he did
not know whether it was William or John. I certified as to that much,
and she immediately ran off to bring my sister. As may be well
imagined in a country place like that, we two strangers, one of us
dressed as a soldier, and our entering so many houses, had already set
the place all of a stir to know who we were, and now directly it was
found out, it was telegraphed all through the village. Before I could
get to my own door my sister was upon me, and did try to kiss me,
certainly, but I had not shaved since I left Scotland, and now I had a
long thick beard and moustache, so that the attempt was almost a
fruitless task. She cried out, "Come in; why don't you shave?" so I
asked her if there was any barber handy. "No," she replied, "but I'll
shave you, for I always do father," so in I went. My father and mother
were still out at church. My wife meanwhile could hardly make out
these scenes that were transpiring, not seeming to dare to interrupt
the proceedings with one French word to me; and my sister not having
yet thought to ask me who this mysterious woman was, she followed me
indoors without any questioning and like myself sat down. I pulled off
my knapsack, and the shaving-tackle was brought out; but it put me so
much in mind of the ceremony with the iron hoop when we crossed the
Line that I became impatient, and opening my knapsack took out my own
razor and finished myself.

By this time church was over, and putting my head out of the door I
beheld my brother, who could scarcely speak to me owing to his
feelings. I found both my father and mother had stopped to take the
sacrament, but when it was over I suddenly saw the old lady who had
got scent of the matter coming along like a spread-eagle with the same
old black bonnet and red cloak on that she had when I left her. I went
to meet her, but she was so overcome with emotion that I had to lean
her up against the house to prevent her falling, and then I proceeded
on to the old man, who was quite infirm and hobbling along behind on
two sticks, and I need hardly say that he behaved worse than any of
them at my strange and sudden appearance. I led him in and got him
with difficulty to a chair. None of us then spoke for a long time, but
at last the old man gave utterance to, "My child, I did not expect to
see you again." It was indeed sixteen long years since I had left them
at Dorchester.

My wife, though of course she could not understand a word, was much
affe