But oh, the aching of my ankles, when I went to bed
that night; I was forced to help myself upstairs with
a couple of mopsticks! and I rubbed the joints with
neatsfoot oil, which comforted them greatly. And
likely enough I would have abandoned any further trial,
but for Lizzie’s ridicule, and pretended sympathy;
asking if the strong John Ridd would have old Betty
to lean upon. Therefore I set to again, with a
fixed resolve not to notice pain or stiffness, but
to warm them out of me. And sure enough, before
dark that day, I could get along pretty freely; especially
improving every time, after leaving off and resting.
The astonishment of poor John Fry, Bill Dadds, and
Jem Slocombe, when they saw me coming down the hill
upon them, in the twilight, where they were clearing
the furze rick and trussing it for cattle, was more
than I can tell you; because they did not let me see
it, but ran away with one accord, and floundered into
a snowdrift. They believed, and so did every
one else (especially when I grew able to glide along
pretty rapidly), that I had stolen Mother Melldrum’s
sieves, on which she was said to fly over the foreland
at midnight every Saturday.
Upon the following day, I held some council with my
mother; not liking to go without her permission, yet
scarcely daring to ask for it. But here she disappointed
me, on the right side of disappointment; saying that
she had seen my pining (which she never could have
done; because I had been too hard at work), and rather
than watch me grieving so, for somebody or other,
who now was all in all to me, I might go upon my course,
and God’s protection go with me! At this
I was amazed, because it was not at all like mother;
and knowing how well I had behaved, ever since the
time of our snowing up, I was a little moved to tell
her that she could not understand me. However
my sense of duty kept me, and my knowledge of the
catechism, from saying such a thing as that, or even
thinking twice of it. And so I took her at her
word, which she was not prepared for; and telling
her how proud I was of her trust in Providence, and
how I could run in my new snow-shoes, I took a short
pipe in my mouth, and started forth accordingly.
[Illustration: 368.jpg Tailpiece]
CHAPTER XLIII
NOT TOO SOON
[Illustration: 369.jpg Illustrated Capital]
When I started on my road across the hills and valleys
(which now were pretty much alike), the utmost I could
hope to do was to gain the crest of hills, and look
into the Doone Glen. Hence I might at least descry
whether Lorna still was safe, by the six nests still
remaining, and the view of the Captain’s house.
When I was come to the open country, far beyond the
sheltered homestead, and in the full brunt of the wind,
the keen blast of the cold broke on me, and the mighty
breadth of snow. Moor and highland, field and
common, cliff and vale, and watercourse, over all
the rolling folds of misty white were flung. There
was nothing square or jagged left, there was nothing
perpendicular; all the rugged lines were eased, and
all the breaches smoothly filled. Curves, and
mounds, and rounded heavings, took the place of rock
and stump; and all the country looked as if a woman’s
hand had been on it.
