CHAPTER XXXVII. THE WINDING-UP.

"dead-thraw."Youmighthavelikedit,reader,butIshouldnot.Iandmysubjectwouldpresentlyhavequarrelled,andthenIshouldhavebrokendown.Iwashappytofindthatfactsperfectlyexoneratedmefromtheattempt.Themurdererwasneverpunished,forthegoodreasonthathewasnevercaught—theresultofthefurthercircumstancethathewasneverpursued.Themagistratesmadeashuffling,asiftheyweregoingtoriseanddovaliantthingsbutsinceMoorehimself,insteadofurgingandleadingthemasheretofore,laystillonhislittlecottage-couch,laughinginhissleeve,andsneeringwitheveryfeatureofhispale,foreignface,theyconsideredbetterofit,andafterfulfillingcertainindispensableforms,prudentlyresolvedtoletthematterquietlydrop,whichtheydid. Mr.Mooreknewwhohadshothim,andallBriarfieldknew.ItwasnootherthanMichaelHartley,thehalf-crazedweaveroncebeforealludedto,afranticAntinomianinreligion,andamadlevellerinpolitics.ThepoorsouldiedofdeliriumtremensayearaftertheattemptonMoore,andRobertgavehiswretchedwidowaguineatoburyhim. Thewinterisoverandgonespringhasfollowedwithbeamyandshadowy,withfloweryandshoweryflight.Wearenowintheheartofsummer—inmid-June—theJuneof1812. Itisburningweather.Theairisdeepazureandredgold.Itfitsthetimeitfitstheageitfitsthepresentspiritofthenations.ThenineteenthcenturywantonsinitsgiantadolescencetheTitanboyuprootsmountainsinhisgame,andhurlsrocksinhiswildsport.ThissummerBonaparteisinthesaddleheandhishostscourRussiandeserts.HehaswithhimFrenchmenandPoles,ItaliansandchildrenoftheRhine,sixhundredthousandstrong.HemarchesonoldMoscow.UnderoldMoscow'swallstherudeCossackwaitshim.Barbarianstoic!hewaitswithoutfearoftheboundlessruinrollingon.Heputshistrustinasnow-cloudthewilderness,thewind,andthehail-stormarehisrefugehisalliesaretheelements—air,fire,water.Andwhatarethese?ThreeterriblearchangelseverstationedbeforethethroneofJehovah.Theystandclothedinwhite,girdledwithgoldengirdlestheyupliftvials,brimmingwiththewrathofGod.Theirtimeisthedayofvengeancetheirsignal,thewordoftheLordofhosts,"thunderingwiththevoiceofHisexcellency." "Hastthouenteredintothetreasuresofthesnow?orhastthouseenthetreasuresofthehail,whichIhavereservedagainstthetimeoftrouble,againstthedayofbattleandwar? "Goyourways.PouroutthevialsofthewrathofGodupontheearth." Itisdone.Theearthisscorchedwithfiretheseabecomes"asthebloodofadeadman"theislandsfleeawaythemountainsarenotfound. Inthisyear,LordWellingtonassumedthereinsinSpain.Theymadehimgeneralissimo,fortheirownsalvation'ssake.InthisyearhetookBadajos,hefoughtthefieldofVittoria,hecapturedPampeluna,hestormedSanSebastianinthisyearhewonSalamanca. MenofManchester,Ibegyourpardonforthisslightrésuméofwarlikefacts,butitisofnoconsequence.LordWellingtonis,foryou,onlyadecayedoldgentlemannow.Iratherthinksomeofyouhavecalledhima"dotard"youhavetauntedhimwithhisageandthelossofhisphysicalvigour.Whatfineheroesyouareyourselves!Menlikeyouhavearighttotrampleonwhatismortalinademigod.Scoffatyoureaseyourscorncanneverbreakhisgrandoldheart. Butcome,friends,whetherQuakersorcotton-printers,letusholdapeace-congress,andletoutourvenomquietly.Wehavebeentalkingwithunseemlyzealaboutbloodybattlesandbutcheringgeneralswearrivenowatatriumphinyourline.Onthe18thofJune1812theOrdersinCouncilwererepealed,andtheblockadedportsthrownopen.Youknowverywell—suchofyouasareoldenoughtoremember—youmadeYorkshireandLancashireshakewithyourshoutonthatoccasion.TheringerscrackedabellinBriarfieldbelfryitisdissonanttothisday.TheAssociationofMerchantsandManufacturersdinedtogetheratStilbro',andoneandallwenthomeinsuchaplightastheirwiveswouldneverwishtowitnessmore.Liverpoolstartedandsnortedlikeariver-horserousedamongsthisreedsbythunder.SomeoftheAmericanmerchantsfeltthreateningsofapoplexy,andhadthemselvesbled—all,likewisemen,atthisfirstmomentofprosperity,preparedtorushintothebowelsofspeculation,andtodelvenewdifficulties,inwhosedepthstheymightlosethemselvesatsomefutureday.Stockswhichhadbeenaccumulatingforyearsnowwentoffinamoment,inthetwinklingofaneye.Warehouseswerelightened,shipswereladenworkabounded,wagesrosethegoodtimeseemedcome.Theseprospectsmightbedelusive,buttheywerebrilliant—tosometheywereeventrue.Atthatepoch,inthatsinglemonthofJune,manyasolidfortunewasrealized. Whenawholeprovincerejoices,thehumblestofitsinhabitantstastesafestalfeelingthesoundofpublicbellsrousesthemostsecludedabode,asifwithacalltobegay.AndsoCarolineHelstonethought,whenshedressedherselfmorecarefullythanusualonthedayofthistradingtriumph,andwent,attiredinherneatestmuslin,tospendtheafternoonatFieldhead,theretosuperintendcertainmillinerypreparationsforagreatevent,thelastappealinthesemattersbeingreservedforherunimpeachabletaste.Shedecidedonthewreath,theveil,thedresstobewornatthealtar.Shechosevariousrobesandfashionsformoreordinaryoccasions,withoutmuchreferencetothebride'sopinion—thatlady,indeed,beinginasomewhatimpracticablemood. Louishadpresageddifficulties,andhehadfoundthem—infact,hismistresshadshownherselfexquisitelyprovoking,putt