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Updated: June 5, 2025
Say this after me: "May all the host above angels and archangels, and principalities and powers punish me; may I be tormented wherever I am in the house or in the garden, in the fields or in the roads, in church or in chapel, at home or abroad, on land or at sea; may I be afflicted in eating and in drinking, in growing up and in growing old, in living and dying, inwardly and outwardly, and for always, if I ever speak of my life as a shepherd boy, or of what I have seen done on this Marlbury Down.
But if my life and future are of any concern to you at all, I beg that you will grant my request. What I require of you, is, dear Harriet, that you meet me about eleven to-night by the Druid stones on Marlbury Downs, about a mile or more from your house. I cannot say more, except to entreat you to come. I will explain all when you are there. The one thing is, I want to see you. Come alone.
A nice little town, quiet though. I had a long talk with Miss Skinner remember her, don't you, Joany?" Her eyes glittered. "Mr. Slotman, I am trying to understand what this means. Is it that you are mad or intoxicated? Why do you come here to me with all these statements? Why do you come here at all?" "Marlbury," he continued unmoved, "a nice, quiet little place.
He looked her in the eyes. "But it won't come off, Joan; no, my dear, I've been too busy of late to be taken in by your airs and defiance!" He laughed. "I've been making quite a round, here, there, and everywhere, and all because of you, Joan all because of you! Among other places I've been to," he went on, seeing that she stood silent and unmoved, "is Marlbury You remember it, eh?
You offered to to atone by marrying me." "In my mad, presumptuous folly, Joan!" "And it was overheard; the man heard all. He did not understand how should he? His vile mind grasped at other meanings. He went down to Marlbury and to Morchester to make enquiries, to look for an entry in a register that was never made.
"I should not describe Lady Linden as a pleasant person," he decided, "still, her information will prove of the utmost value to me. On the whole I am glad I went." He felt satisfied; he had discovered all that was discoverable, so far as Cornbridge was concerned. "Married in eighteen, June of eighteen," he muttered, "at Marlbury, Dorset. I'll bet she wasn't!
"You left Miss Skinner's, said you were going to Australia, didn't you? But you didn't go. Oh no, you didn't go! You know best where you went, but there's no proof of any marriage at Marlbury or Morchester. Now now do you begin to understand?" She did understand, a sense of horror came to her, horror and shame that this man should dare dare to think evil of her!
She may have said she was, but she wasn't!" He chuckled grimly. He was beginning to see through it. "I suppose she told that tale, and then it got about, and then the fellow came and offered her marriage as the only possible way out. I'd like to choke the brute!" Slotman slept that night in London, and early the following morning he was on his way to Marlbury.
He realised that he was not a good liar. "I would like some particulars," she said coldly. "Hugh Alston, I should be very interested to know where she is!" "I don't know!" "You are mad. When were you married?" "June nineteen eighteen," he said glibly. "Where?" "At Marlbury!" "Good gracious! That is where Marjorie used to go to school!" "Yes, it was when I went down to see her there, and "
But she could not guess, how could she, how in spite of the laughter on his lips there was a great ache and a feeling of emptiness at his heart. "So now we have it all complete," he said. "I was married in June, nineteen eighteen at Marlbury; my wife and I did not get on, we parted. She had a temper, so had I, a most unhappy affair, and there you are!" He laughed.
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