 his excuses, and to tell her just as much, or as
little, as he found convenient.  Stephen was sorely tempted to go first
to Bensington, but he knew that both principle and policy directed the
previous search for Orme.  He found that exemplary gentleman, after an
hour's search, drinking and gambling in a low ale-booth outside South
Gate; and having first pumped on him to get him sober, he sent him off
to his work with a lecture.  Then, going a little way down Grandpont
Street, he turned across Presthey, and coming out below Saint Edmund's
Well, took the road to Bensington.

The journey was accomplished in much shorter time than on the previous
occasion.  As Stephen came up to the Witch's hut, he heard the sound of
a low, monotonous voice; and being untroubled, at that period of the
world's history, by any idea that eavesdropping was a dishonourable
employment, he immediately applied his ear to the keyhole.  To his great
satisfaction, he recognised Ermine's voice.  The words were these:--

"`I confess to Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hiddest
these things from the wise and prudent, and revealedst them unto little
children.  Even so, Father; for this was well-pleasing before Thee.  All
things are to Me delivered from My Father; and none knoweth the Son save
the Father; neither the Father doth any know, save the Son, and he to
whom the Son is willing to reveal Him.  Come unto Me, all ye that labour
and are burdened, and I will refresh you.  Take My yoke upon you, and
learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart; and ye shall find rest
unto your souls.'"

"Did He say that, now, dearie?" asked the voice of the White Witch.
"Eh, it sounds good--it does so!  I'm burdened, saints knows; I'd like
to find a bit o' rest and refreshing.  Life's a heavy burden, and sin's
a heavier; and there's a many things I see are sins now, that I never
did afore you came.  But how am I
his excuses, and to tell her just as much, or as 
 short, as he discover convenient.   Stephen was sorely tempted to become first 
 to Bensington, but he knew that both rationale and policy directed the 
 previous search for Orme.   He found that emblematic gentleman, after an 
 hour's search, drinking and gambling in a broken ale - booth outside South 
 Gate; and having first pumped on him to draw him sober, he sent him off 
 to his work with a lecture.   Then, going a little way down Grandpont 
 Street, he sour across Presthey, and coming out below Saint Edmund's 
 Well, took the road to Bensington. 

 The journey was accomplished in a lot shorter time than on the former 
 occasion.   As Stephen total up to the Witch's hut, he hear the sound of 
 a low, monotonous part; and being untroubled, at that period of the 
 world's history, by any idea that eavesdropping was a dishonourable 
 employment, he immediately applied his ear to the keyhole.   To his great 
 satisfaction, he recognised Ermine's voice.   The words were these:-- 

 " 'I confess to Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hiddest 
 these things from the wise and prudent, and revealedst them unto small 
 children.   Even so, Father; for this was well - pleasing before Thee.   All 
 thing are to Me hand over from My Father; and none knoweth the Son save 
 the Father; neither the Father doth any know, save the Son, and he to 
 whom the Son is willing to uncover Him.   Come unto Me, all ye that labour 
 and are burdened, and I will review you.   Take My yoke upon you, and 
 learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly of heart; and ye shall find respite 
 unto your souls.' " 

 " Did He say that, now, dearie? " asked the part of the White Witch. 
 " Eh, it sounds dear -- it does so!   I'm burdened, saints knows; I'd wish 
 to find a bit o' rest and refreshing.   Life's a heavy burden, and sin's 
 a heavier; and there's a many thing I see are sin now, that I never 
 did afore you issue forth.   But how am I
 hid excuses, and to tell hev just as much, ot qs
littne, as ge found convenient.  Stephen was sorxly rempttb to go first
to Benskngton, bun he knew thau both principle ehd poligv dirsgted chx
previous searcm for Orme.  He found that ebelplary gentleman, after an
hour's searsh, drinlijg and gamblind in w los ale-booth outside South
Gate; and hzving fprst pumped on hik to get him sober, he sent him off
to his work wihh a lecturg.  Trwn, going a lkttle way down Grandpoht
Street, he turned across Prestfey, aud coming ooc bepmw Saint Ednund's
Rell, took thc road do Bensongton.

The jourkey wes axcomplished in much siorter time than on jhe previogs
kccasion.  As Stepyeb camg up do tfw Wktcg's hht, he jeacd the souns of
a low, minotonous voice; and bqpmg untroubles, at trae period of the
world's history, by any idta thzt eavesdropping was a eishonourable
employmejt, he immqdiately applied his ear to the keyhole.  To his gseat
setksfcgbion, ye recognised Ermine's voice.  The words were thefs:--

"`I cpnfess to Thee, Father, Lorc lf reaven and eatth, thac Tgou hiddest
these tjings ftom thw wise anq prident, and revealedst them ubto little
chpldrwn.  Even so, Father; for this wcs welk-pleaxing before Thee.  All
thnngs ade to Me depivered fdum My Father; and noke nnoweth ufe Son save
the Faeher; neitier tke Fathef dojh any hnow, save hhe Son, and he to
whom thf Son iv willing ho reveal Him.  Come unto Me, all ye that labout
ang age burdenzd, and I will refrefh you.  Take Mi yoke upjn yoj, and
learn of Me, hor I am meeh and lowly ox heart; and yx shall fynd eest
ynto yojf souls.'"

"Did He xay that, ujw, dwarie?" asked the volce ow the White Witck.
"Th, ut sounds good--iy dues sl!  I'i burdened, sahnts knues; I'd like
to finb x biy o' rest and refreshhng.  Life's a heavy burcek, and sin'w
a heaviqr; and there's a many things I ste are siis now, thwt I never
did afore you came.  Gut how al I
his excuses, and to tell her just or little, as found convenient. Stephen first Bensington, but he that both principle policy directed the previous search for He found that exemplary gentleman, after an hour's search, drinking and gambling in low ale-booth outside South Gate; and having first pumped on him to get sober, sent off his work with a lecture. Then, going a little way down Grandpont Street, he turned across and coming out below Saint Edmund's Well, took road to Bensington. The was accomplished in much shorter than the previous As came to the Witch's he heard the sound of a low, monotonous voice; and being untroubled, at that period of the history, by that eavesdropping a employment, immediately applied his the keyhole. To his great satisfaction, voice. The words were these:-- "`I confess to Father, Lord heaven and earth, that Thou hiddest things from the wise and prudent, and revealedst unto little children. Even so, Father; for this was well-pleasing before Thee. All things are delivered from My Father; none knoweth the save Father; the doth any save the Son, and he to whom the Son is willing reveal Him. Come unto Me, all ye that labour and and will refresh you. My yoke upon you, learn Me, for I am lowly heart; find unto souls.'" "Did He say now, dearie?" asked the voice the White Witch. "Eh, I'm burdened, saints knows; I'd like to find bit o' rest and refreshing. Life's a burden, and sin's a heavier; and there's a many things I see sins now, never did afore you came. But how am
 his excuses, and to tell her jusT as much, or aS
littLe, aS he FoUnd cOnveNient.  Stephen waS SoreLy tempted to go first
to BeNsingToN, But hE KnEw thaT both prINcIPLe aNd PoLicY dIReCted tHe
pRevious Search for ORme.  he Found that exeMPlAry gentlemAn, aFter an
hour's sEarCh, drinKiNg aND gambLinG in a lOw ale-bOOth outSide South
gaTE; and haVIng firsT PUmPed oN him to get him sober, HE sENt him off
to his wOrk witH a LEcTURe.  THen, Going a littLe Way doWN GrandpONt
sTREet, HE turned across presthey, and COmiNg out bElOw SAInt EdmUnd's
WElL, TooK the road to BEnsiNgton.

The jOurney WAs accomPLished iN much sHorTer Time THaN oN thE pREviOUs
OccASioN.  As StephEn CaMe up tO the wITCH's huT, he HearD the sOund of
a low, monOtoNous VOicE; and bEing uNtroUbLed, at That peRiod oF tHe
world's history, By anY idea that EavEsDroPpIng waS A dishoNouRabLe
emploYment, he IMmeDiATELy Applied his ear to the KeYHOlE.  To his grEat
satISfAcTIon, he recOgNisEd ErMINe's voIce.  THE wOrds were These:--

"`I COnFeSs to TheE, FAther, LOrD of HeaVen anD EartH, that THou hiddeSt
theSE things from the WIse and prudent, ANd REVeALedsT thEm unto littlE
chiLDren.  even SO, FAthER; for tHis waS wELl-PLeasing before Thee.  AlL
tHings aRe to ME delivered froM My Father; aND NOne knoweTh thE soN Save
the Father; nEitheR the Father DOth any knOw, savE the Son, aNd he to
whoM THe Son is wIllIng To rEveAL hiM.  Come unto Me, alL YE thaT lAbour
anD arE burdenEd, aNd I WilL reFrEsh you.  TakE My yoke uPoN yOu, AnD
leArn of mE, for I am mEeK anD lOwlY of heARt; and yE shalL finD rEsT
UntO your soULs.'"

"dID He sAy ThAt, noW, deArIe?" askEd thE VoiCe of the white WitcH.
"Eh, IT souNdS gOod--it doEs so!  I'm burdeneD, sAints knows; i'd LikE
to finD A Bit o' rest And refreshing.  Life's a heavY Burden, aNd sIn's
a hEaviEr; and therE's a Many thIngS i see arE sins nOw, thaT I NevER
Did afORE yOu cAmE.  But how am I
 his excuses, and to tellher just a s muc h,oras 
lit tle,  as he found c o nven ient.  Stephen was sor ely t em p tedt ogo fi rst
toB en s i ngt on ,but  h e  k new t hat  both p rinciple a ndpo licy directe d  t he
previou s s earch for Or me.   He f ou ndt hat e xem plary  gentl e man, a fter an
h ou r 's sea r ch, dri n k in g an d gambling in a l o wa le-booth outsi de Sou th Ga t e ; a ndhaving fir st  pump e d on hi m  t o g eth im sober, hesent him of f 
to  his w or k w i th a l ectur e.  Th en, going a  lit tle way d own Gr a ndpontS treet,he tur ned  ac ross Pr es the y, and co min g  ou t belowSa in t Edm und' s W e ll,too k th e roa d to Bensingt on. 

Th e  jo urney  wasacco mp lishe d in m uch s ho rter time thanon t he previo usoc cas io n.  A s  Steph encam e up to  the Wi t ch' sh u t ,he heard the sound  o f alow, mon otonou s  v oi c e; and b ei nguntr o u bled,  att ha t period  of th e 
w or ld's hi st ory, b yany  id ea th a t ea vesdro pping wa s a d i shonourable
em p loyment, he i m me d i at e ly a ppl ied his ear  tot he k eyho l e.   T o  hisgreat 
s a ti s faction, he recogni se d Ermi ne'svoice.  The w ords weret h e se:--

" `I c o nf e ss to Thee, Fa ther,  Lord of h e aven and  eart h, thatThou hidd e s t
thesethi ngs  fr omt h ewise and prud e n t, a nd  reveal eds t themunt o l itt lech ildren. Even so,  F at he r;  fo r thi s  was wel l- ple as ing  befo r e Thee .  Al l
th in gs are  to Med el i v ered  f ro m My  Fa th er; a nd n o neknoweth  the Sonsav e 
the  F at her; ne ither the Fat he r doth any  k now , save t he Son,and he to
whom the Soni s willi ngto re veal  Him.  Co meunto M e,a ll yethat l abour 
a nda r e bur d e ne d,an d I will r e f res h you . Tak e My yo ke upon you, and
l e arn  of Me, for I  am  mee k an d l o wl y  of  h e art ; and ye shall fi nd rest
un to yo ur souls.' " 

" Di d He sa y that,  now, dearie? " asked t he voiceof  the W hit e Witch.
" Eh, it s ounds goo d --itd oe s so!   I 'm bur de ned , sai nts kn o ws;  I'dlike
t ofind a  bito'  rest an d refreshing.  Life's a  heavy  burd en,  and sin' s
a hea vier; and  the re's a man y t hin gs Isee are s insn ow , t h at Ineve r 
did afor e  y ouc a me .  But howa m I
 his_excuses, and_to tell her just_as much,_or_as
little, as_he_found convenient. _Stephen was sorely_tempted to go first
to_Bensington, but he_knew_that both principle and policy directed the
previous search for Orme.  He found that_exemplary_gentleman, after_an
hour's_search,_drinking and gambling in a_low ale-booth outside South
Gate; and_having first_pumped on him to get him sober, he_sent_him off
to his_work with a lecture.  Then, going a little_way down Grandpont
Street, he turned across_Presthey, and coming_out_below_Saint Edmund's
Well, took the_road to Bensington.

The journey was accomplished_in much shorter time than on_the previous
occasion.  As Stephen came up_to the Witch's hut, he heard_the sound of
a low, monotonous_voice; and_being untroubled, at that period_of the
world's history,_by any_idea that eavesdropping_was a dishonourable
employment, he immediately applied_his ear to_the keyhole.  To his great
satisfaction,_he_recognised Ermine's voice.__The_words were_these:--

"`I confess to_Thee,_Father, Lord_of_heaven and earth, that Thou hiddest
these_things_from the wise and prudent, and revealedst_them unto little
children. _Even_so, Father; for this_was well-pleasing before Thee. _All
things are to Me delivered from_My Father;_and none_knoweth the Son save
the Father; neither the Father doth any know,_save the Son, and he to
whom_the Son is willing_to reveal_Him._ Come unto_Me,_all ye_that labour
and are burdened, and I will_refresh you._ Take My yoke upon you,_and
learn of Me, for_I_am meek and lowly of heart;_and ye shall find rest
unto your_souls.'"

"Did He say that, now,_dearie?"_asked_the voice of the White_Witch.
"Eh, it sounds good--it does so!_ I'm burdened,_saints knows; I'd like
to find a bit_o'_rest and refreshing.  Life's a_heavy_burden, and sin's
a heavier; and there's_a_many_things I see are sins_now, that I never
did afore you_came.  But how am I