This story may be deemed impossible by the ordinary cultivated reader,
but he will please to recollect John Bunyan's account of the strange
behaviour of Mr. Tod. "At a summer assizes holden at Hertford," says
Bunyan, "while the judge was sitting up on the bench, comes this old Tod
into court, clothed in a green suit, with his leathern girdle in his
hand, his bosom open, and all in a dung sweat, as if he had run for his
life; and being come in, he spake aloud as follows: 'My Lord,' said he,
'here is the veriest rogue that breathes upon the face of the earth. I
have been a thief from a child. When I was but a little one I gave
myself to rob orchards, and to do other such like wicked things, and I
have continued a thief ever since. My Lord, there has not been a robbery
committed these many years, within so many miles of this place, but I
have been either at it, or privy to it!' The judge thought the fellow
was mad, but after some conference with some of the justices, they agreed
to indict him; and so they did of several felonious actions; to all of
which he heartily confessed guilty, and so was hanged with his wife at
the same time." I can also assure my incredulous literary friends that
years ago it was not uncommon for men and women suddenly to awake to the
fact that they had been sinners, and to determine that henceforth they
would keep God's commandments by the help of Jesus Christ and the Holy
Spirit. What is more extraordinary is that they did keep God's
commandments for the rest of their lives. Fear of hell fire and hope of
heaven may have had something to do with their reformation, but these
were not the sole motives, and even if they were, the strength of mind
necessary in order to sacrifice the present for the sake of something
remote--a capacity which lies, we are told, at the basis of all
virtue--was singular.

CHAPTER XXI

Tom was restored to his former position, and Mr. Furze's business began
to improve. Arrangements were made for the removal from the Terrace, and
they were eagerly pressed forward by Catharine. Her mother pleaded that
they could not leave till June; that even in June they would sacrifice a
quarter's rent, but Catharine's reply was that they would pay no more if
they went beforehand. Her father was anxious to please her, and the
necessary alterations at the shop were taken in hand at once, and towards
the beginning of May were completed. She was not allowed to move to the