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AsIenteredthelittletown,Icameupontwoofthefishermen’swivesinterchangingthatlastword“whichneverwasthelast”:anditoccurredtome,asanexperimentwiththeMagicWatch,towaittillthelittlescenewasover,andthento‘encore’it.
“Well,goodnightt’ye!AndyewinnaforgettosenduswordwhenyourMarthawrites?”
“Nay,ahwinnaforget.An’ifsheisn’tsuited,shecanbutcoomback.Goodnightt’ye!”
Acasualobservermighthavethought“andthereendsthedialogue!”Thatcasualobserverwouldhavebeenmistaken.
“Ah,she’lllike‘em,Iwar’n’ye!They’llnottreatherbad,yermaydepend.They’revarrycannyfowk.Goodnight!”
“Ay,theyarethat!Goodnight!”
“Goodnight!Andye’llsenduswordifshewrites?”
“Aye,ahwill,yermaydepend!Goodnightt’ye!”
Andatlasttheyparted.Iwaitedtilltheyweresometwentyyardsapart,andthenputtheWatchaminuteback.
Theinstantaneouschangewasstartling:thetwofiguresseemedtoflashbackintotheirformerplaces.
“—isn’tsuited,shecanbutcoomback.Goodnightt’ye!”
oneofthemwassaying:andsothewholedialoguewasrepeated,and,whentheyhadpartedforthesecondtime,Iletthemgotheirseveralways,andstrolledonthroughthetown.
“Buttherealusefulnessofthismagicpower,”Ithought,“wouldbetoundosomeharm,somepainfulevent,someaccident—”
IhadnotlongtowaitforanopportunityoftestingthispropertyalsooftheMagicWatch,for,evenasthethoughtpassedthroughmymind,theaccidentIwasimaginingoccurred.
Alightcartwasstandingatthedoorofthe‘GreatMillineryDepot’ofElveston,ladenwithcard-boardpacking-cases,whichthedriverwascarryingintotheshop,onebyone.
Oneofthecaseshadfallenintothestreet,butitscarcelyseemedworthwhiletostepforwardandpickitup,asthemanwouldbebackagaininamoment.
Yet,inthatmoment,ayoungmanridingabicyclecamesharproundthecornerofthestreetand,intryingtoavoidrunningoverthebox,upsethismachine,andwasthrownheadlongagainstthewheelofthespring-cart.
Thedriverranouttohisassistance,andheandItogetherraisedtheunfortunatecyclistandcarriedhimintotheshop.
Hisheadwascutandbleeding;andonekneeseemedtobebadlyinjured;anditwasspeedilysettledthathehadbetterbeconveyedatoncetotheonlySurgeryintheplace.
Ihelpedtheminemptyingthecart,andplacinginitsomepillowsforthewoundedmantoreston;anditwasonlywhenthedriverhadmountedtohisplace,andwasstartingfortheSurgery,thatIbethoughtmeofthestrangepowerIpossessedofundoingallthisharm.
“Nowismytime!”Isaidtomyself,asImovedbackthehandoftheWatch,andsaw,almostwithoutsurprisethistime,allthingsrestoredtotheplacestheyhadoccupiedatthecriticalmomentwhenIhadfirstnoticedthefallenpacking-case.
InstantlyIsteppedoutintothestreet,pickedupthebox,andreplaceditinthecart:inthenextmomentthebicyclehadspunroundthecorner,passedthecartwithoutletorhindrance,andsoonvanishedinthedistance,inacloudofdust.
“Delightfulpowerofmagic!”Ithought.
“HowmuchofhumansufferingIhave—notonlyrelieved,butactuallyannihilated!”
And,inaglowofconsciousvirtue,Istoodwatchingtheunloadingofthecart,stillholdingtheMagicWatchopeninmyhand,asIwascurioustoseewhatwouldhappenwhenweagainreachedtheexacttimeatwhichIhadputbackthehand.
Theresultwasonethat,ifonlyIhadconsideredthethingcarefully,Imighthaveforeseen:asthehandoftheWatchtouchedthemark,thespring-cart—whichhaddrivenoff,andwasbythistimehalf-waydownthestreet,wasbackagainatthedoor,andintheactofstarting,while—ohwoeforthegoldendreamofworld-widebenevolencethathaddazzledmydreamingfancy!
—thewoundedyouthwasoncemorerecliningontheheapofpillows,hispalefacesetrigidlyinthehardlinesthattoldofpainresolutelyendured.
“OhmockingMagicWatch!”Isaidtomyself,asIpassedoutofthelittletown,andtooktheseawardroadthatledtomylodgings.
“ThegoodIfanciedIcoulddoisvanishedlikeadream:theevilofthistroublesomeworldistheonlyabidingreality!”
AndnowImustrecordanexperiencesostrange,thatIthinkitonlyfair,beforebeginningtorelateit,toreleasemymuch-enduringreaderfromanyobligationhemayfeeltobelievethispartofmystory.
Iwouldnothavebelievedit,Ifreelyconfess,ifIhadnotseenitwithmyowneyes:thenwhyshouldIexpectitofmyreader,who,quitepossibly,hasneverseenanythingofthesort?
Iwaspassingaprettylittlevilla,whichstoodratherbackfromtheroad,initsowngrounds,withbrightflower-bedsinfront—creeperswanderingoverthewallsandhanginginfestoonsaboutthebow-windows—aneasy-chairforgottenonthelawn,withanewspaperlyingnearit—asmallpug-dog“couchant”beforeit,resolvedtoguardthetreasureevenatthesacrificeoflife—andafront-doorstandinginvitinglyhalf-open.
“Hereismychance,”Ithought,“fortestingthereverseactionoftheMagicWatch!”
Ipressedthe‘reversal-peg’andwalkedin.
Inanotherhouse,theentranceofastrangermightcausesurprise—perhapsanger,evengoingsofarastoexpelthesaidstrangerwithviolence:buthere,Iknew,nothingofthesortcouldhappen.
Theordinarycourseofeventsfirst,tothinknothingaboutme;then,hearingmyfootstepstolookupandseeme;andthentowonderwhatbusinessIhadthere—wouldbereversedbytheactionofmyWatch.
TheywouldfirstwonderwhoIwas,thenseeme,thenlookdown,andthinknomoreaboutme.
Andastobeingexpelledwithviolence,thateventwouldnecessarilycomefirstinthiscase.
“So,ifIcanoncegetin,”Isaidtomyself,“allriskofexpulsionwillbeover!”
Thepug-dogsatup,asaprecautionarymeasure,asIpassed;but,asItooknonoticeofthetreasurehewasguarding,heletmegobywithoutevenoneremonstrantbark.
“Hethattakesmylife,”heseemedtobesaying,wheezily,tohimself,“takestrash:ButhethattakestheDailyTelegraph—!”
ButthisawfulcontingencyIdidnotface.
Thepartyinthedrawing-room—Ihadwalkedstraightin,youunderstand,withoutringingthebell,orgivinganynoticeofmyapproach—consistedoffourlaughingrosychildren,ofagesfromaboutfourteendowntoten,whowere,apparently,allcomingtowardsthedoor(Ifoundtheywerereallywalkingbackwards),whiletheirmother,seatedbythefirewithsomeneedleworkonherlap,wassaying,justasIenteredtheroom,“Now,girls,youmaygetyourthingsonforawalk.”
Tomyutterastonishment—forIwasnotyetaccustomedtotheactionoftheWatch“allsmilesceased’,(asBrowningsays)onthefourprettyfaces,andtheyallgotoutpiecesofneedle-work,andsatdown.
Noonenoticedmeintheleast,asIquietlytookachairandsatdowntowatchthem.
Whentheneedle-workhadbeenunfolded,andtheywereallreadytobegin,theirmothersaid“Come,that’sdone,atlast!Youmayfoldupyourwork,girls.”
Butthechildrentooknonoticewhateveroftheremark;onthecontrary,theysettoworkatoncesewing—ifthatistheproperwordtodescribeanoperationsuchasIhadneverbeforewitnessed.
Eachofthemthreadedherneedlewithashortendofthreadattachedtothework,whichwasinstantlypulledbyaninvisibleforcethroughthestuff,draggingtheneedleafterit:thenimblefingersofthelittlesempstresscaughtitattheotherside,butonlytoloseitagainthenextmoment.
Andsotheworkwenton,steadilyundoingitself,andtheneatly-stitchedlittledresses,orwhatevertheywere,steadilyfallingtopieces.
Nowandthenoneofthechildrenwouldpause,astherecoveredthreadbecameinconvenientlylong,winditonabobbin,andstartagainwithanothershortend.
Atlastalltheworkwaspickedtopiecesandputaway,andtheladyledthewayintothenextroom,walkingbackwards,andmakingtheinsaneremark“Notyet,dear:wemustgetthesewingdonefirst.”
Afterwhich,Iwasnotsurprisedtoseethechildrenskippingbackwardsafterher,exclaiming“Oh,mother,itissuchalovelydayforawalk!”
Inthedining-room,thetablehadonlydirtyplatesandemptydishesonit.
Howevertheparty—withtheadditionofagentleman,asgood-natured,andasrosy,asthechildren—seatedthemselvesatitverycontentedly.
Youhaveseenpeopleeatingcherry-tart,andeverynowandthencautiouslyconveyingacherry-stonefromtheirlipstotheirplates?
Well,somethinglikethatwentonallthroughthisghastly—orshallwesay‘ghostly’?—banquet.
Anemptyforkisraisedtothelips:thereitreceivesaneatly-cutpieceofmutton,andswiftlyconveysittotheplate,whereitinstantlyattachesitselftothemuttonalreadythere.
Soononeoftheplates,furnishedwithacompletesliceofmuttonandtwopotatoes,washandeduptothepresidinggentleman,whoquietlyreplacedthesliceonthejoint,andthepotatoesinthedish.
Theirconversationwas,ifpossible,morebewilderingthantheirmodeofdining.
Itbeganbytheyoungestgirlsuddenly,andwithoutprovocation,addressinghereldestsister.“Oh,youwickedstory-teller!”shesaid.
Iexpectedasharpreplyfromthesister;but,insteadofthis,sheturnedlaughinglytoherfather,andsaid,inaveryloudstage-whisper,“Tobeabride!”
Thefather,inordertodohispartinaconversationthatseemedonlyfitforlunatics,replied“Whisperittome,dear.”
Butshedidn’twhisper(thesechildrenneverdidanythingtheyweretold):shesaid,quiteloud,“Ofcoursenot!EverybodyknowswhatDottywants!”
AndlittleDollyshruggedhershoulders,andsaid,withaprettypettishness,“Now,Father,you’renottotease!YouknowIdon’twanttobebride’s-maidtoanybody!”
“AndDolly’stobethefourth,”washerfather’sidioticreply.
HereNumberThreeputinheroar.“Oh,itissettled,Motherdear,reallyandtruly!Marytoldusallaboutit.
It’stobenextTuesdayfourweeks—andthreeofhercousinsarecoming;tobebride’s-maids—and—”
“Shedoesn’tforgetit,Minnie!”theMotherlaughinglyreplied.“Idowishthey’dgetitsettled!Idon’tlikelongengagements.”
AndMinniewounduptheconversation—ifsochaoticaseriesofremarksdeservesthename—with“Onlythink!
WepassedtheCedarsthismorning,justexactlyasMaryDavenantwasstandingatthegate,wishinggood-byetoMister—Iforgethisname.Ofcoursewelookedtheotherway.”
BythistimeIwassohopelesslyconfusedthatIgaveuplistening,andfollowedthedinnerdownintothekitchen.
Buttoyou,Ohypercriticalreader,resolutetobelievenoitemofthisweirdadventure,whatneedtotellhowthemuttonwasplacedonthespit,andslowlyunroasted—howthepotatoeswerewrappedintheirskins,andhandedovertothegardenertobeburied—how,whenthemuttonhadatlengthattainedtorawness,thefire,whichhadgraduallychangedfromred-heattoamereblaze,dieddownsosuddenlythatthecookhadonlyjusttimetocatchitslastflickerontheendofamatch—orhowthemaid,havingtakenthemuttonoffthespit,carriedit(backwards,ofcourse)outofthehouse,tomeetthebutcher,whowascoming(alsobackwards)downtheroad?
ThelongerIthoughtoverthisstrangeadventure,themorehopelesslytangledthemysterybecame:anditwasarealrelieftomeetArthurintheroad,andgethimtogowithmeuptotheHall,tolearnwhatnewsthetelegraphhadbrought.
Itoldhim,aswewent,whathadhappenedattheStation,butastomyfurtheradventuresIthoughtitbest,forthepresent,tosaynothing.
TheEarlwassittingalonewhenweentered.
“Iamgladyouarecomeintokeepmecompany,”hesaid.
“Murielisgonetobed—theexcitementofthatterriblescenewastoomuchforher—andErichasgonetothehoteltopackhisthings,tostartforLondonbytheearlytrain.”
“Thenthetelegramhascome?”Isaid.
“Didyounothear?Oh,Ihadforgotten:itcameinafteryoulefttheStation.
Yes,it’sallright:Erichasgothiscommission;and,nowthathehasarrangedmatterswithMuriel,hehasbusinessintownthatmustbeseentoatonce.”
“Whatarrangementdoyoumean?”Iaskedwithasinkingheart,asthethoughtofArthur’scrushedhopescametomymind.“Doyoumeanthattheyareengaged?”
“Theyhavebeenengaged—inasense—fortwoyears,”theoldmangentlyreplied:
“thatis,hehashadmypromisetoconsenttoit,sosoonashecouldsecureapermanentandsettledlineinlife.
Icouldneverbehappywithmychildmarriedtoamanwithoutanobjecttolivefor—withoutevenanobjecttodiefor!”
“Ihopetheywillbehappy,”astrangevoicesaid.
Thespeakerwasevidentlyintheroom,butIhadnotheardthedooropen,andIlookedroundinsomeastonishment.TheEarlseemedtosharemysurprise.“Whospoke?”heexclaimed.
“ItwasI,”saidArthur,lookingatuswithaworn,haggardface,andeyesfromwhichthelightoflifeseemedsuddenlytohavefaded.
“Andletmewishyoujoyalso,dearfriend,”headded,lookingsadlyattheEarl,andspeakinginthesamehollowtonesthathadstartledussomuch.
“Thankyou,”theoldmansaid,simplyandheartily.
Asilencefollowed:thenIrose,feelingsurethatArthurwouldwishtobealone,andbadeourgentlehost‘Goodnight’:Arthurtookhishand,butsaidnothing:nordidhespeakagain,aswewenthometillwewereinthehouseandhadlitourbed-roomcandles.
Thenhesaidmoretohimselfthantome“Theheartknowethitsownbitterness.
Ineverunderstoodthosewordstillnow.”
Thenextfewdayspassedwearilyenough.
IfeltnoinclinationtocallbymyselfattheHall;stilllesstoproposethatArthurshouldgowithme:itseemedbettertowaittillTime—thatgentlehealerofourbitterestsorrowsshouldhavehelpedhimtorecoverfromthefirstshockofthedisappointmentthathadblightedhislife.
Businesshoweversoondemandedmypresenceintown;andIhadtoannouncetoArthurthatImustleavehimforawhile.
“ButIhopetorundownagaininamonthIadded.Iwouldstaynow,ifIcould.
Idon’tthinkit’sgoodforyoutobealone.
No,Ica’n’tfacesolitude,here,forlong,saidArthur.Butdon’tthinkaboutme.
IhavemadeupmymindtoacceptapostinIndia,thathasbeenofferedme.
Outthere,IsupposeIshallfindsomethingtolivefor;Ica’n’tseeanythingatpresent.
‘ThislifeofmineIguard,asGod’shighgift,fromscatheandwrong,Notgreatlycaretolose!’”
“Yes,”Isaid:“yourname-sakeboreasheavyablow,andlivedthroughit.”
“Afarheavieronethanmine,saidArthur.
“Thewomanhelovedprovedfalse.Thereisnosuchcloudasthatonmymemoryof—of—”Heleftthenameunuttered,andwentonhurriedly.“Butyouwillreturn,willyounot?”
“Yes,Ishallcomebackforashorttime.”
“Do,”saidArthur:“andyoushallwriteandtellmeofourfriends.I’llsendyoumyaddresswhenI’msettleddown.”
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