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Bt ɖs z a dgreśn. I hv t tel y v a krịs siriz v ivnts ẃć hapnd in sć a hǎs az I hv traid t dscrîb. It z Castrñm Hōl in Suf̣c. I ʈnc a gd dīl hz bn dn t ɖ bildñ sins ɖ pirịd v mî stori, bt ɖ isnśl fīćrz I hv scećt r stl ɖr—Itałn portico, sqer bloc v ẃît hǎs, oldr insd ɖn ǎt, parc wɖ frinj v wŭdz, n mír. Ɖ wn fīćr ɖt marct ǎt ɖ hǎs fṛm a scor v uɖrz z gn. Az y lct at it fṛm ɖ parc, y sw on ɖ rît a gret old aśtrī growñ wɖn haf a duzn yardz v ɖ wōl, n olmst or qt tućñ ɖ bildñ wɖ its branćz. I s’poz it hd std ɖr evr sins Castrñm sīst t b a forṭfaid ples, n sins ɖ mot wz fild in n ɖ Iliẓbīʈn dwelñhǎs bilt. At eni ret, it hd wel-nî atend its fl dmnśnz in ɖ yir 1690.

In ɖt yir ɖ district in ẃć ɖ Hōl z sićuetd wz ɖ sīn v a numbr v wićtrîlz. It wl b loñ, I ʈnc, bfr w arîv at a just esṭmet v ɖ amǎnt v solid rīzn—f ɖr wz eni—ẃć le at ɖ rūt v ɖ yṇvrsl fir v wićz in old tîmz. Ẃɖr ɖ prsnz akzd v ɖs ofns riyli dd imajin ɖt ɖe wr pzest v unyźl pǎr v eni cnd; or ẃɖr ɖe hd ɖ wil at līst, f nt ɖ pǎr, v dwñ misćif t ɖer nebrz; or ẃɖr ol ɖ cnfeśnz, v ẃć ɖr r so mni, wr xtortd bî ɖ cruwlti v ɖ wićfîndrz—ɖz r qsćnz ẃć r nt, I fansi, yt solvd. N ɖ preznt naṛtiv gvz m pōz. I canot oltgɖr swīp it awe az mir invnśn. Ɖ rīdr mst juj fr himslf.

Castrñm cntribytd a victim t ɖ auto-da-fé. Msz Muɖ̇sǒl wz hr nem, n ś difrd fṛm ɖ ordnri run v vilijwićz onli in biyñ rɖr betr of n in a mor influenśl pziśn. Ef̣ts wr md t sev hr bî sevṛl repytbl farmrz v ɖ pariś. Ɖe dd ɖer bst t tsṭfî t hr caṛctr, n śoud cnsidṛbl añzayti az t ɖ vrdict v ɖ jri.

Bt ẃt sīmz t hv bn fetl t ɖ wmn wz ɖ evidns v ɖ ɖen pṛpraytr v Castrñm Hōl—Sr Máʈy Fél. H dpozd t hvñ woćt hr on ʈri difṛnt oceźnz fṛm hiz windo, at ɖ fl v ɖ mūn, gaɖ̇rñ sprigz ‘fṛm ɖ aśtrī nir mî hǎs’. Ś hd clîmd intu ɖ branćz, clad onli in hr śift, n wz cutñ of smōl twigz wɖ a pkłrli crvd nîf, n az ś dd so ś sīmd t b tōcñ t hrslf. On ć oceźn Sr Máʈy hd dn hiz bst t capćr ɖ wmn, bt ś hd olwz tecn alarm at sm axdntl nôz h hd md, n ol h cd si ẃn h got dǎn t ɖ gardn wz a hér runñ acrs ɖ paʈ in ɖ d’rex́n v ɖ vilij.

On ɖ ʈrd nît h hd bn at ɖ penz t folo at hiz bst spīd, n hd gn stret t Msz Muɖ̇sǒl’z hǎs; bt h hd hd t wêt a qortr v an aur baṭrñ at hr dor, n ɖen ś hd cm ǎt vri cros, n apaṛntli vri slīpi, az f jst ǎt v bed; n h hd no gd xpḷneśn t ofr v hiz vizit.

Mnli on ɖs evidns, ɖo ɖr wz mć mor v a les strîcñ n unyźl cnd fṛm uɖr p’riṣ́nrz, Msz Muɖ̇sǒl wz faund gilti n cndemd t dî. Ś wz hañd a wīc aftr ɖ trîl, wɖ fîv or six mor unhapi crīćrz, at Beri St Edṃndz.

Sr Máʈy Fél, ɖen Depytiśerif, wz preznt at ɖ x’kśn. It wz a damp, drizli Marć mornñ ẃn ɖ cart md its we p ɖ ruf grashil ǎtsd Norʈget, ẃr ɖ galoz std. Ɖ uɖr victimz wr aṗʈetic or brocn dǎn wɖ miẓri; bt Msz Muɖ̇sǒl wz, az in lîf so in deʈ, v a vri difṛnt tmpr. Hr ‘pôzṇs Rej’, az a rportr v ɖ tîm pts it, ‘dd so wrc upn ɖ Bîstandrz—ye, īvn upn ɖ Hañmn—ɖt it wz constntli afrmd v ol ɖt sw hr ɖt ś prizntd ɖ livñ Aspect v a mad Divl. Yt ś ofrd no Rzistns t ɖ Ofisrz v ɖ Lw; onli ś lct upn ɖoz ɖt leid Handz upn hr wɖ so dîrfl n veṇṃs an Aspect ɖt—az wn v ɖm aftwdz aśurd m—ɖ mir Ʈt v it préid inẉdli upn hiz Mînd fr six Munʈs aftr.’

Hvr, ol ɖt ś z rportd t hv sd wr ɖ sīmñli mīnñlis wrdz: ‘Ɖr wl b gsts at ɖ Hōl.’ Ẃć ś rpitd mor ɖn wns in an unḍton.

Sr Máʈy Fél wz nt unimprest bî ɖ bẹrñ v ɖ wmn. H hd sm tōc upn ɖ matr wɖ ɖ Vicr v hiz pariś, wɖ hūm h travld hom aftr ɖ asîzbiznis wz ovr. Hiz evidns at ɖ trîl hd nt bn vri wilñli gvn; h wz nt speṣ́li infctd wɖ ɖ wić-fîndñ meńa, bt h dclerd, ɖen n aftwdz, ɖt h cd nt gv eni uɖr acǎnt v ɖ matr ɖn ɖt h hd gvn, n ɖt h cd nt poṣbli hv bn mstecn az t ẃt h sw. Ɖ hol trnzax́n hd bn rpugnnt t him, fr h wz a man hu lîct t b on pleznt trmz wɖ ɖoz abt him; bt h sw a dyti t b dn in ɖs biznis, n h hd dn it. Ɖt sīmz t hv bn ɖ jist v hiz sntimnts, n ɖ Vicr aplōdd it, az eni rīzṇbl man mst hv dn.

A fy wīcs aftr, ẃn ɖ mūn v Me wz at ɖ fl, Vicr n Sqîr met agn in ɖ parc, n wōct t ɖ Hōl tgɖr. Ledi Fél wz wɖ hr muɖr, hu wz denjṛsli il, n Sr Máʈy wz alon at hom; so ɖ Vicr, Mr Crǒm, wz īẓli pswedd t tec a lêt supr at ɖ Hōl.

Sr Máʈy wz nt vri gd cumṗni ɖs īvnñ. Ɖ tōc ran ćīfli on faṃli n pariś matrz, n, az luc wd hv it, Sr Máʈy md a meṃrandm in raitñ v srtn wśz or intnśnz v hiz rgardñ hiz istets, ẃć aftwdz pruvd xidñli ysfl.

Ẃn Mr Crǒm ʈt v startñ fr hom, abt haf past nîn o’cloc, Sr Máʈy n h tc a priliminri trn on ɖ gravld wōc at ɖ bac v ɖ hǎs. Ɖ onli insidnt ɖt struc Mr Crǒm wz ɖs: ɖe wr in sît v ɖ aśtrī ẃć I dscrîbd az growñ nir ɖ windoz v ɖ bildñ, ẃn Sr Máʈy stopt n sd:

‘Ẃt z ɖt ɖt runz p n dǎn ɖ stem v ɖ aś? It z nvr a sqiṛl? Ɖe wl ol b in ɖer nsts bî nǎ.’

Ɖ Vicr lct n sw ɖ muvñ crīćr, bt h cd mc nʈñ v its culr in ɖ mūnlît. Ɖ śarp ǎtlîn, hvr, sìn fr an instnt, wz imprintd on hiz bren, n h cd hv sworn, h sd, ɖo it sǎndd fūliś, ɖt, sqiṛl or nt, it hd mor ɖn for legz.

Stl, nt mć wz t b md v ɖ momntri viźn, n ɖ tū men partd. Ɖe me hv met sins ɖen, bt it wz nt fr a scor v yirz.

Nxt de Sr Máʈy Fél wz nt dǎnsterz at six in ɖ mornñ, az wz hiz custm, nr at sevn, nr yt at et. Hiṛpon ɖ srvnts wnt n noct at hiz ćembrdor. I nīd nt pṛloñ ɖ dscripśn v ɖer añśs liṣnñz n rnyd baṭrñz on ɖ panlz. Ɖ dor wz opnd at last fṛm ɖ ǎtsd, n ɖe faund ɖer mastr ded n blac. So mć y hv gest. Ɖt ɖr wr eni marcs v vayḷns dd nt at ɖ momnt apir; bt ɖ windo wz opn.

Wn v ɖ men wnt t feć ɖ parsn, n ɖen bî hiz d’rex́nz roud on t gv notis t ɖ coṛnr. Mr Crǒm himslf wnt az qc az h mt t ɖ Hōl, n wz śoun t ɖ rūm ẃr ɖ ded man le. H hz left sm nots amñ hiz peprz ẃć śo hǎ jenyin a rspct n soro wz flt fr Sr Máʈy, n ɖr z olso ɖs pasij, ẃć I trnscrîb fr ɖ sec v ɖ lît it ʈroz upn ɖ cors v ivnts, n olso upn ɖ comn b’lifs v ɖ tîm:

‘Ɖr wz nt eni ɖ līst Tres v an Entṛns hvñ bn forst t ɖ Ćembr: bt ɖ Cesmnt std opn, az mî pur Frend wd olwz hv it in ɖs Sīzn. H hd hiz Īvnñdrinc v smōl El in a silvr vesl v abt a pîntmeźr, n tnît hd nt drunc it ǎt. Ɖs Drinc wz xamind bî ɖ Fziśn fṛm Beri, a Mr Hojcinz, hu cd nt, hvr, az h aftwdz declerd upn hiz Oʈ, bfr ɖ Coṛnr’z qst, dscuvr ɖt eni matr v a veṇṃs cnd wz preznt in it. Fr, az wz naćṛl, in ɖ gret Swelñ n Blacnis v ɖ Corps, ɖr wz tōc md amñ ɖ Nebrz v Pôzn. Ɖ Bodi wz vri mć Dsordrd az it leid in ɖ Bed, biyñ twistd aftr so xtrim a sort az gev tù probbl Cnjcćr ɖt mî wrɖi Frend n Petṛn hd expîrd in gret Pen n Aġni. N ẃt z az yt unixplend, n t mslf ɖ Arğmnt v sm Horid n Artfl Dzîn in ɖ Prṗtretrz v ɖs Barbṛs Mrɖr, wz ɖs, ɖt ɖ Wimin ẃć wr intrustd wɖ ɖ leyñ-ǎt v ɖ Corps n wośñ it, biyñ bʈ sad Prsnz n vri wel Rspctd in ɖer Mōrnfl Pṛfeśn, cem t m in a gret Pen n Dstres bʈ v Mînd n Bodi, seyñ, ẃt wz indd cnfrmd upn ɖ frst Vy, ɖt ɖe hd no snr tućt ɖ Brest v ɖ Corps wɖ ɖer necid Handz ɖn ɖe wr snṣbl v a mor ɖn ordnri vayḷnt Smart n Ecñ in ɖer Pāmz, ẃć, wɖ ɖer hol Fōrarmz, in no loñ tîm sweld so imodṛtli, ɖ Pen stl cntinywñ, ɖt, az aftwdz pruvd, jrñ mni wīcs ɖe wr forst t le bî ɖ x’sîz v ɖer Cōlñ; n yt no marc sìn on ɖ Scin.

‘Upn hírñ ɖs, I snt fr ɖ Fziśn, hu wz stl in ɖ Hǎs, n w md az cerfl a Prūf az w wr ebl bî ɖ Hlp v a smōl Magṇfayñ Lénz v Cristl v ɖ cndiśn v ɖ Scin on ɖs Part v ɖ Bodi: bt cd nt dtct wɖ ɖ Instṛmnt w hd eni Matr v Importns bynd a cupl v smōl Puñćrz or Prics, ẃć w ɖen cncludd wr ɖ Spots bî ẃć ɖ Pôzn mt b intṛdyst, rmemḅrñ ɖt Rñ v Pǒp Borgia, wɖ uɖr noun Spesimnz v ɖ Horid Art v ɖ Itałn Pôznrz v ɖ last ej.

‘So mć z t b sd v ɖ Simtmz sìn on ɖ Corps. Az t ẃt I am t ad, it z mirli mî ǒn Xperimnt, n t b left t Psteṛti t juj ẃɖr ɖr b enʈñ v Valy ɖr-in. Ɖr wz on ɖ Tebl bî ɖ Bedsîd a Bîbl v ɖ smōl sîz, in ẃć mî Frend—puñćl az in Matrz v les Momnt, so in ɖs mor weiti wn—yst nîtli, n upn hiz Frst Rîzñ, t rīd a sét Porśn. N I tecñ it p—nt wɖt a Tir dyli peid t him ẃć fṛm ɖ Studi v ɖs purr Admbreśn wz nǎ pást t ɖ contmpleśn v its gret Orijinl—it cem intu mî Ʈts, az at sć momnts v Hlplisnis w r pron t cać at eni ɖ līst Glimr ɖt mcs promis v Lît, t mc trîl v ɖt old n bî mni acǎntd Sūṗstiśs Practis v drw̃ ɖ Sortes; v ẃć a Prinsipl Instns, in ɖ ces v hiz lêt Secrid Maɉsti ɖ Blesid Martr Cñ Ćarlz n mî Lord Fōcḷnd, wz nǎ mć tōct v. I mst nīdz admit ɖt bî mî Trîl nt mć Asistns wz afordd m: yt, az ɖ Cōz n Oṛjin v ɖz Dredfl Ivnts me hiraftr b srćt ǎt, I set dǎn ɖ Rzults, in ɖ ces it me b faund ɖt ɖe pôntd ɖ tru Qortr v ɖ Misćif t a qcr Intelijns ɖn mî ǒn.

‘I md, ɖen, ʈri trîlz, oṗnñ ɖ Bc n plesñ mî Fngr upn srtn Wrdz: ẃć gev in ɖ frst ɖz wrdz, fṛm Lūc xiii. 7, Cut it dǎn; in ɖ secnd, Îzaia xiii. 20, It śl nvr b inhaḅtd; n upn ɖ ʈrd Xperimnt, Job xxxiv. 30, Hr yuñ wnz olso suc p blud.’

Ɖs z ol ɖt nīd b qotd fṛm Mr Crǒm’z peprz. Sr Máʈy Fél wz dyli cofind n leid intu ɖ rʈ, n hiz fynṛl srmn, prīćt bî Mr Crǒm on ɖ folowñ Súnde, hz bn printd undr ɖ tîtl v ‘Ɖ Unsrćbl We; or, Ñgḷnd’z Denjr n ɖ Mliśs Dīlñz v Anticrîst’, it biyñ ɖ Vicr’z vy, az wel az ɖt most comnli hld in ɖ nebrhd, ɖt ɖ Sqîr wz ɖ victim v a rīcrudesns v ɖ Pǒpiś Plot.

Hiz sun, Sr Máʈy ɖ secnd, s’xidd t ɖ tîtl n istets. N so endz ɖ frst act v ɖ Castrñm traɉdi. It z t b mnśnd, ɖo ɖ fact z nt s’prîzñ, ɖt ɖ ny Baṛnét dd nt okpî ɖ rūm in ẃć hiz faɖr hd daid. Nr, indd, wz it slept in bî enwn bt an oceźnl vizitr jrñ ɖ hol v hiz okpeśn. H daid in 1735, n I d nt fînd ɖt enʈñ ptiklr marct hiz rên, sev a krịsli constnt mortaḷti amñ hiz catl n lîvstoc in jenṛl, ẃć śoud a tndnsi t incris slîtli az tîm wnt on.

Ɖoz hu r inṭrestd in ɖ dītelz wl fînd a sttisticl acǎnt in a letr t ɖ Jntlmn’z Maġzīn v 1772, ẃć drwz ɖ facts fṛm ɖ Baṛnét’s ǒn peprz. H pt an end t it at last bî a vri simpl xpīdịnt, ɖt v śutñ p ol hiz bīsts in śedz at nît, n cīpñ no śīp in hiz parc. Fr h hd notist ɖt nʈñ wz evr atact ɖt spent ɖ nît indorz. Aftr ɖt ɖ dsordr cnfînd itslf t wîld brdz, n bīsts v ćes. Bt az w hv no gd acǎnt v ɖ simtmz, n az ol-nît woćñ wz qt unpṛductiv v eni clu, I d nt dwel on ẃt ɖ Suf̣c farmrz cōld ɖ ‘Castrñm sicnis.’

Ɖ secnd Sr Máʈy daid in 1735, az I sd, n wz dyli s’xidd bî hiz sun, Sr Rićd. It wz in hiz tîm ɖt ɖ gret faṃli py wz bilt ǎt on ɖ norʈ sîd v ɖ pariśćrć. So larj wr ɖ Sqîr’z îdīaz ɖt sevṛl v ɖ grevz on ɖt unhaloud sîd v ɖ bildñ hd t b dstrbd t saṭsfî hiz rqîrmnts. Amñ ɖm wz ɖt v Msz Muɖ̇sǒl, ɖ pziśn v ẃć wz akṛtli noun, ʈancs t a not on a plan v ɖ ćrć n yard, bʈ md bî Mr Crǒm.

A srtn amǎnt v inṭrest wz xîtd in ɖ vilij ẃn it wz noun ɖt ɖ feṃs wić, hu wz stl rmembrd bî a fy, wz t b xymd. N ɖ fīlñ v s’prîz, n indd dsqayt, wz vri stroñ ẃn it wz faund ɖt, ɖo hr cofin wz ferli sǎnd n unbrocn, ɖr wz no tres ẃtvr insd it v bodi, bonz, or dust. Indd, it z a krịs fnominn, fr at ɖ tîm v hr beriyñ no sć ʈñz wr dremt v az reẓrex́nmen, n it z dificlt t cnsiv eni raṣ́nl motiv fr stìlñ a bodi uɖ̇wz ɖn fr ɖ ysz v ɖ dsctñrūm.

Ɖ insidnt rvîvd fr a tîm ol ɖ storiz v wićtrîlz n v ɖ xplôts v ɖ wićz, dormnt fr forti yirz, n Sr Rićd’z ordrz ɖt ɖ cofin śd b brnt wr ʈt bî a gd mni t b rɖr fūlhardi, ɖo ɖe wr dyli carid ǎt.

Sr Rićd wz a pstiḷnt iṇvetr, it z srtn. Bfr hiz tîm ɖ Hōl hd bn a fîn bloc v ɖ melǒist red bric; bt Sr Rićd hd travld in Iṭli n bcm infctd wɖ ɖ Itałn test, n, hvñ mor muni ɖn hiz prīdisesrz, h dtrmind t līv an Itałn palis ẃr h hd faund an Ñgliś hǎs. So stuco n aślr masct ɖ bric; sm indifṛnt Romn marblz wr plantd abt in ɖ entṛnshōl n gardnz; a rīpṛdux́n v ɖ Sibl’z tmpl at Tiṿli wz irectd on ɖ oṗzit banc v ɖ mír; n Castrñm tc on an intîrli ny, n, I mst se, a les ingejñ, aspect. Bt it wz mć admîrd, n srvd az a modl t a gd mni v ɖ neḅrñ jntri in afṭyirz.

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Ɖt wz ɖ ćīf subjict v hiz medteśnz at brecfst, n aftr it h bgan a sisṭmatic xaṃneśn v ɖ rūmz t si ẃć wd sūt hiz nośnz bst. It wz loñ bfr h faund wn. Ɖs hd a windo wɖ an īstn aspect n ɖt wɖ a norɖn; ɖs dor ɖ srvnts wd b olwz pasñ, n h dd nt lîc ɖ bedsted in ɖt. No, h mst hv a rūm wɖ a wstn lc-ǎt, so ɖt ɖ sún cd nt wec him rli, n it mst b ǎt v ɖ we v ɖ biznis v ɖ hǎs. Ɖ hǎscīpr wz at ɖ end v hr rzorsz.

‘Wel, Sr Rićd,’ ś sd, ‘y nǒ ɖt ɖr z bt ɖ wn rūm lîc ɖt in ɖ hǎs.’

‘Ẃć me ɖt b?’ sd Sr Rićd.

‘N ɖt z Sr Máʈy’z—ɖ Wst Ćembr.’

‘Wel, pt m in ɖr, fr ɖr I’l lî tnît,’ sd hr mastr. ‘Ẃć we z it? Hir, t b śr’; n h hurid of.

‘Ǒ, Sr Rićd, bt nwn hz slept ɖr ɖz forti yirz. Ɖ er hz hardli bn ćenjd sins Sr Máʈy daid ɖr.’

Ɖus ś spouc, n rusld aftr him.

‘Cm, opn ɖ dor, Msz Ćiḍc. I’l si ɖ ćembr, at līst.’

So it wz opnd, n, indd, ɖ smel wz vri clos n rʈi. Sr Rićd crost t ɖ windo, n, impeśntli, az wz hiz wǒnt, ʈrù ɖ śutrz bac, n fluñ opn ɖ cesmnt. Fr ɖs end v ɖ hǎs wz wn ẃć ɖ olṭreśnz hd bérli tućt, groun p az it wz wɖ ɖ gret aśtrī, n biyñ uɖ̇wz cnsild fṛm vy.

‘Er it, Msz Ćiḍc, ol tde, n muv mî bedfrnićr in in ɖ afṭnun. Pt ɖ Biṣ́p v Cilmor in mî old rūm.’

‘Pre, Sr Rićd,’ sd a ny vôs, brecñ in on ɖs spīć, ‘mt I hv ɖ fevr v a momnt’s inṭvy?’

Sr Rićd trnd rnd n sw a man in blac in ɖ dorwe, hu baud.

‘I mst asc yr induljns fr ɖs intruźn, Sr Rićd. Y wl, phps, hardli rmembr m. Mî nem z Wiłm Crǒm, n mî granfaɖr wz Vicr in yr granfaɖr’z tîm.’

‘Wel, sr,’ sd Sr Rićd, ‘ɖ nem v Crǒm z olwz a pasport t Castrñm. I am glad t rny a frendśp v tū jeṇreśnz’ standñ. In ẃt cn I srv y? fr yr aur v cōlñ—n, f I d nt mstec y, yr bẹrñ—śoz y t b in sm hest.’

‘Ɖt z no mor ɖn ɖ truʈ, sr. I am rîdñ fṛm Norij t Beri St Edṃndz wɖ ẃt hest I cn mc, n I hv cōld in on mî we t līv wɖ y sm peprz ẃć w hv bt jst cm upn in lcñ ovr ẃt mî granfaɖr left at hiz deʈ. It z ʈt y me fînd sm matrz v faṃli inṭrest in ɖm.’

‘Y r mîti oblîjñ, Mr Crǒm, n, f y wl b so gd az t folo m t ɖ parlr, n drinc a glas v wîn, w wl tec a frst lc at ɖz sem peprz tgɖr. N y, Msz Ćiḍc, az I sd, b abt e’rñ ɖs ćembr… Yes, it z hir mî granfaɖr daid… Yes, ɖ tri, phps, dz mc ɖ ples a litl dampiś… No; I d nt wś t lisn t eni mor. Mc no dificltiz, I beg. Y hv yr ordrz—g. Wl y folo m, sr?’

Ɖe wnt t ɖ studi. Ɖ pacit ẃć yuñ Mr Crǒm hd bròt—h wz ɖen jst bcm a Felo v Cler Hōl in Cembrij, I me se, n subsiqntli bròt ǎt a rspctbl idiśn v Polieṇs—cntend amñ uɖr ʈñz ɖ nots ẃć ɖ old Vicr hd md upn ɖ oceźn v Sr Máʈy Fél’z deʈ. N fr ɖ frst tîm Sr Rićd wz cnfruntd wɖ ɖ eṇgmaticl Sortes Biblicae ẃć y hv hŕd. Ɖe aḿzd him a gd dīl.

‘Wel,’ h sd, ‘mî granfaɖr’z Bîbl gev wn prūdnt pìs v advîs—Cut it dǎn. F ɖt standz fr ɖ aśtrī, h me rest aśurd I śl nt nglect it. Sć a nst v ctarz n êgz wz nvr sìn.’

Ɖ parlr cntend ɖ faṃli bcs, ẃć, pndñ ɖ arîvl v a c’lex́n ẃć Sr Rićd hd md in Iṭli, n ɖ bildñ v a propr rūm t rsiv ɖm, wr nt mni in numbr.

Sr Rićd lct p fṛm ɖ pepr t ɖ bc̦es.

‘I wundr,’ sz h, ‘ẃɖr ɖ old prófit z ɖr yt? I fansi I si him.’

Crosñ ɖ rūm, h tc ǎt a dumpi Bîbl, ẃć, śr inuf, bòr on ɖ flîlīf ɖ inscripśn: ‘T Máʈy Fél, fṛm hiz Luvñ Godmuɖr, Án Ōlḍs, 2nd Sptmbr 1659.’

‘It wd b no bad plan t tst him agn, Mr Crǒm. I wl wejr w gt a cupl v nemz in ɖ Croniclz. H’m! ẃt hv w hir? “Ɖǎ ślt sīc m in ɖ mornñ, n I śl nt b.” Wel, wel! Yr granfaɖr wd hv md a fîn omn v ɖt, hé? No mor prófits fr m! Ɖe r ol in a têl. N nǎ, Mr Crǒm, I am infiṇtli oblîjd t y fr yr pacit. Y wl, I fir, b impeśnt t gt on. Pre alǎ m—anɖr glas.’

So wɖ ofrz v hosṗtaḷti, ẃć wr jenyinli mnt (fr Sr Rićd ʈt wel v ɖ yuñ man’z adres n manr), ɖe partd.

In ɖ afṭnun cem ɖ gsts—ɖ Biṣ́p v Cilmor, Ledi Mẹri Hrvi, Sr Wiłm Cntfīld, ets. Dinr at fîv, wîn, cardz, supr, n dsprsl t bed.

Nxt mornñ Sr Rićd z disinclînd t tec hiz gun wɖ ɖ rest. H tōcs wɖ ɖ Biṣ́p v Cilmor. Ɖs preḷt, unlîc a gd mni v ɖ Îriś Biṣ́ps v hiz de, hd viẓtd hiz si, n, indd, rzîdd ɖr, fr sm cnsidṛbl tîm. Ɖs mornñ, az ɖ tū wr wōcñ alñ ɖ teris n tōcñ ovr ɖ olṭreśnz n impruvmnts in ɖ hǎs, ɖ Biṣ́p sd, pôntñ t ɖ windo v ɖ Wst Rūm:

‘Y cd nvr gt wn v mî Îriś floc t okpî ɖt rūm, Sr Rićd.’

‘Ẃ z ɖt, mî lord? It z, in fact, mî ǒn.’

‘Wel, ǎr Îriś pezntri wl olwz hv it ɖt it brñz ɖ wrst v luc t slīp nir an aśtrī, n y hv a fîn groʈ v aś nt tū yardz fṛm yr ćembrwindo. Phps,’ ɖ Biṣ́p wnt on, wɖ a smîl, ‘it hz gvn y a tuć v its qoḷti olrdi, fr y d nt sīm, f I me se it, so mć ɖ freśr fr yr nît’s rest az yr frendz wd lîc t si y.’

‘Ɖt, or smʈñ els, it z tru, cost m mî slīp fṛm twelv t for, mî lord. Bt ɖ tri z t cm dǎn tmoro, so I śl nt hír mć mor fṛm it.’

‘I aplōd yr dtrṃneśn. It cn hardli b holsm t hv ɖ er y briɖ strend, az it wr, ʈru ol ɖt līfij.’

‘Yr lordśp z rît ɖr, I ʈnc. Bt I hd nt mî windo opn last nît. It wz rɖr ɖ nôz ɖt wnt on—no dǎt fṛm ɖ twigz swīpñ ɖ glas—ɖt cept m opn-aid.’

‘I ʈnc ɖt cn hardli b, Sr Rićd. Hir—y si it fṛm ɖs pônt. Nn v ɖz nirist branćz īvn cn tuć yr cesmnt unls ɖr wr a gel, n ɖr wz nn v ɖt last nît. Ɖe mis ɖ peinz bî a ft.’

‘No, sr, tru. Ẃt, ɖen, wl it b, I wundr, ɖt scraćt n rusld so—ai, n cuvrd ɖ dust on mî sil wɖ lînz n marcs?’

At last ɖe agrìd ɖt ɖ rats mst hv cm p ʈru ɖ îvi. Ɖt wz ɖ Biṣ́p’s îdīa, n Sr Rićd jumt at it.

So ɖ de pást qaytli, n nît cem, n ɖ parti dsprst t ɖer rūmz, n wśt Sr Rićd a betr nît.

N nǎ w r in hiz bedrūm, wɖ ɖ lît ǎt n ɖ Sqîr in bed. Ɖ rūm z ovr ɖ cićn, n ɖ nît ǎtsd stil n worm, so ɖ windo standz opn.

Ɖr z vri litl lît abt ɖ bedsted, bt ɖr z a strenj muvmnt ɖr; it sīmz az f Sr Rićd wr muvñ hiz hed rapidli t n fro wɖ onli ɖ slîtist poṣbl sǎnd. N nǎ y wd ges, so dsptiv z ɖ haf-darcnis, ɖt h hd sevṛl hedz, rǎnd n brǎniś, ẃć muv bac n fwd, īvn az lo az hiz ćst. It z a hoṛbl iluźn. Z it nʈñ mor? Ɖr! smʈñ drops of ɖ bed wɖ a soft plump, lîc a citn, n z ǎt v ɖ windo in a flaś; anɖr—for—n aftr ɖt ɖr z qayt agn.

Ɖǎ śl sīc m in ɖ mornñ, n I śl nt b.

Az wɖ Sr Máʈy, so wɖ Sr Rićd—ded n blac in hiz bed!

A pel n sîḷnt parti v gsts n srvnts gaɖrd undr ɖ windo ẃn ɖ nyz wz noun. Itałn pôẓnrz, Pǒpiś emiṣriz, infctd er—ol ɖz n mor gesz wr haẓdd, n ɖ Biṣ́p v Cilmor lct at ɖ tri, in ɖ forc v huz lowr bauz a ẃît tomcat wz crǎćñ, lcñ dǎn ɖ holo ẃć yirz hd nwd in ɖ trunc. It wz woćñ smʈñ insd ɖ tri wɖ gret inṭrest.

Sudnli it got p n crend ovr ɖ houl. Ɖen a bit v ɖ éj on ẃć it std gev we, n it wnt sliɖ̇rñ in. Evrwn lct p at ɖ nôz v ɖ fōl.

It z noun t most v s ɖt a cat cn crî; bt fy v s hv hŕd, I hop, sć a yel az cem ǎt v ɖ trunc v ɖ gret aś. Tū or ʈri scrīmz ɖr wr—ɖ witṇsz r nt śr ẃć—n ɖen a slît n mufld nôz v sm cmośn or struġlñ wz ol ɖt cem. Bt Ledi Mẹri Hrvi fentd ǎtrît, n ɖ hǎscīpr stopt hr irz n fled tl ś fél on ɖ teris.

Ɖ Biṣ́p v Cilmor n Sr Wiłm Cntfīld steid. Yt īvn ɖe wr dōntd, ɖo it wz onli at ɖ crî v a cat; n Sr Wiłm swoloud wns or twîs bfr h cd se:

‘Ɖr z smʈñ mor ɖn w nǒ v in ɖt tri, mî lord. I am fr an instnt srć.’

N ɖs wz agrìd upn. A ladr wz bròt, n wn v ɖ gardnrz wnt p, n, lcñ dǎn ɖ holo, cd dtct nʈñ bt a fy dim indceśnz v smʈñ muvñ. Ɖe got a lantn, n let it dǎn bî a rop.

‘W mst gt at ɖ botm v ɖs. Mî lîf upn it, mî lord, bt ɖ sīcrit v ɖz teṛbl deʈs z ɖr.’

P wnt ɖ gardnr agn wɖ ɖ lantn, n let it dǎn ɖ houl cōśsli. Ɖe sw ɖ yelo lît upn hiz fes az h bnt ovr, n sw hiz fes struc wɖ an increjḷs terr n loɖñ bfr h craid ǎt in a dredfl vôs n fél bac fṛm ɖ ladr—ẃr, haṗli, h wz còt bî tū v ɖ men—letñ ɖ lantn fōl insd ɖ tri.

H wz in a ded fent, n it wz sm tîm bfr eni wrd cd b got fṛm him.

Bî ɖen ɖe hd smʈñ els t lc at. Ɖ lantn mst hv brocn at ɖ botm, n ɖ lît in it còt upn drî līvz n rubiś ɖt le ɖr fr in a fy minits a dns smoc bgan t cm p, n ɖen flem; n, t b śort, ɖ tri wz in a blêz.

Ɖ bîstandrz md a rñ at sm yardz’ distns, n Sr Wiłm n ɖ Biṣ́p snt men t gt ẃt wepnz n tūlz ɖe cd; fr, clirli, ẃtvr mt b yzñ ɖ tri az its ler wd b forst ǎt bî ɖ fîr.

So it wz. Frst, at ɖ forc, ɖe sw a rǎnd bodi cuvrd wɖ fîr—ɖ sîz v a man’z hed—apir vri sudnli, ɖen sīm t c’laps n fōl bac. Ɖs, fîv or six tîmz; ɖen a similr bōl lept intu ɖ er n fél on ɖ gras, ẃr aftr a momnt it le stl. Ɖ Biṣ́p wnt az nir az h derd t it, n sw—ẃt bt ɖ rmenz v an inorṃs spîdr, veṇs n sird! N, az ɖ fîr brnd lowr dǎn, mor teṛbl bodiz lîc ɖs bgan t brec ǎt fṛm ɖ trunc, n it wz sìn ɖt ɖz wr cuvrd wɖ grêiś her.

Ol ɖt de ɖ aś brnd, n untl it fél t pìsz ɖ men std abt it, n fṛm tîm t tîm cild ɖ brūts az ɖe dartd ǎt. At last ɖr wz a loñ inṭvl ẃn nn apird, n ɖe cōśsli clozd in n xamind ɖ rūts v ɖ tri.

‘Ɖe faund,’ sz ɖ Biṣ́p v Cilmor, ‘b’lo it a rǎndd holo ples in ɖ rʈ, ẃr-in wr tū or ʈri bodiz v ɖz crīćrz ɖt hd plenli bn smuɖrd bî ɖ smoc; n, ẃt z t m mor krịs, at ɖ sîd v ɖs den, agnst ɖ wōl, wz crǎćñ ɖ anaṭmi or scelitn v a hymn biyñ, wɖ ɖ scin draid upn ɖ bonz, hvñ sm rmenz v blac her, ẃć wz pṛnǎnst bî ɖoz ɖt xamind it t b undǎtidli ɖ bodi v a wmn, n clirli ded fr a pirịd v fifti yirz.’

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