heretical

^S" =!P ^\ Charles Dickens.] CHRONICLES OF LONDON STREETS. [July 27,1372.1 255 opinions. Bishop Courtenay, proud and gathering her Lancastrian forces in the inflexible, was bearded by Wycliffe's friends North, In 1461, St. Paul's welcomed King and supporters, John of Gaunt and the Eai'l Edward the Fourth and Warwick his ally. Marshal Percy. They forced a way for Then the whirlpool of blood grew larger Etod Wycliffe through the scbwling crowd, and more raging, till Warwick, the king-maker, demanded a soft seat for the culprit in the fell at Barnet, and his naked body was ex­ Lady ChapeL They taunted tbe bishop posed in St. Paul's for three days, to con- with pride, and the earl was said to bave rince his London adherents that the Achilles threatened to drag him out of the church of their party was really dead. In the fol­ by the hair of his head. The people lowing month the corpse of Henry himself complaining of the earl-marshal's assump­ was displayed in the cathedral, and in tion within the lOrd mayor's jurisdiction, whispers the scared citizens hinted that a tumult rapidly spread through the City, Richard of Gloucester, the Crookback, had and a priest, mistaken for the earl-marshal, slain him with his own hand in the Tower. was murdered. John of Gaunt's palace in Then comes that dark reign that Shake­ the Savoy was attacked, and would have speare has painted with all the gloom of been burned but for the bishop's inter­ Rembrandt, After the death of Edward cession. the Fourth, Richard paid bis ostentatious A few years more, and old John of Gaunt, orisons in St. Paul's ; and after the young " time-honoured Lancaster," was buried in prince was removed from the bishop's St. Paul's. The helmet, spear, andhom targe palace to tbe Tower, from which he was of the claimant of the crown of Castile was never to emerge. Doctor Shaw, a brother hung upon bis sumptuous pinnacled tomb, of the lord mayor, preached at Paul's and by the side of his calm, recumbent effigy Cross (in tbe churchyard), a birebng ser­ lay that of his second wife, Constance of mon, denouncing all the elder brothers of CastUe. When Henry Bolingbrofce (before Richard as illegitimate. Jane Shore, an­ his coronation as Henry the Fourth) came other of the Crookback's victims, did pe­ to St. Paul's to offer prayers for the success nance in St. Paul's for witchcraft; and her of his invasion, he paused to shed tears exquisite beauty, as she walked, bowed over the grave of bis father, John of Gaunt. down with Aame, touched the hearts of the Soon after, when Richard the Second was citizens. Gn bis accession, the eril king, starved to death, or murdered at Ponte- witb suspicious eyes, bis fingers, as the old fract, his shrunken body was brought to chroniclers tell us, ever twitching at his St; Paul's, and tbere exhibited for three dagger, rode with bis spiritual and tem­ days, and Henry and bis nobles spread poral peers to the London cathedral, and cloth-of-gold upon the bier ofthe poor reck­ was there received with tbe usual vociferous less spendthrift whom they had deposed. welcome. During the Wars of the Roses, many of Boswortb came at last, and after Richard's the historical pageants of those cruel times gashed and mutilated body had been throvsm took place in the old cathedral. In March, over a horse and carried to Leicester, Henry 1451, Richard, Duke of York, took his oath the Seventh donned the crown. To St. of fealty to the young king, so soon after Paul's the grave and cautious conqueror his deadHest enemy, and swore on ^ the came after bis defeat of Simnel, in two gospels to be a " humble subject and liege­ solemn processions, the cowed impostor man," and to bear " faith and trust to bis (afterwards a sculHon in tbe royal kitchen) sovereign liege lord," and as be stood there riding in his train. And soon again St, among the knights in tbeir gHstening Paul's was defiled with blood, Fitzjames, armour, be appealed to the Host that stood Bishop of London, bating Dean Colet, the on the high altar. Six years later, after the friend of Erasmus, and furious against those battle of St, Albans, the treacherous duke early reformers, the Lollards, had two of again came to St. Paul's to meet the weak them burned in Smithfield. One of them, and irresolute monarch, and knelt in feigned named Hunn, who had contended against reconciliation. Two years later and ihe the abuses of the Ecclesiastical Court, he cruel and turbulent men who figure in imprisoned in the LoUards' Tower, the Shakespeare's Henry the Sixth, once more bishop's private prison, at the south-west gathered in St. Paul's, Again there was a comer of the cathedral. One night the feigned reconciliation, although the captive man was found hanged, and the bishop's king had already been forced by Warwick to chancellor, the sumner, and the cathedral award the succession to the Duke of York, bell-ringer were tried for the Lollard's and his grim Queen Margaret was already murder. The king, however, pardoned

."^ T "N CS=E: 256 [July 27,1872.] ALL THB YEAR ROUND. [Conducted by i- the fanatical criminals on their paying in Paul's Churchyard, and carted off five fifteen hundred pounds to the dead man's hundred tons of bones to Finsbury fields. family; and Fitzjames shielding his officers, He demolished also the long cloister vnthin burned Hunn's body, sixteen days after, the precinct, and used the stones for his at Smithfield. Colet himself had a narrow new palace, called Somerset House, in the escape of tbe flames. The last time Henry Strand. tbe Seventh entered St. Paul's be was a The promising young " imp of promise'* passive spectator. On his death, at Rich­ died, and Queen Mary very quickly re- mond, in 1509, his body lay in state in clothed St. Paul's, and raised again the St. Paul's; for bis great carved casket of fallen statues. At the first sermon at a chapel at Westminster was not yet ready Paul's Cross, Doctor Bourne the preacher for him. prayed for the dead, denounced the recent Henry the Eighth's pride, splendour, and imprisonment of Bonner, and railed at tyra,nny were aU iUustrated in the pageants Bishop Ridley. The Protestant mob, cha­ and ceremonials that took place in the fing into a rage, shouted "He preaches cathedral of London. When the pope, damnation ; pull him down, pull him little suspecting the future, sent the young down," and a dagger was thrown at king a hood and cap of maintenance, the Bourne, who was only saved by the inter­ king rode to the church door wearing position of two good Protestants; and a purple satin gown, chequered with gold, soon after this a bullet was fired at Doctor a doublet of gold brocade, a jewelled collar, Pendleton, another preacher. Then Bonner " worth a weU full of gold," and a jewelled replaced the rood, and there were con­ purple velvet cap. Wolsey, too, took no stant processions of coped men to the re­ mean part in many of tbe high days at stored cathedral, and King Philip, grira St. Paul's. In 1518 we find him preach­ and cold, came and heard Gardiner preach ing a sermon on the proclamation of the against heresy in St. Paul's. All through peace between France, England, and Spain, this cruel reign of blood and flame, the when the choir was hung with gold bro­ martyrs, sent to the Smithfield fires cade, iieraldically emblazoned. The king's witb terrible rapidity, were arraigned pew was formed of cloth of gold, and in at St, Paul's before the lord mayor, front of it stood a small altar crqwded with sheriffs, the Bishop of London, and his small silver-gilt images, amongst which gloomy doctors; to-day, Cardmaker, the stood a golden cross. On the other side vicar of St, Bride's, and a poor Walbrook in a raised chair, under a canopy, sat the cloth-maker; to-morrow, an upholsterer, a proud cardinal. The king's tunic was preacher, and a tallow-chandler's appren­ studded with pearls and jewels, and on the tice—all went the same way to the last collar he wore round his neck glowed car­ great argument of Bonner and his priests. buncles as large as walnuts. It was after With Elizabeth, sunshine again broke a mass by Wolsey at St. Paul's, in the out upon St, Paul's, The old cathedral king's chapel, that Henry, standing be­ was purified of its mummery, down went tween two legates, signed the marriage Bonner's rood cross, and in many contract of bifB beautiful sister, Mary, and places bonfires were made of copes, ban­ tho French dauphin. A few years later ners, robes, and altar-cloths. Soon after­ the king's aversion to Luther (for he had wards. Miles Coverdale, and several weU- not yet quarrelled vrith the pope) was pro­ known bold Reformers, preached at the claimed at St, Paul's by the public de­ Cross, and Veron, a popular preacher, fresh nouncement of Luther by Wolsey, the while from the Tower, shouted from the pulpit, a pile of Luther's books was blazing out­ vrith justifiable exultation, " Where are the side in the churchyard. When Charles the bishops and the old preachers ! They hide Fifth paid one of his artful business visits their heads," In the midst of all this re­ to England, Wolsey said mass before him joicing, a more terrible purifier than tbe in St. Paul's. Tudor queen came to cleanse the sanctu­ With Edward the Sixth, rough hands ary. During a terrible storm in 1561, St. visited St. Paul's. One November night, Martin's Church, Ludgate, was struck by the great rood in St. Paul's and the lightning, and, at the same time, the cathe­ images were pulled down, and the walls dral steeple suddenly broke into a flame. whitiewashed, to the destruction of all idol­ For four hours the fire raged till the bells atrous paintings. The rich plate and vessels melted, stones crumbled to ashes, and the were seized, and the Protector Somerset great leaden roof fell in, " A judgment; pulled down the chapter and charnel-house a manifest judgment," at once shouted

•^ =?P V XB Charles Dickens.] CHRONICLES OF LONDOJ^ STREETS. [July 27,187-2.] 257

Bonner's party. " A punishment for papal a German prayer-book full of illuminated sacrUege," roared the Protestants. In pictures of the saints. Long and loudly vain Dean Nowell, tbe Sunday after, at the queen chided the rash dean for not the Cross, reminded the Roman Catholics knowing that she had an aversion to such that in Stephen's time, the church bad idolatry. On another occasion the dean been burned, and that in Richard the denounced from the pulpit, as full of super­ Second's time (the time of redundant faith), stition, a book, which had lately been dedi­ an earthquake had shivered down the spire. cated to the queen, till the queen in a "A wonder it has been spared so long," bitter voice called from her closet, " Leaye still cried the zealots on both sides, and those ungodly digressions, Mr. Dean, and gloried in the ruin of God's temple. return to the text," which nearly frightened Protestant zeal was not tardy, the queen the reverend gentleman out of his day's gave one thousand marks in gold, and one appetite. thousand marks' worth of forest-timber. Then came thatglorious time when eleven The clergy raised fourteen hundred and Spanish flags, wrested from the shattered sixty pounds. A false roof was soon Armada, waved from the battlements of erected, and in November of the same year St. Paul's, as the queen, followed by her j the lord mayor, aldermen, and all the crafts, council, nobles, and judges, rode up to the vrith eighty torch-bearers, came and beard cathedral in a chariot drawn by four a suitable sermon. The steeple, however, white horses. Over the preacher on that as Dean Milman mentions, was never again triumphant day fluttered an idolatrous restored, in spite of the irascible queen's Spanish flag, representing the Virgin with protests. Queen Mary had, in her hot zeal, tbe child in her arms. In this reign the done her best to purify St. Paul's of many choristers of St. Paul's performed plays in abuses, especiaUy to prevent, brewers, fish- their singing-school. The flrst state lot­ hucksters, and fniit-sellers caftryiag casks teries in England were at the same period and baskets through the church, and drawn in a shed at the west door of St. carriers and drovers leading mules, horses, Paul's. and beasts through the cathedral aisle with There was blood again shed at St. Paul's as little reverence as English tourists, who in King James's time. Four of the gun­ lug their portmanteaus through German powder plot fanatics were hung, drawn, cathedrals. Her sister Elizabeth, following and quartered outside the west door of St. the same path, threatened two months' im­ Paul's, while Guy Faux and four others prisonment to any one who dared or offered suffered at Westminster. A few months ii to draw his rapier, or fire his hand-gun or later, Garnet, the Jesuit confessor of these "dag" within the precinct of St. Paul's, desperate raen, perished also in St. Paul's and also warned off all who chaffered and Churchyard, King James, visiting St. bargained during the time of divine service. Paul's to see the ruins of the old spire, Yet so inconsistent is human nature, that headed a subscription for its restoration. although the very year of the fire a pillory Inigo Jones and other commissioners pro­ was set up in the church, and a brawler's nounced twenty-two thousand pounds to ears cut off, the disgrace still continued. be requisite for that purpose, and the stone Servants thronged to St, Paul's to be collected for tbe repairs the Duke of Buck­ hired. Hungry and thirsty sponges hung ingham afterwards begged for his palace, about Duke Humphrey's tomb, waiting for now gone, though the water-gate still stands a job or an invitation, stabbers came in a Strand by-street. there to watch their rictims, advertisements With Charles the First, the zeal of Laud, were posted up in the middle aisle, and Bishop of London, soon rerived the dor­ hungry men - about - town paced up and mant plans of James. Inigo Jones was down, bantering and laughing tiU the ordi­ building a palace at Whitehall, and he nary dinners were ready in Paternoster- was chosen to restore St, Paul's. The king, row and Fleet-street. himself a man of some taste, was so pleased Just before Bishop Sandys's election vrith Inigo Jones's classical portico, that (1570), John Felton, a daring fanatic, bad be undertook to pay for it out of his own the hardihood to nail a copy of the pope's purse. Laud gave twelve hundred pounds bull against the queen on the bishop's towards tbe fund, and it was proposed to gates, before which be was very soon hanged. shut all shops in Lombard-street and Cheap- One extant anecdote of EHzabeth especiaUy side, except the goldsmiths', to make the connects her vrith St, Paul's. One day avenue to St. Paul's more splendid. Shops DeanNowell placed in ber pew in the church and bouses crowding the west front were

^ f y T^ A X A 258 [July 27,1872.] ALL THE YEAR RGUND. [Conducted by recklessly pulled down, and the church of feet in diameter,, were bent outwards at St. Gregory, abutting on the south-west cor­ least six inches. Moreover, the pillars them­ ner of St. Paul's, quickly removed. Inigo selves proved mere tubes filled with rubbish Jones, who bad been, according to Mil- and mortar, and the outward coat of free­ man, born near St. Paul's, went zealously stone was rent witb age, and mouldered to work. He cut away the old Gothic with the saltpetre it contained, Avhich carving wherever decayed. His design, worked through the plaster. Wren advised though patchy, was splendid; his west that the inside of St, Paul's should be cased front, supported by four florid Corinthian with large stone in the Roman manner, as pillars, one hundred and sixty-one feet Inigo Jones had flagged tbe exterior, and long, one hundred and sixty-two feet high, that the roof should be a thin and light was remembered by Wren. Above tbe shell of stone, or brick stuccoed, as in many pUlars were the statues of ten princely Roman buildings, Tbe tower was leaning, benefactors. The portico was to be an and the three buttresses left were so irre­ ambulatory for idlers. Laud scraped to­ gular that they were "incorrigible." One of gether obnoxious ecclesiastical fines to pay Wren's remedies was^ to cut off the iuner the builders, while a princely citizeUj Sir cornices of the cross, so a& to reduce the Paul Pindar, a silk mercer, whose house middle space into a dome with a cupola still exists in Bishopsgate, buUt a costly and a lantern, " This," said the wise Httle screen, and spent four thousand pounds in man, " would give the church, which was repairing the south transept. But when at present much too narrow for its height, tbe axe fell at Wliiteball the building at St, incomparable more grace in the remoter , Paul's ceased. The parliament, driven hard aspect than it is possible for the lean shaft for money, seized the seventeen thousand of a steeple to afford." Wren's report pounds of subscriptions, and paid Colonel closes with what Milman very truly c^lls a Jephson's Puritan regiment with the price generous homage to Inigo Jones's beautiful of the tower scaffolding, the removal of portico, which his successor calls " an abso­ which quickly brought down part of the lute piece in itself," On August the 27th, south transejat. They burned the copes of 1666 (six years after the Restoration), St, Paul's to extract the gold, and sent the Evelyn mentions going with Wren and other money to the Irish Protestant poor. They of his brother commissioners to survey the clapped Cavalier prisoners from Colchester old ruinous church. Some of the party were into the deanery, and. sold the silver vessels of opinion that the walls had been purposely to buy gunpowder. A Puritan lecturer built to bulge outwards, and were desirous preached in a corner of the building. There to repair the church only on its own founda­ is a' tradition that Cromwell intended to tions, but Wren, Evelyn, and tbe rest re­ sell the cathedral to the Jews, The royal jected this poor economy, and resolved to statues over the portico were thrown con- alter the mean shape, " and buUd it with a ^ temptuously down, the portico was parcelled noble cupola, a form not as yet known in out into seamstresses' shops, the body of the London, but of wonderful grace." The church became a cavalry barrack, and tbe plans and estimates ^,were that very day Puritan dragoons annoyed passers-by, by ordered, and "Wren set to work, gravely stopping and questioning them, and playing measuring with rule and compass. nine-pins at unreasonable hours. The That was August the 27th ;, at ten P.M. churchyard cross was also pulled down. on Saturday, September the first, the Great Soon after the Restoration, Wren was Fire broke out, and dashed a red cancelling called in to see the half-ruined cathedral. line across Wren's plans. Early on Sun- The carved stalls in the choir, with the day morning Pepys, who lived in Seetliing- organ, had been kicked to pieces by the lane, near the Tower, went out, hearing Puritan troopers, or chopped up for bivouac the aliarm, and found the lord mayor ia fires by Cromwell's Ironsides ; the preach­ Cannon-street, begging people in vain to ing place of Doctor Burgess, the orthodox, pull down bouses and check tbe spread­ who, too quote Hudibras, ing and most threatening flames, but no­ Proved his faith by blows and knocks^, body obeyed, so Pepys calmly rolled home to bed. After dinner that same day Pepys was now enlarged, but tbe rest ofthe church again went to St. PauFs, and found tho remained disordered and desolate. Wren's danger increasing. Goods brought for report was gloomy enough. The cathedral safety that morning to Cannon-street were had never been weU built. There was not now being carted off to Lombard-street, On abutment enough to resist the weight of the Tuesday, the 4th, Evelyn saw the flames now ruined roof. The great piUars, eleven snatch bold of tbe scaffolds round St.

<^= =?^;

mt y^ V & Charles Dickens.] A WATERING PLACE IN THE PYRENEES. [July 27, m^.] 259 Paul's; ten thousand houses were in attractions as promenades, baUs, or con­ flames; two mUes of buildings were certs. But few people are deluded enough alight; and tbe clouds of smoke trailed to come here with any view but that of fifty miles away. People were too fiightened excursionising, or of drinking the waters. even to try to save the cathedral. The As a rule the convives of the table d'hotes stones burst Hke band - grenades; the have strong legs or we%k throats, and molten lead ran in cascades; tbe very depart as soon as their respective courses pavement grew red hot, A certain Tas- are accomplished. But, devoid of agre- well, at that time a Westminster boy, saw, ments as Cauterets indisputably is, we at eight P.M. on tbe Tuesday, the flames suspect that many, who, like ourselves, break out on tbe top of St. Paul's, and in betake themselves hither vrith exclusively an hour's time, standing near Westmin­ sanitary motives, prefer the quiet inde­ ster, could see to read a smaU Terence by pendent Hfe here possible, nay inevitable, the glare. The crypt of St. Paul's (the to one of more gaiety but less freedom. church of St. Faith) had been stuffed with Whereas elsewhere the towns cluster books, and every aperture closed, but the round the springs, the waters of Cauterets fire soon burnt down to them. Taswell are at so considerable a height up. the moun­ saw the bells melt and the great stones roU tain sides, that the double expedition in down. Near the east end of St. Faith's, he search of the daily dose, goes a good way found the yellow shrivelled body of an old towards reconciling those who are not woman who bad crept there for safety, and strong to primitive hours and habits. A had been burnt to death. This was almost five-miles' walk or ride daily has a de­ the only person who perished in the great cidedly tranquUlising effect, and most fire. The boy, putting on a sword and hel­ people intent on their regime find suffi­ met he had picked up among the ruins, cient variety in the drinking, bathing, in ' passed safely through the dangerous region, the table d'hotes, and in strolHng about though be saw engines near bim on fire the village and mountains. Then, after a and deserted by the firemen. The ashes winter at Pan, inevitably leading to the from the books iu St, Faith's were blown discontent inseparable from keeping house as far as Eton. in a foreign country, what luxury to be On the Friday Evelyn again came to cheated at a fixed rate ! to live for one London Bridge to see St. Paul's. But alas, brief month where one eats, drinks, and the beautiful portico was now rent in pieces, sleeps by tariff! For almost every one vast stones were spHt into flakes, and no- in the Pyrenees sojourns in hotels or tliing was remaining but the inscription pensions. on the architraves, of which not one letter We have seen Cauterets at aU times was defaced. Six acres of lead on the roof of the year, excepting winter; have been had melted clean away. The grand monu­ here early in what is called tbe " peasants' ments, the stately columns, the rich friezes, season," in the fashionable summer months, the carved capitals, were calcined. Yet and have Hngered on into the autumn. strangely enough tbe fire, Hke a monster The price of the waters and baths is very whose appetite was at last satiated, bad small up to June,, to accommodate the capriciously left the lead over the altar at poor, who flock here in great numbers the east end. Among the monuments of from all parts; then the tariff becomes deans one only escaped, the curious e&gj higher, and rises stiU more for July risi- of Donne, the great preacher and poet of tors. The season cannot be said fairly to James the First's days, in his shroud, as begin before July the 15th, up to which the artist, by his own desire, modeUed bim. day but few hotels or shops open, and no So passed away old St. Paul's. dihgences ply to and fro the springs. For those, however, who are strong enough to be independent of such means of locomo­ A WATERING PLACE IN THE tion, and are not afraid of the cold weather PYRENEES. to which one is, of course, exposed in May, the dead season has its charms. The Lj. -Al'Mi 'in oi THE waters of Cauterets are certainly crowds of water-drinkers are very pic­ not wdiat the French caU les eaux pour turesque. On tbe road to the RaiUere rire. While more pretentious wateriug- and Mahourat fountains there is, morning plaees, such as Eaux Bonnes and Luchon, and evening, a procession of the poor, the boast amusements various enough to ne­ maimed, the halt, and the blind; the old cessitate four or five toUettes daily, this carefully led by the young, little chUdren Httle mountain village offers no sucb carried by parents, tbe feeble tenderly sup- y •* 260 [July 27.1872.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Conducted by ported by relatives. The procession as it Tbe principal streets of Cauterets are wends its way up the hill of health to built, or rather have grown at different descend more blithely from the healing times, something into the shape of a Y, the springs, recals the old picture of the crowds centre of the fork forming a small open of decrepit folk going to be ground space, where is the Bureau des Diligences, young again at the magic mill; and, in­ and whence the huge unwieldy vehicles deed, the transformation wrought by tbe start. In small side streets which radiate end of the season in numbers of the wan from the diminutive Place are bumble lodg­ faces and feeble forms is little less than ing-houses, shops, &c. The different eta­ miraculous. Russet mixes with motley. blissements are perched about, some near Here comes a group from the Ossalois the town, but most in distant spots on the valley, tbe gigantic peaked hoods of their mountain sides, sufficiently difficult of access dark bernouses making them look like peri­ to the aged and rheumatic limbs which toil patetic extinguishers, while the tassels and painfully along. Early in the year the pendent points of those knitted purse­ fashionable part of Cauterets is like a city like caps identify their wearers as Bare- of the dead; the main streets are almost geois. Old hags, whose thread of life must uninhabited ; and it is curious to watch the be nearly spun out, mutter and mumble little town gradually coming to life—open­ as they saunter along, distaff in hand, ing, as it were, first one eye and then the reminding one of the fatal sisters—appari­ other. From a state of utter darkness we tions hideous and gaunt enough to suggest suddenly find our evening path enlightened the witches in Macbeth. The bright- by lamps hoisted to chains suspended coloured blouses and berrets of the young across the streets from bouse to house, or men, and the girls' dainty bizarre fichus, from rock to rock. The narrow footways reHeve the sombre hue of the ancients. are monopolised by cleanly householder.s, Stately Spaniards, wrapped in striped busily engaged in washing the winter's blankets, stalk sulkily on, with their dust and scars off their dismounted doors peculiar swinging gait, distancing the and shutters in the sparkling water which more dilatory Bearnais. But both now runs down each side of the street in open and later priests form one of the principal channels. The Utopian standard upheld features of the place ; some of the waters in the proverb should be attained bei-e, for being a specific for weak voices, and a pedestrian is speedily made aware that "priests' throats," as common a malady every one cleans his own doorstep, inas­ here as " clergy mens' throats" in England, much as he is at all hours hunted off the The affection is, indeed, it is said, often pathway by energetic besoms and ladles greatly aggravated by tbe loud chanting which alternately sputter his boots with of the funeral and other open-air services, dust and water. Here and there a hotel often against strong wind and boisterous or shop opens, and great is the excitement storm. One is tempted to exclaim witb over tbe unpacking of the goods on their Front de Bceuf, " Surely the devil keeps arrival from the plain—greater still when holiday here, that, relieved from duty, the a carriage tears up the steep little street, priests stroll thus wildly through the whip cracking, bells jingling. The first country!" The good men positively comers are marked men, and of greater swarm, drinking, gargling, or bathing in importance than they can ever again expect the different etablissements, and in the to be, for they are affectionately regarded intervals of business muttering over their and welcomed by the population of Cau­ breriaries as they pace the roads and lanes. terets as the swallows who are to bring the For those among them who bave country summer. When we in our hotel muster tastes, or whose friends live in the neigh­ five or six, we constitute the first table bourhood, this must be a veritable priests' d'hote serieuse, and are promoted to a paradise—free to geologise, botanise, or dinner-bell, by no means a popular sound explore the mountains, reverend cures are later in the year, for one of the torments seen, armed with hammers and sticks, of the place in tbe height of the season is making, petticoats tucked up, for some the multitude of bells summoning the re­ distant spot, where stony or flowery trea­ spective conrives. Imagine a town of sures are to be found. In the park they hotels, each of which tries to outring its sit chatting vrith aged parents, brothers neighbours, all at nearly the same hour, or sisters, enjoying for a few short weeks tbe varied by violent cracking of the whips of pleasures of domestic life, to which they drivers, guides, and enterprising travellers have so long been strangers. entering tbe street! Then may be heard

«2= A X Charles Dickens.] A WATERING PLACE IN THE PYRENEES. [Juiy 27,1872.] 261 a loud drumming preliminary to the an­ easily prove fatal, or the dislodging of a nouncement bawled out by the town crier, stone or crag by a foremost runner cause nicknamed Recompense, He in this some­ the fall of a rival. An unusual feature of what original manner drums into notice all this entertainment, the only one of a secular important news from the price of meat to nature at which we bave, ever remarked a lost bracelet. Let us listen to his naive tbem, was the number of priests among the invitation to a concert to be given by tbe spectators, and very picturesque were the Orpheonistes of Cauterets, Recompense white and dusky forms perched about himself being one of the singers. " Mes­ the neighbouring heights, sieurs et Mesdames. (Tum-darum-tum-da- A few days before a religious fete all the rum.) Voici comment on passe le temps a children's heads assume a pepper-and-salt Cauterets agreablement," and then follows hue, but the newspaper papillotes give place a programme of the performance, place, on the great day to magnificent bushes of time, price, &c. These concerts are very curly hair. Special attention is bestowed creditable to tbe mountaineers, who spend on the angelic pates of those' destined to their long dreary winter evenings in prac­ figure in the procession, or to enact the tising under the conduct of tbe kind and parts of cherubim and sei'aphim at the intelligent schoolmaster. Of course, there reposoirs, as the extemporised shrines in is a good deal of blustering and bawling the streets are called. On the morning of about " La Gloire" and " La Patrie," but the Fete Dieu the barbers' shops swarm the shepherds' ballads and the songs of vrith incipient angels, whose divine heads which the choruses imitate natural sounds, contrast queerly enough with their de­ such as the rush of the Gave, and the cidedly human little bodies. The rapidity whistling of the wind, are very character­ with which these " functions" are got up is istic and pretty. We tbis year brought the marvellous. At eleven o'clock there was minstrels a selection of English music, so no sign of anything unusual; by twelve, ere long the Pyrenees may (for not the men and women were bringing boughs and first time!) echo the notes of Rule Bri­ nosegays into the vUlage, and by two tannia and the Blue Bells of Scotland. o'clock the streets were a mass of green. The two great days of tbe year are the Five large reposoirs had sprung into exist­ race day and the Fete Dieu. We have ence, constructed out of the roughest only once vritnessed the Courses de wooden scaffolding, tastefully wreathed Cauterets, nor do we particularly wisb with coloured muslin, and adorned with again to see a performance which is a per­ figures, flowers, real and §trtificial, and gold fect farce and very cruel, as the unfortu­ and silver tinsel; the steps were carpeted, nate horses bave to run along the hard road, and thereupon stood pairs of the cherubic the only available race-course, to the no beings, who, in white frocks and blue rib­ small risk of tbeir knees, and the certain bons, were much more suggestive of cupids ruin of their legs. The only interesting than angels. The processions consist of part of the spectacle was the foot races of priests, choristers, and school children, pre­ the mountaineers, their broad and high leap­ ceding and following tbe parish cure, who ing, and their throwing matches. The slowly paces along under a grotesque awn­ running, or more correctly speaking, climb­ ing carried by four men, and which exactly ing races, take place about a mile from the resembles the upper part of an old- vUlage. The shepherds, who practise for fashioned four-poster bed. Small boys in some weeks previously, start from the foot white and gold wave before him censers, of a mountain, and make their bare-footed which produce a curious clicking sound way, by any route they choose, circuitous like castanets, others strew his way with or direct, to the heights on which are rose petals, to supply which all the neigh­ planted the two flags which serve as goals. bouring gardens are laid under contribu­ Their agility is marvellous, and it is curi­ tion. So they make their progress through ous to observe tbe devious routes taken to the village, chanting and singing all the the same end, some of the athletes finding way, and stopping to kneel and pray at it easier to run cunning even when doubling every altar. Towards the end of the day the distance, than to make direct for the we have noticed the cherubim and seraphim goal. It is fortunate sucb differences of so irked and wearied that they bad to be opinion and powers exist, or the danger bribed to remain on duty by sticks of would be greatly increased by the thronging barley-sugar; sucking and brandishing of the direct and pi-ecipitous path, where which they were induced to stand and wait an unintentional touch or jostle might to the end; but oh! the glee with which

^ «fi= =fc 962 [July 27,1672.]' ALL THE YEAR ROUND. I-'^V/A [Conducted by the fat little legs toddled down tbe steps as not a system that would work well in Eng­ soon as permission was given ! land, Englishmen wou;ld not consent to On -St. John's Day, in every village, tbe associate for weeks on perfectly equal prettiest boy of five or six is chosen to terms with those who, in their own neigh­ represent the saint. Naked, but for a piece bourhood and under other circumstances, of skin fastened round bis waist, he marches would stand on a different rung of the in tbe midst of the procession, followed by social ladder. To a "Frenchman such an a lamb marked on the back or head with a association is merely an incident in his magenta or blue cross. Tbe animal ought watering-place life, to be resumed or not as voluntarily to follow close at St. John's suits in each individual case, and neither heels, as be is reared with the child in bis party feels any incongruity in meeting cottage home, and is fed and petted by the again, it may be over the counter, it may future saint; but bewildered by the crowd be at a greater distance. Englishmen are and by his master's unaccustomed appear­ far too mucb afraid of compromising them­ ance, the poor beast is seldom equal to the selves, and carry about with them a chill­ occasion, and has generally to be dragged' ing atmosphere of self-consciousness which by a cord, or, tied by the legs and cast, is freezes those who approach them. It is a carried outstretched on a shutter. •matter of congratulation to traveUers in So have we seen the infant Baptist lag, France that the national character and and blubber till some one in the crowd, etiquette insure an entente cordiaile among spreading an umbrella to shelter bis fat fellow-traveUers for tbe time being, and little person ft-om rain or sun, as the case forbids any breach of good manners. At might be, dragged him by the hand to the first sight the French system recommends end of his journey. A pleasing diversion to itself to an impartial observer, and there is the general routine was effected on one no doubt tliat our countrymen lose a great occasion by a friend of ours who consented deal that is profitable and' eiijoyaible by to sing at one of the principal reposoirs. their timidity and folly. Far be it from us Concealed by a boeage we extemporised in to justify the stupid pride of the typical a balcony, Madame Olivier, whose voice is travelling John Bull, but it -must be singularly beautiful, arrested the course of allowed, and to his credit be it said, that, the procession by singing a Salve Regina. his own prejudices altogether apart, no The astonishment and delight of the EngHsh gentleman would venture to be­ people were great, and from our bowery stow on a social inferior such capricious balcony we could, unseen, watch the effect attentions as are given and taken in Franco produced on the crowd below; study tbe as a matter of course. uplifted faces fresh from prayer, and ob­ Foremost among our convives occurs to serve bow the censers ceased to wave and our minds tbe kind Old doctor who acts as the rosy shower to fall, as, entranced by president, and holds himself equally re­ such exquisite singing as they had never sponsible for tbe credit of Monsieur Meil- heard before, the simple mountaineers lon's cuisine, and for the health of those Hst^ied as though to angel strains. who bave recourse to his beloved springe, Life at Les Eaux affords grand oppor­ a specific, according to good Doctor Toueg, tunities for flirtations, and matches are for every known malady. So fearful is he occasionally made •there. Pleasant ac­ of discouraging any pilgrims te the sulphur quaintances are often formed, and some­ shrine, and so carefully does be consult vary­ times real friendships. An association of ing tastes, that we, wUy patients, could, by tbree weeks or a month gives opportunities leading questions and suggestive remarks, ; of knowing something of companions, amd induce him in one breath to contradict • we ourselves owe more than ene lasting bimsellf, and recommend what we wished; I friendship to neighbourhood at the -table each doing by his neighbour as he would | d'hote of the comfortable Hotel d'Angle­ not be done by. So courteous and loqua­ terre, Those who bave read the Abbe cious is the simple old •man, that many a Perreyve's touching letters to the journey­ time bave we, by entering into conspiracy man mason, Micol, his ami des eaux, know turn by turn to engage him in conversa­ how close and valuable a tie may be formed tion, deprived him of any satisfactory under sucb circumstances, for points of dinner. If we cannot be said to 'have common interest and of sympathy are found our warmest welcome at an inn, at numerous enough to draw people together. least we are, each year, certain of a very But it must be confessed that amities des warm one from the old patron of the eaux, in the ordinary sense of the word, is hostelry. Blessings on your head, dear

==»Pl "#=

// X J Charles Dickens.] A WATERING (PLACE IN THE PYRENEES. [Juiy 27,1872.] ms old doctor! Seldom have we-met your was wont to assume preparatory to de­ equal for courtesy and credulity ! Then claiming. his friend the old naval officer, whose Recollection peoples tbe long table of features won for him the nickname of the salle-a-manger in the garden with the Requin, bow pleasant a companion wbeni well-known faces of the aristocrainc Swe­ one was aibsolutely without engagement, dish officer, tbe agreeable Prussian mer­ for there was no possibility iof curtailing chant, the egotistical Russian spy, the or escaping his long technical yarns. skittish English meeses, the dhatty Breton ShaU we ever visit the pleasant chateau squire, the shy Yorkshire farmer, and in Burgundy, to which our charming many more. Again and again, in the friends the D'B.s bave invited us every course of each day, do the " drinkers" year since we met amid the sulphureous encounter one another—on the way to and fumes of the Cesar ? from the source—in the etabHssements, in Poor little Madame Olivier: -we Httle the park, in the long stroll to meet the thought when listening to you singing, or diligence, or on the Mamelon Vert, In when playing chess in the shady park witb the gargling-house and the pulverisation- Capitaine O., that before the next season at room one finds oneself in ludicrous pro­ les Eaux, at which we had planned to meet, pinquity, standing in long rows before the the devoted wife of the kindly fr*ank sailor stone trough, Hke so many pigs or poultry. would be a widow! How we have laughed A greater trial to a self-conscious man can together over the simple young wine mer­ scarcely be imagined than said gargling- chant who was complaisant enough to make house. One is reminded of Albert Smithls a fool of himself for our amusement on the bun-eater, to whose comfort spectators smallest encouragement—-simple and yet were fatal. To look at a shy tyro in the crafty, for we used to marvel at tbe reck­ gargling art seems to paralyse bis powers; lessness with which he would bet bottles of disgusted or resentful he bides his time, recherche wine on the least provocation, and watohes bis companions with ill-con­ till we accidentally discovered that he sup­ cealed curiosity, trying by furtive glances plied mine host with said wines, so that to learn the dodge, A professor of gar­ whether his bets were lost or won, profit gling would really be a good institution, accrued to the firm ! Wonderful -are the and would find more disciples than many a manners and customs of the English as more learned brother ! Some garglers, with represented by Boulerat to his credulous inflated cheeks, like cherubs on a grave­ countrymen. He was supposed to be stone, go in for the sublime, some are ele­ qualified to enlighten them on tbe strength gant and languid, some atldacious, while of baring paid a montb's risit at the nothing is easier than to recognise old countiy seat of an Engleesh M.P., for hands, or rather throats, by their indif­ the double purposes of business, and of ference of demeanour. The poses assumed studying English. Much has that falla­ by the performers vary greatly. Here are cious M.P. for H shire to answer for ! garglers, and very accomplished ones, erect The Prince of Wales was represented as as soldiers on parade ; others, their bodies directly interested in commerce, inasmuch throwin backwards at absolutely right as he is not above taking part in a large angles; others, again, in graceful curves grocery business, and dining once a year in and supplicating attitudes. The chorus of company with the brothers of the tea and gurgHng sounds, spluttering, scraping, and cheese trade. To those British youths who coughing, can be likened to nothing but may have a distaste for Euclid and mathe­ frogs in a pond affHcted with croup. matics, the alternative of playing a game Within tbe waUs ;the patients are saved of chess successfully is offered at the from interruption, but mocking relatives Oxford and Cambridge examinations. In throng the door, looking at the spectacle, this land of primogeniture, younger chU­ "Ihe salle de pulverisation presents a yet dren occupy an unenviable position, as, more ridiculous aspect. A baigneur according to our friend, it is illegal for envelops each patient as be enters with a parents to leave them a sou ! But richest huge white pinafore, and ties round his of all was Boulerat, when, inspired by liis neck a long mackintosh bib. He is then own wiiie, he treated us to choice morsels seated on a three-legged stool, in a long of " Omelette," better known, perhaps, as row of feUow-sufferers, all facing a stone Hamlet, only as his acquaintance with the trough. Exactly opposite bis lips, and at immortal WiUiams was limited, we learned a distance of, perhaps, three inches, is a to dread the bardic tone and bearing he tube whence a narrow stream of mineral

:^ • ;• • T 1 i: f. <& 4> 264 ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [July 27,1872.] water issues with such force that it reaches flowers, yonder the pretty blue grey of the sufferer's throat in the form of spray, or, the common squill mixes Avith the purple so to speak, aqueous powder. This per­ crane's biU, and the yellow poppy, the whole formance, too, requires a certain knack. It spangled with large marguerites, while is by far the most expensive remedy for every rocky rill is dotted with the pretty throat maladies, but wonderfully efficacious penguicula. The beauty of the meadow in some affections, especially the "priest's flowers is doubled by the abundance of throat," and accordingly out of the spray insect life. Dragon-flies, butterflies, and imbibers a large proportion are always bees swarm. Often every blossom in a reverend fathers. Singers and readers tuft of blue scaba3Tis will be crested with a also avail themselves largely of the spray blue-black butterfly, while the red butter­ • douche. In a neighbouring salle people flies haunt their favourite flower, the sit simply breathing the compressed sul­ creamy meadow-sweet. There is no end phureous fumes witb which the room is to the varieties of the beetle and spider tilled. Down-stairs, baths, foot and demi- tribes, while grasshoppers, common and baths, douches, and every imaginable uncommon, abound, producing the pecuhar application of mineral waters, may be ringing noise which is so like that made by obtained. An ordinary drinker's day is the grelots of a carriage in the distance passed somewhat as follows: He rises so that it will deceive any but an ear practised as to be at the distant source by seven or in mountain sounds. The park is shaded eight; returns, after draught and bath, on by really fine trees, while comfortable foot to a dejeuner a la fourchette at half- seats are afforded by the rocks tumbled past ten ; has to kiU time in-doors or out about in all directions, and here we were till three or four, when dose number two is wont to sit (in the air when not in the due, which, and the return from the source, water) reading, drawing, or working. occupies the time till table d'hote, about The favourite expedition from Cauterets six, and most people are glad to go to bed is to the Pont d'Espagne and Lac de Gaube, somewhat early. How far these primitive which can easily be accomplished between hours and active habits conduce to the breakfast and dinner, or tourists can cures performed here it is difficult to say, breakfast on the salmon-trout caught in but those who have never watched the pro­ the lake. Then what pleasant rides have gress made by patients would find it im­ we bad in the opposite direction, down the possible to believe in the results of a beautiful valley, to Pierrefitte or Argelez, sojourn at Cauterets, Eaux Bonnes, Eaux taking a peep at St. Sarin, or at Charle­ Chaudes, &c., to sufferers from gout, magne's tower, on the way down to break­ rheumatism, paralysis, and pulmonary fast in the plain, at kind Madame Creu- complaints. The waters are, as a poor sol's inn, or on Monsieur Peyrafitte's cele­ peasant poetically said, " La medicine du brated foies a la broche and pancakes! bon Dieu," a veritable Pool of Siloam in Monotonous as Hfe must be, when such which to wash and be clean. Besides the expeditions, the arrival of the dihgences, largely frequented Cesar, RaiUere, and carriages, or mail-cart, create quite an ex­ Mahourat sources, there are, at Cauterets, citement, we never drive away down the the Oeufs Espagnols, the Bains du Pre, du valley vrithout a feeUng of regret that our Rocher, Rieumiset, the Great and Smaller sojourn in this quiet little out-of-the-way Pauze, all varying more or less in quality nook in tbe Pyrenees is ended. and strength; iron, arsenic, and sulphur being tbe principal ingredients. The Back Numbers of the PRKSBNT SKKIES of As we said before, Cauterets forms capi­ ALL THE YEAR ROUND, tal head-quarters for those bent on serious Also Cases for Binding, are always kept on sale. mountaineering, but there is Httle to be The whole of the Numbers of the FIEST SEares of done in the way of moderate excursions. As a lounging place the park is most enjoy­ ALL THE YEAR EOUND, able, literally carpeted as it is with wild CONDUCTED BT CHAELES DICKENS, Are now in print, and may be obtained at the Office, flowers. Here is a patch golden vrith parrot 26, Wellington-street, Strand, W.C, and of all Booksellers,

The Bight of Translating Articles from ALL THE YEAR BOUND ts reserved by ihe Authors.

}^ d Published at tbo Oflioe. JS. Wellington St. Strand, Printed by O, WHITIKB, Beaufort Honse, Duke SC, Lincoln's Inn Fieldi. X