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take the lantern while I move them？'
'I can manage it；' said the young man； and acting as she ordered； he
uncovered； to his surprise； a row of little barrels bound with wood
hoops； each barrel being about as large as the nave of a heavy
waggon…wheel。
When they were laid open Lizzy fixed her eyes on him； as if she
wondered what he would say。
'You know what they are？' she asked； finding that he did not speak。
'Yes； barrels；' said Stockdale simply。 He was an inland man； the
son of highly respectable parents； and brought up with a single eye
to the ministry； and the sight suggested nothing beyond the fact
that such articles were there。
'You are quite right； they are barrels；' she said； in an emphatic
tone of candour that was not without a touch of irony。
Stockdale looked at her with an eye of sudden misgiving。 'Not
smugglers' liquor？' he said。
'Yes；' said she。 'They are tubs of spirit that have accidentally
come over in the dark from France。'
In Nether…Moynton and its vicinity at this date people always smiled
at the sort of sin called in the outside world illicit trading； and
these little kegs of gin and brandy were as well known to the
inhabitants as turnips。 So that Stockdale's innocent ignorance； and
his look of alarm when he guessed the sinister mystery； seemed to
strike Lizzy first as ludicrous； and then as very awkward for the
good impression that she wished to produce upon him。
'Smuggling is carried on here by some of the people；' she said in a
gentle； apologetic voice。 'It has been their practice for
generations； and they think it no harm。 Now； will you roll out one
of the tubs？'
'What to do with it？' said the minister。
'To draw a little from it to cure your cold；' she answered。 'It is
so 'nation strong that it drives away that sort of thing in a jiffy。
O； it is all right about our taking it。 I may have what I like； the
owner of the tubs says so。 I ought to have had some in the house；
and then I shouldn't ha' been put to this trouble； but I drink none
myself； and so I often forget to keep it indoors。'
'You are allowed to help yourself； I suppose； that you may not
inform where their hiding…place is？'
'Well； no； not that particularly； but I may take any if I want it。
So help yourself。'
'I will； to oblige you； since you have a right to it；' murmured the
minister； and though he was not quite satisfied with his part in the
performance； he rolled one of the 'tubs' out from the corner into
the middle of the tower floor。 'How do you wish me to get it out
with a gimlet； I suppose？'
'No； I'll show you；' said his interesting companion； and she held up
with her other hand a shoemaker's awl and a hammer。 'You must never
do these things with a gimlet； because the wood…dust gets in； and
when the buyers pour out the brandy that would tell them that the
tub had been broached。 An awl makes no dust； and the hole nearly
closes up again。 Now tap one of the hoops forward。'
Stockdale took the hammer and did so。
'Now make the hole in the part that was covered by the hoop。'
He made the hole as directed。 'It won't run out；' he said。
'O yes it will；' said she。 'Take the tub between your knees； and
squeeze the heads； and I'll hold the cup。'
Stockdale obeyed； and the pressure taking effect upon the tub； which
seemed； to be thin； the spirit spirted out in a stream。 When the
cup was full he ceased pressing； and the flow immediately stopped。
'Now we must fill up the keg with water；' said Lizzy； 'or it will
cluck like forty hens when it is handled； and show that 'tis not
full。'
'But they tell you you may take it？'
'Yes； the SMUGGLERS： but the BUYERS must not know that the
smugglers have been kind to me at their expense。'
'I see；' said Stockdale doubtfully。 'I much question the honesty of
this proceeding。'
By her direction he held the tub with the hole upwards； and while he
went through the process of alternately pressing and ceasing to
press； she produced a bottle of water； from which she took
mouthfuls； conveying each to the keg by putting her pretty lips to
the hole； where it was sucked in at each recovery of the cask from
pressure。 When it was again full he plugged the hole； knocked the
hoop down to its place； and buried the tub in the lumber as before。
'Aren't the smugglers afraid that you will tell？' he asked； as they
recrossed the churchyard。
'O no； they are not afraid of that。 I couldn't do such a thing。'
'They have put you into a very awkward corner；' said Stockdale
emphatically。 'You must； of course； as an honest person； sometimes
feel that it is your duty to informreally you must。'
'Well； I have never particularly felt it as a duty； and； besides； my
first husband' She stopped； and there was some confusion in her
voice。 Stockdale was so honest and unsophisticated that he did not
at once discern why she paused： but at last he did perceive that
the words were a slip； and that no woman would have uttered 'first
husband' by accident unless she had thought pretty frequently of a
second。 He felt for her confusion； and allowed her time to recover
and proceed。 'My husband；' she said； in a self…corrected tone；
'used to know of their doings； and so did my father； and kept the
secret。 I cannot inform； in fact； against anybody。'
'I see the hardness of it；' he continued； like a man who looked far
into the moral of things。 'And it is very cruel that you should be
tossed and tantalized between your memories and your conscience。 I
do hope； Mrs。 Newberry； that you will soon see your way out of this
unpleasant position。'
'Well； I don't just now；' she murmured。
By this time they had passed over the wall and entered the house；
where she brought him a glass and hot water； and left him to his own
reflections。 He looked after her vanishing form； asking himself
whether he； as a respectable man； and a minister； and a shining
light； even though as yet only of the halfpenny…candle sort； were
quite justified in doing this thing。 A sneeze settled the question；
and he found that when the fiery liquor was lowered by the addition
of twice or thrice the quantity of water； it was one of the
prettiest cures for a cold in the head that he had ever known；
particularly at this chilly time of the year。
Stockdale sat in the deep chair about twenty minutes sipping and
meditating； till he at length took warmer views of things； and
longed for the morrow； when he would see Mrs。 Newberry again。 He
then felt that； though chronologically at a short distance； it would
in an emotional sense be very long before to…morrow came； and walked
restlessly round the room。 His eye was attracted by a framed and
glazed sampler in which a running ornament of fir…trees and peacocks
surrounded the following pretty bit of sentiment：…
'Rose…leaves smell when roses thrive；
Here's my work while I'm alive；
Rose…leaves smell when shrunk and shed；
Here's my work when I am dead。
'Lizzy Simpkins。 Fear God。 Honour the King。
'Aged 11 years。
''Tis hers；' he said to himself。 'Heavens； how I like that name！'
Before he had done thinking that no other name from Abigail to
Zenobia would have suited his young landlady so well； tap…tap came
again upon the door； and the minister started as her face appeared
yet another time； looking so disinterested that the most ingenious
would have refrained from asserting that she had come to affect his
feelings by her seductive eyes。
'Would you like a fire in your room； Mr。 Stockdale； on account of
your cold？'
The minister； being still a little pricked in the conscience for
countenancing her in watering the spirits； saw here a way to self…
chastisement。 'No； I thank you；' he said firmly； 'it is not
necessary。 I have never been used to one in my life； and it would
be giving way to luxury too far。'
'Then I won't insist；' she said； and disconcerted him by vanishing
instantly。
Wondering if she was vexed by his refusal； he wished that he had
chosen to have a fire； even though it should have scorched him out
of bed and endangered his self…discipline for a dozen days。
However； he consoled himself with what was in truth a rare
consolation for a budd