his brethren and his own; and glad enow they were to escape.
Notwithstanding, we hoped it might be only a flesh-wound, and not to
speed him in his sins."

As this atrocious tale of lies turned up joint by joint before her, like
a "devil's coach-horse,"* mother was too much amazed to do any more than
look at him, as if the earth must open. But the only thing that opened
was the great brown eyes of the Counsellor, which rested on my mother's
face with a dew of sorrow, as he spoke of sins.

* The cock-tailed beetle has earned this name in the West of England.


She, unable to bear them, turned suddenly on Sir Ensor, and caught (as
she fancied) a smile on his lips, and a sense of quiet enjoyment.

"All the Doones are gentlemen," answered the old man gravely, and
looking as if he had never smiled since he was a baby. "We are always
glad to explain, madam, any mistake which the rustic people may fall
upon about us; and we wish you clearly to conceive that we do not charge
your poor husband with any set purpose of robbery, neither will we bring
suit for any attainder of his property. Is it not so, Counsellor?"

"Without doubt his land is attainted; unless is mercy you forbear, sir."

"Counsellor, we will forbear. Madam, we will forgive him. Like enough he
knew not right from wrong, at that time of night. The waters are strong
at Porlock, and even an honest man may use his staff unjustly in this
unchartered age of violence and rapine."