Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor

ELEMENTS OF EDUCATION If anybody cares to read a simple tale told simply, I, John Ridd, of the parish of Oare, in the county of Somerset, yeoman and churchwarden, have seen and ha...

AN IMPORTANT ITEM [Illustration: 005.jpg The School Room] Now the cause of my leaving Tiverton school, and the way of it, were as follows. On the 29th day of November, in the yea...

THE WAR-PATH OF THE DOONES [Illustration: 014.jpg Illustrated Capital] From Tiverton town to the town of Oare is a very long and painful road, and in good truth the traveller mus...

A VERY RASH VISIT [Illustration: 028.jpg Illustrated Capital] My dear father had been killed by the Doones of Bagworthy, while riding home from Porlock market, on the Saturday ev...

AN ILLEGAL SETTLEMENT [Illustration: 037.jpg Illustrated Capital] Good folk who dwell in a lawful land, if any such there be, may for want of exploration, judge our neighbourhood...

NECESSARY PRACTICE [Illustration: 043.jpg Illustrated Capital] About the rest of all that winter I remember very little, being only a young boy then, and missing my father most o...

HARD IT IS TO CLIMB [Illustration: 051.jpg Illustrated Capital] So many a winter night went by in a hopeful and pleasant manner, with the hissing of the bright round bullets, cas...

A BOY AND A GIRL [Illustration: 062.jpg Illustrated Capital] When I came to myself again, my hands were full of young grass and mould, and a little girl kneeling at my side was r...

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME [Illustration: 070.jpg Illustrated Capital] I can assure you, and tell no lie (as John Fry always used to say, when telling his very largest), that I ...

A BRAVE RESCUE AND A ROUGH RIDE [Illustration: 077.jpg Illustrated Capital] It happened upon a November evening (when I was about fifteen years old, and out-growing my strength v...

TOM DESERVES HIS SUPPER [Illustration: 086.jpg Illustrated Capital] “Well done, lad,” Mr. Faggus said good naturedly; for all were now gathered round me, as I rose from the groun...

A MAN JUSTLY POPULAR [Illustration: 093.jpg Tom Faggus] Now although Mr. Faggus was so clever, and generous, and celebrated, I know not whether, upon the whole, we were rather pr...

MASTER HUCKABACK COMES IN [Illustration: 103.jpg Illustrated Capital] Mr. Reuben Huckaback, whom many good folk in Dulverton will remember long after my time, was my mother's unc...

A MOTION WHICH ENDS IN A MULL [Illustration: 113.jpg Illustrated Capital] Instead of minding his New-Year pudding, Master Huckaback carried on so about his mighty grievance, that...

_QUO WARRANTO_? [Illustration: 118.jpg Illustrated Capital] On the following day Master Huckaback, with some show of mystery, demanded from my mother an escort into a dangerous p...

LORNA GROWING FORMIDABLE [Illustration: 128.jpg Illustrated Capital] Having reconnoitred thus the position of the enemy, Master Huckaback, on the homeward road, cross-examined me...

JOHN IS BEWITCHED [Illustration: 137.jpg Illustrated Capital] To forget one's luck of life, to forget the cark of care and withering of young fingers; not to feel, or not be move...

WITCHERY LEADS TO WITCHCRAFT [Illustration: 146.jpg Illustrated Capital] Although wellnigh the end of March, the wind blew wild and piercing, as I went on foot that afternoon to ...

ANOTHER DANGEROUS INTERVIEW [Illustration: 152.jpg Illustrated Capital] Although I left the Denes at once, having little heart for further questions of the wise woman, and being ...

LORNA BEGINS HER STORY [Illustration: 160.jpg Illustrated Capital] “I cannot go through all my thoughts so as to make them clear to you, nor have I ever dwelt on things, to shape...

LORNA ENDS HER STORY [Illustration: 169.jpg Illustrated Capital] “It is not a twelvemonth yet, although it seems ten years agone, since I blew the downy globe to learn the time o...

[Illustration: 178.jpg Glen Doone] After hearing that tale from Lorna, I went home in sorry spirits, having added fear for her, and misery about, to all my other ailments. And was...

A ROYAL INVITATION [Illustration: 185.jpg Illustrated Capital] Although I had, for the most part, so very stout an appetite, that none but mother saw any need of encouraging me t...

A SAFE PASS FOR KING'S MESSENGER [Illustration: 195.jpg Illustrated Capital] A journey to London seemed to us in those bygone days as hazardous and dark an adventure as could be ...

A GREAT MAN ATTENDS TO BUSINESS [Illustration: 204.jpg Westminster Hall, 1650] Having seen Lord Russell murdered in the fields of Lincoln's Inn, or rather having gone to see it, ...

JOHN IS DRAINED AND CAST ASIDE [Illustration: 213.jpg His Lordship busy with letters] His lordship was busy with some letters, and did not look up for a minute or two, although h...

HOME AGAIN AT LAST [Illustration: 221.jpg Exmoor Hills] It was the beginning of wheat-harvest, when I came to Dunster town, having walked all the way from London, and being somew...

JOHN HAS HOPE OF LORNA [Illustration: 226.jpg Illustrated Capital] Much as I longed to know more about Lorna, and though all my heart was yearning, I could not reconcile it yet w...

REAPING LEADS TO REVELLING [Illustration: 236.jpg The Signal] Although I was under interdict for two months from my darling--“one for your sake, one for mine,” she had whispered,...

ANNIE GETS THE BEST OF IT [Illustration: 246.jpg Illustrated Capital] I had long outgrown unwholesome feeling as to my father's death, and so had Annie; though Lizzie (who must h...

JOHN FRY'S ERRAND [Illustration: 256.jpg Illustrated Capital] We kept up the dance very late that night, mother being in such wonderful spirits, that she would not hear of our go...

FEEDING OF THE PIGS [Illustration: 268.jpg Charles II.] The story told by John Fry that night, and my conviction of its truth, made me very uneasy, especially as following upon t...

AN EARLY MORNING CALL [Illustration: 280.jpg Illustrated Capital] Of course I was up the very next morning before the October sunrise, and away through the wild and the woodland ...

TWO NEGATIVES MAKE AN AFFIRMATIVE [Illustration: 286.jpg Illustrated Capital] There was, however, no possibility of depressing me at such a time. To be loved by Lorna, the sweet,...

RUTH IS NOT LIKE LORNA [Illustration: 292.jpg Carver Doone] Although by our mother's reluctant consent a large part of the obstacles between Annie and her lover appeared to be re...

JOHN RETURNS TO BUSINESS [Illustration: 299.jpg Guy Fawkes] Now November was upon us, and we had kept Allhallowmass, with roasting of skewered apples (like so many shuttlecocks),...

A VERY DESPERATE VENTURE [Illustration: 306.jpg Illustrated Capital] That the enterprise now resolved upon was far more dangerous than any hitherto attempted by me, needs no furt...

A GOOD TURN FOR JEREMY [Illustration: 318.jpg Illustrated Capital] John Fry had now six shillings a week of regular and permanent wage, besides all harvest and shearing money, as...

A TROUBLED STATE AND A FOOLISH JOKE [Illustration: 328.jpg Illustrated Capital] Stickles took me aside the next day, and opened all his business to me, whether I would or not. Bu...

TWO FOOLS TOGETHER [Illustration: 342.jpg Illustrated Capital] That story of John Fry's, instead of causing any amusement, gave us great disquietude; not only because it showed t...

COLD COMFORT [Illustration: 351.jpg Illustrated Capital] All things being full of flaw, all things being full of holes, the strength of all things is in shortness. If Sir Ensor D...

THE GREAT WINTER [Illustration: 358.jpg Illustrated Capital] It must have snowed most wonderfully to have made that depth of covering in about eight hours. For one of Master Stic...

NOT TOO SOON [Illustration: 369.jpg Illustrated Capital] When I started on my road across the hills and valleys (which now were pretty much alike), the utmost I could hope to do ...

BROUGHT HOME AT LAST [Illustration: 379.jpg Illustrated Capital] To my great delight I found that the weather, not often friendly to lovers, and lately seeming so hostile, had in...

A CHANGE LONG NEEDED [Illustration: 389.jpg Marwood Whichehalse] Jeremy Stickles was gone south, ere ever the frost set in, for the purpose of mustering forces to attack the Doon...

SQUIRE FAGGUS MAKES SOME LUCKY HITS [Illustration: 397.jpg Illustrated Capital] Through that season of bitter frost the red deer of the forest, having nothing to feed upon, and n...

JEREMY IN DANGER [Illustration: 410.jpg Illustrated Capital] Nothing very long abides, as the greatest of all writers (in whose extent I am for ever lost in raptured wonder, and ...

EVERY MAN MUST DEFEND HIMSELF [Illustration: 422.jpg The Bagworthy Water] It was only right in Jeremy Stickles, and of the simplest common sense, that he would not tell, before o...

MAIDEN SENTINELS ARE BEST [Illustration: 432.jpg Illustrated Capital] It was not likely that the outlaws would attack out premises until some time after the moon was risen; becau...

A MERRY MEETING A SAD ONE [Illustration: 442.jpg Illustrated Capital] Now the business I had most at heart (as every one knows by this time) was to marry Lorna as soon as might b...

A VISIT FROM THE COUNSELLOR [Illustration: 455.jpg Counsellor] Now while I was riding home that evening, with a tender conscience about Ruth, although not a wounded one, I guesse...

THE WAY TO MAKE THE CREAM RISE [Illustration: 464.jpg Illustrated Capital] That night the reverend Counsellor, not being in such state of mind as ought to go alone, kindly took o...

JEREMY FINDS OUT SOMETHING [Illustration: 472.jpg Illustrated Capital] “You know, my son,” said Jeremy Stickles, with a good pull at his pipe, because he was going to talk so muc...

MUTUAL DISCOMFITURE [Illustration: 483.jpg Illustrated Capital] It must not be supposed that I was altogether so thick-headed as Jeremy would have made me out. But it is part of ...

GETTING INTO CHANCERY [Illustration: 495.jpg Devonshire Town] Two of the Devonshire officers (Captains Pyke and Dallan) now took command of the men who were left, and ordered all...

JOHN BECOMES TOO POPULAR [Illustration: 505.jpg Lorna] No flower that I have ever seen, either in shifting of light and shade, or in the pearly morning, may vie with a fair young...

LORNA KNOWS HER NURSE [Illustration: 518.jpg Illustrated Capital] Having obtained from Benita Odam a very close and full description of the place where her poor mistress lay, and...

MASTER HUCKABACK'S SECRET [Illustration: 535.jpg Illustrated Capital] Knowing Master Huckaback to be a man of his word, as well as one who would have others so, I was careful to ...

LORNA GONE AWAY [Illustration: 547.jpg Wizard] Although there are very ancient tales of gold being found upon Exmoor, in lumps and solid hummocks, and of men who slew one another...

ANNIE LUCKIER THAN JOHN [Illustration: 559.jpg Illustrated Capital] Some people may look down upon us for our slavish ways (as they may choose to call them), but in our part of t...

THEREFORE HE SEEKS COMFORT [Illustration: 567.jpg Dulverton Church and Street] It was for poor Annie's sake that I had spoken my mind to her husband so freely, and even harshly. ...

THE KING MUST NOT BE PRAYED FOR [Illustration: 575.jpg Lynmouth] All our neighbourhood was surprised that the Doones had not ere now attacked, and probably made an end of us. For...

JOHN IS WORSTED BY THE WOMEN [Illustration: 587.jpg Illustrated Capital] Moved as I was by Annie's tears, and gentle style of coaxing, and most of all by my love for her, I yet d...

SLAUGHTER IN THE MARSHES [Illustration: 596.jpg James I.] We rattled away at a merry pace, out of the town of Dulverton; my horse being gaily fed, and myself quite fit again for ...

FALLING AMONG LAMBS [Illustration: 604.jpg Illustrated Capital] That faithful creature, whom I began to admire as if she were my own (which is no little thing for a man to say of...

SUITABLE DEVOTION [Illustration: 613.jpg Illustrated Capital] Now Kickums was not like Winnie, any more than a man is like a woman; and so he had not followed my fortunes, except...

LORNA STILL IS LORNA [Illustration: 623.jpg Illustrated Capital] Although a man may be as simple as the flowers of the field; knowing when, but scarcely why, he closes to the bit...

JOHN IS JOHN NO LONGER [Illustration: 632.jpg Illustrated Capital] It would be hard for me to tell the state of mind in which I lived for a long time after this. I put away from ...

NOT TO BE PUT UP WITH [Illustration: 644.jpg Coat of Arms] The coat of arms, devised for me by the Royal heralds, was of great size, and rich colours, and full of bright imaginin...

COMPELLED TO VOLUNTEER [Illustration: 654.jpg Illustrated Capital] There had been some trouble in our own home during the previous autumn, while yet I was in London. For certain ...

A LONG ACCOUNT SETTLED [Illustration: 665.jpg Illustrated Capital] Having resolved on a night-assault (as our undisciplined men, three-fourths of whom had never been shot at, cou...

THE COUNSELLOR AND THE CARVER [Illustration: 671.jpg Law and Justice] From that great confusion--for nothing can be broken up, whether lawful or unlawful, without a vast amount o...

HOW TO GET OUT OF CHANCERY [Illustration: 680.jpg Illustrated Capital] Things at this time so befell me, that I cannot tell one half; but am like a boy who has left his lesson (t...

BLOOD UPON THE ALTAR [Illustration: 686.jpg Entrance to Oare Church] Everything was settled smoothly, and without any fear or fuss, that Lorna might find end of troubles, and mys...

GIVE AWAY THE GRANDEUR [Illustration: 694.jpg Illustrated Capital] When the little boy came back with the bluebells, which he had managed to find--as children always do find flow...