CHAPTER I. LEVITICAL.

reinthethickofarevival.Iknowwhosefaultitis.—Itisyours,Malone." "Mine,sir?" "Yours,sir.DonneandSweetingwerequietbeforeyoucame,andwouldbequietifyouweregone.Iwish,whenyoucrossedtheChannel,youhadleftyourIrishhabitsbehindyou.Dublinstudentwayswon'tdohere.TheproceedingswhichmightpassunnoticedinawildbogandmountaindistrictinConnaughtwill,inadecentEnglishparish,bringdisgraceonthosewhoindulgeinthem,and,whatisfarworse,onthesacredinstitutionofwhichtheyaremerelythehumbleappendages." Therewasacertaindignityinthelittleelderlygentleman'smannerofrebukingtheseyouths,thoughitwasnot,perhaps,quitethedignitymostappropriatetotheoccasion.Mr.Helstone,standingstraightasaramrod,lookingkeenasakite,presented,despitehisclericalhat,blackcoat,andgaiters,moretheairofaveteranofficerchidinghissubalternsthanofavenerablepriestexhortinghissonsinthefaith.Gospelmildness,apostolicbenignity,neverseemedtohavebreathedtheirinfluenceoverthatkeenbrownvisage,butfirmnesshadfixedthefeatures,andsagacityhadcarvedherownlinesaboutthem. "ImetSupplehough,"hecontinued,"ploddingthroughthemudthiswetnight,goingtopreachatMilldeanoppositionshop.AsItoldyou,IheardBarracloughbellowinginthemidstofaconventiclelikeapossessedbullandIfindyou,gentlemen,tarryingoveryourhalf-pintofmuddyportwine,andscoldinglikeangryoldwomen.NowonderSupplehoughshouldhavedippedsixteenadultconvertsinaday—whichhedidafortnightsincenowonderBarraclough,scampandhypocriteasheis,shouldattractalltheweaver-girlsintheirflowersandribbons,towitnesshowmuchharderarehisknucklesthanthewoodenbrimofhistubaslittlewonderthatyou,whenyouarelefttoyourselves,withoutyourrectors—myself,andHall,andBoultby—tobackyou,shouldtoooftenperformtheholyserviceofourchurchtobarewalls,andreadyourbitofadrydiscoursetotheclerk,andtheorganist,andthebeadle.Butenoughofthesubject.IcametoseeMalone.—Ihaveanerranduntothee,Ocaptain!" "Whatisit?"inquiredMalonediscontentedly."Therecanbenofuneraltotakeatthistimeofday." "Haveyouanyarmsaboutyou?" "Arms,sir?—yes,andlegs."Andheadvancedthemightymembers. "Bah!weaponsImean." "Ihavethepistolsyougavemeyourself.Ineverpartwiththem.Ilaythemreadycockedonachairbymybedsideatnight.Ihavemyblackthorn." "Verygood.WillyougotoHollow'sMill?" "WhatisstirringatHollow'sMill?" "Nothingasyet,norperhapswillbebutMooreisalonethere.HehassentalltheworkmenhecantrusttoStilbro'thereareonlytwowomenleftabouttheplace.Itwouldbeaniceopportunityforanyofhiswell-wisherstopayhimavisit,iftheyknewhowstraightthepathwasmadebeforethem." "Iamnoneofhiswell-wishers,sir.Idon'tcareforhim." "Soh!Malone,youareafraid." "Youknowmebetterthanthat.IfIreallythoughttherewasachanceofarowIwouldgo:butMooreisastrange,shyman,whomIneverpretendtounderstandandforthesakeofhissweetcompanyonlyIwouldnotstirastep." "Butthereisachanceofarowifapositiveriotdoesnottakeplace—ofwhich,indeed,Iseenosigns—yetitisunlikelythisnightwillpassquitetranquilly.YouknowMoorehasresolvedtohavenewmachinery,andheexpectstwowagon-loadsofframesandshearsfromStilbro'thisevening.Scott,theoverlooker,andafewpickedmenaregonetofetchthem." "Theywillbringtheminsafelyandquietlyenough,sir." "Mooresaysso,andaffirmshewantsnobody.Someone,however,hemusthave,ifitwereonlytobearevidenceincaseanythingshouldhappen.Icallhimverycareless.Hesitsinthecounting-housewiththeshuttersunclosedhegoesouthereandthereafterdark,wandersrightupthehollow,downFieldheadLane,amongtheplantations,justasifhewerethedarlingoftheneighbourhood,or—being,asheis,itsdetestation—borea'charmedlife,'astheysayintale-books.HetakesnowarningfromthefateofPearson,norfromthatofArmitage—shot,oneinhisownhouseandtheotheronthemoor." "Butheshouldtakewarning,sir,anduseprecautionstoo,"interposedMr.Sweeting"andIthinkhewouldifheheardwhatIheardtheotherday." "Whatdidyouhear,Davy?" "YouknowMikeHartley,sir?" "TheAntinomianweaver?Yes." "WhenMikehasbeendrinkingforafewweekstogether,hegenerallywindsupbyavisittoNunnelyvicarage,totellMr.Hallapieceofhismindabouthissermons,todenouncethehorribletendencyofhisdoctrineofworks,andwarnhimthatheandallhishearersaresittinginouterdarkness." "Well,thathasnothingtodowithMoore." "BesidesbeinganAntinomian,heisaviolentJacobinandleveller,sir." "Iknow.Whenheisverydrunk,hismindisalwaysrunningonregicide.Mikeisnotunacquaintedwithhistory,anditisrichtohearhimgoingoverthelistoftyrantsofwhom,ashesays,'therevengerofbloodhasobtainedsatisfaction.'Thefellowexultsstrangelyinmurderdoneoncrownedheadsoronanyheadforpoliticalreasons.IhavealreadyheardithintedthatheseemstohaveaqueerhankeringafterMoore.Isthatwhatyoualludeto,Sweeting?" "Youusetheproperterm,sir.Mr.HallthinksMikehasnopersonalhatredofMoore.Mikesaysheevenlikestotalktohimand