The exact locality of the fire was plain to him as he neared home.
He soon could hear the shout of men, the flapping of the flames, the crackling of burning wood, and could smell the smoke from the conflagration.
Of a sudden, a few yards ahead, within the compass of the rays from the right-hand lamp, burst forward the figure of a man. Having been walking in darkness the newcomer raised his hands to his eyes, on approaching nearer, to screen them from the glare of the reflector.
Manston saw that he was one of the villagers: a small farmer originally, who had drunk himself down to a day-labourer and reputed poacher.
'Hoy!' cried Manston, aloud, that the man might step aside out of the way.
'Is that Mr. Manston?' said the man.
'Yes.' 'Somebody ha' come to Carriford: and the rest of it may concern you, sir.' 'Well, well.' 'Did you expect Mrs. Manston to-night, sir?' 'Yes, unfortunately she's come, I know, and asleep long before this time, I suppose.' The labourer leant his elbow upon the shaft of the gig and turned his face, pale and sweating from his late work at the fire, up to Manston's.
'Yes, she did come,' he said. . . . 'I beg pardon, sir, but I should be glad of--of--' 'What?' 'Glad of a trifle for bringen ye the news.' 'Not a farthing! I didn't want your news, I knew she was come.' 'Won't you give me a shillen, sir?' 'Certainly not.' 'Then will you lend me a shillen, sir? I be tired out, and don't know what to do. If I don't pay you back some day I'll be d--d.' 'The devil is so cheated that perdition isn't worth a penny as a security.' 'Oh!' 'Let me go on,' said Manston.
'Thy wife is _dead_; that's the rest o' the news,' said the labourer slowly. He waited for a reply; none came.
'She went to the Three Tranters, because she couldn't get into thy house, the burnen roof fell in upon her before she could be called up, and she's a cinder, as thou'lt be some day.' 'That will do, let me drive on,' said the steward calmly.
Expectation of a concussion may be so intense that its failure strikes the brain with more force than its fulfilment. The labourer sank back into the ditch. Such a Cushi could not realize the possibility of such an unmoved David as this.
Manston drove hastily to the turning of the road, tied his horse, and ran on foot to the site of the fire.