PrefaceAnImaginativeWomanTheThreeStrangersTheWitheredArmFellow-TownsmenInterlopersattheKnapTheDistractedPreacherPREFACE
　　Anapologyisperhapsneededfortheneglectofcontrastwhichisshownbypresentingtwoconsecutivestoriesofhangmeninsuchasmallcollectionasthefollowing。Butintheneighbourhoodofcounty-townstalesofexecutionsusedtoformalargeproportionofthelocaltraditions；andthoughneverpersonallyacquaintedwithanychiefoperatoratsuchscenes，thewriterofthesepageshadasaboytheprivilegeofbeingonspeakingtermswithamanwhoappliedfortheoffice，andwhosankintoanincurablemelancholybecausehefailedtogetit，someslightmitigationofhisgriefbeingtodwelluponstrikingepisodesinthelivesofthosehappieroneswhohadhelditwithsuccessandrenown。Histaleofdisappointmentusedtocausesomewonderwhyhisambitionshouldhavetakensuchanunfortunateform，butitsnoblenesswasneverquestioned。Inthosedays，too，therewasstilllivinganoldwomanwho，forthecureofsomeeatingdisease，hadbeentakeninheryouthtohaveher’bloodturned’byaconvict’scorpse，inthemannerdescribedin’TheWitheredArm。’
　　SincewritingthisstorysomeyearsagoIhavebeenremindedbyanagedfriendwhoknew’RhodaBrook’that，inrelatingherdream，myforgetfulnesshasweakenedthefactsourofwhichthetalegrew。Inrealityitwaswhilelyingdownonahotafternoonthattheincubusoppressedherandsheflungitoff，withtheresultsuponthebodyoftheoriginalasdescribed。Tomymindtheoccurrenceofsuchavisioninthedaytimeismoreimpressivethanifithadhappenedinamidnightdream。Readersarethereforeaskedtocorrectthemisrelation，whichaffordsaninstanceofhowourimperfectmemoriesinsensiblyformalizethefreshoriginalityoflivingfact——fromwhoseshapetheyslowlydepart，asmachine-madecastingsdepartbydegreesfromthesharphand-workofthemould。
　　Amongthemanydevicesforconcealingsmuggledgoodsincavesandpitsoftheearth，thatofplantinganapple-treeinatrayorboxwhichwasplacedoverthemouthofthepitis，Ibelieve，unique，anditisdetailedinoneofthetalespreciselyasdescribedbyanoldcarrierof’tubs’——amanwhowasafterwardsinmyfather’semployforoverthirtyyears。Inevergatheredfromhisreminiscenceswhatmeanswereadoptedforliftingthetree，which，withitsroots，earth，andreceptacle，musthavebeenofconsiderableweight。Thereisnodoubt，however，thatthethingwasdonethroughmanyyears。Myinformantoftenspoke，too，ofthehorriblysuffocatingsensationproducedbythepairofspirit-tubsslunguponthechestandback，afterstumblingwiththeburdenofthemforseveralmilesinlandoveraroughcountryandindarkness。
　　Hesaidthatthoughyearsofhisyouthandyoungmanhoodwerespentinthisirregularbusiness，hisprofitsfromthesame，takenalltogether，didnotaveragethewageshemighthaveearnedinasteadyemployment，whilstthefatiguesandriskswereexcessive。
　　Imayaddthatthefirststoryintheseriesturnsuponaphysicalpossibilitythatmayattachtowomenofimaginativetemperament，andthatiswellsupportedbytheexperiencesofmedicalmenandotherobserversofsuchmanifestations。
　　WhenWilliamMarchmillhadfinishedhisinquiriesforlodgingsatawell-knownwatering-placeinUpperWessex，hereturnedtothehoteltofindhiswife。She，withthechildren，hadrambledalongtheshore，andMarchmillfollowedinthedirectionindicatedbythemilitary-lookinghall-porter’ByJove，howfaryou’vegone！Iamquiteoutofbreath，’Marchmillsaid，ratherimpatiently，whenhecameupwithhiswife，whowasreadingasshewalked，thethreechildrenbeingconsiderablyfurtheraheadwiththenurse。
　　Mrs。Marchmillstartedoutofthereverieintowhichthebookhadthrownher。’Yes，’shesaid，’you’vebeensuchalongtime。Iwastiredofstayinginthatdrearyhotel。ButIamsorryifyouhavewantedme，Will？’
　　’Well，Ihavehadtroubletosuitmyself。Whenyouseetheairyandcomfortableroomsheardof，youfindtheyarestuffyanduncomfortable。WillyoucomeandseeifwhatI’vefixedonwilldo？
　　Thereisnotmuchroom，Iamafraid；hutIcanlightonnothingbetter。Thetownisratherfull。’
　　Thepairleftthechildrenandnursetocontinuetheirramble，andwentbacktogether。
　　Inagewell-balanced，inpersonalappearancefairlymatched，andindomesticrequirementsconformable，intemperthiscouplediffered，thoughevenheretheydidnotoftenclash，hebeingequable，ifnotlymphatic，andshedecidedlynervousandsanguine。Itwastotheirtastesandfancies，thosesmallest，greatestparticulars，thatnocommondenominatorcouldbeapplied。Marchmillconsideredhiswife’slikesandinclinationssomewhatsilly；sheconsideredhissordidandmaterial。Thehusband’sbusinesswasthatofagunmakerinathrivingcitynorthwards，andhissoulwasinthatbusinessalways；theladywasbestcharacterizedbythatsuperannuatedphraseofelegance’avotaryofthemuse。’Animpressionable，palpitatingcreaturewasElla，shrinkinghumanelyfromdetailedknowledgeofherhusband’stradewhenevershereflectedthateverythinghemanufacturedhadforitspurposethedestructionoflife。Shecouldonlyrecoverherequanimitybyassuringherselfthatsome，atleast，ofhisweaponsweresoonerorlaterusedfortheexterminationofhorridverminandanimalsalmostascrueltotheirinferiorsinspeciesashumanbeingsweretotheirs。
　　Shehadneverantecedentlyregardedthisoccupationofhisasanyobjectiontohavinghimforahusband。Indeed，thenecessityofgettinglife-leasedatallcost，acardinalvirtuewhichallgoodmothersteach，keptherfromthinkingofitatalltillshehadclosedwithWilliam，hadpassedthehoneymoon，andreachedthereflectingstage。Then，likeapersonwhohasstumbleduponsomeobjectinthedark，shewonderedwhatshehadgot；mentallywalkedroundit，estimatedit；whetheritwererareorcommon；containedgold，silver，orlead；wereaclogorapedestal，everythingtoherornothing。
　　Shecametosomevagueconclusions，andsincethenhadkeptherheartalivebypityingherproprietor’sobtusenessandwantofrefinement，pityingherself，andlettingoffherdelicateandetherealemotionsinimaginativeoccupations，day-dreams，andnight-
　　sighs，whichperhapswouldnotmuchhavedisturbedWilliamifhehadknownofthem。
　　Herfigurewassmall，elegant，andslightinbuild，tripping，orratherbounding，inmovement。Shewasdark-eyed，andhadthatmarvellouslybrightandliquidsparkleineachpupilwhichcharacterizespersonsofElla’scastofsoul，andistoooftenacauseofheartachetothepossessor’smalefriends，ultimatelysometimestoherself。Herhusbandwasatall，long-featuredman，withabrownbeard；hehadaponderingregard；andwas，itmustbeadded，usuallykindandtoleranttoher。Hespokeinsquarelyshapedsentences，andwassupremelysatisfiedwithaconditionofsublunarythingswhichmadeweaponsanecessity。
　　Husbandandwifewalkedtilltheyhadreachedthehousetheywereinsearchof，whichstoodinaterracefacingthesea，andwasfrontedbyasmallgardenofwind-proofandsalt-proofevergreens，stonestepsleadinguptotheporch。Ithaditsnumberintherow，but，beingratherlargerthantherest，wasinadditionsedulouslydistinguishedasCoburgHousebyitslandlady，thougheverybodyelsecalledit’Thirteen，NewParade。’Thespotwasbrightandlivelynow；butinwinteritbecamenecessarytoplacesandbagsagainstthedoor，andtostuffupthekeyholeagainstthewindandrain，whichhadwornthepaintsothinthattheprimingandknottingshowedthrough。
　　Thehouseholder，whobadbeenwatchingforthegentleman’sreturn，mettheminthepassage，andshowedtherooms。Sheinformedthemthatshewasaprofessionalman’swidow，leftinneedycircumstancesbytherathersuddendeathofherhusband，andshespokeanxiouslyoftheconveniencesoftheestablishment。
　　Mrs。Marchmillsaidthatshelikedthesituationandthehouse；but，itbeingsmall，therewouldnotbeaccommodationenough，unlessshecouldhavealltherooms。
　　Thelandladymusedwithanairofdisappointment。Shewantedthevisitorstobehertenantsverybadly，shesaid，withobvioushonesty。Butunfortunatelytwooftheroomswereoccupiedpermanentlybyabachelorgentleman。Hedidnotpayseasonprices，itwastrue；butashekeptonhisapartmentsalltheyearround，andwasanextremelyniceandinterestingyoungman，whogavenotrouble，shedidnotliketoturnhimoutforamonth’s’let，’evenatahighfigure。’Perhaps，however，’sheadded，’hemightoffertogoforatime。’
　　Theywouldnothearofthis，andwentbacktothehotel，intendingtoproceedtotheagent’stoinquirefurther。Hardlyhadtheysatdowntoteawhenthelandladycalled。Hergentleman，shesaid，hadbeensoobligingastooffertogiveuphisroomsforthreeorfourweeksratherthandrivethenew-comersaway。
　　’Itisverykind，butwewon’tinconveniencehiminthatway，’saidtheMarchmills。
　　’O，itwon’tinconveniencehim，Iassureyou！’saidthelandladyeloquently。’Yousee，he’sadifferentsortofyoungmanfrommost——
　　dreamy，solitary，rathermelancholy——andhecaresmoretobeherewhenthesouth-westerlygalesarebeatingagainstthedoor，andtheseawashesovertheParade，andthere’snotasoulintheplace，thanhedoesnowintheseason。He’djustassoonbewhere，infact，he’sgoingtemporarily，toalittlecottageontheIslandopposite，forachange。’Shehopedthereforethattheywouldcome。
　　TheMarchmillfamilyaccordinglytookpossessionofthehousenextday，anditseemedtosuitthemverywell。AfterluncheonMr。
　　Marchmillstrolledouttowardsthepier，andMrs。Marchmill，havingdespatchedthechildrentotheiroutdooramusementsonthesands，settledherselfinmorecompletely，examiningthisandthatarticle，andtestingthereflectingpowersofthemirrorinthewardrobedoor。
　　Inthesmallbacksitting-room，whichhadbeentheyoungbachelor’s，shefoundfurnitureofamorepersonalnaturethanintherest。
　　Shabbybooks，ofcorrectratherthanrareeditions，werepiledupinaqueerlyreservedmannerincorners，asifthepreviousoccupanthadnotconceivedthepossibilitythatanyincomingpersonoftheseason’sbringingcouldcaretolookinsidethem。ThelandladyhoveredonthethresholdtorectifyanythingthatMrs。Marchmillmightnotfindtohersatisfaction。
　　’I’llmakethismyownlittleroom，’saidthelatter，’becausethebooksarehere。Bytheway，thepersonwhohasleftseemstohaveagoodmany。Hewon’tmindmyreadingsomeofthem，Mrs。Hooper，I
　　hope？’
　　’Odearno，ma’am。Yes，hehasagoodmany。Yousee，heisintheliterarylinehimselfsomewhat。Heisapoet——yes，reallyapoet——
　　andhehasalittleincomeofhisown，whichisenoughtowriteverseson，butnotenoughforcuttingafigure，evenifhecaredto。’
　　’Apoet！O，Ididnotknowthat。’
　　Mrs。Marchmillopenedoneofthebooks，andsawtheowner’snamewrittenonthetitle-page。’Dearme！’shecontinued；’Iknowhisnameverywell——RobertTrewe——ofcourseIdo；andhiswritings！AnditisHISroomswehavetaken，andHIMwehaveturnedoutofhishome？’