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in the morning。〃
I begin to wonder whether my wife's intellect is going the way of
the landlord's intellect。 〃Is that all？〃 I ask。
〃It is NOT all；〃 Mrs。 Fairbank answers。 〃Francis Raven sits up on
the morning of his birthday because he is afraid to go to bed。〃
〃And why is he afraid to go to bed？〃
〃Because he is in peril of his life。〃
〃On his birthday？〃
〃On his birthday。 At two o'clock in the morning。 As regularly as
the birthday comes round。〃
There she stops。 Has she discovered no more than that？ No more
thus far。 I begin to feel really interested by this time。 I ask
eagerly what it means？ Mrs。 Fairbank points mysteriously to the
chaisewith Francis Raven （hitherto our hostler； now our coachman）
waiting for us to get in。 The chaise has a seat for two in front；
and a seat for one behind。 My wife casts a warning look at me； and
places herself on the seat in front。
The necessary consequence of this arrangement is that Mrs。 Fairhank
sits by the side of the driver during a journey of two hours and
more。 Need I state the result？ It would be an insult to your
intelligence to state the result。 Let me offer you my place in the
chaise。 And let Francis Raven tell his terrible story in his own
words。
THE SECOND NARRATIVE
THE HOSTLER'S STORY。TOLD BY HIMSELF
IV
It is now ten years ago since I got my first warning of the great
trouble of my life in the Vision of a Dream。
I shall be better able to tell you about it if you will please
suppose yourselves to be drinking tea along with us in our little
cottage in Cambridgeshire； ten years since。
The time was the close of day； and there were three of us at the
table； namely； my mother； myself； and my mother's sister； Mrs。
Chance。 These two were Scotchwomen by birth； and both were widows。
There was no other resemblance between them that I can call to
mind。 My mother had lived all her life in England； and had no more
of the Scotch brogue on her tongue than I have。 My aunt Chance had
never been out of Scotland until she came to keep house with my
mother after her husband's death。 And when SHE opened her lips you
heard broad Scotch； I can tell you； if you ever heard it yet！
As it fell out； there was a matter of some consequence in debate
among us that evening。 It was this： whether I should do well or
not to take a long journey on foot the next morning。
Now the next morning happened to be the day before my birthday； and
the purpose of the journey was to offer myself for a situation as
groom at a great house in the neighboring county to ours。 The
place was reported as likely to fall vacant in about three weeks'
time。 I was as well fitted to fill it as any other man。 In the
prosperous days of our family； my father had been manager of a
training stable； and he had kept me employed among the horses from
my boyhood upward。 Please to excuse my troubling you with these
small matters。 They all fit into my story farther on； as you will
soon find out。 My poor mother was dead against my leaving home on
the morrow。
〃You can never walk all the way there and all the way back again by
to…morrow night；〃 she says。 〃The end of it will be that you will
sleep away from home on your birthday。 You have never done that
yet； Francis； since your father's death； I don't like your doing it
now。 Wait a day longer； my sononly one day。〃
For my own part； I was weary of being idle； and I couldn't abide
the notion of delay。 Even one day might make all the difference。
Some other man might take time by the forelock； and get the place。
〃Consider how long I have been out of work；〃 I says； 〃and don't ask
me to put off the journey。 I won't fail you； mother。 I'll get
back by to…morrow night； if I have to pay my last sixpence for a
lift in a cart。〃
My mother shook her head。 〃I don't like it； FrancisI don't like
it！〃 There was no moving her from that view。 We argued and
argued； until we were both at a deadlock。 It ended in our agreeing
to refer the difference between us to my mother's sister； Mrs。
Chance。
While we were trying hard to convince each other； my aunt Chance
sat as dumb as a fish； stirring her tea and thinking her own
thoughts。 When we made our appeal to her； she seemed as it were to
wake up。 〃Ye baith refer it to my puir judgment？〃 she says； in her
broad Scotch。 We both answered Yes。 Upon that my aunt Chance
first cleared the tea…table； and then pulled out from the pocket of
her gown a pack of cards。
Don't run away； if you please； with the notion that this was done
lightly； with a view to amuse my mother and me。 My aunt Chance
seriously believed that she could look into the future by telling
fortunes on the cards。 She did nothing herself without first
consulting the cards。 She could give no more serious proof of her
interest in my welfare than the proof which she was offering now。
I don't say it profanely； I only mention the factthe cards had；
in some incomprehensible way； got themselves jumbled up together
with her religious convictions。 You meet with people nowadays who
believe in spirits working by way of tables and chairs。 On the
same principle （if there IS any principle in it） my aunt Chance
believed in Providence working by way of the cards。
〃Whether YOU are right； Francie； or your mitherwhether ye will do
weel or ill； the morrow； to go or staythe cairds will tell it。
We are a' in the hands of Proavidence。 The cairds will tell it。〃
Hearing this； my mother turned her head aside； with something of a
sour look in her face。 Her sister's notions about the cards were
little better than flat blasphemy to her mind。 But she kept her
opinion to herself。 My aunt Chance； to own the truth； had
inherited； through her late husband； a pension of thirty pounds a
year。 This was an important contribution to our housekeeping； and
we poor relations were bound to treat her with a certain respect。
As for myself； if my poor father never did anything else for me
before he fell into difficulties； he gave me a good education； and
raised me （thank God） above superstitions of all sorts。 However； a
very little amused me in those days； and I waited to have my
fortune told； as patiently as if I believed in it too！
My aunt began her hocus pocus by throwing out all the cards in the
pack under seven。 She shuffled the rest with her left hand for
luck； and then she gave them to me to cut。 〃Wi' yer left hand；
Francie。 Mind that！ Pet your trust in Proavidencebut dinna
forget that your luck's in yer left hand！〃 A long and roundabout
shifting of the cards followed； reducing them in number until there
were just fifteen of them left； laid out neatly before my aunt in a
half circle。 The card which happened to lie outermost； at the
right…hand end of the circle； was； according to rule in such cases；
the card chosen to represent Me。 By way of being appropriate to my
sit