Sowhatwithherfailingsight，andhertear-blindedeyes，shegaveuptheattemptoflearninghisfacebyheartthroughthemediumofthatsense，andtriedanother。Shepassedhersodden，shrivelledhands，alltremblingwitheagerness，overhismanlyface，bentmeeklydowninorderthatshemightmoreeasilymakeherstrangeinspection。Atlast，hersoulwassatisfied。Aftertea，Maryfeelingsuretherewasmuchtobesaidonbothsides，atwhichitwouldbebetternooneshouldbepresent，notevenanintimatefriendlikeherself，gotuptogoaway。ThisseemedtoarouseAlicefromherdreamyconsciousnessofexceedinghappiness，andshehastilyfollowedMarytothedoor。There，standingoutside，withthelatchinherhand，shetookholdofMary’sarm，andspokenearlythefirstwordsshehadutteredsincehernephew’sreturn。“Mydear!Ishallneverforgivemysel，ifmywickedwordsto-nightareanystumbling-blockinyourpath。SeehowtheLordhasputcoalsoffireonmyhead!Oh!Mary，don’tletmybeinganunbelievingThomasweakenyourfaith。WaitpatientlyontheLord，whateveryourtroublemaybe。“
　　ThemermaidsatupontherocksAlldaylong，AdmiringherbeautyandcombingherlocksAndsingingamermaidsong。Andhearthemermaid’ssongyoumay，Assureassurecanbe，Ifyouwillbutfollowthesunallday，Andsousewithhimintothesea。W。S。LANDOR。Itwasperhapsfourorfivedaysaftertheeventsmentionedinthelastchapter，thatoneevening，asMarystoodlostinreverieatthewindow，shesawWillWilsonenterthecourt，andcomequicklyuptoherdoor。Shewasgladtoseehim，forhehadalwaysbeenafriendofhers，perhapstoomuchlikeherincharacterevertobecomeanythingnearerordearer。Sheopenedthedoorinreadinesstoreceivehisfrankgreeting，whichsheasfranklyreturned。“ComeMary!onwithbonnetandshawl，orwhateverriggingyouwomenrequirebeforeleavingthehouse。I’msenttofetchyou，andIcan’tlosetimewhenI’munderorders。““WhereamItogoto？“askedMary，asherheartleapedupatthethoughtofwhomightbewaitingforher。“Notveryfar，“repliedhe。“OnlytooldJobLegh’sroundthecornerthere。
　　Auntwouldhavemecomeandseethesenewfriendsofhers，andthenwemeanttoha’comeonheretoseeyouandyourfather，buttheoldgentlemanseemsinclinedtomakeanightofit，andhaveyouallthere。Whereisyourfather？Iwanttoseehim。Hemustcometoo。““He’sout，butI’llleavewordnextdoorforhimtofollowme；that’stosay，ifhecomeshomeaforelong。“Sheadded，hesitatingly，“IsanyoneelseatJob’s？““No!MyauntJanewouldnotcome，forsomemaggotorother；andasforJem!Idon’tknowwhatyou’veallbeendoingtohim，buthe’sasdown-heartedachapasI’dwishtosee。He’shadhissorrowssureenough，poorlad!
　　Butit’stimeforhimtobeshakingoffhisdulllooks，andnotgomopinglikeagirl。““Thenhe’scomefra’Halifax，ishe？“askedMary。“Yes!hisbody’scome，butIthinkhe’slefthisheartbehindhim。HistongueI’msurehehas，asweusedtosaytochilder，whentheywouldnotspeak。Itrytorousehimupabit，andIthinkhelikeshavingmewithhim，butstillhe’sasgloomyanddullascanbe。’Twasonlyyesterdayhetookmetotheworks，andyou’dha’thoughtustwoQuakersasthespirithadn’tmoved，allthewaydownweweresomum。It’saplacetocrazeaman，certainly；suchanoisyblackhole!Therewereoneortwothingsworthlookingat，thebellowsforinstance，orthegaletheycalledabellows。
　　Icouldha’stoodnearitawholeday；andifI’daberthinthatplace，Ishouldliketobebellows-man，ifthereissuchaone。ButJemweren’tdivertedevenwiththat；hestoodasgraveasajudgewhileitblewmyhatouto’myhand。He’slostallrelishforhisfood，too，whichfretsmyauntsadly。Come!Mary，ar’n’tyouready？“ShehadnotbeenabletogatherifsheweretoseeJematJobLegh’s；butwhenthedoorwasopened，sheatoncesawandfelthewasnotthere。Theeveningthenwouldbeablank；atleastsoshethoughtforthefirstfiveminutes；butshesoonforgotherdisappointmentinthecheerfulmeetingofoldfriends，all，exceptherself，withsomecauseforrejoicingatthatverytime。Margaret，whocouldnotheidle，wasknittingaway，withherfacelookingfullintotheroom，awayfromherwork。Alicesatmeekandpatientwithherdimmedeyesandgentlelook，tryingtoseeandtohear，butnevercomplaining；indeed，inherinnerselfshewasblessingGodforherhappiness；forthejoyofhavinghernephew，herchild，nearher，wasfarmorepresenttohermind，thanherdeprivationsofsightandhearing。Jobwasinthefullgloryofhostandhostesstoo，forbyatacitagreementhehadrousedhimselffromhishabitualabstraction，andhadassumedmanyofMargaret’slittlehouseholdduties。Whilehemovedabouthewasdeepinconversationwiththeyoungsailor，tryingtoextractfromhimanycircumstancesconnectedwiththenaturalhistoryofthedifferentcountrieshehadvisited。“Oh!ifyouarefondofgrubs，andflies，andbeetles，there’snoplaceor’emlikeSierraLeone。Iwishyou’dhadsomeofours；wehadrathertoomuchofagoodthing；wedrankthemwithourdrink，andcouldscarcelykeepfromeatingthemwithourfood。Ineverthoughtanyfolkcouldcareforsuchfatgreenbeastsasthose，orIwouldha’broughtyouthembythethousand。Aplatefullo’pea-soupwouldha’beenfullenoughforyou，Idaresay；itwereoftentoofullforus。““Iwouldha’givenagooddealforsomeon’em，“saidJob。“Well，Iknewfolkathomelikedsomeo’thequeerthingsonemeetswithabroad；butIneverthoughtthey’dcareforthemnastyslimythings。I
　　werealwaysonthelookoutforamermaid，forthat，Iknew，wereacuriosity。““Youmightha’lookedlongenough，“saidJob，inanundertoneofcontempt，which，however，thequickearsofthesailorcaught。“Notsolong，master，insomelatitudes，asyouthink。Itstandstoreasonth’seahereaboutsistoocoldformermaids；forwomenheredon’tgohalfnakedonaccounto’climate。ButI’vebeeninlandswheremuslinweretoohottowearonland，andwheretheseaweremorethanmilk-warm；andthoughI’dneverthegoodlucktoseeamermaidinthatlatitudeIknowthemthathas。““Dotellusaboutit，“criedMary。“Pooh，pooh!“saidJob，thenaturalist。BothspeechesdeterminedWilltogoonwithhisstory。Whatcouldafellowwhohadneverbeenmanymilesfromhomeknowaboutthewondersofthedeep，thatheshouldputhimdowninthatway？“Well，itwereJackHarris，ourthirdmate，lastvoyage，asmanyandmanyatimetelledusallaboutit。YouseehewerebecalmedoffChathamIslandthat’sintheGreatPacific，andawarmenoughlatitudeformermaids，andsharks，andsuchlikeperils。Sosomeofthementookthelong-boat，andpulledfortheislandtoseewhatitwerelike；andwhentheygotnear，theyheardapuffing，likeacreaturecomeuptotakebreath；you’veneverheardadiver？No!Well；you’veheardfolksinth’asthma，anditwereforalltheworldlikethat。Sotheylookedaround，andwhatshouldtheyseebutamermaid，sittingonarock，andsunningherself。Thewaterisalwayswarmerwhenit’srough，youknow，soIsupposeinthecalmshefeltitratherchilly，andhadcomeuptowarmherself。““Whatwasshelike？“askedMary，breathlessly。Jobtookhispipeoffthechimney-piece，andbegantosmokewithveryaudiblepuffs，asifthestorywerenotworthlisteningto。“Oh!Jackusedtosayshewasforalltheworldasbeautifulasanyofthewaxladiesinthebarbers’shops；only，Mary，therewereonelittledifference：herhairwasbrightgrassgreen。““Ishouldnotthinkthatwaspretty，“saidMary，hesitatingly；asifnotlikingtodoubttheperfectionofanythingbelongingtosuchanacknowledgedbeauty。“Oh!butitiswhenyou’reusedtoit。Ialwaysthinkwhenfirstwegetsightofland，there’snocoloursolovelyasgrassgreen。However，shehadgreenhairsureenough；andwereproudenoughofit，too；forshewerecombingitoutfulllengthwhenfirsttheysawher。Theyallthoughtshewereafairprize，andmaybeasgoodasawhaleinreadymoneytheywerewhale-fishers，youknow。Forsomefolkthinkadealofmermaids，whateverotherfolkdo。“ThiswasahitatJob，whoretaliatedinaseriesofsonorousspittingsandpuffs。“So，asIweresaying，theypulledtowardsher，thinkingtocatchher。
　　Shewereallthewhilecombingherbeautifulhair，andbeckoningtothem，whilewiththeotherhandsheheldalooking-glass。““Howmanyhandshadshe？“askedJob。“Two，tobesure，justlikeanyotherwoman，“answeredWill，indignantly。“Oh!Ithoughtyousaidshebeckonedwithonehand，andcombedherhairwithanother，andheldalooking-glasswithathird，“saidJob，withprovokingquietness。“No!Ididn’tIatleast，ifIdid，Imeantshedidonethingafteranother，asanyonebut“herehemumbledawordortwo“couldunderstand。Well，Mary，“turningverydecidedlytowardsher，“whenshesawthemcomingnear，whetheritwereshegrewfrightenedattheirfowling-pieces，astheyhadonboardforabito’shootingontheisland，orwhetheritwereshewerejustaficklejadeasdidnotrightlyknowherownmindwhich，seeingonehalfofherwaswoman，Ithinkmyselfwasmostprobable，butwhentheywereonlyabouttwooarslengthfromtherockwhereshesat，downsheploppedintothewater，leavingnothingbutherhinderendofafishtailstickingupforaminute，andthenthatdisappearedtoo。““Anddidtheyneverseeheragain？“askedMary。“Neversoplain；themanwhohadthesecondwatchonenightdeclaredhesawherswimmingroundtheship，andholdingupherglassforhimtolookin；andthenhesawthelittlecottagenearAberinWaleswherehiswifelivedasplainaseverhesawitinlife，andhiswifestandingoutside，shadinghereyesasifshewerelookingforhim。ButJackHarrisgavehimnocredit，forhesaidhewerealwaysabitofaromancer，andbesidethat，wereahome-sick，down-heartedchap。““Iwishtheyhadcaughther，“saidMary，musing。“Theygotonethingasbelongedtoher，“repliedWill，“andthatI’veoftenseenwithmyowneyes，andIreckonit’sasureproofofthetruthoftheirstory，forthemthatwantsproof。““Whatwasit？“askedMargaret，almostanxioushergrandfathershouldbeconvinced。“Why，inherhurryshelefthercombontherock，andoneo’themenspiedit；sotheythoughtthatwerebetterthannothing。andtheyrowedthereandtookit，andJackHarrishaditonboardtheJohnCropper，andIsawhimcombhishairwithiteverySundaymorning。““Whatwasitlike？“askedMary，eagerly；herimaginationrunningoncoralcombs，studdedwithpearls。“Why，ifithadnothadsuchastrangeyarnbelongingtoit，you’dneverha’noticeditfromanyothersmall-toothcomb。““Ishouldratherthinknot，“sneeredJobLegh。Thesailorbithislipstokeepdownhis。angeragainstanoldman。Margaretfeltveryuneasy，knowinghergrandfathersowell，andnotdaringtoguesswhatcausticremarkmightcomenexttoirritatetheyoungsailorguest。Mary，however，wastoomuchinterestedbythewondersofthedeeptoperceivetheincredulitywithwhichJobLeghreceivedWilson’saccountofthemermaid，andwhenheleftoff，halfoffended，andverymuchinclinednottoopenhislipsagainthroughtheevening，sheeagerlysaid，“Oh，dotellussomethingmoreofwhatyouhearandseeonboardship。
　　Do，Will!““What’stheuse，Mary，iffolkwon’tbelieveone。TherearethingsIsawwithmyowneyes，thatsomepeoplewouldpishandpshawat，asifIwereababytobeputdownbycrossnoises。ButI’lltellyou，Mary，“withanemphasisonyou，“somemoreofthewondersofthesea，sin’you’renottoowisetobelieveme。Ihaveseenafishfly。“ThisdidstaggerMary。Shehadheardofmermaidsassignsofinns，andassea-wonders，butneverofflyingfish。NotsoJob。Heputdownhispipe，andnoddinghisheadasatokenofapprobation，hesaid，“Aye!aye!youngman。Nowyou’respeakingtruth。““Well，now，you’llswallowthat，oldgentleman。You’llcreditmewhenI
　　sayI’veseenacritterhalffish，halfbird，andyouwon’tcreditmewhenIsaytherebesuchbeastsasmermaids，halffish，halfwoman。Tome，one’sjustasstrangeast’other。““Youneversawthemermaidyoursel，“interposedMargaret，gently。But“loveme，lovemydog，“wasWillWilson’smotto，onlyhisversionwas，“Believeme，believeJackHarris“；andtheremarkwasnotsosoothingtohimasitwasintendedtohavebeen。“It’stheExocetus；oneoftheMalacopterygiiAbdominales，“saidJob；muchinterested。“Aye，thereyougo!You’reoneo’themfolksasneverknowsbeastsunlessthey’recalledouto’theirnames。Put’eminSundayclothes，andyouknow’em，butintheirwork-a-dayEnglishyouneverknownoughtabout’em。I’vemetwi’manyo’yourkidney；andifI’dha’knownit，I’dha’christenedpoorJack’smermaidwi’somegrandgibberishofaname。MermaidicusJackHarrisensis；that’sjustliketheirnew-fangledwords。D’yebelievethere’ssuchathingastheMermaidicus，master？“askedWill，enjoyinghisownjokeuncommonly，asmostpeopledo。“NotI!tellmeaboutthe——““Well!“saidWill，pleasedathavingexcitedtheoldgentleman’sfaithandcreditatlast，“itwereonthislastvoyage，aboutaday’ssailfromMadeira，thatoneofourmen——““NotJackHarris，Ihope，“murmuredJob。“Calledme，“continuedWill，notnoticingtheinterruption，“toseethewhatd’yecallit——flyingfishIsayitis。Itweretwentyfeetouto’