amratherglad；UncleReubenwelldeservesthathispetschemeshouldmiscarry。Hewhocalledmyboyacoward，anignoblecoward，becausehewouldnotjoinsomecrack-brainedplanagainstthevalleywhichshelteredhisbelovedone!Andallthetimethisdreadful“coward“riskinghislifedailythere，withoutawordtoanyone!HowgladIamthatyouwillnothave，forallhermiserablemoney，thatlittledwarfishgranddaughteroftheinsolentoldmiser!’
　　Sheturned，andbyhersidewasstandingpoorRuthHuckabackherself，white，andsad，andlookingsteadilyatmymother’sface，whichbecameasredasaplumwhileherbreathdesertedher。
　　’Ifyouplease，madam，’saidthelittlemaiden，withherlargecalmeyesunwavering，’itisnotmyfault，butGodAlmighty’s，thatIamalittledwarfishcreature。Iknewnotthatyouregardedmewithsomuchcontemptonthataccount；neitherhaveyoutoldmygrandfather，atleastwithinmyhearing，thathewasaninsolentoldmiser。WhenIreturntoDulverton，whichItrusttodoto-morrowforitistoolateto-day，I
　　shallbecarefulnottotellhimyouropinionofhim，lestIshouldthwartanyschemesyoumayhaveuponhisproperty。Ithankyouallforyourkindnesstome，whichhasbeenverygreat，farmorethanalittledwarfishcreaturecould，forherownsake，expect。I
　　willonlyaddforyourfurtherguidanceonemorelittletruth。Itisbynomeanscertainthatmygrandfatherwillsettleanyofhismiserablemoneyuponme。IfI
　　offendhim，asIwouldinamoment，forthesakeofabraveandstraightforwardman’——hereshegavemeaglancewhichIscarcelyknewwhattodowith——’mygrandfather，uprightasheis，wouldleavemewithoutashilling。AndIoftenwishitwereso。Somanymiseriescomeuponmefromthemiserablemoney——’Hereshebrokedown，andburstoutcrying，andranawaywithafaintgood-bye；whilewethreelookedatoneanother，andfeltthatwehadtheworstofit。
　　’Impudentlittledwarf!’saidmymother，recoveringherbreathaftereversolong。’Oh，John，howthankfulyououghttobe!Whatalifeshewouldhaveledyou!’
　　’Well，Iamsure!’saidAnnie，throwingherarmsaroundpoormother：’whocouldhavethoughtthatlittleatomyhadsuchanoutrageousspirit!FormypartIcannotthinkhowshecanhavebeenslyenoughtohideitinthatcraftymanner，thatJohnmightthinkheranangel!’
　　’Well，formypart，’Ianswered，laughing，’IneveradmiredRuthHuckabackhalf，oraquartersomuchbefore。Sheisrarestuff。Iwouldhavebeengladtohavemarriedherto-morrow，ifIhadneverseenmyLorna。’
　　’AndanicenobodyIshouldhavebeen，inmyownhouse!’criedmother：’InevercanbethankfulenoughtodarlingLornaforsavingme。Didyouseehowhereyesflashed？’
　　’ThatIdid；andveryfinetheywere。Nowninemaidensoutoftenwouldhavefeignednottohaveheardonewordthatwassaid，andhaveborneblackmaliceintheirhearts。Come，Annie，now，wouldnotyouhavedoneso？’
　　’Ithink，’saidAnnie，’althoughofcourseIcannottell，youknow，John，thatIshouldhavebeenashamedathearingwhatwasnevermeantforme，andshouldhavebeenalmostasangrywithmyselfasanybody。’
　　’Soyouwould，’repliedmymother；’soanydaughterofminewouldhavedone，insteadofrailingandreviling。
　　However，Iamverysorrythatanywordsofminewhichthepoorlittlethingchosetooverhearshouldhavemadehersoforgetherself。Ishallbegherpardonbeforeshegoes，andIshallexpecthertobegmine。’
　　’Thatshewillneverdo，’saidI；’amoreresolutelittlemaidenneveryethadrightuponherside；
　　althoughitwasamereaccident。Imighthavesaidthesamethingmyself，andshewasharduponyou，motherdear。’
　　Afterthis，wesaidnomore，atleastaboutthatmatter；andlittleRuth，thenextmorning，leftus，inspiteofallthatwecoulddo。ShevowedaneverlastingfriendshiptomyyoungersisterEliza；butshelookedatAnniewithsomeresentment，whentheysaidgood-bye，forbeingsomuchtaller。AtanyratesoAnniefancied，butshemayhavebeenquitewrong。I
　　rodebesidethelittlemaidtillfarbeyondExeford，whenalldangerofthemoorwaspast，andthenIleftherwithJohnFry，notwishingtobetooparticular，afterallthetalkabouthermoney。Shehadtearsinhereyeswhenshebademefarewell，andshesentakindmessagehometomother，andpromisedtocomeagainatChristmas，ifshecouldwinpermission。
　　Uponthewhole，myopinionwasthatshehadbehaveduncommonlywellforamaidwhoseself-lovewasoutraged，withspirit，Imean，andproperpride；andyetwithagreatendeavourtoforgive，whichis，meseems，thehardestofallthingstoawoman，outsideofherownfamily。
　　Afterthis，foranothermonth，nothingworthyofnoticehappened，exceptofcoursethatIfounditneedful，accordingtothestrictestgoodsenseandhonour，tovisitLornaimmediatelyaftermydiscoursewithmother，andtotellherallaboutit。Mybeautygavemeonesweetkisswithallherheartasshealwaysdid，whenshekissedatall，andIbeggedforonemoretotaketoourmother，andbeforeleaving，Iobtainedit。Itisnotformetotellallshesaid，evensupposingwhatisnotlikelythatanyonecaredtoknowit，beingmoreandmorepeculiartoourselvesandnooneelse。Butonethingthatshesaidwasthis，andItookgoodcaretocarryit，wordforword，tomymotherandAnnie：——
　　’Inevercanbelieve，dearJohn，thatafterallthecrimeandoutragewroughtbymyrecklessfamily，itevercanbemeantformetosettledowntopeaceandcomfortinasimplehousehold。WithallmyheartI
　　longforhome；anyhome，howeverdullandwearisometothoseusedtoit，wouldseemaparadisetome，ifonlyfreefrombrawlandtumult，andsuchasIcouldcallmyown。ButevenifGodwouldallowmethis，inlieuofmywildinheritance，itisquitecertainthattheDoonesnevercanandneverwill。’
　　Again，whenItoldherhowmymotherandAnnie，aswellasmyself，longedtohaveheratPlover’sBarrows，andteachherallthequietdutiesinwhichshewassuretotakesuchdelight，sheonlyansweredwithabrightblush，thatwhilehergrandfatherwaslivingshewouldneverleavehim；andthatevenifshewerefree，certainruinwasallsheshouldbringtoanyhousethatreceivedher，atleastwithintheutmostreachofheramiablefamily。Thiswastooplaintobedenied，andseeingmydejectionatit，shetoldmebravelythatwemusthopeforbettertimes，ifpossible，andaskedhowlongIwouldwaitforher。
　　’NotadayifIhadmywill，’Iansweredverywarmly；
　　atwhichsheturnedawayconfused，andwouldnotlookatmeforawhile；’butallmylife，’Iwentontosay，’ifmyfortuneissoill。Andhowlongwouldyouwaitforme，Lorna？’
　　’TillIcouldgetyou，’sheansweredslyly，withasmilewhichwasbrightertomethanthebrightestwitcouldbe。’Andnow，’shecontinued，’youboundme，John，withaverybeautifulringtoyou，andwhenI
　　darenotwearit，Icarryitalwaysonmyheart。ButI
　　willbindyoutome，youdearest，withtheverypoorestandplainestthingthateveryouseteyeson。Icouldgiveyoufiftyfairerones，buttheywouldnotbehonest；andIloveyouforyourhonesty，andnothingelseofcourse，John；sodon’tyoubeconceited。Lookatit，whataqueeroldthing!Therearesomeancientmarksuponit，verygrotesqueandwonderful；itlookslikeacatinatreealmost，butnevermindwhatitlookslike。Thisoldringmusthavebeenagiant’s；
　　thereforeitwillfityouperhaps，youenormousJohn。
　　Ithasbeenonthefrontofmyoldglassnecklacewhichmygrandfatherfoundthemtakingaway，andverysoonmadethemgivebackagaineversinceIcanremember；andlongbeforethat，assomewomantoldme。
　　Nowyouseemverygreatlyamazed；praywhatthinksmylordofit？’
　　’ThatisworthfiftyofthepearlthingwhichIgaveyou，youdarling；andthatIwillnottakeitfromyou。’
　　’Thenyouwillnevertakeme，thatisall。Iwillhavenothingtodowithagentleman’——
　　’Nogentleman，dear——ayeoman。’
　　’Verywell，ayeoman——nothingtodowithayeomanwhowillnotacceptmylove-gage。So，ifyouplease，giveitbackagain，andtakeyourlovelyringback。’
　　Shelookedatmeinsuchamanner，halfinearnest，halfinjest，andthreetimesthreeinlove，thatinspiteofallgoodresolutions，andherownfaintprotest，Iwasforcedtoabandonallfirmideas，andkisshertillshewasquiteashamed，andherheadhungonmybosom，withthenightofherhairshedoverme。
　　ThenIplacedthepearlringbackonthesoftelasticbendofthefingershehelduptoscoldme；andonmyownsmallestfingerdrewtheheavyhoopshehadgivenme。Iconsideredthiswithsatisfaction，untilmydarlingrecoveredherself；andthenIbeganverygravelyaboutit，tokeepherifIcouldfromchidingme：——
　　’MistressLorna，thisisnottheringofanygiant。Itisnothingmorenorlessthanaveryancientthumb-ring，suchasonceinmyfather’stimewasploughedupoutofthegroundinourfarm，andsenttolearneddoctors，whotoldusallaboutit，butkepttheringfortheirtrouble。Iwillacceptit，myownonelove；anditshallgotomygravewithme。’Andsoitshall，unlesstherebevillainswhowoulddaretorobthedead。
　　NowIhavespokenaboutthisringthoughIscarcelymeanttodoso，andwouldratherkeeptomyselfthingssoveryholybecauseitholdsanimportantpartinthehistoryofmyLorna。Iaskedherwheretheglassnecklacewasfromwhichtheringwasfastened，andwhichshehadworninherchildhood，andsheansweredthatshehardlyknew，butrememberedthathergrandfatherhadbeggedhertogiveituptohim，whenshewastenyearsoldorso，andhadpromisedtokeepitforheruntilshecouldtakecareofit；atthesametimegivingherbackthering，andfasteningitfromherprettyneck，andtellinghertobeproudofit。
　　Andsoshealwayshadbeen，andnowfromhersweetbreastshetookit，anditbecameJohnRidd’sdelight。
　　Allthis，oratleastgreatpartofit，Itoldmymothertruly，accordingtomypromise；andshewasgreatlypleasedwithLornaforhavingbeensogoodtome，andforspeakingsoverysensibly；andthenshelookedatthegreatgoldring，butcouldbynomeansinterpretit。Onlyshewasquitecertain，asindeedI
　　myselfwas，thatitmusthavebelongedtoanancientraceofgreatconsideration，andhighrank，intheirtime。UponwhichIwasfortakingitoff，lestitshouldbedegradedbyacommonfarmer’sfinger。Butmothersaid’No，’withtearsinhereyes；’ifthecommonfarmerhadwonthegreatladyoftheancientrace，whatwereringsandold-worldtrinkets，whencomparedtothelivingjewel？’Beingquiteofheropinioninthis，andlovingtheringwhichhadnogeminitasthetokenofmypricelessgem，Iresolvedtowearitatanycost，exceptwhenIshouldbeploughing，ordoingthingslikelytobreakit；althoughImustownthatitfeltveryqueerforIneverhadthrottledafingerbefore，anditlookedveryqueer，foralengthoftime，uponmygreathard-workinghand。
　　AndbeforeIgotusedtomyring，orpeoplecouldthinkthatitbelongedtomeplainandungarnishedthoughitwas，andbeforeIwenttoseeLornaagain，havingfailedtofindanynecessity，andrememberingmydutytomother，weallhadsomethingelsetothinkof，notsopleasant，andmorepuzzling。
　　NowNovemberwasuponus，andwehadkeptAllhallowmass，withroastingofskeweredappleslikesomanyshuttlecocks，andafterthatthedayofFawkes，asbecamegoodProtestants，withmerrybonfiresandburnedbatatas，andplentyofgoodfeedinginhonourofourreligion；andthenwhilewewereatwheat-sowing，anothervisitorarrived。
　　ThiswasMasterJeremyStickles，whohadbeenagoodfriendtomeasdescribedbeforeinLondon，andhadearnedmymother’sgratitude，sofaraseverhechosetohaveit。Andheseemedinclinedtohaveitall；forhemadeourfarm-househisheadquarters，andkeptusquiteathisbeckandcall，goingoutatanytimeoftheevening，andcomingbackatanytimeofthemorning，andalwaysexpectingustobeready，whetherwithhorse，orman，ormaiden，orfire，orprovisions。
　　WeknewthathewasemployedsomehowupontheserviceoftheKing，andhadatdifferentstationscertaintroopersandorderliesquiteathisdisposal；alsoweknewthatheneverwentout，norevensleptinhisbedroom，withoutheavyfirearmswellloaded，andasharpswordnighhishand；andthatheheldagreatcommission，underroyalsignet，requiringallgoodsubjects，allofficersofwhateverdegree，andespeciallyjusticesofthepeace，toaidhimtotheutmost，withperson，beast，andchattel，ortoansweritattheirperil。
　　NowMasterJeremyStickles，ofcourse，knowingwellwhatwomenare，durstnotopentoanyofthemthenatureofhisinstructions。But，afterawhile，perceivingthatIcouldbereliedupon，andthatitwasagreatdiscomfortnottohavemewithhim，hetookmeasideinalonelyplace，andtoldmenearlyeverything；