’Iamafraidheis，’saidWinifred，’yetmyheartwarmstothepoorlad，heseemssoforlorn。’
　　CHAPTERLXXIII
　　Morninghymn-Muchalone-JohnBunyan-Beholdentonobody-
　　Sixty-five-Sobergreeting-EarlySabbaths-Finnybrood-Theporch-Nofortune-telling-Themaster’sniece-Doinggood-Twoorthreethings-Groansandvoices-PechodYspryddGlan。
　　ISLEPTsoundlyduringthatnight，partlyowingtotheinfluenceoftheopiate。EarlyinthemorningIwasawakenedbythevoicesofPeterandhiswife，whoweresingingamorninghymnintheirownlanguage。Bothsubsequentlyprayedlongandfervently。Ilaystilltilltheirdevotionswerecompleted，andthenleftmytent。
　　’Goodmorning，’saidPeter，’howdostthoufeel？’’Muchbetter，’
　　saidI，’thanIcouldhaveexpected。’’Iamgladofit，’saidPeter。’Artthouhungry？yondercomesourbreakfast，’pointingtothesameyoungwomanIhadseentheprecedingnight，whowasagaindescendingthehillbearingthetrayuponherhead。
　　’Whatdustthouintendtodo，youngman，thisday？’saidPeter，whenwehadabouthalffinishedbreakfast。’Do，’saidI；’asIdootherdays，whatIcan。’’Anddostthoupassthisdayasthoudostotherdays？’saidPeter。’Whynot？’saidI；’whatisthereinthisdaydifferentfromtherest？itseemstobeofthesamecolourasyesterday。’’Artthouaware，’saidthewife，interposing，’whatdayitis？thatitisSabbath？thatitisSunday？’’No，’saidI，’IdidnotknowthatitwasSunday。’’Andhowdidthathappen？’
　　saidWinifred，withasigh。’Totellyouthetruth，’saidI，’I
　　liveverymuchalone，andpayverylittleheedtothepassingoftime。’’Andyetofwhatinfiniteimportanceistime，’saidWinifred。’Artthounotawarethateveryyearbringstheenearertothyend？’’Idonotthink，’saidI，’thatIamsonearmyendasIwasyesterday。’’Yes，thouart，’saidthewoman；’thouwastnotdoomedtodieyesterday；aninvisiblehandwaswatchingovertheeyesterday；butthydaywillcome，thereforeimprovethetime；
　　begratefulthatthouwastsavedyesterday；and，oh!reflectononething；ifthouhadstdiedyesterday，wherewouldstthouhavebeennow？’’Castintotheearth，perhaps，’saidI。’IhaveheardMr。
　　Petulengrosaythattobecastintotheearthisthenaturalendofman。’’WhoisMr。Petulengro？’saidPeter，interruptinghiswife，asshewasabouttospeak。’Masterofthehorse-shoe，’saidI；
　　’and，accordingtohisownaccount，kingofEgypt。’’I
　　understand，’saidPeter，’headofsomefamilyofwanderingEgyptians-theyarearaceutterlygodless。Artthouofthem？-
　　butno，thouartnot，thouhastnottheiryellowblood。Isupposethoubelongesttothefamilyofwanderingartisanscalled。Idonotlikeyoutheworseforbelongingtothem。Amightyspeakerofoldsprangupfromamidstthatfamily。’’Whowashe？’saidI。
　　’JohnBunyan，’repliedPeter，reverently，’andthementionofhisnameremindsmethatIhavetopreachthisday；wiltthougoandhear？thedistanceisnotgreat，onlyhalfamile。’’No，’saidI，’Iwillnotgoandhear。’’Wherefore？’saidPeter。’Ibelongtothechurch，’saidI，’andnottothecongregations。’’Oh!theprideofthatchurch，’saidPeter，addressinghiswifeintheirowntongue，’exemplifiedeveninthelowestandmostignorantofitsmembers。Thenthou，doubtless，meanesttogotochurch，’saidPeter，againaddressingme；’thereisachurchontheothersideofthatwoodedhill。’’No，’saidI，’Idonotmeantogotochurch。’
　　’MayIasktheewherefore？’saidPeter。’Because，’saidI，’I
　　preferremainingbeneaththeshadeofthesetrees，listeningtothesoundoftheleavesandthetinklingofthewaters。’
　　’Thenthouintendesttoremainhere？’saidPeter，lookingfixedlyatme。’IfIdonotintrude，’saidI；’butifIdo，Iwillwanderaway；Iwishtobebeholdentonobody-perhapsyouwishmetogo？’
　　’Onthecontrary，’saidPeter，’Iwishyoutostay。Ibegintoseesomethingintheewhichhasmuchinterestforme；butwemustnowbidtheefarewellfortherestoftheday，thetimeisdrawingnighforustorepairtotheplaceofpreaching；beforeweleavetheealone，however，Ishouldwishtoasktheeaquestion-Didstthouseekthyowndestructionyesterday，anddidstthouwilfullytakethatpoison？’’No，’saidI；’hadIknowntherehadbeenpoisoninthecakeIcertainlyshouldnothavetakenit。’’Andwhogaveitthee？’saidPeter。’Anenemyofmine，’Ireplied。’Whoisthyenemy？’’AnEgyptiansorceressandpoison-monger。’’Thyenemyisafemale。Ifearthouhadstgivenhercausetohatethee-ofwhatdidshecomplain？’’ThatIhadstolenthetongueoutofherhead。’
　　’Idonotunderstandthee-issheyoung？’’Aboutsixty-five。’
　　HereWinifredinterposed。’Thoudidstcallherjustnowbyhardnames，youngman，’saidshe；’Itrustthoudostbearnomaliceagainsther。’’No，’saidI，’Ibearnomaliceagainsther。’’Thouartnotwishingtodeliverherintothehandofwhatiscalledjustice？’’Bynomeans，’saidI；’Ihavelivedlongenoughupontheroadsnottocryoutfortheconstablewhenmyfingerisbroken。Iconsiderthispoisoningasanaccidentoftheroads；oneofthosetowhichthosewhotravelareoccasionallysubject。’’Inshort，thouforgivestthineadversary？’’Bothnowandforever，’
　　saidI。’Truly，’saidWinifred，’thespiritwhichtheyoungmandisplayethpleasesmemuch；Ishouldbeloththatheleftusyet。
　　Ihavenodoubtthat，withtheblessingofGod，andalittleofthyexhortation，hewillturnoutatrueChristianbeforeheleavethus。’’Myexhortation!’saidPeter，andadarkshadepassedoverhiscountenance；’thouforgettestwhatIam-I-I-butIamforgettingmyself；theLord’swillbedone；andnowputawaythethings，forIperceivethatourfriendsarecomingtoattendustotheplaceofmeeting。’
　　AgainthefamilywhichIhadseenthenightbeforedescendedthehillfromtheirabode。TheywerenowdressedintheirSunday’sbest。Themasterofthehouseledtheway。Theypresentlyjoinedus，whenaquietsobergreetingensuedoneachside。AfteralittletimePetershookmebythehandandbademefarewelltilltheevening；Winifreddidthesame，addingthatshehopedIshouldbevisitedbysweetandholythoughts。Thewholepartythenmovedoffinthedirectionbywhichwehadcometheprecedingnight，Peterandthemasterleadingtheway，followedbyWinifredandthemistressofthefamily。AsIgazedontheirdepartingforms，I
　　feltalmostinclinedtofollowthemtotheirplaceofworship。I
　　didnotstir，however，butremainedleaningagainstmyoakwithmyhandsbehindme。
　　AndafteratimeIsatmedownatthefootoftheoakwithmyfaceturnedtowardsthewater，and，foldingmyhands，Ifellintodeepmeditation。IthoughtontheearlySabbathsofmylife，andthemannerinwhichIwaswonttopassthem。HowcarefullyIsaidmyprayerswhenIgotupontheSabbathmorn，andhowcarefullyI
　　combedmyhairandbrushedmyclothesinorderthatImightdocredittotheSabbathday。IthoughtoftheoldchurchatprettyD-，thedignifiedrector，andyetmoredignifiedclerk。IthoughofEngland’sgrandLiturgy，andTateandBrady’ssonorousminstrelsy。IthoughtoftheHolyBook，portionsofwhichIwasinthehabitofreadingbetweenservice。Ithought，too，oftheeveningwalkwhichIsometimestookinfineweatherlikethepresent，withmymotherandbrother-aquietsoberwalk，duringwhichIwouldnotbreakintoarun，eventochaseabutterfly，oryetmoreahoney-bee，beingfullyconvincedofthedreadimportanceofthedaywhichGodhadhallowed。AndhowgladIwaswhenIhadgotovertheSabbathdaywithouthavingdoneanythingtoprofaneit。AndhowsoundlyIsleptontheSabbathnightafterthetoilofbeingverygoodthroughouttheday。
　　AndwhenIhadmusedonthosetimesalongwhile，Isighedandsaidtomyself，Iammuchalteredsincethen；amIalteredforthebetter？AndthenIlookedatmyhandsandmyapparel，andsighedagain。IwasnotwontofyoretoappearthusontheSabbathday。
　　ForalongtimeIcontinuedinastateofdeepmeditation，tillatlastIliftedupmyeyestothesun，which，asusualduringthatglorioussummer，wasshininginuncloudedmajesty；andthenI
　　loweredthemtothesparklingwater，inwhichhundredsofthefinnybroodweredisportingthemselves，andthenIthoughtwhatafinethingitwastobeafishonsuchafinesummerday，andIwishedmyselfafish，oratleastamongstthefishes；andthenIlookedatmyhandsagain，andthen，bendingoverthewater，Ilookedatmyfaceinthecrystalmirror，andstartedwhenIsawit，foritlookedsqualidandmiserable。
　　ForthwithIstartedup，andsaidtomyself，IshouldliketobatheandcleansemyselffromthesqualorproducedbymylatehardlifeandbyMrs。Herne’sdrow。IwonderifthereisanyharminbathingontheSabbathday。IwillaskWinifredwhenshecomeshome；inthemeantimeIwillbathe，providedIcanfindafittingplace。
　　Butthebrook，thoughaverydelightfulplaceforfishtodisportin，wasshallow，andbynomeansadaptedfortherecreationofsolargeabeingasmyself；itwas，moreover，exposed，thoughIsawnobodyathand，norheardasinglehumanvoiceorsound。Followingthewindingofthebrook，Ileftthemeadow，and，passingthroughtwoorthreethickets，cametoaplacewherebetweenloftybanksthewaterrandeepanddark，andthereIbathed，imbibingnewtoneandvigourintomylanguidandexhaustedframe。
　　Havingputonmyclothes，IreturnedbythewayIhadcometomyvehiclebeneaththeoaktree。Fromthence，forwantofsomethingbettertodo，Istrolledupthehill，onthetopofwhichstoodthefarm-house；itwasalargeandcommodiousbuildingbuiltprincipallyofstone，andseemingofsomeantiquity，withaporch，oneithersideofwhichwasanoakenbench。Ontherightwasseatedayoungwomanwithabookinherhand，thesamewhohadbroughtthetraytomyfriendsandmyself。
　　’Good-day，’saidI，’prettydamsel，sittinginthefarmporch。’
　　’Good-day，’saidthegirl，lookingatmeforamoment，andthenfixinghereyesonherbook。
　　’That’sanicebookyouarereading，’saidI。
　　Thegirllookedatmewithsurprise。’Howdoyouknowwhatbookitis？’saidshe。
　　’HowdoIknow-nevermind；butanicebookitis-nolove，nofortune-tellinginit。’
　　Thegirllookedatmehalfoffended。’Fortune-telling!’saidshe，’Ishouldthinknot。Butyouknownothingaboutit’；andshebentherheadoncemoreoverthebook。
　　’Itellyouwhat，youngperson，’saidI，’Iknowallaboutthatbook；whatwillyouwagerthatIdonot？’
　　’Ineverwager，’saidthegirl。
　　’ShallItellyouthenameofit，’saidI，’Odaughterofthedairy？’
　　Thegirlhalfstarted。’Ishouldneverhavethought，’saidshe，halftimidly，’thatyoucouldhaveguessedit。’
　　’Ididnotguessit，’saidI，’Iknewit；andmeetandproperitisthatyoushouldreadit。’
　　’Whyso？’saidthegirl。
　　’CanthedaughterofthedairyreadamorefittingbookthantheDAIRYMAN’SDAUGHTER？’
　　’Wheredoyoucomefrom？’saidthegirl。
　　’Outofthewater，’saidI。’Don’tstart，Ihavebeenbathing；areyoufondofthewater？’
　　’No，’saidthegirl，heavingasigh；’Iamnotfondofthewater，thatis，ofthesea’；andhereshesighedagain。
　　’Theseaisawidegulf，’saidI，’andfrequentlyseparateshearts。’
　　Thegirlsobbed。
　　’Whyareyoualonehere？’saidI。
　　’Itakemyturnwiththerest，’saidthegirl，’tokeepathomeonSunday。’
　　’Andyouare-’saidI。
　　’Themaster’sniece!’saidthegirl。’Howcameyoutoknowit？
　　Butwhydidyounotgowiththerestandwithyourfriends？’
　　’Whoarethoseyoucallmyfriends？’saidI。
　　’Peterandhiswife。’
　　’Andwhoarethey？’saidI。
　　’Doyounotknow？’saidthegirl；’youcamewiththem。’
　　’Theyfoundmeillbytheway，’saidI；’andtheyrelievedme：I
　　knownothingaboutthem。’
　　’Ithoughtyoukneweverything，’saidthegirl。
　　’TherearetwoorthreethingswhichIdonotknow，andthisisoneofthem。Whoarethey？’