Butwhenamancamehomeatnight，afterlongday’slabour，knowingthatthedaysincreased，andsohiscareshouldmultiply；stillhefoundenoughoflighttoshowhimwhatthedayhaddoneagainsthiminhisgarden。Everyridgeofnew-turnedearthlookedlikeanoldman’smuscles，honeycombed，andstandingoutvoidofspring，andpowdery。Everyplantthathadrejoicedinpassingsuchawinternowwascowering，turnedaway，unfittomeettheconsequence。Flowingsaphadstoppeditscourse；flutedlinesshowedwantoffood，andifyoupinchedthetopmostspray，therewasnoreboundorfirmness。
　　Wethinkagooddeal，inaquietway，whenpeopleaskusaboutthem——ofsomefine，upstandingpear-trees，graftedbymygrandfather，whohadbeenverygreatlyrespected。AndhegotthosegraftsbyshelteringapoorItaliansoldier，inthetimeofJamestheFirst，amanwhonevercoulddoenoughtoshowhisgratefulmemories。Howhecametoourplaceisaverydifficultstory，whichIneverunderstoodrightly，havinghearditfrommymother。Atanyrate，therethepear-treeswere，andtheretheyaretothisveryday；andIwisheveryonecouldtastetheirfruit，oldastheyare，andrugged。
　　Nowthesefinetreeshadtakenadvantageofthewestwinds，andthemoisture，andthepromiseofthespringtime，soastofillthetipsofthespray-woodandtherowelsallupthebrancheswithacrowdofeagerblossom。Notthattheywereyetinbloom，norevenshowingwhiteness，onlythatsomeoftheconeswereopeningatthesideofthecapwhichpinchedthem；andthereyoumightcountperhaps，adozennobs，likeverylittlebuttons，butgrooved，andlined，andhuddlingclose，tomakeroomforoneanother。Andamongthesebudsweregray-greenblades，scarcebiggerthanahairalmost，yetcurvingsoasiftheirpurposewastoshieldtheblossom。
　　Otherofthespur-points，standingontheolderwoodwherethesapwasnotsoeager，hadnotbursttheirtunicyet，butwereflayedandflakedwithlight，castingoffthehuskofbrowninthree-corneredpatches，asIhaveseenaScotchman’splaid，orashislegsshowsthroughit。Thesebuds，atadistance，lookedasiftheskyhadbeenrainingcreamuponthem。
　　Nowallthisfairdelighttotheeyes，andgoodpromisetothepalate，wasmarredandbaffledbythewindandcuttingofthenight-frosts。Theopeningconeswerestruckwithbrown，inbetweenthebuttonbuds，andonthescapesthatshieldedthem；whilethefootpartofthecoverhunglikerags，peeledback，andquivering。
　　Andtherethelittlestalkofeach，whichmighthavebeenapear，Godwilling，hadaringarounditsbase，andsoughtachancetodropanddie。Theotherswhichhadnotopenedcomb，butonlypreparedtodoit，werealittlebetteroff，butstillverybrownandunkid，andshrivellingindoubtofhealth，andneitherpeartnorlusty。
　　NowthisIhavenottoldbecauseIknowthewaytodoit，forthatIdonot，neitheryethaveseenamanwhodidknow。Itiswonderfulhowwelookatthings，andneverthinktonoticethem；andIamasbadasanybody，unlessthethingtobeobservedisadog，orahorse，oramaiden。AndthelastofthosethreeIlookat，somehow，withoutknowingthatItakenotice，andgreatlyafraidtodoit，onlyIknewafterwardswhenthetimeoflifewasinme，notindeed，whatthemaidenwaslike，buthowshedifferedfromothers。
　　YetIhavespokenaboutthespring，andthefailureoffairpromise，becauseItookittomyheartastokenofwhatwouldcometomeinthebuddingofmyyearsandhope。Andeventhen，beingmuchpossessed，andfullofafoolishmelancholy，Ifeltasaddelightatbeingdoomedtoblightandloneliness；notbutthatImanagedstillwhenmotherwasurgentuponmetoeatmyshareofvictuals，andcuffamanforlaziness，andseethataploughsharemadenoleaps，andsleepofanightwithoutdreaming。Andmymotherhalf-believing，inherfondnessandaffection，thatwhattheparishsaidwastrueaboutamaddoghavingbittenme，andyetarguingthatitmustbefalsebecauseGodwouldhavepreventedhim，mymothergavemelittlerest，whenIwasintheroomwithher。Notthatsheworriedmewithquestions，noropenlyregardedmewithanyunusualmeaning，butthatIknewshewaswatchingslylywheneverItookaspoonup；andeveryhourorsoshemanagedtoplaceapanofwaterbyme，quiteasifbyaccident，andsometimeseventospillalittleuponmyshoeorcoat-sleeve。ButBettyMuxworthywasworst；for，havingnofearaboutmyhealth，shemadeavillainousjokeofit，andusedtorushintothekitchen，barkinglikeadog，andpanting，exclaimingthatIhadbittenher，andjusticeshewouldhaveonme，ifitcostheratwelvemonth’swages。AndshealwaystookcaretodothisthingjustwhenIhadcrossedmylegsinthecorneraftersupper，andleanedmyheadagainsttheoven，tobegintothinkofLorna。
　　However，inallthingsthereiscomfort，ifwedonotlooktoohardforit；andnowIhadmuchsatisfaction，inmyuncouthstate，fromlabouring，bythehourtogether，atthehedgingandtheditching，meetingthebitterwindfacetoface，feelingmystrengthincrease，andhopingthatsomeonewouldbeproudofit。Intherustlingrushofeverygust，inthegracefulbendofeverytree，eveninthe’lordsandladies，’clumpedinthescoopsofthehedgerow，andmostofallinthesoftprimrose，wrungbythewind，butstealingback，andsmilingwhenthewrathwaspassed——inallofthese，andmanyotherstherewasachingecstasy，deliciouspangofLorna。
　　Buthowevercoldtheweatherwas，andhoweverhardthewindblew，onethingmorethanalltherestworriedandperplexedme。Thiswas，thatIcouldnotsettle，turnandtwistasImight，howsoonIoughttogoagainuponavisittoGlenDoone。ForIlikednotatallthefalsenessofitalbeitagainstmurderers，thecreepingoutofsight，andhiding，andfeelingasaspymight。Andevenmorethanthis。IfearedhowLornamightregardit；whetherImightseemtoheraproneandbluntintruder，acountryyouthnotskilledinmanners，asamongthequality，evenwhentheyrobus。
　　ForIwasnotsuremyself，butthatitmightbeverybadmannerstogoagaintooearlywithoutaninvitation；andmyhandsandfacewerechappedsobadlybythebitterwind，thatLornamightcountthemunsightlythings，andwishtoseenomoreofthem。
　　However，Icouldnotbringmyselftoconsultanyoneuponthispoint，atleastinourownneighbourhood，noreventospeakofitnearhome。Buttheeastwindholdingthroughthemonth，myhandsandfacegrowingworseandworse，andithavingoccurredtomebythistimethatpossiblyLornamighthavechaps，ifshecameabroadatall，andsomightliketotalkaboutthemandshowherlittlehandstome，Iresolvedtotakeanotheropinion，sofarasmightbeuponthismatter，withoutdisclosingthecircumstances。
　　Nowthewisestpersoninallourpartswasreckonedtobeacertainwisewoman，wellknownalloverExmoorbythenameofMotherMelldrum。HerrealnamewasMapleDurham，asIlearnedlongafterwards；andshecameofanancientfamily，butneitherofDevonnorSomerset。
　　Neverthelessshewasquiteathomewithourpropermodesofdivination；andknowingthatwelikedthembest——aseachmandoeshisownreligion——shewouldalwayspractisethemforthepeopleofthecountry。
　　Andallthewhile，shewouldletusknowthatshekeptahigherandnoblermodeforthosewholookeddownuponthisone，nothavingbeenbredandborntoit。
　　MotherMelldrumhadtwohouses，orrathershehadnoneatall，buttwohomeswhereintofindher，accordingtothetimeofyear。Insummershelivedinapleasantcave，facingthecoolsideofthehill，farinlandnearHawkridgeandcloseaboveTarr-steps，awonderfulcrossingofBarleriver，madeaseverybodyknowsbySatan，forawager。Butthroughoutthewinter，shefoundsea-airagreeable，andaplacewherethingscouldbehadoncredit，andmoreoccasionoftalking。NotbutwhatshecouldhavecreditforeveryonewasafraidofherintheneighbourhoodofTarr-steps；onlytherewasnoonehandyowningthingsworthtaking。
　　Therefore，atthefalloftheleaf，whenthewoodsgrewdampandirksome，thewisewomanalwayssetherfacetothewarmercliffsoftheChannel；whereshelterwas，anddryfernbedding，andfolktobeseeninthedistance，fromabankuponwhichthesunshone。Andthere，asIknewfromourJohnFrywhohadbeentoheraboutrheumatism，andsheeppossessedwithanevilspirit，andwartsonthehandofhisson，youngJohn，anyonewhochosemightfindher，towardsthecloseofawinterday，gatheringsticksandbrownfernforfuel，andtalkingtoherselfthewhile，inahollowstretchbehindthecliffs；whichforeigners，whocomeandgowithoutseeingmuchofExmoor，havecalledtheValleyofRocks。
　　Thisvalley，orgoyal，aswetermit，beingsmallforavalley，liestothewestofLinton，aboutamilefromthetownperhaps，andawaytowardsLeyManor。OurhomefolkalwayscallittheDanes，ortheDenes，whichisnomore，theytellme，thanahollowplace，evenastheword’den’is。However，letthatpass，forIknowverylittleaboutit；buttheplaceitselfisaprettyone，thoughnothingtofrightenanybody，unlesshehathlivedinagallipot。Itisagreenrough-sidedhollow，bendingatthemiddle，touchedwithstoneateithercrest，anddottedhereandtherewithslabsinandoutthebrambles。Ontherighthandisanupwardcrag，calledbysometheCastle，easyenoughtoscale，andgivinggreatviewoftheChannel。Facingthis，fromtheinlandsideandtheelbowofthevalley，aqueeroldpileofrockarises，boldbehindoneanother，andquiteenoughtoaffrightaman，ifitonlyweretentimeslarger。ThisiscalledtheDevil’sCheese-ring，ortheDevil’sCheese-knife，whichmeanthesamething，asourfatherswereusedtoeattheircheesefromascoop；andperhapsinoldtimetheupmostrockwhichhasfallenawaysinceIknewitwasliketosuchanimplement，ifSataneatcheeseuntoasted。
　　Butallthemiddleofthisvalleywasaplacetorestin；tositandthinkthattroubleswerenot，ifwewouldnotmakethem。Toknowtheseaoutsidethehills，butnevertobeholdit；onlybythesoundofwavestopitysailorslabouring。Thentowatchtheshelteredsun，comingwarmlyroundtheturn，likeaguestexpected，fullofgentleglowandgladness，castingshadowfarawayasathingtohugitself，andawakeninglifefromdew，andhopefromeveryspreadingbud。Andthentofallasleepanddreamthatthefernwasallasparagus。
　　Alas，Iwastooyounginthosedaysmuchtocareforcreaturecomforts，ortoletpurepalatehavethingsthatwouldimproveit。Anythingwentdownwithme，asitdoeswithmostofus。Toolateweknowthegoodfrombad；theknowledgeisnopleasurethen；beingmemory’smedicineratherthanthewineofhope。
　　NowMotherMelldrumkeptherwinterinthisvaleofrocks，shelteringfromthewindandrainwithintheDevil’sCheese-ring，whichaddedgreatlytoherfamebecauseallelse，formilesaround，wereafraidtogonearitafterdark，orevenonagloomyday。Undereavesoflichenedrockshehadawindingpassage，whichnonethateverIknewofdurstenterbutherself。AndtothisplaceIwenttoseekher，inspiteofallmisgivings，uponaSundayinLentenseason，whenthesheepwerefolded。
　　OurparsonasifhehadknownmyintenthadpreachedabeautifulsermonabouttheWitchofEndor，andtheperilsofthemthatmeddlewantonlywiththeunseenPowers；andthereinhereferredespeciallytothestrangenoiseintheneighbourhood，andupbraidedusforwantoffaith，andmanyotherbackslidings。Welistenedtohimveryearnestly，forweliketohearfromourbettersaboutthingsthatarebeyondus，andtoberousedupnowandthen，likesheepwithagooddogafterthem，whocanpullsomewoolwithoutbiting。
　　Neverthelesswecouldnotseehowourwantoffaithcouldhavemadethatnoise，especiallyatnighttime，notwithstandingwhichwebelievedit，andhopedtodoalittlebetter。
　　Andsoweallcamehomefromchurch；andmostofthepeopledinedwithus，astheyalwaysdoonSundays，becauseofthedistancetogohome，withonlywordsinsidethem。Theparson，whoalwayssatnexttomother，wasafraidthathemighthavevexedus，andwouldnothavethebestpieceofmeat，accordingtohiscustom。Butsoonweputhimathisease，andshowedhimwewereproudofhim；andthenhemadenomoretodo，butacceptedthebestofthesirloin。