The Broad Highway

Attached to the locket was a narrow blue riband, wherefore,

passing this riband over my head, I hung the locket about my

neck. And having read through the message once more, I closed

the Virgil, and, replacing it on the shelf, set about brewing a

cup of tea, and so presently sat down to breakfast.

I had scarcely done so, however, when there came a timid knock at

the door, whereat I rose expectantly, and immediately sat down

again.

"Come in!" said I. The latch was slowly raised, the door swung

open, and the Ancient appeared. If I was surprised to see him at

such an hour, he was even more so, for, at sight of me, his mouth

opened, and he stood staring speechlessly, leaning upon his stick.

"Why, Ancient," said I, "you are early abroad this morning!"

"Lord!" he exclaimed, scarcely above a whisper.

"Come in and sit down," said I.

"Lord! Lord!" he murmured, "an' a-satin' 'is breakfus' tu.

Lordy, Lord!"

"Yes," I nodded, "and, such as it is, you are heartily welcome to

share it--sit down," and I drew up my other chair.

"A-eatin' 'is breakfus' as ever was!" repeated the old man,

without moving.

"And why not, Ancient?"

"Why not?" he repeated disdainfully. "'Cause breakfus' can't be

ate by a corp', can it?"

"A corpse, Ancient; what do you mean?"

"I means as a corp' aren't got no right to eat a breakfus'--no!"

"Why, I--no, certainly not."

"Consequently, you aren't a corp', you'll be tellin me."

"I?--no, not yet, God be thanked!"

"Peter," said the Ancient, shaking his head, and mopping his brow

with a corner of his neckerchief, "you du be forever a-givin' of

me turns, that ye du."

"Do I, Ancient?"

"Ay--that ye du, an' me such a aged man tu--such a very aged man.

I wonders at ye, Peter, an' me wi' my white 'airs--oh, I wonders

at ye!" said he, sinking into the chair I had placed for him and

regarding me with a stern, reproving eye.

"If you will tell me what I have been guilty of--" I began.

"I come down 'ere, Peter--so early as it be, to--I come down 'ere

to look for your corp', arter the storm an' what 'appened last

night. I comes down 'ere, and what does I find?--I finds ye

a-eatin' your breakfus'--just as if theer never 'adn't been no

storm at all--no, nor nothin' else."