Jeremy Poldark Read Online Free Page A

hardly see them
through the haze. It was like walking in a vapour bath.
    Since
the loss of Julia and the opening of the prosecution against him, he had forced
himself to make this walk daily. Or if the mood took him and the weather was
favourable he would go out in the new dinghy and sail as far as St. Ann's. Such
activity didn't lift the cloud from his mind, but it helped to set it in
proportion for the rest of the day's tasks. His daughter was dead, his cousin
had betrayed him, his much laboured over smelting scheme was in ashes, he faced
charges in the criminal court for which he might well be sentenced to death or
life transportation; and if by some chance he survived that, it would be only
a matter of months before bankruptcy and imprisonment for debt followed. But
in the meantime fields had to be sown and reaped, copper had to be raised and
marketed, Demelza had to be clothed and fed and perished-so far as it was in
his scope to cherish anyone at this stage.
    It
was Julia's death which still hit him hardest. Demelza had grieved no less than
he, but hers was a more pliant nature, responding involuntarily to stimuli that
meant little to him. A celandine flowering out of season, a litter of kittens
found unexpectedly in a loft, warm sunshine after a cold spell, the smell of
the first swathe of hay these were always temporary reliefs for her, and so
sorrow had less power to injure her. Although he didn't realise it, much of the
cherishing this year, had been on her side.
    After
the storms of Christmas it had been a quiet winter; but there was no ease in the
district, Ross thought, any, more than there was ease in himself. Copper prices
had risen only enough to bring a slight increase of profit in the mines now
open, nothing to justify the starting of new ventures or the reopening of old.
Life was very close to survival level.
    As
he left the beach and climbed over the broken wall he saw Demelza coming down
the valley, and she saw him at the same time and waved, and he waved back. They
reached the house almost at the same time, and he helped her down and gave the
horse to Gimlett, who had come hurrying round.
    "You've
dressed up for your morning ride to-day, he said.
    I
thought twas bad to get slovenly and be seen about as if I didn't care for
being Mrs. Poldark."
    "There
are some who might feel that way just at present."
    She
linked his arm and put pressure on it to get him to walk round the garden with
her.
    "
My hollyhocks are not so well this year," she said. -" Too much rain.
All the crops are late too. We need a rare hot September.''
    "It
would make it stuffy in the court."
    'We
' shall not be in court all the month. Only one day. Then you'll be free"
    "'Who
says so? Have you been consulting your witches?"
    She
paused to pick a snail from under an old primrose leaf. She held it
distastefully between gloved finger and thumb'.
    I
never know what's best to do with 'em."
    Drop
it on that stone."
    She
did so and turned away while he crushed it. "Poor little bull-horn. But
they're so greedy; I shouldn't mind if they were content with a leaf or two....
Talking of witches, Ross, have you ever heard of a cow illness called
Tail-Shot?"
    "No."
    "The
back legs are paralysed and the cow's teeth come loose:"
    A
cow's teeth are always loose," Ross said.
    "And
the tail has a queer unjointed look - as if it were broken. That gives it its
name. D'you think twould cure the disease to open up the tail and put in a
boiled onion?"'
    Ross
said " No."
    "
But it would do no harm if the cow was going to get better anyhow, would
it?"
    "'What
have you been up to this morning?"
    She
looked into his distinguished bony face.
    "I
met Dwight on the way home. He is going to be at assize."
    "I
don't see what need there'll be of him. Half Sawle and Grambler will be there,
it appears to me. It will make quite a Roman holiday."
    They
walked round in silence. The garden was motionless under the lowering clouds,
leaf and flower taking on the warmer, firmer