Thusthingswentontillthisdayofmymother’sdeath。
　　ButbeforeIgofurtherImusttellthatSquireBozardlookedwithnofavouronthefriendshipbetweenhisdaughterandmyself——andthis，notbecausehedislikedme，butratherbecausehewouldhaveseenLilyweddedtomyelderbrotherGeoffrey，myfather’sheir，andnottoayoungerson。
　　Soharddidhegrowaboutthematteratlastthatwetwomightscarcelymeetexceptbyseemingaccident，whereasmybrotherwaseverwelcomeattheHall。
　　Andonthisaccountsomebitternessarosebetweenustwobrothers，asisapttobethecasewhenawomancomesbetweenfriendshoweverclose。
　　ForitmustbeknownthatmybrotherGeoffreyalsolovedLily，asallmenwouldhavelovedher，andwithabetterrightperhapsthanIhad——forhewasmyelderbythreeyearsandborntopossessions。
　　ItmayseemindeedthatIwassomewhathastytofallintothisstate，seeingthatatthetimeofwhichIwriteIwasnotyetofage；butyoungbloodisnimble，andmoreoverminewashalfSpanish，andmadeamanofmewhenmanyapure-bredEnglishmanisstillnothingbutaboy。
　　Forthebloodandthesunthatripensithavemuchtodowithsuchmatters，asIhaveseenoftenenoughamongtheIndianpeoplesofAnahuac，whoattheageoffifteenwilltaketothemselvesabrideoftwelve。
　　AttheleastitiscertainthatwhenIwaseighteenyearsofageIwasoldenoughtofallinloveaftersuchfashionthatIneverfelloutofitagainaltogether，althoughthehistoryofmylifemayseemtogivemetheliewhenIsayso。
　　ButItakeitthatamanmayloveseveralwomenandyetloveoneofthemthebestofall，beingtrueinthespirittothelawwhichhebreaksintheletter。
　　NowwhenIhadattainednineteenyearsIwasamanfullgrown，andwritingasIdoinextremeoldage，Imaysayitwithoutfalseshame，averyhandsomeyouthtoboot。
　　Iwasnotovertall，indeed，measuringbutfivefeetnineinchesandahalfinheight，butmylimbswerewellmade，andIwasbothdeepandbroadinthechest。
　　IncolourIwas，andmywhitehairnotwithstanding，amstillextraordinarilydarkhued，myeyesalsowerelargeanddark，andmyhair，whichwaswavy，wascoalblack。
　　InmydeportmentIwasreservedandgravetosadness，inspeechIwasslowandtemperate，andmoreaptatlisteningthanintalking。
　　IweighedmatterswellbeforeImadeupmyminduponthem，butbeingmadeup，nothingcouldturnmefromthatmindshortofdeathitself，whetheritweresetongoodorevil，onfollyorwisdom。
　　InthosedaysalsoIhadlittlereligion，since，partlybecauseofmyfather’ssecretteachingandpartlythroughtheworkingsofmyownreason，IhadlearnedtodoubtthedoctrinesoftheChurchastheyusedtobesetout。
　　Youthispronetoreasonbylargeleapsasitwere，andtoholdthatallthingsarefalsebecausesomeareprovedfalse；andthusattimesinthosedaysIthoughtthattherewasnoGod，becausethepriestsaidthattheimageoftheVirginatBungayweptanddidotherthingswhichIknewthatitdidnotdo。
　　NowIknowwellthatthereisaGod，formyownstoryprovesittomyheart。
　　Intruth，whatmancanlookbackacrossalonglifeandsaythatthereisnoGod，whenhecanseetheshadowofHishandlyingdeepuponhistaleofyears？
　　OnthissaddayofwhichIwriteIknewthatLily，whomIloved，wouldbewalkingalonebeneaththegreatpollardoaksintheparkofDitchinghamHall。
　　Here，inGrubswellasthespotiscalled，grew，andindeedstillgrow，certainhawthorntreesthataretheearliesttoblowofanyintheseparts，andwhenwehadmetatthechurchdoorontheSunday，LilysaidthattherewouldbebloomuponthembytheWednesday，andonthatafternoonsheshouldgotocutit。
　　Itmaywellbethatshespokethuswithdesign，forlovewillbreedcunningintheheartofthemostguilelessandtruthfulmaid。
　　Moreover，Inoticedthatthoughshesaiditbeforeherfatherandtherestofus，yetshewaitedtospeaktillmybrotherGeoffreywasoutofhearing，forshedidnotwishtogomayingwithhim，andalsothatasshespokesheshotaglanceofhergreyeyesatme。
　　ThenandthereIvowedtomyselfthatIalsowouldbegatheringhawthornbloominthissameplaceandonthatWednesdayafternoon，yes，evenifImustplaytruantandleaveallthesickofBungaytoNature’snursing。
　　Moreover，Iwasdeterminedononething，thatifIcouldfindLilyaloneIwoulddelaynolonger，buttellherallthatwasinmyheart；nogreatsecretindeed，forthoughnowordoflovehadeverpassedbetweenusasyet，eachknewtheother’shiddenthoughts。
　　NotthatIwasinthewaytobecomeaffiancedtoamaid，whohadmypathtocutintheworld，butIfearedthatifI
　　delayedtomakesureofheraffectionmybrotherwouldbebeforemewithherfather，andLilymightyieldtothattowhichshewouldnotyieldifoncewehadplightedtroth。
　　NowitchancedthatonthisafternoonIwashardputtoittoescapetomytryst，formymaster，thephysician，wasailing，andsentmetovisitthesickforhim，carryingthemtheirmedicines。
　　Atthelast，however，betweenfourandfiveo’clock，Ifled，askingnoleave。
　　TakingtheNorwichroadIranforamileandmoretillI
　　hadpassedtheManorHouseandthechurchturn，anddrewneartoDitchinghamPark。
　　ThenIdroppedmypacetoawalk，forIdidnotwishtocomebeforeLilyheatedanddisordered，butratherlookingmybest，towhichendIhadputonmySundaygarments。
　　NowasI
　　wentdownthelittlehillintheroadthatrunspastthepark，I
　　sawamanonhorsebackwholookedfirstatthebridle-path，thatatthisspotturnsofftotheright，thenbackacrossthecommonlandstowardstheVineyardHillsandtheWaveney，andthenalongtheroadasthoughhedidnotknowwhichwaytoturn。
　　Iwasquicktonoticethings——thoughatthismomentmymindwasnotatitsswiftest，beingsetonothermatters，andchieflyastohowIshouldtellmytaletoLily——andIsawatoncethatthismanwasnotofourcountry。
　　Hewasverytallandnoble-looking，dressedinrichgarmentsofvelvetadornedbyagoldchainthathungabouthisneck，andasI
　　judgedaboutfortyyearsofage。
　　Butitwashisfacewhichchieflycaughtmyeye，foratthatmomenttherewassomethingterribleaboutit。
　　Itwaslong，thin，anddeeplycarved；theeyeswerelarge，andgleamedlikegoldinsunlight；themouthwassmallandwellshaped，butitworeadevilishandcruelsneer；theforeheadlofty，indicatingamanofmind，andmarkedwithaslightscar。
　　Fortherestthecavalierwasdarkandsouthern-looking，hiscurlinghair，likemyown，wasblack，andheworeapeakedchestnut-colouredbeard。
　　BythetimethatIhadfinishedtheseobservationsmyfeethadbroughtmealmosttothestranger’sside，andforthefirsttimehecaughtsightofme。
　　Instantlyhisfacechanged，thesneerleftit，anditbecamekindlyandpleasantlooking。
　　LiftinghisbonnetwithmuchcourtesyhestammeredsomethinginbrokenEnglish，ofwhichallthatIcouldcatchwasthewordYarmouth；thenperceivingthatIdidnotunderstandhim，hecursedtheEnglishtongueandallthosewhospokeit，aloudandingoodCastilian。
　　’IfthesenorwillgraciouslyexpresshiswishinSpanish，’Isaid，speakinginthatlanguage，’itmaybeinmypowertohelphim。’
　　’What！youspeakSpanish，youngsir，’hesaid，starting，’andyetyouarenotaSpaniard，thoughbyyourfaceyouwellmightbe。
　　Caramba！butitisstrange！’andheeyedmecuriously。
　　’Itmaybestrange，sir，’Ianswered，’butIaminhaste。
　　Bepleasedtoaskyourquestionandletmego。’
　　’Ah！’hesaid，’perhapsIcanguessthereasonofyourhurry。
　　I
　　sawawhiterobedownbythestreamletyonder，’andhenoddedtowardsthepark。
　　’Taketheadviceofanolderman，youngsir，andbecareful。
　　Makewhatsportyouwillwithsuch，butneverbelievethemandnevermarrythem——lestyoushouldlivetodesiretokillthem！’
　　HereImadeasthoughIwouldpasson，buthespokeagain。
　　’Pardonmywords，theywerewellmeant，andperhapsyoumaycometolearntheirtruth。
　　Iwilldetainyounomore。
　　WillyougraciouslydirectmeonmyroadtoYarmouth，forIamnotsureofit，havingriddenbyanotherway，andyourEnglishcountryissofulloftreesthatamancannotseeamile？’
　　Iwalkedadozenpacesdownthebridle-paththatjoinedtheroadatthisplace，andpointedoutthewaythatheshouldgo，pastDitchinghamchurch。
　　AsIdidsoInoticedthatwhileIspokethestrangerwaswatchingmyfacekeenlyand，asitseemedtome，withaninwardfearwhichhestrovetomasterandcouldnot。
　　WhenIhadfinishedagainheraisedhisbonnetandthankedme，saying，
　　’Willyoubesograciousastotellmeyourname，youngSir？’
　　’Whatismynametoyou？’Iansweredroughly，forIdislikedthisman。
　　’Youhavenottoldmeyours。’
　　’No，indeed，Iamtravellingincognito。
　　PerhapsIalsohavemetaladyintheseparts，’andhesmiledstrangely。
　　’Ionlywishedtoknowthenameofonewhohaddonemeacourtesy，butwhoitseemsisnotsocourteousasIdeemed。’
　　Andheshookhishorse’sreins。
　　’Iamnotashamedofmyname，’Isaid。
　　’Ithasbeenanhonestonesofar，andifyouwishtoknowit，itisThomasWingfield。’
　　’Ithoughtit，’hecried，andashespokehisfacegrewlikethefaceofafiend。
　　ThenbeforeIcouldfindtimeeventowonder，hehadsprungfromhishorseandstoodwithinthreepacesofme。
　　’Aluckyday！
　　Nowwewillseewhattruththereisinprophecies，’
　　hesaid，drawinghissilver-mountedsword。
　　’Anameforaname；
　　JuandeGarciagivesyougreeting，ThomasWingfield。’
　　Now，strangeasitmayseem，itwasatthismomentonlythatthereflashedacrossmymindthethoughtofallthatIhadheardabouttheSpanishstranger，thereportofwhosecomingtoYarmouthhadstirredmyfatherandmothersodeeply。
　　AtanyothertimeIshouldhaveremembereditsoonenough，butonthisdayIwassosetuponmytrystwithLilyandwhatIshouldsaytoher，thatnothingelsecouldholdaplaceinmythoughts。
　　’Thismustbetheman，’Isaidtomyself，andthenIsaidnomore，forhewasonme，swordup。
　　Isawthekeenpointflashtowardsme，andsprangtoonesidehavingadesiretofly，as，beingunarmedexceptformystick，Imighthavedonewithoutshame。
　　ButspringasIwouldIcouldnotavoidthethrustaltogether。
　　Itwasaimedatmyheartanditpiercedthesleeveofmyleftarm，passingthroughtheflesh——nomore。
　　Yetatthepainofthatcutallthoughtofflightleftme，andinsteadofitacoldangerfilledme，causingmetowishtokillthismanwhohadattackedmethusandunprovoked。
　　InmyhandwasmystoutoakenstaffwhichIhadcutmyselfonthebanksofHollowHill，andifIwouldfightImustmakesuchplaywiththisasImight。
　　ItseemsapoorweaponindeedtomatchagainstaToledobladeinthehandsofonewhocouldhandleitwell，andyettherearevirtuesinacudgel，forwhenamanseeshimselfthreatenedwithit，heislikelytoforgetthatheholdsinhishandamoredeadlyweapon，andtotaketotheguardingofhisownheadinplaceofrunninghisadversarythroughthebody。
　　Andthatwaswhatchancedinthiscase，thoughhowitcameaboutexactlyIcannottell。
　　TheSpaniardwasafineswordsman，andhadIbeenarmedashewaswoulddoubtlesshaveovermatchedme，whoatthatagehadnopracticeintheart，whichwasalmostunknowninEngland。
　　Butwhenhesawthebigstickflourishedoverhimheforgothisownadvantage，andraisedhisarmtowardawaytheblow。
　　Downitcameuponthebackofhishand，andlo！hisswordfellfromittothegrass。
　　ButIdidnotsparehimbecauseofthat，formybloodwasup。