Luís’s Reviews > Lorna Doone > Status Update

This may seem a violent and unholy revenge upon them. And I (who led the heart of it) have in these my latter years doubted how I shall be judged, not of men - for God only knows the errors of man's judgements - but by that great God Himself, the front of whose forehead is mercy.

For that, she gave me the simplest, kindest, and sweetest of all kisses; and I went down the grand stairs grandly, thinking of nothing else but that.

I wrung the hand of Jeremy Stickles, for his truth and goodness; and he almost wept (for since his wound, he had been a weakened man) as he answered, 'Turn for turn, John. You saved my life from the Doones; and by the mercy of God, I have saved you from a far worse company. Let your sister Annie know it.'

He turned away in bitter pain, that none might see his trouble, and Annie, going along with him, looked as if I had killed our mother. For my part, I was so upset, for fear of having gone too far, that without a word to either of them, but a message on the title-page of King James's Prayer-book, I saddled Kickums and was off, and glad of the moorland air again.

(...) Being in the leg-line myself, I wanted to know what the muscles of a man were like who turned a wheel all day. I had never seen a treadmill (though they have one now at Exeter), and it touched me much to learn whether it was good exercise. And herein, from what I saw of Odam, I incline to think that it does great harm, as moving the muscles too much in a line, and without variety.

For such, I tried to persuade myself, was the nature of Ruth's regard for me: and upon looking back, I could not charge myself with any misconduct towards the little maiden. I had never sought her company, I had never trifled with her (at least until that very day), and being so engrossed with my own love, I had scarcely even thought of her. (...)

Having made this very long speech (for her), mother came home upon my shoulder, and wept so that (but for heeding her) I would have taken Tom by the nose, and thrown him, and Winnie after him, over our farmyard gate. For I am violent when roused, and freely hereby acknowledge it, though even my enemies will own that it takes a great deal to rouse me. (...)

With this, I folded her in my arms, and she looked frightened at me, not having perceived her danger. Then I told Gwenny again what I had told her mistress, but she only nodded and said, 'Young man, go and teach thy grandmother.'

Upon that, he shook me by the hand, with a pressure such as we feel not often; and having learned from me how to pass quite beyond the view of his enemies, he rode on to his duty, whatever it might be. (...)

Rudely rolling these ideas in my heavy head and brain, I resolved to let the morrow put them into form and order, but not contradict them. And then, as my constitution willed (being like that of England), I slept; and there was no stopping me.