ThereforeImadealowbow,andwent;indoubtastowhichhadtherightofit。
Butthoughhehadsofardismissedme,Iwasnotyetquitefreetogo,inasmuchasIhadnotmoneyenoughtotakemeallthewaytoOare,unlessindeedIshouldgoafoot,andbegmysustenancebytheway,whichseemedtobebelowme。ThereforeIgotmyfewclothespacked,andmyfewdebtspaid,allreadytostartinhalfanhour,ifonlytheywouldgivemeenoughtosetoutupontheroadwith。ForIdoubtednot,beingyoungandstrong,thatIcouldwalkfromLondontoOareintendaysorintwelveatmost,whichwasnotmuchlongerthanhorse-work;onlyIhadbeenafool,asyouwillsaywhenyouhearit。ForafterreceivingfromMasterSpanktheamountofthebillwhichIhaddelivered——lessindeedbyfiftyshillingsthanthemoneymymotherhadgivenme,forIhadspentfiftyshillings,andmore,inseeingthetownandtreatingpeople,whichIcouldnotchargetoHisMajesty——Ihadfirstpaidallmydebtsthereout,whichwerenotverymany,andthensupposingmyselftobeanestablishedcreditoroftheTreasuryformycomingneeds,andalreadyscentingthecountryair,andforeseeingthejoyofmymother,whathadIdonebutspenthalfmybalance,ayandmorethanthree-quartersofit,uponpresentsformother,andAnnie,andLizzie,JohnFry,andhiswife,andBettyMuxworthy,BillDadds,JimSlocombe,and,inaword,halfoftherestofthepeopleatOare,includingalltheSnowefamily,whomusthavethingsgoodandhandsome?AndifImustwhileIamaboutit,hidenothingfromthosewhoreadme,IhadactuallyboughtforLornaathingthepriceofwhichquitefrightenedme,tilltheshopkeepersaiditwasnothingatall,andthatnoyoungman,withaladytolovehim,coulddaretoofferherrubbish,suchastheJewsoldacrosstheway。NowthemereideaofbeautifulLornaeverlovingme,whichhetalkedaboutaspatlythoughofcourseInevermentionedherasifitwereasettledthing,andheknewallaboutit,thatmereideasodrovemeabroad,thatifhehadaskedthreetimesasmuch,Icouldneverhavecountedthemoney。
NowinallthisIwasafoolofcourse——notforrememberingmyfriendsandneighbours,whichamanhasarighttodo,andindeedisboundtodo,whenhecomesfromLondon——butfornotbeingcertifiedfirstwhatcashIhadtogoonwith。Andtomygreatamazement,whenIwentwithanotherbillforthevictualsofonlythreedaysmore,andaweek’sexpenseonthehomewardroadreckonedverynarrowly,MasterSpanknotonlyrefusedtograntmeanyinterview,butsentmeoutapieceofbluepaper,lookinglikeabutcher’sticket,andbearingthesewordsandnomore,’JohnRidd,gotothedevil。Hewhowillnotwhenhemay,whenhewill,heshallhavenay。’FromthisIconcludedthatIhadlostfavourinthesightofChiefJusticeJeffreys。
Perhapsbecausemyevidencehadnotprovedofanyvalue!perhapsbecausehemeanttoletthematterlie,tillcastonhim。
Anyhow,itwasareasonofmuchgrief,andsomeangertome,andverygreatanxiety,disappointment,andsuspense。Forherewasthetimeofthehaygonepast,andtheharvestofsmallcorncomingon,andthetroutnowrisingattheyellowSally,andtheblackbirdseatingourwhite-heartcherriesIwassure,thoughI