CHAPTER I. LEVITICAL.

runafterhim,buthehasahankeringthatMooreshouldbemadeanexampleof.HewasextollinghimtoMr.Halltheotherdayasthemill-ownerwiththemostbrainsinYorkshire,andforthatreasonheaffirmsMooreshouldbechosenasasacrifice,anoblationofasweetsavour.IsMikeHartleyinhisrightmind,doyouthink,sir?"inquiredSweetingsimply. "Can'ttell,Davy.Hemaybecrazed,orhemaybeonlycrafty,orperhapsalittleofboth." "Hetalksofseeingvisions,sir." "Ay!HeisaveryEzekielorDanielforvisions.HecamejustwhenIwasgoingtobedlastFridaynighttodescribeonethathadbeenrevealedtohiminNunnelyParkthatveryafternoon." "Tellit,sir.Whatwasit?"urgedSweeting. "Davy,thouhastanenormousorganofwonderinthycranium.Malone,yousee,hasnone.Neithermurdersnorvisionsinteresthim.SeewhatabigvacantSaphhelooksatthismoment." "Saph!WhowasSaph,sir?" "Ithoughtyouwouldnotknow.Youmayfinditout.Itisbiblical.IknownothingmoreofhimthanhisnameandracebutfromaboyupwardsIhavealwaysattachedapersonalitytoSaph.Dependonithewashonest,heavy,andluckless.HemethisendatGobbythehandofSibbechai." "Butthevision,sir?" "Davy,thoushalthear.Donneisbitinghisnails,andMaloneyawning,soIwilltellitbuttothee.Mikeisoutofwork,likemanyothers,unfortunately.Mr.Grame,SirPhilipNunnely'ssteward,gavehimajobaboutthepriory.Accordingtohisaccount,Mikewasbusyhedgingratherlateintheafternoon,butbeforedark,whenheheardwhathethoughtwasabandatadistance—bugles,fifes,andthesoundofatrumpetitcamefromtheforest,andhewonderedthatthereshouldbemusicthere.Helookedup.Allamongstthetreeshesawmovingobjects,red,likepoppies,orwhite,likemay-blossom.Thewoodwasfullofthemtheypouredoutandfilledthepark.Hethenperceivedtheyweresoldiers—thousandsandtensofthousandsbuttheymadenomorenoisethanaswarmofmidgesonasummerevening.Theyformedinorder,heaffirmed,andmarched,regimentafterregiment,acrossthepark.HefollowedthemtoNunnelyCommonthemusicstillplayedsoftanddistant.Onthecommonhewatchedthemgothroughanumberofevolutions.Amanclothedinscarletstoodinthecentreanddirectedthem.Theyextended,hedeclared,overfiftyacres.Theywereinsighthalfanhourthentheymarchedawayquitesilently.Thewholetimeheheardneithervoicenortread—nothingbutthefaintmusicplayingasolemnmarch." "Wheredidtheygo,sir?" "TowardsBriarfield.Mikefollowedthem.TheyseemedpassingFieldhead,whenacolumnofsmoke,suchasmightbevomitedbyaparkofartillery,spreadnoiselessoverthefields,theroad,thecommon,androlled,hesaid,blueanddim,tohisveryfeet.Asitclearedawayhelookedagainforthesoldiers,buttheywerevanishedhesawthemnomore.Mike,likeawiseDanielasheis,notonlyrehearsedthevisionbutgavetheinterpretationthereof.Itsignifies,heintimated,bloodshedandcivilconflict." "Doyoucreditit,sir?"askedSweeting. "Doyou,Davy?—Butcome,Malonewhyareyounotoff?" "Iamrathersurprised,sir,youdidnotstaywithMooreyourself.Youlikethiskindofthing." "SoIshouldhavedone,hadInotunfortunatelyhappenedtoengageBoultbytosupwithmeonhiswayhomefromtheBibleSocietymeetingatNunnely.Ipromisedtosendyouasmysubstituteforwhich,by-the-bye,hedidnotthankme.Hewouldmuchratherhavehadmethanyou,Peter.ShouldtherebeanyrealneedofhelpIshalljoinyou.Themill-bellwillgivewarning.Meantime,go—unless(turningsuddenlytoMessrs.SweetingandDonne)—unlessDavySweetingorJosephDonneprefersgoing.—Whatdoyousay,gentlemen?Thecommissionisanhonourableone,notwithouttheseasoningofalittlerealperilforthecountryisinaqueerstate,asyouallknow,andMooreandhismillandhismachineryareheldinsufficientodium.Therearechivalricsentiments,thereishigh-beatingcourage,underthosewaistcoatsofyours,Idoubtnot.PerhapsIamtoopartialtomyfavouritePeter.LittleDavidshallbethechampion,orspotlessJoseph.—Malone,youarebutagreatflounderingSaulafterall,goodonlytolendyourarmour.Outwithyourfirearmsfetchyourshillelah.Itisthere—inthecorner." WithasignificantgrinMaloneproducedhispistols,offeringonetoeachofhisbrethren.Theywerenotreadilyseizedon.Withgracefulmodestyeachgentlemanretiredastepfromthepresentedweapon. "Inevertouchthem.Ineverdidtouchanythingofthekind,"saidMr.Donne. "IamalmostastrangertoMr.Moore,"murmuredSweeting. "Ifyounevertouchedapistol,trythefeelofitnow,greatsatrapofEgypt.Astothelittleminstrel,heprobablyprefersencounteringthePhilistineswithnootherweaponthanhisflute.—Gettheirhats,Peter.They'llbothof'emgo." "No,sirno,Mr.Helstone.Mymotherwouldn'tlikeit,"pleadedSweeting. "AndImakeitarulenevertogetmixedupinaffairsofthekind,"observedDonne. HelstonesmiledsardonicallyMalonelaughedahorse-laugh.Hethenreplacedhisarms,tookhishatandcudgel,andsayingthat"heneverfeltmoreintuneforashindyinhislife,andthathewishedascoreofgreasycloth-dressersmightbeatupMoore'squartersthatnight,"hemadehisexit,clearingthestairsatastrideortwo,andmakingthehouseshakewiththebangofthefront-doorbehindhim.