"They talk of devils' chains, sir, and how they drags a man down. Them was a link, sure enough. That paper there, sir, I keeps seeing it at night by the rushlight, and they gets to look just like chains." Then Mr Harford understood that he meant the laburnums on the paper-- golden chains, as they are often called. "I was working with George," he said, "before them Carbonels came, and when there was a piece of the parlour paper left over, I took it for a parkisit. I didn't let George know; he always seemed too particular. 'Twas more than I had reckoned on; and one bit I papered Mrs Brown's room, at Downhill, with; and one bit that was left my wife put on the screen. Then, when the captain made a work about it, I thought it was mean and shabby in him, and I never could lay my mind to him or his after that--special after Miss Sophy came and spied it out. I went agen 'em more and more, and all they wanted for the place; and it riled me the more that my lad should be took up with them and his aunt. And so the ill-will of it went on with me, worse and worserer. Molly, I say, take the devils' chains away. They've got a hold of me." That was his delirious cry. Mr Harford prayed with him and for him, but never could tell how much was remorse and how much might be repentance. He was quieter as his strength failed, and his wife said he made a beautiful end, and that she was sure the Holy Name of the Saviour was on his lips, and Mr Harford trusted that she was right, with the charity that hopeth all things. CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. MISSED AND MOURNED. "Nor deem the irrevocable Past As wholly wasted, wholly vain." _Longfellow_. "Be they Gobblealls not coming home?" asked Nanny Barton, as she stood at her gate, while some of her neighbours came slowly out of church, about two years later. "My man, he did ask Shepherd Tomkins," said Betsy Seddon, "and all the answer he got was, `You don't desarve it, not you.' As if my man had gone out with that there rabble rout!" "And I'm sure mine only went up to see what they were after, and helped to put out the fire beside." "Ay," said Cox, behind her, "but not till the soldiers were come." "Time they did come!" said Seddon. "Rain comes through the roof, and that there Lawyer Brent won't have nothing done to it till the captain comes home." "Yes," added Morris, "and when I spoke to him about my windows, as got blown in, he said `cottages were no end of expense, and we hadn't treated them so as they would wish to come back nohow.'" "Think of their bearing malice!" cried Nanny Barton. "I don't believe as how they does," responded the other Nanny. "They have sent the coals and the blankets all the same." "Bear malice!" said Mrs Truman, who had just walked up. "No, no. Why, Parson Harford have said over and over again, when he gave a shilling or so or a meat order, to help a poor lady that was ill, that 'twas by madam's wish."