NowforamomentIwillaskleavetoremovemyowninsignificantpersonalityandtodescribeeventswhichoccurredbeforewearriveduponthescenebythelightofknowledgewhichcametousafterwards.OnlyinthiswaycanImakethereaderappreciatethepeopleconcernedandthestrangesettinginwhichtheirfatewascast.
ThevillageofBirlstoneisasmallandveryancientclusterofhalf-timberedcottagesonthenorthernborderofthecountyofSussex.Forcenturiesithadremainedunchangedbutwithinthelastfewyearsitspicturesqueappearanceandsituationhaveattractedanumberofwell-to-doresidents,whosevillaspeepoutfromthewoodsaround.ThesewoodsarelocallysupposedtobetheextremefringeofthegreatWealdforest,whichthinsawayuntilitreachesthenorthernchalkdowns.AnumberofsmallshopshavecomeintobeingtomeetthewantsoftheincreasedpopulationsothereseemssomeprospectthatBirlstonemaysoongrowfromanancientvillageintoamoderntown.Itisthecentreforaconsiderableareaofcountry,sinceTunbridgeWells,thenearestplaceofimportance,istenortwelvemilestotheeastward,overthebordersofKent.
Abouthalfamilefromthetown,standinginanoldparkfamousforitshugebeechtrees,istheancientManorHouseofBirlstone.Partofthisvenerablebuildingdatesbacktothetimeofthefirstcrusade,whenHugodeCapusbuiltafortaliceinthecentreoftheestate,whichhadbeengrantedtohimbytheRedKing.Thiswasdestroyedbyfirein1543,andsomeofitssmoke-blackenedcornerstoneswereusedwhen,inJacobeantimes,abrickcountryhouseroseupontheruinsofthefeudalcastle.
TheManorHouse,withitsmanygablesanditssmalldiamond-panedwindows,wasstillmuchasthebuilderhadleftitintheearlyseventeenthcentury.Ofthedoublemoatswhichhadguardeditsmorewarlikepredecessor,theouterhadbeenallowedtodryup,andservedthehumblefunctionofakitchengarden.Theinneronewasstillthere,andlayfortyfeetinbreadth,thoughnowonlyafewfeetindepth,roundthewholehouse.Asmallstreamfeditandcontinuedbeyondit,sothatthesheetofwater,thoughturbid,wasneverditchlikeorunhealthy.Thegroundfloorwindowswerewithinafootofthesurfaceofthewater.
Theonlyapproacht