The Fixed Period

for him to arrange his worldly affairs, and to see his daughter married; but it would not more than suffice. He still went about his business with an alacrity marvellous in one who was so

llege, so that, by degrees, the mind may be weaned from the ignoble art of money-making." I had once so spoken to him; but there he was, as intent as ever, with his mind fixed on the records of the price of wool as they came back to him from the English and American markets. "It is all for his daught

id he; "we shall have the fluke over h

found symp

my flocks are remarkably well looked after; but I can see indications of it. Only fancy where we should all

ing which would have been expected in him twenty years ago. "Crasweller," said I, "do y

ness. "I have fifty young foals in that meadow there; and I

use I want to see you; and now I am to be sent back in order that you might attend to the administration of hot mashes! Come into the house." Then I entered in under the verandah

he; "it is pret

ose any girl in the old country was ever better provided for than will be Eva." This

on had not been born a few years sooner." At this moment my boy was half a head taller than young Grundle, and a much better specimen

ch at the present moment to talk to him about the love matters of the two children. I was intent on something of infinitely greater importance. "Crasweller," said I, "you and I have always agreed to the letter on this great matter of the Fixed Period." He looked into my face

for you," he replied

ars, I

nine, I

though I was surprised at the error, I did not notice it on this oc

have bee

. Look round on the men whom you can remember, and tell me, on how

was never better able to manage my business than I am at present. It is more than

e question so to arrange the law as to vary the ter

errible severity you shoul

g us so to leave it that the very act of doing so shall be regarded by us as a curse so terrible as to neutralise all the blessings of our existence? Can it be that He who created us should have intended that we should so regard our dismissal from the world? The teachers of religion have endeavoured to reconcile us to it, and have, in their vain zeal, endeavoured to effect it by picturing to our imaginations a hell-fire into which ninety-nine must fall; while one shall be allowed to escape to a heaven, which is hardly made more alluring to us! Is that the way to make a man comfortable at the prospect of leaving this world? But it is necessary to our dignity as men that we shall find the mode of doing so. To lie quivering and quaking on my bed at the expectation of

e years older

s nothing now in so trifling an error. "But you still ag

so," said

e said for the philosophy to which we have devoted

t to perform all the functions of life. It might be very well if you could ar

are infirm

t them," sai

with advancing years he will resume the strength of his youth. There must, in fact, be a Fixe

s mind to which he hardly dared to give words. Wishing to encourage him, I went o

," he said

your departure, but twelv

re deposition,"

a man or a woman in Britannula was in doubt as to Mr Crasweller's exact age. It had been written in the records, and upon the stones belonging to the college. There was no doubt that w

ieve that he can get rid of me in one year. I have, at any rate, two years left of my out

e. The word slaughter was in itself peculiarly objectionable to my ears,-to me who had undertaken to perform the first ceremony as an act of grace. And what had England to do with our laws? It was as though Russia were to turn upon the United States and declare that their Congress should be put down. What would avail the loudest voice of Great Britain against the smallest spark of a law passed by our Assembly?-unless, indeed, Great Britai

To obliterate that fear from the human heart, and to build up a perfect manhood that should be liberated from so vile a thraldom, had been one of the chief objects of my scheme. I had no right to be angry with Crasweller, because Crasweller, when tried, proved himself to be no stronger than the world at large. It was a matter to me of infinite regret that it should be so. He was the very man, the very friend, on whom I had relied with confidence! But his weakness was only a proof that I myself had been mistaken. In all that Assembly b

the earlier! No doubt he knew the exact age of the man as well as I did, but it was not for him to have hastened his deposition. And then I could not but think, even in this moment of public misery, how willing Jack would have been to have assisted old Crasw

hope? It was a matter which required legislative sanction in whatever country might adopt it. No despot could attempt it, let his power be ever so confirmed. The whole country would rise against him when informed, in its ignorance, of the contemplated intention. Nor could it be effected by any congress of which the large majority were not at any rate under forty years of age. I had seen enough of human nature to understand its weakness in this respect. All circumstances had combined to make it practicable in Britannula, but all these circumst

said, "my frie

t. A man ought not to be so

uld do so with as ready a step as a young man to the arms

said. "You have not,

t you coul

such is not the natural condition of a man. Look back upon all the centuries, and you will perceive that life has ever been dear to the best

not stir him to grandeur of heart by Roman instances. He wou

asting had

gainst self

can be more alive than you," I said, "to the fact that man, by

d," said Crasweller.

it not for you and me to ra

s and happiness; and the lowing of my flocks and the bleating of my sheep are so gracious in my ears, and it is so sweet to my

w,-the law which you yourself h

hat look of stubbornness which I had before o

de available for its intended purpose. If it were known through the capital that Crasweller was anxious to obtain a year's

ious to represent his wishes to me in anot

ermined to show him that I, at any rate, would not co

t I am so easy to deal with. Eva already does not above half like him. Eva thinks that

ly a child; and brought up by her m

inion goes, Jack Neverbend is ten to one a better sort of fellow than Abraham Grundle. Of course a promise has been made; but promises are like pie-crusts. Don't you think that Jack Neverbend is quite old enough to

ly, and, as I had reason to suspect, had been more than once out to Christchurch on some clandestine object, as to which it was necessary, he thought, to keep old Crasweller in the dark. And then to be told in this manner that Jack didn't think much of Eva, and sho

d bring Jack and his love

know. Do you think that Jack could

are to tell my wife that the offer had been made to me and had been refused. My wife could not understand,-Crasweller could not understand,-how strong may be the passion founded on the conviction of a life. And honesty, simple honesty, would forbid it. For me to strike a bargain with one already destined for deposition,-that he should be withdrawn from his glorious, his almost immortal state, on the payment of a

te; or rather, in discussing the momentous question of the

oxen, and the pastures!

g to do with the settlement of this matter. My boy is dear to me, and Eva is dear also,

ere is no fals

ller, you are sixty-six now, and will be sixty-seven this time next year. Then the period of your deposition will

N

such the

r than you. I remember it all as well as though it were yesterday when we fi

carefully. "My Fix

e years earlier. It alway

w as enacted. But there was no one else to whom I could leave the performance of this invidious task, as a matter of course. There were aldermen in Gladstonopolis and magistrates in the country whose duty it would no doubt be to see that the law was carried out. Arrangements to this effect had been studiously made by myself. Such arrangements would no doubt be carried out when the working of the Fixed Period had become a thing established. But I had long foreseen that the first deposition should be effected with some éclat of voluntary glory. It would be very detrimental to the cause to see m

dressing him with great

is; I sa

ed and sworn to, which have had your own asse

my old aunt in Hampshire, written to my moth

in performing the important task of settling the Period. "You were born in New

wasn't at all the woman to let a year go

n signature affi

en I was born? All th

e date with his usual exemplary accuracy." Then he was silent for a moment as though having no further evidenc

ct that one year should be granted me. Then Jack Neverbend shall have Little Christchurch, and the sheep, and th

ere had been enthusiasm then, and the different clauses had been carried by large majorities. A dozen different clauses had been carried, each referring to various branches of the question. Not only had the period been fixed, but money had been voted for the college; and the mode of life at the college had been settled; the very amusements of the old men had been sanctioned; and last, but not least, the very manner of departure had

he exc

must be done. Th

r are in a conspiracy to get rid of me. I am not

dah. I had nothing for it but to turn on the electric lamp of my tricycl