Before I betook myself home that night, and eased
dear mother’s heart so much, and made her pale
face spread with smiles, I had resolved to penetrate
Glen Doone from the upper end, and learn all about
my Lorna. Not but what I might have entered from
my unsuspected channel, as so often I had done; but
that I saw fearful need for knowing something more
than that. Here was every sort of trouble gathering
upon me, here was Jeremy Stickles stealing upon every
one in the dark; here was Uncle Reuben plotting Satan
only could tell what; here was a white night-capped
man coming bodily from the grave; here was my own sister
Annie committed to a highwayman, and mother in distraction;
most of all—here, there, and where—was
my Lorna stolen, dungeoned, perhaps outraged.
It was no time for shilly shally, for the balance of
this and that, or for a man with blood and muscle
to pat his nose and ponder. If I left my Lorna
so; if I let those black-soul’d villains work
their pleasure on my love; if the heart that clave
to mine could find no vigour in it—then
let maidens cease from men, and rest their faith in
tabby-cats.
Rudely rolling these ideas in my heavy head and brain
I resolved to let the morrow put them into form and
order, but not contradict them. And then, as
my constitution willed (being like that of England),
I slept, and there was no stopping me.
CHAPTER XXXVII
A VERY DESPERATE VENTURE
[Illustration: 306.jpg Illustrated Capital]
That the enterprise now resolved upon was far more
dangerous than any hitherto attempted by me, needs
no further proof than this:—I went and
made my will at Porlock, with a middling honest lawyer
there; not that I had much to leave, but that none
could say how far the farm, and all the farming stock,
might depend on my disposition. It makes me smile
when I remember how particular I was, and how for
the life of me I was puzzled to bequeath most part
of my clothes, and hats, and things altogether my
own, to Lorna, without the shrewd old lawyer knowing
who she was and where she lived. At last, indeed,
I flattered myself that I had baffled old Tape’s
curiosity; but his wrinkled smile and his speech at
parting made me again uneasy.
“A very excellent will, young sir. An admirably
just and virtuous will; all your effects to your nearest
of kin; filial and fraternal duty thoroughly exemplified;
nothing diverted to alien channels, except a small
token of esteem and reverence to an elderly lady, I
presume: and which may or may not be valid, or
invalid, on the ground of uncertainty, or the absence
of any legal status on the part of the legatee.
Ha, ha! Yes, yes! Few young men are so free
from exceptionable entanglements. Two guineas
is my charge, sir: and a rare good will for the
money. Very prudent of you, sir. Does you
credit in every way. Well, well; we all must
die; and often the young before the old.”
