Now he being gone, as he went next day, to his favourite town of
Dulverton, and leaving behind him shadowy promise of the mountains he
would do for me, my spirit began to burn and pant for something to go on
with; and nothing showed a braver hope of movement and adventure than a
lonely visit to Glen Doone, by way of the perilous passage discovered in
my boyhood. Therefore I waited for nothing more than the slow arrival of
new small-clothes made by a good tailor at Porlock, for I was wishful
to look my best; and when they were come and approved, I started,
regardless of the expense, and forgetting (like a fool) how badly they
would take the water.

What with urging of the tailor, and my own misgivings, the time was now
come round again to the high-day of St. Valentine, when all our maids
were full of lovers, and all the lads looked foolish. And none of them
more sheepish or innocent than I myself, albeit twenty-one years old,
and not afraid of men much, but terrified of women, at least, if they
were comely. And what of all things scared me most was the thought of
my own size, and knowledge of my strength, which came like knots upon
me daily. In honest truth I tell this thing, (which often since hath
puzzled me, when I came to mix with men more), I was to that degree
ashamed of my thickness and my stature, in the presence of a woman,
that I would not put a trunk of wood on the fire in the kitchen, but
let Annie scold me well, with a smile to follow, and with her own plump
hands lift up a little log, and fuel it. Many a time I longed to be no
bigger than John Fry was; whom now (when insolent) I took with my left
hand by the waist-stuff, and set him on my hat, and gave him little
chance to tread it; until he spoke of his family, and requested to come
down again.

Now taking for good omen this, that I was a seven-year Valentine, though
much too big for a Cupidon, I chose a seven-foot staff of ash, and fixed
a loach-fork in it, to look as I had looked before; and leaving word
upon matters of business, out of the back door I went, and so through
the little orchard, and down the brawling Lynn-brook. Not being now
so much afraid, I struck across the thicket land between the meeting
waters, and came upon the Bagworthy stream near the great black
whirlpool. Nothing amazed me so much as to find how shallow the stream
now looked to me, although the pool was still as black and greedy as it
used to be. And still the great rocky slid