’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。