第4章
“Iamallright，“hedeclared。“Let’slookafterhim。“
Theygropedtheirwaytowardstheunconsciousman，Geraldstillgrippingthedressing-casewithbothhands。Therewerenosignsofanychangeinhiscondition，buthewasstillbreathingheavily。
Thentheyheardashoutbehind，almostintheirears。Theporterstaggeredtohisfeet。
“It’sallrightnow，sir！“heexclaimed。“They’vebroughtblanketsandastretcherandbrandy。Here’sadoctor，sir。“
Apowerful-lookingman，hatless，andwrappedinagreatulster，movedtowardsthem。
“Howmanyarethereofyou？“heasked，ashebentoverMr。Dunster。
“Onlywetwo，“Geraldreplied。“Ismyfriendbadlyhurt？“
“Concussion，“thedoctorannounced。“We’lltakehimtothevillage。
Whataboutyou，youngman？Yourfaceisbleeding，Isee。“
“Justacut，“Geraldfaltered；“nothingelse。“
“Luckychap，“thedoctorremarked。“Let’sgethimtoshelterofsomesort。Comealong。There’saninnatthecornerofthelanethere。“
Theyallstaggeredalong，Geraldstillclutchingthedressing-case，andsupportedontheothersidebyanexcitedandsomewhatincoherentvillager。
“Suchastormasneverwas，“thelattervolunteered。“Thetelegraphwiresarealldownformilesandmiles。Therewon’tbenotrainsrunningalongthislinecomemanyaweek，andasfortrees-why，it’sasthoughsomeonehadbeenplayingninepinsinSquireFellowes’spark。Whenthemorningdocome，forsuretherewillbethingstobeseen。Thisway，sir。Becarefulofthegate。“
Theystaggeredalongdownthelane，climbingonceoveratreewhichlayacrossthelaneandfarintotheadjoiningfield。Soontheywerejoinedbymoreofthevillagers，rousedfromtheirbedsbyrumoursofterriblehappenings。Thelittle，single-storey，ivy-coveredinnwasalllitupandthedoorheldfirmlyopen。Theypassedthroughthenarrowentranceandintothestone-flaggedbarroom，wherethemenlaiddowntheirstretcher。Asmanyofthevillagersascouldcrowdinfilledthepassage。Geraldsankintoachair。Thesuddenabsenceofwindwasalmostdisconcerting。Hefelthimselfoncemoreindangeroffainting。Hewasonlyvaguelyconsciousofdrinkinghotmilk，pouredfromajugbyared-facedandsympatheticwoman。Itsrestorativeeffect，however，wasimmediateandwonderful。Themistclearedfrombeforehiseyes，hisbrainbegantowork。Alwaysinthebackgroundthehorrorandtheshamewerethere，theshamewhichkepthishandpressedwithunnaturalstrengthuponthebrokenlockofthatdressing-case。
Hesatalittleapartfromtheothersandlistened。Abovetheconfusedmurmurofvoiceshecouldhearthedoctor’scommentandbrieforders，asherosetohisfeetafterexaminingtheunconsciousman。
“Anordinaryconcussion，“hedeclared。“Imustgetroundandseetheengine-drivernow。Theyhavegothiminashedbytheembankment。
I’llcallinagainlateron。Let’shaveonemorelookatyou，youngman。“
HeglancedatthecutonGerald’sforehead，notedtheaccessofcolourinhischeeks，andnodded。
“Borntobehanged，youwere，“hepronounced。“You’vehadamarvellousescape。I’llbeinagainpresently。Noneedtoworryaboutyourfriend。Helooksasthoughhe’dgotamightyconstitution。
Lightmylantern，Brown。Twoofyouhadbettercomewithmetotheshed。It’snonightforamantobewanderingaboutalone。“
Hedeparted，andmanyofthevillagerswithhim。Thelandladysatdownandbegantoweep。
“Suchanight！Suchanight！“sheexclaimed，wringingherhands。
“Andthere’sthedoctortalksaboutputtingthepoorgentlemantobed！Why，theroof’soffthebackpartofthehouse，andnotabedroomintheplacebutmineandJohn’s，andtheraincominginthereintorrents。Suchanight！It’sthejudgmentoftheLorduponus！That’swhatitis-thejudgmentoftheLord！“
“Judgmentofthefiddlesticks！“herhusbandgrowled。“Can’tyoulightthefire，woman？What’sthegoodofsittingtherewhining？“
“Lightthefire，“sherepeatedbitterly，“andthechimneylyingoutintheroad！Doyouwanttosuffocateusall，oristhebeerstillinyourhead？It’syourevildoings，RichardBudden，andotherslikeyou，thathavebroughtthisuponus。IfMr。Wembleywouldbutcomeinandpray！“
Herhusbandscoffed。Hewasdressedonlyinhisshirtandtrousers，hishairrough，hisbraceshangingdownbehind。
“Comeinandpray！“herepeated。“Nothe！NotMr。Wembley！He’ssafetuckedupinhisbed，shiveringwithfear，I’llbetyou。He’snotgettinghisfeetwettosaveabodyorlendahandhere。Soulsarehisjob。Youletthepreacheralone，mother，andtelluswhatwe’regoingtodowiththisgentleman。“
“TheLordonlyknows！“shecried，wringingherhands。
“CanIhireamotor-carfromanywherenear？“Geraldasked。
“There’smotor-cars，rightenough，“theinnkeeperreplied，“butnotmanyaswouldbefoolsenoughtotakeoneout。Youcouldn’tseetheroad，andIdoubtifoneofthemplagueythingswouldstirinthisstorm。“
“Suchnonsenseasyoutalk，RichardBudden！“hiswifeexclaimedsharply。“It’stwentyminutespastthreeoftheclock，andthere’slightcomingonusfast。Ifsobeastheyounggentlemanknowsfolksroundabouthere，orhappenstolivenigh，whyshouldn’thetakeoneofthemmotor-carsandgetawaytosomedecentplace？
It’llbebetterforthepoorgentlemanthanlyinghereinahousesmittenbytheLord。“
Geraldrosestifflytohisfeet。Anideawasforminginhisbrain。
Hiseyeswerebright。HelookedatthebodyofJohnDunsteruponthefloor，andfeltoncemoreinhispocket。
“Howfaroffisthegarage？“heasked。
“It’srightacrosstheway，“theinnkeeperreplied，aspeculationofNeighbourMartin’s，andafoolishoneitdoseemtome。He’stwocarsthere，andoneheletstotheGovernmentfordeliveringthemails。“
Geraldfeltinhispocketandproducedasovereign。
“Givethis，“hesaid，“toanymanyoucanfindwhowillgoacrossthereandbringmeacar-themostpowerfulthey’vegot，ifthere’sanydifference。TellthemI’llpaywell。This-myfriendwillbemuchbetterathomewithmethaninastrangeplacewhenhecomestohissenses。“
“It’ssoundcommonsense，“thewomandeclared。“Beoffwithyou，Richard。“
Themanwaslookingatthecoincovetously，buthiswifepushedhimaway。
“It’snotasovereignyou’llbetakingfromthegentlemanforalittleerrandlikethat，“sheinsistedsharply。“Heshallpayusforwhathe’shadwhenhegoes，andwelcome，andifsobethathe’swillingtomakeitasovereign，toincludethemilkandthebrandyandtheconfusionwe’vebeenputtothisnight，wellandgood。It’saheavyreckoning，maybe，butthenightcallsforit。We’llseeaboutthatafterwards。Getalongwithyou，Isay，Richard。“
“I’llbewetthrough，“themanmuttered。
“Andserveyouright！“thewomanexclaimed。“Ifthere’samaninthisvillageto-nightwhoseclothesaredry，it’sathingforhimtobeashamedof。“
Theinnkeeperreluctantlydeparted。Theyheardtheroarofthewindasthedoorwasopenedandclosed。ThewomanpouredoutanotherglassofmilkandbroughtittoGerald。
“Agodlessman，mine，“shesaidgrimly。“IfsohappenasMr。Wembleyhadcometothesepartsyearsago，I’dhaveseenmyselfinmygravebeforeI’dhavemarriedapublican。Butit’stoolatenow。We’remostlytoolateaboutthethingsthatcountinthisworld。Soit’syourfriendthat’sbeenstrickendown，youngman。Awell-livingman，Ihope？“
Geraldshiveredeversoslightly。Hedrankthemilk，however。Hefeltthathemightneedhisstrength。
“Whattrainmightyouhavebeenonthewomancontinued。“There’snonedueonthislinethatweknewof。DavidBass，thestation-master，washerebuttwohoursagoandsaidhe’dfinishedforthenight，andpraisedtheLordforthat。ThegoodstrainshadallbeenstoppedatIpswich，andthefirstpassengertrainwasnotduetillsixo’clock。“
Geraldshookhisheadwithanaffectationofweariness。
“Idon’tknow，“hereplied。“Idon’trememberanythingaboutit。
Wewerehourslate，Ithink。“
Thewomanwaslookingdownattheunconsciousman。Geraldroseslowlytohisfeetandstoodbyherside。ThefaceofMr。JohnP。
Dunster，eveninunconsciousness，hadsomethinginitofstrengthandpurpose。Theshapeofhishead，thesquarenessofhisjaws，thestraightnessofhisthicklips，allseemedtospeakofahardandinflexibledisposition。Hishairwascoalblack，coarse，andwithouttheslightestsprinklingofgrey。Hehadtheneckandthroatofafighter。Butforthatsingle，livid，bluemarkacrosshisforehead，hecarriedwithhimnosignsofhisaccident。Hewasalittleinclinedtobestout。Therewasaheavygoldchainstretchedacrosshiswaist-coat。Fromwherehelay，theshininghandleofhisrevolverprotrudedfromhiship，pocket。