Chapter XXXII: Epilogue

HERE, so far as the author’s choice is concerned, this history closes. The man and woman, forced apart by powers greater than themselves, have come to their own again and stand at the portal of a new life, at the door of a structure built from the wreck of bygone things. Those who have watched them may augur for themselves what the future is like to be for them, and shut the book, assured that the record of these two, for whom life held so much more than they could see with their eyes and touch with their hands, will not fall below its mark.

But, to that vast and ingenuous multitude which has taste for the dotted ‘i’ and the crossed ‘t,’ there remains yet a word to be added.

Cecilia stayed under Captain Somerville’s roof while the disturbing events round her quieted themselves, and while Gilbert, who received a challenge from Fordyce, settled the score. Even she scarcely felt anxious, as she awaited the result of their meeting, for Speid chose the sword as a weapon and had assured her he would deal as tenderly with Crauford as though he were a new-born babe. This he proceeded to do, so long as it amused him, after which he scratched him deftly on the inside of the wrist and the seconds, who could scarce restrain their smiles, agreed that honour was satisfied.

And so the jasmine-trees were planted at Whanland, the ideal horse bought; the necklace with the emerald drop found the resting-place Gilbert had desired for it. Granny Stirk, accompanied by Jimmy, went to the second wedding which was attempted in Morphie Kirk, and which, this time, was celebrated without interruption; she drove there in a carriage, and the bridegroom, who was standing by the pulpit as she arrived, left his place and conducted her on his arm to a seat near the Miss Robertsons.

Crauford married Lady Maria Milwright, who therefore thought herself exalted among women, and was, in reality, much too good for him. Barclay constantly frequented his roof, making Lady Maria very happy by his expressed admiration of her husband; he might have boasted of the intimacy to the end of his life had he not covertly courted Agneta and been taken in the act by Lady Fordyce. Family dignity expelled the offender and the only person who was sorry for him was kind Lady Maria, who rose at an unconscionable hour to preside over his breakfast before he departed, forever, amid shame and luggage.

Agneta eloped with an English clergyman and ended her days as a bishop’s wife, too much occupied with her position to have a thought for that palpitating world of romance and desperation upon which she had once cast such covetous eyes.

On the death of Captain Somerville, a few years later, the lawyer took to himself his widow, who had contrived, by much lying and some luck, to conceal from him her part in the betrayal of his schemes. She looked as much out of the window and dispensed as much hospitality under her new name and never failed to disparage Mrs. Speid of Whanland, whenever that much-admired lady appeared either in the street or the conversation. These were the only places in which she met her, for her husband had long ceased to be connected, either by business or acquaintance, with the family.

THE END

BILLING AND SONS, LTD., PRINTERS, GUILDFORD

BY THE SAME AUTHOR

THE SHEEP-STEALERS

In one Vol. Crown 8vo. Price 6s.

Some Press Opinions

The Times: ‘Every taster of fiction knows that the most probable of the possibilities hidden between the covers of a first novel is disappointment. Hence the danger of hailing the occasional exception as the achievement of genius. And yet it is possible to be grateful for a piece of good work without comparing its creator to the giants of the past, or prating about the finest novel of the century. Of “The Sheep-stealers” it will be sufficient to say that it is a good piece of work. The book is so well planned that every incident fits naturally into its place, and helps to form a harmonious and inevitable whole. Miss Jacob possesses a strong power of realistic description; her pen has a life-giving knack of rendering sounds as well as scenes, and she is not without touches of dry humour.’

Punch: ‘“The Sheep-stealers” breaks fresh ground, and Violet Jacob tills it with exceeding vigour and success. The work is admirably done, adding fresh zest to the palled appetite of the wayworn novel reader.’

The Spectator: ‘The emergence of a book so fresh, so original, and so wholesome as “The Sheep-stealers” is peculiarly welcome at a time when we are bidden to believe that all normal and native themes are exhausted. We have been surfeited of late with the novel of “smart” society. As an alternative to these lavishly upholstered chronicles of corruption in high life we can cordially recommend Miss Jacob’s powerful and engrossing romance of Herefordshire and Brecknock in the early “forties.” It deserves to rank along with “The House with the Green Shutters” in the limited category of those tales of the countryside in which there is nothing provincial, particularist, or parochial. Like all stories that deal faithfully with rural life in a remote and unfrequented neighbourhood, it is somewhat sombre in tone; but it is free from the crushing pessimism of the novels of Mr. Hardy, the writer to whom on his best and most poetic side Miss Jacob is most closely related. The portraiture of the principal characters is quite in keeping with the remote, unsophisticated surroundings. All are intensely and primitively human in their passions and virtues. We have seldom read a book in which a lowly theme was treated with a happier mixture of romance and realism. Indeed, few novelists of recent years have set themselves so high a standard in their initial effort as Miss Jacob, whose work is singularly free from the faults of a novice. Her style is excellent--lucid, natural, unaffected--her energy is under control; she understands the art of self-effacement, of omission, of reticence, and she is as successful in dealing with her gentle as with her simple characters. So remarkable an achievement indicates patient preparation, and affords an excellent guarantee that the author will not be beguiled by her immediate success into the adoption of those methods which degrade creation into manufacture.’

The Scotsman: Miss Jacob has infused into her story some of that rare topographical and atmospheric charm which is to be found in such books as Stevenson’s “Catriona” or Hardy’s “Far from the Madding Crowd.” “The Sheep-stealers” is a delightful book, a story interesting throughout, well conceived, admirably sustained, and in parts very finely written.’

The St. James’s Gazette: ‘Good work, careful and delicate, with touches of passion and of humour.’

The Daily Telegraph: ‘The name of the authoress of “The Sheep-stealers” is unfamiliar, but it will unquestionably be heard of again. If this is Miss Violet Jacob’s first essay in fiction, she is to be congratulated most warmly upon a very powerful piece of work. Her characters stand out clearly and sharply, and the local colour is as vivid as it is in “Lorna Doone” or “The Return of the Native.” Her originality of theme and treatment is unmistakable. “The Sheep-stealers” is a very good novel: it only just misses being a great novel.’

The Field: ‘A close, sympathetic, and thoroughly sensible study of rural life in the early nineteenth-century days. It is an admirably constructed story.’

The Morning Post: ‘The author knows her country and its inhabitants by heart. Neither she nor Mr. Hardy need blush because their relationship in letters cannot be overlooked. Both the people of the valley and the hill people who live and love and die in the fascination of the gigantic hill are creatures of reasonable flesh and blood--creatures as real as any to be found in the shadow-haunted granges of Wessex.’

LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN, 21 BEDFORD STREET, W.C.

Transcriber’s Note

This transcription is based on scans of the Heinemann edition, which are available through the National Library of Scotland:

https://digital.nls.uk/128693605

The following changes were made to the printed text:

• The advertisement for _The Sheep-Stealers_ has been moved from the front of the text to the end.

• The footnotes have been moved from the bottom of a page to right after the paragraph to which they refer.

• Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_).

• p. 26: The expensive taste was hers table--Changed “hers table” to “her stable”.

• p. 63: continued Jimmy; ’twas i’ the airm, too.--Inserted an opening single quotation mark before “’twas”.

• p. 78: laid it deftly across his cheekbone.--Changed “cheekbone” to “cheek-bone” for consistency.

• p. 115: ‘How glad I am that I spoke to you about it--Inserted a period and a closing single quotation mark after “about it”.

• p. 133: I am sorry,’ said Lady Eliza, too much cast down--Inserted an opening single quotation mark at the beginning of the sentence.

Inconsistencies of spelling and hyphenation were not changed, except where otherwise noted.