The Blithedale Romance

oak-tree, with the moisture bubbling merrily out at both ends. It was now half an hour beyond dusk. The blaze from an armful of substantial sticks, rendered more combustible by brushwood

th its not ungrateful fragrance. The exuberance of this household fire would alone have sufficed to bespeak us no true farmers; for the New England yeoma

of youth, warm blood, and hope, and the women - such of them, at least, as were anywise convertible by its magic - so very beautiful, that I would cheerfully have spent my last dollar to prolong th

tea as not many of the world's working-people, except yourselves, will find in their cups to-night. After this one supper, yo

d way. It was the first practical trial of our theories of equal brotherhood and sisterhood; and we people of superior cultivation and refinement (for as such, I p

pany, it was at our own option to use pictured porcelain and handle silver forks again to-morrow. This same salvo, as to the power of regaining our former position, contributed much, I fear, to the equanimity with which we subsequently bore many of the hardships and humiliations of a life of toil. If ever I have deserved (which has not often been the case, and, I think, never), but if ever I did deserve to be soundly cuffed by a

grew rather oppressive; indeed, it was hardly broken by

ging to a solitary traveller, on a stormy night, as a flood of firelight seen amid the gloom. These ruddy window panes cannot

r," observed Silas Foster; but whether he meant to insinuate that

"it may serve to guide s

this, there came a k

just so!" quoth Silas Foster. "Our firelight will draw str

felt a little startled at the knock which came so unseasonably, through night and storm, to the door of the lonely farmhouse - so it happened that nobody, for an instant or two, arose to answer the

" said Zenobia, laughing. "And what are we

enough, stood Hollingsworth, his shaggy greatcoat all covered with snow, so

apacious as a barrel. "It would have served you right if I had lain down and spent the night on the doorst

oman; or, rather - judging from the ease with which he lifted her, and the little space which she seemed to fill in his arms, a slim and unsubstantial girl. As she showed some hesitati

aining behind with him, while h

urprise. "It is a young person who belongs here, however; and no doubt she had

he other occupants of the kitchen. "Nobody seems to welcome

llingsworth quietly,

here, like a flower-shrub that had done its best to blossom in too scanty light. To complete the pitiableness of her aspect, she shivered either with cold, or fear, or nervous excitement, so that you might have beheld her shadow vibrating on the fire-lighted wall. In short, there has seldom been seen so depressed and sad a figure as this young girl's; and it was hardly possible to help being angry with her, from mere despair of doing anything for her comfort. The fantasy occurred to me that she was some desola

fair, rosy, beautiful woman. It was the strangest look I ever witnessed; long a mystery to me, and forever a memory. Once she seemed about to move forward and greet her - I know not with what warmth or

uct on this occasion. But women are always more

d she in rather a sharp tone. "

ingsworth ste

he positively frowned at Zenobia. "The very heart will be frozen in her bosom, unl

ded from any finer or softer material. His figure was not tall, but massive and brawny, and well befitting his original occupation; which as the reader probably knows - was that of a blacksmith. As for external polish, or mere courtesy of manner, he never possessed more than a tolerably educated bear; although, in his gentler moo

t I had been told so many examples - absolutely

she almost humbly. "I am willing to be kind to the poor

Hollingsworth kindly to the girl. "I remembe

lied the girl tremulously. "Only tha

worthy to be the first incident in our life of love and free-heartedness! But I accept it, for the p

to add anything more, and decided in the negative. "Pray do not ask me my o

re the poor thing had not shed any tears; but now that she found herself received, and at least temporarily established, the big drops began to ooze out from beneath her eyelids as if she were full of them. Perhaps it showed the iron substance of my heart, that I c

sent her to us, as the first-fruits of the world, which we have undertaken to make happier than we find it. Let us warm her poor, shivering body with this good fire, and her poor, shivering heart with our best kindness. Let

"you may tell us how and

begged me to convey her to Blithedale, where - so I understood him -

and dropping half of it on the table-cloth; using the same serviceable implement to cut slice after slice of ham; perpetrating terrible enormities with the butter-plate; and in all other respects behaving less like a civilized Christian than the worst kind of an og

as he was. "That's what she wants. Let her stay with us as long as she likes, and help in the kitchen, and ta

to supper, and Pris