Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor

by R. D. Blackmore

  CHAPTER XXXII

  FEEDING OF THE PIGS

  The story told by John Fry that night, and my conviction of its truth,made me very uneasy, especially as following upon the warning of JudgeJeffreys, and the hints received from Jeremy Stickles, and the outburstof the tanner at Dunster, as well as sundry tales and rumours, and signsof secret understanding, seen and heard on market-days, and at places ofentertainment. We knew for certain that at Taunton, Bridgwater, and evenDulverton, there was much disaffection towards the King, and regret forthe days of the Puritans. Albeit I had told the truth, and the pure andsimple truth, when, upon my examination, I had assured his lordship,that to the best of my knowledge there was nothing of the sort with us.

  But now I was beginning to doubt whether I might not have been mistaken;especially when we heard, as we did, of arms being landed at Lynmouth,in the dead of the night, and of the tramp of men having reached someone's ears, from a hill where a famous echo was. For it must be plain toany conspirator (without the example of the Doones) that for the secretmuster of men and the stowing of unlawful arms, and communication bybeacon lights, scarcely a fitter place could be found than the wildsof Exmoor, with deep ravines running far inland from an unwatched andmostly a sheltered sea. For the Channel from Countisbury Foreland upto Minehead, or even farther, though rocky, and gusty, and full ofcurrents, is safe from great rollers and the sweeping power of thesouth-west storms, which prevail with us more than all the others, andmake sad work on the opposite coast.

  But even supposing it probable that something against King Charlesthe Second (or rather against his Roman advisers, and especially hisbrother) were now in preparation amongst us, was it likely that MasterHuckaback, a wealthy man, and a careful one, known moreover to the LordChief Justice, would have anything to do with it? To this I couldmake no answer; Uncle Ben was so close a man, so avaricious, and sorevengeful, that it was quite impossible to say what course hemight pursue, without knowing all the chances of gain, or rise, orsatisfaction to him. That he hated the Papists I knew full well, thoughhe never spoke much about them; also that he had followed the march ofOliver Cromwell's army, but more as a suttler (people said) than as areal soldier; and that he would go a long way, and risk a great dealof money, to have his revenge on the Doones; although their name neverpassed his lips during the present visit.

  But how was it likely to be as to the Doones themselves? Which sidewould they probably take in the coming movement, if movement indeed itwould be? So far as they had any religion at all, by birth they wereRoman Catholics--so much I knew from Lorna; and indeed it was well knownall around, that a priest had been fetched more than once to the valley,to soothe some poor outlaw's departure. On the other hand, they werenot likely to entertain much affection for the son of the man who hadbanished them and confiscated their property. And it was not at allimpossible that desperate men, such as they were, having nothing tolose, but estates to recover, and not being held by religion much,should cast away all regard for the birth from which they had been castout, and make common cause with a Protestant rising, for the chance ofrevenge and replacement.

  However I do not mean to say that all these things occurred to me asclearly as I have set them down; only that I was in general doubt, andvery sad perplexity. For mother was so warm, and innocent, and kindso to every one, that knowing some little by this time of the Englishconstitution, I feared very greatly lest she should be punished forharbouring malcontents. As well as possible I knew, that if any poor mancame to our door, and cried, 'Officers are after me; for God's sake takeand hide me,' mother would take him in at once, and conceal, and feedhim, even though he had been very violent; and, to tell the truth, sowould both my sisters, and so indeed would I do. Whence it will be clearthat we were not the sort of people to be safe among disturbances.

  Before I could quite make up my mind how to act in this difficulty, andhow to get at the rights of it (for I would not spy after Uncle Reuben,though I felt no great fear of the Wizard's Slough, and none of the manwith the white night-cap), a difference came again upon it, and a changeof chances. For Uncle Ben went away as suddenly as he first had come tous, giving no reason for his departure, neither claiming the pony, andindeed leaving something behind him of great value to my mother. Forhe begged her to see to his young grand-daughter, until he could findopportunity of fetching her safely to Dulverton. Mother was overjoyedat this, as she could not help displaying; and Ruth was quite as muchdelighted, although she durst not show it. For at Dulverton she hadto watch and keep such ward on the victuals, and the in and out of theshopmen, that it went entirely against her heart, and she never couldenjoy herself. Truly she was an altered girl from the day she came tous; catching our unsuspicious manners, and our free goodwill, and heartynoise of laughing.

  By this time, the harvest being done, and the thatching of the ricksmade sure against south-western tempests, and all the reapers beinggone, with good money and thankfulness, I began to burn in spirit forthe sight of Lorna. I had begged my sister Annie to let Sally Snoweknow, once for all, that it was not in my power to have any thing moreto do with her. Of course our Annie was not to grieve Sally, neither tolet it appear for a moment that I suspected her kind views upon me, andher strong regard for our dairy: only I thought it right upon our partnot to waste Sally's time any longer, being a handsome wench as she was,and many young fellows glad to marry her.

  And Annie did this uncommonly well, as she herself told me afterwards,having taken Sally in the sweetest manner into her pure confidence, andopened half her bosom to her, about my very sad love affair. Not thatshe let Sally know, of course, who it was, or what it was; only that shemade her understand, without hinting at any desire of it, that there wasno chance now of having me. Sally changed colour a little at this, andthen went on about a red cow which had passed seven needles at milkingtime.

  Inasmuch as there are two sorts of month well recognised by thecalendar, to wit the lunar and the solar, I made bold to regard bothmy months, in the absence of any provision, as intended to be strictlylunar. Therefore upon the very day when the eight weeks were expiringforth I went in search of Lorna, taking the pearl ring hopefully, andall the new-laid eggs I could find, and a dozen and a half of smalltrout from our brook. And the pleasure it gave me to catch those trout,thinking as every one came forth and danced upon the grass, how muchshe would enjoy him, is more than I can now describe, although I wellremember it. And it struck me that after accepting my ring, and sayinghow much she loved me, it was possible that my Queen might inviteme even to stay and sup with her: and so I arranged with dear Anniebeforehand, who was now the greatest comfort to me, to account for myabsence if I should be late.

  But alas, I was utterly disappointed; for although I waited and waitedfor hours, with an equal amount both of patience and peril, no Lornaever appeared at all, nor even the faintest sign of her. And anotherthing occurred as well, which vexed me more than it need have done, forso small a matter. And this was that my little offering of the troutand the new-laid eggs was carried off in the coolest manner by that vileCarver Doone. For thinking to keep them the fresher and nicer, away fromso much handling, I laid them in a little bed of reeds by the side ofthe water, and placed some dog-leaves over them. And when I had quiteforgotten about them, and was watching from my hiding-place beneaththe willow-tree (for I liked not to enter Lorna's bower, without herpermission except just to peep that she was not there), and while I wasturning the ring in my pocket, having just seen the new moon, Ibecame aware of a great man coming eisurely down the valley. He had abroad-brimmed hat, and a leather jerkin, and heavy jack-boots to hismiddle thigh, and what was worst of all for me, on his shoulder he borea long carbine. Having nothing to meet him withal but my staff, anddesiring to avoid disturbance, I retired promptly into the chasm,keeping the tree betwixt us that he might not descry me, and watchingfrom behind the jut of a rock, where now I had scraped myself a neatlittle hole for the purpose.

  Presently the great man reappeared, being now within f
ifty yards of me,and the light still good enough, as he drew nearer for me to descryhis features: and though I am not a judge of men's faces, there wassomething in his which turned me cold, as though with a kind of horror.Not that it was an ugly face; nay, rather it seemed a handsome one, sofar as mere form and line might go, full of strength, and vigour, andwill, and steadfast resolution. From the short black hair above thebroad forehead, to the long black beard descending below the curt, boldchin, there was not any curve or glimpse of weakness or of afterthought.Nothing playful, nothing pleasant, nothing with a track of smiles;nothing which a friend could like, and laugh at him for having. Andyet he might have been a good man (for I have known very good men sofortified by their own strange ideas of God): I say that he mighthave seemed a good man, but for the cold and cruel hankering of hissteel-blue eyes.

  Now let no one suppose for a minute that I saw all this in a moment; forI am very slow, and take a long time to digest things; only I like toset down, and have done with it, all the results of my knowledge, thoughthey be not manifold. But what I said to myself, just then, was no morethan this: 'What a fellow to have Lorna!' Having my sense of right sooutraged (although, of course, I would never allow her to go so far asthat), I almost longed that he might thrust his head in to look afterme. For there I was, with my ash staff clubbed, ready to have at him,and not ill inclined to do so; if only he would come where strength, notfirearms, must decide it. However, he suspected nothing of my dangerousneighbourhood, but walked his round like a sentinel, and turned at thebrink of the water.

  Then as he marched back again, along the margin of the stream, he espiedmy little hoard, covered up with dog-leaves. He saw that the leaves wereupside down, and this of course drew his attention. I saw him stoop,and lay bare the fish, and the eggs set a little way from them and inmy simple heart, I thought that now he knew all about me. But to mysurprise, he seemed well-pleased; and his harsh short laughter came tome without echo,--

  'Ha, ha! Charlie boy! Fisherman Charlie, have I caught thee settingbait for Lorna? Now, I understand thy fishings, and the robbing ofCounsellor's hen roost. May I never have good roasting, if I have it notto-night and roast thee, Charlie, afterwards!'

  With this he calmly packed up my fish, and all the best of dear Annie'seggs; and went away chuckling steadfastly, to his home, if one maycall it so. But I was so thoroughly grieved and mortified by this mostimpudent robbery, that I started forth from my rocky screen with theintention of pursuing him, until my better sense arrested me, barelyin time to escape his eyes. For I said to myself, that even supposingI could contend unarmed with him, it would be the greatest folly in theworld to have my secret access known, and perhaps a fatal barrier placedbetween Lorna and myself, and I knew not what trouble brought upon her,all for the sake of a few eggs and fishes. It was better to bear thistrifling loss, however ignominious and goading to the spirit, than torisk my love and Lorna's welfare, and perhaps be shot into the bargain.And I think that all will agree with me, that I acted for the wisest, inwithdrawing to my shelter, though deprived of eggs and fishes.

  Having waited (as I said) until there was no chance whatever of my loveappearing, I hastened homeward very sadly; and the wind of early autumnmoaned across the moorland. All the beauty of the harvest, all thegaiety was gone, and the early fall of dusk was like a weight uponme. Nevertheless, I went every evening thenceforward for a fortnight;hoping, every time in vain to find my hope and comfort. And meanwhile,what perplexed me most was that the signals were replaced, in order asagreed upon, so that Lorna could scarcely be restrained by any rigour.

  One time I had a narrow chance of being shot and settled with; andit befell me thus. I was waiting very carelessly, being now a littledesperate, at the entrance to the glen, instead of watching through mysight-hole, as the proper practice was. Suddenly a ball went by me, witha whizz and whistle, passing through my hat and sweeping it away allfolded up. My soft hat fluttered far down the stream, before I had timeto go after it, and with the help of both wind and water, was fiftyyards gone in a moment. At this I had just enough mind left to shrinkback very suddenly, and lurk very still and closely; for I knew whata narrow escape it had been, as I heard the bullet, hard set by thepowder, sing mournfully down the chasm, like a drone banished out of thehive. And as I peered through my little cranny, I saw a wreath of smokestill floating where the thickness was of the withy-bed; and presentlyCarver Doone came forth, having stopped to reload his piece perhaps, andran very swiftly to the entrance to see what he had shot.

  Sore trouble had I to keep close quarters, from the slipperiness of thestone beneath me with the water sliding over it. My foe came quite tothe verge of the fall, where the river began to comb over; and there hestopped for a minute or two, on the utmost edge of dry land, upon thevery spot indeed where I had fallen senseless when I clomb it in myboyhood. I could hear him breathing hard and grunting, as in doubt anddiscontent, for he stood within a yard of me, and I kept my rightfist ready for him, if he should discover me. Then at the foot of thewaterslide, my black hat suddenly appeared, tossing in white foam, andfluttering like a raven wounded. Now I had doubted which hat to take,when I left home that day; till I thought that the black became me best,and might seem kinder to Lorna.

  'Have I killed thee, old bird, at last?' my enemy cried in triumph;''tis the third time I have shot at thee, and thou wast beginning tomock me. No more of thy cursed croaking now, to wake me in the morning.Ha, ha! there are not many who get three chances from Carver Doone; andnone ever go beyond it.'

  I laughed within myself at this, as he strode away in his triumph; forwas not this his third chance of me, and he no whit the wiser? And thenI thought that perhaps the chance might some day be on the other side.

  For to tell the truth, I was heartily tired of lurking and playingbo-peep so long; to which nothing could have reconciled me, exceptmy fear for Lorna. And here I saw was a man of strength fit for me toencounter, such as I had never met, but would be glad to meet with;having found no man of late who needed not my mercy at wrestling, or atsingle-stick. And growing more and more uneasy, as I found no Lorna, Iwould have tried to force the Doone Glen from the upper end, and take mychance of getting back, but for Annie and her prayers.

  Now that same night I think it was, or at any rate the next one, that Inoticed Betty Muxworthy going on most strangely. She made the queerestsigns to me, when nobody was looking, and laid her fingers on her lips,and pointed over her shoulder. But I took little heed of her, being ina kind of dudgeon, and oppressed with evil luck; believing too that allshe wanted was to have some little grumble about some petty grievance.

  But presently she poked me with the heel of a fire-bundle, and passingclose to my ear whispered, so that none else could hear her, 'LarnaDoo-un.'

  By these words I was so startled, that I turned round and stared at her;but she pretended not to know it, and began with all her might to scouran empty crock with a besom.

  'Oh, Betty, let me help you! That work is much too hard for you,' Icried with a sudden chivalry, which only won rude answer.

  'Zeed me adooing of thic, every naight last ten year, Jan, wiout vindin'out how hard it wor. But if zo bee thee wants to help, carr peg's bucketfor me. Massy, if I ain't forgotten to fade the pegs till now.'

  Favouring me with another wink, to which I now paid the keenest heed,Betty went and fetched the lanthorn from the hook inside the door. Thenwhen she had kindled it, not allowing me any time to ask what she wasafter, she went outside, and pointed to the great bock of wash, andriddlings, and brown hulkage (for we ground our own corn always), andthough she knew that Bill Dadds and Jem Slocombe had full work to carryit on a pole (with another to help to sling it), she said to me asquietly as a maiden might ask one to carry a glove, 'Jan Ridd, carr thicthing for me.'

  So I carried it for her, without any words; wondering what she was upto next, and whether she had ever heard of being too hard on the willinghorse. And when we came to hog-pound, she turned upon me suddenly, withthe lanthorn she was
bearing, and saw that I had the bock by one handvery easily.

  'Jan Ridd,' she said, 'there be no other man in England cud a' dood it.Now thee shalt have Larna.'

  While I was wondering how my chance of having Lorna could depend uponmy power to carry pig's wash, and how Betty could have any voice in thematter (which seemed to depend upon her decision), and in short, whileI was all abroad as to her knowledge and everything, the pigs, who hadbeen fast asleep and dreaming in their emptiness, awoke with one accordat the goodness of the smell around them. They had resigned themselves,as even pigs do, to a kind of fast, hoping to break their fast moresweetly on the morrow morning. But now they tumbled out all headlong,pigs below and pigs above, pigs point-blank and pigs across, pigscourant and pigs rampant, but all alike prepared to eat, and all in goodcadence squeaking.

  'Tak smarl boocket, and bale un out; wad 'e waste sich stoof as thichere be?' So Betty set me to feed the pigs, while she held the lanthorn;and knowing what she was, I saw that she would not tell me another worduntil all the pigs were served. And in truth no man could well look atthem, and delay to serve them, they were all expressing appetite in soforcible a manner; some running to and fro, and rubbing, and squealingas if from starvation, some rushing down to the oaken troughs, andpoking each other away from them; and the kindest of all putting uptheir fore-feet on the top-rail on the hog-pound, and blinking theirlittle eyes, and grunting prettily to coax us; as who would say, 'Itrust you now; you will be kind, I know, and give me the first and thevery best of it.'

  'Oppen ge-at now, wull 'e, Jan? Maind, young sow wi' the baible backarlway hath first toorn of it, 'cos I brought her up on my lap, I did.Zuck, zuck, zuck! How her stickth her tail up; do me good to zee un! Nowthiccy trough, thee zany, and tak thee girt legs out o' the wai. Wishthey wud gie thee a good baite, mak thee hop a bit vaster, I reckon. Hitthat there girt ozebird over's back wi' the broomstick, he be robbingof my young zow. Choog, choog, choog! and a drap more left in thedripping-pail.'

  'Come now, Betty,' I said, when all the pigs were at it sucking,swilling, munching, guzzling, thrusting, and ousting, and spillingthe food upon the backs of their brethren (as great men do with theircharity), 'come now, Betty, how much longer am I to wait for yourmessage? Surely I am as good as a pig.'

  'Dunno as thee be, Jan. No straikiness in thy bakkon. And now I come tothink of it, Jan, thee zed, a wake agone last Vriday, as how I had got agirt be-ard. Wull 'e stick to that now, Maister Jan?'

  'No, no, Betty, certainly not; I made a mistake about it. I should havesaid a becoming mustachio, such as you may well be proud of.'

  'Then thee be a laiar, Jan Ridd. Zay so, laike a man, lad.'

  'Not exactly that, Betty; but I made a great mistake; and I humbly askyour pardon and if such a thing as a crown-piece, Betty'--

  'No fai, no fai!' said Betty, however she put it into her pocket; 'nowtak my advice, Jan; thee marry Zally Snowe.'

  'Not with all England for her dowry. Oh, Betty, you know better.'

  'Ah's me! I know much worse, Jan. Break thy poor mother's heart it will.And to think of arl the danger! Dost love Larna now so much?'

  'With all the strength of my heart and soul. I will have her, or I willdie, Betty.'

  'Wull. Thee will die in either case. But it baint for me to argify. Anddo her love thee too, Jan?'

  'I hope she does, Betty I hope she does. What do you think about it?'

  'Ah, then I may hold my tongue to it. Knaw what boys and maidens be, aswell as I knew young pegs. I myzell been o' that zort one taime everybit so well as you be.' And Betty held the lanthorn up, and defied me todeny it; and the light through the horn showed a gleam in her eyes, suchas I had never seer there before. 'No odds, no odds about that,'she continued; 'mak a fool of myzell to spake of it. Arl gone intochurchyard. But it be a lucky foolery for thee, my boy, I can tull 'ee.For I love to see the love in thee. Coom'th over me as the spring do,though I be naigh three score. Now, Jan, I will tell thee one thing,can't abear to zee thee vretting so. Hould thee head down, same as theypegs do.'

  So I bent my head quite close to her; and she whispered in my ear, 'Gooof a marning, thee girt soft. Her can't get out of an avening now, herhath zent word to me, to tull 'ee.'

  In the glory of my delight at this, I bestowed upon Betty a chastesalute, with all the pigs for witnesses; and she took it not amiss,considering how long she had been out of practice. But then she fellback, like a broom on its handle, and stared at me, feigning anger.

  'Oh fai, oh fai! Lunnon impudence, I doubt. I vear thee hast gone onzadly, Jan.'