Whenmygrandfatherheardthishewept，andbemoanedhimselfthathisfollyinforcingoneintotheChurchwhohadnolikingforthatpath，hadbroughtabouttheshamefulendofhisonlyson。
　　AfterthatdatealsohebrokehisfriendshipwiththepriorofSt。Mary’satBungay，andceasedhisofferingstothepriory。
　　Stillhedidnotbelievethatmyfatherwasdeadintruth，sinceonthelastdayofhisownlife，thatendedtwoyearslater，hespokeofhimasalivingman，andleftmessagestohimastothemanagementofthelandswhichnowwerehis。
　　Andintheenditbecameclearthatthisbeliefwasnotill-
　　founded，foronedaythreeyearsaftertheoldman’sdeath，therelandedattheportofYarmouthnoneotherthanmyfather，whohadbeenabsentsomeeightyearsinall。
　　Nordidhecomealone，forwithhimhebroughtawife，ayoungandverylovelylady，whoafterwardswasmymother。
　　ShewasaSpaniardofnoblefamily，havingbeenbornatSeville，andhermaidennamewasDonnaLuisadeGarcia。
　　NowofallthatbefellmyfatherduringhiseightyearsofwanderingIcannotspeakcertainly，forhewasverysilentonthematter，thoughImayhaveneedtotouchonsomeofhisadventures。
　　ButIknowitistruethathefellunderthepoweroftheHolyOffice，foroncewhenasalittleladIbathedwithhimintheElbowPool，wheretheriverWaveneybendssomethreehundredyardsabovethishouse，Isawthathisbreastandarmswerescoredwithlongwhitescars，andaskedhimwhathadcausedthem。
　　IrememberwellhowhisfacechangedasIspoke，fromkindlinesstothehueofblackesthate，andhowheansweredspeakingtohimselfratherthantome。
　　’Devils，’hesaid，’devilssetontheirworkbythechiefofalldevilsthatliveupontheearthandshallreigninhell。
　　Harkyou，mysonThomas，thereisacountrycalledSpainwhereyourmotherwasborn，andtherethesedevilsabidewhotorturemenandwomen，aye，andburnthemlivinginthenameofChrist。
　　IwasbetrayedintotheirhandsbyhimwhomInamethechiefofthedevils，thoughheisyoungerthanIambythreeyears，andtheirpincersandhotironsleftthesemarksuponme。
　　Aye，andtheywouldhaveburntmealivealso，onlyIescaped，thankstoyourmother——butsuchtalesarenotforalittlelad’shearing；andseeyouneverspeakofthem，Thomas，fortheHolyOfficehasalongarm。
　　YouarehalfaSpaniard，Thomas，yourskinandeyestelltheirowntale，butwhateverskinandeyesmaytell，letyourheartgivethemthelie。
　　KeepyourheartEnglish，Thomas；letnoforeigndevilmentsenterthere。
　　HateallSpaniardsexceptyourmother，andbewatchfullestherbloodshouldmasterminewithinyou。’
　　Iwasachildthen，andscarcelyunderstoodhiswordsorwhathemeantbythem。
　　AfterwardsIlearnedtounderstandthembuttoowell。
　　Asformyfather’scounsel，thatIshouldconquermySpanishblood，wouldthatIcouldalwayshavefollowedit，forIknowthatfromthisbloodspringsthemostofsuchevilasisinme。
　　Hencecomemyfixednessofpurposeorratherobstinacy，andmypowersofunchristianhatredthatarenotsmalltowardsthosewhohavewrongedme。
　　Well，IhavedonewhatImighttoovercometheseandotherfaults，butstriveaswemay，thatwhichisbredinthebonewilloutintheflesh，asIhaveseeninmanysignalinstances。
　　Therewerethreeofuschildren，Geoffreymyelderbrother，myself，andmysisterMary，whowasoneyearmyjunior，thesweetestchildandthemostbeautifulthatIhaveeverknown。
　　Wewereveryhappychildren，andourbeautywastheprideofourfatherandmother，andtheenvyofotherparents。
　　Iwasthedarkestofthethree，darkindeedtoswarthiness，butinMarytheSpanishbloodshowedonlyinherricheyesofvelvethue，andintheglowuponhercheekthatwasliketheblushonaripefruit。
　　MymotherusedtocallmeherlittleSpaniard，becauseofmyswarthiness，thatiswhenmyfatherwasnotnear，forsuchnamesangeredhim。
　　SheneverlearnedtospeakEnglishverywell，buthewouldsufferhertotalkinnoothertonguebeforehim。
　　Still，whenhewasnotthereshespokeinSpanish，ofwhichlanguage，however，Ialoneofthefamilybecameamaster——andthatmorebecauseofcertainvolumesofoldSpanishromanceswhichshehadbyher，thanforanyotherreason。
　　FrommyearliestchildhoodIwasfondofsuchtales，anditwasbybribingmewiththepromisethatIshouldreadthemthatshepersuadedmetolearnSpanish。
　　Formymother’sheartstillyearnedtowardsheroldsunnyhome，andoftenshewouldtalkofitwithuschildren，moreespeciallyinthewinterseason，whichshehatedasIdo。
　　OnceIaskedherifshewishedtogobacktoSpain。
　　Sheshiveredandansweredno，fortheredweltonewhowasherenemyandwouldkillher；alsoherheartwaswithuschildrenandourfather。
　　I
　　wonderedifthismanwhosoughttokillmymotherwasthesameasheofwhommyfatherhadspokenas’thechiefofthedevils，’butI
　　onlyansweredthatnomancouldwishtokillonesogoodandbeautiful。
　　Ah！myboy，’shesaid，’itisjustbecauseIam，orratherhavebeen，beautifulthathehatesme。
　　Otherswouldhaveweddedmebesidesyourdearfather，Thomas。’
　　Andherfacegrewtroubledasthoughwithfear。
　　NowwhenIwaseighteenandahalfyearsold，onacertaineveninginthemonthofMayithappenedthatafriendofmyfather’s，SquireBozard，lateoftheHallinthisparish，calledattheLodgeonhisroadfromYarmouth，andinthecourseofhistalkletitfallthataSpanishshipwasatanchorintheRoads，ladenwithmerchandise。
　　Myfatherprickeduphisearsatthis，andaskedwhohercaptainmightbe。
　　SquireBozardansweredthathedidnotknowhisname，butthathehadseenhiminthemarket-place，atallandstatelyman，richlydressed，withahandsomefaceandascaruponhistemple。
　　Atthisnewsmymotherturnedpalebeneathheroliveskin，andmutteredinSpanish:
　　’HolyMother！grantthatitbenothe。’
　　Myfatheralsolookedfrightened，andquestionedthesquirecloselyastotheman’sappearance，butwithoutlearninganythingmore。
　　Thenhebadehimadieuwithlittleceremony，andtakinghorserodeawayforYarmouth。
　　Thatnightmymotherneverslept，butsatallthroughitinhernursingchair，broodingoverIknownotwhat。
　　AsIleftherwhenI
　　wenttomybed，soIfoundherwhenIcamefromitatdawn。
　　IcanrememberwellpushingthedoorajartoseeherfaceglimmeringwhiteinthetwilightoftheMaymorning，asshesat，herlargeeyesfixeduponthelattice。
　　’Youhaverisenearly，mother，’Isaid。
　　’Ihaveneverlaindown，Thomas，’sheanswered。
　　’Whynot？
　　Whatdoyoufear？’
　　’Ifearthepastandthefuture，myson。
　　Wouldthatyourfatherwereback。’
　　Aboutteno’clockofthatmorning，asIwasmakingreadytowalkintoBungaytothehouseofthatphysicianunderwhomIwaslearningtheartofhealing，myfatherrodeup。
　　Mymother，whowaswatchingatthelattice，ranouttomeethim。
　　Springingfromhishorseheembracedher，saying，’Beofgoodcheer，sweet，itcannotbehe。
　　Thismanhasanothername。’
　　’Butdidyouseehim？’sheasked。
　　’No，hewasoutathisshipforthenight，andIhurriedhometotellyou，knowingyourfears。’
　　’Itweresurerifyouhadseenhim，husband。
　　Hemaywellhavetakenanothername。’
　　’Ineverthoughtofthat，sweet，’myfatheranswered；’buthavenofear。
　　Shoulditbehe，andshouldhedaretosetfootintheparishofDitchingham，therearethosewhowillknowhowtodealwithhim。
　　ButIamsurethatitisnothe。’
　　’ThanksbetoJesuthen！’shesaid，andtheybegantalkinginalowvoice。
　　Now，seeingthatIwasnotwanted，Itookmycudgelandstarteddownthebridle-pathtowardsthecommonfootbridge，whensuddenlymymothercalledmeback。
　　’Kissmebeforeyougo，Thomas，’shesaid。
　　’Youmustwonderwhatallthismaymean。
　　Onedayyourfatherwilltellyou。
　　Ithastodowithashadowwhichhashungovermylifeformanyyears，butthatis，Itrust，goneforever。’
　　’Ifitbeamanwhoflingsit，hehadbestkeepoutofreachofthis，’Isaid，laughing，andshakingmythickstick。
　　’Itisaman，’sheanswered，’butonetobedealtwithotherwisethanbyblows，Thomas，shouldyoueverchancetomeethim。’
　　’Maybe，mother，butmightisthebestargumentatthelast，forthemostcunninghavealifetolose。’
　　’Youaretooreadytouseyourstrength，son，’shesaid，smilingandkissingme。
　　’RemembertheoldSpanishproverb:“Hestrikeshardestwhostrikeslast。“’
　　’Andremembertheotherproverb，mother:“Strikebeforethouartstricken，“’Ianswered，andwent。
　　WhenIhadgonesometenpacessomethingpromptedmetolookback，Iknownotwhat。
　　Mymotherwasstandingbytheopendoor，herstatelyshapeframedasitwereintheflowersofawhitecreepingshrubthatgrewuponthewalloftheoldhouse。
　　Aswashercustom，sheworeamantillaofwhitelaceuponherhead，theendsofwhichwerewoundbeneathherchin，andthearrangementofitwassuchthatatthisdistanceforonemomentitputmeinmindofthewrappingswhichareplacedaboutthedead。
　　Istartedatthethoughtandlookedatherface。
　　Shewaswatchingmewithsadandearnesteyesthatseemedtobefilledwiththespiritoffarewell。
　　Ineversawheragaintillshewasdead。
　　AndnowImustgobackandspeakofmyownmatters。
　　AsIhavetold，itwasmyfather’swishthatIshouldbeaphysician，andsinceIcamebackfrommyschoolingatNorwich，thatwaswhenIhadenteredonmysixteenthyear，IhadstudiedmedicineunderthedoctorwhopractisedhisartintheneighbourhoodofBungay。
　　Hewasaverylearnedmanandanhonest，Grimstonebyname，andasI
　　hadsomelikingforthebusinessImadegoodprogressunderhim。
　　IndeedIhadlearnedalmostallthathecouldteachme，andmyfatherpurposedtosendmetoLondon，theretopushonmystudies，sosoonasIshouldattainmytwentiethyear，thatiswithinsomefivemonthsofthedateofthecomingoftheSpaniard。
　　ButitwasnotfatedthatIshouldgotoLondon。
　　MedicinewasnottheonlythingthatIstudiedinthosedays，however。
　　SquireBozardofDitchingham，thesamewhotoldmyfatherofthecomingoftheSpanishship，hadtwolivingchildren，asonandadaughter，thoughhiswifehadbornehimmanymorewhodiedininfancy。
　　ThedaughterwasnamedLilyandofmyownage，havingbeenbornthreeweeksaftermeinthesameyear。
　　NowtheBozardsaregonefromtheseparts，formygreat-niece，thegranddaughterandsoleheiressofthisson，hasmarriedandhasissueofanothername。
　　Butthisisbytheway。
　　Fromourearliestdayswechildren，BozardsandWingfields，livedalmostasbrothersandsisters，fordaybydaywemetandplayedtogetherinthesnoworintheflowers。
　　ThusitwouldbehardformetosaywhenIbegantoloveLilyorwhenshebegantoloveme；
　　butIknowthatwhenfirstIwenttoschoolatNorwichIgrievedmoreatlosingsightofherthanbecauseImustpartfrommymotherandtherest。
　　Inallourgamesshewasevermypartner，andI
　　wouldsearchthecountryroundfordaystofindsuchflowersasshechancedtolove。
　　WhenIcamebackfromschoolitwasthesame，thoughbydegreesLilygrewshyer，andIalsogrewsuddenlyshy，perceivingthatfromachildshehadbecomeawoman。
　　Stillwemetoften，andthoughneithersaidanythingofit，itwassweettoustomeet。