CHAPTER XVI.

dowygoblindog,mightrushoverthethresholdor,moreawfulstill,ifsomethingflapped,aswithwings,againstthelattice,andthenaravenorawhitedoveflewinandsettledonthehearth,suchavisitorwouldbeasuresignofmisfortunetothehousetherefore,heedmyadvice,andliftthelatchetfornothing.” Herhusbandcallsheraway,bothdepart.Thestranger,leftalone,listensawhiletothemuffledsnow-wind,theremote,swollensoundoftheriver,andthenhespeaks. “ItisChristmasEve,”sayshe,“ImarkthedatehereIsitaloneonarudecouchofrushes,shelteredbythethatchofaherdsman’shutI,whoseinheritancewasakingdom,owemynight’sharbouragetoapoorserfmythroneisusurped,mycrownpressesthebrowofaninvaderIhavenofriendsmytroopswanderbrokeninthehillsofWalesrecklessrobbersspoilmycountrymysubjectslieprostrate,theirbreastscrushedbytheheelofthebrutalDane.Fate!thouhastdonethyworst,andnowthoustandestbeforemerestingthyhandonthybluntedblade.AyIseethineeyeconfrontmineanddemandwhyIstilllive,whyIstillhope.Pagandemon,Icreditnotthineomnipotence,andsocannotsuccumbtothypower.MyGod,whoseSon,asonthisnight,tookonHimtheformofman,andformanvouchsafedtosufferandbleed,controlsthyhand,andwithoutHisbehestthoucanstnotstrikeastroke.MyGodissinless,eternal,all-wise—inHimismytrustandthoughstrippedandcrushedbythee—thoughnaked,desolate,voidofresource—Idonotdespair,Icannotdespair:werethelanceofGuthrumnowwetwithmyblood,Ishouldnotdespair.Iwatch,Itoil,Ihope,IprayJehovah,inhisowntime,willaid.” Ineednotcontinuethequotationthewholedevoirwasinthesamestrain.Therewereerrorsoforthography,therewereforeignidioms,thereweresomefaultsofconstruction,therewereverbsirregulartransformedintoverbsregularitwasmostlymadeup,astheaboveexampleshows,ofshortandsomewhatrudesentences,andthestylestoodingreatneedofpolishandsustaineddignityyetsuchasitwas,Ihadhithertoseennothinglikeitinthecourseofmyprofessorialexperience.Thegirl’smindhadconceivedapictureofthehut,ofthetwopeasants,ofthecrownlesskingshehadimaginedthewintryforest,shehadrecalledtheoldSaxonghost-legends,shehadappreciatedAlfred’scourageundercalamity,shehadrememberedhisChristianeducation,andhadshownhim,withtherootedconfidenceofthoseprimitivedays,relyingonthescripturalJehovahforaidagainstthemythologicalDestiny.Thisshehaddonewithoutahintfromme:Ihadgiventhesubject,butnotsaidawordaboutthemanneroftreatingit. “Iwillfind,ormake,anopportunityofspeakingtoher,”IsaidtomyselfasIrolledthedevoirup“IwilllearnwhatshehasofEnglishinherbesidesthenameofFrancesEvanssheisnonoviceinthelanguage,thatisevident,yetshetoldmesh