put yourself in his place-第1部分

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Put　Yourself　in　His　Place

by　Charles　Reade




I　will　frame　a　work　of　fiction　upon　notorious　fact；　so　that　anybody　shall　think　he　can　do　the　same；　shall　labor　and　toil　attempting　the　same；　and　failsuch　is　the　power　of　sequence　and　connection　in　writing。〃HORACE：　Art　of　Poetry。



CHAPTER　I。


Hillsborough　and　its　outlying　suburbs　make　bricks　by　the　million；　spin　and　weave　both　wool　and　cotton；　forge　in　steel　from　the　finest　needle　up　to　a　ship's　armor；　and　so　add　considerably　to　the　kingdom's　wealth。

But　industry　so　vast；　working　by　steam　on　a　limited　space；　has　been　fatal　to　beauty：　Hillsborough；　though　built　on　one　of　the　loveliest　sites　in　England；　is　perhaps　the　most　hideous　town　in　creation。　　All　ups　and　down　and　back　slums。　　Not　one　of　its　wriggling；　broken…　backed　streets　has　handsome　shops　in　an　unbroken　row。　　Houses　seem　to　have　battled　in　the　air；　and　stuck　wherever　they　tumbled　down　dead　out　of　the　melee。　　But　worst　of　all；　the　city　is　pockmarked　with　public…houses；　and　bristles　with　high　round　chimneys。　　These　are　not　confined　to　a　locality；　but　stuck　all　over　the　place　like　cloves　in　an　orange。　　They　defy　the　law；　and　belch　forth　massy　volumes　of　black　smoke；　that　hang　like　acres　of　crape　over　the　place；　and　veil　the　sun　and　the　blue　sky　even　in　the　brightest　day。　But　in　a　fogwhy；　the　air　of　Hillsborough　looks　a　thing　to　plow；　if　you　want　a　dirty　job。

More　than　one　crystal　stream　runs　sparkling　down　the　valleys；　and　enters　the　town；　but　they　soon　get　defiled；　and　creep　through　it　heavily　charged　with　dyes；　clogged　with　putridity；　and　bubbling　with　poisonous　gases；　till　at　last　they　turn　to　mere　ink；　stink；　and　malaria；　and　people　the　churchyards　as　they　crawl。

This　infernal　city；　whose　water　is　blacking；　and　whose　air　is　coal；　lies　in　a　basin　of　delight　and　beauty：　noble　slopes；　broad　valleys；　watered　by　rivers　and　brooks　of　singular　beauty；　and　fringed　by　fair　woods　in　places；　and；　eastward；　the　hills　rise　into　mountains；　and　amongst　them　towers　Cairnhope；　striped　with　silver　rills；　and　violet　in　the　setting　sun。

Cairnhope　is　a　forked　mountain；　with　a　bosom　of　purple　heather　and　a　craggy　head。　　Between　its　forks　stood；　at　the　period　of　my　story；　a　great　curiosity；　which　merits　description　on　its　own　account；　and　also　as　the　scene　of　curious　incidents　to　come。

It　was　a　deserted　church。　　The　walls　were　pierced　with　arrow…slits；　through　which　the　original　worshipers　had　sent　many　a　deadly　shaft　in　defense　of　their　women　and　cattle；　collected　within　the　sacred　edifice　at　the　first　news　of　marauders　coming。

Built　up　among　the　heathery　hills　in　times　of　war　and　trouble；　it　had　outlived　its　uses。　　Its　people　had　long　ago　gone　down　into　the　fruitful　valley；　and　raised　another　church　in　their　midst；　and　left　this　old　house　of　God　alone；　and　silent　as　the　tombs　of　their　forefathers　that　lay　around　it。

It　was　no　ruin；　though　on　the　road　to　decay。　　One　of　the　side　walls　was　much　lower　than　the　other；　and　the　roof　had　two　great　waves；　and　was　heavily　clothed；　in　natural　patterns；　with　velvet　moss；　and　sprinkled　all　over　with　bright　amber　lichen：　a　few　tiles　had　slipped　off　in　two　places；　and　showed　the　rafters　brown　with　time　and　weather：　but　the　structure　was　solid　and　sound；　the　fallen　tiles　lay　undisturbed　beneath　the　eaves；　not　a　brick；　not　a　beam；　not　a　gravestone　had　been　stolen；　not　even　to　build　the　new　church：　of　the　diamond　panes　full　half　remained；　the　stone　font　was　still　in　its　place；　with　its　Gothic　cover；　richly　carved；　and　four　brasses　reposed　in　the　chancel；　one　of　them　loose　in　its　bed。

What　had　caused　the　church　to　be　deserted　had　kept　it　from　being　desecrated；　it　was　clean　out　of　the　way。　　No　gypsy；　nor　vagrant；　ever　slept　there；　and　even　the　boys　of　the　village　kept　their　distance。　　Nothing　would　have　pleased　them　better　than　to　break　the　sacred　windows　time　had　spared；　and　defile　the　graves　of　their　forefathers　with　pitch…farthing　and　other　arts；　but　it　was　three　miles　off；　and　there　was　a　lion　in　the　way：　they　must　pass　in　sight　of　Squire　Raby's　house；　and；　whenever　they　had　tried　it；　he　and　his　groom　had　followed　them　on　swift　horses　that　could　jump　as　well　as　gallop；　had　caught　them　in　the　churchyard；　and　lashed　them　heartily；　and　the　same　night　notice　to　quit　had　been　given　to　their　parents；　who　were　all　Mr。　Raby's　weekly　tenants：　and　this　had　led　to　a　compromise　and　flagellation。

Once　or　twice　every　summer　a　more　insidious　foe　approached。　　Some　little　party　of　tourists；　including　a　lady；　who　sketched　in　water　and　never　finished　anything；　would　hear　of　the　old　church；　and　wander　up　to　it。　　But　Mr。　Raby's　trusty　groom　was　sure　to　be　after　them；　with　orders　to　keep　by　them；　under　guise　of　friendship；　and　tell　them　outrageous　figments；　and　see　that　they　demolished　not；　stole　not；　sculptured　not。

All　this　was　odd　enough　in　itself；　but　it　astonished　nobody　who　knew　Mr。　Raby。　　His　father　and　predecessor　had　guarded　the　old　church　religiously　in　his　day；　and　was　buried　in　it；　by　his　own　orders；　and；　as　for　Guy　Raby　himself；　what　wonder　he　respected　it；　since　his　own　mind；　like　that　old　church；　was　out　of　date；　and　a　relic　of　the　past？

An　antique　Tory　squire；　nursed　in　expiring　Jacobitism；　and　cradled　in　the　pride　of　race；　educated　at　Oxford；　well　read　in　books；　versed　in　county　business；　and　acquainted　with　trade　and　commerce；　yet　puffed　up　with　aristocratic　notions；　and　hugging　the　very　prejudices　our　nobility　are　getting　rid　of　as　fast　as　the　vulgar　will　let　them。

He　had　a　sovereign　contempt　for　tradespeople；　and　especially　for　manufacturers。　　Any　one　of　those　numerous　disputes　between　masters　and　mechanics；　which　distinguish　British　industry；　might　have　been　safely　referred　to　him；　for　he　abhorred　and　despised　them　both　with　strict　impartiality。


The　lingering　beams　of　a　bright　December　day　still　gilded　the　moss…　clad　roof　of　that　deserted　church；　and　flamed　on　its　broken　panes；　when　a　young　man　came　galloping　toward　it；　from　Hillsborough；　on　one　of　those　powerful　horses　common　in　that　district。

He　came　so　swiftly　and　so　direct；　that；　ere　the　sun　had　been　down　twenty　minutes；　he　and　his　smoking　horse　had　reached　a　winding　gorge　about　three　furlongs　from　the　church。　　Here；　however；　the　bridle…　road；　which　had　hitherto　served　his　turn　across　the　moor；　turned　off　sharply　toward　the　village　of　Cairnhope；　and　the　horse　had　to　pick　his　way　over　heather；　and　bog；　and　great　loose　stones。　　He　lowered　his　nose；　and　hesitated　more　than　once。　　But　the　rein　was　loose　upon　his　neck；　and　he　was　left　to　take　his　time。　　He　had　also　his　own　tracks　to　guide　him　in　places；　for　this　was　by　no　means　his　first　visit；　and　he　managed　so　well；　that　at　last　he　got　safe　to　a　mountain　stream　which　gurgled　past　the　north　side　of　the　churchyard：　he　went　cautiously　through　the　water；　and　then　his　rider　gathered　up　the　reins；　stuck　in　the　spurs；　and　put　him　at　a　part　of　the　wall　where　the　moonlight　showed　a　considerable　breach。　　The　good　horse　rose　to　it；　and　cleared　it；　with　a　foot　to　spare；　and　the　invader　landed　in　the　sacred　precincts　unobserved；　for　the　road　he　had　come　by　was　not　visible　from　Raby　House；　nor　indeed　was　the　church　itself。

He　was　of　swarthy　complexion；　dressed　in　a　plain　suit　of　tweed；　well　made；　and　neither　new　nor　old。　　His　hat　was　of　the　newest　fashion；　and　glossy。　　He　had　no　gloves　on。

He　dismounted；　and　led　his　horse　to　the　porch。　　He　took　from　his　pocket　a　large　glittering　key　and　unlocked　the　church…door；　then　gave　his　horse　a　smack　on　the　quarter。　　That　sagacious　animal　walked　into　the　church　directly；　and　his　iron　hoofs　rang　strangely　as　he　paced　over　the　brick　floor　of　the　aisle；　and　made　his　way　under　the　echoing　vault；　up　to　the　very　altar；　for　near　it　was　the　vestry…　chest；　and　in　that　chest　his　corn。

The　young　man　also　entered　the　church；　but　soon　came　out　again　with　a　leathern　bucket　in　his　hand。　　He　then　went　round　the　church；　and　was　busily　employed　for　a　considerable　time。

He　returned　to　the　porch；　carried　his　bucket　in；　and　locked　the　door；　leaving　the　key　inside。


That　night　Abel　Eaves；　a　shepherd；　was　led　by　his　dog；　in　search　of　a　strayed　sheep；　to　a　place　rarely　trodden　by　the　foot　of　man　or　beast；　viz。；　the　west　side　of　Cairnhope　Peak。　　He　came　home　pale　and　disturbed；　and　sat　by　the　fireside　in　dead　silence。　　〃What　ails　thee；　my　man？〃　said　Janet；　his　wife；　〃and　there's　the　very　dog　keeps　a　whimpering。〃

〃What　ails　us；　wife？　　Pincher　and　me？　　We　have　seen　summat。〃

〃What　was　it？〃　inquired　the　woman；　suddenly　lowering　her　voice。

〃Cairnhope　old　church　all　o'　fire　inside。〃

〃Bless　us　and　save　us！〃　said　Janet；　in　a　whisper。

〃And　the　fire　it　did　come　and　go　as　if　hell　was　a　blowing　at　it。　One　while　the　windows　was　a　dull　red　like；　and　the　next　they　did　flare　so；　I　thought　it　would　all　burst　out　in　a　blaze。　　And　so　'twould；　but；　bless　your　heart；　their　heads　ha'n't　ached　this　hundred　year　and　more；　as　lighted　that　there　devilish　fire。〃

He　paused　a　moment；　then　said；　with　sudden　gravity　and　resignation　and　even　a　sort　of　half　business…like　air；　〃Wife；　ye　may　make　my　shroud；　and　sew　it　and　all；　but　I　wouldn't　buy　the　stuff　of　Bess　Crummles；　she　is　an　ill…tongued　woman；　and　came　near　making　mischief　between　you　and　me　last　Lammermas　as　ever　was。〃

〃Shroud！〃　cried　Mrs。　Eaves；　getting　seriously　alarmed。　　〃Why；　Abel；　what　is　Cairnhope　old　church　to　you？　　You　were　born　in　an　other　parish。〃

Abel　slapped　his　thigh。　　〃Ay；　lass；　and　another　county；　if　ye　go　to　that。〃　　And　his　countenance　brightened　suddenly。

〃And　as　for　me；〃　continued　Janet；　〃I'm　Cairnhope；　but　my　mother　came　from　Morpeth；　a　widdy：　and　she　lies　within　a　hundred　yards　of　where　I　sit　a　talking　to　thee。　　There's　none　of　my　kin　laid　in　old　Cairnhope　churchyard。　　Warning's　not　for　thee；　nor　me；　nor　yet　for　our　Jock。　　Eh；　lad；　it　will　be　for　Squire　Raby。　　His　father　lies　up　there；　and　so　do　all　his　folk。　　Put　on　thy　hat　this　minute；　and　I'll　hood　myself；　and　we'll　go　up　to　Raby　Hall；　and　tell　Squire。〃

Abel　objected　to　that；　and　intimated　that　his　own　fireside　was　particularly　inviting　to　a　man　who　had　seen　diabolical　fires　that　came　and　went；　and　shone　through　the　very　stones　and　mortar　of　a　dead　church。

〃Nay；　but；〃　said　Janet；　〃they　sort　o'　warnings　are　not　t