Whenmygrandfatherheardthishewept，andbemoanedhimselfthathisfollyinforcingoneintotheChurchwhohadnolikingforthatpath，hadbroughtabouttheshamefulendofhisonlyson。
AfterthatdatealsohebrokehisfriendshipwiththepriorofSt。Mary’satBungay，andceasedhisofferingstothepriory。
Stillhedidnotbelievethatmyfatherwasdeadintruth，sinceonthelastdayofhisownlife，thatendedtwoyearslater，hespokeofhimasalivingman，andleftmessagestohimastothemanagementofthelandswhichnowwerehis。
Andintheenditbecameclearthatthisbeliefwasnotill-
founded，foronedaythreeyearsaftertheoldman’sdeath，therelandedattheportofYarmouthnoneotherthanmyfather，whohadbeenabsentsomeeightyearsinall。
Nordidhecomealone，forwithhimhebroughtawife，ayoungandverylovelylady，whoafterwardswasmymother。
ShewasaSpaniardofnoblefamily，havingbeenbornatSeville，andhermaidennamewasDonnaLuisadeGarcia。
NowofallthatbefellmyfatherduringhiseightyearsofwanderingIcannotspeakcertainly，forhewasverysilentonthematter，thoughImayhaveneedtotouchonsomeofhisadventures。
ButIknowitistruethathefellunderthepoweroftheHolyOffice，foroncewhenasalittleladIbathedwithhimintheElbowPool，wheretheriverWaveneybendssomethreehundredyardsabovethishouse，Isawthathisbreastandarmswerescoredwithlongwhitescars，andaskedhimwhathadcausedthem。
IrememberwellhowhisfacechangedasIspoke，fromkindlinesstothehueofblackesthate，andhowheansweredspeakingtohimselfratherthantome。
’Devils，’hesaid，’devilssetontheirworkbythechiefofalldevilsthatliveupontheearthandshallreigninhell。
Harkyou，mysonThomas，thereisacountrycalledSpainwhereyourmotherwasborn，andtherethesedevilsabidewhotorturemenandwomen，aye，andburnthemlivinginthenameofChrist。
IwasbetrayedintotheirhandsbyhimwhomInamethechiefofthedevils，thoughheisyoungerthanIambythreeyears，andtheirpincersandhotironsleftthesemarksuponme。
Aye，andtheywouldhaveburntmealivealso，onlyIescaped，thankstoyourmother——butsuchtalesarenotforalittlelad’shearing；andseeyouneverspeakofthem，Thomas，fortheHolyOfficehasalongarm。
YouarehalfaSpaniard，Thomas，yourskinandeyestelltheirowntale，butwhateverskinandeyesmaytell，letyourheartgivethemthelie。
KeepyourheartEnglish，Thomas；letnoforeigndevilmentsenterthere。
HateallSpaniardsexceptyourmother，andbewatchfullestherbloodshouldmasterminewithinyou。’
Iwasachildthen，andscarcelyunderstoodhiswordsorwhathemeantbythem。
AfterwardsIlearnedtounderstandthembuttoowell。
Asformyfather’scounsel，thatIshouldconquermySpanishblood，wouldthatIcouldalwayshavefollowedit，forIknowthatfromthisbloodspringsthemostofsuchevilasisinme。
Hencecomemyfixednessofpurposeorratherobstinacy，andmypowersofunchristianhatredthatarenotsmalltowardsthosewhohavewrongedme。
Well，IhavedonewhatImighttoovercometheseandotherfaults，butstriveaswemay，thatwhichisbredinthebonewilloutintheflesh，asIhaveseeninmanysignalinstances。
Therewerethreeofuschildren，Geoffreymyelderbrother，myself，andmysisterMary，whowasoneyearmyjunior，thesweetestchildandthemostbeautifulthatIhaveeverknown。
Wewereveryhappychildren，andourbeautywastheprideofourfatherandmother，andtheenvyofotherparents。
Iwasthedarkestofthethree，darkindeedtoswarthiness，butinMarytheSpanishbloodshowedonlyinherricheyesofvelvethue，andintheglowuponhercheekthatwasliketheblushonaripefruit。
MymotherusedtocallmeherlittleSpaniard，becauseofmyswarthiness，thatiswhenmyfatherwasnotnear，forsuchnamesangeredhim。
SheneverlearnedtospeakEnglishverywell，buthewouldsufferhertotalkinnoothertonguebeforehim。
Still，whenhewasnotthereshespokeinSpanish，ofwhichlanguage，however，Ialoneofthefamilybecameamaster——andthatmorebecauseofcertainvolumesofoldSpanishromanceswhichshehadbyher，thanforanyotherreason。
FrommyearliestchildhoodIwasfondofsuchtales，anditwasbybribingmewiththepromisethatIshouldreadthemthatshepersuadedmetolearnSpanish。
Formymother’sheartstillyearnedtowardsheroldsunnyhome，andoftenshewouldtalkofitwithuschildren，moreespeciallyinthewinterseason，whichshehatedasIdo。
OnceIaskedherifshewishedtogobacktoSpain。
Sheshiveredandansweredno，fortheredweltonewhowasherenemyandwouldkillher；alsoherheartwaswithuschildrenandourfather。
I
wonderedifthismanwhosoughttokillmymotherwasthesameasheofwhommyfatherhadspokenas’thechiefofthedevils，’butI
onlyansweredthatnomancouldwishtokillonesogoodandbeautiful。
Ah！myboy，’shesaid，’itisjustbecauseIam，orratherhavebeen，beautifulthathehatesme。
Otherswouldhaveweddedmebesidesyourdearfather，Thomas。’
Andherfacegrewtroubledasthoughwithfear。
NowwhenIwaseighteenandahalfyearsold，onacertaineveninginthemonthofMayithappenedthatafriendofmyfather’s，SquireBozard，lateoftheHallinthisparish，calledattheLodgeonhisroadfromYarmouth，andinthecourseofhistalkletitfallthataSpanishshipwasatanchorintheRoads，ladenwithmerchandise。
Myfatherprickeduphisearsatthis，andaskedwhohercaptainmightbe。
SquireBozardansweredthathedidnotknowhisname，butthathehadseenhiminthemarket-place，atallandstatelyman，richlydressed，withahandsomefaceandascaruponhistemple。
Atthisnewsmymotherturnedpalebeneathheroliveskin，andmutteredinSpanish:
’HolyMother！grantthatitbenothe。’
Myfatheralsolookedfrightened，andquestionedthesquirecloselyastotheman’sappearance，butwithoutlearninganythingmore。
Thenhebadehimadieuwithlittleceremony，andtakinghorserodeawayforYarmouth。
Thatnightmymotherneverslept，butsatallthroughitinhernursingchair，broodingoverIknownotwhat。
AsIleftherwhenI
wenttomybed，soIfoundherwhenIcamefromitatdawn。
IcanrememberwellpushingthedoorajartoseeherfaceglimmeringwhiteinthetwilightoftheMaymorning，asshesat，herlargeeyesfixeduponthelattice。
’Youhaverisenearly，mother，’Isaid。
’Ihaveneverlaindown，Thomas，’sheanswered。
’Whynot？
Whatdoyoufear？’
’Ifearthepastandthefuture，myson。
Wouldthatyourfatherwereback。’
Aboutteno’clockofthatmorning，asIwasmakingreadytowalkintoBungaytothehouseofthatphysicianunderwhomIwaslearningtheartofhealing，myfatherrodeup。
Mymother，whowaswatchingatthelattice，ranouttomeethim。
Springingfromhishorseheembracedher，saying，’Beofgoodcheer，sweet，itcannotbehe。
Thismanhasanothername。’
’Butdidyouseehim？’sheasked。
’No，hewasoutathisshipforthenight，andIhurriedhometotellyou，knowingyourfears。’
’Itweresurerifyouhadseenhim，husband。
Hemaywellhavetakenanothername。’
’Ineverthoughtofthat，sweet，’myfatheranswered；’buthavenofear。
Shoulditbehe，andshouldhedaretosetfootintheparishofDitchingham，therearethosewhowillknowhowtodealwithhim。
ButIamsurethatitisnothe。’
’ThanksbetoJesuthen！’shesaid，andtheybegantalkinginalowvoice。
Now，seeingthatIwasnotwanted，Itookmycudgelandstarteddownthebridle-pathtowardsthecommonfootbridge，whensuddenlymymothercalledmeback。
’Kissmebeforeyougo，Thomas，’shesaid。
’Youmustwonderwhatallthismaymean。
Onedayyourfatherwilltellyou。
Ithastodowithashadowwhichhashungovermylifeformanyyears，butthatis，Itrust，goneforever。’
’Ifitbeamanwhoflingsit，hehadbestkeepoutofreachofthis，’Isaid，laughing，andshakingmythickstick。
’Itisaman，’sheanswered，’butonetobedealtwithotherwisethanbyblows，Thomas，shouldyoueverchancetomeethim。’
’Maybe，mother，butmightisthebestargumentatthelast，forthemostcunninghavealifetolose。’
’Youaretooreadytouseyourstrength，son，’shesaid，smilingandkissingme。
’RemembertheoldSpanishproverb:“Hestrikeshardestwhostrikeslast。“’
’Andremembertheotherproverb，mother:“Strikebeforethouartstricken，“’Ianswered，andwent。
WhenIhadgonesometenpacessomethingpromptedmetolookback，Iknownotwhat。
Mymotherwasstandingbytheopendoor，herstatelyshapeframedasitwereintheflowersofawhitecreepingshrubthatgrewuponthewalloftheoldhouse。
Aswashercustom，sheworeamantillaofwhitelaceuponherhead，theendsofwhichwerewoundbeneathherchin，andthearrangementofitwassuchthatatthisdistanceforonemomentitputmeinmindofthewrappingswhichareplacedaboutthedead。
Istartedatthethoughtandlookedatherface。
Shewaswatchingmewithsadandearnesteyesthatseemedtobefilledwiththespiritoffarewell。
Ineversawheragaintillshewasdead。
AndnowImustgobackandspeakofmyownmatters。
AsIhavetold，itwasmyfather’swishthatIshouldbeaphysician，andsinceIcamebackfrommyschoolingatNorwich，thatwaswhenIhadenteredonmysixteenthyear，IhadstudiedmedicineunderthedoctorwhopractisedhisartintheneighbourhoodofBungay。
Hewasaverylearnedmanandanhonest，Grimstonebyname，andasI
hadsomelikingforthebusinessImadegoodprogressunderhim。
IndeedIhadlearnedalmostallthathecouldteachme，andmyfatherpurposedtosendmetoLondon，theretopushonmystudies，sosoonasIshouldattainmytwentiethyear，thatiswithinsomefivemonthsofthedateofthecomingoftheSpaniard。
ButitwasnotfatedthatIshouldgotoLondon。
MedicinewasnottheonlythingthatIstudiedinthosedays，however。
SquireBozardofDitchingham，thesamewhotoldmyfatherofthecomingoftheSpanishship，hadtwolivingchildren，asonandadaughter，thoughhiswifehadbornehimmanymorewhodiedininfancy。
ThedaughterwasnamedLilyandofmyownage，havingbeenbornthreeweeksaftermeinthesameyear。
NowtheBozardsaregonefromtheseparts，formygreat-niece，thegranddaughterandsoleheiressofthisson，hasmarriedandhasissueofanothername。
Butthisisbytheway。
Fromourearliestdayswechildren，BozardsandWingfields，livedalmostasbrothersandsisters，fordaybydaywemetandplayedtogetherinthesnoworintheflowers。
ThusitwouldbehardformetosaywhenIbegantoloveLilyorwhenshebegantoloveme；
butIknowthatwhenfirstIwenttoschoolatNorwichIgrievedmoreatlosingsightofherthanbecauseImustpartfrommymotherandtherest。
Inallourgamesshewasevermypartner，andI
wouldsearchthecountryroundfordaystofindsuchflowersasshechancedtolove。
WhenIcamebackfromschoolitwasthesame，thoughbydegreesLilygrewshyer，andIalsogrewsuddenlyshy，perceivingthatfromachildshehadbecomeawoman。
Stillwemetoften，andthoughneithersaidanythingofit，itwassweettoustomeet。
