The month of waiting was near its end. Every day I climbed the
hill above the valley to see if there was a black cloth over the
stone. But Lorna gave me no sign that she needed help. I thought
about her every day. I was only a farmer, and I was afraid that a
rich young lord would take her from me.
Then one afternoon, five days before the end of the month, I
had been to feed the horses. I was just going back into the house,
when a man came to our gate.
He held something up in his hand and shouted at me, 'In the
king's name, come here!'
24
I walked slowly towards him. I was not going to hurry when
someone shouted at me like that.
'Is this Ridd's farm?' he asked.
'Yes, sir, it is,' I answered. 'Come in and we'll give you
something to eat.'
He was a man of about forty years of age, with a hard face and
small, quick eyes.
'I'm hungry,' he said, 'but I won't eat or drink until I've seen
and touched John Ridd.'
'You have seen and touched him,' I said. 'I'm John Ridd.'
'You're a big man, John Ridd,' he said. 'My name's Jeremy
Stickles, and I'm a servant at the courts of law in London. In the
king's name, take this.'
He gave me a letter and I read it carefully. It ordered me to go
to London and answer questions from the king's judges. The
government did not think that this part of the country was safe,
and they wanted information. They also wanted information
about the Doones.
The letter told me to hurry to London, but I waited for five
days, hoping for a sign from Lorna Doone. But no black cloth
appeared on the white rock, so I left my home and travelled with
Jeremy Stickles to London.
In those days, the journey to London was long and dangerous.
It took us many days to get there, but we arrived safely. The
streets of London were dirty and noisy and full of people, and I
did not like the city. I liked the River Thames and the big church
at Westminster, but nothing else.
I waited in London for two months, until I had spent nearly all
my money. I often went to the law courts, but I found no one to
help me. Then one day an officer came from a courtroom and
ordered me to go there. I entered and stood in front of one of the
most powerful men in England, Judge Jeffreys.
The room was not very large. At one end there were three
The month of waiting was near its end. Every day I climbed thehill above the valley to see if there was a black cloth over thestone. But Lorna gave me no sign that she needed help. I thoughtabout her every day. I was only a farmer, and I was afraid that arich young lord would take her from me.Then one afternoon, five days before the end of the month, Ihad been to feed the horses. I was just going back into the house,when a man came to our gate.He held something up in his hand and shouted at me, 'In theking's name, come here!'24I walked slowly towards him. I was not going to hurry whensomeone shouted at me like that.'Is this Ridd's farm?' he asked.'Yes, sir, it is,' I answered. 'Come in and we'll give yousomething to eat.'He was a man of about forty years of age, with a hard face andsmall, quick eyes.'I'm hungry,' he said, 'but I won't eat or drink until I've seenand touched John Ridd.''You have seen and touched him,' I said. 'I'm John Ridd.''You're a big man, John Ridd,' he said. 'My name's JeremyStickles, and I'm a servant at the courts of law in London. In theking's name, take this.'He gave me a letter and I read it carefully. It ordered me to goto London and answer questions from the king's judges. Thegovernment did not think that this part of the country was safe,and they wanted information. They also wanted informationabout the Doones.The letter told me to hurry to London, but I waited for fivedays, hoping for a sign from Lorna Doone. But no black clothappeared on the white rock, so I left my home and travelled withJeremy Stickles to London.In those days, the journey to London was long and dangerous.It took us many days to get there, but we arrived safely. Thestreets of London were dirty and noisy and full of people, and Idid not like the city. I liked the River Thames and the big churchat Westminster, but nothing else.I waited in London for two months, until I had spent nearly allmy money. I often went to the law courts, but I found no one tohelp me. Then one day an officer came from a courtroom andordered me to go there. I entered and stood in front of one of themost powerful men in England, Judge Jeffreys.The room was not very large. At one end there were three
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