often; a worthy man and a peaceful one, who meddled not with our duties. Now, if any of our boys have been rough, they shall answer it dearly. And yet I can scarce believe it. For the folk about these parts are apt to misconceive of our sufferings, and to have no feeling for us. Counsellor, you arc our record, and very stern against us; tell us how this matter was."
"Oh, Counsellor!" my mother cried; "Sir Counsellor, you will be fair; I see it in your countenance. Only tell me who it was, and set me face to face with him; and I will bless you, sir; and God shall bless you, and my children."
The square man with the long grey beard, quite unmoved by any thing, drew back to the door, and spoke, and his voice was like a fall of stones in the bottom of a mine.
"Few words will be enow for this. Four or five of our best-behaved and most peaceful gentlemen went to the little market at Porlock, with a lump of money. They bought some household stores and comforts at a very high price, and pricked upon the homeward road, away from vulgar revellers. When they drew bridle to rest their horses, in the shelter of a peat-rick, the night being dark and sudden, a robber of great size and strength rode into the midst of them, thinking to kill or terrify. His arrogance, and hardihood, at the first amazed them, but they would not give up without a blow goods which were on trust with them. He had smitten three of them senseless, for the power of his arm was terrible; whereupon the last man tried to ward his blow with a pistol. Carver, sir, it was, our brave and noble Carver, who saved the lives of his brethren and his own; and glad enow they were to escape. Notwithstanding, we hoped it might be only a flesh-wound, and not to speed him in his sins."
As this atrocious tale of lies turned up joint by joint before her, like a "devil's coach-horse,"[1] mother was too much amazed to do any more than look at him, as if the earth must open. But the only thing that opened was the great brown eyes of the Counsellor, which rested on my mother's face, with a dew of sorrow, as he spoke of sins.
She, unable to bear them, turned suddenly on Sir Ensor, and caught (as she fancied) a smile on his lips, and a sense of quiet enjoyment.
"All the Doones are gentlemen," answered the old man, gravely, and looking as if he had never smiled since he was a baby. "We are always glad to explain, madam, any mistake which the rustic people may fall upon about us; and we wish you clearly to conceive, that we do not charge your poor husband with any set purpose of robbery; neither will we bring suit for any attainder of his property. Is it not so, Counsellor?"
"Without doubt his land is attainted; unless in mercy you forbear, sir."
"Counsellor, we forbear. IM.'idam, we will forgive him. Like enough he knew not right from wrong, at that time of night. The waters are strong at Porlock, and even an honest man may use his staff unjustly, in this unchartered age of violence and rapine."
- ↑ The cock-tailed beetle has earned this name in the West of England.
