’Buttheytellyouyoumaytakeit？’
’Yes，theSMUGGLERS:buttheBUYERSmustnotknowthatthesmugglershavebeenkindtomeattheirexpense。’
’Isee，’saidStockdaledoubtfully。’Imuchquestionthehonestyofthisproceeding。’
Byherdirectionheheldthetubwiththeholeupwards，andwhilehewentthroughtheprocessofalternatelypressingandceasingtopress，sheproducedabottleofwater，fromwhichshetookmouthfuls，conveyingeachtothekegbyputtingherprettylipstothehole，whereitwassuckedinateachrecoveryofthecaskfrompressure。Whenitwasagainfullhepluggedthehole，knockedthehoopdowntoitsplace，andburiedthetubinthelumberasbefore。
’Aren’tthesmugglersafraidthatyouwilltell？’heasked，astheyrecrossedthechurchyard。
’Ono；theyarenotafraidofthat。Icouldn’tdosuchathing。’
’Theyhaveputyouintoaveryawkwardcorner，’saidStockdaleemphatically。’Youmust，ofcourse，asanhonestperson，sometimesfeelthatitisyourdutytoinform——reallyyoumust。’
’Well，Ihaveneverparticularlyfeltitasaduty；and，besides，myfirsthusband——’Shestopped，andtherewassomeconfusioninhervoice。Stockdalewassohonestandunsophisticatedthathedidnotatoncediscernwhyshepaused:butatlasthedidperceivethatthewordswereaslip，andthatnowomanwouldhaveuttered’firsthusband’byaccidentunlessshehadthoughtprettyfrequentlyofasecond。Hefeltforherconfusion，andallowedhertimetorecoverandproceed。’Myhusband，’shesaid，inaself-correctedtone，’usedtoknowoftheirdoings，andsodidmyfather，andkeptthesecret。Icannotinform，infact，againstanybody。’
’Iseethehardnessofit，’hecontinued，likeamanwholookedfarintothemoralofthings。’Anditisverycruelthatyoushouldbetossedandtantalizedbetweenyourmemoriesandyourconscience。I
dohope，Mrs。Newberry，thatyouwillsoonseeyourwayoutofthisunpleasantposition。’
’Well，Idon’tjustnow，’shemurmured。
Bythistimetheyhadpassedoverthewallandenteredthehouse，whereshebroughthimaglassandhotwater，andlefthimtohisownreflections。Helookedafterhervanishingform，askinghimselfwhetherhe，asarespectableman，andaminister，andashininglight，eventhoughasyetonlyofthehalfpenny-candlesort，werequitejustifiedindoingthisthing。Asneezesettledthequestion；
andhefoundthatwhenthefieryliquorwasloweredbytheadditionoftwiceorthricethequantityofwater，itwasoneoftheprettiestcuresforacoldintheheadthathehadeverknown，particularlyatthischillytimeoftheyear。
Stockdalesatinthedeepchairabouttwentyminutessippingandmeditating，tillheatlengthtookwarmerviewsofthings，andlongedforthemorrow，whenhewouldseeMrs。Newberryagain。Hethenfeltthat，thoughchronologicallyatashortdistance，itwouldinanemotionalsensebeverylongbeforeto-morrowcame，andwalkedrestlesslyroundtheroom。Hiseyewasattractedbyaframedandglazedsamplerinwhicharunningornamentoffir-treesandpeacockssurroundedthefollowingprettybitofsentiment:-
’Rose-leavessmellwhenrosesthrive，Here’smyworkwhileI’malive；
Rose-leavessmellwhenshrunkandshed，Here’smyworkwhenIamdead。
’LizzySimpkins。FearGod。HonourtheKing。
’Aged11years。
’’Tishers，’hesaidtohimself。’Heavens，howIlikethatname！’
BeforehehaddonethinkingthatnoothernamefromAbigailtoZenobiawouldhavesuitedhisyounglandladysowell，tap-tapcameagainuponthedoor；andtheministerstartedasherfaceappearedyetanothertime，lookingsodisinterestedthatthemostingeniouswouldhaverefrainedfromassertingthatshehadcometoaffecthisfeelingsbyherseductiveeyes。
’Wouldyoulikeafireinyourroom，Mr。Stockdale，onaccountofyourcold？’
Theminister，beingstillalittleprickedintheconscienceforcountenancingherinwateringthespirits，sawhereawaytoself-
chastisement。’No，Ithankyou，’hesaidfirmly；’itisnotnecessary。Ihaveneverbeenusedtooneinmylife，anditwouldbegivingwaytoluxurytoofar。’
’ThenIwon’tinsist，’shesaid，anddisconcertedhimbyvanishinginstantly。
Wonderingifshewasvexedbyhisrefusal，hewishedthathehadchosentohaveafire，eventhoughitshouldhavescorchedhimoutofbedandendangeredhisself-disciplineforadozendays。
However，heconsoledhimselfwithwhatwasintrutharareconsolationforabuddinglover，thathewasunderthesameroofwithLizzy；herguest，infact，totakeapoeticalviewofthetermlodger；andthathewouldcertainlyseeheronthemorrow。
Themorrowcame，andStockdaleroseearly，hiscoldquitegone。Hehadneverinhislifesolongedforthebreakfasthourashedidthatday，andpunctuallyateighto’clock，afterashortwalk，toreconnoitrethepremises，here-enteredthedoorofhisdwelling。
Breakfastpassed，andMarthaSarahattended，butnobodycamevoluntarilyasonthenightbeforetoinquireiftherewereotherwantswhichhehadnotmentioned，andwhichshewouldattempttogratify。Hewasdisappointed，andwentout，hopingtoseeheratdinner。Dinnertimecame；hesatdowntothemeal，finishedit，lingeredonforawholehour，althoughtwonewteacherswereatthatmomentwaitingatthechapel-doortospeaktohimbyappointment。
Itwasuselesstowaitlonger，andheslowlywenthiswaydownthelane，cheeredbythethoughtthat，afterall，hewouldseeherintheevening，andperhapsengageagaininthedelightfultub-
broachingintheneighbouringchurchtower，whichproceedingheresolvedtorendermoremoralbysteadfastlyinsistingthatnowatershouldbeintroducedtofillup，thoughthetubshouldclucklikeallthehensinChristendom。Butnothingcoulddisguisethefactthatitwasaqueerbusiness；andhiscountenancefellwhenhethoughthowmuchmorehismindwasinterestedinthatmatterthaninhisseriousduties。
However，compunctionvanishedwiththedeclineofday。Nightcame，andhisteaandsupper；butnoLizzyNewberry，andnosweettemptations。Atlasttheministercouldbearitnolonger，andsaidtohisquaintlittleattendant，’WhereisMrs。Newberryto-day？’
judiciouslyhandingapennyashespoke。
’She’sbusy，’saidMartha。
’Anythingserioushappened？’heasked，handinganotherpenny，andrevealingyetadditionalpenniesinthebackground。
’Ono——nothingatall！’saidshe，withbreathlessconfidence。
’Nothingeverhappenstoher。She’sonlybidingupstairsinbedbecause’tisherwaysometimes。’
Beingayoungmanofsomehonour，hewouldnotquestionfurther，andassumingthatLizzymusthaveabadheadache，orotherslightailment，inspiteofwhatthegirlhadsaid，hewenttobeddissatisfied，notevensettingeyesonoldMrs。Simpkins。’IsaidlastnightthatIshouldseeherto-morrow，’hereflected；’butthatwasnottobe！’
Nextdayhehadbetterfortune，orworse，meetingheratthefootofthestairsinthemorning，andbeingfavouredbyavisitortwofromherduringtheday——onceforthepurposeofmakingkindlyinquiriesabouthiscomfort，asonthefirstevening，andatanothertimetoplaceabunchofwinter-violetsonhistable，withapromisetorenewthemwhentheydrooped。Ontheseoccasionstherewassomethinginhersmilewhichshowedhowconsciousshewasoftheeffectsheproduced，thoughitmustbesaidthatitwasratherahumorousthanadesigningconsciousness，andsavouredmoreofpridethanofvanity。
AsforStockdale，heclearlyperceivedthathepossessedunlimitedcapacityforbacksliding，andwishedthattutelarysaintswerenotdeniedtoDissenters。Hesetawatchuponhistongueandeyesforthespaceofonehourandahalf，afterwhichhefounditwasuselesstostrugglefurther，andgavehimselfuptothesituation。
’Theotherministerwillbehereinamonth，’hesaidtohimselfwhensittingoverthefire。’ThenIshallbeoff，andshewilldistractmymindnomore！……Andthen，shallIgoonlivingbymyselfforever？No；whenmytwoyearsofprobationarefinished，I
shallhaveafurnishedhousetolivein，withavarnisheddoorandabrassknocker；andI’llmarchstraightbacktoher，andaskherflat，assoonasthelastplateisonthedresser！
ThusatitillatingfortnightwaspassedbyyoungStockdale，duringwhichtimethingsproceededmuchassuchmattershavedoneeversincethebeginningofhistory。Hesawtheobjectofattachmentseveraltimesoneday，didnotseeheratallthenext，metherwhenheleastexpectedtodoso，missedherwhenhintsandsignsastowheresheshouldbeatagivenhouralmostamountedtoanappointment。Thismildcoquetrywasperhapsfairenoughunderthecircumstancesoftheirbeingsocloselylodged，andStockdaleputupwithitasphilosophicallyashewasable。Beinginherownhouse，shecould，aftervexinghimordisappointinghimofherpresence，easilywinhimbackbysuddenlysurroundinghimwiththoselittleattentionswhichherpositionashislandladyputitinherpowertobestow。Whenhehadwaitedindoorshalfthedaytoseeher，andonfindingthatshewouldnotbeseen，hadgoneoffinahufftothedreariestanddampestwalkhecoulddiscover，shewouldrestoreequilibriumintheeveningwith’Mr。Stockdale，Ihavefanciedyoumustfeeldraughto’nightsfromyourbedroomwindow，andsoIhavebeenputtingupthickercurtainsthisafternoonwhileyouwereout；’
or，’Inoticedthatyousneezedtwiceagainthismorning，Mr。
Stockdale。Dependuponitthatcoldishangingaboutyouyet；Iamsureitis——Ihavethoughtofitcontinually；andyoumustletmemakeapossetforyou。’
Sometimesincominghomehefoundhissitting-roomrearranged，chairsplacedwherethetablehadstood，andthetableornamentedwiththefewfreshflowersandleavesthatcouldbeobtainedatthisseason，soastoaddanoveltytotheroom。Attimesshewouldbestandingonachairoutsidethehouse，tryingtonailupabranchofthemonthlyrosewhichthewinterwindhadblowndown；andofcoursehesteppedforwardtoassisther，whentheirhandsgotmixedinpassingtheshredsandnails。Thustheybecamefriendsagainafteradisagreement。Shewouldutterontheseoccasionssomeprettyanddeprecatoryremarkonthenecessityofhertroublinghimanew；andhewouldstraightwaysaythathewoulddoahundredtimesasmuchforherifsheshouldsorequire。
