Chapter XI. Maggie Tries to Run away from Her Shadow

uswhereyoulivewhat’sthenameo’theplace?” “DorlcoteMillismyhome,”saidMaggie,eagerly.“MyfatherisMrTulliverhelivesthere.” “What!abigmillalittlewaythissideo’StOgg’s?” “Yes,”saidMaggie.“Isitfaroff?IthinkIshouldliketowalkthere,ifyouplease.” “No,no,it’llbegettingdark,wemustmakehaste.Andthedonkey’llcarryyouasniceascanbeyou’llsee.” HeliftedMaggieashespoke,andsetheronthedonkey.Shefeltrelievedthatitwasnottheoldmanwhoseemedtobegoingwithher,butshehadonlyatremblinghopethatshewasreallygoinghome. “Here’syourprettybonnet,”saidtheyoungerwoman,puttingthatrecentlydespisedbutnowwelcomearticleofcostumeonMaggie’shead“andyou’llsaywe’vebeenverygoodtoyou,won’tyou?andwhatanicelittleladywesaidyouwas.” “Ohyes,thankyou,”saidMaggie,“I’mverymuchobligedtoyou.ButIwishyou’dgowithmetoo.”Shethoughtanythingwasbetterthangoingwithoneofthedreadfulmenaloneitwouldbemorecheerfultobemurderedbyalargerparty. “Ah,you’refondesto’me,aren’tyou?”saidthewoman.“ButIcan’tgoyou’llgotoofastforme.” Itnowappearedthatthemanalsowastobeseatedonthedonkey,holdingMaggiebeforehim,andshewasasincapableofremonstratingagainstthisarrangementasthedonkeyhimself,thoughnonightmarehadeverseemedtohermorehorrible.Whenthewomanhadpattedherontheback,andsaid“Good-by,”thedonkey,atastronghintfromtheman’sstick,setoffatarapidwalkalongthelanetowardthepointMaggiehadcomefromanhourago,whilethetallgirlandtheroughurchin,alsofurnishedwithsticks,obliginglyescortedthemforthefirsthundredyards,withmuchscreamingandthwacking. NotLeonore,inthatpreternaturalmidnightexcursionwithherphantomlover,wasmoreterrifiedthanpoorMaggieinthisentirelynaturalrideonashort-paceddonkey,withagypsybehindher,whoconsideredthathewasearninghalfacrown.Theredlightofthesettingsunseemedtohaveaportentousmeaning,withwhichthealarmingbrayoftheseconddonkeywiththelogonitsfootmustsurelyhavesomeconnection.Twolowthatchedcottages—theonlyhousestheypassedinthislane—seemedtoaddtoitsdrearinesstheyhadnowindowstospeakof,andthedoorswerecloseditwasprobablethattheywereinhabitatedbywitches,anditwasarelieftofindthatthedonkeydidnotstopthere. Atlast—oh,sightofjoy!—thislane,thelongestintheworld,wascomingtoanend,wasopeningonabroadhighroad,wheretherewasactuallyacoachpassing!Andtherewasafinger-postatthecorner,—shehadsurelyseenthatfinger-postbefore,—“ToStOgg’s,2miles.”Thegypsyreallymeanttotakeherhome,thenhewasprobablyagoodman,afterall,andmighthavebeenratherhurtatthethoughtthatshedidn’tlikecomingwithhimalone.Thisideabecamestrongerasshefeltmoreandmorecertainthatsheknewtheroadquitewell,andshewasconsideringhowshemightopenaconversationwiththeinjuredgypsy,andnotonlygratifyhisfeelingsbuteffacetheimpressionofhercowardice,when,astheyreachedacross-road.Maggiecaughtsightofsomeonecomingonawhite-facedhorse. “Oh,stop,stop!”shecriedout.“There’smyfather!Oh,father,father!” Thesuddenjoywasalmostpainful,andbeforeherfatherreachedher,shewassobbing.GreatwasMrTulliver’swonder,forhehadmadearoundfromBasset,andhadnotyetbeenhome. “Why,what’sthemeaningo’this?”hesaid,checkinghishorse,whileMaggieslippedfromthedonkeyandrantoherfather’sstirrup. “Thelittlemisslostherself,Ireckon,”saidthegypsy.“She’dcometoourtentatthefarendo’DunlowLane,andIwasbringingherwhereshesaidherhomewas.It’sagoodwaytocomeafterbeingonthetrampallday.” “Ohyes,father,he’sbeenverygoodtobringmehome,”saidMaggie,—“averykind,goodman!” “Here,then,myman,”saidMrTulliver,takingoutfiveshillings.“It’sthebestday’sworkyoueverdid.Icouldn’taffordtolosethelittlewenchhere,liftherupbeforeme.” “Why,Maggie,how’sthis,how’sthis?”hesaid,astheyrodealong,whileshelaidherheadagainstherfatherandsobbed.“Howcameyoutoberamblingaboutandloseyourself?” “Oh,father,”sobbedMaggie,“IranawaybecauseIwassounhappyTomwassoangrywithme.Icouldn’tbearit.” “Pooh,pooh,”saidMrTulliver,soothingly,“youmustn’tthinko’runningawayfromfather.What’udfatherdowithouthislittlewench?” “Ohno,Ineverwillagain,father—never.” MrTulliverspokehismindverystronglywhenhereachedhomethateveningandtheeffectwasseenintheremarkablefactthatMaggieneverheardonereproachfromhermother,oronetauntfromTom,aboutthisfoolishbusinessofherrunningawaytothegypsies.Maggiewasratherawe-strickenbythisunusualtreatment,andsometimesthoughtthatherconducthadbeentoowickedtobealludedto.