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A community on Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula is still in shock after a man was fatally shot at a home Sunday afternoon, in an incident involving a member of Premier Paul Davis's security detail who responded to a perceived threat on Twitter. The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer was in Mitchells Brook that afternoon investigating last week's tweet. Don Dunphy, 59, was killed by the RNC officer. On Tuesday, the RCMP confirmed that Dunphy was shot after he aimed a loaded .22-calibre rifle at the officer. However, some townspeople say Dunphy was familiar with the local members of the RCMP and it was unlike him to be violent with police, leaving questions about exactly what happened. 1. Why did the officer show up alone on Easter Sunday? The plainclothes officer showed up alone in an unmarked car at Dunphy's home. On Monday, RNC Chief Bill Janes said that the officer, who worked for the force's protective services unit, was on a regular shift and had been assigned to "investigate as needed." Davis revealed that the complaint had been turned over by a member of his office to the police, although he had not been aware of it. As for travelling alone, Const. Steve Curnew told CBC News on Tuesday that it is "not uncommon" for officers to make investigative visits on their own. RNC officers on patrol often work alone, and plainclothes officers do not always travel in pairs when they conduct investigations. The RCMP said Tuesday afternoon the investigating RNC officer had conducted a routine risk assessment prior to visiting Dunphy's home, and determined it was a low risk situation that didn't require another officer to accompany him. Nonetheless, the incident has raised questions in the Mount Carmel area, where Dunphy lived. "If Donny was a threat, why would they send in one plainclothes officer instead of having somebody else with them?" asked Susan Parrott, an area manager. 2. Did RNC inform the RCMP? The area of Mitchells Brook isn't covered by RNC jurisdiction; the RCMP polices the rural area. The RNC member informed the Holyrood RCMP detachment that he would be visiting an area resident as part of an investigation, the RCMP said Tuesday. Parrott said Dunphy was familiar with the members of the local RCMP detachment because he held a licence to grow medical marijuana. The RCMP would regularly call on Dunphy to check in and, she said, they would enter his home and chat with him. Parrott said she wonders if things would have ended differently if the local RCMP had gone along. 3. How many shots were fired? Did Dunphy fire a weapon? Neighbours told CBC News they heard multiple gunshots fired at Dunphy's home during the incident on Sunday afternoon. It remains unclear whether Dunphy fired the weapon he pulled on the officer inside his house. RNC Chief Bill Janes would not confirm Monday which weapons were fired, or how many times. On Tuesday, RCMP Sgt. Greg Hicks said police will determine as part of the investigation which guns were fired and how many times. 4. Was Dunphy expecting a police visit? Although Dunphy had a licence to grow medical marijuana and previously had been visited by members of the RCMP at his home, it's not known if he was expecting police to drop in on a different matter. It's not clear if the RNC contacted Dunphy before arriving at his residence Sunday afternoon. 5. Who was Dunphy tweeting about? The RNC was investigating a perceived Twitter threat after getting a report from one of the premier's staff members who manage his social media accounts. The tweet in question said, "Won't mention names this time, 2 prick dead MHAs might have good family members I may hurt." However, that tweet is the last in the full series of tweets Dunphy sent to the attention of Davis and MHA Sandy Collins. It was the last tweet that caught the attention of a member of the premier's office staff, prompting the RNC officer's visit to Dunphy's house. On Tuesday, Dunphy's Twitter account was deleted. Here are the relevant tweets that Dunphy had sent on Friday: @SandyRCollins @PremierOfNL @ShermanDowney is that why u can't c problems of seniors & injured workers,the sun is in your eyes,put #nlpoli — @sculpen @SandyRCollins @PremierOfNL @ShermanDowney put on sun glasses & take out the ear plugs u might c & hear ppl crying for help,but why #nlpoli — @sculpen @SandyRCollins @PremierOfNL @ShermanDowney but why would u care after putting in hard time getting that poor mans MHA pension,I hope #nlpoli — @sculpen @SandyRCollins @PremierOfNL @ShermanDowney I hope there is a God,I think I c him work on two garbage MHAs who laughed at poor ppl #nlpoli — @sculpen @SandyRCollins @PremierOfNL @ShermanDowneywon't mention names this time,2 prick dead MHAs might have good family members I may hurt #nlpoli — @sculpen [Read the original thread here] Reading the full thread, it isn't clear who Dunphy is talking about — and it appears Dunphy is referring to two previous MHAs who are dead. The RCMP is still investigating the fatal shooting, and an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday.

// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0 /* * core.c - contains all core device and protocol registration functions * * Copyright 2002 Adam Belay <[email protected]> */ #include <linux/pnp.h> #include <linux/types.h> #include <linux/list.h> #include <linux/device.h> #include <linux/module.h> #include <linux/mutex.h> #include <linux/init.h> #include <linux/string.h> #include <linux/slab.h> #include <linux/errno.h> #include <linux/dma-mapping.h> #include "base.h" static LIST_HEAD(pnp_protocols); LIST_HEAD(pnp_global); DEFINE_MUTEX(pnp_lock); /* * ACPI or PNPBIOS should tell us about all platform devices, so we can * skip some blind probes. ISAPNP typically enumerates only plug-in ISA * devices, not built-in things like COM ports. */ int pnp_platform_devices; EXPORT_SYMBOL(pnp_platform_devices); void *pnp_alloc(long size) { void *result; result = kzalloc(size, GFP_KERNEL); if (!result) { printk(KERN_ERR "pnp: Out of Memory\n"); return NULL; } return result; } static void pnp_remove_protocol(struct pnp_protocol *protocol) { mutex_lock(&pnp_lock); list_del(&protocol->protocol_list); mutex_unlock(&pnp_lock); } /** * pnp_protocol_register - adds a pnp protocol to the pnp layer * @protocol: pointer to the corresponding pnp_protocol structure * * Ex protocols: ISAPNP, PNPBIOS, etc */ int pnp_register_protocol(struct pnp_protocol *protocol) { struct list_head *pos; int nodenum, ret; INIT_LIST_HEAD(&protocol->devices); INIT_LIST_HEAD(&protocol->cards); nodenum = 0; mutex_lock(&pnp_lock); /* assign the lowest unused number */ list_for_each(pos, &pnp_protocols) { struct pnp_protocol *cur = to_pnp_protocol(pos); if (cur->number == nodenum) { pos = &pnp_protocols; nodenum++; } } protocol->number = nodenum; dev_set_name(&protocol->dev, "pnp%d", nodenum); list_add_tail(&protocol->protocol_list, &pnp_protocols); mutex_unlock(&pnp_lock); ret = device_register(&protocol->dev); if (ret) pnp_remove_protocol(protocol); return ret; } /** * pnp_protocol_unregister - removes a pnp protocol from the pnp layer * @protocol: pointer to the corresponding pnp_protocol structure */ void pnp_unregister_protocol(struct pnp_protocol *protocol) { pnp_remove_protocol(protocol); device_unregister(&protocol->dev); } static void pnp_free_ids(struct pnp_dev *dev) { struct pnp_id *id; struct pnp_id *next; id = dev->id; while (id) { next = id->next; kfree(id); id = next; } } void pnp_free_resource(struct pnp_resource *pnp_res) { list_del(&pnp_res->list); kfree(pnp_res); } void pnp_free_resources(struct pnp_dev *dev) { struct pnp_resource *pnp_res, *tmp; list_for_each_entry_safe(pnp_res, tmp, &dev->resources, list) { pnp_free_resource(pnp_res); } } static void pnp_release_device(struct device *dmdev) { struct pnp_dev *dev = to_pnp_dev(dmdev); pnp_free_ids(dev); pnp_free_resources(dev); pnp_free_options(dev); kfree(dev); } struct pnp_dev *pnp_alloc_dev(struct pnp_protocol *protocol, int id, const char *pnpid) { struct pnp_dev *dev; struct pnp_id *dev_id; dev = kzalloc(sizeof(struct pnp_dev), GFP_KERNEL); if (!dev) return NULL; INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dev->resources); INIT_LIST_HEAD(&dev->options); dev->protocol = protocol; dev->number = id; dev->dma_mask = DMA_BIT_MASK(24); dev->dev.parent = &dev->protocol->dev; dev->dev.bus = &pnp_bus_type; dev->dev.dma_mask = &dev->dma_mask; dev->dev.coherent_dma_mask = dev->dma_mask; dev->dev.release = &pnp_release_device; dev_set_name(&dev->dev, "%02x:%02x", dev->protocol->number, dev->number); dev_id = pnp_add_id(dev, pnpid); if (!dev_id) { kfree(dev); return NULL; } return dev; } static void pnp_delist_device(struct pnp_dev *dev) { mutex_lock(&pnp_lock); list_del(&dev->global_list); list_del(&dev->protocol_list); mutex_unlock(&pnp_lock); } int __pnp_add_device(struct pnp_dev *dev) { int ret; pnp_fixup_device(dev); dev->status = PNP_READY; mutex_lock(&pnp_lock); list_add_tail(&dev->global_list, &pnp_global); list_add_tail(&dev->protocol_list, &dev->protocol->devices); mutex_unlock(&pnp_lock); ret = device_register(&dev->dev); if (ret) pnp_delist_device(dev); else if (dev->protocol->can_wakeup) device_set_wakeup_capable(&dev->dev, dev->protocol->can_wakeup(dev)); return ret; } /* * pnp_add_device - adds a pnp device to the pnp layer * @dev: pointer to dev to add * * adds to driver model, name database, fixups, interface, etc. */ int pnp_add_device(struct pnp_dev *dev) { int ret; char buf[128]; int len = 0; struct pnp_id *id; if (dev->card) return -EINVAL; ret = __pnp_add_device(dev); if (ret) return ret; buf[0] = '\0'; for (id = dev->id; id; id = id->next) len += scnprintf(buf + len, sizeof(buf) - len, " %s", id->id); dev_printk(KERN_DEBUG, &dev->dev, "%s device, IDs%s (%s)\n", dev->protocol->name, buf, dev->active ? "active" : "disabled"); return 0; } void __pnp_remove_device(struct pnp_dev *dev) { pnp_delist_device(dev); device_unregister(&dev->dev); } static int __init pnp_init(void) { return bus_register(&pnp_bus_type); } subsys_initcall(pnp_init); int pnp_debug; #if defined(CONFIG_PNP_DEBUG_MESSAGES) module_param_named(debug, pnp_debug, int, 0644); #endif

) = 3*t**2 + 602*t. What is 2*d(k) + 9*h(k)? 3*k**2 + 610*k Let w(u) = -3*u + 62 + u**3 + 2*u - 65. Let m(q) = -1. Let o(g) = 4*m(g) - w(g). Let h(z) = 14*z**3 - 21*z + 21. What is -h(j) - 21*o(j)? 7*j**3 Let i(y) = 7*y + 3. Suppose -1 = -4*h + h - x, 15 = 3*h + 3*x. Let u(n) = -6*n - 3. Determine h*i(s) - 3*u(s). 4*s + 3 Let j(h) = -5*h**2 - 4*h. Let m(p) be the first derivative of 0*p + 1/2*p**2 - 23. Suppose -4*q + 16 = -2*c - c, 3 = -q - c. Calculate q*j(x) + 3*m(x). -5*x**2 - x Let m(h) = 3*h**3 + h**2 + 6*h - 2. Let l(o) = -6*o**3 - 2*o**2 - 13*o + 4. Let j = 123 + -74. Let v be 630/j - 6/(-42). Calculate v*m(d) + 6*l(d). 3*d**3 + d**2 - 2 Let w(n) = 4*n**3 + 397*n**2 + 8*n + 6. Let g(t) = 3*t**3 + 397*t**2 + 7*t + 5. Give 6*g(j) - 5*w(j). -2*j**3 + 397*j**2 + 2*j Let h = 120 + -76. Let c = 1109 - 1146. Let i = h + c. Let d(v) = 6*v**3 + 7*v + 10. Let o(l) = 2*l**3 + 2*l + 3. What is i*o(g) - 2*d(g)? 2*g**3 + 1 Let h(z) = 20*z + 2. Let k(a) = -115*a + 193. Give -5*h(j) - k(j). 15*j - 203 Let l(t) = -2*t - 26*t + 9 + 27*t - t + 1. Let p(i) = 1. What is l(g) + 2*p(g)? -2*g + 12 Let x(r) = 40*r**2 + 28*r + 544. Let m(j) = -27*j**2 - 18*j - 363. Give 11*m(v) + 7*x(v). -17*v**2 - 2*v - 185 Let o(m) = 8*m**2 + m + 2. Let c be (-8)/(-5 - -1) + 0. Let n(g) = -17*g**2 - 2*g - 4. Determine c*n(s) + 5*o(s). 6*s**2 + s + 2 Let t(a) = -a. Let q(r) = r**2 - r + 1. Let k be (-2 - -2)/(-1) - -1. Let b be (112/(-42))/(-3 - (-66)/18). Calculate b*t(m) + k*q(m). m**2 + 3*m + 1 Let v(l) = 5*l**2 + 15*l - 15. Let p(n) be the first derivative of n**3/3 + 3*n**2/2 - 3*n + 3400. What is -11*p(t) + 2*v(t)? -t**2 - 3*t + 3 Let w(i) = -i. Let c(x) be the third derivative of -17*x**4/4 + 692*x**2. What is -c(s) + 68*w(s)? 34*s Let o(m) = 3*m**2 - 4*m + 2. Let p(k) = 4*k**2 - 4*k + 2. Let h be (466/5)/(2/(-10)). Let b = h + 468. Determine b*p(t) - 3*o(t). -t**2 + 4*t - 2 Let q(g) = -3*g**2 - 5*g - 1. Let l(j) = -19*j**2 - 571*j - 4. Calculate l(r) - 4*q(r). -7*r**2 - 551*r Let h(y) = -y**2 + 127*y + 157. Let x(b) = 21*b + 24. Give -2*h(t) + 13*x(t). 2*t**2 + 19*t - 2 Let c(m) = 2. Let h(g) = -3*g - 3. Let j = -4076 - -4078. Determine j*c(t) + 2*h(t). -6*t - 2 Let j(t) = -13389*t - 6. Let p(f) = 13391*f + 9. Determine -3*j(r) - 2*p(r). 13385*r Let q(n) = -4*n - n - 2 - 3*n. Let v(p) = -9*p - 2. Let j be (-25 - -8) + -21 + 35. Give j*v(r) + 4*q(r). -5*r - 2 Let v(c) = 8*c - 10. Suppose 4*n + 11 = 5*l, 3*l + 1019 = -3*n + 1058. Let u(k) = -k + 1. Determine n*u(s) + v(s). 2*s - 4 Let l(w) = 3*w**2 + 12*w - 6. Let h(i) = -10*i**2 - 40*i + 18. What is 5*h(j) + 16*l(j)? -2*j**2 - 8*j - 6 Let t(f) = 2. Let y(k) = 7*k - 120. Calculate 7*t(o) + y(o). 7*o - 106 Let l(j) = -6*j**3 + 5*j**2 + 2*j + 4. Let p(n) = 6*n**3 + n**2 - 19*n - 11. Let q(m) = -m**3 - m**2 + 6*m + 3. Let r(d) = -p(d) - 3*q(d). Give 2*l(a) - 5*r(a). 3*a**3 - a - 2 Let w(c) = -c + 2. Suppose -3 = 3*z, -11 + 4 = -2*u - z. Let x(k) = 19*k - 10. Let b(f) = -41*f + 21. Let s(q) = 6*b(q) + 13*x(q). What is u*s(g) + 7*w(g)? -3*g - 2 Let l(s) = -26*s. Let z(q) = -51*q - 116. What is 2*l(d) - z(d)? -d + 116 Let h(u) = u**2 - 305*u - 1239. Let b be h(-4). Let c(x) = 51*x**3 + 8*x**2 + 8*x - 8. Let l(m) = 17*m**3 + 3*m**2 + 3*m - 3. Give b*c(z) + 8*l(z). -17*z**3 Let k(c) be the third derivative of c**4/6 - 4*c**3/3 + 157*c**2 - 2*c + 1. Let a(j) = 3*j - 5. Give 7*a(w) - 5*k(w). w + 5 Let u(r) = -2*r + 14811. Let w(t) = 8*t - 59213. Determine -9*u(s) - 2*w(s). 2*s - 14873 Let g(b) = 2*b**2 + b + 12. Let f be ((-3)/((-15)/1))/((-9)/(-45)). Let s(t) = -t**2 - 1. Give f*g(d) + 4*s(d). -2*d**2 + d + 8 Let w(q) = 12*q**2 + 49*q + 16. Let o be w(-21). Let g(n) = -4285*n + 4 - 9 + o*n. Let p(k) = -k - 1. What is g(d) - 4*p(d)? -2*d - 1 Let z(v) = -v**2 - 1. Let y(f) = f**3 - f**2 - 1. Let q = 51 - 52. Let l be -40 + 40 - (-3 - (0 + q)). Calculate l*z(n) - 2*y(n). -2*n**3 Let a(y) = 4 + 0 - 3 - y**3 - y. Let z be 5 + (-7 - -5) + -1. Let k(r) = -70 - 78 + 150 - 2*r + r**z - 5*r**3. Determine -2*a(j) + k(j). -3*j**3 + j**2 Let n(o) be the second derivative of o**5/4 - 7*o**4/12 + 7*o**3/6 - 1995*o. Let t(g) = -g**3 + g**2 - g. Calculate 2*n(d) + 14*t(d). -4*d**3 Let d(i) = 4. Let w(k) = -34*k + 88. Calculate 132*d(y) - 6*w(y). 204*y Let n(m) = -m**3 - 2*m**2 - m - 1. Let z(d) = 2*d**3 - 336*d**2 + 5*d + 5. What is -5*n(c) - z(c)? 3*c**3 + 346*c**2 Let t(c) = -3275*c**3 - 57*c**2 - 3*c + 1. Let m(b) = 3275*b**3 + 76*b**2 + 4*b - 2. Calculate -3*m(a) - 4*t(a). 3275*a**3 + 2 Let w(f) = 17*f - 16. Let n(b) = 20*b - 19. Give 3*n(h) - 2*w(h). 26*h - 25 Let b = 151 - 157. Let u(a) = -a - 1. Let m be u(b). Let v(x) = -2*x. Let q(s) = -3*s + 1. Determine m*v(f) - 3*q(f). -f - 3 Let v(q) = 2*q**3 - 3*q**2. Let s = 10 - 11. Let n be 3 + s/(2/8). Let m = 376 + -379. Let t(p) = p**2. Determine m*t(c) + n*v(c). -2*c**3 Let l(f) = -6*f**2 + 3*f - 14. Let d(s) = -4*s**2 + 11*s + 17. Let k(u) = -10*u**2 + 26*u + 38. Let j(z) = 7*d(z) - 3*k(z). Give -17*j(b) - 6*l(b). 2*b**2 - b - 1 Let q(c) = -c**2. Let x be (-4512)/768 + (-2)/16. Let i(r) = 23*r**2. What is x*q(n) + i(n)? 29*n**2 Let l(p) = p - 9. Let f(d) = -9965*d - 54. Calculate f(s) - 6*l(s). -9971*s Let d(u) = -5*u**2 - 4*u + 146. Let j(i) = 3*i**2 + 3*i - 146. Give 2*d(c) + 3*j(c). -c**2 + c - 146 Let b(f) = 41*f + 38. Let n(p) = -4*p + 9. What is -2*b(v) - 18*n(v)? -10*v - 238 Let b(y) = -1. Let c(g) be the third derivative of 11*g**4/24 + 2*g**3/3 - 16502*g**2 - 1. Let n = 1 + -5. What is n*b(a) - c(a)? -11*a Let l(x) = -323*x**2 + 4*x + 1. Let t(p) = -970*p**2 + 14*p + 4. Calculate 7*l(k) - 2*t(k). -321*k**2 - 1 Let y(m) = 13*m**3 - 9*m**2 - 7*m + 1. Let j be ((-7)/((-28)/(-16)) - 18/(-6)) + 3. Let c(d) = -4*d**3 + 3*d**2 + 2*d. Determine j*y(r) + 7*c(r). -2*r**3 + 3*r**2 + 2 Let w(j) = -63*j + 59. Let f(r) = 55*r - 59. What is 6*f(v) + 5*w(v)? 15*v - 59 Let u(w) = 5*w**3 - w + 1. Let s(i) = -133*i**3 + 2. Calculate s(x) - 2*u(x). -143*x**3 + 2*x Let o = -43090 + 43094. Suppose n - 5*d = -7, -4*n = 2*d - 10 - 6. Let i = -2 + n. Let r(a) = -a - 1. Let y(l) = 8*l + 5. Calculate i*y(z) + o*r(z). 4*z + 1 Let i(h) = -h**2 + 43*h - 53. Let l(g) = g**2 - 72*g + 106. Determine -5*i(a) - 3*l(a). 2*a**2 + a - 53 Let g(q) = -8*q**3 - 5*q + 5. Let u(v) = 12*v**3 + 8*v - 8. Let t be 2 + (-3 - -6) + -2. Suppose -8 = -t*b + 2*b. Let a = 1334 - 1329. Give a*u(j) + b*g(j). -4*j**3 Let v(z) = -z - 2. Let c(d) = d + 2. Let n(w) = -5*c(w) - 4*v(w). Suppose -19*k + o = -17*k + 2, 13 = k - 4*o. Let a(i) = -1. Determine k*a(x) + 2*n(x). -2*x - 1 Let x(y) = -5*y - 1. Let r(b) be the second derivative of -11*b**3/6 - b**2/2 + b. Suppose -106*d + 72 + 533 = -31. What is d*r(u) - 13*x(u)? -u + 7 Let s(d) = -2*d**2 - 7*d. Let o(u) = u**2 + 9*u - 1. Determine 4*o(y) + 5*s(y). -6*y**2 + y - 4 Let a(w) = -4*w + 11. Suppose 131*c - 286 = -155*c. Suppose -5*b - 3*p = -0*p - 30, 11 = -3*b + 4*p. Let h(q) = q. What is b*h(v) + c*a(v)? -v + 11 Let n(h) = 21*h**3 + 2*h - 7. Let x(v) = -v**3 + 5*v + 12*v**3 + 52 - 4*v - 55. Determine -3*n(k) + 7*x(k). 14*k**3 + k Let f(r) = 2*r**2 - 3*r. Let m(b) = -9*b**2 + 13*b. Let u = -619 + 608. Let h be (-3 - -3) + -2 - (u - -15). What is h*m(d) - 26*f(d)? 2*d**2 Let q(k) = -6*k**2 + 2*k**2 - k - 3 + 10*k**2 + 1. Let j(b) = -b**3 + 31*b**2 - 6*b - 11. Calculate 2*j(c) - 11*q(c). -2*c**3 - 4*c**2 - c Let y(q) = -q + 1. Let k(o) be the third derivative of o**5/60 - o**4/8 + o**3/2 + 6493*o**2. Give k(b) - 2*y(b). b**2 - b + 1 Let s(u) = -59830*u - 1209. Let n(i) = -893*i - 18. Give 403*n(x) - 6*s(x). -899*x Let w(l) = l + 4. Let q(n) be the first derivative of -8*n + 4*n + 2*n + 10*n - 30 + n**2. What is -4*q(f) + 9*w(f)? f + 4 Let b(f) = -39*f - 35. Let s(x) = -28*x - 34. What is -6*b(q) + 5*s(q)? 94*q + 40 Let i(x) = -13*x + 4. Let l(r) = 30*r - 5. What is -7*i(a) - 3*l(a)? a - 13 Let a(s) = 21 + 11*s + 12*s - 30*s + 11*s. Let b(x) = 3*x + 14. Calculate -5*a(p) + 7*b(p). p - 7 Let v(r) = -2326*r**3 - 17*r - 11. Let z(f) = 465*f**3 + 3*f + 2. What is 4*v(b) + 22*z(b)? 926*b**3 - 2*b Suppose -1425 = -f - 4*f. Let l = 286 - f. Let w(r) = r**3 - r**2 + r. Let g(c) = 5*c**3 - 2*c**2 + 2*c + 2. Calculate l*g(s) - 2*w(s). 3*s**3 + 2 Let u(i) = -9*i + 4. Let m(z) = -2*z + 5. Determine

Path 2 Chatting With…Andrew Carmellini of Locanda Verde July 30, 2009 Andrew Carmellini has had a busy summer–he’s recently opened Locanda Verde, a rustic Italian spot in Tribeca. The chef grew up in Cleveland, and trained at the CIA, where he cooked for Governor Mario Cuomo on the weekends. Carmellini was chef de cuisine at Cafe Boulud for six years before moving to A Voce, where he cooked until last year. We caught up with Carmellini about what drew him to restaurants (the girls); where he eats after hours; what Mario Cuomo liked to eat; and why he thinks Locanda Verde has the just the right number of NYT stars. How did your cooking evolve during the years you were at A Voce? I think it’s more appropriate to [ask that question about] Cafe Boulud, really. At Cafe I was cooking my ass off. We used to joke it was like Noah’s Ark — two of everything in house at all times. Five different pans for every dish. 10 specials every day. It was great times for sure, but I wanted to be in business for myself and wanted to focus on my expression of Italian cooking. How does your approach at Locanda Verde differ from that at A Voce? Well, I left Cafe Boulud after six years to open something Italian. I felt after living in Italy for a year and taking over 20 trips there, that I could express myself in Italian with a more rustic approach than through an “alta cucina” approach. At Locanda Verde, it’s a better fit for that rustic approach in presentation, flavor, and price. What dish epitomizes your style at Locanda Verde? I think the porchetta sandwich does. I love that sandwich! Sliced moist porchetta with grilled onions and melted provolone on a toasted green olive bun. It’s kind of a cross between a Philly pork sandwich and a muffaletta — definitely an American-Italian sandwich. Any plans for future restaurants and/or cookbooks? No restaurant plans yet. Locanda Verde is jamming, and I want people to leave happy right now. As far as cookbooks go, Urban Italian just went to its second printing, and many of those second run copies have been sold already, which is even more exciting. My wife Gwen and I just sold an idea for a second book I’ll have to fill you in on later since I’ll probably change the idea three or four more times. When you started cooking at 14, did you know you wanted to do it for life? No way! I went to go work in restaurants for money and liked it because of the free beer and the older girls that worked in the front. HA! Who knows what they are doing when they are 14? You cooked for Mario Cuomo when he was governor: What was his favorite dish and what did he dislike? Were you nervous to cook for him? He loved lamb shank and apple pie. I remember I was working for free at Bouley and tried to replicate some of the dishes I saw there. He didn’t like those. I was 19. I had no freaking idea what I was doing. Do you read your reviews? If so, how do you deal with a less-than-great review? Of course I read them. I always obsess over any critiques I get and try to see how we can improve upon them. I’ve been through two 4-star, three 3-star and one 2-star New York Times reviews throughout my career — either as a chef or a cook. To date, the worst review I got was from Steve Cuozzo at the Post when I was at Cafe Boulud. I was off, he had a bouillabaisse. He destroyed it, saying there was not enough garlic. That was 1998. At Locanda Verde, I think star-wise we are exactly where we should be for the type of place we are — a neighborhood Italian restaurant on a bustling corner in Tribeca. What’s in your fridge at home? Lots of spice pastes, cornichons, salad that Gwen [his wife] made, meatloaf that Gwen made (makes an awesome sandwich), two beers, bottle of Champagne, milk, olives, some cheeses, and some fruit that I should have thrown away last week. Drink of choice? Something with gin. Where do you go to eat and drink after hours or on your day off? Depends on the mood. I love Ippudo and Mercadito Cantina. Chinatown Brasserie is great for Dim Sum. I had my first post-opening meal at Corton last week — pretty awesome. Are there any other chefs cooking Italian in the city that you think are particularly good?

For music fans everywhere, Apple's Beats 1 radio has become known as the definitive stop for breaking news of the musical variety. It's the radio equivalent of a nightly cable news desk; a platform that has the latest scoop on prestige releases and features both rising artists and bona fide icons revealing intimate secrets on their latest work. And it's all thanks to the triumphant triumvirate of DJs who make it all happen: Zane Lowe, Ebro Darden and Julie Adenuga. Amazingly, this month marks the 2nd year of their Beats 1 show, a true landmark given the incredible work they have managed to produce in just two years. To celebrate their anniversary, we spoke to all three of them for a retrospective look at their achievements with Beats 1 so far. What drew you all to join Beats 1 in the first place? What were you doing beforehand? ZANE: The timing was perfect. There was an opportunity to move with music. It felt like music and its audience were heading into a place where On Demand culture was thriving and streaming was learning fast. EBRO: I’ve been in radio since the age of 15. It seemed a natural evolution to continue my journey in terrestrial radio while also stepping into the digital space via this gig at Beats 1. Before this I was/am also doing a show called "Ebro in the Morning" on HOT97 in NYC. JULIE: I was in a place where I was subconsciously looking for my next life mission. I was hosting the drive time show on Rinse FM and had been doing so for three years. Even though I was very happy there, being a part of a team of people that constantly believed in being innovative and different, I felt like I’d learned everything I could and I was ready to fulfill my next purpose. Then I met Zane Lowe, he told me what he was working on with Apple and it was a wrap! What has been one of the most memorable interviews or moments in your time on Beats 1? ZANE: I’ve been blessed since I've been at Beats 1 to be able to interview and have an incredible amount of experiences in such a short amount of time. There are obvious examples that spring to mind. Getting to spend time talking with Chance the Rapper was a real moment for me, but also I really enjoyed meeting and talking to Lady Gaga for the first time around that record. She was in an incredibly honest and forthright mood and I found her to be a really compelling conversationalist. I’d probably say talking to Kendrick Lamar recently was one of the high points for me on an interview level. That was the first time to discuss in depth his craft and where his inspiration lies. That has gone down as one of my favorite interviews ever. That said, I feel like every day we have an opportunity to do something which is a really exciting experience to carry out and listen to, whether it's Vince Staples live in the studio with a record we found out about last minute and playing it nonstop for 30 minutes straight and getting all the details to talking to Edgar Wright about his new movie Baby Driver and playing the soundtrack. We’re enjoying every aspect of music right now and we’re trying to keep pace with it. It moves so fast and for us it’s really about helping to make it as exciting as possible for people. EBRO: I’ve been fortunate over my career to have had the opportunity to sit with so many legends. There have been countless memorable interviews. That being said, Beats 1, as a new music service, has given me the opportunity to sit with the up and comers who will likely be tomorrow’s legends. Young artists like Dave, Los Rakas, Anik Khan, Abir, Chronixx and Khalid. It’s been dope to spend time with future stars early in their careers — sitting down with them and experiencing that gut feeling that they’ll be around a very long time. JULIE: It’s got to be Britney Spears man! That’s Britney! What?! Britney Spears and Pharrell Williams are definitely up there as memorable interviews. Never would have dreamed of those moments in a million, trillion years! What’s been one of the most surprising things to happen to you during your tenure? ZANE: When I found myself in a room with Drake and Oliver and Future for the first time, talking about what OVO SOUND Radio would feel like, that was only a few weeks after I arrived. That was a pretty mind blowing experience to have. The quality and vision of that show. I get that feeling every time I turn on Beats 1 and Mike D is doing a radio show or Lorde is taking over the station and playing in a personal and talking about us in a personal and engaged way. Every time something exciting happens on Beats 1 we get closer to our goal which is to be the ultimate clubhouse for artists to be able to express themselves and enjoy the process of sharing music and sharing information. EBRO: People think I’m "the hip-hop guy", and I am that. But I’m also a music fan across the board. I’m amazed at how much great music is out there from all around the world. I get put on to new sounds from a myriad of genres and countries every day. There are tracks in other languages that I don’t understand, but I feel the message regardless. Beats 1 has definitely expanded my worldview. Think back to where you were in 2007. How would you compare yourself then to where you are now? ZANE: In 2007 I found my voice at Radio 1 and I had a great team. Our show had struck a really good rhythm. We’d established ourselves as a place where artists come to play music. I’d started to develop a pretty consistent and exciting career around DJing and playing festivals and nightclubs and touring with artists. I really enjoyed that aspect of it. I was still on MTV doing Gonzo and I think at that moment in time it was the perfect balance across those three areas, across TV work at MTV2, my radio work at Radio 1 and my touring on my own terms. Now in 2017 I’m still doing TV but I’m doing a show called Planet of the Apps which is Apple’s first foray into episodic television, and I’ve just started touring and DJing again. EBRO: Ha! I’m the same old G. The only major difference is that I’m now a father. That’s my most important job at the end of the day. JULIE: I would say I was definitely more free ten years ago. This time ten years ago I was heading towards my 18th birthday, planning my first holiday away with my best friend at the time... we went to Majorca. I had less to care about then, just wanted to make money working in IKEA and spend it on raves and holidays! What has been one of the most difficult moments you’ve been faced with? ZANE: We had three months to build Beats 1 from scratch... the first question we asked on Day One was... is this even radio? Radio had been driving pop music in the world for 50 years, and for all of those years, that was the only way to get a hit record. I’m not sure that's still the case. Radio listenership like that is declining and in some cases gone. The Norwegians are turning off their FM signal. Where does new music fit on most terrestrial radio these days? With few exceptions, mainstream music radio has not been a driving force for change for some time. That’s why college, pirate, digital and blogs do the ground work for it. More music is being listened to than ever before. Old statistical records are being broken by new ones. As streaming services have begun to grow, we've seen the trusted industry tentpoles---Management, Record Labels, Publishers, and Media---begin to adapt. Now, the common ground is data, transparency and creativity. A strong foundation upon which trust can be rebuilt. Technology will continue to unfold in front of us. Creativity and technology exist in tandem. But only because music has always been about finding an audience; it’s never changed. It’s just harder work than ever before. We had to face up to the reality that the old expectations may not fit the artist anymore. We have to trust the artists. Let them drive their own conversation. Trust that they know their audience. They know how to get the results. They know how this works. With that in mind, we built Beats 1, where artists can own their own real estate, drive their own message, satisfy their audience in their own voice, and hopefully, add value. Free has to lead somewhere. It has to collaborate. It has to build trust. And it’s working. JULIE: Interviewing Take That and realizing after that sometimes you just have to keep asking questions, because everyone isn’t going to entertain banter the way people like Vince Staples or Kyle do. If you could throw a tea party with any three guests you’ve ever interviewed on the show, who would you invite and why? ZANE: That’s a hard question to answer. I’ve been fortunate enough to be in the company of so many incredible artists. I’d want them all to be there. EBRO: I'd have a tea party with SZA, Young Thug and Shakira... because that's a fucking party!! JULIE: Vince Staples, Big Baby D.R.A.M. and Kyle, because they live on the banter bus 24/7! If you were forced to abandon DJing forever, what do you think you’d be doing? ZANE: I can’t imagine my life without music in it. The future is unwritten. Music fans, myself included, will always need to adapt, but I’ve never been more excited about where Beats 1 is at this moment, and this is just the beginning. EBRO: Teaching kids history, sociology & anthropology... and having more kids! JULIE: If I had to abandon radio presenting I’d stalk Aziz Ansari and make him promise to never stop making Master of None, and then I’d watch it everyday. Listen to each of Zane Lowe, Ebro Darden and Julie Adenuga’s shows Monday-Thursday on Beats 1 in Apple Music. For more of our features, take a look at our chat with Vince Staples on the release day of his new album 'Big Fish Theory' right here.

The Benefits of the Redlands Night Market The Redlands night market is still one of the most treasured things to do in Redlands and to become a part of the community. Located on State Street in Down Town Redlands between Orange and Redlands Boulevard every Thursday night from 6:00pm till 9:30pm. The street gets closed down and local vendors from all over Redlands come to sell their produce, products, and even services. This is a great place to pick up all your fresh vegetables and fruits all from local grown farms which will keep you healthy while give your taste buds the ecstasy they are due. Most of the local produce vendors also give free samples so you can try their delicious apples, oranges, and other types of fruits free of charge before you decide to buy. Walking up and down the street is about 1/4 a mile so one pass around you are doing 1/2 a mile which will promote good health and exercise once a week. Most people now a days do not exercise and even once a week can make a difference in your over all life style giving you extra energy and strength as time goes on. Some of the vendors at Night Market also produce their own products such as home made chocolates, home made scented soaps, and even art painting. You will find a lot of original products that you can not find in the store or markets. Plus you are supporting the local small business that maybe one day will be bigger than they could ever imagined and you could of been a part of their growth. The Local artists are phenomenal and just as good as some of the the great artist of the world if you are looking for a center piece for your home. The food vendors at market night are also awesome some of the local favorite food is the fresh cooked Kettle corn, Roasted Corn, and Fresh cooked BBQ. Plus all of the regular restaurants are open featuring the crazy but delicious Gourmet Pizza, Betty’s Famous Hamburgers, and more. There area also a lot of stores that stay open during the whole Market Night including us, Sterling & Co.

2012 African Championships in Athletics – Men's javelin throw The men's javelin throw at the 2012 African Championships in Athletics was held at the Stade Charles de Gaulle on 11يمر Medalists Records Schedule Results Final References Results Javelin throw Men Category:Javelin throw at the African Championships in Athletics

Few things grab our attention quite like THIS neighbor did. Nestled in the woods of Farmington, New Hampshire, 92 Meetinghouse Hill Road is a hate filled house lined with a series of hand painted signs.

1. Field of the Invention The present disclosure relates to projection display devices and optical systems thereof, and in particular, relates to a projection display device and an optical system thereof both of which can provide high-contrast images for a projection type projector. 2. Description of Related Art Conventionally, a 3-panel type projector using three pieces (red, green, blue) of modulation devices is general in the projection display device (projector). Depending on the kind of devices, the 3-panel type projectors comprise LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) projector, DLP (Digital Light Processing) projector, LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) projector and so on. FIG. 1 is a structural view of a conventional optical system. In FIG. 1, white light is emitted from a specified lamp (e.g. xenon lamp, ultra-high pressure mercury lamp, laser diode, light emission diode, etc.) in a lamp house 11. Then, the white light is changed to a parallel light by a condenser lens 12 and successively reflected by a cold mirror 13 for eliminating UV light or IR light unnecessary for a display device or interposed optical components. Then, the so-reflected light is transmitted through an integrator (rod integrator, flyeye integrator, etc.) 14 and a sequent field lens 15 thereby to enter a B/RG dichroic mirror 16. The B/RG dichroic mirror 16 resolves incident illumination light to a light containing the wave bands of both red light and green light and a blue light, so that the former light (red and green) enters a RG mirror 17, while the latter light (blue) enters a B mirror 18. In the former light reflected by the RG mirror 17, its red light component is transmitted through a R/G dichroic mirror 19 thereby to enter an R field lens 24, while the green light component is reflected by the R/G dichroic mirror 19 thereby to enter a G field lens 20. Regarding the green light component transmitted through the G field lens 20 and the red light component transmitted through R field lens 24, their S-polarization components are reflected by wire grids 21, 25 as polarization split elements thereby to enter a G device 23 and an R device 27 through a G quarter-wave (λ/4) plate 22 and an R quarter-wave (λ/4) plate 26, respectively. After light modulation at the G device 23 and the R device 27 with green signal and red signal of an image to be displayed from the 3-primary color signal processing and converting block 1, their P-polarized lights on light modulation are transmitted through the G, R quarter-wave (λ/4) plates 22, 26 and the wire grids 21, 25 thereby to enter an RGB composite dichroic prism 32. On the other hand, regarding the blue light component reflected by the B mirror 18, it is transmitted through a B field lens 28 and the light's S-polarization component is reflected by a wire grid 29 thereby to enter a B device 31 through a B quarter-wave (λ/4) plate 30. After light modulation at the B device 31 with blue signal of the image to be displayed from the 3-primary color signal processing and converting block 1, the S-polarized light on light modulation is transmitted through the B quarter-wave (λ/4) plate 30 and the wire grid 29 thereby to enter the RGB composite dichroic prism 32. The RGB composite dichroic prism 32 recombines respective P-polarization components of incident green, red and blue lights on light modulation. The so-combined light is transmitted through a PJ lens 33 to form an image on a screen. Here, in a projector using the above-mentioned optical system, contrast influencing the definition of images is determined by the performances of the optical system and the individual device. In this view, there are recently proposed a projector and a liquid crystal display that the contrast of images are improved by double modulation dramatically (e.g. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication Nos. 2005-181437 and 2005-241738). FIG. 2 shows the constitution of such an optical system adopting double modulation. In this example, elements identical to those of FIG. 1 are indicated with the same reference numerals respectively and their overlapping descriptions are eliminated. The conventional optical system of FIG. 2 is equivalent to the previously-mentioned optical system of FIG. 1 but the interposition of a Y-modulation system part between the RGB composite dichroic prism 32 and the PJ lens 33, the Y-modulation optical system comprising an aberration correcting lens 34, an 1:1 (one-to-one) relay lens 35, a mirror 36, an aberration correcting lens 37, a Y wire grid (WG) 38, a Y wavelength plate 39, a Y device 40 and a WG analyzer 41. The aberration correcting lenses 34, 37 are formed by cylindrical lenses for correcting aberrations that would be produced since the optical axis is slanted to the Y wire grid (WG) 38 by 45 degrees. In the conventional optical system of FIG. 2, RGB composite light emitted from the RGB composite dichroic prism 32 is transmitted through the aberration correcting lens 34 and the 1:1 relay lens 35 and subsequently reflected by the mirror 36 for coordinating an optical-axis direction of the 1:1 relay lens 35 with an optical-axis direction of the PJ lens 33. Then, the so-reflected light is transmitted through the aberration correcting lens 37. In the so-transmitted RGB composite light, its P-polarized light is transmitted through the Y wire grid (WG) 38 and the Y wavelength plate 39 thereby to enter the Y device 40. For instance, the Y device 40 is formed by LCOS (Liquid Crystal on Silicon) to modulate incident light by luminance signal of the same image signal as R-signal, G-signal and B-signal modulated by the R device 27, the G device 23 and the B device 31 respectively. Thus, the image signal to be displayed on a screen (not shown) is subjected to twice modulations, that is, one modulation by 3-primary color (R, G and B) signals and another modulation by the luminance signal. The modulated light from the Y device 40 is transmitted to the Y wire WG 38 through the Y wavelength plate 39 and its S-polarized light is reflected by the Y wire WG 38. Thereafter, P-polarized light component mixed in the S-polarized light is eliminated by the WG analyzer 41 so as to maintain its high-contrast and subsequently projected on the not-shown screen through the PJ lens 33. According to the general optical system of FIG. 1, as the contrast of an image to be displayed on the screen is influenced by an optical F-number and the performance of the display device, there is no possibility that the image is displayed at a contrast value exceeding the proportion of thousands to one (thousands:1) in a situation of ensuring appropriate brightness. On the contrary, the optical system of FIG. 2 is constructed so as to project an image on a screen (not shown) after once forming an image, which has been brought by the first modulation optical system similar to FIG. 1, on the Y device 40 for a further modulation. Consequently, the contrast of the image displayed on the screen becomes equal to or more than the proportion of a million to one (a million: 1) as a result of multiplying a contrast value of the first modulation optical system by a contrast value of the second modulation optical system. In the projector adopting the optical system of FIG. 2, however, there exists a reality that the resolving power (i.e. number of pixels) of the Y device 40 determines a final resolving power of an image projected on the screen. In even a highest-definition device produced in the market currently, this resolving power would be 4 k×2 k pixels (horizontal: 4,096 pixels, vertical: 2,160 pixels) at the highest. Under such a situation, there is recently proposed a projector of FIG. 3 in order to attain a higher resolving power (8 k×4 k pixels). This projector is one proposed by Japan Broadcasting Corporation, which is referred to as “Super Hi-Vision (SHV)”. Here, the super Hi-Vision is one of a LSDI (Large Screen Digital Imagery) system with 7680×4320 pixels specified in Recommendation ITU-R BT.1769 “parameter values for an expanded hierarchy of LSDI image formats for production and international program exchange”. We now describe the operation of this projector with reference to FIG. 3. In the illustrated projector, a hard disk recorder (UDR) 45 capable of parallel-recording/reproducing 16 channels of HDTV images is adapted so as to output a G1G2 image signal and a RB image signal to a convergence correction device 46. In the convergence correction device 46, both convergences of the G1G2 image and the PB image are corrected in order to align their registrations with each other on a screen 49. After the convergence correction, light modulated by the RB image is projected by a RB projector 47, while light modulated by the G1G2 image is projected by a GG projector 48, forming an image on the screen 49. In order to attain the resolving power of 8 k×4 k pixels, the G1G2 projector 48 utilizes two G devices (G1 device and G2 device) each having 4 k×2 k pixels. In common with the G1 and G2 devices, respective pixels are arranged at intervals of pitch Px in the horizontal direction and pitch Py in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 4, respective pixels forming the whole G1 device are shifted from respective pixels forming the whole G2 device by Px/2 in the horizontal direction and by Py/2 in the vertical direction. That is, while inputting signals meeting with the resolving power of G1G2 to the GG projector 28, respective images from the G1 and G2 devices are overlaid on each other at a slant of 45 degrees by half pixel, whereby the resolving power equivalent to 8 k pixels is attained. On the other hand, the RB projector 47 utilizes an R device and a B device each having 4 k×2 k pixels. That is, it is difficult structurally to fabricate an optical system where 2 channels of green images are provided by a single projector. Therefore, the proposed projector of FIG. 3 adopts the shown constitution composed of the GG projector 48 for G1, G2 and the RB projector 47 as a result of eliminating a G-component from the RGB projector. In this projector, by projecting images from two projectors 47, 48 in stack and further combining respective images with each other onto the screen 49, a high resolving power (high-definition) can be attained.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ink jet recording method and a recording apparatus using this method. More specifically, it relates to an ink jet recording method using ink capable of contributing to an improvement in the color expressibility of a recorded image, and a recording apparatus using this method. 2. Description of the Prior Art An ink jet recording method converts ink, a recording liquid, into flying droplets by various methods, and causes them to land on a material to be recorded on, such as paper, to form an image in a dot-matrix format. This method involves low noise because it is a non-contact type. Furthermore, it is capable of a high-density, high-speed recording, and does not require a special treatment, such as development or fixing, for a material to be recorded on (hereinafter referred to as a record material), such as plain paper. A recording apparatus adopting this method is suitable for mass-production, and is available for a low price. In recent years, therefore, this type of recording apparatus has found widespread use. An on-demand ink jet recording apparatus, in particular, is easily available with color printing capability, and the machine itself can be downsized and simplified. Thus, such a recording apparatus is promising in terms of a future demand. With the spread of color printing, there is a growing desire for the color expressibility of an image recorded on a record material (to be also referred to as a record sheet). We, the inventors of this invention, proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 259023/1994 coloring materials, such as dyes or pigments, and a liquid medium for use in a recording liquid (hereinafter referred to as ink). In this application, we used ink containing a substance having thickening properties when undergoing heat, and in a narrow sense, a temperature sensitive polymer gelling thermally reversibly at its transition temperature or above, i.e., a temperature sensitive polymer gelling at its transition temperature or above and returning to a liquid state at a temperature below the transition temperature, and a substance which begins to cloud when undergoing heat (hereinafter referred to as a substance having a cloud point). This ink showed a sharply increased viscosity on the record sheet, and stably settled on the surface, achieving an improvement in color expressibility. As a method of sharply increasing its viscosity, we proposed controlled heating of the record sheet. However, the distance between a recording head for ejecting ink and a record sheet is as small as less than several millimeters. Thus, the mere use of the above record sheet controlled heating means results in the fact that radiant heat from the heated record sheet is passed on to the surroundings of the ink ejection orifice of the opposed recording head which is doing a record action. As a result, the surroundings of the ink ejection orifice and the inside of the ink passage are liable to undergo increased temperatures. Especially when the recording head is performing a record action for a long time at a position opposed to the record sheet which has been heated in a controlled manner (hereinafter referred to as controlled-heated), the temperature in the surroundings of the ejection orifice is raised to the reaction temperature of the substance having thickening properties when undergoing heat, or the substance having a cloud point that is contained in the ink. Consequently, the substance having thickening properties when undergoing heat is gelled and precipitated at the parts around the ink ejection orifice or in the ink passage, or the substance having a cloud point forms an emulsion to increase the viscosity of ink, thereby occasionally hampering the ejection of ink.

1. Field of Invention This invention is directed to systems and methods for forming composite images which include user-supplied standard or individually user-customized digital graphic elements in image forming devices. 2. Description of Related Art A variety of systems and methods are conventionally used to form complex composite output images in image forming devices. Sheets of paper having a company's pre-printed letterhead can be stored in an individual tray in a conventional printer in order that text sent from a number of devices to that printer will result in a composite image being produced when the text of the letter is printed on the pre-printed letterhead paper. Likewise, forms can be manually fed such that the text to be included in each space on the form is printed in the correlating spaces. Separately, an organization may choose to develop a composite image at a copier and/or facsimile machine by using a transparent plastic overlay in order to provide watermarking or other effect in a document reproduced on a copier or forwarded via facsimile transmission. Advanced desktop publishing methods allow a user to incorporate standard and/or user-customized individual image elements to enhance the looks of output images produced. These software elements combine to provide detailed end-product images when the information is output to an image forming device. A significant limitation of these approaches is that the manual integration required can lead to inaccuracies, inefficiencies and waste of time and print supplies. Another limitation is that expensive software may be required in order for an organization to achieve the results that are sought. U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,275 to Tone et al. provides a different approach to the development of composite images. Tone discloses an ability at a copier to have a series of preloaded marks available. A user can then select from among a limited number of marks in order to produce the composite output image when a sheet of text is copied by the apparatus disclosed therein. A significant drawback of Tone is that flexibility is very limited or reduced. This reduced flexibility is based on the fact that only a limited number of images may be made available, and that updating the image apparatus to provide new or different marks cannot be performed by the user, but instead may generally require the assistance of the copier manufacturer's or other specially trained personnel.

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The BBC News, and particularly the reports from Diplomatic Correspondent Jonathan Marcus, on the ongoing Israeli military attacks on the Gaza Strip has presented the violence as little more than a defensive policy manoeuvre by Israel, whose government, in Marcus's view, 'clearly wants' another ceasefire. On Wednesday Marcus wrote that the Israeli assassination of Ahmed Said Khalil al-Jabari, the head of the military wing of Hamas, was 'a taste of things to come'. As with his reporting on Israel's threats towards Iran, Marcus does not point towards the illegalities of such behaviour. Rather this shows, for him, Netanyahu's 'determination to act', his 'initial choice, a return to the policy of targeted killings'. Excluding the BBC's complacent response to news of Obama's 'kill list' in May 2012 (with North America Editor, Mark Mardell, choosing to emphasise ‘that the care taken by the president is significant’), in what other situations might a BBC correspondent nonchalantly report on a ‘policy of targeted killings’ by a country’s leader? How many other leaders are seen by news correspondents to have a valid ‘choice’ as to whether they want to establish a policy of targeted killings? Marcus’s analysis goes on to say that ‘the danger’ of Israel carrying out such attacks is that it ‘could eventually prompt a major Israeli engagement on the ground’. Note the wording here: there is no mention of invasion, attack, or force; ‘engagement’ would merely be ‘prompted’ by such a situation. Israel, it seems, does not attack; it is merely drawn into ‘engagement’ as it works towards ‘re-establish[ing] its deterrence and achieve a longer-lasting ceasefire’. With regard to rocket attacks from Hamas, Marcus reverts to more explicit terminology: there has been a ‘recent upsurge in rocket attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip and the firing of a missile against an Israeli military vehicle patrolling the border fence’. In further defence of Israel’s behaviour it is commented that there ‘has been a significant increase in the number of armed jihadist elements in the Gaza Strip’, according to ‘analysts’. In other words, we are to infer from this that the people of Gaza have brought this violence from Israel upon themselves. After his baffling flurry of reasons for justifying the Israeli attacks (increase in jihadists; choice of policy; a warning ‘taste of things to come’) Marcus somehow assumes that Netanyahu ‘wants to avoid a full-scale ground war, like Operation Cast Lead that was launched in December 2008’. Discussing Operation Cast Lead, another recent report on the BBC website tells us that in 2008 ‘hundreds of Palestinians were killed on the first day of Israel's operation’. Note again that this was an ‘operation’, not an ‘attack’. Hamas rocket fire into Israel, in contrast, is never referred to merely as an ‘operation’. In another example, in the same vein as Jonathan Marcus’s reporting, Jeremy Bowen, the BBC’s Middle East Editor, writes that ‘the danger of the kind of operation Israel has started is that rising casualties on both sides cause a violent escalation that neither side can control’. Once again, what Israel has started is an ‘operation’, and the depiction of the circumstance as a ‘violent escalation that neither side can control’ leads a reader away from any assumption of there being a clear instigator to this violence. Click to enlarge As ‘speculation … mount[ed] that the Israeli army [was] preparing to launch a ground offensive into the Gaza Strip’, the BBC news website of 15 November highlighted the conflict from what could be seen as a somewhat one-sided perspective. The homepage featured 5 headlines (pictured on the right), the top story of which read, ‘Gaza missiles fired at Tel Aviv’. Also featured were reports titled: ‘Israel’s Gaza rocket problem’; ‘UK’s Hague criticises Hamas’; ‘Determined to follow the path of Jihad’; and ‘Hamas targets our children’. In this range of headlines, the residents of the Gaza Strip, on the receiving end of Israel’s bombardment, do not feature. One might have wondered if any ‘problems’ were experienced on the other side of the separation barrier, but information of the effects on the civilian population of the Gaza Strip was sparse. On Thursday 130 casualties were reported in Gaza and 19 deaths, but details of the civilian deaths and casualties are absent from reports. Providing an analysis of international media coverage from the beginning of the Israeli assault, Noam Chomsky and others wrote on 14 November ‘There was … hardly any mention on the morning of November 12 of military attacks on Gaza that continued throughout the weekend. A cursory scan confirms this … for the New York Times and for the BBC’. In news reports, they write, ‘[w]hat is not in focus are the shellings and bombardments on Gaza, which have resulted in numerous severe and fatal casualties’. This despite ‘[t]he fact that casualties have overwhelmingly been civilians [which] indicates that Israel is not so much engaged in "targeted" killings, as in "collective" killings, thus once again committing the crime of collective punishment’. Responsibility for any escalation of violence between Israel and Gaza is firmly laid at the hands of Hamas. A headline in The Guardian reads: ‘Obama presses Egypt to rein in Hamas as Gaza conflict escalates’. The idea is not floated in the media that Israel could or should halt its attack (neither do condemnations appear of the initial breach by Israel of the ceasefire). It is noted in The Guardian that Egyptian foreign minister, Mohamed Kamel Amr, called on the US to ‘put pressure on the Israelis to halt the assault on Gaza’. Reports of reactions such as this from non-allied states form the only appearances of such a suggestion. Further, a BBC report on the deaths of Israeli civilians provided ample space for Benjamin Netanyahu to justify civilian casualties in Gaza. Netanyahu claimed that Hamas ‘deliberately place their rockets next to their children’ we are told by the report. The message is clear: if Palestinian children die, it is not because of Israeli behaviour, but rather it is because of the evil ‘militants’ who have engineered the situation this way. The reporting has so far downplayed the assassination that instigated the conflict, and omits altogether the killing by Israel of 20-year-old Ahmad al-Nabaheen on 5 November, and of the 13-year-old boy killed as he played football outside his home on 8 November, portraying the Israeli assault on Gaza instead as a defensive measure. The history of these events is already being written from the point of view of the more powerful side of the conflict, and mainstream journalists are proving themselves complicit in this process. 3 min · US Congressman Ron Paul says Israel helped create Hamas to destabilize Arafat who was very powerful at the time. "But there is something bitterly ironic in Israel’s support for Fatah against Hamas—and it should be a lesson to governments everywhere that meddle in other... 72 min · Released in 2006, this is still one of the most compelling films outlining the disturbing and heavily censored facts associated with the worst terrorist attacks in American history. The film focuses on prior knowledge and established facts as reported by mainstream outlets... 88 min · A thought-provoking and powerful documentary film on the current and historical root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unlike any other film ever produced on the conflict, "Occupation 101" presents a comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding... 4 min · One grandmother, one rabbi, one anarchist and one ex-soldier – four Israelis trying to put an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories. The documentary Israel vs Israel is a film about Jewish peace activists who in both words and actions take a stand... 4 min · S. Brian Willson is an American war veteran who discovered the truth behind the US government’s illegal support for wars in Viet Nam and Central America. In expressing his own views about peace through non-violent actions, Brian paid a heavy price. On September 1 in 1987... 59 min · Anna Baltzer, a Jewish American, gives her eyewitness perspectives on average citizens living in occupied Palestine. Baltzer spent 5 months in the West Bank working with the International Women's Peace Service. Her presentation highlights how the Israeli government's policies... 2 min · On December 16, 2012 a young woman and her friend travelling on a bus in South Delhi were physically assaulted. The young woman was raped and brutalized and fought for her life for days following. Unfortunately she lost her life, but her struggle galvanized millions in... 89 min · Two Veterans For Peace activists and an activist former Israeli Air Force Blackhawk pilot describe, and illustrate with dramatic photos, the impossible situation of the Palestinians living under the Israeli occupation. The pilot says : "I'm an Israeli, I'm ex-military, so I... Chris Hedges · Gaza is a window on our coming dystopia. The growing divide between the world’s elite and its miserable masses of humanity is maintained through spiraling violence. Many impoverished regions of the world, which have fallen off the economic cliff, are beginning to resemble... Mohamed El Dahshan · Gaza resident Asem Alnabeh posted a photo of his little sister Nesma earlier tonight in their home. Her name means breeze. "But she really isn't," her brother writes me. "she's very impish!" Nesma's house has lost electric power. There are fighter jets roaring over the house... Ali Abunimah · THIS MORNING Israel ended an effective truce with armed groups in Gaza, and carried out the extrajudicial execution of Ahmed al-Jabari, the commander of the military wing of Hamas. Israeli attacks today killed at least seven people including two young girls in Gaza. Aside... Yousef Munayyer · THEY SAY WHEN all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. But when you are a politician and all you have is a hammer, you must convince voters every problem looks like a nail. This is the only thinking that can explain Israel's behavior in escalating bombardment... John Pilger · Edward Bernays, the American nephew of Sigmund Freud, is said to have invented modern propaganda. During the First World War, he was one of a group of influential liberals who mounted a secret government campaign to persuade reluctant Americans to send an army to the... Washington's Blog · Those Condemning Syria Have Themselves Recently Used Chemical Weapons We condemn all use of chemical weapons. But the U.S. used chemical weapons against civilians in Iraq in 2004. Evidence here, here, here, here, James Herod · It is time to try to describe, at first abstractly and later concretely, a strategy for destroying capitalism. At its most basic, this strategy calls for pulling time, energy, and resources out of capitalist civilization and putting them into building a new civilization. The... OWS · It's time to take a stand and support the workers who are standing up to live better through an unfair labor practice strike. Walmart workers decided to strike on Black Friday after they were targeted for retaliation for speaking out about substandard work conditions and... Don't miss out on our best content! Once a week (no more, we promise) you will receive an email containing only the best videos and articles that were added to the site that week. 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1915–16 The Arsenal F.C. season Results Arsenal's score comes first London Combination Primary Competition Primary Competition Final League table |- bgcolor="#FFFF00" |1||align=left| Chelsea ||22||17||3||2||71||18||3.227||37 |- |2||align=left| Millwall ||22||12||6||4||46||24||2.090||30 |- |3||align=left| The Arsenal ||22||10||5||7||43||46||1.954||25 |- |4||align=left| West Ham United ||22||10||4||8||47||35||2.136||24 |- |5||align=left| Fulham ||22||10||4||8||45||37||2.045||24 |- |6||align=left| Tottenham Hotspur ||22||8||8||6||38||35||1.727||24 |- |7||align=left| Brentford ||22||6||8||8||36||40||1.636||20 |- |8||align=left| Queen's Park Rangers||22||8||3||11||27||41||1.227||19 |- |9||align=left|Crystal Palace||22||8||3||11||35||55||1.590||19 |- |10||align=left|Watford||22||8||1||13||37||46||1.681||17 |- |11||align=left| Clapton Orient ||22||4||6||12||22||44||1.000||14 |- |12||align=left|Croydon Common||22||3||5||14||24||50||1.090||11 |} London Combination Supplementary Competition Supplementary Competition Final League table |- bgcolor="#FFFF00" |1||align=left| Chelsea ||14||10||1||3||50||15||3.333||21 |- |2||align=left| West Ham United ||14||9||2||3||32||16||2||20 |- |3||align=left| Tottenham Hotspur ||14||8||3||3||32||22||1.455||19 |- |4||align=left| Fulham ||14||9||0||5||38||19||2||18 |- |5||align=left| Millwall ||14||8||2||4||30||22||1.364||18 |- |6||align=left| Crystal Palace ||14||8||2||4||41||29||1.414||18 |- |7||align=left| Watford ||14||5||3||6||22||20||1.1||13 |- |8||align=left| Brentford||14||5||2||7||29||33||0.879||12 |- |9||align=left|Croydon Common||14||4||3||7||28||27||1.037||11 |- |10||align=left|Clapton Orient||14||3||4||7||17||27||0.63||10 |- |11||align=left| The Arsenal ||14||3||4||7||19||31||0.613||10 |- |12||align=left|Luton Town||14||4||1||9||31||44||0.705||9 |- |13||align=left| Queen's Park Rangers ||14||2||5||7||14||37||0.378||9 |- |14||align=left|Reading||14||3||2||9||23||64||0.359||8 |} References 1915-16 Category:English football clubs 1915–16 season

Neil McNeill (footballer) Neil McNeill (born 27 February 1932) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Notes External links Category:Living people Category:1932 births Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (Australia) Category:Sydney Swans players

Q: DateInput yields empty strings for allowEmpty inputs One hiccup we ran into with React Admin was around date fields for a table. We're just using the stock ra-data-json-server package. Our backend should be receiving a null value for an empty date, but it comes through as a blank string instead. What's the best approach for handling this? Creating a custom DateInput component that yields null for an empty date. Creating a custom data provider that would convert an empty string to null (not sure if it would have enough context to do this, though). Something else I haven't thought of. I'm not keen on doing the translation at the API end, since I'd like to keep the API clean and only allow for a valid date or a null value. A: You can transform the input value using the parse / format functions: https://marmelab.com/react-admin/Inputs.html#transforming-input-value-tofrom-record

Nitish compares 'backward' Bihar to 'developed' Gujarat Paying back Narendra Modi in kind for his remarks of Himalayan arrogance, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday hit back at him saying, "Arrogance is dripping from every inch of his body." Born in a poor family he only has self-respect and not arrogance, Kumar maintained. "The style of talking and body posture shows who is arrogant... everybody knows that actually arrogance is dripping from every inch of his body," Kumar said two days after Narendra Modi attacked him at a rally in Purnea calling his arrogance higher than Mt Everest. The BJP prime ministerial candidate had alleged that the Janata Dal-United leader's 'arrogance' and 'ambition' to become the PM had driven him to split from the BJP. "We all have respect for Mt Everest which is the highest peak of Himalaya ... but it cannot be a scale to measure arrogance ... born in a poor family I only have self respect and no arrogance," Kumar told a press conference in Patna. Stating that he wanted to put the record straight, Kumar said he wanted to respond to 'lies' by Modi on Tuesday itself but was busy with induction of a woman minister into the cabinet after the resignation of Renu Kushwaha. Kumar reeled out figures to highlight the 'truth' about development in Gujarat, which, he said, the BJP was 'trumpeting' across the country. He laughed at figures given by Narendra Modi from the Sachar committee report to compare the socio-economic condition of Muslims in Bihar and in Gujarat. Kumar said that these figures pertained to financial year 2004-05 and were based on 2001 census before he assumed power in the state (in November 2005). He said a comparison between a backward and landlocked state like Bihar with a developed coastal state of Gujarat was 'unjustifiable'.

Q: Triggers on change date I'm trying to create some triggers in my db. Now I need to create a trigger that "fire" a procedure when the date have changed. It's a Db for the management of a Bank. I need some procedure that start at a programmed date. For example, if I want to set an operation of accredit for the 24/05/2014, this procedure starts only when the current date is equal to the specified value. I have read that there are some "scheduler" that can help me, but I don't know how to use them! (I'm using phpPgAdmin) There's something that I can do without setting some scheduled procedure? Only using a trigger? this is my (wrong) trigger CREATE TRIGGER programmata AFTER INSERT ON transazione FOR EACH ROW EXECUTE PROCEDURE trans_programmata(); and this is the (wrong) procedure "trans_programmata()" DECLARE p bit := 0; BEGIN IF(new.programmata = p)THEN PERFORM * FROM aggiorna_conto(); ELSE IF new.data >= current_date THEN PERFORM * FROM aggiorna_conto(); END IF; END IF; RETURN NULL; END; Here is the table "transazione" CREATE TABLE transazione ( id integer NOT NULL, data date NOT NULL, tipo bit(1) NOT NULL, ammontare numeric(11,2) NOT NULL, programmata bit(1) NOT NULL, descrizione character varying(50) NOT NULL, fk_conto integer NOT NULL, fk_utente character(16) NOT NULL, fk_categoria character varying(20) NOT NULL ); obviously, this way the trigger only "fires" when the inserted value of "data" is equal to the current date. A: Triggers (or event triggers in pg 9.3+) only fire on defined data events. What you are talking about is a scheduled (time-based) event. There is nothing built into Postgres for that. I generally use cron jobs to schedule jobs like this. There is also pgAgent, which used to be packaged with pgAdmin. (From pgAdmin v1.9 onwards, pgAgent is shipped as a separate application.)

763 S.W.2d 81 (1989) 297 Ark. 485 Starla JONES, Appellant, v. STATE of Arkansas, Appellee. No. CR 88-210. Supreme Court of Arkansas. January 23, 1989. *82 James R. Marschewski, Public Defender, by R. Paul Hughes, III, Chief Deputy Public Defender, Fort Smith, for appellant. Theodore Holder, Asst. Atty. Gen., Little Rock, for appellee. DUDLEY, Justice. Appellant, Starla Jones, pleaded guilty to the offense of theft by deception, a Class C felony. At the time the offense was committed, in October 1986, the applicable statute authorized the trial court to sentence a defendant to a fine and suspend imposition of sentence as to imprisonment. Ark.Stat. Ann. § 41-803(4) (Supp.1985) [Now codified at Ark.Code Ann. § 5-4-104 (Supp.1987)]. The trial court ordered the appellant to pay a $750.00 fine and, in addition, withheld imposition of sentence as to imprisonment for five years. Restitution and costs were additionally ordered paid. The State later filed a petition asking that the appellant be required "to show cause why his suspended sentences should not now be set aside." The trial court treated the petition as one to impose a sentence of imprisonment. A hearing was held and, seven (7) months after its original decree, the trial court ordered that the original suspended imposition of sentence as to imprisonment remain in effect and that appellant be sentenced to sixty (60) days in jail and the amount of restitution be increased. The appellant did not object below to the ruling and now appeals, arguing that the trial court acted beyond its authority in imposing the second sentence. The argument is well taken, and accordingly, we reverse. Although appellant did not object in the trial court, she need not have done so. The trial court's loss of jurisdiction over a defendant "is always open, cannot be waived, can be questioned for the first time on appeal, and can even be raised by this court." Coones v. State, 280 Ark. 321, 657 S.W.2d 553 (1983); Lambert v. State, 286 Ark. 408, 692 S.W.2d 238 (1985). The trial court fined the appellant $750.00 and suspended imposition of the sentence of imprisonment. After such a sentencing procedure the trial court correctly entered a judgment of conviction. See Ark.Code Ann. § 5-4-301(d)(1) (1987) [Formerly Ark.Stat.Ann. § 41-1201(3)(a) (Repl.1977)]. The commentary following Ark.Stat.Ann. § 41-1201(3) effectively explains the legislative intent: Subsection (3) excepts two situations from the general rule that a judgment of conviction is not to be entered when a court orders suspension or probation. The first is when the court fines the defendant and suspends or probates him only as to imprisonment. The court must enter a judgment of conviction if it is to have a basis for imposing a fine. Furthermore, the defendant who is found guilty of an offense and sentenced to pay a fine only has clearly been "convicted" of the offense. The result should not be different when the court fines the defendant and suspends imposition of sentence or places him on probation as to imprisonment. Clearly, a plea of guilty, coupled with a fine and a suspension of imposition of sentence of imprisonment constitutes a conviction. David v. State, 286 Ark. 205, 691 S.W.2d 133 (1985). A trial court loses jurisdiction to modify or amend the original sentence, once a valid sentence is put into execution. Toney v. State, 294 Ark. 473, 743 S.W.2d 816 (1988); Redding v. State, 293 Ark. 411, 738 S.W.2d 410 (1987). The issue then becomes, is a sentence by a circuit court to pay a valid fine put into execution when the judgment of conviction is entered? The obvious answer is yes. Unless the court directs payments by installment the whole fine is payable immediately. Ark.Code Ann. § 5-4-202(b) (1987) [Formerly Ark. Stat.Ann. § 41-1102 (Repl.1977)]. When *83 the fine is adjudicated against the defendant in circuit court, the sheriff is to collect it. Ark.Code Ann. § 16-92-115 (Supp.1987) [Formerly Ark.Stat.Ann. § 43-2503 (Repl. 1977)]. In addition, a judgment that a defendant pay a fine constitutes a lien on his real and personal property in the same manner as a judgment in a civil action. Ark.Code Ann. § 5-4-204(b) (1987) [Formerly Ark.Stat.Ann. § 41-1104(2) (Repl. 1977)]. Also, a defendant may be ordered to show cause why he should not be imprisoned for nonpayment. Ark.Code Ann. § 5-4-203 (1987) [Formerly Ark.Stat.Ann. § 41-1103 (Repl.1977)]. The valid fine assessed in the original judgment of conviction in this case was put in execution long before the trial court attempted to modify the sentence. Thus, the attempted modification of the original order was erroneous. The State argues that the trial court was following Ark.Code Ann. § 5-4-306(b) (1987) [Formerly Ark.Stat.Ann. § 41-1205 (Repl.1977)], which authorizes modifying conditions imposed in an order suspending imposition of sentence. The short answer to that argument is that the original order only suspended imposition of sentence as to imprisonment. It did not suspend imposition of the fine. The order modifying the original sentence is reversed. REVERSED AND REMANDED.

Zombie games have always been pretty popular certainly after the Walking Dead hype. Most zombie games require you to survive the zombie apocalypse as a human. I, Zombie is different in that aspect because in this game: you are the zombie. Make comrades by turning boring humans into awesome zombies. Conquer the world by making every human into a zombie and creating the perfect zombie world with you as the leader. I, Zombie is developed and published by Awesome Games Studio. We got a chance to test I, Zombie on the Switch so, with our trusty Joy-Con controllers in hand, we could finally satisfy our need for brains! Story There isn’t a story present in I, Zombie. When you start the game, you are immediately thrown into a tutorial. You learn that you can eat people and turn them into zombies. These zombies can be controlled by you. When everyone is a zombie or when the “evil” scientist, who is making a weapon against you, is undead: you win. Graphics The art style in I, Zombie is cartoonish with a tad of creepy neon green everywhere. The neon green that comes back everywhere in the game fits perfectly with the zombie theme as it is a typical zombie color. Characters in the game are pretty detailed even though they are small. Sometimes there are multiple characters of one design in a level. Luckily the main zombie stands out so there is no chance that you might mistake him for someone else. The design of the humans that turned into a zombie is pretty well done with distinctive features returning in the zombie form. Backgrounds in the game are mostly the same with a lot of textures repeated. Mostly the same houses are used mixed with a broken down version or houses with a different color. The boxes that are spread across the levels are also pretty much the same except for dirt spots here and there. Although the graphics are pretty simplistic, they still look clean and nicely worked out. Sound I, Zombie’s music is very upbeat and is pretty similar to most casual games’ soundtracks. There is no change in the music when you get shot at or when you are nearly dead. Some levels have a different track but they are all in the same upbeat style. Sound effects in the game are fairly well done but there aren’t that many present other than the zombie and weapon noises. Although there is a bit of text in some levels, there is no voice acting. Since the zombie doesn’t speak and there is only a small bit of text present, voice acting really isn’t necessary for this game. Gameplay I, Zombie is a casual indie game with a small strategy aspect. You are a zombie and are able to turn humans into zombies as well. These zombies can be commanded by you. It’s your job to make more friends by turning humans into zombies. Of course, it isn’t as easy as it sounds since some of the humans can also defend themselves. These humans have guns and once they spot you or one of your comrades, they open fire. Of course, since you are a zombie, you heal after a while. So as long as your health isn’t at zero, you haven’t lost yet. There is one myth about zombies that is very true: zombies are pretty slow. You yourself are a pretty fast zombie unless your health drops. Once your health starts dropping, your speed drops with it. So once one of the humans starts shooting you, unless you can get away quick enough, there is no escaping anymore and you’re dead. Your comrade zombies are a lot slower than you so they are a much easier target. It takes a bit of strategy to keep them alive while passing a gunner. Keeping your comrades alive is very important. Since it’s harder for a gunner to kill a horde, attacking with multiple zombies is the best way to overwhelm them. Winning a level is done by turning every human into a zombie but sometimes only one human is the target. In some levels, a scientist is developing a weapon against you. You have to quickly get to him and stop him from making the weapon. Of course, this scientist is heavily guarded by humans with machine guns. These humans are nearly impossible to get to without dying so the best strategy is avoiding them. Gunners can either stand still or walk an already laid out path. If you, and your comrade(s), try to approach from too far away, you get shot down before you’re even able to touch him. So the best strategy is to sneak up from behind a building and attack him when he’s close. Even when hiding behind something you have to be careful since sometimes the gunners can spot you from behind a building or box when the angle is just right. It might have been a good idea for the developers to implement a visible line of sight for the gunners. Since it can be really confusing to guess from how far away the gunners can spot you. Even if you sneak up behind them with quite a distance in-between there is still a chance that they see you. Although every level has basically the same concept, the developers have made them diverse enough so that they aren’t boring or repetitive. Every level has a few ways to get to the end but you only get three stars if every zombie survived. So it’s up to you as the player to find the best strategy that keeps every comrade alive. Conclusion I, Zombie is a pretty fun game to take your mind of things and get peek at how life as a zombie can be. The game is perfect for the Switch since you’re able to bring it everywhere you go and pass the boredom by eating some silly humans. Graphically, or even in terms of mechanics it may not be the most spectacular game, but it’s fun to play and totally worth its price. So if you’ve ever wanted to know how it feels to be a zombie and how fun it is to command your own horde then definitely give I, Zombie a try. Even if you’re just bored and looking for a game to play I, Zombie is a good candidate.

HE was a zealous Englishman, whom St. Peter Nolasco received into his Order at Barcelona. He made two journeys among the Moors for the ransom of captives, in 1240. The first was to Murcia, in which he purchased the liberty of ninety-eight slaves: the second to Algiers, in which he redeemed eighty-seven, but remained himself a hostage for the full payment of the money. He boldly preached Christ to the Mahometans, and baptized several: for which he was cruelly tortured, scourged, cut and mangled, at length, fastened to a cross, and was thereon stabbed and quartered alive in the same year, 1240. Pope Benedict XIII. declared him a martyr, and approved his immemorial veneration in his Order, by a decree in 1728, as Benedict XIV. relates. L. 2. de Canoniz. c. 24. sec. 42. p. 296.

Q: Added value of Windows Server 2008 over 2003 in terms of security What is the added value of a Windows 2008 Server over Windows 2003 in terms of security? Does Windows Server 2008 has enhanced/new security features compared to 2003? A: There's a lot of added value in Server 2008 as compared to 2003. You can, roughly speaking, think of Server 2003 as "XP" and 2008 as Vista. In which case the following are notable changes that impact security: UAC, UIPI are brought in in Vista. That is, Administrator users are handed two authentication tokens - one with full admin privileges and one with filtered privileges (standard user privs). This is what explorer starts with, thus, most apps are run as a standard user by default, even on an admin account. UIPI allows these windows to share a desktop whilst theoretically keeping them isolated. Address Space Layout Randomisation. Vista got a full implementation of this. Proper logon credential handling - whereas previously one could totally re-write the logon dialog with a GINA, now you install credential providers. Risk of intercepted passwords is thus decreased. In 64-bit versions of XP and Vista, Kernel Patch Protection. Prevents rootkits from hooking interrupt tables by force-bluescreening Windows if they do. Very handy. A series of protocol improvements were introduced, possibly most notably SMB 2.0. and so on... The Vista kernel and operating system was in many ways a very audacious release, containing a whole slew of additional features. There really is no reason to stay on 2003 if security is your end game. That said, if you're considering an upgrade, practicalities come into play. Server 2008 R2 is already in production use and Server 8 is not that far distant either. I wouldn't upgrade to 2008 given the choice of R2 or Server 8 - I'd be inclined to wait for S8. A: In addition to the elements that @ninefingers mentioned, there's another aspect of Server 2008 which could be of use which is the release of the Server Core edition, which gets rid of a lot of the default install (eg, no web browser installed) and thereby reduces the attack surface of the server, if it's used.

Q: BusinessListBase.Remove doesn't work I'm new on CSLA.Net and I've some difficult to remove a child object from a list. I've 3 classes : Scenario : BusinessBase<Scenario> ScenarioPermissions : BusinessListBase<ScenarioPermissions, ScenarioPermission> ScenarioPermission : BusinessBase<ScenarioPermission> Class Scenario contains one field of type ScenarioPermissions. When I Try to do Scenario.Permissions.Add(obj) and Scenario.Save(), it works correctly. But if I want to do Scenario.Permissions.Remove(obj) and Scenario.Save(), it continues without deleting my ScenarioPermission object from the database. public class Scenario : BusinessBase<Scenario>, IMakeCopy { private static readonly PropertyInfo<ScenarioPermissions> m_PermissionsProperty = RegisterProperty<ScenarioPermissions>(c => c.m_Permissions); public ScenarioPermissions m_Permissions { get { if (!FieldManager.FieldExists(m_PermissionsProperty)) { SetProperty(m_PermissionsProperty, ScenarioPermissions.NewPermissions()); } return GetProperty(m_PermissionsProperty); } } public ReadOnlyCollection<Model.Users.User> Permissions { get { var collection = new List<Model.Users.User>(); foreach (var item in m_Permissions) { collection.Add(Model.Users.User.GetUser(item.UserID)); } //Adds administrators users... var admins = Users.Users.GetUsers(true).Where(u => u.Role.InvariantName == "SystemAdministrator" || u.Role.InvariantName == "SuperAdministrator"); foreach (var item in admins) { collection.Add(item); } return new ReadOnlyCollection<Model.Users.User>(collection.OrderBy(u => u.FullName).ToArray()); } } public void AddPermission(Model.Users.User user) { if (user == null) { throw new ArgumentNullException("user"); } ScenarioPermission permission = ScenarioPermission.NewPermission(this, user); if (!this.m_Permissions.Contains(permission)) { this.m_Permissions.Add(permission); } } public void RemovePermission(Model.Users.User user) { if (user == null) { throw new ArgumentNullException("user"); } ScenarioPermission permission = this.m_Permissions.FirstOrDefault(p => p.UserID == user.Id); if (permission != null) { this.m_Permissions.Remove(permission); } } protected override void DataPortal_Update() { using (var ctx = DbContextManager<DatabaseContext>.GetManager()) { var context = ctx.DbContext; var scenarioId = ReadProperty(m_IdProperty); var scenario = context.Scenarios.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Id == scenarioId); if (scenario != null) { scenario.Name = ReadProperty(m_NameProperty); //Some codes.... context.SaveChanges(); } FieldManager.UpdateChildren(this); } } protected override void DataPortal_DeleteSelf() { DataPortal_Delete(ReadProperty(m_IdProperty)); } private void DataPortal_Delete(Guid id) { using (var contextManager = DbContextManager<DatabaseContext>.GetManager()) { var context = contextManager.DbContext; var scenario = context.Scenarios.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Id == id); if (scenario != null) { context.Scenarios.Remove(scenario); context.SaveChanges(); } } Dispatcher.CurrentDispatcher.Invoke(new Action(() => ScenarioList.Delete(id))); } } public class ScenarioPermissions : BusinessListBase<ScenarioPermissions, ScenarioPermission> { public static ScenarioPermissions NewPermissions() { return DataPortal.Create<ScenarioPermissions>(); } public static ScenarioPermissions GetUsersByScenario(Scenario scenario) { return DataPortal.FetchChild<ScenarioPermissions>(scenario); } private void Child_Fetch(Scenario obj) { using (var ctx = DbContextManager<DatabaseContext>.GetManager()) { var context = ctx.DbContext; var scenario = context.Scenarios.Where(s => s.Id == obj.Id).FirstOrDefault(); if (scenario != null) { foreach (var item in scenario.Users) { this.Add(ScenarioPermission.NewPermission(scenario.Id, item.Id)); } } } } } public class ScenarioPermission : BusinessBase<ScenarioPermission> { private static readonly PropertyInfo<Guid> m_ScenarioID = RegisterProperty<Guid>(p => p.ScenarioID); public Guid ScenarioID { get { return GetProperty(m_ScenarioID); } private set { SetProperty(m_ScenarioID, value); } } private static readonly PropertyInfo<int> m_UserID = RegisterProperty<int>(p => p.UserID); public int UserID { get { return GetProperty(m_UserID); } private set { SetProperty(m_UserID, value); } } public static ScenarioPermission NewPermission(Scenario scenario, Model.Users.User user) { return NewPermission(scenario.Id, user.Id); } public static ScenarioPermission NewPermission(Guid scenarioID, int userID) { var newObj = DataPortal.CreateChild<ScenarioPermission>(); newObj.ScenarioID = scenarioID; newObj.UserID = userID; return newObj; } private ScenarioPermission() { /* Used for Factory Methods */} private void Child_Insert(Scenario scenario) { DataPortal_Insert(); } private void Child_DeleteSelf(Scenario scenario) { DataPortal_DeleteSelf(); } private void Child_DeleteSelf() { DataPortal_DeleteSelf(); } protected override void DataPortal_Insert() { using (var ctx = DbContextManager<DatabaseContext>.GetManager()) { var context = ctx.DbContext; var scenario = context.Scenarios.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Id == ScenarioID); var user = context.Users.FirstOrDefault(u => u.Id == UserID); if (scenario != null && user != null) { scenario.Users.Add(user); context.SaveChanges(); } } } protected override void DataPortal_DeleteSelf() { using (var ctx = DbContextManager<DatabaseContext>.GetManager()) { var context = ctx.DbContext; var scenario = context.Scenarios.FirstOrDefault(s => s.Id == ScenarioID); var user = context.Users.FirstOrDefault(u => u.Id == UserID); if (scenario != null && user != null) { if (scenario.Users.Contains(user)) { scenario.Users.Remove(user); context.SaveChanges(); } } } } public override bool Equals(object obj) { // If parameter is null return false. if (obj == null) { return false; } // If parameter cannot be cast to ScenarioPermission return false. ScenarioPermission p = obj as ScenarioPermission; if ((System.Object)p == null) { return false; } // Return true if the fields match: return (this.ScenarioID == p.ScenarioID) && (this.UserID == p.UserID); } } A: I've just find the solution : When I fetched the children of ScenariosPermissions, I created children instead of fetching existing... So, when I wanted to remove permissions, the existing objects was considered by CSLA as a NewObject, so it does not the Delete() ;-) Correction : public class ScenarioPermissions : BusinessListBase<ScenarioPermissions, ScenarioPermission> { public static ScenarioPermissions NewPermissions() { return DataPortal.Create<ScenarioPermissions>(); } public static ScenarioPermissions GetUsersByScenario(Scenario scenario) { return DataPortal.FetchChild<ScenarioPermissions>(scenario); } private void Child_Fetch(Scenario obj) { RaiseListChangedEvents = false; using (var ctx = DbContextManager<DatabaseContext>.GetManager()) { var context = ctx.DbContext; var scenario = context.Scenarios.Where(s => s.Id == obj.Id).FirstOrDefault(); if (scenario != null) { foreach (var item in scenario.Users) { this.Add(ScenarioPermission.GetPermission(scenario.Id, item.Id)); } } } RaiseListChangedEvents = true; } } public class ScenarioPermission : BusinessBase<ScenarioPermission> { public static ScenarioPermission GetPermission(Guid scenarioID, int userID) { return DataPortal.FetchChild<ScenarioPermission>(scenarioID, userID); } private void Child_Fetch(Guid scenarioID, int userID) { LoadProperty(m_ScenarioID, scenarioID); LoadProperty(m_UserID, userID); } }

O’Neill Cold Water Classic 2010 Canada - The Trophy iframe URL What makes the O’Neill Cold Water Classic Series even more special than it already is, are the different trophies of every tour stop. Every trophy is connected to its event location and has a deeper and powerful meaning than just being a trophy. This is the reason why all five trophies of the series are considered the most prestigious surfing trophies. Tofino artist Carl Martin creates the trophy for the Cold Water Classic Canada – the paddle. He has been carving since the 1960’s, and along with his brothers Joe Martin and the late Billy Martin, is responsible for keeping the art of canoe making alive on the West Coast. The paddle is full of memories and significance. The paddle was an important tool in the Nuu-Chah-Nulth culture. It was a necessity of life as it provided travel, food and protection. It is carved in yew wood, a strong and resilient wood that gives the paddle a powerful flex. The yew tree is revered in the Nuu-Chah-Nulth culture. You weren’t allowed to just go and cut one down. They grow slow and twisted so to find one that is big enough and straight enough to get a paddle out of is rare.

Produced by Al Haines OUR ADMIRABLE BETTY A ROMANCE BY JEFFERY FARNOL AUTHOR OF "THE BROAD HIGHWAY" "THE MONEY MOON" "THE AMATEUR GENTLEMAN" "THE HON. MR. TAWNISH" "THE CHRONICLES OF THE IMP" "BELTANE THE SMITH" "THE DEFINITE OBJECT" LONDON & EDINBURGH SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON & CO. LTD. By the Same author. Crown 8vo. THE BROAD HIGHWAY THE MONEY MOON THE AMATEUR GENTLEMAN THE HONOURABLE MR. TAWNISH Fcap, 4to. Illustrated in Colour by C. E. BROCK. THE CHRONICLES OF THE IMP BELTANE THE SMITH THE DEFINITE OBJECT LONDON & EDINBURGH SAMPSON LOW, MARSTON AND COMPANY LIMITED TO MY MOTHER CONTENTS CHAPTER I. CONCERNING THE MAJOR'S CHERRIES II. INTRODUCING THE RAVISHER OF THE SAME III. WHICH TELLS HOW THE MAJOR CLIMBED A WALL IV. CONCERNING THE BUTTONS OF THE RAMILLIE COAT V. HOW SERGEANT ZEBEDEE TRING BEGAN TO WONDER VI. WHICH DESCRIBES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, A POACHER VII. WHICH RELATES HOW THE POACHER ESCAPED VIII. OF PANCRAS, VISCOUNT MERIVALE IX. WHICH IS A VERY BRIEF CHAPTER X. INTRODUCING DIVERS FINE GENTLEMEN XI. IN WHICH LADY BELINDA TALKS XII. THE VISCOUNT DISCOURSES ON SARTORIAL ART XIII. OF INDIGNATION, A WOOD, AND A GIPSY XIV. SOME DESCRIPTION OF A KISS XV. WHEREIN IS MUCH TALK BUT LITTLE ACTION XVI. HOW MR. DALROYD SAW A GHOST AND THE SERGEANT AN APPARITION XVII. HOW MY LADY BETTY WROTE A LETTER XVIII. HOW MAJOR D'ARCY RECOVERED HIS YOUTH XIX. HOW THE MAJOR LOST HIS YOUTH AGAIN XX. HOW THE MAJOR RAN AWAY XXI. OF CRIMINATIONS XXII. WHICH RELATES HOW SERGEANT ZEBEDEE TRING QUELLED SCANDAL WITH A PEWTER POT XXIII. DESCRIBES A TRIUMPH AND A DEFEAT XXIV. DEALS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WITH TREASONABLE MATTERS XXV. IN WHICH THE GHOST IS LAID XXVI. OF BACCHUS AND THE MUSES XXVII. HOW THE SERGEANT RECOUNTED AN OLD STORY XXVIII. THE MAJOR COMES TO A RESOLUTION XXIX. TELLS HOW LADY BETTY DID THE SAME XXX. CONCERNING CHARLES, EARL OF MEDHURST XXXI. WHICH DESCRIBES SOMETHING OF MY LADY BETTY'S GRATITUDE XXXII. FLINT AND STEEL XXXIII. DESCRIBING SOMETHING OF COQUETRY AND A DAWN XXXIV. HOW MR. DALROYD MADE A PLAN AND LOCKED HIS DOOR XXXV. HOW THE SERGEANT TOOK WARNING OF A WITCH XXXVI. HOW THEY RODE TO INCHBOURNE XXXVII. OF ROGUES AND PLOTS XXXVIII. HOW THE MAJOR MADE HIS WILL XXXIX. WHICH IS A QUADRUPLE CHAPTER XL. OF THE ONSET AT THE HAUNTED MILL XLI. CONCERNING HIGHWAYMEN AND THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE XLII. WHICH DESCRIBES A DUEL XLIII. HOW THEY DRANK A NEW TOAST XLIV. SOME ACCOUNT OF A HIGHWAYMAN XLV. CERTAIN ADVENTURES OF THE RAMILLIE COAT XLVI. FURTHER INTIMATE ADVENTURES OF THE RAMILLIE COAT XLVII. OF A FEMININE COUNCIL OF WAR XLVIII. OF THE INSUBORDINATION OF SERGEANT ZEBEDEE TRING XLIX. OF A JOURNEY BY NIGHT L. WHICH TELLS OF ANOTHER DAWN OUR ADMIRABLE BETTY CHAPTER I CONCERNING THE MAJOR'S CHERRIES "The Major, mam, the Major has a truly wonderful 'ead!" said Sergeant Zebedee Tring as he stood, hammer in hand, very neat and precise from broad shoe-buckles to smart curled wig that offset his square, bronzed face. "Head, Sergeant, head!" retorted pretty, dimpled Mrs. Agatha, nodding at the Sergeant's broad back. "'Ead mam, yes!" said the Sergeant, busily nailing up a branch of the Major's favourite cherry tree. "The Major has a truly wonderful 'ead, regarding which I take liberty to ob-serve as two sword-cuts and a spent bullet have in nowise affected it, Mrs. Agatha, mam, which is a fact as I will maintain whenever and wherever occasion demands, as in dooty bound mam, dooty bound." "Duty, Sergeant, duty!" "Dooty, mam--pre-cisely." Here the Sergeant turning round for another nail, Mrs. Agatha bent over the rose-bush, her busy fingers cutting a bloom here and another there and her pretty face quite hidden in the shade of her mob-cap. "Indeed," she continued, after a while, "'tis no wonder you be so very--fond of him, Sergeant!" "Fond of him, mam, fond of him," said the Sergeant turning to look at her with glowing eyes, "well--yes, I suppose so--it do be a--a matter o' dooty with me--dooty, Mrs. Agatha, mam." "You mean duty, Sergeant." "Dooty, mam, pre-cisely!" nodded the Sergeant, busy at the cherry tree again. "See how very brave he is!" sighed Mrs. Agatha. "Brave, mam?" The Sergeant paused with his hammer poised--"Sixteen wounds, mam, seven of 'em bullet and the rest steel! Twenty and three pitched battles besides outpost skirmishes and the like and 'twere his honour the Major as saved our left wing at Ramillies. Brave, mam? Well--yes, he's brave." "And how kind and gentle he is!" "Because, mam, because the best soldiers always are." "And you, Sergeant, see what care you take of him." "Why, I try, mam, I try. Y'see, we've soldiered together so many years and I've been his man so long that 'tis become a matter o'----" "Of duty, Sergeant--yes, of course!" "Dooty, mam--pre-cisely!" nodded the Sergeant. "Pre-cisely, Sergeant and, lack-a-day, how miserable and wretched you both are!" The Sergeant looked startled. "And the strange thing is you don't know it," said Mrs. Agatha, snipping off a final rose. The Sergeant rubbed his square, clean-shaven chin and stared at her harder than ever. "See how monstrous lonely you are!" sighed Mrs. Agatha, hiding her face among her newly-gathered blooms, a face as sweet and fresh as any of them, despite the silver that gleamed, here and there, beneath her snowy mob-cap. "Lonely?" said the Sergeant, staring from her to the hammer in his hand, "lonely, why no mam, no. The Major's got his flowers and his cherries and his great History of Fortification as he's a-writing of in ten vollums and I've got the Major and we've both got--got---- "Well, what, Sergeant?" The Sergeant turned and began to nail up another branch of the great cherry tree, ere he answered: "You, mam--we've both got--you, mam--" "Lud, Sergeant Tring, and how may that be?" "To teach," continued the Sergeant slowly, "to teach two battered old soldiers, as never knew it afore, what a home might be. There never was such a housekeeper as you, mam, there never will be!" "A home!" repeated Mrs. Agatha softly. "'Tis a sweet word!" "True, mam, true!" nodded the Sergeant emphatically. "'Specially to we, mam, us never having had no homes, d'ye see. His honour and me have been campaigning most of our days--soldiers o' fortune, mam, though there weren't much fortune in it for us except hard knocks--a saddle for a piller, earth for bed and sometimes a damned--no, a---damp bed, mam, the sky for roof----" "But you be come home at last, Sergeant," said Mrs. Agatha softer than ever. "Home? Aye, thanks to his honour's legacy as came so sudden and unexpected. Here's us two battered old soldiers comes marching along and finds this here noble mansion a-waiting for us full o' furniture and picters and works o' hart----" "Art, Sergeant!" "Aye, hart, mam--pre-cisely--and other knick-knacks and treasures and among 'em--best and brightest----" "Well, Sergeant?" "Among 'em--you, mam!" said he; and here, aiming a somewhat random blow with the hammer he hit himself on the thumb and swore. Whereon Mrs. Agatha, having duly reproved him, was for examining the injured member but, shaking his head, he sucked it fiercely instead and thereafter proceeded to hammer away harder than ever. "But then--you are--neither of you so very--old, Sergeant." "The Major was thirty-one the day Ramillies was fought and I was thirty-three--and that was ten years agone mam." "And you are both monstrous young for your age--so straight and upright--and handsome. Y-e-e-s, the Major is very handsome--despite the scar on his cheek--the wonder to me is that he don't get married." Hereupon the Sergeant dropped the hammer. "As to yourself, Sergeant," pursued Mrs. Agatha, her bright eyes brim-full of mischief, "you'll never be really happy and content until you do." Hereupon the Sergeant stooped for the hammer and seemed uncommonly red in the face about it. "As to that mam," said he, a thought more ponderously than usual, "as to that, I shall never look for a wife until the Major does, it has become a matter o'----" "Duty, of course, Sergeant!" "Of dooty, mam--pre-cisely!" Saying which, the Sergeant turned to his work again; but, chancing to lift his gaze to a certain lofty branch that crawled along the wall just beneath the coping, he fell back a pace and uttered a sudden exclamation: "_Sacre bleu!_" "Lud, Sergeant!" cried Mrs. Agatha, clasping her posy to her bosom and giving voice to a small, a very small scream, "how you do fright one with your outlandish words! What ails the man--there be no Frenchmen here to fight--speak English, Sergeant--do!" "Zounds!" exclaimed the Sergeant with his gaze still fixed. "Sergeant--pray don't oathe!" "But zookers, mam----!" "Sergeant--ha' done, I say!" "But damme, Mrs. Agatha mam, asking your pardon, I'm sure--but don't ye see--he's been at 'em again! The three best clusters on the tree--gone, mam, gone! Stole, Mrs. Agatha mam, 'twixt now and twelve o'clock noon----" "O Gemini, the wretch!" "I'll take my oath them cherries was a-blowing not an hour agone, mam, on that branch atop the wall!" "Who could ha' done it?" "Not knowing, mam, can't say, but this last week the rogue has captured fourteen squads of our best cherries--off this one tree, and this, as you know, Mrs. Agatha mam, be the Major's favourite tree! So I say, mam, whoever the villain be, I say--damn him, Mrs. Agatha mam!" "Fie--fie, Sergeant, swearing will not mend matters." "Maybe not, mam, maybe not, but same does me a power o' good! Egad, when I mind how I've watched and tended them particular cherries Mrs. Agatha I could----" "Then don't, Sergeant!" "What beats me," said he, rubbing his square chin with the shaft of the hammer, "what beats me is--how did he do it? Must be uncommonly long in the arms and legs to reach so high unless he used a pole----" "Or a ladder?" suggested Mrs. Agatha. "Meaning he did it by escalade, mam? Hum--no, I see no signs of scaling ladders mam and the ground is soft, d'ye see? But a pole now----" "Or a ladder--on the other side of the wall, Sergeant----" "B'gad, mam!" he exclaimed. "I believe you're right--though to be sure the house next door is empty." "Was!" corrected Mrs. Agatha. "Lud, Sergeant, there's a great lady from London been living there a month and more with a houseful of lackeys and servants." "Ha, a month, mam? Lackeys and servants say you? B'gad, say I, that's them! Must report this to the Major. Must report at once!" and the Sergeant laid down his hammer. "And where is the Major?" "Mam," said the Sergeant, consulting a large, brass chronometer, "the hour is pre-cisely three-fourteen, consequently he is now a-sitting in his Ramillie coat a-writing of his History of Fortification--in ten vollums." "'Twill be pity to wake him!" sighed Mrs. Agatha. "Wake him?" repeated the Sergeant, staring; whereupon Mrs. Agatha laughed and went her way while he continued to stare after her until her trim figure and snowy mob-cap had vanished behind the yew-hedge. Then the Sergeant sighed, reached for his coat, put it on, adjusted his tall, leathern stock, sighed again and turning sharp about, marched into the house. CHAPTER II INTRODUCING THE RAVISHER OF THE SAME Major John D'Arcy was hard at work on his book (that is to say, he had been, for divers plans and papers littered the table before him) but just now he leaned far back in his elbow-chair, long legs stretched out, deep-plunged in balmy slumber; perceiving which the Sergeant halted suddenly, stood at ease and stared. The Major's great black peruke dangled from the chair-back, and his close-cropped head (already something grizzled at the temples) was bowed upon his broad chest, wherefore, ever and anon, he snored gently. The Major was forty-one but just now as he sat lost in the oblivion of sleep he looked thirty; but then again when he strode gravely to and fro in his old service coat (limping a little by reason of an old wound) and with black brows wrinkled in sober thought he looked fifty at the least. Thus he continued to sleep and the Sergeant to stare until presently, choking upon a snore, the Major opened his eyes and sat up briskly, whereupon the Sergeant immediately came to attention. "Ha, Zeb!" exclaimed the Major in mild wonder, "what is it, Sergeant Zeb?" "Your honour 'tis the cherries----" "Cherries?" yawned the Major, "the cherries are doing very well, thanks to your unremitting care, Sergeant, and of all fruits commend me to cherries. Now had it been cherries that led our common mother Eve into---ha--difficulties, Sergeant, I could have sympathised more deeply with her lamentable--ha--I say with her very deplorable--ha----" "Reverse, sir?" "Reverse?" mused the Major, rubbing his chin. "Aye, reverse will serve, Zeb, 'twill serve!" "And three more squads of 'em missing, sir--looted, your honour's arternoon by means of escalade t'other side party-wall. Said cherries believed to have been took by parties unknown lately from London, sir, not sixty minutes since and therefore suspected to be not far off." "Why, this must be looked to, Zeb!" said the Major, rising. "So, Sergeant, let us look--forthwith." "Wig, sir!" suggested the Sergeant, holding it out. "Aye, to be sure!" nodded the Major, taking and clapping it on somewhat askew. "Now--Sergeant--forward!" "Stick, sir!" said the Sergeant, proffering a stout crab-tree staff. "Aye!" smiled the Major, twirling it in a sinewy hand, "'twill be useful like as not." So saying (being ever a man of action) the Major sallied forth carrying the stick very much as if it had been a small-sword; along the terrace he went and down the steps (two at a time) and so across the wide sweep of velvety lawn with prodigious strides albeit limping a little by reason of one of his many wounds, the tails of his war-worn Ramillie coat fluttering behind. Reaching the orchard he crossed to a particular corner and halted before a certain part of the red brick wall where grew the cherry tree in question. "Sir," said the Sergeant, squaring his shoulders, "you'll note as all cherries has been looted from top branch--only ones as was ripe----" "A thousand devils!" exclaimed the Major. "Also," continued the Sergeant, "said branch has been broke sir." "Ten thousand----" The Major stopped suddenly and shutting his mouth very tight opened his grey eyes very wide and stared into two other eyes which had risen into view on the opposite side of the wall, a pair of eyes that looked serenely down at him, long, heavy-lashed, deeply blue beneath the curve of their long, black lashes; he was conscious also of a nose, neither straight nor aquiline, of a mouth scarlet and full-lipped, of a chin round, white, dimpled but combative and of a faded sun-bonnet beneath whose crumpled brim peeped a tress of glossy, black hair. "Now God--bless--my soul!" exclaimed the Major. "'Tis to be hoped so, sir," said the apparition gravely, "you were swearing, I think?" The Major flushed. "Young woman----" he began. "Ancient man!" "Madam!" "Sir!" The Major stood silent awhile, staring up into the grave blue eyes above the wall. "Pray," said he at last, "why do you steal my cherries?" "To speak truth, sir, because I am so extreme fond of cherries." Here Sergeant Tring gurgled, choked, coughed and finding the Major's eye upon him immediately came to attention, very stiff in the back and red in the face. The Major stroked his clean-shaven chin and eyed him askance. "Sergeant, you may--er--go," said he; whereat the Sergeant saluted, wheeled sharply and marched swiftly away. "And pray," questioned the Major again, "who might you be?" "A maid, sir." "Hum!" said he, "and what would your mistress say if she knew you habitually stole and ate my cherries?" "My mistress?" The grave blue eyes opened wider. "Aye," nodded the Major, "the fine London lady. You are her maid, I take it?" "Indeed, sir, her very own." "Well, suppose I inform her of your conduct, how then?" "She'd swear at me, sir." "Egad, and would she so?" "O, sir, she often doth and stamps at and reviles and rails at me morning, noon and night!" "Poor child!" said the Major. "Truly, sir, I do think she'd do me an injury if she didn't care for me so much." "Then she cares for you?" "More than anyone in the world beside! Indeed she loveth me as herself, sir!" "Women be mysterious creatures!" said the Major, sententiously. "But you know my lady belike by repute, sir?" "Not even her name." "Not know of the Lady Elizabeth Carlyon!" and up went a pair of delicate black brows in scornful amaze. "I have known but three women in my life, and one of them my mother," he answered. "You sound rather dismal, methinks. But you must have remarked my lady in the Mall, sir?" "I seldom go to London." "Now, sir, you sound infinite dismal and plaguily dull!" "Dull?" repeated the Major thoughtfully, "aye perhaps I am, and 'tis but natural--ancient men often are, I believe." "And your peruke is all askew!" "Alack, it generally is!" sighed the Major. "And you wear a vile old coat!" "Truly I fear it hath seen its best days!" sighed the Major, glancing down wistfully at the war-worn garment in question. "O, man," she cried, shaking her head at him, "for love of Heaven don't be so pestilent humble--I despise humility in horse or man!" "Humble? Am I?" queried the Major and fell to pondering the question, chin in hand. "Aye, truly," she answered, nodding aggressively, "your humility nauseates me, positively!" "Child," he answered smiling, "what manner of man would you have?" "Grandad," she answered, "I would have him tall and strong and brave, but--above all--masterful!" "In a word, a blustering bully!" he answered gently, grey eyes a-twinkle. "Aye," she nodded vehemently, "even that, rather than--than a--a----" "An ancient man, ill-dressed and humble," he suggested and laughed; whereat she frowned and bit her bonnet-string in strong, white teeth, then: "'Tis a very beast of a coat!" she exclaimed, "stained, spotted, tarnished, tattered and torn!" "Torn!" exclaimed the Major, glancing down at himself again. "Egad and Sergeant Zebedee mended it but a week since----" "And the buttons are scratched and hanging by threads!" "Aye, but they'll not come off," said the Major confidently, "I sewed 'em on myself." "You sewed them--you!" and she laughed in fine scorn. "Indeed, sir, I marvel they don't drop off under mv very eyes!" "Madam," said he gravely, "among few accomplishments, permit me to say I am a somewhat expert--er--needles-man." Hereupon the apparition seated herself dexterously on the broad coping of the wall and from that vantage surveyed him with eyes of cold disparagement. And after she had regarded him thus for a long moment she spoke 'twixt curling red lips: "O, Gemini--I might have known it!" At this the Major ruffled the curls of his great wig and regarded her with some apprehension. At last he ventured a question: "And pray madam, what might you have known concerning me?" "A man who sews on his own buttons is a disgrace to his sex," she answered. "But how if he have no woman to do it for him?" "He should be a man and--get one." "Hum!" said the Major thoughtfully, "a needle is a sharp engine and apt to prick one occasionally 'tis true, and yet a man may prefer it to a woman." "And you," she exclaimed, drooping disdainful lashes, "you--are a--soldier!" "I was!" he answered. "Soldiers are gallant, they say." "They are kind!" bowed the Major. "You are, I think, the poor, old, wounded soldier Major d'Arcy who lives at the Manor yonder?" she questioned. "I am that shattered wreck, madam, and what remains of me is very humbly at your service!" and setting hand to bosom of war-worn coat he bowed with a prodigious flourish. "And you have never been so extreme fortunate as to behold my Lady Elizabeth Carlyon?" "Hum!" said the Major, pondering, "what like is she?" At this slender hands clasped each other, dark eyes upturned themselves to translucent heaven and rounded bosom heaved ecstatic: "O sir, she is extreme beautiful, 'tis said! She is a toast adored! She is seen but to be worshipped! She hath wit, beauty and a thousand accomplishments! She hath such an air! Such a killing droop of the eyelash! She is--O, she is irresistible!" "Indeed," said the Major, glancing up into the beautiful face above, "the description is just, though something too limited, perhaps." The eyes came back to earth and the Major in a flash: "Then you have seen her, sir?" "I'm sure of it." "Then describe her--come!" "Why, she is, I judge, neither too short nor too tall!" "True!" nodded the apparition, gently acquiescent. "Of a delicate slimness----" "True--O, most true, sir!" "Yet sufficiently--er--full and rounded!" The dark eyes were veiled suddenly by down-drooping lashes: "You think so, sir?" "Hair night-black, a chin well-determined and bravely dimpled-- "It hath been remarked before, sir!" "Rosy lips----" "Fie, sir, 'tis a vulgar phrase and trite. I suggest instead rose-petals steeped in dew." "A nose----" "Indeed, sir?" "Neither arched nor straight and eyes--eyes----" the Major hesitated, stammered and came to an abrupt pause. "And what of her eyes, sir? I have heard them called dreamy lakes, starry pools and unfathomable deeps, ere now. What d'you make of them?" But the Major's own eyes were lowered, his bronzed cheek showed an unwonted flush and his sinewy fingers were fumbling with one of his loose coat-buttons. "Nought!" said he at last, "others methinks have described 'em better than ever I could." "Major d'Arcy," said the voice softer and sweeter than ever, "I grieve to tell you your wig is more over one eye than ever. And as for your old coat, some fine day, sir, an you chance to walk hereabouts I may possibly trouble to show you how a woman sews a button on!" Saying which the apparition vanished as suddenly as it had appeared. The Major stood awhile deep-plunged in reverie, then setting the crabtree staff beneath his arm he wended his way slowly towards the house, limping a little more than usual as he always did when much preoccupied. On his way he chanced upon the Sergeant wandering somewhat aimlessly with a hammer in his hand. "Sergeant," said he slowly, "er--Zebedee--if any more cherries--should happen to--er--go astray--vanish----" "Or be stole, sir!" added the Sergeant. "Exactly, Zeb, precisely,--if such a contingency should arise you will--er----" "Challenge three times, sir and then--" "Er--no, Sergeant, no! I think, under the circumstances, Zeb, we'll just--er--let 'em--ah--vanish, d'ye see!" Then the Major limped slowly and serenely into the house and left the Sergeant staring at the hammer in his hand with eyes very wide and round. "_Ventre bleu! Sacre bleu!_ Zookers!" said he. CHAPTER III WHICH TELLS HOW THE MAJOR CLIMBED A WALL A wonderfully pleasant place was the Major's orchard, very retired and secluded by reason of its high old walls flushing rosily through green leaves; an orchard, this, full of ancient trees gnarled and crooked whose writhen boughs sprawled and twisted; an orchard carpeted with velvety turf whereon plump thrushes and blackbirds hopped and waddled, or, perched aloft, filled the sunny air with rich, throaty warblings and fluty trills and flourishes. Here Sergeant Tring, ever a man of his hands, had contrived and built a rustic arbour (its architecture faintly suggestive of a rabbit-hutch and a sentry-box) of which he was justly proud. Now Major d'Arcy despite his many battles had an inborn love of peace and quietness, of the soft rustle of wind in leaves, of sunshine and the mellow pipe of thrush and blackbird, hence it was not at all surprising that he should develop a sudden fancy for strolling, to and fro in his orchard of a sunny afternoon, book in hand, or, sitting in the Sergeant's hutch-like sentry-box, puff dreamily at pipe of clay, or again, tucking up his ruffles and squaring his elbows, fall to work on his History of Fortification; and if his glance happened to rove from printed page or busy quill in a certain direction, what of it? Though it was to be remarked that his full-flowing peruke was seldom askew and the lace of his cravat and the ruffles below the huge cuffs of his Ramillie coat were of the finest point. It was a hot afternoon, very slumberous and still; flowers drooped languid heads, birds twittered sleepily, butterflies wheeled and hovered, and the Major, sitting in the shady arbour, stared at a certain part of the old wall, sighed, and taking up his pipe began to fill it absently, his gaze yet fixed. All at once he sprang up, radiant-eyed, and strode across the smooth grass. The faded sun-bonnet was not; her black hair was coiled high, while at white brow and glowing cheek silken curls wantoned in an artful disorder, moreover her simple russet gown had given place to a rich, flowered satin. All this he noticed at a glance though his gaze never wandered from the witching eyes of her. Were they blue or black or dark brown? "Sir," said she, acknowledging his deep reverence with a stately inclination of her shapely head, "I would curtsey if I might, but to curtsey on a ladder were dangerous and not to be lightly undertaken." Quoth the Major: "It has been a long time--a very long time since you--since I--er--that is-- "Exactly five days, sir!" "Why--ah--to be sure these summer days do grow uncommon long, mam-- "Which means, sir, that you've wanted me?" The Major started: "Why er---I--indeed I--I hardly know!" he stammered. "Which proves it beyond all doubt!" she nodded serenely. The Major was silent. "Then, sir," she continued gravely, "since 'tis beyond all doubt you wanted me and hither came daily to look for me, as methinks you did---?" Here she paused expectant, whereupon the Major stooped to survey his neat shoe-buckle. "Well, sir, did you not come patiently a-seeking me here?" "Why, mam," he answered, rubbing his chin with his pipe-stem, "'tis true I came hither--having a fancy for----" "Then, sir, since being hither come you found me not, why, having legs, didn't you climb over the wall and seek me where you might have found me?" The Major caught his breath and nearly dropped his pipe. "Indeed it never occurred to me!" "To be sure the climbing of walls is an infinite trying and arduous task for--ancient limbs," she sighed, shaking her head, "yet--even you, might have achieved it--with care." The Major laughed: "'Tis possible, mam," said he. "And it never occurred to you?" "No indeed, mam, and never would!" "Then you lack imagination and a man without imagination is akin to the brutes and--" but here she broke off to utter a small scream and glancing up in alarm he saw her eyes were closed and that she shuddered violently. "Madam!" he cried, "mam! My lady--good heaven are you sick--faint?" Regardless of the cherry-tree he reached up long arms and swinging himself up astride the wall, had an arm about her shivering form all in a moment; thus as she leaned against him he caught the perfume of all her warm, soft daintiness, then she drew away. "What was it?" he questioned anxiously as she opened her eyes, "were you faint, mam? Was it a fit? Good lack, mam, I----" "Do--not--call me--that!" she cried, eyes flashing and--yes, they were blue--very darkly blue--"Never dare to call me--so--again!" "Call you what, mam?" "Mam!" she cried, gnashing her white teeth--"'tis a hateful word!" "Indeed I--I had not thought it so," stammered the Major. "It is, I believe, a word in common use and----" "Aye, 'tis common! 'Tis odious! 'Tis vulgar!" "I crave your ladyship's pardon!" And he bowed as well as his position would allow, though a little stiffly. "You are marvellous nimble, sir!" "Your ladyship is gracious!" "Considering your age, sir!" "And you, madam, I lament that at yours you should be subject to fits." "Fits!" she cried in frowning amaze. "Seizures, then----" "'Twas no seizure, sir--'twas yourself!" "Me?" he exclaimed, staring. "You--and your abominable tobacco-pipe!" Here she shivered daintily. "Alack, madam, see, 'tis broke!" "Heaven be thanked, sir." "'Twas an admirable pipe--an old friend," he murmured. "O fie, sir--only chairmen and watchmen and worse, drink smoke. 'Tis a low habit, vicious, vain and vulgar." "Is it so indeed, madam?" "It is! Aunt Belinda says so and I think so. If you must have vices why not snuff?" "But I hate snuff!" "But 'tis so elegant! There's Sir Jasper Denholm takes it with such an air I vow 'tis perfectly ravishing! And Sir Benjamin Tripp and Viscount Merivale in especial--such grace! Such an elegant turn of the wrist! But to suck a pipe--O Gemini!" "I'm sorry my pipe offends you!" said he, glancing at her glowing loveliness. And here, because of her beauty and nearness he grew silent and finding he yet held part of his clay pipe, broken in his hasty ascent, he fell to turning it over in his fingers, staring at it very hard but seeing it not at all; whereat she fell to studying him, his broad shoulders and powerful hands, his clean-cut aquiline features, his tender mouth and strong, square chin. Thus, the Major, glancing up suddenly, eye met eye and for a long moment they looked on one another, then, as she turned away he saw her cheek crimson suddenly and she, aware of this, clenched her white fists and flushed all the deeper. "'Tis abominable rude to--stare so!" she said, over her shoulder. "You are the Lady Elizabeth Carlyon, I think?" he enquired. "And then, sir?" "Then you are well used to being stared at, methinks." "At a distance, sir!" Here the Major edged away a couple of inches. "You have heard of such a person before, then?" she enquired loftily. "I go to London--sometimes, madam, when I must and when last there I chanced to hear her acclaimed and toasted as the 'Admirable Betty'!" said he, frowning. "I am sometimes called Betty, sir," she acknowledged. "Also 'Bewitching Bet'!" Here he scowled fiercely at a bunch of cherries. "Do you think Bet so ill a name, sir?" she enquired, stealing a glance at him. "'Bewitching Bet'!" he repeated grimly and the hand that grasped his broken pipe became a fist, observing which she smiled slyly. "Or is it that the 'bewitching' offends you, sir?" she questioned innocently. "Both, mam, both!" said he, scowling yet. "La, sir," she cried gaily, "in this light and at this precise angle I do protest you look quite handsome when you frown." The Major immediately laughed. "If," she continued, "your chin were less grim and craggy and your nose a little different and your eyes less like gimlets and needles--if you wore a modish French wig instead of a horsehair mat and had your garments made by a London tailor instead of a country cobbler and carpenter you would be almost attractive--by candle light." "Is my wig so unmodish?" he enquired smiling a trifle ruefully, "'tis my best." "Unmodish?" White hands were lifted, and sparkling eyes rolled themselves in agonised protest. "There's a new tie-wig come in--_un peu negligee_--a most truly ravishing confection. As for clothes----" "And needles," he added, "pray what of your promise?" "Promise, sir?" "You were to teach me how to sew on a button, I think?" "Button!" she repeated, staring, "If you've forgot, 'tis no matter, madam," said he and dropped very nimbly from the wall. "Ah, my forgetfulness hath angered you, sir." "No, child, no, extreme youth is apt to be extreme thoughtless and forgetful----" "Sir, I am twenty-two." "And I am forty-one!" he said wistfully. "'Tis a monstrous great age, sir!" "I begin to fear it is!" said he rather ruefully. "And great age is apt to be peevish and slothful and childish and fretful and must be ruled. So come you over the wall this instant, sir!" "And wherefore, madam?" "'Tis so my will!" "But----" "Plague take it, sir, how may I sew on your abominable buttons with a wall betwixt us? Over with you this moment--obey!" The Major obeyed forthwith. CHAPTER IV CONCERNING THE BUTTONS OF THE RAMILLIE COAT "Now pray remark, sir," said the Lady Elizabeth Carlyon, seating herself in a shady arbour and taking up her needle and thread, "a woman, instead of sucking her thread and rubbing it into a black spike and cursing, threads her needle--so! Thereafter she takes the object to be sewed and holds it--no, she can't, sir, while you sit so much afar, prithee come closer to her--there! Yet no--'twill never do--she'll be apt to prick you sitting thus----" "If I took off my coat, madam----" "'Twould be monstrous indecorous, sir! No, you must kneel down--here at my feet!" "But--madam----" "To your knees, sir, or I'll prick you vilely! She now takes the article to be sewed and--pray why keep at such a distance? She cannot sew gracefully while you pull one way and she another! She then fits on her thimble, poises needle and--sews!" The which my lady forthwith proceeded to do making wondrous pretty play with white hand and delicate wrist the while. And when she had sewn in silence for perhaps one half-minute she fell to converse thus: "Indeed you look vastly appealing on your knees, sir. Pray have you knelt to many lovely ladies?" "Never in my life!" he answered fervently. "And yet you kneel with infinite grace--'tis quite affecting, how doth it feel to crouch thus humbly before the sex?" "Uncommon hard to the knees, madam." "Indeed I fear you have no soul, sir." "Ha!" exclaimed the Major, rising hastily, "someone comes, I think!" Sure enough, in due time, a somewhat languid but herculean footman appeared, who perceiving the Major, faltered, stared, pulled himself together and, approaching at speed, bowed in swift and supple humility and spoke: "Four gentlemen to see your ladyship!" "Only four? Their names?" The large menial expanded large chest and spake with unction: "The Marquis of Alton, Sir Jasper Denholm, Sir Benjamin Tripp and Mr. Marchdale." "Well say I'm out--say I'm engaged--say I wish to be private!" The large footman blinked, and the Major strove to appear unconscious that my lady held him tethered by needle and thread. "Very good, madam! Though, 'umbly craving your ladyship's pardon, my lady, your aunt wished me to tell you most express----" "Well, tell her I won't!" "My lady, I will--immediate!" So saying, the large footman bowed again, blinked again and bore himself off, blinking as he went. "And now, Major d'Arcy, if you will condescend to abase yourself we will continue our sewing lesson." "But mam----" "Do--not----" "Your ladyship's guests----" "Pooh! to my ladyship's guests! Come, be kneeling, sir, and take heed you don't break my thread." "Now I wonder," said the Major, "I wonder what your lackey thinks----" "He don't, he can't, he never does--except about food or drink or tobacco--faugh!" Up started the Major again as from the adjacent yew-walk a faint screaming arose. "Good God!" exclaimed the Major. "'Tis a woman!" "Nay sir, 'tis merely my aunt!" "But madam--hark to her, she is in distress!" "Nay sir, she doth but wail--'tis no matter!" "'Tis desperate sound she makes, madam." "But extreme ladylike, sir, Aunt Belinda is ever preposterously feminine and ladylike, sir. Her present woe arises perchance because she hath encountered a grub on her way hither or been routed by a beetle--the which last I do fervently hope." This hope, however, was doomed to disappointment for very suddenly a lady appeared, a somewhat faded lady who, with dainty petticoats uplifted, tripped hastily towards them uttering small, wailing screams as she came. "O Betty!" she cried. "Betty! O Elizabeth, child--a rat! O dear heart o' me, a great rat, child! That sat in the path, Betty, and looked at me, child--with a huge, great tail! O sweet heaven!" "Looked at you with his tail, aunt?" "Nay, child--faith, my poor senses do so twitter I scarce know what I say--but its wicked wild eyes! And it curled its horrid tail in monstrous threatening fashion! And O, thank heaven--a man!" Here the agitated lady tottered towards the Major and, supported by his arm, sank down upon the bench and closing her eyes, gasped feebly. "Madam!" he exclaimed, bending over her in great alarm. "O lud!" she murmured faintly. "By heaven, she's swooning!" exclaimed the Major. "Nay, sir," sighed Lady Betty, "'tis no swoon nor even a faint, 'tis merely a twitter. Dear aunt will be herself again directly--so come let me sew on that button or I'll prick you, I vow I will!" At this Lady Belinda, opening her languid eyes, stared and gasped again. "Mercy of heaven, child!" she exclaimed, "what do you?" "Sew on this gentleman's buttons, aunt!" "Buttons, child! Heaven above!" "Coat-buttons, aunt!" "Mercy on us! Buttons! In the arbour! With a man----" "Major d'Arcy, our neighbour, aunt. Major, my aunt, Lady Belinda Damain." Hereupon the Major bowed a trifle awkwardly since Lady Betty still had him in leash, while her aunt, rising, sank into a curtsey that was a wonder to behold and thereafter sighed and languished like the faded beauty she was. "My undutiful niece, sir," said she, "hath no eye to decorum, she is for ever shocking the proprieties and me--alack, 'tis a naughty baggage--a romping hoyden, a wicked puss----" "Aunt Belinda, dare to call me a 'puss' again and I'll scratch!" "And you are Major d'Arcy--of the Guards?" "Late of the Third, madam." "Related to the d'Arcys of Sussex?" "Very distantly, I believe." "Charming people! A noble family!" The Major would have bowed again but for my lady Betty's levelled needle; thereafter while her aunt alternately prattled of the joys of Bath and languished over the delights of London, the Major's buttons were rapidly sewn into place and my lady was in the act of nibbling the thread when once again the ponderous menial drew nigh who, making the utmost of his generous proportions, announced: "Lord Alvaston, Captain West and Mr. Dalroyd----" "O Betty!" exclaimed Lady Belinda, clasping rapturous fingers, "Mr. Dalroyd--that charming man who was so attentive at Bath and afterwards in London--such legs, my dear, O Gemini!" "To see the Lady Elizabeth--most express, my ladies." "Tell them to go--say I'm busy----" "Betty!" wailed her aunt. "Say I'm engaged, say----" "O Bet--Betty--my child," twittered her aunt, "why this cruel coldness--this harsh rigour?" "O say I'm out--say anything!" "Which, my lady, I did--most particular and Mr. Dalroyd remarks as how he'll wait till you will--most determined!" "O the dear, delightful, bold creature! And such a leg, my dear! Such an air and--O dear heart o' me, if he isn't coming in quest of us yonder! The dear, desperate, audacious man! I'll go greet him and do you follow, child!" And Lady Belinda fluttered twittering away, followed by the ponderous lackey. The Major sighed and glanced toward the distant ladder. "You would appear to be in much request, madam," said he, "and faith, 'tis but natural, youth and such beauty must attract all men and----" "All men, sir?" "Indeed, all men who are blessed with eyes to see----" Here chancing to meet her look he faltered and stopped. "To see--what?" she enquired. "'Bewitching Bet'!" he answered bowing very low. "Ah--no!" she cried--"not you!" and turning suddenly away she broke off a rose that bloomed near by and stood twisting it in her white fingers. "And wherefore not?" he questioned. "'Tis not for _your_ lips," she said, softly. The Major whose glance happened to be wandering, winced slightly and flushed. "Aye--indeed, I had forgot," said he, rather vaguely--"Youth must to youth and----" "Must it, sir? "Inevitably, madam, it is but natural and----" "How vastly wise you are, Major d'Arcy!" The curl of her lip was quite wasted on him for he was staring at the rose she was caressing. "'Twas said also by one much wiser than I 'crabbed age and youth cannot live together.' And you are very young, my lady and--very beautiful." "And therefore to be pitied!" she sighed. "In heaven's name, why?" "For that I am a lonely maid that suffers from a plague of beaux, sir, most of them over young and all of them vastly trying. 'Bewitching Bet'!" This time he did see the scorn of her curling lip. "I had rather you call me anything else--even 'child' or--'Betty.'" They stood awhile in silence, the Major looking at her and she at the rose: "'Betty'!" said he at last, half to himself, as if trying the sound of it. "'Tis a most--pretty name!" "I had not thought so," she answered. And there was silence again, he watching where she was heedlessly brushing the rose to and fro across her vivid lips and looking at nothing in particular. "Your guests await you," said he. "They often do," she answered. "I'll go," said the Major and glanced toward the ladder. "Good-bye, my lady." "Well?" she asked softly. "And--er--my grateful thanks----" "Well?" she asked again, softer yet. "I also hope that--er--I trust that since we're neighbours, I--we----" "The wall is not insurmountable, sir. Well? O man," she cried suddenly--"if you really want it so why don't you ask for it--or take it?" The Major stared and flushed. "You--you mean----" "This!" she cried and tossed the rose to his feet. Scarcely believing his eyes he stooped and took it up, and holding it in reverent fingers watched her hasting along the yew-walk. Standing thus he saw her met by a slender, elegant gentleman, saw him stoop to kiss her white fingers, and, turning suddenly, strode to the ladder. So the Major presently climbed back over the wall and went his way, the rose tenderly cherished in the depths of one of his great side-pockets and, as he went, he limped rather noticeably but whistled softly to himself, a thing very strange in him, whistled softly but very merrily. CHAPTER V HOW SERGEANT ZEBEDEE TRING BEGAN TO WONDER Mrs. Agatha sat just within the kitchen-garden shelling peas--and Mrs. Agatha did it as only a really accomplished woman might; at least, so thought Sergeant Zebedee, who, busied about some of his multifarious carpentry jobs, happened to come that way. He thought also that with her pretty face beneath snowy mob-cap, her shapely figure in its neat gown, she made as attractive a picture as any man might see on the longest day's march--of all which Mrs. Agatha was supremely conscious, of course. "A hot day, mam!" said he, halting. Mrs. Agatha glanced up demurely, smiled, and gave all her attention to the peas again. "You do be getting more observant every day, Sergeant!" she said, shelling away rapidly. The Sergeant stroked his new-shaven cheek with a pair of pincers he chanced to be holding and stared down at her busy fingers; Mrs. Agatha possessed very shapely hands, soft and dimpled--of which she was also aware. "But you look cool enough, mam," said he, ponderously, "and 'tis become a matter of----" "Duty, Sergeant?" she enquired. "No, mam, a matter of wonder to me how you manage it?" "Belike 'tis all because Nature made me so." "Natur', mam--aye, 'tis a wonderful institootion----" "For making me cool?" "For making you at all, mam!" Having said which, he wheeled suddenly, and took three quick strides away but, hearing her call, he turned and took three slow ones back again. "Well, mam?" he enquired, staring at the pincers. "'Tis a hot day, Sergeant!" she laughed. At this he stood silent awhile, lost in contemplation of her dexterous hands. "Egad!" he exclaimed, suddenly, "'Tis a beautiful finger!" "Is it, Sergeant?" "For a trigger--aye mam. To shoot straight a man must have a true eye, mam, but he must also have a shooting-hand, quick and light o' the finger, d'ye see, not to spoil alignment. If you'd been a man, now, you'd ha' handled a musket wi' the best if you'd only been a man----" "But I'm--only a woman." "True, mam, true--'tis Natur' again--fault o' circumstance----" "And I don't want to be a man----" "Certainly not, mam----" "And wouldn't if I could!" "Glad, o' that, mam." "O, and prithee why?" "Because as a woman you're--female, d'ye see--I mean as you're what Natur' intended and such being so you're--naturally formed--I mean----" "What d'you mean, pray?" "A woman. And now, talking o' the Major----" "But we're not!" "Aye, but we are, mam, and so talking, the Major do surprise me--same be a-changing, mam." "Changing? How?" "Well, this morning he went----" "Into the orchard!" said Mrs. Agatha, nodding. "Aye, he did. Since I finished that arbour he's took to it amazing--sits there by the hour--mam!" Mrs. Agatha smiled at the peas. "But this morning, mam, arter breakfast, he went and turned out all his--clothes, mam. 'Sergeant,' says he, 'be these the best I've got'--and him as never troubled over his clothes except to put 'em on and forget 'em." "But you hadn't built the arbour then!" said Mrs. Agatha softly. "Arbour!" exclaimed the Sergeant, staring. "You've known him a long time?" "I've knowed him nigh twenty years and I thought I did know him but I don't know him--there's developments--he's took to whistling of late. Only this morning I heard him whistling o' this song 'Barbary Allen' which same were a damned--no, a devilish--no, a con-founded barbarious young maid if words mean aught." "True, she had no heart, Sergeant!" "And a woman without an 'eart, mam----" "A heart, Sergeant!" "Aye, mam," said he, staring at the pincers, "a maid or woman without an 'eart is no good for herself or any----" "Man!" suggested Mrs. Agatha, softly. "True, mam, and speaking o' men brings us back to the Major and him a-whistling as merry as any grig." "Grigs don't whistle, Sergeant." "No more they do, mam, no--lark's the word. Also he's set on buying a noo wig, mam, and him with four brand-noo--almost, except his service wig which I'll grant you is a bit wore and moth-eaten like arter three campaigns which therefore aren't to be nowise wondered at. But what is to be wondered at is his honour troubling about suchlike when 'tis me as generally reports to him when garments is outwore and me as has done the ordering of same, these ten year and more. And now here's him wanting to buy a noo wig all at once! Mam, what I say is--damme!" "Sergeant, ha' done!" "Ax your pardon, mam, but 'tis so strange and onexpected. A noo wig! Wants one more modish! Aye," said the Sergeant, shaking his head, "'modish' were the word, mam--'modish'! Now what I says to that is----" "Sergeant, hush!" "Why I ain't said it yet, mam----" "Then don't!" "Very well, mam!" he sighed. "But 'modish'----" "And why shouldn't he be modish?" demanded Mrs. Agatha warmly, "he's young enough and handsome enough." "He's all that, mam, yet----" "Why should any man be slovenly and old before his time?" "Aye, why indeed, mam but----" "There's yourself, for instance." "Who--me, mam?" exclaimed the Sergeant, hitting himself an amazed blow on the chest with the pincers, "me?" "Aye, you! Not that you're slovenly, but you talk and act like a Methusalem instead of a--a careless boy of forty." "Three, mam--forty-three." "Aye, a helpless child of forty-three." "Child!" murmured the Sergeant. "Helpless child--me? Now what I says to that is----" "Hush!" said Mrs. Agatha, severely; but beholding his stupefaction she laughed merrily and taking up the peas, vanished into the kitchen, laughing still. "Child--me--helpless child!" said the Sergeant, staring after her. "Now what I says is----" And there being none to hush him, the Sergeant, in English, French and Low Dutch, proceeded to "say it" forthwith. CHAPTER VI WHICH DESCRIBES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, A POACHER The Major rubbed his chin with dubious finger, pushed back his wig and taking up the letter from the desk before him, broke the seal and read as follows: "MY VERY DEAR UNCLE: "Being in a somewhat low state of health and spirits--" "Spirits!" said the Major. "Ha!" "--induced by a too close application to my duties--" "Hum!" quoth the Major, rubbing his chin harder than ever. "--I purpose (subject to your permission) to inflict myself upon you--" "The devil he does!" "--having been ordered rest and quiet and country air." "Hum! I wonder!" mused the Major. "Pray spare yourself the fatigue of writing as I leave London at once and well knowing your extreme kindness I hope to have the felicity of greeting you within a day or so, Your most grateful, humble and obedient nephew, TOM." Having read this through the Major fell to profound meditation. "I wonder?" he mused and pulled the bell. "Sergeant!" said he, as the door opened. "Sir?" said the Sergeant advancing three paces and coming to attention. "Are there any--er--strangers in the village?" "Last time I chanced to drop into the 'George and Dragon' there was a round dozen gentlemen a-staying there, sir." "Young gentlemen?" "Aye, sir, them as I ob-served was, and very fine young gents too--almost as fine as their lackeys, sir." "A dozen of 'em, Zebedee!" The Major rubbed his chin again and frowned slightly. "Then my nephew will make the thirteenth. Tell Mrs. Agatha to have a chamber ready for him to-night." "The Viscount a-comin' here, sir? Always thought same couldn't abide country!" "He hath chan&ed his mind it seems or----" The Major paused suddenly and glanced toward the open window, for, upon the air without was a distant clamour of voices and shouting pierced, ever and anon, by a wild hunting yell. As the uproar grew nearer and louder the Major rose, and crossing to the casement, beheld his lodge-gates swung wide before an insurging crowd, a motley throng, for, among rustic homespun and smock-frock he espied velvet coats brave with gold and silver lace. Before this riot a tall and slender gentleman strode waving a richly be-laced hat in one hand and flourishing a whip in the other. "Hark away! Hark away!" he yelled, while from those behind came boisterous laughter and shouts of "Yoick!" "Tally-ho!" "Gone away!" and the like. At the terrace steps the concourse halted and out upon this clamorous throng the quiet figure of the Major limped, his wig a little askew as usual. As he came, the clamour subsided and the crowd, falling back, discovered half-a-dozen stalwart keepers who dragged between them a slender youth, bruised and bloody. "Ah," said the Major, surveying the scene with interest, "and what may all this be?" "O demmit, sir!" cried the slender young gentleman, clapping hat to gorgeous bosom and bowing, "Step me vitals, sir--what should it be but a demmed rogue and a rebbit, sir!" "O, a rabbit?" said the Major. "And a rogue, sir! Pink me, 'tis the demmdest, infernal, long-leggedest rascal and led us the demmdest chase I promise you! Hill and dale, hedge and wall, copse and spinney, O demn! Better than any fox I ever hunted, there was only Alvaston, Marchdale, your humble and one or two keeper-fellows in at the death--pace too hot, sir--strike me dumb!" "And pray, sir," enquired the Major, "whom have I the fortune to address?" "O Ged, sir, to be sure--I'm Alton---very obedient, humble--gentleman yonder blowing his nose like a demmed trumpet is my friend Tony Marchdale of Marchdale--big fellow in the purple coat and nose to match is Sir Benjamin Tripp" (here Sir Benjamin bowed, spluttering mildly) "gentleman with the sparrow-legs is Lord Alvaston" (here his lordship posturing gracefully with his slender legs, bowed, cursing amiably)--"stand-and-deliver gentleman with hook-nose, Captain West of the Guards--die-away gentleman in lavender and gold, Mr. Dalroyd--fat fellow in abominable scratch-wig who looks as if he'd swallowed a lemon the wrong way, don't know--and there we are, sir--demme!" "And I, gentlemen, am John d'Arcy, at your service. What can I do for you?" "O egad, sir--strike me everlasting blue, 'tis we have been doing for you! Here we've caught your rogue for you--chased him high--chased him low--here, there and everywhere--bushes, burrs and briers, dirt and dust sir--O demmit! "If," began the Major, "if you will have the goodness to be a little more explicit----" But here the short, plump, fierce-eyed gentleman in the scratch-wig, elbowing aside the yokels who stood near strode forward excitedly: "You are Major d'Arcy?" he challenged. The Major bowed. "Why then, sir, give me leave to say we've had the extreme good fortune to catch a poacher on your land. You'll know me of course. I'm Sir Oliver Rington of Chevening." "No!" said the Major. "Then you'll have heard of me, to be sure?" "I fear not." "Sir, I'm your member--and----" "I rejoice to know it!" "And justice o' the peace." "I felicitate you!" "As such, sir, 'tis my present endeavour to get an enactment passed making the law more rigorous against poaching----" "A noble work!" sighed the Major. "In the which, sir, I am being vigorously supported by the neighbouring gentry. You are a stranger in these parts, I think?" "I have resided at the Manor precisely a month and two days, sir." "Then, sir, permit me to say that the quality hereabouts are united against such miserable rogues as this damned poaching rascal." "You are something in the majority, 'twould seem!" said the Major, glancing from the blood-smeared face of the solitary captive to the shuffling throng. "We are determined to put down such roguery with a firm hand, sir," answered Sir Oliver, truculently, "I have already succeeded in having four such rascals as yon transported for life, sir." "For a dem rebbit--O Ged!" exclaimed Lord Alton. "You forget, Alton," interposed Mr. Dalroyd, languidly, "you forget, the rabbit may be a sheep next week, a horse the next, your purse the next and----" "And this, sir, was merely a rabbit, I believe, which happens to be mine," said the Major, turning to glance at the speaker. Mr. Dalroyd was tall and slim and pallidly handsome; from black periwig to elegant riding boots he was _point-de-vice_, a languid, soft-spoken, very fine gentleman indeed, who surveyed the Major's tall, upright figure, with sleepy-lidded eyes. So for a long moment they viewed each other, the Major serene of brow, his hands buried in the pockets of his threadbare Ramillie coat, Mr. Dalroyd cool and leisuredly critical, yet gradually as he met the other's languid gaze, the Major's expression changed, his black brows twitched together, his keen eyes grew suddenly intent and withdrawing a hand from his pocket, he began absently to finger the scar that marked his temple; then Mr. Dalroyd smiled faintly and turned a languid shoulder. "Gentlemen," said he, "our sport is done, the play grows wearisome--let us be gone." At this, Sir Oliver Rington approached the Major and in his eagerness tapped him on the arm with his whip. "With your permission, Major, I'll see this rogue set in the stocks and after safely under lock and key. You'll prosecute, of course." Very gently the Major set aside Sir Oliver's whip and limped over to the prisoner: "He looks sufficiently young!" said he. "A criminal type!" nodded Sir Oliver, "I've convicted many such--a very brutal, desperate rogue!" "To be sure he's very bloody!" said the Major. "Aye," growled Sir Oliver, "and serve him right--he gave enough trouble for six." "And something faint!" "Aye, feint it is sir--the rascal's shamming." "And dusty!" "O, a foul beast!" agreed Sir Oliver. "And hath a hungry look. So shall he go wash and eat----" "Wash--eat--how--what in the devil's name, sir----" "Sergeant!" "Sir!" answered the Sergeant, very upright and stiff in the back. "Take the fellow to the stables and when he's washed--feed him!" "Very good, sir!" Saying which, the Sergeant advanced upon the drooping prisoner, set hand to ragged coat-collar, and wheeling him half-left, marched him away. "Strike me everlasting perishing purple!" exclaimed the Marquis. "Damnation!" cried Sir Oliver, his whip quivering in his fist, "d'ye mean to say, sir--d'ye mean----" he choked. "I mean to say, that since the prisoner stole my property I will dispose of him as I think fit----" "Fit sir--fit--as you think fit!" spluttered Sir Oliver. "Or as it pleases me, sir." "You sir--you!" panted Sir Oliver in sudden frenzy, "and who the devil are you that dare run counter to the law--a beggarly half-pay soldier----" "O demmit, sir!" exclaimed the Marquis, restraining plump ferocity, "try to be a little decent, I beg, just a little--remember you are not in the House now, sir!" Sir Oliver sulkily permitted himself to be drawn a little aside, then, halting suddenly, wheeled about and pointed at the Major with his whip. "Gentlemen all," he cried, "behold a man who hath no respect for the Constitution, for Church, State or King God save him! Behold a--a being who is traitor to his class! A man who--who'd--O damme--who'd--shoot a fox!" The Major laughed suddenly and shook his head. "No," said he, "no, I'll shoot neither foxes--nor even fools, sir--if--I say if--it may be avoided. And so, gentlemen, thanking you for your extreme zeal on my behalf in the matter of my poacher, I have the honour to bid you, each and every, good day." So saying, the Major bowed and turning, limped into the house. CHAPTER VII WHICH RELATES HOW THE POACHER ESCAPED The rising sun made a glory in the east, purple, amber and flaming gold; before his advent sombre night fled away and sullen mists rolled up and vanished; up he came in triumphant majesty, his far-flung, level beams waking a myriad sparkles on grass and leaf where the dew yet clung; they woke also the blackbird inhabiting the great tree whose spreading boughs shaded a certain gable of the Manor. This blackbird, then, being awake, forthwith prepares to summon others to bid welcome to the day, tunes sleepy pipe, finds himself astonishingly hoarse, pauses awhile to ruminate on the wherefore of this, tries again with better effect, stretches himself, re-settles a ruffled feather and finally, being broad awake, bursts into a passionate ecstasy of throaty warblings. It was at this precise moment that the Major thrust cropped head from his open lattice and leaned there awhile to breathe in the dawn's sweet freshness and to feast his eyes upon dew-spangled earth. And beholding noble house and stately trees with smiling green fields beyond where goodly farmsteads nestled, all his own far as the eye could see and farther, he drew a deep and joyous breath, contrasting all this with his late penury. Now, as he leaned thus in the warm sun, his wandering eye fell upon a small isolated outbuilding, its narrow windows strongly barred, its oaken door padlocked. Instantly the Major drew in his head and began to dress; which done, he clapped on his peruke and opening the door with some degree of care, stepped forth of his chamber, and, carrying his shoes in his hand, tiptoed along the wide gallery, and, descending the great stairs with the same caution, proceeded to a certain small room against whose walls were birding-pieces, fishing-rods, hunting-crops, spurs and the like. From amid these heterogeneous articles he reached down a great key and slipping it into his pocket, proceeded to furtively unbar, unlock and let himself out into the young morning. Outside he put on his shoes and descending marble steps and crossing trim lawns presently arrived at a forbidding oaken door, which he opened forthwith. The poacher lay half-buried among a pile of hay in one corner but at the Major's entrance started up, disclosing a pale, youthful face, whose dark, aquiline features were vaguely reminiscent. "Hum!" said the Major, rubbing his chin and staring, whereat the prisoner, scowling sullenly, turned away. "Ha!" said the Major. "Sirrah, 'tis a fair day for walking I think, therefore, an you be so minded--walk!" "D'ye mean you'll let me--go?" demanded the prisoner. "Aye!" "Free?" "There's the door!" The prisoner sprang to his feet, brushed the hay from his rough and stained garments, glanced from his deliverer to the glory of the morning and stepped out into the sunlight. "You were wiser to avoid Sir Oliver Rington's neighbourhood, and here's somewhat to aid you on your way." So saying, the Major strode off and left the poacher staring down at the gold coins in his palm. The Major wandered thoughtfully along box-bordered paths, past marble fauns and nymphs; between hedges of clipped yew and so to the rose-garden, ablaze with colour and fragrant with bloom. In the midst was a time-worn sundial set about with marble seats and here the Major leaned to muse awhile and so came upon a quaint-lettered posy graven upon the dial which ran as follows: "Youth is joyous; Age is melancholy: Age and Youth together is but folly." "Hum!" said the Major and sighed, and sighing, turned away, limping more than usual, for his meditations were profound. Thus, deep in thought he came back to the isolated building, locked it up again, and wended his way back to the house. Having replaced the key he sat himself down in his study and tucking up his ruffles, fell to work on his History of Fortification, though, to be sure, his pen was frequently idle and once he opened a drawer to stare down at a rapidly fading rose. Gradually the great house about him awoke to life and morning bustle; light feet tripped to and fro, maids' voices chattered and sang merrily, dusters flicked, mops twirled and Mrs. Agatha admonished, while, from the kitchens afar came the faint but delectable rattle of crockery while the Major drove parallels, constructed trenches and covered ways and dreamed of the Lady Betty Carlyon, of her eyes, her hair, the dimple in her wilful chin and of all her alluring witchery. And bethinking him of her warm, soft daintiness, as when she had leaned in his clasp for that much-remembered moment, he almost thought to catch again the faint, sweet fragrance of her. Moved by a sudden impulse he rose, and crossing to a mirror, stood to examine himself critically as he had never done before in all his life. And truly, now he came to notice, his wig was shabby despite the Sergeant's unremitting care; then his shoes were clumsy and thick of sole, his cotton stockings showed a darn here and there and his coat--! The Major shook his head and sighed: "'Tis a very beast of a coat!" In his heart he ruefully admitted that it was. Now, as to his face? The Major stared keenly at well-opened, grey eyes which stared back at him under level brows; at straightish nose, widish mouth and strong, deep-cleft chin; each feature in turn was the object of his wistful scrutiny and he must even trace out the scar that marked his left temple and seek to hide it with the limp side-curls of his peruke. Then he turned away and seating himself at his desk leaned there, head on hand, staring blindly at the written sheets before him. And behind his thoughts was a line from the posy on the sundial: "Youth is joyous, Age is melancholy:" The Major sighed. Suddenly he started and turned as a knock sounded on the door, which, opening forthwith, disclosed the Sergeant, his usually trim habit slightly disordered, his usually serene brow creased and clammy, his eye woeful. "Ah, Sergeant," said the Major placidly, "good morning, Zeb." "Sir," said the Sergeant, advancing three steps and coming to attention. "I've come, sir, to report gross dee-reliction of dooty, sir." "Indeed--whose?" "Mine, sir. You put prisoner in my charge, sir--same has took French leave, sir, by aid o' witchcraft, hocus-pocus, or the devil, sir, prisoner having vanished himself into thin air, sir----" "Remarkable!" said the Major. "Found the place locked up and all serene, sir, but on opening door found prisoner had went which didn't seem nowise nat'ral, sir. Hows'mever, fell in a search party immediate, self and gardeners, sir, but though we beat the park an' the spinney, sir, owing to spells and witchcraft 'twas but labour in vain, prisoner having been spirited away, d'ye see?" "Astonishing!" said the Major. The Sergeant mopped his brow and sighed. "Prisoner having bolted and altogether went, sir--same being vanished, though suspecting witches and hocus-pocus, must hold myself responsible for same----" "No, no, Zeb." "And feel myself defaulter, sir, owing to which shall stop and deny myself customary ale to-day, sir." "Very good, Zeb." "And talking of ale, sir, think it my dooty to report as in the 'George and Dragon' last evening Sir Oliver Rington were talking agin' you, sir--very fierce." "I'm not surprised, Zeb, his kind must talk." "Same person, sir, made oncommon free wi' your name, laying thereto certain and divers eppythets, sir, among which was 'vulgar fellow' and 'beggarly upstart' which me overhearing was forced to shout 'damn liar' as in dooty bound, sir. Whereupon his two grooms, wi' five or six other rogues, took me front, flank and rear and run me out into the road. Whereupon, chancing to have pint-pot in my hand, contrived with same to alter the faces o' two or three of 'em for time being, as in dooty bound, sir. All of which has caused more talk which I do truly lament." "A pint-pot is an awkward weapon, Zebedee!" "True, sir, same being apt to bend." "I trust you did no serious hurt, Sergeant?" "Not so serious as I could ha' wished, sir." "And I hope it won't occur again." "I hope so too, sir! Regarding the prisoner, sir----" "He has escaped, I understand, Zeb." "He has so, your honour." "Then there is no prisoner." "Why as to that, sir," began the Sergeant, scratching his big chin-- "As to that, Zeb, 'tis just as well for everyone concerned, especially the prisoner, that--er--isn't, as 'twere and so forth, d'ye see, Sergeant?" So saying the Major took up his pen and the Sergeant strode away, though more than once he shook his head in dark perplexity. CHAPTER VIII OF PANCRAS, VISCOUNT MERIVALE The Major's study, opening out of the library, was a smallish chamber, very like himself in that its appointments were simple and plain to austerity. Its furniture comprised a desk, a couple of chairs and a settee, its adornments consisted of the portrait of a gentleman in armour who scowled, a Sevres vase full of roses set there by Mrs. Agatha, a pair of silver-mounted small-swords above the carved mantel but within easy reach, flanked by a couple of brace of handsomely mounted pistols. Just now, table, chairs and settee had been pushed into a corner and the chamber rang with the clash and grind of vicious-darting steel where the Major and Sergeant Zebedee in stockinged-feet and shirt-sleeves, thrust and parried and lunged, bright eyes wide and watchful, lips grim-set, supple of wrist and apparently tireless of arm, the Major all lissom, graceful ease despite his limp, the Sergeant a trifle stiff but grimly business-like and deadly; a sudden fierce rally, a thrust, a lightning riposte and the Major stepped back. "_Touche!_" he exclaimed, lowering his point. "'Tis a wicked thrust of yours--that in tierce, Zebedee!" "'Twas you as taught it me, sir," answered the Sergeant, whipping his foil to the salute, "same as you taught me my letters, consequently I am bold to fight or read any man as ever drawed breath." "You do credit to my method, Sergeant Zeb--especially that trick o' the wrist--'tis mine own and I think unique. Come again, we have another ten minutes." Hereupon they gravely saluted each other, came to the engage and once more the place echoed to rasping steel and quick-thudding feet. It was a particularly fierce and brilliant bout, in the middle of which and quite unobserved by the combatants, the door opened and a young gentleman appeared. He was altogether a remarkable young gentleman being remarkably young, languid and gorgeous. A pale mauve coat, gold of button and rich of braid, its skirts sufficiently full and ample, seemed moulded upon his slender figure, his legs were encased in long, brown riding-boots of excellent cut and finish, furnished with jingling silver spurs, his face exactly modish of pallor, high-nosed and delicately featured, was set off by a great periwig whose glossy curls had that just and nicely-ordered disorder fashion required; in his right hand he held his hat, a looped and belaced affair, two fingers of his left were posed elegantly upon the silver hilt of his sword the brown leathern scabbard of which cocked its silver lip beneath his coat at precisely the right angle; thus, as he stood regarding the fencing bout he seemed indeed the very "glass of fashion and mould of form" and unutterably serene. "Ha!" exclaimed the Sergeant suddenly, "clean through the gizzard, sir!" and lowering his point in turn he shook his head, "'twould ha' done my business for good an' all, sir." And it was to be noted that despite their exertions neither he nor the Major breathed overfast or seemed unduly over-heated; remarking which the young gentleman animadverted gently as follows: "Gad, nunky mine, Gad save my poor perishing sawl how d'ye do it--ye don't blow and ye ain't sweating----" The Major started and turned: "What--nephew!" hastening forward to greet his visitor, "What, Pancras lad, when did you arrive?" "Ten minutes since, sir. I strolled up from the 'George and Dragon' and left my fellows to come on with the horses and baggage. Begad, sir, 'tis a cursed fine property this, a noble heritage! Give you joy of it! Here's a change from your trooping and fighting! You grow warm, nunky, warm, eh?" "'Tis a great change, nephew, and most unexpected. But speaking of change, Pancras, you have grown out of recognition since last I saw you." "Gad prasper me, sir, I hope so--'tis five long years agone and I'm my own man since my father had the grace to break his neck a-hunting, though 'tis a pity he contrived to break my mother's heart first, sweet, patient soul. Ha, sir, d'ye mind the day you pitched him out o' the gun-room window?" "He's dead, Pancras!" said the Major, flushing. "Which is very well, sir, since you're alive and I'm alive and so's the Sergeant here. How goes it Zeb--good old Zeb. How goes it, Sergeant Zeb?" and the Viscount's white, be-ringed hand met the Sergeant's hairy one in a hearty grip. "Look at him, nunky, look at him a Gad's name--same old square face, not changed a hair since he used to come a-marching back with you from some campaign or other, rat me! D'ye mind, Zeb, d'ye mind how you used to make me wooden swords and teach me how to bear my point--eh?" "Aye, I mind, sir," nodded the Sergeant, grim lips smiling, "'tis not so long since." "Talking of fence, sir, give me leave to say--as one somewhat proficient in the art--that your style is a little antiquated!" "Is't so, nephew?" "Rat me if it isn't, sir! It lacketh that niceness of finish, that gracious poise o' the bady, that '_je ne sais quoi_' which is all the mode." "So, nephew, you fence-- "Of course, nunky, we all do--'tis the fashion. I fence a bout or so every day with the great Mancini, sir." "So he's great these days?" "How, d'ye know him, uncle?" "Years ago I fenced with him in Flanders." "Well, sir?" "I thought him too flamboyant----" "O, Gad requite me, sir! Had you but felt his celebrated attack--that stoccata! Let me show you!" So saying, the Viscount tossed his hat into a corner, took the Sergeant's foil and fell into a graceful fencing posture. "Come, nunky, on guard!" he cried. Smiling, the Major saluted. "Here he is, see you, the point bearing so, and before you can blink----" "Your coat, sir!" said the Sergeant, proffering to take it. "Let be, Zeb, let be," sighed the Viscount, "it takes my fellow to get me into 't, and my two fellows to get me out on't, so let be. Come, nunky mine." Smiling, the Major fell to his guard and the blades rang together. "Here he is, see you, his point bearing so, and, ere you can blink he comes out of tierce and---- "I pink you--so!" said the Major. "Gad's me life!" exclaimed his nephew, staring. "What the--how--come again, sir!" Once more the blades clinked and instantly the Viscount lunged; the Major stepped back, his blade whirled and the Viscount's weapon spun from his grasp and clattered to the floor. "Gad save me poor perishing sawl!" he exclaimed, staring gloomily at his fallen weapon, "how did ye do 't, sir? Sergeant Zeb, damme you're laughing at me!" "Sir," answered the Sergeant, picking up the foil, "I were!" "Very curst of you! And how did he manage Mancini?" "Much the same as he managed you, sir, only----" "Only?" "Not so--so prompt, sir!" "The devil he did! But Mancini's esteemed one of the best----" "So were his honour, sir!" "O!" said the Viscount, "and he didn't puff and he ain't sweating--my sawl!" "'Tis use, nephew." "And country air, sir! Look at you--young as you were five years since--nay, younger, I vow. Now look at me, a pasitive bunch of fiddle-strings--appetite bad, stomach worse, nerves--O love me! A pasitive wreck, Gad prasper me!" The Major's sharp eyes noted the youthful, upright figure, the alert glance, the resolute set of mouth and chin, and he smiled. "To be sure you are in a--er--a low, weak state of health, I understand?" "O sir, most curst." "Poor Pancras!" said the Major. "No, no, sir, a Gad's name don't call me so, 'tis a curst name, 'twas my father's name, beside 'tis a name to hang a dog. Call me Tam, Tam's short and to the point--all my friends call me Tam, so call me Tam!" "So be it, Tom. So you come into the country for your health?" "Aye, sir, I do. Nothing like the country, sir, balmy air--mighty invigorating, look at the ploughmen they eat and drink and sleep and--er----" "Plough!" suggested the Major, gravely. "Begad, sir, so they do. And besides, I do love the country--brooks and beehives, nunky; cabbages, y'know, cows d'ye see and clods and things----" "And cuckoos, Tom." "Aye, and cuckoos!" said the Viscount serenely. "Indeed, the country hath a beauty all its own, sir, so am I come to----" "Be near her, nephew!" "Eh? O! Begad!" saying which Viscount Merivale took out a highly ornate gold snuff-box, looked at it, tapped it and put it away again. "Nunky," he murmured, "since you're so curst wide-awake I'm free to confess that for the last six months I've worshipped at the shrine of the Admirable Betty--de-votedly, sir!" "There be others also, I think!" said the Major, handing his foil to the Sergeant. "Gad love me, sir, 'tis true enough! The whole town is run mad for her pasitively, and 'tis small wonder! She's a blooming peach, nunky, a pearl of price--let me perish! A goddess, a veritable----" "Woman!" said the Major. "And, sir, this glory of her sex blooms and blossoms--next door. Ha' ye seen her yet?" "Once or twice, Tom." "Now I protest, sir--ain't she the most glorious creature--a peerless piece--a paragon? By heaven, 'tis the sweetest, perversest witch and so do my hopes soar." "Doth she prove so kind, nephew?" "O sir, she doth flout me consistently." "Flout you?" "Constantly, thank Vanus! 'Tis when she's kind I fall i' the dumps." "God bless me!" exclaimed the Major. "Look'ee sir, there's Tripp, for instance, dear old bottlenose Ben, she smiles on him and suffers him to bear her fan, misfortunate dog! There's Alton, she permits him to attend her regularly and hand her from chair or coach, poor devil! There's West and Marchdale, I've known her talk with them in corners, unhappy wights! There's Dalroyd----" "The 'die-away' gentleman?" said the Major. "O he's death and the devil for her, he is--a sleepy, smouldering flame, rat me! And she is scarce so kind to him I could wish. But as for me, nunky, me she scorns, flouts, contemns and quarrels with, so doth hope sing within me!" "Hum!" said the Major, clapping on his wig. "So I am here in the fervent hope that ere the year is out she may be my Viscountess and--O my stricken sawl!" "What is't, nephew?" "Aye, sir, that's the question--what? Faith, it might be anything." "You mean my wig, Tom?" enquired the Major, laughing, yet flushing a little. "Wig?" murmured the Viscount, "after all, sir, there is a resemblance--though faint. Sure you never venture abroad in the thing? "Why not?" "'Twould be pasitively indecent, sir!" Here the Major laughed, but the Sergeant, setting the furniture in place, scowled fixedly at the chair he chanced to be grasping. "Perhaps 'tis time I got me a new one," said the Major, slipping into his coat. "One!" exclaimed the Viscount. "O pink me, sir--a man of your standing and position needs a dozen. A wig, sir, is as capricious as a woman--it can make a gentleman a dowdy, a fool look wise and a wise man an ass, 'tis therefore a--what the----" The Viscount rose and putting up his glass peered at his uncle in pained astonishment: "Sir--sir," he faltered, "'tis a perfectly curst object that--may I venture to enquire----" "What, my coat, Tom?" "Coat--coat--O let me perish!" And the Viscount sank limply into a chair and drooped there in dejection. "Calls it a coat!" he murmured. "'Tis past its first bloom, I'll allow----" "Bloom--O stap me!" whispered the Viscount. "But 'twas a very good coat once----" "Nay sir, nay, I protest," cried the Viscount, "upon a far, far distant day it may have been a something to keep a man warm, but 'twas never, O never a coat----" "Indeed, Tom?" "Indeed, sir, in its halcyon days 'twas an ill dream, now--'tis a pasitive nightmare. Have you any other garment a trifle less gruesome, sir?" "I have two other suits I think, Sergeant?" "Three, your honour, there's your d'Oyley stuff suit" (the Viscount groaned), "there's your blue and silver and the black velvet garnished with----" "Sounds curst funereal, Zeb! O my poor nunky! Go fetch 'em, Sergeant, and let me see 'em--'twill distress and pain me I know but--go fetch 'em!" Here, at a nod from the Major, Sergeant Zebedee departed. "I--er--live very retired, Tom," began the Major. "We'll change all that, sir----" "The devil, you say!" "O nunky, nunky, 'tis time I took you in hand. D'ye ever hunt now?" "Why no!" "Visit your neighbours?" "Not as yet, Tom." "Go among your tenantry?" "Very seldom----" "O fie, sir, fie! Here's you pasitively wasting all your natural advantages,--shape, stature, habit o' bady all thrown away--I always admired your curst, high, stand-and-deliver air--even as a child, and here's you living and clothing yourself like----" He paused as the Sergeant re-entered, who, spreading out the three suits upon the table with a flourish, stood at attention. "I knew it--I feared so!" murmured the Viscount, turning over the garments. He sighed over them, he groaned, he nearly wept. "Take 'em away--away, Zeb," he faltered at last, "hide 'em from the eye o' day, lose 'em, a Gad's name, Zeb--burn 'em!" "Burn 'em, sir?" repeated the Sergeant, folding up the despised garments with painful care, "axing your pardon, m'lord, same being his honour's I'd rather----" "Next week, nunky, you shall ride to town with me and acquire some real clothes." The Major stroked his chin and surveyed the Sergeant's wooden expression! "Egad, Tom," said he, "I think I will!" Glancing from the window, the Major beheld a train of heavily-laden pack-horses approaching, up the drive. "Why, what's all this?" he exclaimed. "That?" answered the Viscount yawning, "merely a few of my clothes, sir, and trifling oddments----" "God bless my soul!" "Sir," said the Sergeant, tucking the garments under his arm beneath the Viscount's horrified gaze, "with your permission will proceed to warn grooms and stable-boys of approaching cavalry squadron!" and he marched out forthwith. CHAPTER IX WHICH IS A VERY BRIEF CHAPTER "I pr'ythee spare me, gentle boy Press me no more for that slight toy That foolish trifle of a heart I swear it will not do its part Though thou dost thine----" The Viscount checked his song and inserting the upper half of his person through the open lattice, hailed the Major cheerily. "What, uncle, nunky, nunk--still at it? 'Tis high time you went to change your dress." "O? And why, Tom?" "I look for our company here in twenty minutes or so." "What company, may I ask?" "Lady Belinda and Our Admirable Betty." "Good God!" ejaculated the Major starting up in sudden agitation. "Coming here--you never mean it?" "I do indeed, sir!" "But Lord! Why should they come?" "As I gather, sir, 'tis because you invited 'em----" "I? Never in my life!" "Why, 'tis true sir, I was your mouthpiece--your ambassador, as it were." "And she--er--they are coming here! Both!" "Both, sir." "Lord, Tom, 'tis a something desperate situation, what am I to do with----" "Leave 'em to me sir! They shan't daunt you!" "Ha! To you, Tom?" "And dear old Ben----" "O?" "And Alton----" "Indeed!" "And Marchdale----" "Any more, nephew?" "And Alvaston----" "Ah?" "And Dalroyd and Denholm----" "Did I invite 'em all, Tom?" "Every one, sir!" "I wonder what made me?" "Loneliness, sir!" "D'ye think so, Tom?" "Aye, you've always been a lonely man, I mind." "Perhaps I have--except for the Sergeant." "You are still, sir." "Belike I am--though I have Sergeant Zeb." "But we'll change all that in a month---aye, less! You shall grow two or three hundred years younger and enjoy at last the youth you've never known." "Faith, you'd give me much, Tom!" The Viscount took out his snuff-box, tapped it, opened it, and forgot his affectations. "Sir," said he, "there was, on a time, a little, wretched boy, who, hating and fearing his father, grieving in his sweet mother's griefs until she died, found thereafter a friend, very tender and strong, in a big, red-coated uncle----" "By adoption, nephew." "Aye sir, but I found him more truly satisfying to my youthful needs than any uncle by blood, Lord love me! At whose all too infrequent visits my boyish griefs and fears fled away--O Gad, sir, in those days I made of you a something betwixt Ajax defying the lightning and a--wet-nurse, and plague take it, sir, d'ye wonder if I----" Here the Viscount took a pinch of snuff and sneezed violently. "Rat me!" he gasped, "'tis the hatefullest stuff!" Followed a volley of sneezing and thereafter a feeble voice--"The which reminds me sir we must drink tea----" "But I abominate tea, Tom." "So do I, sir, so do I--curst stuff! You know the song: 'Let Mahometan fools Live by heathenish rules And be damned over tea-cups and coffee--' But the women dote on it, dear creatures! 'Tis to the sex what water is to the pig (poor, fat, ignorant brute!) ale to the yeoman (lusty fellow) Nantzy to your nobby-nosed parson (roguish old boy) and wine to your man of true taste. So, let there be tea, sir." "By all means, Tom!" "And sir--if I may venture a suggestion--?" "Take courage, nephew, and try!" "Why then, wear your blue and silver, nunky, 'tis the least obnaxious and by the way, have you such a thing as a lackey or so about the place to get in one's way and to be tumbled over as is the polite custom, sir?" "Hum!" said the Major thoughtfully, "I fancy the Sergeant has drafted 'em all into his gardening squad--ask Mrs. Agatha, she'll know." CHAPTER X INTRODUCING DIVERS FINE GENTLEMEN "Gentlemen!" said the Viscount, "you have, I believe, had the honour to meet my uncle, Major d'Arcy, for a moment, 'tis now my privilege to make you better acquainted, for to know him is to honour him. Uncle, I present our Ben, our blooming Benjamin--Sir Benjamin Tripp." "Ods body, sir!" cried Sir Benjamin, plump, rubicund and jovial. "'Tis a joy--a joy, I vow! Od, sir,'tis I protest an infinite joy to----" "Ha' done with your joys, Ben," said the Viscount, "here's Tony all set for his bow! Nunky--Mr. Anthony Marchdale!" Mr. Marchdale, a man of the world of some nineteen summers bent languidly and lisped: "Kiss your hands, sir!" "I present Lord Alvaston!" His lordship, making the utmost of his slender legs aided by a pair of clocked silk stockings bowed exuberantly. "Very devoted humble, sir! As regards your poacher, sir, ma humble 'pinion's precisely your 'pinion sir--poacher's a dam rogue but rogue's a man 'n' rabbit's only rabbit--if 'sequently if dam rogue kills rabbit an' rabbit's your rabbit----" "Stint your plaguy rabbits a while, Bob. Nunky, Captain West." "Yours to command, sir!" said the Captain, a trifle mature, a trifle grim, but shooting his ruffles with a youthful ease. "The Marquis of Alton!" "I agree with Ben, sir, 'tis a real joy, strike me dumb if 'tisn't!" "Sir Jasper Denholm!" Sir Jasper, chiefly remarkable for an interesting pallor, and handsome eyes which had earned for themselves the epithet of "soulful," bowed in turn: "Sir," he sighed, "your dutiful humble! If you be one of this sighful, amorous fellowship that worships peerless Betty from afar, 'tis an added bond, sir, a----" Speech was extinguished by a gusty sigh. "Od so!" exclaimed Sir Benjamin, hilariously, "do we then greet another rival for the smiles of our Admirable Lady Betty--begad!" The Major started slightly then smiled and shook his head in denial. "Nay sir, such presumption is not in me----" "But, indeed, sir," sighed Sir Jasper, "you must have marked how Cupid lieth basking in the dimple of her able chin, lieth ambushed in her night-soft hair, playeth (naughty young wanton) in her snowy bosom, lurketh (rosy elf) 'neath----" "Sir!" said the Major, rather hastily, "I have eyes!" "Enough, sir--whoso hath eyes must worship! So do we salute you as a fellow-sufferer deep-smit of Eros his blissful, barbed dart." "Od rabbit me, 'tis so!" cried Sir Benjamin. "Here's wine, come, a toast, let us fill to Love's latest bleeding victim--let us solemnly----" The door opened, a rehabilitated footman announced: 'Lady Belinda Damain, Lady Elizabeth Carlyon,' and in the ladies swept, whereupon the Major instinctively felt to see if his peruke were straight. "O dear heart!" exclaimed the Lady Belinda, halting with slim foot daintily poised. "So many gentlemen--I vow 'tis pure! And discussing a toast, too! O Gemini! Dear sirs, what is't--relate!" "I' faith, madam," cried Sir Benjamin, "we greet and commiserate another victim to your glorious niece's glowing charms, we salute our fellow-sufferer Major d'Arcy!" The Major laughed a little uncertainly as he hastened to welcome his guests. "Indeed," said he, "what man having eyes can fail to admire though from afar, and in all humility!" At this, Lady Betty laughed also and meeting her roguish look he flushed and bent very low above the Lady Belinda's hand but conscious only of her who stood so near and who in turn sank down before him in gracious curtsey, down and down, looking up at him the while with smile a little malicious and eyes of laughing mockery ere she rose, all supple, joyous ease despite her frills and furbelows. "Doth he suffer much, think you, gentlemen?" she enquired, turning towards the company yet with gaze upon the Major's placid face. "Burneth he with amorous fire, think you, wriggleth he on Cupid's dart?" "O infallibly!" answered Sir Benjamin, "I'll warrant me, madam, he flameth inwardly---- "E'en as unhappy I!" sighed Sir Jasper Denholm. "And I myself!" said the Captain, shooting a ruffle. "O Gad!" exclaimed Viscount Merivale, "why leave out the rest of us?" "Demme, yes!" cried the Marquis, "we are all our divine Betty's miserable humble, obedient slaves to command----" "'Tis excellent well!" exclaimed my lady gaily, "miserable slaves, I greet you one and all and 'tis now my will, mandate and command that you shall attend dear my aunt whiles I question this most placid sufferer as to his torments. Major, your hand--pray let us walk!" As one in a dream he took her soft fingers in his and let her lead him whither she would. Side by side they passed through stately rooms lit by windows rich with stained glass; beneath carved and gilded ceilings, along broad corridors, up noble stairways and down again, she full of blithe talk, he rather more silent even than usual. She quizzed the grim effigies in armour, bowed airily to the portraits, peeped into cupboards and corners, viewing all things with quick, appraising, feminine eyes while he, looking at this and that as she directed him, was conscious only of her. "'Tis a fine house!" she said critically, "and yet it hath, methinks, a sad and plaintive air. 'Tis all so big and desolate!" "Desolate!" said he, thoughtfully. "And lonely and cold, and empty and--ha'n't you noticed it, sir?" "Why, no!" "I marvel!" "As for lonely, mam, they tell me I am naturally so, and then I have my work." "And that, sir?" "I'm writing a History of Fortification." "It sounds plaguy dull!" "So it does!" he agreed. In time they came to the library and study but on the threshold of that small, bare chamber, my lady paused. "You poor soul!" she exclaimed. The Major looked startled. "'Tis here you sit and write?" she demanded. He admitted it. "And not so much as a rug on the floor!" "Rugs are apt to--er--encumber one's feet!" he suggested. "Nor a picture to light this dull panelling! Not a cushion, not a footstool! O 'tis a dungeon, 'tis deadly drear and smells horribly of tobacco--faugh!" "Shall we rejoin the company?" he ventured. "So bare, so barren!" she sighed, "so lorn and loveless!" Here she sank down at the desk in the Major's great armchair and shook disparaging head at him: "Why not work in comfort?" "Is it so lacking?" he questioned, "I was content----" "With very little, sir!" "Surely to be content is to be happy?" "And are you so--very happy, Major d'Arcy?" "I--think so! At the least, I'm content----" "Is a man ever content?" she enquired, taking up one of his pens in idle fingers. The Major fell to pondering this, watching her the while as, with the feather of the pen she began to touch and stroke her vivid lips and he noticed how full and gentle were their curves. "He is a fool who strives for the impossible!" said he at last. "Nay, he is a very man!" she retorted. "Are there many things impossible after all, to a man of sufficient determination, I wonder--or a woman?" The Major, seating himself on a corner of the desk, pondered this also; and now the feather of the pen was caressing the dimple in her chin, and he noticed how firm this chin was for all its round softness. "'Deed, sir," she went on again, "I feel as we had known each other all our days, I wonder why?" The Major took up his tobacco-box that lay near by and turned it over and over before he answered and without looking at her: "I'm happy to know it, madam, very!" "And my name is Betty and yours is John and we are neighbours. So I shall call you Major John and sometimes Major Jack--when you please me." "How did you learn my name?" he asked gently; but now he did look at her. "Major John," she answered lightly, "you possess a nephew." "Aye, to be sure!" said he and looked at the tobacco-box again, then put it by, rather suddenly, and rose, "which reminds me that the company wait you, mam----" "Do--not----" "Madam!" "Nor that!" "My lady Betty," he amended, after a momentary pause. "The company-- "Pish to the company!" "But madam, consider----" "Pooh to the company! Pray be seated again, Major John. You love your nephew, sir?" "Indeed! 'Tis a noble fellow, handsome, rich and--young----" "True, he's very young, Major John!" "And--er--" the Major glanced a little helplessly towards the tobacco-box, "he--he loves you and, er----" "Mm!" said Lady Betty, biting the pen thoughtfully between white teeth. "He loves me, sir--go on, I beg!" "And being a lover he awaits you impatiently." "And the others, sir." "And the others of course, and here are you--I mean here am I----" "You, Major John--but O why drag yourself into it?" "I mean that whiles they wait for sight of you I--er--keep you here----" "By main force, sir." The Major laughed. "They will be growing desperate, I doubt," said he. "Well, let 'em, Major John, I prefer to be--kept here awhile. Pray be seated as you were." He obeyed, though his usually serene brow was flushed and his gaze wandered towards the tobacco-box again, perceiving which, my lady placed it in his hand. "As regards your nephew----" "Meaning Tom." "Meaning Pancras, sir, he plagued me monstrously this morning. I was alone within the bower and he had the extreme impertinence to--climb the wall." "The deuce he did, mam!" "It hath been done before, I think, sir!" she sighed. "Being stole into the arbour he set a cushion on the floor and his knees thereon and, referring to his tablets, spoke me thus: 'Here beginneth the one-hundred-and-forty-sixth supplication for the hand, the heart, the peerless body of the most adorable----' but I spare you the rest, sir. Upon this, I, for the one-hundred and forty-sixth time incontinent refused him, whereupon he was for reading an ode he hath writ me, whereupon I, very naturally, sought to flee away, whereupon a great, vile, hugeous, ugly, monstrous, green and hairy caterpillar fell upon me--whereupon, of course, I swooned immediately." "Poor child!" said the Major. "The couch being comfortably near, sir." "Couch!" exclaimed the Major, staring. "Would you have me swoon on the floor, sir?" "But if you swoon, mam----" "I swoon gracefully, sir--'tis a family trait. I, being in a swoon, then, Major John, your nephew had the extreme temerity to--kiss me." The Major looked highly uncomfortable. "He kissed me here, sir!" and rosy finger-tip indicated dimpled chin. "To be sure he aimed for my lips, but, by subtlety, I substituted my chin which he kissed--O, passionately!" The Major dropped the tobacco-box. "But I understand you--but you were swooning!" he stammered. "I frequently do, Major John, I also faint, sir, as occasion doth demand." "God bless my soul!" he exclaimed. "And wherefore this amaze, sir?" "'Fore Heaven, madam, I had not dreamed of such--such duplicity." "O Innocence!" she cried. "Do all fine ladies feign swoons, madam?" "Major Innocence, they do! They swoon by rote and they faint by rule." "Thank Heaven there be none to come swooning my way!" said he fervently. "Dare you contemn the sex, sir? "Nay, I'm not so bold, madam, or sufficiently experienced." "To be sure your knowledge of the sex is limited, I understand." "Very!" "You have known but three ladies, I think?" The Major bowed. "Then I make the fourth, Major John." "But indeed, I should never learn to know you in the least." "Why, 'tis very well!" she nodded. "That which mystifies, attracts." "Do you wish to attract?" he enquired, stooping for the tobacco-box. "Sir, I am a woman!" "True," he smiled, "for whose presence several poor gentlemen do sigh. Let us join 'em." "Ah! You wish to be rid of me!" She laid down the pen and, leaning chin on hand, regarded him with eyes of meekness. "Do you wish to be rid of me?" she enquired humbly. "Do I weary you with my idle chatter, most grave philosopher?" She had a trick of pouting red lips sometimes when thinking and she did so now as she waited her answer. "No!" said he. "I could wish you a little more emphatic, sir and much more--more fiercely masculine--ferocity tempered with respect. Could you ever forget to be so preposterously sedate?" "I climbed a wall!" he reminded her. "Pooh!" she exclaimed, "and sat there as gravely unruffled, as proper and precise as a parson in a pulpit. See you now, perched upon a corner of the desk, yet you perch so sublimely correct and solemn 'tis vastly annoying. Could you ever contrive to lose your temper, I wonder?" "Never with a child," he answered, smiling. Lady Betty stiffened and stared at him with proud head upflung, grew very red, grew pale, and finally laughed; but her eyes glittered beneath down-sweeping lashes as she answered softly: "'Deed, sir, I'm very contemptibly young, sir, immaturely hoydenish, sir, green, callow, unripe and altogether of no account to a tried man o' the world sir, of age and judgment ripe--aye, a little over-ripe, perchance. And yet, O!" my lady sighed ecstatic, "I dare swear that one day you shall not find in all the South country such a furiously-angry, ferociously-passionate, rampantly-raging old gentleman as Major John d'Arcy, sir!" "And there's your aunt calling us, I think," said he, gently. Lady Betty bit her lip and frowned at her dainty shoe. "Pray let her wail, sir, 'tis her one delight when there chance to be a sufficiency of gentlemen to attend her, so suffer the poor soul to wail awhile, sir--nay, she's here!" As the Major rose the door opened and Lady Belinda entered "twittering" upon the arms of Viscount Merivale and Sir Benjamin Tripp. "Olack-a-day, dear Bet!" she gasped, "my own love-bird, 'tis here you are and the dear Major too! We've sought thee everywhere, child, the tea languishes--high an low we've sought thee, puss. 'Tis a monstrous fine house but vast--so many stairs--such work--upstairs and downstairs I've climbed and clambered, child----" "Od so, 'tis true enough!" said Sir Benjamin clapping laced handkerchief to heated brow, "haven't done so much, hem! I say so much climbing for years, I vow!" Here the Viscount, serene as ever, slowly closed one eye. "Come Betty sweet, tea grows impatient and clamours for thee and I for tea, and the gentlemen all do passion for thee." "By the way, Tom," said the Major as they followed the company, "I don't see Mr. Dalroyd here." "No more he is, nunky!" answered the Viscount, "but then, Lord, sir, Dalroyd is something of an unknown quantity, at all times." CHAPTER XI IN WHICH LADY BELINDA TALKS "And pray mam," enquired the Major as they strolled over velvety lawn, "are you and my lady Betty settled in the country for good?" The Lady Belinda stopped suddenly and raised clasped hands to heaven. "Hark to the monster!" she ejaculated, "O Lud, Major, how can you? Stop in the country--I? O heaven--a wilderness of cabbages and caterpillars--of champing cows and snorting bulls! Sir, sir, at the bare possibility I vow I could positively swoon away----" "Don't, mam!" cried the Major hastily. "No, no mam, pray don't," he pleaded. "I detest the country sir, I----" "Quite so, quite so," said the Major soothingly, "cows mam, I understand--quite natural indeed!" "I loathe and abominate the country, sir--so rude and savage! Such mud and so--so infinite muddy and clingy! What can one do in the country but mope and sigh to be out of it?" "Well, one can walk in it, mam, and----" "Walk, sir? But I nauseate walking--in the country extremely. Think of the brooks sir, so--so barbarously wet and--and brooky. Think of the wind so bold to rumple one and spiky things to drag at and tear and take liberties with one's garments! Think of the things that creep and crawl and the things that fly and buzz--and the spiders' webs that tickle one's face! No sir, no--the country is no place for one endowed with a fine and delicate nature." "Certainly not, mam," said the Major heartily. "Then you'll be leaving shortly?" "I so beseech Heaven on my two bended knees, sir, but alas, I know not! 'Tis Betty--an orphan, sweet child and in my care. But indeed she's so wickedly wilful, so fly-by-night, so rampant o' youth and--and unreason." "Indeed, mam!" "And though sweet Bet is an angel of goodness she hath a temper, O!" "Hum!" said the Major. "And such--such animal spirits! So vulgarly robust! Such rude health and vigorous as a dairy-maid! And talking of dairy matters, only the other morning I found her positively--milking a cow!" "Egad and did you so, mam?" "And this morning such a romping in the dairy and there was she--O sir!" "What, mam?" "Arms all naked--churning, sir! "O, churning?" "Riotously, sir!" "Did you--er--swoon, mam?" "Indeed I could ha' done, dear Major, but--'twixt you and me, though dear Bet hath the best of hearts, she is perhaps a little unsympathetic I'll not deny, and hath betimes a sharp tongue, I must confess." "Indeed I--I should judge so, mam." "O you men!" sighed the Lady Belinda, turning up her eyes, "so quick to spy out foibles feminine--la sir and fie! But indeed though I do love my sweet Bet, O passionately, truth bids me say she can be almost shrewish!" "You have my sympathy, mam!" "Dear Major, I deserve it---if you only knew! The pranks she hath played me--so wild, so ungoverned, so--so unvirginal!" The Major winced. "I have known her gallop her horse in the paddock--man-fashion!" The Major looked relieved; perceiving which, Lady Belinda, sinking her voice, continued: "And once, sir, O heaven, can I ever forget! Once--O I tremble to speak it! Once----" The Major flinched again. "Once, sir, she actually ventured forth dressed in--in--O I blush!--in--O Modesty! O Purity!--in--O----!" "Madam, a God's name--in what?" "Male attire, sir--O I burn!" The Major did the same. "Not--you don't mean--abroad, mam, in--in 'em?" "I do, sir, I do! She swaggered down the Mall, sir ogling the women, and finding me alone and I not knowing her, she did so leer and nudge me that I all but swooned 'twixt fear and modesty, sir!" "Good God!" ejaculated the Major, faintly, "was she--alone, madam?" "She was with her naughty brother Charles and methought he'd die of his unseemly mirth. A wild youth, indeed and she hath the same lawless spirit, sir. All their motherless days I have cared for 'em and what with their waywardness and my own high-strung nature--O me!" "I can conceive your days have not been--uneventful, mam." "Charles is known to you, of course, sir?" "No, mam." "But your nephew Pancras and he are greatly intimate!" "I've never even heard of him, madam." "Why then you don't know that poor, naughty, misguided Charles is--hush, they come! Yonder, sir--O Cupid, a ravishing couple!" Lady Betty and the Viscount were approaching them, quarrelling as usual, she bright-eyed and flushed of cheek, he handsome, debonair and unutterably serene. "A truly noble pair, dear Major!" sighed Lady Belinda. "Indeed, yes, mam!" "'Twould be an excellent match?" "Excellent!" "Both so well suited, so rich, so handsome----" "And so--young, mam!" "O sir, I yearn to have 'em married!" The Major was silent. "'Twould tame her wildness, I warrant. How think you?" "Belike it would, madam." "Then let us conspire together for their good, dear sir! Let us wed 'em as soon as may be--come?" "But mam, I--er---indeed, madam, I know nought of such things I----" "Nay sir, never doubt but we shall contrive it betwixt us. 'Tis then agreed--O 'twill be pure! Henceforth we are conspirators, dear Major, O 'tis ravishing! Hush--yonder come the gentlemen to make their adieux, I think--let us meet 'em!" As one in a dream the Major gave her his hand and together they rejoined the company who took leave of their host with much bowing of backs, flirting of ruffles, flicking of handkerchiefs and tapping of snuff-boxes. As the Major stood to watch their departure my lady Betty beckoned him to her side: "And pray, dear sir, hath my aunt recounted you all my sins?" she enquired soft-voiced. "I have learned you can milk a cow and felicitate you----" "Of course she told you how I wore breeches, sir?" The Major gasped, and stood before her blushing and mute; perceiving which, she laughed: "Indeed, they become me vastly well!" she murmured, and sank before him in the stateliest of curtseys. "Au revoir, my dear Major Jack!" she laughed and giving her hand to an attendant adorer, moved away down the drive with all the gracious dignity of a young goddess. Long after the gay company had vanished from sight Major d'Arcy stood there, head bowed, hands deep-plunged in coat pockets and with the flush still burning upon his bronzed cheek. CHAPTER XII THE VISCOUNT DISCOURSES ON SARTORIAL ART Viscount Merivale sighed ecstatic. "Beautiful!" he murmured. "O beautiful, nunky! Here we have perfection of fit, excellence of style, harmony of colour and graciousness of line!" "Colour," reflected the Major, "is't not a little fevered, Tom, a little--hectic as 'twere?" "Hectic--O impiety! You are a sentient rhapsody, a breathing poem, sir, blister me!" The Major regarded his reflection in the mirror dubious and askance; his plum-coloured, gold-braided coat, his gorgeous embroidered waistcoat, his clocked stockings and elegant French shoes; his critical glance roved from flowing new periwig to flashing diamond shoe-buckles and he blinked. "I find myself something too dazzling, Tom!" "Entirely _a la mode_, sir, let me perish!" "A little too--exotic, Tom!" "Rat me sir--no, not a particle." "And I feel uncomfortably stiff in 'em----" "But, sir, reflect on the joy you confer on the beholder!" "True, I had forgot that!" said the Major smiling. "You are a joy to the eye nunky, an inspiration, you are, I vow you are. If your breeches cramp you, suffer 'em, if your coat gall you, endure it for the sake o' the world in general--be unselfish, sir. Look at me--on state occasions my garments pinch me infernally, cause me pasitive torture, sir, but I endure for the sake of others, sir." "You are a martyr, Tom." "Gad love me, sir, 'tis so, a man of fashion must be. So there you stand as gay a young spark as ever ruffled it----" "These shoe-buckles, now," mused the Major, "here was an egregious folly and waste of money----" "Nay, you could afford 'em, sir, and there's nothing can show your true man of taste like an elegant foot." "Still, considering my age, Tom-- "A man is as old as he looks, sir, and you look no older than thirty-one." The Major shook his head. "I could ha' wished myself a little more sombre-clad----" "Sambre sir--O Gad support me, sambre? Permit me to say, sir, with the greatest deference in the world--tush t'you, sir! Why must ye pine to be sambre? You ain't a parson nor a Quaker, nor yet a funeral! With all due respect, sir--pish! You are as sober clad as any self-respecting gentleman could desire." "D'ye think so, Tom?" "Sure of it, sir, 'pon my honour!" "Hum!" said the Major still a little dubious and reaching for his gold-laced hat, was in the act of setting it on his head when a cry from the Viscount arrested him. "Gad love me, sir, what are you about with your hat?" "I am about to put it on, sure, nephew." "O Lard, sir, never do so, I beg!" "In heaven's name why not?" "Because 'tis never done sir. Fie, 'tis a curst barbarian act never committed by the 'ton'!" "But damme, Tom, what are hats for?" "To show off one's hand sir, to fan one's self gracefully, to be borne negligently 'neath the arm, to point a remark or lend force to an epigram, to woo and make love with, to offend and insult with, 'tis for a thousand and one things, sir, but never O never to put on one's head--'tis a practice unmodish, reprehensible and altogether damnable!" "Tom," said the Major, looking a little dazed, "now look'ee, Tom, I'm no town gallant nor ever shall be, to me a hat is a hat, and as such I shall use it----" "But reflect sir, consider how it will discommode your peruke." "Tom, well-nigh all my days I have worn a uniform and consequently any other garments feel strange on me--these cursedly so. But since I've bought 'em, I'll wear 'em my own way. And now, since 'tis a fine evening, I'll walk abroad and try to get a little used to 'em." Saying which the Major clapped on his hat a little defiantly and strode out of the room. In the wide hall he met Mrs. Agatha and conscious of her glance of surprised approval, felt himself flushing as he acknowledged her curtsey; thereafter on his way out he stepped aside almost stealthily to avoid one of the neat housemaids; even when out in the air he still felt himself a mark for eyes that peeped unseen and hastened his steps accordingly. And now, as luck would have it, he came upon the Sergeant busied at one of the yew hedges with a pair of shears; checking a momentary impulse to dodge out of sight, the Major advanced and touched him with his gold-mounted cane. The Sergeant turned, stared, opened his mouth, shut it again and came to attention. "Well, Sergeant?" he enquired. Sergeant Zebedee blinked and coughed. "Sergeant, I--ah--er--O damme, Zeb, what d'ye think of 'em?" "Sir, being by natur' a man o' few words all I can say is--Zounds!" "D'ye--d'ye like 'em Zeb?" "Sir," answered the Sergeant, sloping the shears across his arm and standing at ease, "I've a seen you in scarlet and jacks, I've a seen you in cuirass and buff but--I ain't never a seen you look younger, no, nor better, and that's God's truth amen, your honour." "I'm glad o' that, Zeb, very!" and the Major glanced full-skirted coat and silk stockings with a kindlier eye. "To speak truth, Zeb, I found 'em a little--er--overpowering at first, as 'twere." "So they are, sir, as overpowering as ever was!" "Eh?" said the Major, starting. "Like the old regiment at Malplaquet, sir, they ain't to be took lightly, nor yet withstood, sir." "Hum!" said the Major, his eyes travelling up to a patch of fleecy cloud. "And now as regards yourself, Sergeant. Since you refuse to accept more pay----" "Not a groat, sir! Which ain't to be wondered at when you consider as you've rose me twice since you dropped in for this here fortun'--not a stiver, sir!" "Just so, Zeb, just so! Therefore I propose to advance you an extra ten guineas a year as--er--a clothes-bounty, as 'twere." "Clo'es, sir! And me wi' two soots as refuses to be wore out not to mention this here. Take these breeches, for example, they've done dooty noble and true for three years and no sign o' weakness front or rear----" "Still, 'tis time they were retired from the active list, Zeb. So at the first opportunity you will proceed to fit yourself out anew--from head to foot. See to it, Sergeant Tring!" "Very good, sir. Orders is orders." "And the sooner the better, Zebedee." And the Major nodded and went his way. "_Nom d'un chien!_" exclaimed the Sergeant looking after his master's tall, elegant figure. "All I says is--Lord--Lord bless his eyes and limbs!" Reaching the highway the Major turned aside from the village and mounting a stile with due heed to his dainty apparel, followed a footpath that led over a sloping upland, crossed a murmurous rill and led on beside a wood from whose green depths came leafy stirrings and the evening song of thrush and blackbird. As he progressed, the leaping rill grew to a gurgling brook, widened to a splashing stream, hurrying over pebbly bed until it deepened to a slumberous pool spanned by a rustic bridge. Evening was at hand and the westering sun cast long shadows making of these drowsy waters a pool of sombre mystery. Being upon the bridge the Major paused to look down into these stilly depths and, leaning well over the handrail, to survey himself in this watery mirror--the graceful fall of his lace steenkirk, the flowing curls of his glossy peruke, the cock of his laced hat; all of which he observed with a profound and grave attention. So lost and absorbed was he that he leaned there quite unconscious of one that had halted just within the wood, crouching furtively amid the leaves. A tall, burly, gipsy-looking fellow this, who caressed a knotty bludgeon in hairy fingers and whose narrowed eyes roved over the indolent, lolling figure on the bridge from gemmed cravat to glittering shoe-buckles; once he took a stealthy forward step, the knobby club a-swing in eager hand but, heeding the wide spread of these plum-coloured shoulders, the vigorous length of these resplendent limbs, scowled and crouched back among the leaves again. Presently, the Major, having settled his hat more to his liking, went on across the bridge and along a path that led over a wide sweep of green meadow and so to another stile flanked by high hedges. Here he paused again to watch a skylark hovering against the blue and to catch the faint, sweet ripple of song. And leaning there with gaze aloft, he fell to deep thought, turning over in his mind a problem that had vexed him much of late, a problem he had pondered by day and thought over by night, to wit:-- Could a feminine being blessed by a bounteous Nature in all the outward attributes most desirable in womanhood, a face beyond compare and goddess-shape, but one who had wantonly exposed that shape to public regard clad in the baser garb of masculinity--could such a one be worthy of a man's humble respect and reverent homage? Would his mother (God rest her sweet soul) have thought her virginal? Would his aunt Clarissa have endured her for a moment? He sighed heavily and like an echo, came a sob and then another. He started, and guided by these sounds, discovered a very small damsel who wept bitterly, a huddled, woeful little figure in the grassy ditch beneath the hedge. "Why, child," said he, "what's your sorrow?" At this she glanced up in sudden fear but, like his voice, the Major's grey eyes were gentle and very kindly; perceiving which she rose, the better to bob him a curtsey, and sobbed forth her woe: "O sir, 'tis all along of another grand gentleman like you as took away my letter." Forgetting fine clothes and dignity together, the Major sat down in the ditch, drew the small, woebegone figure beside him and patted her tear-stained cheek. "Tell me all about it, you very small maid," said he. The little girl hesitated, viewing him with the quick, intuitive eyes of childhood then, checking her sobs, nestled within his velvet-clad arm. "'Twas a letter, sir, as was gave me by a dirty man as did meet me by the old mill, sir." "You mean the ruined mill beyond the park wall, child?" "Yes, please sir." "And a dirty fellow, was he?" "Yes sir, only with a clean voice--soft, like yours. And he give me a groat and says I must take the letter to the Lady Carlyon as lives at Densmere Court----" "Lady Carlyon!" exclaimed the Major staring. "Good Lord! 'Tis strange, very strange. Sure that was the name, child?" "Sure, sir--the man did say it over and over and how I must give it to only her. So I went 'long the road, sir, but a grand gentleman came up behind me--so fine he was and grand and asked to see the letter and took it and says as how he will give it to my lady and bid me run away and that's all, sir." "Well, never grieve, my small maid. You've done no harm--come let me dry those pretty cheeks," which the Major with belaced handkerchief did forthwith. "What's your name, child?" he enquired, lifting her to her feet. "Charity Bent, sir." "'Tis a pretty name. Many brothers and sisters?" "No, sir. I do be all father's got to take care o' him." "So you take care of him, do you, child?" "When he be at home, sir, he do work at the great house." "Which is that?" "The Manor, sir. And now I must go an' cook his supper, he'll be along home soon." "Eh--cook?" said the Major, staring at the small speaker. "Child, how old are you?" "Nine, please sir." "Lord!" exclaimed the Major, and lifting her up he kissed her rosy cheek and, taking off his hat, stood to watch the small figure flit away down the grassy way beyond. Hat in hand he leaned there once again, revolving in his mind the old problem under a new aspect, thus: Question: Which is the more worthy, a humble village child of nine who cooks her father's supper or a proud and idle young goddess who wears---- The Major sighed and put on his hat. CHAPTER XIII OF INDIGNATION, A WOOD, AND A GIPSY It was at this juncture that the Major became aware of a tall, buxom, not to say strapping country-wench approaching down the lane, sun-bonnet on head and large basket on comely arm; one garbed as all maids should be, in simple gown that allowed free play to vigorous, young limbs; one who moved with step blithe and purposeful, doubtless busied upon some useful and womanly duty as all women should be. So thought the Major as he watched the approach of this rustic lass, comparing her in her naturalness and simplicity to wood-nymphs and dryads and goddesses of groves and fountains, and altogether to the disadvantage of patched and powdered beauties in their coquettish frills and furbelows. Sighing again, he turned to go back. "God bless your honour and, so please your honour, a humble good day to your honour!" said a voice. The Major stopped, wheeled, and dropped his cane: "Betty!" he exclaimed. "John!" said she. But, meeting his look, flushed and drooped her lashes, whereupon he fell to stammering. "I--I was but now--'Tis strange but I was----" "Thinking of me, Major John?" "Indeed!" he answered. "Kindly, Major Jack?" "Pray," he enquired, "pray--er--are you alone?" "Momentarily!" she sighed. "But Sir Benjamin Tripp is somewhere about, the Marquis is not far hence and Mr. Marchdale mopes at hand----" "You mean they seek you----?" "Most pertinaciously, sir, but quite vainly by reason that I can climb." "Climb?" repeated the Major, staring, "pray what?" "A wall, sir." "Wall?" he murmured. "Two, sir. I had to run away. They're dear creatures, to be sure, but the Marquis persists in recounting pedigrees of horses and dogs, Sir Benjamin rhapsodises in metre and poor Mr. Marchdale, being very young, is so egregiously in love with me that I climb and clamber over walls and here I am. Pray aid me over this stile ere they find me." The Major's aid was so energetic and prompt that Lady Betty was over the stile and walking beside him, flushed and a little breathless all in a moment. "You are forgetting your fine cane, sir," said she in a small voice. "Aye, to be sure!" And flushing, he picked it up rather hastily. "And now prithee my basket--'twould never suit so fine a gentleman." The Major flushed, seeing which she added: "Though indeed I do like you infinitely so." "And I," said he impulsively, his keen, bright glance appraising her from head to foot, "I find you infinitely more--more--er--womanly as 'twere--but pray why so large a basket?" "To carry eggs, sir, and butter and such. Some of your tenants are miserably poor, Major John." "Hum!" said he, thoughtfully. "And you buy them butter----" "I make them butter, sir." "Ha--do you, by Jove!" he exclaimed, his eyes shining. "I make them butter with the aid of certain polite, perspiring, and I greatly fear, profane gentlemen." The Major's smooth brow grew ruffled. "Meaning whom, mam?" "Well, to-day 'twas Sir Benjamin Tripp, the Marquis, Sir Jasper Denholm and Mr. Marchdale. To see Sir Benjamin churning is--O 'tis rare, 'tis killing!" And my lady stood still the better to laugh. "Sir Benjamin Tripp--churning?" exclaimed the Major. "So hot--so scant o' breath!" she gurgled. "And his ruffles flip-flopping and his fine peruke all askew. To-morrow 'twill be Lord Alvaston and Captain West and--O 'twill be pure!" and once again she trilled with laughter until, beholding the Major's expression, she stopped breathless and wiping her eyes on the back of slender hand like any rustic lass. "Doth it not strike you as comical?" she demanded. "O vastly!" said he, and sighed. "If you had but seen Sir Benjamin, poor, dear, good creature--he did so blow and pant!" "Extreme diverting!" admitted the Major and sighed again. "And pray, Major d'Arcy, do you always utter deep-fetched and doleful breathings when amused? Smile, sir, this instant!" The Major obeyed, whereupon she shook critical head: "'Twas much like a grimace caused by an extreme anguish, but 'twill serve for one so preternaturally grave as Major d'Arcy." "Do I seem so grave, indeed?" he questioned wistfully. "As the tomb, sir!" The Major blinked: walked a dozen yards or so in silence and sighed deeper than ever, strove to disguise it in a cough and failing, stood rueful. My lady stopped and faced him: "Major John--Major d'Arcy, sir, look at me. Now prithee why all this windy woe, this sighful sorrow--what evil thought harrows your lofty serenity to-day?" "I think," said he, hands tight-clenched upon his cane, "I am haunted by a certain evening in the Mall!" "O? Indeed? The Mall?" "Aye, my lady, the Mall." Slowly, slowly her red lips curved, her gaze sank beneath his. "You mean, I think, when I wore----" "I do!" said he hastily. "So you have not forgot?" "Would to heaven I might!" "And prithee why?" "'Twas so unworthy your proud womanhood!" My lady flushed, averted her head and walked on in a dignified silence until they reached the rustic bridge; here she paused to look down into the stilly pool. "Heigho!" she sighed. The Major was silent and seeing how he frowned with his big chin out-thrust, she bit her lip and dimpled. "The moon will be at the full to-night!" Still he didn't speak. "And when the moon is full I always feel excessive feminine and vapourish!" The Major, staring into the gloomy water, gloomed also. "And when I feel vapourish, chiding nauseates me and reproaches give me the megrims." "I would not reproach you, child----" "Ancient sir, I am not a child. And you do reproach me--you said 'twas unworthy!" "Aye, I said so," he admitted, keeping his gaze bent upon the sleepy pool, "I said so, my lady, because I would have you in all things most noble, most high and far removed 'bove fear of reproach. Because I would have you worthy of all reverence." "Alas!" she sighed, "here is a something trying role for a poor maid who chances to be very human flesh and blood!" "And yet," said he in his grave, gentle voice, "knowing you flesh and blood, in my thought you were very nigh to divinity also." "Were?" she questioned softly. "Is my poor divinity lost so soon?" And her arm touched his upon the handrail. The Major sighed and immediately the arm withdrew itself and, before he could speak, she laughed, though her merriment rang a little hollow. "And forsooth is it so deep a sin, so black a crime to have ventured abroad in my brother's clothes? And if it were, pray who is Major d'Arcy to sit in judgment? Am I dishonoured, smirched beyond redemption----" "No--no----" he exclaimed. "So stained, so steeped in depravity----" "Ah no indeed!" he cried, "indeed madam--ah, Betty it was but that it seemed so--so----" "So what, sir?" "So--so--unmaidenly." My lady Betty caught her breath in a gasp, her cheeks glowed hot and angry and she fronted him with head upflung. "How dare you--how dare you think me so--speak me so!" Even as she spoke, proud colour ebbed, hot anger was ousted by cold disdain and he blenched before the scorn of her eyes; he grew humble, abject, reached out hands in supplication: "My lady I--I--God knows I would not hurt you! Indeed I did but mean----" "Enough sir, 'tis sufficient!" said she disdainfully. "Major d'Arcy doth pronounce me unmaidenly--O, 'tis all-sufficing!" and, as she turned her back on him, her very garments seemed to radiate scorn unutterable. "Stay!" he pleaded, as she moved away. "Ah, never leave me so---do but let me explain--hear me!" "Be silent, sir!" she commanded, speaking over her shoulder, "I've heard enough, aye--enough for a lifetime!" And stepping from the bridge she turned aside into the wood; but there, his hand upon her arm arrested her. "Child, whither go you?" "Whereso I will, sir. A fair, good even to you and--good-bye!" "Not through the wood, madam! There be rough folk about, the Sergeant tells me--gipsies, tramping folk and the like." "O sir," she sighed, "I may prefer such to Major--Prudery--d'Arcy!" and setting aside a bramble-shoot she went on into the wood, and, when he would have followed, checked him with an imperious gesture. "Come no further, sir, here be thorns to spoil gay finery--and besides," she added, glancing back at him with merciless eyes, "your sober airs annoy me, your lofty virtue is an offence--pray suffer me to go alone!" The Major flushed painfully, took off his hat and bowed. "As you will, madam!" said he and, stepping aside, watched her go until the leaves had hidden her from sight. Then, putting on his hat, he took a score or so of slow strides away and as many slow strides back again, until, being come some little way in among the trees, he halted to listen. Faint and far he caught a rustle, a leafy stirring that told where she moved and, guided by this he began to follow into the depths of the wood. Suddenly he paused to listen intently, cane grasped in powerful fist, then hurried on at speed, choosing his way with quick, soldierly eye and making very little sound for all his haste and so reached a little clearing. She stood, back set to a tree, hands gripping her basket, head erect and defiant but in her wide eyes a sickening fear as she fronted a tall, burly, gipsy-looking fellow who carried a knobby bludgeon and whose eyes, heedful and deliberate, roved over her trembling loveliness and whose hairy lips curled as he slowly advanced. Then the Major stepped out from the leaves, his gait unhurried and limping a little as was usual. But at sight of him my lady, uttering a gasp, let fall her basket almost forgetting shuddering fear in amazement as she beheld the face that looked out between the precise curls of the Major's great periwig. The gipsy fellow saw it also, and, reading its expression aright, sprang immediately to a defensive posture and spoke between a growl and a whine: "What now, master? There be no harm done, sir--nought but a bit o' pleasantry wi' a country wench!" The Major neither spoke nor altered his leisurely advance until, coming within striking distance, he leapt. Heavy bludgeon whirled, long cane whizzed and the fellow, uttering a hoarse gasp, dropped his weapon and gave back, clutching at useless, dangling limb. But the Major's long arm rose and fell, beating the man to his knees, to his face; even then, as the fellow writhed helpless, those merciless blows rained down tirelessly until a voice cried: "Don't! Don't! Ah, Major John--you'll kill him!" The Major stepped back, panting a little. "Kill him," he repeated gently, "why no, mam, no--his sort take a vast deal of killing. I would but give him such a--er--reminder as shall not fade awhile." "Nay sir, no more, I beg! And see, your cane is broke----" "Why so 'tis!" said the Major and tossing it aside he picked up the knobby bludgeon, seeing which Lady Betty caught his arm and held it: "Nay, you are cruel--cruel! You shall not, I say. He has enough!" "Aye, perhaps he has," said the Major, "and 'twould be distressing for you of course, though when one must fight 'tis as well to be thorough." Saying which he resettled his ruffles, tucked the bludgeon under his arm and bowed. "Pray let us be going, madam!" My lady hesitated and glanced at her assailant's prostrate figure. "A few bruises, mam, he will be well enough in an hour or so--though somewhat sore. And now, with your leave I'll see you out o' the wood, evening falls apace and the Sergeant was right, it seems." Then he picked up her basket and motioning her to lead the way, followed her through the wood. For once in her twenty-two years of life my lady Betty felt herself at a disadvantage; twice she turned to speak but he, walking behind with head bowed, seemed utterly oblivious of her, wherefore she held her peace and threw up proud head disdainfully. And yet he had saved her and--from what? At this she shivered and disdain was forgotten. Still it is difficult to express gratitude with proper dignity to a man upon a narrow, brier-set path especially when that man keeps himself perseveringly behind one. So my lady waited until they should be out of the hateful wood. Thus they went in a silence unbroken until they came out in a bye-lane that gave upon the highway. Here, with the glory of the sunset all about her, she paused, quick-breathing, flushed and with witching eyes a-droop and reached out her hands to him; but the Major chanced to be looking just then at a tall gentleman lounging toward them down the shady lane. "Yonder is Mr. Dalroyd, I think, madam," said the Major, "he shall relieve you of my presence," and into those pleading, outstretched hands he set--the basket. My lady started away, her lips quivered and, blinded by sudden tears she turned and sped away. So the Major limped homeward through the afterglow, quite unconscious of the ugly, knobby bludgeon beneath his arm, his mind once more busied with the problem viewed from yet another aspect: Question: Might it be possible that a true woman can be womanly no matter what she chance to wear? CHAPTER XIV SOME DESCRIPTION OF A KISS Mrs. Agatha, gathering beans and aided by the Viscount's two valets, smiled and dimpled on each in turn while the Sergeant, busied in an adjacent corner with a ladder, cursed softly but with deep and sustained heartiness. Mrs. Agatha's basket was three parts full and Sergeant Zebedee, having pretty well exhausted the English and French tongues, was vituperating grimly in Low Dutch, when a bell jangled distantly, a faint but determined summons, and immediately after, the Viscount's voice was heard near at hand and imperative: "Arthur! Charles! Where a plague are the prepasterous dags! Oho, Charles! Arthur!" The two valets, galvanised to action exceeding swift, started, saluted Mrs. Agatha and betook themselves within doors at commendable speed, and the Sergeant, having at last juggled his ladder into position, vituperated them out of sight and was in the act of mounting when he was aware of Mrs. Agatha at his elbow. "'Tis surely a lovely day, Sergeant!" said she demurely. "Is it so, mam?" "Well, isn't it?" "Why mam, I ain't had doo time to notice same, d'ye see. But, since you ax me I say no, mam, 'tis a dam--no, a cur--no, a plaguy hot day." Saying which, the Sergeant rolled snowy shirt-sleeve a little higher above a remarkably hairy and muscular arm and mounted one rung of the ladder. "The house do be very--gay these days, Sergeant." "O mam! And why?" "Well, since Viscount Merivale came with his two gentlemen." "His two what, mam? Meaning who, mam?" "Lud, Sergeant, his gentlemen for sure, Mr. Arthur and Mr. Charles--so polite, so witty and they never swear!" The Sergeant snorted. "One can never be dull in their company. Mr. Charles has such a flow of talk and Mr. Arthur is a perfect mine of anecdote, ha'n't you noticed?" "Why no, mam. The only mines as I'm acquainted with is the kind that explodes." "But indeed, Sergeant, everything seems changing for the better--take his honour the Major, see how young he looks in his fine things--aye, as young as his nephew and handsomer. And now 'tis your turn to change----" "I ain't given to change, mam." "A frill to your shirt, say, and your wig powdered----" "Frills, mam--never! And I haven't powdered my wig since we quit soldiering, why should I? What's a man of forty-three want to go a-powdering of his wig for? Frills, mam? Powder, mam? Now what I say to that is----" "Ha' done, Sergeant!" "Very good, mam! Only I leave frills and powder and such to young fly-b'-nights----" "Powder, and frills, and ruffles at your wrists, Sergeant----" "And talkin' o' fly-b'-nights, mam, brings me to a question I wish to ax you and meant to ax you afore." "A--a question, Sergeant?" she repeated faintly, beginning to trace out a pattern on the path with the toe of her neat shoe. "As I want you to answer prompt, mam, aye or no." "Very well, Sergeant," said she, fainter than before. "I'm listening." "D'ye sleep well o' nights, mam?" Mrs. Agatha started, glanced up swiftly and, for no apparent reason, blushed very red under the Sergeant's direct gaze. "Lud, Sergeant Zebedee, what's that to do with it--I mean----" "Everything, mam!" "And why shouldn't I sleep? I've no bad conscience to wake me, thank God." "Then ye do sleep well?" "Ye-es!" "Then you ain't heard nor seen nothing toward the hour o' midnight--footsteps, say?" "Footsteps! O Lud--where?" "Anywhere! You never have?" "Never!" "P'r'aps you don't believe in ghostes, mam, spectres, or say--apparations?" "I--I don't know. Why?" "You've never happened to see a pale shape a-fluttering and a-flitting by light o' moon?" "Gracious me--no, Sergeant! You make me all of a shiver! Have you?" "No, mam!" "O cruel, to fright one so!" "But hope an' expect to observe same to-night towards the hour o' midnight or thereabouts and if so, shall immediately try what cold steel can do agin it." "Gracious goodness, Sergeant, what d'you mean?" "I mean as I'm a-going to find out what it is as walks o' nights." "But ghosts don't walk, they glide." "Maybe so, mam, but this ghost or apparation ain't a glider 'tis a walker, same being observed to leave footmarks. Also Roger Bent the second gardener as lives nigh the old mill has seen it twice--says same haunts the old mill o' moony nights, says--but there's Roger now, he shall tell you!" The Sergeant whistled, beckoned and the second gardener, a young-old, shock-headed man, approached, knuckling his forehead to Mrs. Agatha. "Roger," said the Sergeant, "tell us what ye saw last night." "A gobling!" said Roger, "a grimly gobling an' that's what." "Bless us!" exclaimed Mrs. Agatha, "what was it like?" "Why," answered Rog er, ruffling his shock of hair with a claw-like right hand, "'twere rayther like a phamtom, mam--very much so, that's what!" "O--where was it?" "'Twas a-quaking i' the ruin o' the owd mill, mam, dithering and dathering glowersome like." Mrs. Agatha gasped, noting which, Roger shook his head gloomily. "Always know'd th' owd mill was haunted but never seed nowt afore. I do 'ope as my hens aren't witched from laying, that's what." "And then you followed it, Roger?" "Aye, I did so, Sergeant, me 'aving a dried hare's-foot 'ung round my neck d'ye see which same do be a powerful charm, give me by old Betty the witch, a spell as no gobling nor speckiter can abide." "And where did it go?" "Along by the spinney, Sergeant, then along the back lane and I see it vanish it-self through th' orchard wall and that's what!" "And there was its footmarks in the earth this morning, mam, sure enough. All right, Roger." Hereupon Roger knuckled again to Mrs. Agatha and betook himself back to his duties. "'Tis dreadful!" exclaimed Mrs. Agatha, clasping her pretty hands. "'Tis queer, mam, queer--but 'twill be queerer if I don't find out all about it 'twixt now and to-morrow morning." "Sergeant Zebedee--Zebedee, don't!" "Mam, I must." "For--my sake." "Mam, I--'tis become a matter o' dooty with me." "Have you any charm to ward off evil, Sergeant?" "Why no, mam." "Then I'll give you one," and speaking, she took a ribbon from her white neck, a blue ribbon whereon a small gold cross dangled. "You shall wear this!" said she, blushing a little. "Come, stoop your head!" "Why, Mrs. Agatha I--I----" "O pray stoop your head!" The Sergeant obeyed and it naturally followed that the Sergeant's neat wig was very near Mrs. Agatha's pretty mob-cap, so near, indeed that a tress of her glossy hair tickled his bronzed, smooth-shaven chin; the Sergeant saw her eyes, grave and intent, the oval of a soft cheek, the curve of two lips--full, soft lips, ripely delicious and tempting and so near that he had but to turn his head---- The Sergeant turned his head and for a long, breathless moment lips met lips then: "Why, Sergeant!" she exclaimed breathlessly. "O Sergeant--Zebedee--Tring!" And turning, she sped away into the house. Left alone the Sergeant picked up his hammer, stared at it and put it carefully into his pocket; having done which, he laughed, grew solemn, and sighed. "Well," said he at last, "all I says is----" But for once he could find no words for it in English, French or Dutch. CHAPTER XV WHEREIN IS MUCH TALK BUT LITTLE ACTION Mr. Marchdale threw down his cards pettishly and swore, Lord Alvaston, sprawling in his chair, surveyed his slender legs with drowsy approval, the Marquis of Alton yawned and Mr. Dalroyd shuffled for a new deal; hard by the Captain and Sir Jasper diced sleepily and in the ingle Sir Benjamin snored outright. "Sink me!" murmured Lord Alvaston, "sink me if I've touched an ace all the evening!" "Aye, Dalroyd and Alton have all the luck!" exclaimed Mr. Marchdale with youthful petulance. "Dem'd queer thing, but I feel dooced sleepy!" yawned the Marquis. "'S'ffect o' country air," murmured Lord Alvaston, "look at Ben." "Aye begad, will some one be good enough to stir him up, his dem'd snoring makes me worse----" "Who's snoring?" demanded Sir Benjamin, sitting bolt upright, broad awake in a moment, and straightening his wig. "Od's body, I do protest I did but close my eyes for a moment----" "And snored, Ben, damnably--'ffect o' country air----" "And churning, Ben--eh, Benjamin?" suggested Mr. Dalroyd. "You've taken up dairy-work, I understand." Sir Benjamin reached for and filled his wine-glass and grew a little more rubicund than usual. "Od so, sir," said he, "'When in Rome'--od's body! 'do as Rome does.' And we are in the country and--ah--being here 'mid rural things simple and sweet I--hem! I say I----" "Snore, Ben!" murmured Lord Alvaston, "and very natural too!" "And churn, Ben!" nodded Mr. Dalroyd, his delicate nostrils quivering in his sleepy smile, "You churn till you sweat, churn till you blow like any grampus, I understand." Sir Benjamin took a gulp of wine, choked, coughed, and grew purple. "Eh? What? Ho!" exclaimed the Captain. "A churn? Ben? Split me! Some pretty dairy-wench? Aha! Ben--confess!" Pompous, dignified, Sir Benjamin rose and took a pinch of snuff with great deliberation and apparent satisfaction. "Od, gentlemen," said he, lace handkerchief a-flutter, "since you'd have it, I'll freely--hem! freely confess it. But 'twas no rustic charmer, no village beauty, no dainty wench o' the dairy bewitched me--no, no! Od's my life, sirs, I've been beforehand wi' most of ye--body o' me--yes! For 'twas my joy and felicity to--ah--hem! to labour at the delightful art of--ah--buttermaking 'neath the bright and witching eyes of--our Admirable Betty!" "O sly, Ben!" murmured Lord Alvaston, "O Ben--curst sly, sink me!" "But--a churn!" said the Captain. "Begad! So fatiguing!" "I churned, firstly, gentlemen, because 'twas so my lady's will and such is, and ever will be, my law, as the mighty Hercules span for the tender Omphale so did I churn for my lady. I churned, secondly, because the churn is a--hem! a romantic engine--I appeal to Alton!" "So 'tis," mumbled his lordship, "demme if 'tisn't!" "And I churned thirdly, because the labour entailed is admirable for the---hem! for tuning up the liver--I refer you to Marchdale." "Nothing like it!" assented that youthful man of the world, "for liver, megrims or the pip give me a churn--and Betty along with it o' course." "Ha," said Mr. Dalroyd, his smile growing a little malicious, "and then, having put your liver in tune with the churn you proceeded to put it out again by swallowing deep potations of--rhubarb wine of my lady's own decoction." Sir Benjamin sat down, his plump features took on a careworn expression and he shuddered slightly. "Rhubarb!" whispered Lord Alvaston, staring. "Rhubarb!" muttered the Captain. "O Gad! Poor Ben!" "Heroic Ben!" said Sir Jasper, his fine eyes more soulful than ever. "Three glasses!" sighed Sir Benjamin. "Aye--three--she insisted! But, body o' me, sirs, what would you? Beauty is the--hem! the fount, the source, the mainspring of valour, is't not? As in olden days our ancestors were ready and eager to adventure life and limb for the bright eyes of their fair ladies, surely we, in like manner, should be equally willing to risk our---hem! our--I say to risk our----" "Stomachs!" suggested Alvaston, "my own 'pinion precisely! Stomach's only stomach but th' heart's a noble organ--seat o' the 'flections and all that sort o' thing. Which reminds me, not a single ace have I held this game." "But--split me! Why rhubarb?" demanded the Captain, "Why endeavour t' poison poor Ben? O burn me!" "'Twas a woman's notion," explained Sir Jasper, "a whim, a fancy. The whole sex, dear creatures, be full of 'em, 'tis what makes 'em so infinite captivating----" "Not," enquired the Captain, "not rhubarb----" "No, no--'tis the mystery of 'em--the wonder of their changing moods that makes women so alluring and Bet the most bewitching of 'em all. By Venus, she's elusive as a sunbeam, mysterious as fate, changeable as----" "Begad," exclaimed the Marquis, "and that's the dem'd truth--that's Betty to a T and that's how I'm coming continual croppers--if she were only a little more like a horse or a dog I should know what to expect and how to treat her----" "I suggest--precisely the same," smiled Mr. Dalroyd, "and horses one spurs and dogs one whips and my lady would be better for a little of both. Women should be managed, they expect it and they love the strong hand!" Sir Benjamin gaped, the Captain stared, Sir Jasper rolled his eyes and Mr. Marchdale, furrowing youthful brow, spoke: "As a man of the world I vow there's wisdom in't. The lovely creatures look for strength in a man--mastery, d'ye see, though a whip----" "Od sir," ejaculated Sir Benjamin, "'tis rank heresy!" "Pure savagery!" gasped Sir Jasper. "Precisely my own 'pinion!" murmured Lord Alvaston. "For if a dog's a dog he's only a dam dog--'sequently whip him when needful. Same with a horse. But a woman being a woman ain't a dog nor a horse, therefore since she is a woman 'stead of whipping, worship----" "Talking o' whips," said the Marquis, "I should devoutly and vastly desire to see some masterful ass attempt to horsewhip Bet, 'twould be a sight for the gods--she has all her brother's fire and spirit with a cleverer head." "None the less, Alton," retorted Mr. Dalroyd, "the man who wins her will be the man who masters her." "No, no, Dalroyd," exclaimed Sir Jasper soulfully, "who shall master a goddess? Who but the humblest of her admirers shall hope to win the queen of women?" "I'm with you there, Denholm!" said Lord Alvaston heartily, "and talking o' queens, not an ace have I touched this game--I'm done!" "Same here!" growled Mr. Marchdale. "You've all the luck, Dalroyd. I owe you another fifty, I think?" "Seventy-five!" murmured Mr. Dalroyd. "Well, I'm for bed!" yawned his lordship. "So'm I!" nodded Mr. Marchdale. "Eh--bed?" cried the Marquis reproachfully. "Bed--and not gone twelve yet--shameful, O dem!" "'Tis the country air," explained Marchdale, "in London I'm at my best and brightest at three o'clock in the morning as you very well know, Alton, but here I'm different, 'tis the curst country air, I think." "And the churn!" said the Marquis, "Betty kept you at it, you and Ben, not to mention the rhubarb wine, I escaped that--eh, Ben?" "You were nearer the window!" sighed Sir Benjamin, rising. "What, are you for bed too? Nay, stop at least for a nightcap or so--let's have up another half-dozen o' burgundy!" "Nay, bed for me," yawned his lordship of Alvaston, "we may be set a-digging or a-ploughing or some such, to-morrow--one never can tell----" "Ha!" exclaimed the Captain, "would lose a hundred--joyfully, to see Alvaston perform on the hoe, begad!" So amid much laughter and banter the company arose and in twos and threes sauntered up to their various rooms, all save Mr. Dalroyd who, left alone, sat awhile playing idly with the cards that littered the table. At last he slipped a white hand into the bosom of his coat and taking thence a scrap of soiled and crumpled paper, smoothed it out and perused it thoughtfully, and, as he read, his lips curved and his nostrils quivered; then, re-folding this strange missive he put it away and, ringing the bell, demanded his valet. In due time came a discreet knock and thereafter a discreet person entered, tall, quick-eyed, low-voiced, soft-stepping, he was a very model of a fashionable gentleman's gentleman though his eyes were perhaps a little too close together and their glance a trifle furtive. "Joseph," said Mr. Dalroyd, surveying his 'gentleman' with a languid interest yet with eyes that seemed to observe his entire person at one and the same time. "Joseph, this afternoon I gave you leave to ramble abroad, well knowing your passion for country roads and cross-roads." Joseph bowed supple back and smiled deferentially, though his eyes appeared somehow to come a little closer together. "Consequently, Joseph, you rambled, I take it?" "I did, sir!" "And in your rambles you may have chanced by the old mill, Joseph?" "Indeed, sir, a charming ruin, very picturesque, the haunt of bats and owls, sir." "Anything else?" "No, sir." "Nothing? Are you sure, Animal?" "Positively, sir!" "Were there no signs, Thing?" "None, sir." "Did you use your eyes well, Object?" "Everywhere, sir." "Have you heard any talk in the village of this ghost lately?" "Frequently, sir. Three people swear they've seen it." "How do they describe it?" "They all agree to horns, sir, and a shapeless head." "Do you believe in ghosts, Joseph?" "That depends, sir." "On what, fool?" "On who sees them sir." "You were almost famous for the possession of what is called 'nerves of iron' in your predatory days, if I remember rightly, Joseph?" The obsequious Joseph started slightly and his bow was servile. "Consequently you don't fear ghosts?" "No, sir." "Neither do I, Joseph, and 'tis nigh upon the witching hour, bring me my hat and cane." And Mr. Dalroyd rose languidly. "Sir," said Joseph as he handed his master the articles in question, "might I suggest one of your travelling-pistols----" "No, Joseph, no, 'twould drag my pocket out o' shape, and ghosts are impervious to pistols or shall we say 'barkers' 'tis the more professional term for 'em, I believe?" Once again the obsequious Joseph started slightly, observing which, Mr. Dalroyd flashed white teeth in languid amusement. "I may be gone an hour or more, Joseph, remain awake to undress me." "Very good, sir! And if I might suggest, sir, 'tis said the ghost walks the churchyard o' nights latterly." "That sounds sufficiently ghostly!" nodded Mr. Dalroyd. "And by the way, let your tongue remain discreetly inactive--for your own sake, Joseph!" "Very good, sir--certainly!--and may you burn in everlasting fire!" added the obsequious Joseph under his breath as he watched his master's languid figure out of sight--his eyes seeming closer together than ever. CHAPTER XVI HOW MR. DALROYD SAW A GHOST AND THE SERGEANT AN APPARITION Mr. Dalroyd stepped out into a summer night radiant with moonbeams and full of the heady perfume of ripening hay. Far as eye could see the wide road stretched away very silent and deserted, not a light gleamed anywhere, the village had been deep-plunged in slumber hours ago. Mr. Dalroyd sauntered on, past silent cottages, across a trim green and so to the churchyard gate, beyond which the tombstones rose, phantom-like beneath the moon. For a while he stood to contemplate this quiet scene, then started and glanced up at the church tower as a deep-toned bell began to chime the hour of midnight. One by one he counted the deliberate strokes, waited until the last had boomed and died away, then, opening the gate, stepped into the churchyard and strolled on among the graves, his cane airily a-swing, following the paved walk that led round the church. Thus he presently passed from light into shadow, a gloom all the deeper by contrast with the moon's bright splendour, a gloom in which carved headstone and sarcophagus took on strange and unexpected shapes. Suddenly Mr. Dalroyd's cane faltered in its airy swing, stopped, and he stood motionless, his body rigid, his breath in check, his eyes wide and staring. Before him loomed a great mausoleum, its pallid outline vague in the half-light, but on this side the weatherworn marble was cracked and split and from this yawning fissure a ghastly radiance streamed; then this unholy light vanished and upon the stillness came a ghostly rustling, a soft thud and the sound of heavy breathing. Mr. Dalroyd shrank cowering into the deeper shadow of a buttress and dropping his cane upon the grass groped for the hilt of his small-sword. Then, as he stared unwinking, forth from the tomb a dim form wriggled, crouched awhile fumbling, stood upright, and Mr. Dalroyd saw a vague head, awful and shapeless and crowned with curving horns. This dreadful thing stood awhile as if listening for distant sounds then took a stride forward, floundered over a grave and cursed fluently. Mr. Dalroyd loosed rigid fingers from his sword-hilt, picked up his cane and, keeping well in the shadow, began to follow this strange figure; ghost-like it flitted on among the tombs until, reaching the wall; it leapt nimbly over, stood to listen and glance furtively about, then set off down the road at a smart pace. Mr. Dalroyd, treading with infinite caution for the night was very still, followed whither it led, viewing the shapeless thing with gaze that never wavered. Thus, in a while, they reached a grassy bye-lane flanked on the one side by a thick hedge and on the other by a high wall. Here the figure paused and Mr. Dalroyd, shrinking into the shadow of the hedge, saw it glance up and down the lane, saw it lift long arms and heard a faint scuffling as, mounting this wall it paused awhile athwart the coping ere it vanished on the other side. Looping his cane on his wrist Mr. Dalroyd crossed the lane and drawing himself up peered over the wall in time to see this mysterious figure flit among the trees of an orchard, mount yet another wall and vanish again. Without more ado Mr. Dalroyd in turn clambered up and over the wall and dropping on soft, new-turned earth, continued the pursuit, that is to say he had crossed a smooth stretch of lawn and was in the very act of mounting the other wall when strong hands seized him from behind and a gruff voice said in his ear: "You ain't no ghost, I'll swear! Right about turn and show us your face!" And Mr. Dalroyd was swung round so violently that his hat fell off. "Zounds!" exclaimed the Sergeant, "'tis nought but one o' these fine London sparks arter all!" Mr. Dalroyd swore. "Sir," said the Sergeant imperturbably, "why and wherefore d'ye trespass, and so late too? Sir, what's the evolution, or shall we say, manoover?" "Rogue," said Mr. Dalroyd, "pick up my hat!" "Rogue, is it?" mused the Sergeant. "Animal, my hat!" "Animal, now?" "D'ye hear, vermin?" Mr. Dalroyd stood, his head viciously out-thrust so that the long curls of his peruke falling back from brow and cheek discovered more fully his haughty features, delicately pale in the bright moonlight; and beholding this face--its fine black brows, aquiline nose, fierce eyes and thin-lipped mouth the Sergeant fell back, staring: "Zounds!" he exclaimed, and gaped. Something in the Sergeant's attitude seemed to strike Mr. Dalroyd who, returning this searching look, lounged back against the wall, one hand toying with the curls of his wig, and when next he spoke his voice was as languidly soft as usual. "What now, ass?" The Sergeant drew a deep breath: "Talking o' ghosts and apparations," said he, "I aren't so sure as you ain't one, arter all." "Why, worm?" "Because if you happened to be wearing an officer's coat--red and blue facings, say, and your legs in a pair o' jack-boots, I should know--ah, I'd be sure you was a ghost." "What d'ye mean?" Mr. Dalroyd's slender brows scowled suddenly, and before the malevolence of his eyes the Sergeant gave back another step. "What d'ye mean, toad?" "I mean as you'd be dead! But your coat ain't red, is it, sir? And your jack-boots is buckle-shoes, and you're very much alive, ain't you, sir---so I'll ax you to pick up your property and to get back over the wall yonder and to do it--prompt, sir." The Sergeant was a powerful fellow, at his hip swung a heavy hanger and in hairy fist he gripped a very ugly, knobby bludgeon, observing which facts, Mr. Dalroyd did as was suggested; but, ere he dropped back into the lane he turned and smiled down at the stalwart Sergeant. "My very good clod," said he, "one of these fine, sunny days you shall be drubbed for this--soundly, yes, soundly!" The Sergeant nodded: "Sir," said he, "same will be welcome, for, though life in the country agrees wi' me on the whole better than expected, things is apt to grow over quiet now and then and any little bit o' roughsome as you can offer will be dooly welcome and do me a power o' good!" "Be it so!" nodded Mr. Dalroyd and, smiling, he dropped from view. Then the Sergeant, whistling softly, strode bedwards quite unaware of the shapeless, horned head that watched him as he went. CHAPTER XVII HOW MY LADY BETTY WROTE A LETTER "DEAR MAJOR D'ARCY, "Burning yet with a natural womanly indignation by reason of your shameless accusations, each and all as cruel, as unmanly, as unwarranted as unjust I----" "Pho!" exclaimed Lady Betty and tearing up her unfinished letter, threw it on the floor and stamped on it. "To MAJOR D'ARCY: "SIR, "Though unvirginal, unmaidenly, unwomanly, and lost to all sense of modesty and shame, I am yet not entirely removed from the lesser virtues and amongst them----" "Pish!" cried Lady Betty, and rent this asunder also. "MY DEAR MAJOR D'ARCY, "By this time of course you are duly sorry and deeply ashamed, for the very many indelicate expressions you gave voice to concerning me. You have perchance passed a sleepless night and such is but your due considering the abandoned and shameful treatment you accorded me. But seeing you saved me from the brutal arms of----" "Pshaw!" cried Lady Betty, and this letter shared the fate of its predecessors. Her black brows frowned, her pink finger-tips were ink-stained, her cheeks glowed, her bosom heaved, her white teeth gnashed themselves, in a word, Lady Betty was in a temper. "Aunt Belinda, I--hate you!" "Lud Betty, do you child!" murmured that lady, opening sleepy eyes, "Pray what's amiss now?" "Why must you tattle of me to Major d'Arcy?" "I? Tattle? O Gemini!" "Of me--and breeches?" "Breeches! La miss and fie! I should swoon to name 'em to a man! So indelicate, so immodest, so----" "Unvirginal!" cried Betty, and stamped pretty foot more angrily than ever. "Truly, miss! Indeed such a word has never crossed my lips to one of the male sex and never shall----" "And when you told him he was duly shocked, I suppose, and rolled up his eyes in a spasm of virtue and lifted his hands in prudish horror?" demanded Lady Betty, kicking savagely at the litter of torn paper. "Nay, he frowned, I remember, and positively blushed--and no wonder!" "He blushed!" cried Betty scornfully, "and he a man--a soldier! By heaven he seems more virginal than Diana and all her train! Fie on him, O, 'tis shameful--so big, so strong, so--squeamish! O Lord, how I hate, detest and despise him!" "Gracious heaven!" ejaculated Lady Belinda, sitting up suddenly, "I do verily believe you're in love with him!" "In love with--him! I?" cried Lady Betty, "I in love with----" she gasped and stopped suddenly, staring down at the torn paper at her feet and, as she stared, her lashes drooped and up over creamy chin from rounded throat to glossy hair crept a wave of vivid colour. "O Betty," wailed her aunt, "Betty, is it true--is it love or are you only taken with his--his medieval airs?" "Aunt Belinda," said Betty, turning her back and staring out through the open lattice, "there are times when I wonder I don't--bite you!" "He's so much your elder, Betty!" "And so much my younger, aunt--in some ways, he's a very child! But suppose I do marry him, what then, aunt?" "Marry him! Heaven above--marry Major d'Arcy? Betty, are you mad? You so young and giddy, he so--so mature and grave----" "You never saw him climb a wall, aunt!" "Old enough to be your father, girl! So very sober and reserved! So very serious and quiet----" "You haven't seen him in his plum-coloured velvet, aunt!" "But you--O Bet, you never really--love him!" "Of--course--not! What has love to do with marriage, dear aunt? Love-marriages are so unmodish--'tis like plough-boy and dairy-wench--hugging and kissing--faugh, so vulgar and nauseous! Nay, aunt, I desire a marriage _a la mode_: 'Good-morrow to your ladyship, I trust your ladyship slept well?' A solemn bow, a kiss upon one extreme finger-tip!' O, excellently, sir, I hope you the same.' A smile and gracious curtsey--and so to breakfast. Now Major d'Arcy is a gentleman, rich, sufficiently handsome, and once a husband would be fairly easy to manage! Indeed I might do worse, aunt!" "But so much--ah, so very much better, girl. There is the Duke of Nairn----" "A drunken old reprobate! Charles told me that once, being more tipsy than usual he----" "Hush, miss! He worshipped you. Then there is His Grace of Hawcastle----" "An addle-pated popinjay!" "Fie, Betty! Then there is Lord Alvaston, the Marquis, Viscount Merivale and the rest----" "Aye, but I can't wed 'em all, aunt, so will I wed none!" "Lud child, here's scandalous talk! But O Betty, what--what of love?" "True, dear aunt--what?" "Ah, child, 'tis fair woman's crowning joy and strong man's consolation sweet---- "'Tis a disease and megrim o' the mind, aunt, the which, I do thank heaven, hath ne'er yet come anigh me----" "Aye but it will, Betty, it will!" "Then with pill and purge and bolus I will drive it hence again." "Nay child," sighed the Lady Belinda, as her niece arose, "talk how you will, but when love comes to thee, as come he will, why then, Ah me! what with thy ardent temperament, thy headstrong spirits, thy bustling health then--O then shall I tremble for thee!" "Nay, prithee spare yourself, dear aunt, I can tremble for myself when needful." Saying which my lady went out into the garden. Very slowly she went, her head bowed, her bright eyes grave and troubled; once she stopped to frown at a hollyhock and once to cull a rose only to drop it all unnoticed ere she had gone a dozen yards. Thus thoughtful and preoccupied she came to that secluded corner of her garden where, against a certain wall a ladder stood invitingly: mounting forthwith, she perched herself upon the broad coping and glanced down into the Major's orchard. The hutch-like sentry-box showed deserted but at the foot of the wall and almost immediately below her, Sergeant Zebedee stooped above a new-turned border of earth, busily engaged with a foot-rule. Lady Betty reached softly over and plucking an apricot, dropped it with remarkable accuracy into the very middle of the Sergeant's trim wig. "_Sacre nom!_" he ejaculated, and starting erect, glanced up into my lady's serene blue eyes. "'Tis Sergeant Zebedee, I think?" she enquired gravely. The Sergeant saluted and stood at attention: "I was so baptised, my lady, and an uncommon awk'ard name I've found it." "Nay, 'tis a quaint name and suits you. If you have any children----" "Chil----!" The Sergeant gasped. "They should be called James and John, of course! So the poor Major passed a sleepless night, did he, Sergeant?" "O!" said the Sergeant, staring, "Did he, mam?" "Well, hasn't he?" "Not as I know of, my lady." "And when will he come home?" "Home?" repeated the Sergeant, scratching his wig, "Why, mam, he has, I mean he hasn't, him not having been out, d'ye see." "He must be a great trial and worry to live with, Sergeant?" "No, my lady, no--except when he don't take his rations reg'lar--food and drink, d'ye see." "Ah, doth his appetite languish of late?" "Never was better, mam! He do seem to grow younger and brisker every day." "Indeed, 'tis pity he's so wild!" "Wild, mam? The Major----?" "So gay, so bold and audacious." The Sergeant could only stare. "His wife will lead a sorry life I fear, poor soul!" The Sergeant fell back a step opening eyes and mouth together: "Zooks!" he muttered, "axing your ladyship's pardon but--does your ladyship mean--Zounds! Axing your pardon again, my lady, but--wife! Does your ladyship mean to say----? Is't true, madam?" "So 'tis said!" nodded her unblushing ladyship. "But who, my lady, and--when?" "Nay, he's very secret." "Pro-digious!" exclaimed the Sergeant, his eyes shining. "His honour was ever a great hand at surprises--ambuscades d'ye see, madam--ambushments, my lady, sudden onfalls and the like, and for leading a forlorn hope there was none to compare." "You mean he has fought in a battle, Sergeant?" "A battle, mam!" The Sergeant sighed and shook reproachful head. "Twenty and three pitched battles, my lady and twelve sieges, not to mention sorties, outpost skirmishes and the like! 'Fighting d'Arcy' he was called, madam! Sixteen wounds, my lady, seven of 'em bullet and the rest steel----" "Heavens!" exclaimed my lady, "I marvel there is any of him left!" "What is left, my lady, is all man! There never was such a man! There never will be." "'Fighting d'Arcy'!" she repeated. "It sounds so unlike--and looks quite impossible--see yonder!" And she turned towards where, afar off, the object of their talk limped towards them his head bent studiously above an open book from which he raised his eyes, ever and anon, as if weighing some abstruse passage; thus he presently espied my lady and, shutting the book, thrust it into his pocket and hastened towards her. Hereupon the Sergeant saluted, wheeled and marched away, yet not before he had noted the glad light in the Major's grey eyes and, from a proper distance, had seen him clasp my lady's white hand and kiss it fervently. Instantly the Sergeant fell to the "double" until he was out of sight, then he halted suddenly, shook his head, smacked hand to thigh and laughed: "All I say is, as there ain't, there never was, there never will be a word for it--not one!" CHAPTER XVIII HOW MAJOR D'ARCY RECOVERED HIS YOUTH So the Major kissed my lady's hand, kissed it not "on one extreme finger-tip," but holding it in masterful clasp, kissed it on rosy palm and dimpled knuckles, kissed it again and again with all the ardour of a boy of twenty; and my lady sighed and--let him kiss his fill. She wore her rustic attire but her simple gown was enriched here and there, with the daintiest of lace as was her snowy mob-cap; and surely never did rustic beauty blush more rosily or look with eyes more shy than she when at last he raised his head: "Good morrow to your worship!" said she softly, "I trust your honour slept well?" "No!" he answered, speaking with a strange, new vehemence, "I scarce did close my eyes all night for thought of you----" "Of me?" "And of my--my folly! I looked for you this morning--I wished to tell you ... I ... I----" Seeing him thus at a loss, my lady smiled a little maliciously, then hasted to his relief: "This morning?" said she gently, "I was making more butter for my poor folk--with the aid of my lord of Alvaston, Captain West, and Sir Jasper. But they proved so awkward with the churn that Sir Benjamin must needs show 'em how 'twas done. And after he made much of my rhubarb wine and would have them all taste it and insisted on the Captain drinking three glasses--poor man!" "Wherefore 'poor'?" "Why, sir, 'tis truly excellent wine--to look at, but I fear 'tis perhaps a trifle---sourish!" Here she laughed merrily, grew solemn and sighed, glancing shyly at the Major who stood, head bowed, fumbling with one of the gold buttons of the plum-coloured coat. "I--trust your ladyship is well after your--your fright of yesterday," said he at last. "My ladyship is very well, sir," she sighed, "though vapourish!" "Which means?" "Perhaps I--mourn my lost divinity." Her tone was light, but he saw that her lips quivered as she averted her head. "Betty," he cried impulsively, "I was a fool! All night long I've burned with anger at my folly, for I do know you could never be aught but pure and maidenly no matter what you--you chanced to wear. So do I come craving your forgiveness." "O Major--Major Jack," she sighed, leaning towards him, all glowing tenderness, "first hear me say you spoke me truth, it--it was indeed--unworthy--a hoyden trick! But I have trod a different world to you--a world of careless gaiety and idle chatter, where nought is serious, reverence unknown and love itself a pastime. So I have loved no man--save my brother Charles for we've been lonely all our days--nay, Major John!" for he had caught her hand to his lips again. "And I dared think you unmaidenly!" he murmured, in bitter self-reproach. "So would the mother I never knew had she seen me as--as poor Aunt Belinda saw me--and yet--I vow 'twas monstrous laughable!" and my lady hovered between laughter and tears. "Am I forgiven?" he pleaded. "Aye, most fully!" "Why then--to prove it--will you ... would you----" "Well, your honour?" she questioned humbly. "Would you permit me to show you the rose-garden?" "But I have seen it!" "Aye to be sure, so you have!" he answered, a little dashed. "Though the roses were scarce in bloom then." "Truly I do love roses, Major Jack----" "And they are in the full splendour of their beauty----" "But--this wall?" she demurred. "And ... no ladder!" He reached up eager arms. "O Major John!" she exclaimed and drew back, blushing as rosily as the shyest maid that ever tripped in dairy. "'Twould be so--so extreme unmaidenly--wouldn't it?" The Major flushed and his arms dropped. "Though indeed I--do love roses!" she sighed. The Major glanced up eagerly. "But 'tis so awkward and someone might see----" "Not a soul!" he assured her. "Then ... if you'll turn your head a moment ... and are sure none can spy ... and will be vastly careful ... and are quite, quite sure you can manage----" It was managed almost as she spoke, he with an assured adroitness, she with such gracious ease that, in the same moment they were walking side by side over the smooth turf, as calm and unruffled as any two people ever were or will be. "'Tis a dear orchard, this!" she sighed, stopping to pat the rough bark of a huge, gnarled apple-tree. "'Twas here I first saw you," said he. "Stealing your fruit!" she nodded. "It seems long ago." "And yet 'tis but a few short weeks." Slowly they went on together, past lily-pool asleep in marble basin, through green boskages amid whose leafy shade marble dryads shyly peeped and fauns and satyrs sported; beneath the vast spread of mighty trees across smooth, grassy levels, by shady walks and so at last to the blazing glory of the rose-garden. Here my lady paused with an exclamation of delight. "Indeed, indeed, 'tis lovely--lovelier than I had dreamed! Are you not proud of it?" "Yes," he answered, "more especially since I never owned a foot of land till of late--or a roof to shelter me, for that matter." "You were a soldier!" "And a very poor one!" he added. "And they called you 'Fighting d'Arcy!'" said she, looking into the grey eyes she had been wont to think almost too gentle. "That sounds strange--on your lips," said he with his grave smile, "I perceive the Sergeant has been talking." "He has been boasting to me of all your wounds, sir!" The Major laughed. "He is greatly proud of you, sir." "He saved my life more than once." "You must have been a very desperate soldier to have been wounded so very often, Major John!" "Why you see, at that time," he answered, handing her down the steps into the garden, "I wished to die." "To die?" she repeated. "O, prithee why?" "This was twenty years ago, I was a boy then," he sighed. "To-day I am----" "A man, and therefore wiser," said she as they went on together among the roses. "And pray why did you seek death?" she questioned softly. "Because I had lost the woman I loved." "So then you--have--loved?" "As a boy of twenty may," he answered. "She--I was an ensign without influence and prospects and--they forced her to wed a wealthier than I." "O! And she did?" Lady Betty stopped to stamp an angry foot. "Indeed they--compelled her----" "Major John sir, no woman that is a woman can be compelled in her affections!" "She was very young." "Pooh, sir! I am not yet a withered and wrinkled crone, yet no one shall or should compel me!" And here, with a prodigious flutter of her print gown, my lady seated herself on rustic bench beside the sundial. "No indeed," said he, "you are--are different." At this she flashed him a swift up-glance and, meeting his gaze, dimpled, drew aside her garments' ample folds and graciously, motioned him beside her. The Major sat down. "And was she happy?" "No!" "Which doth but serve her to her deserts!" The Major winced, perceiving which, my lady faced him. "How, do you love her yet?" she questioned. "My lady, she is dead," he answered. Lady Betty turned and leaning to a rose that bloomed near by, touched it with gentle fingers. "And--do you--love her yet, Major John?" she asked softly. "I held her in my memory as the sweetest of all women until a few weeks ago," he answered simply. My lady's caressing fingers faltered suddenly. "She was the third woman in your life?" "Yes," he answered, "because of her memory I have lived a hard life and let love go by nor thought of it." "Not once?" "Not once, until of late." My lady was silent, and, leaning nearer, he continued: "Twenty years ago I gave my love and, being hopeless, sought for death and never found it. So, hating war, I made of war my life. I became a soldier of fortune and wheresoever battle was, there was I; when one campaign ended I went in quest of others. So I have learned much of men, of foreign countries, and war in every shape, but of women and love--nothing whatever. Indeed I should be fighting yet but for this unexpected legacy. And now----" He sighed. "And now?" she repeated softly. "Now I find that youth has fled and left but emptiness behind!" "Poor, O poor, decrepit, ancient man!" she sighed, "with your back so bent and your arms so feeble! So wrinkled, so toothless, and so blind!" And rising she turned away and leaned round elbows on the sundial. Now presently he came and stood beside her, looking into her lovely, down-bent face then pointed to the legend graven on the stone. "Read," said he, "read and tell me--is't not wisdom?" And, very obediently, she read aloud: "Youth is joyous; Age is melancholy: Age and Youth together is but folly." "Indeed," she nodded, "'tis a very wise proverb and, like most other proverbs, sayeth very plainly that black is black and white is white. And truly I do think you a great coward, Major 'Fighting d'Arcy'!" "Betty?" said he, a little breathlessly. "You may be very brave in battle but in--in other things you are a very coward!" "My lady--O Betty! Do you mean ... is it possible that such miracle could be... You in the bloom of your youth and beauty, I----" "So bent with years!" said she in tender mockery, "so feeble and so--very--blind!" The Major's philosophic calm was shattered, his placid serenity gone all in a moment; he reached out sudden, passionate arms but without attempting to touch her. "Betty," he cried, "God knows if I'm presumptuous fool or blessed beyond my hopes, but hear me say--I love you, for all your dainty loveliness, your coquette airs and graces, but, most of all, for the sweet, white, womanly soul of you. And 'tis no flame of youthful passion this, soon to fade, 'tis a man's enduring love desiring all, asking nothing.... I mean, Betty, whether you wed me or no, needs must I love you to the end of time!" "E'en though I should love and wed another?" she questioned softly. "Aye, truly!" "Indeed, you are nobler than I--because"--here she paused to trace out the time-worn lettering on the dial with pink finger-tip--"because if you should love, or wed another, then I--should die of rage and jealousy and grief and----" The Major's long arms were close about her and, stooping, he kissed her again and again, her fragrant hair, her eyes, her tender mouth. "O Betty," he sighed, "my beautiful Betty, the wonder of it!" "O John," she sighed tremulously, "O Jack, indeed 'tis a very furious lover you are! You make love as you fight--as if you loved it--nay, show mercy!" He released her instantly and stood back staring down at her with dazzled eyes. "Am I rough?" he asked anxiously. "Dear, forgive me! But 'tis all so strange, so unexpected, so marvellous beyond belief! There be so many to love you that I----" "Shall teach you what love truly is," she murmured, "And I--don't mind--a little roughness, Jack dear!" "God, 'tis marvellous!" said he at last, holding her away to feast his eyes on her glowing loveliness. "'Tis passing wonderful that of all your throng of lovers you should choose such as I--so much older, so much----" his breath caught, the strong hands that clasped her so tenderly quivered suddenly. "Betty," said he hoarsely, "'tis no coquettish whim, this--no youthful fancy? You do love me indeed?" Now seeing the haggard pleading of his eyes, the quiver of his lips and all his shy humility, she uttered a soft cry and drawing him close, pillowed his troubled brow against her soft cheek. "Ah dearest," she whispered, "why must you doubt? Love for you hath been in my heart from the first I think, though I never guessed 'twas love until to-day. And for your age--O foolish! I would not have thee younger by an hour and--for my love, 'tis here deep within my heart and will but grow with length of days for to know thee more is to love thee more. You think me over-young, I know, light-thoughted, belike and careless, but in her heart a woman is ever older than a man, and, despite my seeming heedlessness your Betty is methinks much the woman you would have her be." "Aye, truly," he answered, "the sweetest, the loveliest, noblest woman, I do think, in all this big world!" But when he would have caught her to him again she, blushing, laughing, stayed him to straighten lacy mob-cap and pat rebellious curls with hands a little tremulous, then, sitting down, crossed slim feet demurely and motioned him beside her. "'Deed, sir," she sighed, "you do make love to perfection! And yet--your love is so--so wonderful that I grow a little fearful lest I prove unworthy----" "Ah, never!" he cried, drawing her hands to his lips. "Such love doth make me very humble, Jack dear, 'tis all so different, so reverent and yet also 'tis a little--fierce!" she whispered, yielding to his compelling arms. "Nay, am I so?" he asked, anxiously, his hold relaxing. "Ele-mentally!" she murmured, pillowing cheek on plum-coloured velvet regardless of lace cap. "Yet methinks I do--love such ferocity!" "O Betty, when will you wed me?" "O John, here is a question to ponder. First, when would you have me?" "To-day! To-morrow! Soon!" "O impatient youth!" she murmured. "Second, shall your wife enjoy all liberty?" "So much as she desire," he answered tenderly. "Third, shall she live in town i' the season, attend balls, theatres, routs, card-parties, masquerades, drums and the like?" "If she so wish," said he, a little sadly; perceiving which, she nestled closer to him. "Fourth, will you swear to be a husband _a la mode_?" "What may that be?" he enquired. "Will you be very polite to your wife and seldom intrude upon her privacy as is the modish custom, will you keep separate establishments, will you----" "By heaven--no!" exclaimed the Major; whereat, and very suddenly, she kissed him. "Indeed I do think you will make almost as good a husband as lover!" she sighed. "And--Major Jack, dear--if you would wed me soon----" "Nay sweet," he broke in, "here was a selfish thought! You are so young---- "A ripe woman of twenty-two, sir!" "But youth loveth freedom, my Betty, so shall you enjoy it while you will and come to me--when you will!" "Nay, dear, foolish John, you do speak as you were a prison! What is maiden freedom compared to--wifehood?" she breathed. "Wife!" he repeated reverently, "'tis a sweet word, Betty!" "So is--husband, John." "My Betty--dear--when?" "Is three months hence too long?" "Aye, 'tis very long--but----" "Six weeks, Jack?" O never-to-be-forgotten hour! Hour long dreamed and yet expected never, so swift to haste away but whose memory was to blossom, sweet and all unfading. "Dear," said she at last, "since you are not for marriage '_a la mode_' I shall plague you mightily----" "God!" he exclaimed softly, "what a life 'twill be!" But all at once she started from him as, afar off, a faint wailing arose: "Betty, my love! O Bet--my Betty love!" My lady frowned and rising, laid rosy finger to lip. "Not a word yet, my John! Let our secret be ours awhile. Come, let us meet her."' Slowly they went amid the roses and sighed for the hour that was gone and wondered to see the sun so low; and thus they presently beheld Lady Belinda twittering towards them escorted by the Sergeant and the tall, well-fed menial. "O naughty Bet!" she cried, "O wicked puss and truant! I've sought thee this hour and more, I've called thee until my poor voice grew languishing and weak! Ah, dear Major, scold her for me, prithee scold!" "Nay, madam," he answered, bowing, "I fear the blame is mine, I was for showing my lady the roses as 'twere, and--er----" "La, dear aunt," said my lady, "how warm you look, so red--so flushed and fulsome!" "'Tis the sun--the sun!" cried Lady Belinda, "I vow I cannot abide the sun, it nauseates me!" "Then let us into the shade, mam," said the Major, offering his arm. "'Twill be cool on the terrace, a--er--a dish of tea----" "Nay, nay, sir, alack and no, we have neighbours expected. Sir Oliver and Lady Rington, Mrs. Wadhurst, and Lady Lydia Flyte--and that minds me, naughty Bet, you were to have gone a-riding to-day with Mr. Dalroyd and Sir Jasper--they called expectant and you were not! Then came poor young Mr. Marchdale, in a great taking, to know if you'd object to his rhyming 'Bet' with 'sweat!' The Captain called, too, with dear Sir Benjamin Tripp--so modish--so elegant! But solemn as two owls, though why owls should be solemn I don't know never having seen one near enough! So you see, dear Major, we positively must away!" The Major, having escorted them to his park gates, stood to watch that slender, shapely form out of sight, then, sighing, limped slowly housewards lost in happy dreams. As he went he remembered with an odd relief that the Viscount was in London and would remain there several days. Presently he came upon the Sergeant who bore a rake "at the trail" much as if it had been a pike: and the Sergeant's face was beaming and his bright eye almost roguish: "Ha, Zeb," said the Major, halting to view him over, and his own eyes were shining also, "why Zeb, how deuced smart you look!" "My best clothes, sir, new ones being on order as commanded, sir." "Aye, but 'tis not your clothes exactly, you seem--younger, somehow." "Why, sir," said the Sergeant, a little diffidently, "I took the liberty o' powdering my wig,--no objections I hope, your honour?" "None at all Zeb, no, no! Egad, 'tis like old times!" So saying, the Major smiled and passed on to the house, whistling softly as he went. CHAPTER XIX HOW THE MAJOR LOST HIS YOUTH AGAIN It was a night of midsummer glory; an orbed moon rode high in queenly splendour filling the world with a radiance that lent to all things a beauty new and strange. Not a breath stirred, trees, tall and motionless, seemed asleep, so still were they. Thus the Major, on his way to bed, paused to lean from the open casement of his study and to gaze, happy-eyed, upon the radiant heaven and to dream of the future as many a man has done before and since. All at once he started and stared to behold Sergeant Zebedee abroad at this witching hour. But the Sergeant was there for other things than dreaming, it seemed, for upon his shoulder he bore a blunderbuss, a broadsword swung at his thigh, and from one of his big side-pockets appeared the heavy, brass-mounted butt of a long-barrelled pistol. Wondering, the Major stepped out through the casement and followed. Sergeant Zebedee marched with elaborate caution and was keeping so sharp a lookout before that he quite overlooked the Major behind him; but all at once a stick snapped, round wheeled the Sergeant, blunderbuss at "the ready" but, seeing the Major, he immediately lowered his weapon and stood easy. "'S'noggers, sir," said he, "I thought you was it!" "It, Zebedee?" "Aye, your honour, it, him, or her. If it ain't a him 'tis a her and if it ain't a her it's an it--or shall us say a apparation, sir. Same being said to walk i' the orchard o' nights lately----" "An apparition--in the orchard, Zeb? Have you seen it?" "Why no, sir, not exactly, but what I did see was--hist!" The Sergeant halted suddenly, crouching in the shadow of a hedge; they were close on the orchard now and, upon the stilly air was a soft rustle, a faint scraping sound and, parting the leafy screen, the Major saw a dark figure silhouetted above the wall, a nebulous shape that seemed to hang suspended a moment ere it vanished over the wall into my lady's garden. "That weren't no apparation, sir!" whispered the Sergeant, looking to pan and priming, and, hurrying forward, pointed to a footprint in the soft, newly-turned soil. "Never heard as spectres wore shoes, sir." The Major, staring at that slender footprint, felt suddenly cold and sick, and wondered; then, as the Sergeant prepared to climb the wall, checked him: "Wait--wait you here!" he muttered. "Make way!" Reaching up, the Major swung himself astride the coping and silently mounted the wall. Before him was a flagged walk which, as he remembered, led to the arbour; this walk he avoided and, stepping in among the bushes, began to advance cautiously, eyes and ears on the strain, for the shadows lay dense hereabouts. Thus he was close upon the arbour when he stopped suddenly, arrested by the sound of a man's voice, low and muffled. "... 'tis you now, Bet, and only you----" "... Ah God, how may I? And yet ... my own dear, have I ever refused thee ... I've yearned for thee so..." Here the sound of passionate kisses. It was her voice indeed, but so tender, so full of thrilling gentleness! The Major shivered and a sudden faintness and nausea seizing him, leaned weakly against a tree, and ever, as he leaned thus, their voices reached him--his low and eager, hers a-thrill with tenderness. The Major turned and, groping like one blind, crept back until he came to the wall and crouching there, his head between his arms, seemed to shake and writhe as with some horrible convulsion. "That you, sir?" a voice whispered hoarsely. Silently the Major drew himself up and dropped back into his own grounds. "What was it, sir?" "Nought, Zeb." "D'ye mean 'twere a ghost, arter all?" "Aye!" "Didn't notice if 'twere a her or a him, sir?" "No!" "Why then, did you chance to ob-serve----" but seeing the Major's face, Sergeant Zebedee broke off with a gasp and, dropping his blunderbuss, reached out quick hands: "Good God! Your honour! What's amiss?" "Let be, Zeb, let be," said the Major wearily, putting by these kindly hands, "'tis nought to worry over--nought to matter, nought i' the world, Zeb. Leave me awhile. Go to bed!" "Bed, your honour? And leave you alone? Sir, I beg----" "Sergeant Tring--get you indoors!" The Sergeant stiffened, saluted, and, wheeling about, marched away forthwith, but, once in the shadows, turned to glance anxiously at the lonely figure so pale and still and rigid under the moon. Being alone, the Major seemed to shrink within himself, and, limping slowly into the gloom of the hutch-like sentry-box, cast himself face down across the table and lay there; and from that place of shadows came sounds soft but awful. At last he lifted heavy head, and, staring before him, perforce beheld that part of the wall where he had first seen her; and again he writhed and shivered. But, all at once, as the spasm passed, he leaned forward tense and fierce, for in that precise spot a man was climbing the wall. The Major rose and stood with breath in check, watching as the unknown clambered into view, a slender figure that paused for a lingering, backward glance, then leapt down into the orchard; but, doing so, the unknown tripped, lost his hat and cursed softly, and in that moment the Major gripped him in iron hands and stared into the pale, fierce face of Mr. Dalroyd; the long curls of his peruke had fallen back leaving his features fully exposed in the strong moonlight, and now, as the Sergeant had done before him, the Major blenched and drew back, his fingers loosing their hold. "Effingham!" he gasped, "Effingham--by God!" Mr. Dalroyd smiled and fingered his curls: "'Tis Major d'Arcy, I think!" said he gently. "And Major d'Arcy is either drunk or mad, my name, as he very well knows, is Dalroyd much and ever at his service. Though, permit me to say 'tis scarce a--laudable or honourable thing to--spy upon the tender hours of his fair neighbours! 'Tis true I trespass, but love, sir, love----!" Mr. Dalroyd smiled, sighed and picked up his hat. "If you wish to quarrel, sir, you lose your labour for I quarrel with no man--to-night!" "Sir," said the Major, his voice calm and unshaken, "whoever you are and whatever your name, I advise you to go--now, this instant!" Mr. Dalroyd surveyed the Major with languid interest, the pallid serenity of his face, the smouldering eyes, the haggard lips, the moist brow, the nervous, clutching fingers, and smiling, went his way leaving the Major to his agony. For now indeed it seemed that all the fiends of hell had risen up to mock and gibe and torture the quivering soul of him; beneath their obscene hands his reverent love lay shamed and writhing in the dust. "Betty!" he whispered, "O my love!" Yet even as he spoke he knew that the woman he had worshipped was not and never had been; he had clothed her warm youth and beauty with divinity, had adored and made of her an ideal and now his dream was done, his ideal shattered and by one who wore the cold, satyr-like face of Effingham--Effingham who had died upon his sword-point years ago in Flanders; almost unconsciously his quivering fingers sought and touched the scar upon his temple. And now, remembering her voice as he had heard it, thrilling with ineffable love and tenderness, he alternatively shivered in sick horror and burned with shame, a shame that crushed him to his knees, to his face. That it should be Effingham of all men, or one so hatefully like! So the Major, grovelling there beneath the moon, knew an agony in his stricken soul, deeper, fiercer than flesh may ever know; and thus, towards the dawn-hour, Sergeant Zebedee found him. "Sir--sir," said he, kneeling beside that prostrate form, "God's love, sir--what's amiss?" The Major raised himself and stared round about with dazed eyes. "Ah Zeb," said he, slowly, "I do think I must ha' slept of late and dreamed, Zeb, a fair sweet dream that later changed to nightmare--but 'twill pass. I've lived awhile i' the paradise of fools!" "Nay sir, here's spells and witchcraft! 'Tis an ill place and an ill hour--come your ways wi' me, sir." "Aye, 'tis witchcraft--spells and enchantments, as 'twere, Zeb, but 'twill pass. Lend me your arm." So saying the Major rose and began to limp towards the house. But, as they went thus, side by side, he paused to glance up at the waning moon. "'Tis a fair night, Zeb, I've never seen a fairer. What o'clock is it?" "Nigh on to three, your honour." "So late! How time doth flee a man once youth be gone. We've kept many a night-watch together ere now, Zeb, but the hours never sped so fast in those days, we were younger then, Zebedee, so much younger, d'ye see." Being come into his study the Major stood beside his desk staring down at his orderly papers and documents, vacant-eyed. "You'll come to bed now, sir?" enquired the Sergeant anxiously. "Nay Zeb, 'tis so late I'll e'en sit and watch the dawn come." "Why then sir, you'll take something to eat and drink? Do now!" The Major shook his head: "I want nought, Zeb, save to be--alone." Sergeant Zebedee sighed heavily, shook doleful head and going out, shut the door softly behind him. "That it should be Effingham of all men, or one so hatefully like!" The Major clenched his hands and began to pace restlessly back and forth. And now came Memory to haunt him--her sweet, soft voice, the droop of her black lashes, the way she had of pouting red lips sometimes when thoughtful, her eyes, her hands, her quick, light feet, and all the infinite allurement of her. And now----! "That it should be--Effingham!" Here again he was seized of faintness and nausea, fierce tremors shook him and sinking into his elbow-chair he sat crouched above the desk, his face bowed between clutching hands. Sitting thus, the great house so still and silent all about him, he must needs remember how she had called it a "desolate" house. And, in truth, so it was and must be for him now until the end. The end? Once more he rose and took to his restless pacing. What end was there for him now but a succession of dreary days, while old age crept upon him bringing with it loneliness and solitude--a great, empty house and himself a solitary, loveless old man. And he had dreamed of others perchance to bear his name! God, what a life it might have been! And now, this was the end; he had walked in a "fool's paradise" indeed. Pausing in his tramping he lifted haggard eyes to the pistols on the wall; with fumbling hands he opened a certain drawer in his desk, and, taking thence a brown wisp that once had been a fragrant rose, looked down at it awhile with eyes very tender, then let it fall and set his foot upon it, and leaning back in his chair stared down at all that remained. Long he sat thus, chin on breast, his drawn face half buried in the gay curls of his glossy peruke, but now his gaze had wandered back to the pistols on the wall. The candles, guttering in their sockets, burned low and lower, flickered and went out, but he sat on, motionless and very still; at last he sighed, stirred, rose from his chair, reached groping hand up to the wall and stood suddenly rigid. "Major John, dear, some of your tenants are miserably poor, Major John!" It was as if she had uttered these words again, the small room seemed to echo her soft voice, the darkness seemed full of her fragrant presence. The Major sank back in the chair and covered his face with twitching fingers; but, little by little, upon the gloom about him stole a faint glow, a tender radiance, an ever-brightening glory and lo, it was day. And presently, beholding this gladsome light, he lifted drooping head and glanced about him. "Betty!" he whispered, "O sweet woman of my dream, though the dream vanish memory abideth and in my memory I will hold thee pure and sweet and fragrant everlastingly!" Then he arose and heeding no more the pistols on the wall, went forth calm-eyed into the golden, joyous freshness of the dawn. CHAPTER XX HOW THE MAJOR RAN AWAY Larks, high in air, carolled faint and sweet, birds chirped joyously from fragrant hedgerows, a gentle wind set leaves dancing merrily, and the Major's big bay mare, being full of life and the joy of it, tossed her shapely head and beat a tattoo with her four round hoofs; but the Major rode with shoulders drooping and in gloomy silence, wherefore the Sergeant trotting behind on his stout cob, stared at the woebegone figure and shook anxious head: "She's a bit skittish, sir," he hazarded at last as the powerful bay pranced sideways toward the hedge, "a bit wilful-like, your honour!" "She's so young, Zeb," answered the Major absently, "so young, so full of life and youth that 'tis but to be--eh, what the devil are you saying, Sergeant Zebedee?" "Why your honour, I----" "Hold your tongue, sir!" "But sir," began the Sergeant, wondering to see his master's face so red all at once, "I did but----" "Be silent!" said the Major and, giving his mare the rein, rode on ahead while the Sergeant trotted after staring in turn at the blooming hedges, the white road, the blue sky and the Major's broad back. "'Sniggers!" he exclaimed at last under his breath, Presently the road narrowed between high, sloping banks clothed with brush and bramble from amid which tangle a man rose suddenly, a tall, dark, gipsy-looking fellow, at whose unexpected appearance the Major's bay mare swerved and reared, all but unseating her rider; whereat the fellow laughed vindictively, the Sergeant swore and the Major soothed his plunging steed with voice and hand. Breathing fierce anathemas and dire threats, the Sergeant was in the act of dismounting when the Major stopped him peremptorily. "But sir, 'tis a rogue, 'tis a plaguy rascal, 'tis a----" "'Tis no matter, Zeb." "But damme sir, same do be a-shaking his dirty fist at your honour this moment! Sir, I beg----" "'Tis very natural, Zeb." "Nat'ral sir, and wherefore?" "I--er--had occasion to--ha--flog the fellow." "Flogged him, sir?" "And broke my--ha--very modish cane a-doing it!" "Cane, sir?" repeated the Sergeant, jogging alongside again. "Ha, and brought home his bludgeon instead, I mind, not so ornymental--but a deal handier, your honour." Here the Major fell again to gloomy abstraction, observing which the Sergeant held his peace until, having climbed a steepish ascent, they came where stood a finger-post at the parting of the ways and here the Sergeant ventured another question: "And wherefore flog same, sir?" "Eh?" said the Major, starting, "O, for a good and sufficient reason, Zeb, and----" He broke off with a sudden breathless exclamation and the Sergeant, following the direction of his wide gaze, beheld three people approaching down a shady bye-road. "Why sir," he exclaimed, "here's my Lady Carlyon as----" The Major wheeled his big bay and, clapping in spurs, galloped off in the opposite direction. "_Sapperment!_" exclaimed the Sergeant. He was yet staring in amazement after his master's rapidly retreating figure when he became aware that my lady had reined up her horse beside him. "Why Sergeant," she questioned, "O Sergeant, what is't? Why did he spur away at sight of me?" "Bewitchment, mam--black magic and sorcery damned, my lady!" answered the Sergeant, shaking rueful head. "Last night, your ladyship, he see the devil, same being in form of a apparation----" "Sergeant Zebedee, what do you mean?" "A gobling, mam--a ghost as vanished itself away into your garden, my lady--we both see same and his honour followed it." "Into--my garden?" she questioned quick-breathing, her eyes very bright, her slender hand tight-clenched upon her riding-switch. "Aye mam, your garden. Since when he's been witched and spell-bound, d'ye see." "How--how?" "Why, a tramp--tramping in his study all night long and groaning to himself--right mournful, mam." "Groaning?" "And likewise a-sighing--very dismal. And this morning I took the liberty of observing him unbeknownst--through the window, d'ye see--me not having had a wink o' sleep either--and when he lifted his head----" "Well?" she said faintly. "'Twas like--like death in life, mam." My lady's head was bowed but the Sergeant saw that the hand grasping the whip was trembling and when she spoke her voice was unsteady also: "I--I'm glad you--told me, Sergeant. I--O I must see him! Get him home again--into the orchard. I--must speak with him--soon!" "But mam, he's set on riding to Inchbourne--means to look over the cottages as Jennings has let go to rack and ruin, and when he's set on doing a thing he'll--do it." "He ran away at sight of me, Sergeant?" "He did so, mam, by reason of the black art and----" "And he shall run away again--I'll ride to Inchbourne ahead of you and frighten him back home----" "Zounds!" exclaimed the Sergeant. "And when he reaches home contrive to get him into the orchard----" "Zooks!" exclaimed the Sergeant. Here Mr. Dalroyd, who had been chatting with the Marquis hard by but with his gaze ever upon my lady's lissom figure, urged his horse up to them. "The Major would seem in a hurry this morning," said he, smiling down into my lady's pensive face, "or is it that his horse bolted with him?" The Sergeant snorted but, before he could speak, Lady Betty's gloved hand was upon his arm. "Sergeant Zebedee," said she gently, "I--trust to you and you won't fail me, I know!" Then, smiling a little wistfully she turned and rode away between her two cavaliers. "Now all I says is," said the Sergeant, rasping his fingers across his big, smooth-shaven chin, "all I says is that look o' hers has drove the word 'fail' clean off the field wi' no chance o' rallying. All I asks is--How?" Having questioned himself thus and found no answer, he presently set off in pursuit of the Major, as fast as his stout cob would carry him. The Major sat his fretting mare beneath the shadow of trees, but despite this shade he looked hot and uncomfortable. "You've been the deuce of a while, Zebedee," said he, fidgeting in his saddle. "No help for it, your honour," answered the Sergeant, saluting, "her ladyship having halted me, d'ye see." "Ha--what did she say, Zeb?" "Demanded wherefore you bolted, sir." "And--what did you tell her?" "Explained as 'twere all on account o' witchcraft and sorcery damned, sir." "Then be damned for a fool, Zebedee!" The Sergeant immediately saluted. "Then--er--what did she say?" "Stared, sir, and cross-examinationed me concerning same, and I dooly explained as you did see a apparation in form of the devil--no, a devil in form of a----" The Major uttered an impatient ejaculation and rode on again. And after they had ridden some distance in silence the Sergeant spoke. "Begging your pardon, sir, but you're wrong!" "I think not, Zeb,'" sighed the Major, "'tis for the best." "But sir, 'tis the wrong way to----" "On the contrary 'tis the only way, Zeb, the only way to save her pain and vexation. I couldn't bear to see her shrink--er--ha, what a plague are you saying now, in the fiend's name, Sergeant?" "Why sir, I only--" "Be silent, Zebedee!" "Very good, your honour, only this be the wrong way to Inchbourne." "Egad!" exclaimed the Major, staring. "Now you mention it, Zeb, so 'tis!" And wheeling his horse forthwith, the Major galloped back to the cross-roads. Being come thither he halted to glance swiftly about and seemed much relieved to find no one in sight. "Zebedee," said he suddenly as they rode on, knee to knee, "tis in my mind to go a-travelling again." "Thought and hoped our travelling days was done, sir." "Aye, so did I, Zeb, so did I--but," the Major sighed wearily, "none the less I'm minded to go campaigning again, leaving you here to--er--look after things for me, as 'twere, Zeb." "Can't and couldn't be, your honour! You go and me stay? Axing your pardon, sir--Zounds, no!" "Why not, pray?" "Well first, sir, what would your honour do without me?" "Truly I should--miss you, Zeb----" "So you would, sir, so why think of going? Secondly, here's me been hoping--ah, hoping right fervent as you'd bring it off, sir, wi' colours flying and drums a-beating as gay as gay." "Bring what off, Zeb?" "Wedlock, sir." The Major flinched, then turned to scowl: "Be curst for a presuming fool, Zebedee!" The Sergeant immediately saluted. "Whom should I marry at my time of life, think you?" "Lady Elizabeth Carlyon, sir." The Major's bronzed cheek burned and he rode awhile with wistful gaze on the distance. "I shall--never marry, Zebedee!" said he at last. "Why sir, asking your pardon, but that depends, I think." "Depends!" repeated the Major, staring. "On what?" "The Lady Elizabeth Carlyon, your honour." Here ensued another long pause, then: "How so, Zeb?" "Sir, when some women makes up their mind to a man it ain't no manner o' good that man a-saying 'No'!" "Pray what d'you know of women, Sergeant Zebedee?" "That much, sir!" "Hum!" said the Major. "Nevertheless I shall never wed, Zebedee!" Here he sighed again and the Sergeant did likewise. "Which I do sadly grieve to hear, sir, for your honour's sake, her ladyship's and--my sake!" "And why yours, Zeb?" "Sir, if you was to wed my lady and vicey-versey, the which I did hope, why then belike I might do the same with Mrs. Agatha and versey-vicey." "God--bless--my soul!" exclaimed the Major. "She's a pro-digious fine figure of a woman, your honour!" "She is so, Zeb, she is indeed. But I had no idea----" "Nor did I, sir, till a few days ago and then it came on me--ah, it come on me like a flash, your honour, quick as a musket-ball!" "Then, if she's willing, Zeb, marry by all means and before I go I'll----" "Begging your pardon, sir, can't be done--not to be thought on--if you wed why then I wed, if so be as she'll have me, sir, and vicey-versey, but if you don't, I don't and versey-vicey as in dooty bound, sir." "But, if you love each other--why not, Zeb?" "Because sir, you a bachelor, me a bachelor now and for ever, amen!" "A Gad's name--why?" "Your honour, 'tis become a matter o' dooty wi' me d'ye see." "You're a great fool, Sergeant, aye--a fool, Zebedee, but a very faithful fool, Zeb!" "Aye sir! And yonder's Inchbourne!" said the Sergeant, pointing to a hamlet bowered amid trees in the valley below them. The thatched cottages of Inchbourne village stood upon three sides of a pleasant green and in this green was a pool shaded by willows and fed by a rippling brook. "'Tis a mighty pretty place!" said the Major. "Aye, sir--to look at--from a distance, but there ain't a cottage as aren't damp, nor a roof as don't leak like a sieve. Still 'tis pretty enough I'll not deny, though 'tis an ill-conditioned folk lives there, your honour, hang-dog rascals, poachers and the like----" "And small wonder if things be so bad, ill-conditions beget roguery, Zeb, I marvel what Jennings can have been doing to let things come to such a pass!" "Co-lecting rents mostly, sir!" "You've no particular regard for Mr. Jennings, Zebedee." "I never said so, your honour." "He complained of you once, Zebedee----" "Sir, the same month as you and me come a-marching into this here estate said Jennings turned old Bet Seamore out of her bit o' cottage whereupon I dooly ventured a objection----" "Hum!" mused the Major, staring down at the peaceful hamlet. "He will be awaiting us----" "At the d'Arcy Arms!" nodded the Sergeant. "Jennings was agent here in my uncle's time and bears an irreproachable character, Zeb----" "Character!" quoth the Sergeant. "Sir, his character worries him to that degree he's a-talking of it constant. Says he to me, old Betty a-sobbing over her bits o' furniture as was a-lying there in the road, 'no rent no roof!' says he, ''tis my dooty to look arter Squire's interests,' says he, 'and dooty's part o' my character. I was born with a irreproachable character,' says he, 'and such I'll keep same,' he says. 'Why then,' says I, 'since I can't kick your character, I'll kick you instead,' I says, which I did forthwith, wherefore complaint to you as aforesaid, sir." "Ha!" said the Major, frowning. "'Twas wrong in you to assault my agent, Zeb, very wrong, but----I must enquire into the matter of the eviction. You should have told me before." Saying which, he gave his mare the rein and they began to descend the hill. "They call old Betty a witch, sir," continued the Sergeant, his keen gaze roving expectantly among the scattered cottages, "aye, a witch, sir, and now owing to Mr. Jennings' character d'ye see she do live in the veriest pigsty of a place which is the reason as my Lady Carlyon has took to riding over and a-visiting of her constant----" "Has she, Zeb, has she?" said the Major, his voice very gentle. "Aye sir, folks hereabouts know her well--she stays wi' 'em hours sometimes and--Zounds, there she is!" "Where?" demanded the Major, reining his mare upon its haunches. "Yonder, sir, see, she's a-going into old Bet's cottage now and----" But the Major had wheeled about and was already half-way back up the hill. "Sir," cried the Sergeant as they reached the brow of the hill, "what about that there Mr. Jennings as is a-waiting----" "He must wait awhile---we'll come back later, Zeb." "No manner o' use, sir, my lady'll stop a couple of hours and by that time he'll be drunk, d'ye see. Best get home, sir----" "Why?" "Well first there's your great History o' Fortification in ten vollums a-waiting to be wrote, and secondly you can come here another day----" "So I can, Zeb, so I can!" agreed the Major and straightway fell into a profound meditation while Sergeant Zebedee began to turn over in his mind various ways and means of achieving the second part of my lady Betty's so urgent request, pondering the problem chin in hand, his fierce black brows close-knit in painful thought. Suddenly he smiled and slapped hand to thigh. "What now?" enquired the Major, starting. "Why sir, there do be some evolutions as a man ain't so nat'rally adapted for as a fe-male so, thinks I sir, I'll ask Mrs. Agatha----" CHAPTER XXI OF CRIMINATIONS "Zebedee," said the Major, staring down at his empty desk, "what's become of my manuscript and papers?" "I' the orchard, sir." "The orchard--why there?" "Why sir, seeing the day s'fine, the sun s'warm and the air s'balmy I took 'em out into the arbour, your honour." "And who the plague told you to?" "Mrs. Agatha, sir, and seeing 'tis quiet there wi' none to disturb, d'ye see, I took same, hoping what wi' the sun so warm and the air so balmy and your History o' Fortification in ten vollums you might--capture a wink or so o' sleep, p'r'aps, you not having closed a optic all last night, your honour." "Ha!" growled the Major and, limping to the open casement, scowled out upon the sunny garden. "And you was ever fond o' the orchard, sir." "Damn the orchard!" "Heartily, sir, heartily if so commanded, though 'tis for sure a pleasant place and if you, a-sitting there so snug and secluded, could nod off to sleep for an hour or so, what with the sun so warm and the air so balmy, 'twould do you a power o' good, sir, you being a bit--strange-like to-day, d'ye see." "Strange? How?" "Your temper's a leetle shortish and oncertain-like, sir." "Aye," nodded the Major grimly, "belike it is, Zeb." He turned and limped slowly to the door but paused there, staring down at the polished floor. "Zebedee," said he suddenly, without lifting his frowning gaze, "what a plague gave you to think there was--there could be aught 'twixt my lady and me?" "Observation, sir." The Major's scowl grew blacker: "And--Mrs. Agatha?" he enquired, "does she know?" "Being a woman, sir, she do--from the very first." "Ha!" exclaimed the Major bitterly, "and the maids--I suppose they know, and the footmen, and the grooms, and the gardeners and every peeping, prying----" "Sir," said the Sergeant fervently, "I'll lay my life there's no one knows but Mrs. Agatha and me--her by nat'ral intooitions and me by observation aforesaid." "Do I----show it so----plainly, Zeb?" "No, sir, but Mrs. Agatha's a remarkable woman--and I've learned to know you in all these years, to know your looks and ways better than you know 'em yourself, sir, wherefore I did ventur' to put two and two together and made 'em five, it seems. For (I argufies to myself) it ain't nowise good for man to live alone seeing as man be born to wedlock as the sparks do up'ard fly and what's bred i' the bone is bound to be. Moreover man cleaveth to woman and vicey-versey, your honour. Furthermore (argues I) wedlock is a comfortable institootion--now and then, sir, and very nat'ral 'twixt man and maid whereby come heirs o' the body male and female, your honour. And furthermore (I argues) you're a man and she's a maid and both on you apt and fit for same, therefore, if so--why not? Moreover again (thinks I) if two folk do love each other and there ain't any kind o' just cause nor yet impedimenta--why then (says I) wherefore not obey Natur's call and----your honour----d'ye see----there y'are, sir!" Here the Sergeant stopped and stood at attention, breathing rather hard, while the Major, who had averted his head, was silent awhile; when at last he spoke his voice sounded anything but harsh. "You're a good soul, Sergeant Zeb, a good soul. But that which is----impossible can--er--can never be. 'Youth is joyous; Age is melancholy: Age and Youth together is but folly.' "'Tis a true saying, Zeb," he sighed, "a true saying and not to be controverted." "Certainly not, sir," answered the Sergeant, "and you'll find your History o' Fortification a-laying on the table in the arbour, sir, also pens and ink, also pipe and tobacco, also tinder-box, also----" "Why then, Zeb, since as you say the sun is so warm and the air so balmy I'll go out and sit awhile and dream I'm young again, for to youth all things are possible--or seem so." And, sighing, he limped forth into the sunshine. But now, as he went slowly towards the orchard, he smiled more than once, and once he murmured: "God bless his honest heart!" Thus, slow and listless of step, he came at last into the pleasant seclusion of the orchard and, with head bowed and shoulders drooping like one that is very weary, entered the cool shadow of the hutch-like sentry-box and started back, trembling all at once and with breath in check. She sat looking up at him, great-eyed and very still, yet all vigorous young life from the glossy love-lock above white brow to her dainty riding-boot. "Why John," said she softly, "do I fright you? Will you run from me again you great, big, 'Fighting d'Arcy'?" And now, because of his look, over snowy neck and cheek and brow crept a rosy flush, her lips quivered to a shy smile, never had she seemed so maidenly or so alluring; the Major clenched his fists and bowed his head. "John," she commanded tenderly, "come you hither to me!" and she patted the seat beside her with white hand invitingly. Major d'Arcy never stirred, so she reached out and catching him by the skirt of his coat, drew him near and nearer until he was seated beside her. "And now," she questioned, "why do you tramp to and fro sleepless all night? Why do you gallop away at sight of me? Why are your poor cheeks so pale and your eyes so heavy with pain? Why do you sit and stare mumchance? Why? Why? Why?" Now looking down into these bright eyes that met his so unflinchingly, hearkening to her soft and tender voice, his own eyes blenched and putting up his hands he covered his face that he might not see all the beauty of her and when he spoke his voice was hoarse and broken. "My lady--why are you here--after last night? Dear God!" "Because you need me, John, to comfort you, 'twould seem. If indeed you are bewitched by cruel fancies I am here to drive them away." "Would to God you might," he groaned, "or that I had died before last night!" "John," said she gently, "John---look at me! Do I seem changed, less worthy your love?" "No, no, and yet--God help me--I saw, I heard!" "What did you hear?" "Your words of love--last night--in the arbour--your kisses." At this, she started but her glance never wavered. "What did you see?" "I saw--him--damn him--leap back over the wall--Dalroyd!" "Dalroyd!" she gasped, "Dalroyd--are you sure?" "I had him in my grip! I looked into his evil face----" "Dalroyd!" she whispered, and with the word her proud head drooped and he saw her hands were shaking. "Betty," said he hoarsely, "O Betty, 'tis not that my dream of possessing you is done, but--dear heaven--that it should be--such a man! For if I do guess aright he is one so vile, so----" "John!" she cried, "O think you 'twas to meet--him, I was there?" "Aye, I saw him--fresh from your embraces--the damnable rogue boasted of it and I was minded to strangle him--but--for your sake----" "My sake?" My lady rose and stood very pale and still, looking down at the Major's agony. "And you think," she questioned softly, "you believe I was there to meet--him, at such an hour?" "Betty--Betty--God help me--what am I to think?" "What you will!" she answered. "Therein shall be your punishment!" And turning she would have left him, but he caught at her habit. "My lady," he pleaded, "for God's sweet sake be merciful and deny it. Tell me I dreamed--say that my eyes saw falsely, tell me so in mercy and I'll believe." "No!" she said dully, "No! Were I to swear this on my knees yet deep within your heart this evil doubt would still rear its head----" "Nay, nay--I vow--I swear!" "You have been so swift to spy out evil in me from the first," she went on in the same passionless voice, "first you thought me a wild hoyden, then unvirginal, now--now, a sly wanton! So will I make your evil thoughts so many whips to scourge you for all your cruel doubt of me!" Saying which, she broke from him and crossing the orchard on flying feet reached the ladder set for her there by the Sergeant's willing hands, she mounted, then paused to glance back over her shoulder but seeing how the Major remained meekly where she had left him, his head bowed humbly between clasping hands, she frowned, bit her lip, then gathering up the voluminous folds of her riding-habit climbed back very dexterously over the wall, frowned at him again, shook her head at him and vanished. But then--ah then, being hid from all chance of observation she leaned smooth cheek against the unfeeling bricks and mortar of that old weather-beaten wall and fell to a silent passion of grief. "O John!" she whispered, "O foolish, blundering, cruel John dear--I wonder if you'll ever know--how much I yearned--to kiss your dear, sad, tired eyes!" Then, drying her tears, she lifted proud head and walked with much dignified composure into the house. CHAPTER XXII WHICH RELATES HOW SERGEANT ZEBEDEE TRING QUELLED SCANDAL WITH A PEWTER-POT The tap-room of the ancient "George and Dragon" Inn is a long, low, irregular chamber full of odd and unexpected corners in one of which, towards the hour of three, sat Sergeant Zebedee Tring as was his wont so to do. A large tankard of foaming Kentish ale stood before him from which he regaled himself ever and anon the while he perused a somewhat crumpled and ragged news-sheet. But to-day, as the Sergeant alternately sipped and read he paused very often to frown across the length of the room towards a noisy group at the farther end; a boisterous company, whose fine clothes and smart liveries proclaimed their gilded servitude and who lounged, yawned, snuffed, sipped their wine or spirits and lisped polite oaths and fashionable scandal all with as fine, as correct and supercilious an air as either of their several masters could have done or any other fine gallants in St. James's. Moreover it was to be noticed, that each of them had modelled himself, in more or less degree, upon the gentleman who happened to rejoice in his service; hence man was faintly reminiscent of master. "Josh, my nib," said an extremely languid individual, sticking out a leg and looking at it with as much lazy approval as my Lord Alvaston might have regarded his own shapely limb, "Josh, my sunbeam, there's something up--stap my vital organ!" "Up, sir, up?" enquired a stoutish, pompous person, inhaling a pinch of snuff with all the graceful hauteur of Sir Benjamin himself, "Up, William--up what, up where? Od, sir--pronounce, discover." "Josh, my bird, here's my guv'nor--here's Alvaston been a-sweating and swearing, writin' o' verses--poetical verses all the morning--which same is dooced queer, Josh, queer, fishy and highly disturbing--burn my neck if t'ain't." "Od!" exclaimed the dignified Josh, "Od, sir, I protest 'tis a amazing co-in-seedence, here's mine been doing the actool same--I found Sir Benjamin up to the same caper, sir--ink all over 'imself--his ruffles--'oly heaven. And poitry too, William, s'elp me!" "Egad! My eye!" exclaimed a pale youth remarkable for a long nose and shrill voice, "O strike me pale blue, 'tis a plague o' po'try and they've all been and took it. Here's Marchdale rings me up at three o'clock in the morning and when I tumbled up, here's him in his nightcap and a bottle o' port as I thought I'd put safe out of his reach, a-staring doleful at a sheet o' paper. 'Horace,' says he, fierce-like, 'Give me a rhyme for "Bet,"' says he. 'Sir, I hasn't got e'er a one about me,' I says. 'Then find one this instant,' says he. 'Why then sir, 'ow about "debt?"' I says and he--ups and throws the bottle at me!" "'Twas a poetical frenzy, Horace," explained a horsey-looking wight, winking knowingly, "most poits gets took that way when they're at it--Alton does, only 'twas his boot which me ducking--went clean through the winder." "Pink my perishing soul!" ejaculated the languid William in sleepy horror, "so they're all at it!" "'Od refuse me, gentlemen," said Josh, smiting plump fist on table, "we must look into this before it goes too far----" "I'm with you, Josh," piped the shrill Horace, "a bottle at your head ain't to be took smiling--nor yet to be sneezed at, strike me pink! Besides I ain't drawed to po'try--it ain't gentleman-like, I call it damned low, gentlemen, eh?" "Low?" repeated the solemn Josh musingly, "why no, it's hardly that, sir, there's verse, ye see, and there's poetry and t'other's very different from which--O very." "And what's the diff, my flower?" "Why, there's poetry, William, and there's verse, now verse is low I grant you, 'od sir, verse is as low as low, but poetry is one o' the harts, O poetry's very sooperior, a gentleman may be permitted to write poetry when so moody and I shan't quarrel with him, but--writing it for--money! Then 'tis mere verse, sir, and won't do not by no means. Verse is all right in its place, Grub Street or a attic, say, but in the gilded halls of nobility--forbid it, heaven--it won't do, sir, it ain't the thing, sir--away with it!" "Ah, but we ain't in the gilded halls, we're in the country, sir, and the country's enough to drive a man to anything--even poetry, Josh, my tulip! Nothing to see but grass and dung hills, hedges and haystacks--O damme!" "And a occasional dairymaid!" added Horace, laying a finger to his long nose, "Don't forget the dear, simple, rural creeters!" At this ensued much loud laughter and stamping of feet with shouts of: "A health, Horace is right! A toast to the rural beauties!" Hereupon the Sergeant lowered the crumpled news-sheet and his scowl grew blacker than ever. "Dairymaids?" exclaimed the languid William, turning the wineglass on his stubby finger, "Dairymaids--faugh, gentlemen! Joe and me and Charles does fly at higher game, we do, I vow. We've discovered a rustic Vanus! Rabbit me--a peach! A blooming plum--round and ripe--aha! A parfect goddess! Let me parish if London could boast a finer! Such a shape! Such a neck! Such dem'd, see-doocing, roguish eyes, egad!" "Name--name!" they roared in chorus, "Spit out her name, William!" "Her name, sirs, begins with a A and ends with another on 'em." Here the Sergeant sat up suddenly and laid aside: the crumpled news-sheet. "Begins with a A, sirs," repeated William, still busy with his wineglass, "and ends with a A and it ain't Anna. And--aha, such a waist, such pretty wicked little feet, such----" "Name!" chorused the others, "Name!" But, at this juncture the door opened and a man entered rather hastily: his dress was sedate, his air was sedate, indeed he seemed sedateness personified, though the Sergeant, scowling at him over his tankard, thought his eyes a little too close together. He was evidently held in much esteem by the company for his entrance was hailed with acclaim: "What, Joe! Joey--ha, Joseph," cried the pompous Josh, "you do come pat, sir, pat--we'm just a-discussing of the Sex--Gad bless 'em!" "Dear creeters!" added Horace, fingering his long nose. "Woman--divine Woman for ever!" said Joseph, "Woman, sirs, man's joy and curse, his woe and consolation!" "Sweet creeters!" added Horace. "But William here tells us of a rural beauty--a peach and a Vanus as you and him's got your peepers on, Joe, so we, being all friends and jolly dogs, demands the fair one's name." "One minute and I'm with you," answered the sedate and obsequious Joseph, "business first, pleasure after!" So saying he beckoned to a man who had followed him in from the road, a tall dark, gipsy-looking fellow at sight of whom the Sergeant clenched his fists and murmured "Zounds!" The obsequious Joe having brought the fellow into an adjacent corner remote from the noisy company, broke into soft but fierce speech: "So you'll follow me--even here, will you?" "Why for sure, Nick, for sure I'll follow you to----" "My name's Joe, curse you!" "Then 'Joe' we'll make it, Nick. And I foller ye for the sake o' past merry days, Joey, and--a guinea now and then, pal." The Sergeant, who had risen, sat down again. "Blackmail, eh?" snarled Joseph. "Don't go for to be 'arsh, Joey lad--a guinea, come! Or shall I ax 'ee, here afore your fine pals to pipe us a chaunt o' the High Toby----" "Hold your dirty tongue you----" "A guinea, pal--say a guinea, come!" "Take it and be damned!" "Thank 'ee kindly, Joey, and mind this--now as ever I'm your man if you should want anyone----" here the fellow made an ugly motion with his thumb, nodded, winked, and crossing to the door, took himself off. Sergeant Zebedee was about to follow when he checked himself and clenched his fists again. "Begins with a A and ends with another A?" cried one of the company. "Question remains--who, Joey, who? Speak up, Joseph." The sedate Joseph had crossed to his companions and now stood glancing sedately round the merry circle. "Well, since you ask," he answered, "who should it be but Mistress Agatha--pretty Mrs. Agatha at the Manor House." The Sergeant's nostrils widened suddenly and his grim jaws closed with a snap. "Such a shape!" repeated the languid William. "Such a waist! Such dem'd, see-doocing, roguish eyes, begad!" "Ah, and she knows it too!" piped Horace, "not a civil word for e'er a one on us, let alone a kiss or a sly squeeze! And why----?" "Because," drawled Joseph, shaking sleek head, "because--since you ask me, I answer you as she is meat for her betters--her master, belike--the Major with the game leg--Squire d'Arcy of the Manor." The Sergeant glanced into his tankard, found therein a few frothy drops, spilled them carefully upon the floor and hurled the empty vessel at the last speaker. Fortunately for himself the discreet Joseph moved at that moment and the heavy missile, hurtling past his ear, caught the long-nosed Horace in the waistcoat and floored him. Whirling about, Joseph was amazed to see the Sergeant advancing swiftly and with evident intent, and the next moment all was riot and uproar. Over crashed the table, chairs and their occupants were scattered right and left and there rose a cloud of dust that grew ever thicker wherein two forms, fiercely-grappled, writhed and smote and twisted. And, after some while, the dust subsiding a little, the startled company beheld Sergeant Zebedee Tring sitting astride his antagonist who writhed feebly and groaned fitfully. Seated thus the Sergeant proceeded to re-settle his neat wig which had shed much of its powder, to tuck up his ruffles and to dust the marks of combat from his garments; having done which to his satisfaction and recovered his wind meantime, he addressed the gaping company. "One o' you sons o' dirt bring me my hat!" The article in question being promptly handed to him, he put it on, with due care for the curls of his wig and glared round upon each of the spectators in turn: "Now if," said he at last, "if there's any other vermin-rogue has got aught to say agin his betters, two in particular, I shall be happy to tear his liver out and kick same through winder! Is there now?" Ensued a silence broken only by a faint groaning from the obsequious Joe; whereupon the Sergeant proceeded: "You will all o' you notice as I'm sitting on this here piece o' filth as is shaped like a man--I don't like to, but I do it because he won't stand up and fight, if he would--ah, if he only would, I'd have his liver so quick as never was, d'ye see, because he spoke dirt regarding two o' the sweetest, noblest folk as brightens this here dark world. Further and moreover I, now a-sitting on this piece o' rottenness, do give warning doo--warning to all and sundry, to each and every--that if ever a one o' you says the like again--ah, or whispers same, in my hearing or out, that man's liver is going to be took out and throwed on the nearest dung-hill where same belongs. Finally and lastly, if there's ever a one o' you as feels inclined to argufy the point let him now speak or for ever hold his peace and be damned! Is there now?" As no one breathed a word, the Sergeant sighed, rose from the moaning Joseph and, crossing the room, picked up his battered tankard and shook gloomy head over it; then, handing it to the round-eyed landlord, sighed again: "That'll be the second tankard I shall ha' paid for in the last six weeks, Jem," said he, "I do seem oncommon misfort'nate with pewter-ware!" So saying, he nodded and turning his back on the silent and chastened company, marched blithely homeward. Now presently as he went, he was surprised to see the Major, who stood beside the way, his hands crossed upon his crab-tree staff, his laced hat a little askew, his grey eyes staring very hard at a weatherbeaten stile. As the Sergeant drew near, he started, and lifting his gaze, nodded. "Ha, Zeb," said he, thoughtfully, "I'm faced with a problem of no small magnitude, Zeb--a question of no little difficulty!" and he became lost in contemplation of a lark carolling high overhead. "Nothing serious I hope, your honour?" "Serious, why--no Zeb, no. And yet 'tis a matter demanding a nice judgment, a--er--a reasoned deliberation, as 'twere." "Certainly, sir!" "Yet for the life of me I can come to no decision for one of 'em is much like t'other after all save for colour, d'ye see, Zeb, and serve the same purpose. Yet to-morrow--to-morrow I would look my very best and--er--youngest as 'twere, Zeb." "Meaning which and who, sir--how and where, your honour?" "Come and see, Zeb." Herewith the Major turned and strode away, the Sergeant marching exactly two paces in his rear and without another word until, reaching the study in due course, the Major carefully closed the door and pointed with his crab-tree staff to some half-dozen of his new suits of clothes disposed advantageously on table and chairs. "There they are, Zeb," said he, "though egad, now I look at 'em again they don't seem exactly right, somehow----" "Why, sir, you've only got 'em mixed up a bit--this here dove-coloured coat goes wi' these here breeches and vicey-versey--this mulberry velvet wi'-- "Aye, to be sure, Zeb, to be sure. Now I see 'em so, I rather think we'll make it the mulberry, though to be sure the pearl-grey hath its merits--hum! We must deliberate, Zeb! 'Twill be either the mulberry or the grey or the blue and silver or t'other with the embroidery or--hum! 'Tis a problem, Zeb, a problem--we must think--a council of war!" "Aye, sir!" answered the Sergeant, staring. "Anyway, 'twill be one of them, Zeb--to-morrow afternoon. To be sure I rather fancy the orange-tawney, and yet the blue and silver--hum!" Here the perplexed Major crossed to the mullioned window and standing there drew a letter from his pocket and unfolding it with reverent fingers read these words: "DEAR AND MOST CRUEL MAJOR JOHN, To-morrow is to be an occasion, therefore to-morrow I do invite you to come at four of the clock, or as soon after as you will, to look upon the sad, pale and woeful face of deeply wronged, much abused, cruelly slandered, ELIZABETH. To Major ill-thinking, vile-imagining, basely-suspecting d'Arcy--these." CHAPTER XXIII DESCRIBES A TRIUMPH AND A DEFEAT Lady Belinda leaning back upon her cushioned day-bed, glanced up from the open book before her and surveyed her niece's lovely, down-bent head with curious solicitude. "Betty, love," said she at last, "Bet, my sweet witch, you're vapourish! So will I read to thee--list to this," and lifting her book, Lady Belinda read as follows: "'It must be granted that delicacy is essential to the composition of female beauty and that strength and robustness are contrary to the idea of it.' Alack, Betty, dear child and my sweet, I do fear you are dreadfully robust and almost repulsively strong! Hearken again: 'The beauty of women is greatly owing to their delicacy and weakness'--O my love, how just! I myself was ever most sincerely delicate and weak! How very, very true!" Here Lady Belinda paused, eyeing her niece expectantly, but, in place of indignant outburst, was silence; Betty sat apparently lost in mournful reverie. "You like Mr. Dalroyd, I think, aunt?" she enquired suddenly. "Indeed--a charming man! So elegant! Such an air--and such--O my dear--such a leg!" "Major d'Arcy has a leg also, aunt--two of 'em!" "And limps!" added Lady Belinda, "Limps woefully at times!" "'Tis a mark of distinction in a soldier!" exclaimed Betty, flushing. "True, dear Bet, very true--a mark of distinction as you say, though it quite spoils his grace of carriage. Still, despite his limp, the Major hath admirable limbs--a leetle robust and ultra-developed perhaps, child, doubtless due to his marching and counter-marching, whatever that may be. None the less, though I grant you his leg, Bet--he limps! Now Mr. Dalroyd, on the other hand----" "Leg, aunt!" "Lud, child----!" "His leg, dear aunt, keep to his leg!" "Gracious me, miss--what under heaven----" "Legs, aunt, legs!" "Mercy on us, Betty, what of his legs?" "They are bearing him hither at this moment, dear aunt." "O Gemini!" wailed the Lady Belinda, starting up from her cushions. "Heaven's mercy, Bet, how can you! And me in this gown--behold me--so faded and woebegone----" "Nay, dear aunt, a little rouge----" "I meant my garments, miss--look at 'em! And my hair! Ring the bell--call the maids! I vow I shall swoon an' he catch me so----" "Nay, aunt, you do look very well and Sir Benjamin----" "He too!" shrieked Lady Belinda, "I faint! I'm all of a twitter--I---- "And Lord Alvaston, aunt, and the Marquis, and Mr. Marchdale, and Major d'Arcy----" but Lady Belinda had fled, twittering. Left alone, Betty grew restless, crossed to the open lattice and frowned at the flowers on the terrace, crossed to her harp in the corner and struck a discord with petulant fingers, took up her aunt's discarded book, frowned at that, dropped it; finally she sat down and propping white chin on white fist, stared down at her own pretty foot. "I wonder if you'll come?" she murmured. "Major John, O John, you cruel Jack, I wonder if--all night long--you lay wakeful, too? I wonder---ah, I wonder if----" A tapping at the door and, starting up, she stood bright-eyed, rosy lips apart, all shy expectancy from head to foot then, sighing, sank gracefully upon the day-bed and took up her aunt's discarded book as the door opened and the large menial announced: "Mr. Dalroyd!" My lady rose majestically and never had she greeted Mr. Dalroyd with such a radiant smile. "You are come betimes, sir!" she said gently as he bowed to kiss her hand. "Is that so great matter for wonder?" he enquired, his ardent gaze drinking in her loveliness. "You know full well, sweet Lady Coquetry, 'tis ever my joy and constant aim to--be alone with you, to touch this white hand, to kiss----" "Fie, sir!" she sighed, but provocation was in the droop of eyelash, the tremulous curve of lip and in all the soft, voluptuous languor of her. Mr. Dalroyd's usually pale cheek glowed, his long, white hands twitched restless fingers and he seated himself beside her. "Betty," he murmured, "O Betty, how delicious you are! From the first moment I saw you I----" "'Twas at Bath, I think, sir, or was it at Tunbridge?" "Nay, my lady, since we're alone, have done with trifling----" "But indeed, sir, 'tis a trifling matter since you and I are but trifles in a trifling world. And 'tis a trifling day--and mine is a trifling humour so, since we're alone, let us trifle. And speaking of trifles--have you writ me the trifling ode I did command, sir?" "Faith no, madam, there are so many to do that and I would fain be exempt. Where others scribble bad verses to your charms I would feast my sight upon them. Look you, Betty," he continued, leaning nearer, his languid eyes grown suddenly wide, his thin nostrils quivering. "I'm no tame dog to run in leash like the rest of your train of lovers, to come at your call and go when you are weary--content with a word, a glance--treasuring a rose from your bosom, a riband from your hair and seeking nought beyond--no, by God! 'tis you I want--fast in my arms, close on my heart, panting 'neath my kisses----" As he spoke he drew yet nearer until his hot breath was upon her cheek, wherefore my lady put up her fan and, leaning there all gracious ease surveyed him with clear, unswerving gaze, his ill-restrained ferocity, his clutching fingers, his eyes aflame with passionate desire; and beholding all this, my lady dazzled him with her smile and nodded lovely head: "O excellently done!" she laughed lightly. "Indeed, sir, now you do trifle to admiration!" "Trifle?" he exclaimed hoarsely, "Trifle is it? Not I, by heaven--ah Betty--maddening witch----" His arms came out fiercely but, before he could clasp her, she had risen and stepped back out of reach, looking down at him with the same steady gaze, the same bewildering smile. "Nay, sir," she said gently, "though in this trifling world you are but a trifle, 'tis true, yet your trifling offends me like your neighbourhood!" and crossing to the open lattice she leaned there, staring out into the sunny garden. Mr. Dalroyd watched her awhile beneath drooping lids then, rising, sauntered after her. "And pray, madam, why this sudden, haughty repugnance?" he demanded softly, "you know and have known from the first, that I love you." "Why then, 'tis an ugly thing, your love!" "'Tis very real, Betty, I live but to win you and--win you I shall." "You are vastly confident, sir." "Truly," he smiled, "'tis so my nature. And I am determined to possess you--soon or late, Betty." "Even against my will?" she questioned. "Aye, against your will!" he murmured. "Even supposing that I--despised you?" "'Twould but make you the more adorable, Betty." "Even though you knew I--loved another man?" "'Twould make you the more desirable, Betty." At this she turned and looked at him and, under that look, Mr. Dalroyd actually lowered his eyes; but his laugh was light enough none the less. "Betty," he continued softly, "I would peril my immortal soul to possess you and, despite all your haughty airs and graces--win you I will----" "Enough, sir!" she retorted, "Am I so weak of will, think you, to wed where I so utterly--despise?" And, viewing him from head to foot with her calm gaze, she laughed and turned from him as from one of no account. For one breathless moment Mr. Dalroyd stood utterly still then, stung beyond endurance, his modish languor swept away on a torrent of furious anger, he came close beside her and stood striving for speech; and she, leaning gracefully at the open casement, hummed the lines of a song to herself very prettily, heeding him not at all. "Madam!" said he, thickly, "By God, madam, none hath ever scorned me with impunity--or ever shall! Hark'ee madam----" My lady gazed pensive upon the sunny garden and went on humming. "Ha, by heaven!" he exclaimed, "I swear you shall humble yourself yet--you shall come to me, one o' these days soon and leave your pride behind. D'ye hear madam, d'ye hear my will shall be your law yet----" Now at this she turned and laughed full-throated and ever as she laughed she mocked him: "Indeed, sir, and indeed? Shall I run humbly to your call? Must I creep to you on lowly knees----" "Aye--by God, you shall!" he cried, his passion shaking him. "And must I plead and beg and sue, must I weep and sigh and moan and groan? And to you--you, of all trifling things? I wonder why?" "For your brother's sake!" he answered between white teeth, stung at last out of all restraint. "My brother--my Charles? What can you know of him--you?" "Enough to hang him!" Once again her laughter rang out, a joyous, rippling peal: "O Mr. Dalroyd!" she cried at last, dabbing at her bright eyes with dainty handkerchief, "O, indeed, sir, here is trifling more to my mind--nay, prithee loose my hand!" Mr. Dalroyd obeyed and stepped back rather hastily as the door opened and the footman announced: "Major d'Arcy!" The Major advanced a couple of strides then halted, fumbled with his laced hat and looked extremely uncomfortable; next moment my lady was greeting him gaily: "Welcome, dear Major! You know Mr. Dalroyd, I think--so gay, so witty! Just now he is at his very gayest and wittiest, he is about telling me something extreme diverting in regard to my brother, my dear, wilful Charles--but you have never met my brother, I think, Major d'Arcy?" "Never, madam!" he answered, bowing over her hand and dropping it rather as if it had stung him. "Why then, sir," she laughed, "Mr. Dalroyd shall tell you all about him. Pray proceed, Mr. Dalroyd." But hereupon Mr. Dalroyd having acknowledged the Major's stiff bow, stood fingering the long curls of his peruke and, for once in his life, felt himself entirely at a loss; as for the Major, he stood in wondering amazement, staring at my lady's laughing face as if he had never seen it before in all his days. "Come, sir, come!" she commanded, viewing Mr. Dalroyd's perplexity with eyes very bright and malicious, "Charles is for ever playing some naughty trick or other, tell us his latest." "Faith, madam," said Mr. Dalroyd at last, "I, like Major d'Arcy, have never had the good fortune to meet your brother." "But you have seen him and very lately, I think--yes, I'm sure you have--confess!" "Nay indeed, my lady, how--where should I see him----" "Why with me of course, sir, last night--in the arbour." Mr. Dalroyd recoiled a slow step, his heavy eyelids fluttered and fell, then happening to glance at the Major, he saw his face suddenly transfigured with a radiant joy, beholding which, Mr. Dalroyd's delicate nostrils twitched again and his long white fingers writhed and clenched themselves; then he turned upon my lady, seemed about to burst into passionate speech but bowed instead and strode from the room. Left alone, the Major dropped his hat and my lady turning back to the casement, leaned there and began to sing softly to herself, an old, merry song: "A young cavalier he rode on his way Singing heigho, this loving is folly." "Betty," said the Major humbly, "O Betty--forgive me!" "And there met him a lady so frolic and gay Singing, heigho, all loving is folly." "Betty, I--O my dear love--my lady," he stammered, "I know that my offence is great--very heinous. I have wronged you in thought and in word--I should have known you were the sweet soul God made you. But I--I am only a very ordinary man, very blind, very unworthy and, I fear but ill-suited to one so young--but indeed I do love you better than my life so may Love plead my forgiveness. But if I have sinned too grievously, if forgiveness is impossible then will I very humbly-- "So he lighted him down and he louted him low Singing heigho, be not melancholy, And he kissed her white hand and her red mouth also Singing heigho, love's quarrels are folly." She stood waiting--waiting for the swift tread of feet behind her, for the masterful passion of his clasping arms, for his pleading kisses; instead, she heard him sigh and limp heavily to the door. Then she turned to face him and, being disappointed, grew angry and disdainful. "Major d'Arcy," she cried, "O Major d'Arcy--what a runaway coward you are!" He paused and stood regarding her wistfully and lo! as he looked her mocking glance wavered and fell, her lip quivered and almost in that instant he had her in his arms; but now, even now, when she lay all soft and tremulous in his embrace, he must needs stay to humbly plead her forgiveness, and then--Sir Benjamin Tripp's voice was heard in the hall beyond: "Od's body, I do protest Dalroyd can be almost offensive at times!" When the door opened Major d'Arcy stood staring blindly out of the window his clenched fists thrust deep into the pockets of the dove-coloured coat, and my lady, seated afar, frowned at her dainty shoe; next moment she had risen and was greeting the company all smiles and gaiety. "Dear my lady," cried Sir Benjamin, bowing over her white hand with elaborate grace, "your most submissive humble! Major d'Arcy sir--yours! Sweet Madam, most beauteous Queen of Hearts, you behold us hither come, rival's one and all for your sweet graces, yet rivals united in hem! in worship of Our Admirable Betty!" At this was a loud hum of approval with much graceful bending of backs, shooting of ruffles and tapping of snuff-boxes. "Here in bowery Westerham," continued Sir Benjamin, laced handkerchief gracefully a-flutter, "here in this smiling countryside celebrated alike for hem! for beauty--I say for beauty and--and-- "Beer!" suggested his lordship sleepily. "No, no, Alvaston--'od, no sir--tush! Egad you quite put me out! Where was I? Aye--the smiling country-side famous alike for beauty of scene, of womenkind, of----" "Horses!" said the Marquis. "A plague o' your horses, sir!" "But Ben----" "I say I'll have none of 'em, sir! Here, dear lady, within these Arcadian solitudes we exist like so many Hermits of Love, passing our days immune from strife political and the clash of faction, remote from the joys of London--its wose, its hem! I say its----" "Dust!" sighed Sir Jasper. "Aye, its dust, its----" "Watchmen!" quoth Mr. Marchdale. "Watchmen?" repeated Sir Benjamin doubtfully. "Y--es, its watchmen, its woes, its----" "Smells!" yawned Lord Alvaston. "Smells?" gasped Sir Benjamin, "'Od requite me sir--smells, sir!" "What smells?" enquired Lady Belinda, pausing abruptly on the threshold with hands clasped. "Not fire? O Gemini, I shall swoon! Sir Benjamin, your arm pray, positively I languish at the bare idea--fire?" "No, no, madam," exclaimed Sir Benjamin, supporting her to a chair, "here is no fire save the flames engendered of love, madam, for as I was saying-- "Stay, dear Sir Ben," laughed Betty, "first tell me, have you all writ me your odes?" "'Od support me, yes faith, madam, we have writ you, rhymed you and versified you to a man, and it hath been agreed betwixt us, one and all, that hem! before these same odes, sonnets, triolets, vilanelles, rondeaus, chants-royal, ballades and the like be humbly submitted to you, we their authors shall hem! Shall----" "Hold, my Benjamin, hold!" exclaimed Lord Alvaston. "Too much beating 'bout bush, Ben my boy. Dear Lady Bet, what poor Ben's been trying t' say, wants t' say, but don't know how t' say 's simply this--that having wrote odes 'n' things, we're minded t' read 'em t' each other and pass judgment on 'em, 'n' whoever has-- "Clapped the firmest saddle on Pegasus," continued the Marquis, "will be given----" "He means whoso hath writ the best, Betty," Mr. Marchdale explained with youthful gravity. "Shall be given three laps and a fly-away start in the Wooing Handicap," the Marquis continued. "'Od--'Od's my life!" ejaculated Sir Benjamin indignantly, "We're not in the stables now, Alton! Suffer me to explain clearly----" "But--wooing handicap?" repeated Betty, wrinkling her brows in puzzlement. "Matrimonial Stakes, then," continued the irrepressible Marquis. "You see, Bet, we are all riding in this race for you and it has been ruled that----" "My lady," sighed the soulful Sir Jasper, "it hath been agreed that whoso indites the worthiest screed to your beauty, he whose poor verses shall be judged most worthy shall be awarded three clear days wherein to plead his suit with thee, to humbly sigh, to sue, to----" "A clear field and no favour, my lady!" the Marquis added. "And," sighed Sir Jasper, "thrice happy mortal he who shall be privileged to call thee 'wife'!" "Indeed, indeed," laughed my lady, "'tis vastly, excellently quaint----" "My idea!" said the Captain, shooting his ruffles. "Came to me--in a moment--like a flash!" "Though truly," she sighed, "I do begin to think I ne'er shall wed and be doomed to lead apes in hell as they say--unless for a penance I marry Mr. Dalroyd or--Major d'Arcy! But come," she continued, smiling down their many protests and rising, "let us into the garden, 'tis shady on the lawn, we'll act a charade! Sir Jasper, your hand, pray." Thereupon, with a prodigious fluttering of lace ruffles, the flash of jewelled sword-hilts and shoe-buckles, the sheen of rich satins and velvets, the gallant company escorted my lady into the garden and across the smooth lawn. "'Tis a pert and naughty puss!" exclaimed Lady Belinda, studying the Major's downcast face, "Indeed a graceless, heartless piece, sir!" "Er--yes, mam," he answered abstractedly. "A very wicked and irreverent baggage, Major!" "Certainly, mam." "Indeed, dear sir, what with her airy graces and her graceless airs I do shudder for her future, my very soul positively--shivers!" "Shiver, mam?" enquired the Major, starting. "Shiver? Why 'tis very warm, I think----" "Nay, this was an inward shiver, sir, a spasmic shudder o' the soul! Indeed she doeth me constant outrage." "Who, mam?" "Why Betty, for sure." Here the Major sighed again, his wistful gaze wandered back to the open lattice and he fell to deep and melancholy reverie the while Lady Belinda observed him sharp-eyed, his face leanly handsome framed in the glossy curls of his great peruke, the exquisite cut of his rich garments and the slender grace of the powerful figure they covered, his high-bred air, his grave serenity mingled with a shy reserve; finally she spoke: "Major d'Arcy, your arm pray--let us go sit out upon the terrace." "Your--er--pardon madam," he answered a little diffidently, "I was but now thinking of taking--er--my departure----" "Go sir--O no sir! Tut Major and fie! What would Betty think of your so sudden desertion? Besides, I feel talkative--let us sit and tattle awhile, let us conspire together to the future good of my naughty niece and your wild nephew--Pancras. Though, by the way, sir, I didn't know Pancras had an uncle." "Nor has he, mam," answered the Major, escorting her out upon the terrace and sitting down rather unwillingly, "I am but his uncle by--er--adoption, as 'twere." "Adoption, sir?" "He adopted me years ago--he was but a child then, d'ye see, and something solitary." "Mm!" said Lady Belinda thoughtfully, viewing the Major's courtly figure again, "Indeed you are looking vastly well to-day, sir--grey is such an angelic tint--so spiritual! And young--I protest you look as young as Pancras himself!" The Major flushed and shifted uneasily on his seat. "And pray why doth Pancras tarry so long in London?" "He writes that he is stayed by affairs of moment, mam." "Then I vow 'tis most provoking in him! Here are you and I both a-burning to marry him to Bet--aren't we, dear Major?" "Why as to that, mam--er--ah----" The Major grew muffled and incoherent. "And here's Betty so carelessly rampageous--so, so lost to all sense of feminine weakness, alack!" "Weakness?" murmured the Major. "And so masculinely audacious! O dear sir, the vain hours I have spent trying to instil into her a little ladylike languor, a soft and feminine meekness! But alas! Betty is anything but meek--now is she?" "Why--ah--perhaps not, mam--not exactly meek, as 'twere--and yet----" "And she fears nought i' the world, living or dead, but a mouse!" "But pray, mam, what should she fear?" "La sir, what but your naughty, wicked sex. I vow, ere to-day, I've swooned at the merest sight of a man!" "You--you've conquered the habit, I trust, mam?" enquired the Major a little anxiously. "Indeed no, dear Major, I fear I never shall!" "You don't feel any--inclination--now, mam?" "Nay sir, unless you give me cause----" "Egad, mam, I won't! Trust me----" "Trust a man? Never, sir, 'tis a naughty sex. But talking of Bet, her head is quite turned, she suffers constantly from a surfeit of worshipping wooers, her will is their law, her merest glance or gesture a command--see her yonder, surrounded by her court yet must she have you also--see how she summons you!" "Summons me--me, mam?" enquired the Major, a little breathlessly. "Nay, I see no summons!" "With her eyes, sir!" "Indeed she doth but glance this way." "I know that trick o' the eyelash, sir! But as I say, Bet hath been spoiled by a too implicit masculine obedience, she groweth more imperious daily. If she but had someone to thwart her a little, cross her occasionally, 'twould do her a world of good." "Certainly, mam!" he answered, all his attention centred upon that lovely, animated form on the lawn below. "See--now she beckons you!" "Egad, so she does!" he exclaimed, his eyes suddenly joyous. "Your pardon, mam, I must--" he gasped, for, attempting to rise, he found himself held and to his horror, perceived Lady Belinda's fingers twisted firmly in the silver-laced lapel of his coat-pocket. "Madam," he exclaimed in great agitation, "I beg--for the love of----" "Sit still, sir--'twill do her a world of good!" "But she needs me----" "Sir, she hath six stalwart gentlemen to do her commands, let them suffice." "But madam, I must----" "Remain quiescent, sir--'twould be a sad pity to tear so fine a coat. Bide quiet, dear Major, and work a miracle." So perforce the Major sat there miserably enough, while, unseen by the gay throng around her my Lady Betty continued to flash him knowledge of her indignant surprise, anger and contempt, even while her laughter rippled gaily to some ponderous witticism of Sir Benjamin. "It works!" nodded Lady Belinda. "But, O Gemini, never follow her with such sheep's-eyes, Major, nor look so unutterly forlorn or you'll spoil all! Learn this, sir--what we humans strive for is always the thing withheld and--Betty is very human. And that reminds me she hath lately taken to whistling and walking in her sleep----" "God bless my soul, mam, walking----" "And whistling--both truly disquieting habits, sir! Morning, noon and night I cannot set foot above stairs but she falls a-whistling--extreme shrill and unpleasant! Lud, only last night, the place being hushed in sleep and everything so weird and churchyardy, sir, I heard a stealthy foot--that crept! I froze with horror! None the less I seized my candle, opened my door and--there was Betty--_en deshabille_, her hair streaming all about her and a loaf----" "God bless my soul, mam!" "Clasped to her bosom with one hand, sir, a platter in the other and her eyes--O sir, so wide and sightless! And her motion--so horridly ghostlike and glidy! My blood congealed instantly! But I followed, and she led me upstairs and she led me downstairs and she led me round about until I shivered 'twixt fright and weariness. At last I ventured to touch her--never so lightly, sir, and--O peaceful Heaven!" "What, mam?" "Scarce had I done so than she--O----" "She did what, mam, what--a Gad's name, what?" "Awoke sir, shrieked and dropped the loaf! Then I shrieked and the maids woke up and they shrieked and we all shrieked--O 'twas gruesome!" "I can well believe it, mam!" "And when she'd recovered me with burnt feathers--very noxious! it seemed 'twas all occasioned by a foolish dream--vowed she dreamed she was poor Jane Shore doing penance in Cheapside--though why with a loaf heaven only knows--and here she comes at last with Mr. Marchdale--'tis a case of Mahomet and the mount! Poor, dear young gentleman, see how he languishes! And his eyes! So dog-like!" Sure enough Lady Betty was approaching in animated converse with her attendant swain but as she passed, the fan she had been using fell and lay unnoticed within a yard of the Major's trim shoe. Stooping, he picked it up, turned it over in reverent fingers then, seeing Betty had passed on, laid it tenderly upon the table whence Lady Belinda immediately took it and unfolding it, fanned herself complacently. "I protest the sun is very warm here, Major," she sighed, "shall we walk?" Obediently he rose and presently found himself treading smooth turf and vaguely aware of Lady Belinda's ceaseless prattle; chancing to lift his eyes he was surprised to see Betty strolling before him, this time with Lord Alvaston. As he watched, her dainty lace handkerchief fluttered to the grass. "Aha!" murmured Lady Belinda. Instantly the Major stepped forward but Sir Jasper, who chanced to be near, reached it first, and lifting it tenderly, pressed it to lips, to bosom, and sighing, gave it to Betty's outstretched hand. The Major frowned and heartily wished himself back in his quiet study; Lady Belinda, watching him behind her fan, laughed softly: "Major d'Arcy," said she, "I am thinking--deeply!" "Indeed, mam!" "I'm thinking that, after all, 'twill mayhap be as well if we agree to wed Betty to yourself----" The Major gasped. "Since you worship her so devotedly!" "Mam--madam!" he stammered, "how did you learn----" "I have sat beside you for quite twenty minutes, dear sir, and in all my days I never saw such a pitiful case of humble worship and dog-like devotion." "Indeed mam, I--had begun to--to hope----" "Hope still, sir. In two months, then. Yes, two months should be quite soon enough. How think you?" The Major was mute and before he could find an answer there came a burst of laughter from the adjacent shrubbery, a chorus of merriment that grew to a roar. "Now I wonder--?" exclaimed Lady Belinda, halting suddenly, "This way, sir." Following whither he was led the Major soon came upon the merry company. Before them stood my lady Betty; in one hand she grasped the Major's gold-mounted cane, upon her raven hair was perched the Major's gold-laced hat, and now, squaring her shoulders, she began to limp to and fro--a limp there was no mistaking. She bowed and postured, mimicking to the life the Major's grave air, his attitude, his diffidence, the very tones of his voice. "Egad mam! Good-day mam and how d'ye do, mam? You behold in me a philosopher, hence my gloom and spectre-at-the-feast air, as 'twere, d'ye see. Despite the silvered splendour of my coat and youthful trappings I am of antiquity hoary, mam, full o' years and wisdom, with soul immune and far above all human foibles and frailties, and vanities vain, as 'twere. Vices have I none, save that I do; suck tobacco through pipe o' clay----" Lord Alvaston, beholding the Major, choked suddenly in his laughter, Sir Benjamin started and dropped his snuff-box, the Marquis gasped and stared up at the sky and Lady Betty, turning about, found the Major within a yard of her; and seeing his look of sudden pain, his flushing cheek and the gentle reproach of his eyes, she stood motionless, struck suddenly speechless and abashed. But now, because of her embarrassment, he hastened to her and, to cover her distressed confusion, laughed lightly and stooping, caught her nerveless fingers to his lips: "Dear my lady," said he, smiling down into her troubled eyes, "till this moment ne'er did I think this awkward, halting gait o' mine could seem so--so graceful as 'twere. I doubt 'twill irk me less, hereafter." Then, gently possessing himself of hat and cane, he faced the dumb-struck company smiling and serene and, saluting each in turn, limped tranquilly away. When he was gone, Lady Betty laughed shrilly, rent her laced handkerchief in quick, passionate hands and throwing it on the grass stamped on it; after which she flashed a glance of withering scorn upon the flinching bystanders and--sobbed. "I detest, despise myself," she cried, "and you--all of you!" Then she turned and sped, sobbing, into the house. And the Major? Reaching his study, he seized that exquisite, that peerless dove-coloured coat in merciless hands and wrenching it off, hurled it into a corner and rang for the Sergeant who came at the "double." "Zebedee," said he between his teeth, pointing to that shimmering splendour of satin and silver lace, "take that accursed thing and burn it--bury it--away with it and bring me my Ramillie coat." CHAPTER XXIV DEALS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, WITH TREASONABLE MATTERS "Mrs. Agatha, mam," said the Sergeant, rubbing his square chin with the handle of the shears he had just been using, "he aren't been the same since that there night in the orchard! He be a-fading, mam, a-fading and perishing away afore my very eyes. He aren't ate this day so much as would keep a babe alive let alone a man like him, six foot and one inch, mam. Consequently, this morning I did feel called upon to re-monstrate as in dooty bound mam, and he said--so meek, so mild--so gentle as any bleating lamb, he says to me, says he----" The Sergeant paused to heave a sigh and shake gloomy head. "What did he say, Sergeant?" "Mam, he says, says he--'Damn your eyes, Sergeant Zeb!' says he--but so mild and meek as any sucking dove----" "Doves don't suck, Sergeant--at least I don't think so, and they never swear, I'm sure!" "But, Mrs. Agatha mam, so meek he said it, so soft and mournful as my 'eart did bleed for him--his honour as could curse and swear so gay and hearty when needful! He says to me 'Zeb,' says he 'damn your eyes!' he says so sweet as any piping finch, mam." Here the Sergeant sighed heavily. "What's more, mam, he do talk o' marching off campaigning again." "You mean to fight in more wars and battles?" she enquired with a catch in her voice. "Aye mam, I do, and if he goes--I go as in dooty bound." Here fell a silence wherein Mrs. Agatha stared down at her basketful of roses and the Sergeant stared at her and rubbed his chin with the shears again. "Mam," said he suddenly, "a fortnight ago, being the thirtieth ultimo, towards three o'clock in the arternoon you did give me a little gold cross which is with me now and shall be hereafter living and dead Amen!" "O Sergeant!" she said softly; and then "I'm glad you haven't lost it!" "A fortnight ago mam," continued the Sergeant, "also towards three o'clock in the arternoon I--kissed you and the--the memory o' that kiss is never a-going to fade mam. You'll mind as I kissed you, mam?" "Did you, Sergeant?" "Ha' you forgot, mam?" "Almost!" she answered softly, whereupon the Sergeant took a swift pace nearer, halted suddenly and turning away again, went on speaking: "I kissed you for three reasons, same being as hereunder namely and viz. to wit, first because I wanted to, second because your pretty red lips was too near and too rosy to resist and third because I did mean to beg o' you to--to be--my wife." "Did you--Zebedee?" "I did so--then, but now I--I can't----" "Why not--Zebedee?" "Dooty mam, dooty forbids." "You mean 'duty,' Sergeant," she corrected him gently. "Dooty mam, pre-cisely! 'Tis his honour the Major, I thought as he were set on matrimony 'stead o' which I now find he's set on campaigning again, he talks o' nothing else o' late--and if he goes--I go. And if I go I can't ask you to wed--'twouldn't be fair." "And why does he want to go?" "Witchcraft, mam, devils, sorcery, black magic, and damned spells. Mrs. Agatha I do tell you he are not been his own man since he saw--what he saw i' the orchard t'other night." "And what was that?" enquired Mrs. Agatha, glancing up bright-eyed from her fragrant basketful of roses. "A apparation in form o' the dev--no, the devil in form of a apparation, mam." "Fiddlededee!" exclaimed Mrs. Agatha. The Sergeant jumped and stared. "Mam!" said he in gentle reproach, "don't say that--ghosts is serious and----" "A fiddle-stick for your ghost! 'Twould take more than a shade to put his honour off his food, Sergeant Zebedee Tring! The question is, who was your ghost? What was he like?" "Why since you're for cross-examinating me, I'll confess I caught but a glimpse of same, same having vanished itself away afore my very eyes." "Where to?" "Into my Lady Carlyon's garden, mam, and it dissolved itself so quick----" "Tut!" exclaimed Mrs. Agatha, "Tut is very well, mam, and--vastly fetching as you say it but none the less----" "Ha' done Sergeant and let me think! Tell me, the night you went ghost-seeking did you catch ever a one--a man, say?" "Aye, I did so, mam--one o' these London sparks and very fierce he were too!" "Which one? What like was he!" With the aid of the shears Sergeant Zebedee described the trespasser very fully as regards face, costume and behaviour. "That," said Mrs. Agatha, nodding her pretty head, "that should be Mr. Dalroyd-- "Zounds!" exclaimed the Sergeant, "how d'ye know this, mam?" "Well, Sergeant, I do chance to have eyes, also ears and I do use 'em. This fine gentleman was your ghost t'other night, I'll swear." "But what o' the hoofs and horns, mam, what o' the stink o' brimstone?" "Have you seen ever a one yourself, Sergeant, or smelt the brimstone?" "No mam, but Roger Bent has." "Fiddlededee again, Sergeant!" "Eh mam?" "Roger Bent would see or smell anything. The question is what was Mr. Dalroyd after? Since you can't find out--I will." "As how, mam?" "By wagging my tongue, Sergeant." "At--who, mam?" "Well, to begin with there is his solemn servant, Mr. Joseph----" The Sergeant swore fiercely. "No mam," said he frowning, "not him nor any like him. He aren't fit for you to walk on--'twould dirty your pretty shoes----" "But I don't mean to walk on him, nor spoil my shoes." "Then don't hold no truck with him, mam--if you do----" the Sergeant set his grim jaw fiercely. "Well--what?" "I shall be compelled to--out with his liver mam, that's all!" "Lud, Sergeant Tring." "Bound to do it, Mrs. Agatha, so--keep away from same----" "Sergeant, don't be a fool! I must use him to find out and why do you think I want to find out?" "Being a woman--curiosity belike?" "Being a blockhead you must be told!" cried Mrs. Agatha, her eyes flashing, "I want to find out the Major's trouble to make an end of the Major's trouble because I would keep him here at home. And I would keep him at home because then he won't go a-marching off to the wars, and if he don't go marching to the wars, why then--then----" "Yes, yes mam--then?" "Then--find out!" cried Mrs. Agatha her cheeks very red all at once; and she sped away into the house leaving the Sergeant to stare after her and rub his chin with the shears harder than ever. He was so engaged when he was aware of the approach of rapid hoofs and, glancing down the drive, beheld a cavalier swing in at the open gates and come thundering towards him. The Viscount rode at his usual speed, a stretching gallop; on he came beneath the long avenue of chestnuts, horse hoofs pounding, curls flying, coat-skirts fluttering, nor checked his pace until he was almost upon the Sergeant, then he reined up in full career and was himself on terra firma almost in the same instant. "Ha, Zeb," he sighed, drooping in modish languor, "split me, but I'm glad to see that square phiz o' thine, 'tis positive tanic after London, I vow! How goeth rusticity, Zeb?" "As well as can be expected, my lord!" "And the Major?" "As well as can be hoped, sir, what with devils, apparations, witchcraft, magic, sorcery and hocus-pocus, m' lud!" "Gad save my perishing soul!" exclaimed the Viscount, "What's it all mean, Zeb?" "Well, Master Pancras sir, it do mean--nay, yonder cometh his honour to tell you himself, mayhap." Saying which, Sergeant Zebedee led the Viscount's horse away to the stables while his lordship, knocking dust from his slender person, went to greet the Major. "Sir," said he as they clasped hands, "'tis real joy to see you again, but pray discover me the why and wherefore of the gruesome nightmare?" and he shook reproachful head at the Ramillie coat. "'Tis easy, Tom, old and comfortable, d'ye see, while my new ones are so--so plaguy fine and overpowering as 'twere, so to speak, that I feel scarce worthy of 'em. So I--I treasure 'em, Tom, for--for great occasions and the like----" "A grave fallacy, nunk! Modish garments must be worn whiles the prevailing fashion holds--to-day they are the mode, to-morrow, the devil! Fashion, sir, is coquettish as woman or weathercock, 'tis for ever a-veering, already there is a new button-hole." "Indeed, Tom! Egad you stagger me!" "Cansequently sir, being a dutiful nephew, I took thought to order you three more new suits-- "The devil you did!" "Having special regard to this new button-hole, sir----" "These will make nine o' them!" sighed the Major. "Your pardon, sir, exactly thirty-one, neither more or less!" "Good God, Tom!" ejaculated the Major, halting on the terrace-steps to stare h is amazement, "Thirty-one of 'em? How the deuce----" "Cut aslant, d'ye see, nunky, and arabesqued with lace of gold or silver----" "But, nephew--a Gad's name, what am I to do with so many--d'ye take me for a regiment? 'Tis 'gainst all reason for a man to wear thirty-one suits of----" "Sir, I allude to button-holes!" "Thank heaven!" murmured the Major. "Moreover sir, there is, late come in, a new cravat--a poorish thing with nought to commend it save simplicity. It seems you throw it round your neck, get your fellow to twist it behind till you're well-nigh choked to death, bring the ends over your shoulders, loop 'em through a brooch and 'tis done. I propose to show you after supper." "Hum!" said the Major dubiously. "Meantime a bottle won't be amiss after your long ride, I judge? Come in, Tom, come in and tell me of your adventures." "Thank'ee, sir, though t' be sure I drapped in at the "George" on my way hither--left my two rogues there with my baggage. Which reminds me I have a letter for you." Diving into his coat-pocket he brought forth the missive in question and tendered it to the Major who took it, broke the seal and read. "To Major d'Arcy these: We, the undersigned, do solicit the honour of your company this night, to sup with Bacchus, the Heavenly Nine, and Yours to command: B. TRIPP. ALVASTON. A. MARCHDALE. H. WEST, CAPT. ALTON. J. DENHOLM." "I don't see Mr. Dalroyd's name here, Tom!" said the Major, thoughtfully, as he led the way into the house. "Nay sir, I protest Dalroyd's a queer fish! But as to this cravat I was describing, 'tis a modification of the Steenkirk----" and the Viscount plunged into a long and particular account of the article, while in obedience to the Major's command, bottle and glasses made their appearance. "But surely 'tis not a question of clothes hath kept you in London this week and more, Tom?" "Nay sir, I've been on a quest. London, O pink me 'tis a very dog-hole, 'tis no place for a gentleman these days unless he chance to be a Whig or a damned Hanoverian----" "Hold, Tom!" said the Major, his quick eyes roving from door to lattice. "Have a care, lad!" "Nay sir, I know I'm safe to speak out here and to you, Whig though you be. Of late I've perforce kept such ward upon my tongue 'tis a joy to let it wag. Indeed, nunky, London's an ill place for some of us these times, party feeling high. 'Tis for this reason you find Alvaston and Ben and Alton and the rest of 'em rusticating here, not to mention--my lady Bet." "Ah!" exclaimed the Major. "You don't mean that she--she is not----?" "No sir! But there is her brother, poor Charles is bit deep, he crossed the Border with Derwentwater last year." "I feared so!" sighed the Major, frowning at his half-emptied glass. "And you, Tom, you're not----?" "Sir, my rascally father, as you'll mind, was a staunch Whig and Hanoverian, naturally and consequently I'm Tory and Jacobite----" "Softly, Tom, softly!" said the Major, his keen eyes wandering again. "Well, sir!" continued the Viscount, leaning across the table and lowering his voice, "When Charles and young Dick Eversleigh rode for the Border last year I had half a mind to ride with 'em. But Betty was in London and London's the devil of a way from Carlisle. Yesterday, sir, I walked under Temple Bar and there was poor Eversleigh's head grinning down at me.... Like as not mine would ha' been along with it but for Bet. As for Charles, 'twas thought he'd got safe away to France with Mar and the others, but now word comes he was wounded and lay hid. And sir, though I've sounded every source of news in London and out, not another word can I hear save that he's a proscribed rebel with a price on his head and the hue and cry hot after him. Sir, poor Charles is my childhood's friend--and lieth distressed, hiding for his life somewhere 'twixt London and the Border, the question is--where?" "Here, Tom!" answered the Major softly, "Here in this village of Westerham!" The Viscount half rose from his chair, fell back again and quite forgot his affectations. "Sir--d'ye mean it? Here?" "Three nights ago he was with my lady Betty--in her garden!" "With Betty--good God!" exclaimed the Viscount and, springing from his chair, began to pace up and down. "'Twill never do, uncle, 'twill never do--he must be got away at all hazards. Charles hath been cried 'Traitor' and 'Rebel'--his property is already confiscate and himself outlaw--and 'none may give aid or shelter to the King's enemies' on pain of death. He must be got away--at once! Should he be found 'neath Betty's care she would be attainted too, imprisoned and belike--Sir, you'll perceive he must be got away at once!" "True!" said the Major, fingering his wine-glass. "There none knoweth of his presence here, I trust, uncle--none save you and Betty?" "None! Stay!" The Major leaned back and began to drum his fingers softly on the arms of his chair. "Tom," he enquired at last, "who is Mr. Dalroyd?" "Dalroyd is--Dalroyd, sir. Everyone knows him in town--at White's, Lockett's, the Coca Tree, O Dalroyd is known everywhere." "What d'you know of him, personally?" "That he's reputed to play devilish high and to be a redoubtable duellist with more than one death on his hands and--er--little beyond. But Ben knows him, 'twas Ben introduced him, ask Ben, sir. But what of him?" "Just this, Tom, if there is another person in the world who knows of my Lord Medhurst's present hiding-place 'tis Mr. Dalroyd and if there is one man in the world I do not trust it is--Mr. Dalroyd." The Viscount sat down, swallowed a glass of wine and stared blankly at the toe of his dusty riding-boot. "Why then, sir," said he at last, "this makes it but the more imperative to have Charles away at once. I must get him over to my place in Sussex, 'tis quiet there, sir--God! I must contrive it one way or another and the sooner the better, but how sir, how?" "'None may give aid or shelter to the King's enemies on pain of death,' Tom," quoted the Major, gently. The Viscount flicked a patch of dust from the skirts of his coat. "Sir," said he, "Charles is my friend!" "And--my lady's brother, Tom!" "Perfectly, sir! I shall endeavour to get him to my Sussex place and hide him there until I have arranged for him to cross safely into France." "Precisely, Tom!" "The question is--how? All the coast-roads are watched of course!" said the Viscount in deep perplexity. "Ben would help, so would Alton or Alvaston but 'twould be asking them to put their heads in a noose and I can't do it, sir!" "Certainly not, Tom! 'Tis an awkward posture of affairs and--therefore you may--er--count upon my aid to the very uttermost, of course." The Viscount took out his snuff-box, tapped it, opened it, and shut it up again. "Uncle," said he at last, "nunky--sir--" suddenly he rose and caught the Major's hand, gripping it hard: "Gad prasper me sir, I think--yes I think, I'd better--step upstairs and rid me of some o' this Kentish dust." As he spoke the Viscount turned and strode from the room leaving the Major deep in anxious thought. CHAPTER XXV IN WHICH THE GHOST IS LAID My Lady Elizabeth Carlyon, seated upon a rickety chair among a pile of other lumber high under the eaves, kicked her pretty heels for very triumph as she watched the tatterdemalion eat and drink the dainty meal she had just set before him. "O Charles--'tis all so vastly romantic!" she exclaimed. My Lord of Medhurst, chancing to have his mouth rather full, spluttered and lifted handsome head indignantly; thus the likeness to his twin sister was manifest, the same delicate profile and regularity of features, bright, fearless eyes and firm set of mouth and chin, the same proud and lofty carriage of the head. "Romantic be damned, Bet--saving your presence!" said he, "I've led a very dog's life----" "My poor, poor boy!" she sighed, touching his thin cheek with gentle, loving fingers which he immediately kissed; thereafter he fell to upon the viands before him with renewed appetite and gusto. "Egad, Bet," he mumbled, "this is better than a diet of raw turnips and blackberries or eggs sucked warm from the nest----" "O Charles, hath it been so bad as that?" "Aye--and worse! Lord, Bet--lass, I've begged and thieved my way hither from the Border. Heaven only knows how oft I've sat i' the stocks for a ravished hen, been kicked and cuffed and stoned out o' villages for a vagrant, consorted with rogues of all kinds, hidden in barns, slept in hayricks and hedges, been abused by man, and stormed at and buffeted by the elements and, on the whole--am the better for it. Nay, sweet lass, no tears!" Down went knife and fork with a clatter and his ragged sleeve was about her. "No tears, Bet," said he consolingly, "damme, I'll not endure 'em!" "But O my dear, to think what you have suffered and I--so careless, while you, Charles, you----" "Learned the meaning of life, Bet! Learned to--to be a man, for I do protest the beggar is a better man than ever was his idle scatterbrain lordship. A year ago when I had all and more than I needed, I was a discontented fool a--a very ass, Bet. To-day, though I've lost all, I've found--I've learned--Egad, I don't know just how to put it but you--you get me, Bet?" "I understand, dearest boy!" "Y'see, Bet lass, hardship makes a man either a rogue or a--very man. And, though I'm a beggar, I'm no rogue. 'Twas a great adventure, Bet, a noble effort brought to red ruin by--ah well--'tis finished! I was wounded, as I told you, and had to lie hid for weary weeks. When I ventured abroad at last, 'twas to learn poor Derwentwater was executed and Eversleigh too--poor old Dick! And the rest either in prison with Nithsdale or scattered God knoweth where. So there was I, destitute and with none to turn to of all my friends--for, as you know, 'tis prison or death to shelter such as I, and so in my extremity I--I came to you, Betty----" "Thank God!" she whispered fervently, giving him a little squeeze. "But only to beg money enough to carry me beyond seas, dearest! To-night or to-morrow at latest I must be gone----" "Pho--'tis preposterous, foolish boy! 'Twere madness, dear Charles! I say you shall remain here safe hid until you are fully recovered of your sufferings!" "Nay Bet, I'll be curst if I do! How, skulk here 'neath your petticoat and let you run the risk of sheltering a 'rebel'? No, no, I'll be----" "You'll be ruled by me, dear Charles, of course! As for danger, I am your sister and proud to share it with you----" Hereupon he kissed her heartily and sitting down on the floor beside her made great play with knife and fork again. "In three or four days at most I should reach the sea, Betty. And I'm determined on making the attempt within a night or so. As for risk--bah! I'm become so adept at skulking and hiding I'd elude a whole regiment! And with money in my pocket and no need to thieve or poach--Egad! Talking of poaching, I should be on my way to the plantations at this minute but for a neighbour of yours----" "Neighbour, Charles?" "Aye--tall, keen-eyed, soft-spoken and dev'lish placid; true-blue 'spite his limp and infernal old coat----" "Ah," said Betty softly, "you mean Major d'Arcy, of course!" "That was the name, I believe, and 'tis thanks to him----" "Tell me all about it, Charles." "Well, I'd poached a rabbit, Bet. Keeper saw me, knocked keeper down and bolted. Other keepers headed me off but I ran like a hare and bursting through a hedge, came full tilt upon three be-ruffled exquisites lounging down that quiet bye-lane for all the world as it had been St. James's--and Bet, who should they be but Alton, Marchdale and Alvaston! Seeing me in my rags and the keepers in full cry, Alton yells a 'view hallo' and after me they came on the instant. And a dev'lish fine run I gave 'em, egad! O Betty, I mired 'em in bogs and tore 'em finely in brambles and things before they ran me to earth--even then I doubled up Alton with a leveller, thumped Alvaston on the ear and Marchdale on the nose. Finally the keepers dragged me before a little pompous fellow with a scratch wig and red face, called himself Rington. By this time a crowd had collected and though I was minded to get word to Alvaston 'twas too late, Rington's keepers and the yokels were all about me. So they marched me off in triumph to the Squire, Major d'Arcy, who, smiling mighty affable, threatened to shoot Rington, sent the crowd off with a flea in their ear, as you might say, and me to the kitchen to bathe my hurts and eat a meal, and so to the lock-up. Next morning he woke me very early, bestowed on me some useful advice, a couple o' guineas and my liberty and limped serenely off." Here my Lord Medhurst proceeded to finish what remained of his supper while Betty sat, chin in hand, staring at the dormer window just now glowing with sunset. "To-morrow there's no moon. I shall start to-morrow, Bet." "Faith and you'll not, Charles!" "Aye, but I will. Look'ee Bet, I'm determined----" "See here, Charles--so am I!" "Pish, girl!" said he, looking dignified. "Tush, boy!" said she, kissing him. "Nay but, dear Bet, I've your safety at heart and therefore----" "But, dearest Charles, you've no money in your pocket--and therefore!" "Egad and that's true enough!" said he ruefully. "So you'll be ruled by me, boy, and stay here until I think you are fit for travel." "What o' the servants?" "This part of the house is empty and--I'll manage the servants!" "There's Aunt Belinda, she's an infernal sharp nose, Bet." "Nay, I'll manage Aunt Belinda." "Why then, what of this Dalroyd?" "O!" said my lady, knitting black brows, "I'll manage him also." "Look'ee Bet, I'll allow you've a head, but this fellow's dangerous." "How so, Charles?" "Well, he's not afraid o' ghosts for one thing----" "Ghosts?" "Y'see Bet, when I reached Westerham my difficulty was to get word with you and for the first night and day or so I lay hid in the ruined mill. And having nought better to do, I started to haunt the place and by means of an old sack and a pair of ram's horns I contrived to be a sufficiently convincing ghost----" Here his lordship chuckled. "'Twas madness, Charles." "So 'twas and yet, I vow----" His lordship chuckled again. "But what of Mr. Dalroyd, Charles?" "Faith, he took such a plaguy interest in the haunted mill that I left it and took to haunting the churchyard instead--used to hide in a mouldy vault----" "Charles!" cried Lady Betty and shuddered. "Finally he and his fellow hunted me out o' that and here I am. Haunting hath its drawbacks and 'twould have saved me much of discomfort had you received the letter I writ you and sent by the little girl." "Tell me again what was in it, Charles." His lordship scratched his head and wrinkled youthful brow. "So far as I remember, Bet, I writ you these words: 'Meet me at midnight in your garden with fifty guineas for your loving and misfortunate fugitive, Charles.'" Lady Betty set her chin on white fist and stared at her brother so fixedly that he choked upon his last mouthful of supper and remonstrated: "Gad, Bet, why d'ye fix a man so wi' such great eyes? What might ye be thinking this time?" "That we are grown more like each other than ever, dear--'tis marvellous! Aye, 'tis marvellous," she continued absently, "though your voice will never do!" "Voice, Bet? Egad, what's in your mind now?" "Mr. Dalroyd, Charles, for one thing." "Aye, and what of the fellow?" "Would he were choked with a flap-dragon. But--meanwhile----" "What, Betty?" "Hark, there's aunt wailing for me, I must go. You are free of all the upper chambers of this wing, but mind, if I whistle you must get you into hiding at once." So saying, she shook portentous finger at him, smiled and vanished. CHAPTER XXVI OF BACCHUS AND THE MUSES Seldom or never, in all its length of days, had the great dining room of the ancient hostelry of the "George and Dragon" glowed with such sartorial splendour or known such an elegant posturing of silk-clad legs, such a flirting of ruffles, such a whirl of full-skirted coats; coats, these, of velvet, of worked satin and rich brocade, coats of various colours from Sir Benjamin's pink and gold to Lord Alvaston's purple and silver; the light of many candles scintillated in jewelled cravat and shoe-buckle, shone upon crested buttons and on the glossy curls of huge periwigs, black, brown and gold. In the midst of this gorgeous company stood a short, stoutish gentleman, his booted legs wide apart, his sun-burned face nearly as red as his weatherbeaten service coat, a little man with a truculent eye. "Od's my life, my lord Colonel!" exclaimed Sir Benjamin, wringing his hand, "I know not what propitious zephyr hath wafted George Cleeve into these Arcadian solitudes, but hem! being hither I do protest you shall this night sit the honoured guest of good-Fellowship, Bacchus and the Muses, shedding upon our poetical revels the--the effulgence of your hem! your glories, gracing our company with, I say with the----" "Hold, Ben!" sighed my Lord Alvaston, making graceful play with his slender legs, "hold hard, Ben, an' get your wind while I 'splain. Sir, what poor Ben's been tryin' t' tell you 'n' can't tell you is--that we shall rejoice if you'll sup with us. And so say we all----" "Strike me dumb if we don't!" added the Marquis. "Haw!" muttered the Captain. "B'gad! So we do!" "Gentlemen," said the Colonel, "I protest ya' do me too much honour, 'tis curst polite in ya' and I take it kindly, rot me, kindly!" "Od's body, sir," cried Sir Benjamin, "the honour is completely ours, I vow, your exploits in Flanders and Brabant sir, your notable achievements on the stricken fields of Mars, the very name of Colonel Lord George Cleeve coruscates with hem! with glory, shines like--like--a----" "Star," suggested the Captain. Hereupon Lord Cleeve bowed, the company bowed, shot their ruffles, fluttered their handkerchiefs and snuffed with one another. "Hem!" exclaimed Sir Benjamin with an air of ponderous waggery, "as I was saying when my Lord Cleeve dropped upon us so happily, 'tis then agreed that Alton and I shall see the Major home at peep o' day!" Here Sir Benjamin grew so waggish that he very nearly laid plump finger to nose but checked himself in time and coughed instead. "I vow 'twill be an honour, for, foxed or no and despite his hem! his rusticity, Major d'Arcy is a gentleman, a----" "Ha!" exclaimed the Colonel suddenly. "Do ya' mean Jack d'Arcy o' the Third, sir--d'Arcy of Churchill's regiment?" Sir Benjamin bowed and smiled: "You know him, my lord? A simple, quiet, kindly soul----" His lordship stared, laughed a short, hoarse bellow and, becoming immediately solemn, nodded: "That's Jack to a hair, simple, quiet and dev'lish deadly! 'Twas so he looked, I mind, when he killed the greatest rogue and duellist in the three armies. Simple and quiet! Aye, 'twas so he seemed when he led us to the storming of the counterscarp at Namur in '95, as he was when he rallied our broken ranks at Blenheim and, after, when we turned the French right at Oudenarde. He was my senior in those days and where he went I followed and they called him 'Fighting d'Arcy' though a simple soul, sir, as ya' say. I was behind him when he led us against the French left at Ramillies and broke it too. I saw him dragged, all blood and dust, out o' the press at Malplaquet. 'Done for at last,' thought I--but Gad, sirs, they couldn't kill Fighting d'Arcy for all his quiet looks and simple ways! Aye, I know Jack, we were brothers, and like brothers we drank together, slept, quarrelled, and fought together--he seconded me in my first affair of honour!" "Od's my life!" ejaculated Sir Benjamin. "Our rustic philosopher turns out a very Mars, a thundering Jove, a paladin----" "True blue, damme!" added the Marquis. "And yonder he comes," said Mr. Marchdale at the window, "and Merivale with him." "Nunky," said the Viscount as they entered the hospitable portal of the "George and Dragon," "Ben and Alvaston are set on seeing you comfortably faxed to-night." "Foxed? Ah, you mean drunk, Tom?" "Perfectly sir, all in the way of friendship and good-fellowship of course, still I thought I'd let you know." "For the which I am duly and humbly grateful, Tom," answered the Major as, opening the door, the Viscount bowed and stood aside to give him precedence. The Major's appearance was hailed with loud cheers and cries of "Fighting d'Arcy," drowned all at once in a hoarse roar as, with a tramp and jingle of heavy, spurred boots, Colonel Lord George Cleeve ran at him, thumped him and clasped him in a bear's hug: "'Tis the same Jack Grave-airs!" he cried, "the same sedate John! Ha, damme, man-Jack, be curst if I don't joy to see thee again!" "Why George!" exclaimed the Major, patting the Colonel's back with one hand and gripping his fist with the other, "why Georgie, I do protest thou'rt growing fat!" "Burn thee for a vile-tongued rogue to say so, Jack! Ha, Jack, do ya' mind that night in the trenches before Maastricht when we laid a trap for young Despard of Ogle's and caught the Colonel? 'Twas next day we stormed and ya' took a bayonet through your thigh----" "And you brought me down from the breach George----" "And cursed ya' heartily the while, I forget why but ya' deserved it!" "Stay, George, supper is served I think, and let me introduce Viscount Merivale"; which done he saluted the company and they forthwith sat down to table. And now corks squeaked and popped, servants and waiting-men bustled to and fro, glasses clinked, knives and forks rattled merrily to the hum of talk and ring of laughter. "By the way, sir," said the Major, addressing his neighbour the Marquis, "I don't--er--see Mr. Dalroyd here to-night." "No more you do sir, strike me dumb! And for the sufficient reason he ain't here. Dalroyd's a determined hunter o' feminine game sir, O dem! To-night he's in full cry, I take it--joys o' the chase, sir--some dainty bit o' rustic beauty--some shy doe----" "I wonder who?" enquired the Viscount, stifling a yawn. "Dalroyd's dev'lish close," answered Lord Alvaston, "close as 'n oyster 'sequently echo answers 'who?'" "Gentlemen all," cried Sir Benjamin, "I rise to give you a name--to call the toast of toasts. I give you Betty--our bewitching, our incomparable, Our Admirable Betty!" Up rose the company one and all and the long chamber echoed to the toast: "Our Admirable Betty!" Ensued a moment's pause and every empty glass shivered to fragments on the broad hearth. But now, as the clatter and hum and laughter broke out anew, the Major, frowning a little, glanced across at the Viscount and found him frowning also. Courses came and went and ever the talk and laughter waxed louder and merrier, glasses brimmed and were emptied, bottles made the circuit of the table in unending procession; gentlemen pledged each other, toasts were called and duly honoured; in the midst of which the Major feeling a hand upon his shoulder glanced up into the face of the Viscount. "Nunky," he murmured, "certain things considered, I'm minded for a walk!" and with a smiling nod he turned and vanished among the bustling throng of servants and waiting-men, as Sir Benjamin arose, portentous of brow and with laced handkerchief a-flutter: "Gentlemen," said he, glancing round upon the brilliant assembly, "gentlemen, or should I rather say--fellow-martyrs of the rosy, roguish archer----" "Haw!" exclaimed the Captain. "Prime, Ben!" "Hear, hear!" nodded Alvaston. "Good, Ben--doocid delicate 'n' the bottle's with you, Jasper!" "We are here, sirs," continued Sir Benjamin, bowing his acknowledgments, "to sit unitedly in hem! in judgment upon the individual compositions of the--the----" "Field!" suggested the Marquis. "Gang?" murmured Alvaston. "Amorous brotherhood!" sighed Sir Jasper. "Company, gentlemen, of the company. Versification affords a broad field for achievement poetic since we have such various forms as the rondel, ballade, pantoum--" "O burn me, Ben," ejaculated Alvaston, "you're out there! What's verses t' do with phantoms----" "I said 'pantoum,' sir--besides which, gentlemen, we have the triolet, the kyrielle, the virelai, the vilanelle----" "O dem!" cried the Marquis, "sounds curst improper and villainous, too, Ben." Cries of "Order, Ben, order----" "And likewise O!" added Lord Alvaston. "Eh?" exclaimed Sir Benjamin, "I say what----" "None o' your French villainies, Ben," continued the Marquis, "we want nothing smacking o' the tap-room, the stable or the kennel, Ben, 'twon't do! We must ha' nought to cause the blush o' shame----" "No, Ben," added Alvaston, "nor yet t' 'ffend th' chastest ear----" "Od sir, od's body--I protest----" "So none o' your villainies Ben," sighed Alvaston, "no looseness, coarseness, ribaldry or bawdry----" "Blood and fury!" roared the exasperated Sir Benjamin, "I hope I'm sufficiently a man of honour----" "Quite, Ben, quite--the very pink!" nodded his lordship affably. "And talkin' o' pink, the bottle stands, Marchdale! Fill, gentlemen. I give you Ben, our blooming Benjamin and no heel-taps!" The health was drunk with acclaim and Sir Benjamin, once more his jovial and pompous self, proceeded: "In writing these odes and sonnets we have all, I take it, depended upon our mother--hem! our mother-wit and each followed his individual fancy. I now take joy to summon Denholm to read to us his--ah--effort." Sir Jasper rose, drew a paper from his bosom, sighed, languished with his soulful eyes and read: "Groan, groan my heart, yet in thy groaning joy Since thou'rt deep-smit of Venus' blooming boy; Till Sorrow's flown And Joy's thine own Groan!" "Haw!" exclaimed the Captain, "very chaste! Doocid delicate!" Sir Jasper bowed and continued: "Pant, pant my heart, yet in thy panting ne'er Let Doubt steal in to slay thee with despair; But till Love grant All heart doth want Pant!" "Gad!" said the Marquis, "you're doing a dem'd lot o' panting, Jasper!" "I vow 'tis quaintly mournful!" nodded Sir Benjamin. "'Tis polished and passionate!" Again Sir Jasper bowed, and continued: "Sob, sob my soul, sobs soul----" "Hold hard, Denholm!" quoth Alvaston. "There's too many sobs f'r sense. I don't object t' you groaning, I pass y'r pants, but you're getting y'r soul damnably mixed wi' y'r sobs." "Nay, 'tis a cry o' the soul, Alvaston," sighed Sir Jasper, "a very heart-throb, faith. Listen!" "Sob, sob my soul sobs soulful night and day Till she in mercy shall thy pain allay Till all she rob And for thee throb Sob!" "Curst affecting!" said the Captain, applauding with thumping wine-glass. "Od gentlemen," cried Sir Benjamin as Sir Jasper sank back in his chair, "I do protest 'tis very infinite tender! It hath delicacy, pathos and a rhythm entirely its own. Denholm, I felicitate you heartily! And now, Alvaston, we call upon you!" His lordship arose, stuck out a slender leg, viewed it with lazy approval, and unfolding a paper, recited therefrom as follows: "Let the bird sing on the bough Th' ploughboy sing an' sweat But, while I can, I will avow Th' charms o' lovely Bet. Let----" "Hold!" commanded Sir Benjamin. "Stop!" cried the Marquis. "Strike me everlastingly blue but I've got 'sweat' demme!" "'S'heart, so have I!" exclaimed Mr. Marchdale with youthful indignation. "Burn me!" sighed Alvaston, "seems we're all sweating! 'S unfortunate, curst disquietin' I'll admit, though I only sweat i' the first verse. Le' me go on:" "Let the parson----" "Hold!" repeated Sir Benjamin. "Desist, Alvaston, I object to sweat, sir!" "An' very natural too, Ben--Gad, I'll not forget you at th' churn! But to continue:" "Let the parson pray----" "Stay!" thundered Sir Benjamin. "Alvaston, sweat shall never do!" "Why, Ben, why?" "Because, first 'tis not a word poetic----" "But I submit 'tis easy, Ben, an' very natural! Remember the churn Ben, the churn an' le' me get on. Faith! here we're keepin' my misfortunate parson on his knees whiles you boggle over a word! 'Sides if my 'sweat' 's disallowed you damn Alton and Marchdale unheard!" Hereupon, while Sir Benjamin shook protesting head, his lordship smoothed out his manuscript, frowned at it, turned it this way, turned it that, and continued: "Let the parson pray and screech----" "No, demme, 'tisn't 'screech'--here's a blot! Now what th' dooce--ha, 'preach' t' be sure----" "Let the parson pray and preach And fat preferments get But, so long as I have speech-- I'll sing the charms o' Bet. "Let the----" "By th' way I take liberty t' call 'tention t' the fact that I begin 'n' end each canto wi' the same words, 'let' 'n' 'Bet.'" "Let th' world go--round an' round The day be fine or wet, Take all that 'neath th' sun is found An' I'll take lovely Bet." "Bravo Bob! Bravo! Simple and pointed! Haw!" quoth the Captain, hammering plaudits with his wine-glass again. "'Tis not--not utterly devoid o' merits!" admitted Sir Benjamin judicially. "Thank'ee humbly, my Benjamin!" "Nay, but it hath points, Alvaston, especially towards the finality, though 'tis somewhat reminiscent of Mr. Waller." "How so, sweet Ben?" "In its climacteric thus, sir:" "Give me but what this ribband bound Take all the rest the sun goes round." "Egad Ben, I've never read a word o' the fool stuff in my life, so you're out there, burn me! And the bottle roosts with you, Alton. Give it wings. Major d'Arcy sir--with you!" "Marchdale," said Sir Benjamin, "our ears attend you!" Mr. Marchdale rose, coughed, tossed back his love-locks, unfolded his manuscript and setting hand within gorgeous bosom read forth the following: "Chaste hour, soft hour, O hour when first we met O blissful hour, my soul shall ne'er forget How, 'mid the rose and tender violet, Chaste, soft and sweet as rose, stood lovely Bet, Her wreath-ed hair like silky coronet O'er-wrought with wanton curls of blackest jet Each glistered curl a holy amulet; Her pearl-ed teeth her rosy lips did fret As they'd sweet spices been or ambergret, While o'er me stole her beauty like a net Wherein my heart was caught and pris'ner set A captive pent for love and not for debt, A captive that in prison pineth yet. A captive knowing nothing of regret Nor uttering curse nor woeful epithet. I pled my love, my brow grew hot, grew wet, While sweetly she did sigh and I did sweat." "Sweat, Tony?" exclaimed the Marquis. "O dem! What for?" "Because 'twas the only rhyme I had left, for sure!" "Od, od's my life!" cried Sir Benjamin, "here we have poesy o' the purest, in diction chaste, in expression delicate, in----" "Nay, but Tony sweats too, Ben!" protested Alvaston. "No matter, sir, no matter--'tis a very triumph! So elegant! Od's body Marchdale, 'tis excellent--sir, your health!" "Burn me, Ben, but if Tony may sweat why th' dooce----" "Major d'Arcy sir, I charge to you!" Hereupon Sir Benjamin filled and bowed, the Major did the same, and they drank together. "But Ben," persisted Alvaston, "if Tony----" "West, the floor and our attention are yours, sir!" The Captain rose, shot his ruffles, squared his shoulders and read: "Warble ye songsters of the grove--haw! Warble of her that is my love Where'er on pinions light ye rove Haw! Ye feathered songsters--warble. "Warble ye heralds of the--haw!--the air Warble her charms beyond compare Warble here and warble there Haw! Ye feathered songsters--warble. Warble, warble on the spray Warble night and warble day Warble, warble whiles ye may Haw! Ye feathered songsters--warble." "A pretty thing!" nodded Sir Benjamin, "'tis light, 'tis graceful--easy, flowing, and full of----" "Warbles!" murmured Alvaston. "'Tis a musical word, sir, and what is poesy but word-music? I commend 'warble' heartily--we all do, I think." Here a chorus of approval whereupon the Captain bowed, shot his ruffles again, said 'Haw!' and sat down. "Alton, 'tis now your turn!" Up rose the Marquis, tossed off his glass, fished a somewhat crumpled paper from his pocket and incontinent gave tongue: "A song I sing in praise of Bet I sing a song o' she, sirs O let the ploughboy curse and sweat But what is that to me, sirs? My bully boys, brave bully boys But what is that to me, sirs?" "Here's that misfortunate ploughboy sweating again!" sighed Alvaston, while Sir Benjamin choked with wine and indignant horror: "Hold, od's my life--Alton, hold!" he gasped. "Heaven save us, what's all this? 'Twill never do----" "Sink me, Ben--why not?" "Because it sounds like nothing in the world but a low drinking catch, sir, mingled and confused with a vulgar hunting-snatch." "Nay, you'll find it betters as it goes--heark'ee!" "I love the pretty birds to hear; The horn upon the hill But when my buxom Bet appear Her voice is sweeter still Brave boys! Her voice is sweeter still! "The fish that doth in water swim Though burnished bright he be Doth all his scaly splendours dim If Bet he chance to see. Brave boys! If Bet he chance to see. "There's joy----" "Ha' you got much more, Harry?" enquired Alvaston mournfully. "O demme yes, when I get my leg over Pegasus, Bob, 'tis hard to dismount me." "There's joy in riding of a horse That bottom hath and pace But better still I love of course Bet's witching, handsome face. Brave boys! Bet's witching, handsome face! "E'en as the----" "Hold a minute, Harry! You're givin' us a treatise on natural hist'ry, sure?" "How so, Bob?" "Well, you've sung 'bout a bird, 'n' fish, 'n' beast--why ignore the humble reptile? If you've got any more you might give us a rhyme 'bout vermin----" "Demme, Bob, so I have! Heark'ee:" "E'en as the small but gamesome flea On her white neck might frisk, sirs Could I be there--then, e'en as he My life, like him, I'd risk, sirs. My bully boys, brave bully boys My life, like him, I'd risk, sirs!" Pandemonium broke forth; bottles rolled, glasses fell unheeded and shivered upon the floor while the long room roared with Gargantuan laughter, rising waves of merriment wherein Sir Benjamin's indignant outburst was wholly drowned and his rapping was lost and all unheeded. Howbeit, having broken two glasses and a plate in his determined knocking, he seized upon a bottle and thundered with that until gradually the tempest subsided and a partial calm succeeded. "Gentlemen!" he cried, his very peruke seeming to bristle with outraged decorum, "gentlemen, I move the total suppression of this verse--" Here his voice was lost in shouts of: "No, no! Let be, Ben! Order!" "I say," repeated Sir Benjamin, "it must and shall be suppressed!" "O why, my Ben, why?" queried Alvaston, feeble with mirth. "Because 'tis altogether too--too natural! Too--ah intensely, personally intimate----" Here the rafters rang again while drawers, ostlers and waiting-maids peeped in at slyly-opened doors. Silence being at last restored Sir Benjamin arose, snuffed daintily, flicked himself gracefully and bowed: "Gentlemen," said he, "after the hem! brilliant flights o' fancy we have been privileged to hear, I allude particularly to Sir Jasper's soulful strophes and to--to----" "Alton's gamesome flea?" suggested Alvaston, whereat was laughter with cries of "Order." "And to Marchdale's delightful lyric," continued Sir Benjamin. "I do confess to no small diffidence in offering to your attention my own hem! I say my own poor compositions and do so in all humility. My first is a trifle I may describe as an alliterative acrostic, its matter as followeth." "Bewitching Bet by bounteous Beauty blessed Each eager eye's enjoyment is expressed That thus to thee doth turn then--thrilling thought; Thou, thou thyself that teach may too be taught, Yea, you yourself--to yearn as beauty ought." "I' faith, gentlemen," said he, bowing to their loud applause, "I humbly venture to think it hath some small ingenuity. My next is a set of simple verselets pretending to no great depth of soul nor heart-stirring pathos, they are hem! they are--what they are----" "Are ye sure o' that, Ben?" demanded Alvaston earnestly. "Sure sir, yes sir--od's my life, I ought to be--I wrote 'em!" "Then let's hear 'em and judge. But look'ee, Ben, if they ain't what they are they won't do--not if you were ten thousand Benjamen!" Sir Benjamin stared, rubbed his chin, shook his head, sighed and read: "Venus hath left her Grecian isles With all her charms and witching wiles And now all rustic hearts beguiles In bowery Westerham! "Ye tender herds, ye listening deer Forget your food, forget your fear Our glorious Betty reigneth here In happy Westerham! "Ye little lambs that on the green In gambols innocent are seen In gleeful chorus hail your queen Sweet Bet of Westerham! "Ye feathered----" "Stop!" exclaimed Alvaston. "Your lambs'll never do, Ben!" "Od sir, I say egad, why not?" "Because lambs don't hail 'n' if they could hail their hail would be a 'baa' and being a baa Bet would ha' t' be a sheep t' understand 'em which Gad forbid, Ben! An' the bottle's with----" "A sheep sir, a sheep?" spluttered Sir Benjamin. "Malediction! What d'ye mean?" "I mean I object t' Betty being turned int' a sheep either by inference, insinuation or induction--I 'ppeal t' the company!" Here ensued a heated discussion ending in his lordship's objection being quashed, whereupon Sir Benjamin, his face redder than ever and his elegant peruke a little awry, continued: "Ye feathered songsters blithely sing Ye snowy lambkins frisk and spring To Betty let our glasses ring In joyous Westerham!" Sir Benjamin sat down amidst loud acclaim, and there immediately followed a perfervid debate as to the rival merits of the several authors and finally, amid a scene of great excitement, Mr. Marchdale was declared the victor. And now appeared a mighty bowl of punch flanked by pipes and tobacco at sight of which the company rose in welcome. "Gentlemen," said Sir Benjamin, grasping silver ladle much as it had been a sceptre, "the Muses have departed but in their stead behold the jovial Bacchus with the attendant sprite yclept Virginia. Gentlemen, it hath been suggested that we shall drink glass and glass and----" "Damned be he who first cries 'hold enough'!" murmured Alvaston. "Gentlemen, the night is young, let now the rosy hours pass in joyous revelry and good-fellowship!" So the merry riot waxed and waned, tobacco smoke ascended in filmy wreaths, songs were sung and stories told while ever the glasses filled and grew empty and the Major, lighting his fifth pipe at a candle, turned to find Lord Cleeve addressing him low-voiced amid the general din across a barricade of empty bottles. "--don't like it Jack," he was saying, "no duty for a gentleman and King's officer, we're no damned catchpolls ... word hath come in roundabout way of a Jacobite rebel in these parts.... Two o' my captains out with search parties ... poor devil!" Slowly the clamour of voices and laughter died away, the candles burned low and lower in their sconces and through a blue haze the Major espied Sir Benjamin asprawl in his chair, his fine coat wine-splashed, his great peruke obscuring one eye, snoring gently. Hard by, Alvaston lay forward across the table, his face pillowed upon a plate, deep-plunged in stertorous slumber while the Colonel, sitting opposite, leaned back in his chair and stared up solemnly at the raftered ceiling. Candles were guttering to their end, the long chamber, the inn itself seemed strangely silent and the broad casement already glimmered with the dawn. "Jack," said the Colonel suddenly, "'tis odd--'tis devilish odd I vow 'tis, but place feels curst--empty!" The Major glanced around the disordered chamber and shivered. "Jack, here's you and here's me--very well! Yonder's Sir Benjamin and Lord Alvaston--very well again! But question is--where's t'others?" "Why I think, I rather think George, they're under the table." Hereupon the Colonel made as if to stoop down and look but thought better of it, and stretching out a foot instead, touched something soft and nodded solemnly: "B'gad Jack--so they are!" said he and sat staring up at the rafters again while the pallid dawn grew brighter at the window. "Man Jack," he went on with a beaming smile, "'tis a goodish spell since we had an all-night bout together. Last time I mind was in Brabant at----" The Colonel sat up suddenly, staring through the casement where, in the sickly light of dawn, stood a figure which paused opposite the window to stare up at the sleeping inn, and was gone. "Refuse me!" exclaimed the Colonel, still staring wide of eye, "Jack--did ye see it?" "Aye, George!" "Then Jack if we're not drunk we ought to be--but drunk or no, we've seen a ghost!" "Whose, George?" "Why, the spirit of that ravishing satyr, that black rogue you killed years ago in Flanders--Effingham, by Gad!" "Ah!" sighed the Major. CHAPTER XXVII HOW THE SERGEANT RECOUNTED AN OLD STORY Viscount Merivale sat alone in the hutch-like sentry-box; his handsome face was unduly grave, his brow care-worn and he bit at his carefully tended nails, which last was a thing in him quite phenomenal. All at once he clenched his fist and smote it softly on the table: "Damn him!" he muttered and sat scowling at his torn nails. "Ha, madam, it seems you are like to be the death o' me yet! ... O Woman! ... Howbeit, fight him I will!" Here, chancing to lift his frowning gaze, he saw the Sergeant approaching with a spade on his shoulder. "What, Zebedee!" he called. The Sergeant glanced round, wheeled and, halting before the arbour, stood at attention. "Ha, Zeb, good old Zeb, come your ways. Sit down, yes, yes, here beside me. I'm beset by devils, Zeb, devils damned of deepest blue, your honest phiz shall fright 'em hence, mayhap--stay though!" The Viscount rose and drew his sword: "That lunge o' yours in tierce, Zeb, 'tis a sweet stroke and sufficiently deadly, show me the 'haviour on't. 'Twas somewhat on this wise as I remember." And falling into a graceful fencing posture, the Viscount made his long, narrow blade flash and dart viciously while Sergeant Zebedee, taking himself by the chin, watched with the eye of a connoisseur. "'Twas so, I think, Zeb?" The Sergeant smiled grimly and shook his head. "You've got same all mixed up wi' fashionable school-play, Master Pancr--Tom, my lud, which though pretty ain't by no means the real thing." "How so, Zebedee?" "Why sir, this here posturing and flourishing is well enough a-'twixt fine gentlemen as happens to draw on each other after a bottle or to wipe out an ill word in a drop or so o' blood--yes. But 'tis different when you're opposite a skilled duellist as means to kill. His honour the Major now, he learned in a hard school and his honour learned me." "He's had several affairs I think, Zeb?" "Twenty and two, sir!" "Ha!" sighed the Viscount, "I've had one and got pricked in the thigh! Here, show me the way on't, Sergeant." So saying, he turned weapon across forearm and bowing in true academic manner, proffered the jewelled hilt to the Sergeant who took it, tested spring and balance of the blade with practised hands, saluted and fell to the "engage"; then he lunged swiftly and recovered, all in a moment. "'Tis a stroke hard to parry, sir!" said he. "Gad love me!" sighed the Viscount, "do't again Zeb--slowly man and with explanations." "Why look'ee sir, 'tis a trick o' the wrist on the disengage. You are in tierce--so, your point bearing so--very good! You play a thrust, thus d'ye see, then--whip! up comes your point and you follow in with a lunge--so! Try it, my lud." "Hum!" said the Viscount, taking back his sword. But having "tried it" once or twice with very indifferent success, he shook his head and, sheathing his weapon, sat down again and grew more despondent than ever. "Sit ye down, Zeb," said he, "the blue devils have me sure." "Devils, Master Tom sir," said the Sergeant, seating himself on the bench his own hands had contrived, "I aren't nowise surprised, same do haunt the place o' late, this here orchard being 'witched d'ye see and full o' hocus-pocus." "'Tis hard to believe, Zeb, what with the sky so blue and the grass all dappled with sunlight. Nay 'tis a fair world, Zeb, and hard to leave. Life's a desirable thing and hard to lose! Save us! What a world 'twould be if all women were sweet as they seemed and men as true!" "Sure there's a deal o' roguery i' the world Master Pancras--Tom, sir! As witness--last night!" The Viscount winced, muttered between clenched teeth and scowled at his fist again: "Is the Major come home yet?" he enquired. "Yes, sir. Come in along with Lord Cleeve, same as served under his honour years agone." "How were they, Zeb?" "His honour oncommon solemn and my lord oncommon talkative--wouldn't nowise part wi' his boots, threatened to shoot the first man as dared touch same. Last night must ha' been--a night, sir!" "Aye!" nodded the Viscount absently. "You told me last night you actually caught the fellow one night--in the orchard here?" "Fellow, my lud?" "Mr. Dalroyd." "I so did, sir--same being in the act o' scaling wall--taking my lady's garden by escalade as ye might say." "'Twas Dalroyd, you're--quite sure, Zeb?" "If 'twasn't--'twere a ghost sir." "What d'ye mean?" "The ghost of an officer of Ogle's as his honour killed in Flanders in a duel, Master Tom." "Ah!" said the Viscount thoughtfully. "A duel!" "Aye, sir, only this man's name were Effingham." "A duel!" repeated the Viscount. "'Twas over a woman of course?" "Aye sir, and an evil tale it is and I'm a man o' few words--but if so be you've a mind for't----" "I have, Zeb--proceed----" "Well, it seems this Captain Effingham with his company had took prisoner a French officer in his own chateau, d'ye see, and meant to shoot same in the morning for a spy. But to Captain Effingham comes the officer's wife--young she was and very handsome, and implored the Captain to mercy, which he agreed to if she'd consent to----" "I take you, Zeb!" "'Twas for her husband's life and she was very young, sir--I chanced to see her arterwards. So the Captain had his way. Next morning, very early, comes a roll o' musketry. She leaps out o' bed, runs to the lattice and there's her husband being carried by--dead! So she falls distracted and kills herself wi' the Captain's sword and arter comes his honour the Major and kills the Captain. 'Twas a pretty bout, sir, for the Captain was a master at rapier-play and famous duellist--laid his honour's head open from eye to ear at the first pass and, what wi' the blood-flow and heavy boots I thought his honour was done for more than once--and if he had been, well--I had finger on trigger and 'twould ha' been no murder--him!" "The Major killed him?" "Dead as mutton, sir." "Did you bury the villain?" "No time, sir, we were a flanking party on a forced march, d'ye see." "And you say Dalroyd is like him?" "As one musket-ball to another, Master Tom." "And she was young and beautiful, Zeb?" "About my lady Betty's age sir, and much such another." "Ah!" murmured the Viscount and scowled at his fist again. "Look'ee Zeb, 'tis my fancy to master that thrust, every morning when you've done with the Major you shall fence a bout or so with me, eh?" "'Twill be joy, Master Tom." "But, mark this Zeb, none must know of it--especially my uncle. I--I'm minded to surprise him. So not a word and----" On the warm, sunny air rose a woman's voice rich, sonorous and clear, singing a plaintive melody. The Viscount rose, flicked a speck from velvet coat-skirts and, crossing the orchard, swung himself astride the wall. My lady Betty was gathering a posy; at the Viscount's sudden appearance she broke off her song, swept him a curtsey then, standing tall and gracious, shook white finger at him. "Naughty lad!" said she. "Since when have you taken to philandering in country lanes after midnight?" The Viscount actually gasped; then took out his snuff-box, fumbled with it and put it away again. "I--I--Gad preserve me, Bet!" he stammered, "what d'ye mean?" "I mean, my poor Pancras, since when ha' you taken to spying on me?" The Viscount's cheek flushed, then he leaned suddenly forward his hands tight-clenched: "Betty," said he, his voice sunk almost to a whisper, "O Bet, in God's name why d'you meet a man of Dalroyd's repute--alone and at such an hour?" My lady's clear gaze never wavered and she laughed gaily: "Dear Pancras," she cried, "your tragical airs are ill-suited to the top of a wall! Prithee come down to earth, smooth that face of care, dear creature, and let us quarrel agreeably as of yore!" The Viscount obeyed slowly and looking a little grim: "Look'ee Bet," said he as they trod the tiled walk together, "I have lived sufficiently long in this world to know that the mind of a woman is beyond a man's comprehension and that she herself is oft-times the sport of every idle whim----" "'Tis a Daniel come to judgment! O excellent young man!'" she mocked. Whereat the Viscount became a little grimmer as he continued: "Yet, because my regard for you is true and sincere, I do most humbly implore you to forego this madcap whim----" "Whim, Viscount Merivale, my lord?" "Aye--whim, fancy, mischief--call it what you will! 'Tis impossible you can love the fellow and not to be thought on." "Dear Pan," she sighed, "I vow there are times I could kiss you as I used, when we were children." "Trust me instead, dear Bet! Confess, the fellow hath a hold over you? Have you met him often at night?" "Twice!" "Shall you meet him again?" "Thrice!" "Alone? And--at midnight? Alone, Betty?" "Quite alone." "God!" he exclaimed, "what will the world think?" "The world will be asleep." "But how if you should be seen as I saw you--in the lane?" "'Tis small chance," she answered, brushing her roses across red lips a-pout in thought. "'Tis why I choose a spot so remote and so late an hour." "But alone--at midnight--with Dalroyd! By heaven, Betty, you run greater and more ugly risks than you know." "I think not, Pan." "But I tell you, and God forgive me if I misjudge the fellow--from what I know--from what I hear he's a very satyr--a----" "Indeed I think he is!" she sighed. "So do I go prepared." "How--how?" he demanded. "I say no maid should run such risk, willingly or no----" "Pancras!" She turned and faced him suddenly. "You never doubt me--you?" "Never Bet, never, I swear. But 'tis only that I've known you all your days and because I know you commit this folly and risk these dangers for Charles's sake. But Betty, in God's name what will the end be?" "An end shall justify the means!" "The means--the means! Aye, but there are some means so shameful that no end may ever justify--you never think to sacrifice yourself to----" My lady laughed; then seeing the anxiety of his face, the tremor of his clenched fist, she took that fist in her soft, cool fingers and drawing him within the arbour made him sit beside her. "Pan dear," she said gently, "O rest secure in this:--'tis true I love my brother but no tender martyr am I so brave or so unselfish, even for his dear sake, to yield myself up to--the beasts. This body of mine I hold much too precious to glut their brutish appetite." "Why then, Bet, promise me this folly shall cease, you'll see Dalroyd no more, at least at such an hour--promise me." "No, Pancras." "Ha! And wherefore not?" "Because 'tis so my whim." "Why then you leave me but one alternative, Betty." "Prithee--what?" "I'll stop it in despite of you." "Cry you mercy, sir--how?" "Very simply." "Ah, Pancras, you mean a--duel? No no, not that--you shall not--I forbid such folly!" The Viscount smiled. "He'd kill you, Pan, I know it--feel it!" The Viscount's smile grew a little rueful. "None the less, 'twould resolve the problem--at least for me," he answered. "But, Pancras, see how clumsily! O Lud, these meddling men!" she sighed. "Heavens, these wilful women!" he retorted. "Still, Sir Wiseacre, being a woman I'll meet and outwit the beast with a woman's weapons. So now prithee let there be no thought of such clumsy weapons as this!" and tapping the ornate hilt of the Viscount's sword, she rose. "Come," said she, reaching him her hand, "take me within-doors and I will stay thee with flagons." Now as they crossed the broad lawn together the balmy air was suddenly pierced by a shrill and flute-like whistle. "Aha!" exclaimed the Viscount, stopping suddenly to glance about. As he stood thus he was amazed by an object which, hurtling from on high, thudded upon the grass, and stepping forward he picked up a much worn and battered shoe. From this sorry object his gaze, travelling aloft, presently discovered a figure which had wriggled itself half out of a small dormer window beneath the eaves and, despite this perilous position, was beckoning to him vigorously. "Oho!" exclaimed the Viscount, turning to my lady Betty. "So you have him here, 'tis as I thought!" But when he would have waved and saluted his lordship of Medhurst in return, Betty stayed him with a gesture. "The servants, Pan--" she warned him. "You'll take me up, Bet, you'll let me see the old lad?" the Viscount pleaded. "I've been scheming out ways and means of getting him first to my place in Sussex and then over seas----" "Phoh!" exclaimed my lady. "And yourself and him dungeoned in the Tower within the week. How should you know he was hereabouts--'twas that Major d'Arcy, I'll vow!" "True, he mentioned the matter and moreover----" "Ha!" cried my lady stamping her foot, "so he must be talking already!" "Aye--to me, Bet, why not i' faith! And--though a Whig----" "A flapdragon!" exclaimed my lady. "I say though a Whig he is as ready to aid Charles into safety as you or I. Nay, he hath even proffered to harbour him in his own house." "Mm!" said my lady, smiling down at her roses, "I wonder why a Whiggish soldier should run such risk for Charles, a stranger?" "Because the Major chances to be the best, the bravest, the most unselfish gentleman I have the honour to know!" replied the Viscount. "Dear Pancras!" she sighed, "an you would talk with Charles, you shall, so come your ways and be silent--Pancras dear!" So she brought him into the house and, finger on lip, led him up back stairways and along seldom used passages to a door small but remarkably strong; here she paused to reach a key from a dark corner, a key of massive proportions at sight of which the Viscount whistled. "You see, Pan," she explained, fitting it to the lock, "Charles is quite determined to get away at once for my sake, but I'm quite determined he shall stay for his own sake, until I judge him sufficiently recovered, and--hark to him, Pan, hark to my naughty child!" She laughed as an impatient fist thumped the stout door from within and a muffled voice reached them. "Be silent, sir!" she commanded. Followed a sulky muttering, the door swung open and my lord of Medhurst appeared, petulant and eager: "What Pan!" he cried. "What Tom--Tommy lad! Y'see how she treats me!" "Hush!" exclaimed my lady, closing the door. "Gad, Charles!" exclaimed the Viscount as they embraced, "you're thin and pale, is't your wound?" "Nay--nay, I vow I'm well enough, Tom----" "But I protest art worn to a shadow----" "A shadow--aha!" His lordship laughed gaily. "Say a shade, Tom, a ghost and you're in the right with a vengeance. But tell me the latest town news, Tommy, who's in and who's out? Stands London where it did----" "Nay first, Charles, I'm here to smuggle you away to my Sussex place there to keep you hid until I can arrange for you to cross into France. 'Twill be the simplest matter i' the world, Charles, I'll have a couple of fast horses in the lane at midnight, we shall reach my place by dawn or thereabouts. How say you?" "Why I say, dear lad, 'tis all very well but you forget one thing." "And that?" "Your own risk, Pan." "Tush!" exclaimed the Viscount. "Quite so, Tom," nodded my lord, "but d'ye dream I'd ever shelter myself behind thy faithful friendship? How say you, Bet?" "Spoken like my own Charles!" she answered and clasping her arm about him set her cheek to his, and the Viscount, glancing from one face to the other, fell back in staring surprise. "Gad love me!" he exclaimed. "'Tis years since I saw you out of a peruke, Charles and now I do--I vow your likeness to Bet is greater than ever--faith 'tis marvellous! Same features, same gestures, same height----" "Nay I swear I'm taller by a good inch, Tom----" "But the similarity is wonderful----" "Except for his voice!" sighed my lady, "and that--hush! 'Tis the coach returned, aunt is back from Sevenoaks already!" So saying, she crossed to the window and leaned out. "Heavens!" she cried, "aunt must ha' driven home galloping, the horses are all in a lather o' foam. I wonder----" "Betty!" cried a voice, "O Betty!" "Save us!" ejaculated my lady, crossing to the door and turning the key, "she's coming up!" "Betty!" cried Lady Belinda from the landing without, "O Betty, let me in--let me in!" Here the strong door was shaken by eager hands. "Let me in, Betty, O I know who's there--I've known for days. Let me in for O Lud--I've such terrible news--quick, open the door!" Instantly Betty obeyed and Lady Belinda tottered in, closed it again and leaned there breathless. "Charles!" she cried. "My wicked wanderer! My wayward boy! O I shall faint--I swoon!" But Lady Belinda did neither, instead she caught the earl to her bosom, kissed him tenderly and spoke. "My dears, there are soldiers at Sevenoaks seeking our fugitive--they may be here at any time!" "The devil!" exclaimed the fugitive. "We must do something!" said the Viscount. "We will!" nodded my lady. CHAPTER XXVIII THE MAJOR COMES TO A RESOLUTION Colonel Lord George Cleeve sat perched astride a chair on the desk in the corner and watched where the Major and Sergeant Zebedee fronted each other for their wonted morning's fencing-bout: "You'll find me a little sluggish as 'twere after last night, Zeb," said the Major, taking his ground. "Why there have been other nights, sir, and I never found you so yet," answered the Sergeant, as, returning the Major's salute, he came to his guard, and, with a tinkle and clash of steel, they engaged, the Major, light-poised and graceful, the Sergeant balanced upon stockinged feet, cunning, swift and throbbing with vigorous strength. Now as their play became closer it seemed that the weapons were part of themselves, this darting, twining steel seemed instinct with life and foreknowledge as lightning thrust was met by lightning parry; while the Colonel, craning forward in his chair, cursed rapturously under his breath, snorted and wriggled ecstatic. It was a long, close rally ending in a sudden grinding flurry of pliant blades followed by a swift and deadly lunge from the Sergeant met by an almost miraculous riposte, and he stepped back to shake his head and smile; while the Colonel slapped his thigh and roared for pure joy of it. "Sir," said the Sergeant, "'tis me is sluggish it seems! Clean through my sword-arm!" "Faith, Zeb, I saw it coming in time." "Joy!" cried the Colonel, sprinkling himself copiously with snuff, "O man Jack 'tis a delight t' the eye, a balm t' the soul, a comfort t' the heart! Rabbit me, Jack, Sergeant Zeb is improved out o' knowledge." "Aye, George, Zeb is an apt pupil. Come again, Sergeant." At this moment the door opened and the Viscount lounged in, but seeing what was toward, seated himself on a corner of the desk as the foils rang together again. Before the next venue was decided the Colonel was on his legs with excitement and the Viscount's languor was forgotten quite, for, despite their buttoned foils, they fought with a grim yet joyous ferocity, as if death itself had hung upon the issue. Their blades whirled and clashed, or grinding lightly together seemed to feel out and sense each other's attack; followed cunning feints, vicious thrust or lunge and dexterous parry until, at last, the Major stepped back and lowered his point: "'Tis your hit, Zeb--here on my wrist!" "Why 'twas scarce a hit, your honour." "Most palpable, Zeb!" "Gad love me!" murmured the Viscount, "and they don't sweat and they ain't panting!" "Music!" snorted the Colonel, bestriding his chair again, "poetry, pictures--bah! Here you have 'em all together! A fine 'ooman's a graceful sight I'll allow, but sirs, for beauty and music, poetry and grace all in one, give me a couple o' well-matched small-sworders!" "Parfectly, sir!" bowed the Viscount. "Though, nunky, if I may venture the remark and with all the deference in the world, your play is perhaps a trifle austere--lacking those small elegancies and delicate refinements----" The Colonel rolled truculent eye and sprinkled himself with snuff again. "Master Tom sir--Pancras my lud," said the Sergeant, "I were thinking p'r'aps you'd play this third venue with his honour?" "Gad, nunky, 'twould be a joy," murmured the Viscount. So saying he took the Sergeant's foil. "You'll mind sir, how you disarmed me last time----" "'Twas but a trick, Tom, and you were all unsuspecting." "At least, sir, this time I shall play more cautious." And the Viscount saluted and fell to his guard, one white hand fanning the air daintily aloft. The foils crossed and, as the bout progressed, the Viscount's self-assurance grew, he even pressed the Major repeatedly and twice forced him to break ground; time and again his point missed by inches while the Sergeant watched between a smile and a frown and the Colonel wriggled on his chair again: "Faith!" cried he, as the foils were lowered by common consent. "The lad hath a wrist, Jack, and a quick eye for distance--he should make a fencer one o' these days--with pains----" "Gad so, sir!" exclaimed the Viscount, a little huffed, "I rejoice to know it!" "And though his point wavers out o' the line like a straw i' the wind and his parade is curst inviting and open, still----" "Let me perish, what d'ye mean, my lord?" "Come again, Tom and I'll show you!" said the Major. "Those are fairly large buttons on your waistcoat. I'll take the top four. On guard, Tom!" Again the foils met and almost immediately the Major's blade leapt and the Sergeant counted "One--two!" The Viscount broke ground, then lunged in turn and the Sergeant counted again, "Three--four!" The Viscount stepped back, pitched his foil into a corner and stared at the Major in rueful amaze, whereupon Lord Cleeve laughed, and, clambering from the table, clapped him on the shoulder: "Never be discouraged, Viscount," said he, "never be peevish, sir, in your place I should ha' fared little better. Few may cope with d'Arcy o' the Buffs--or Sergeant Zebedee for that matter!" "Gad love me sir," answered the Viscount smiling, "'twould seem so." "And now, man Jack, I'm for Sevenoaks on small matter o' business, moreover 'tis like my lady Carlyon will be thereabouts and young Marchdale promised to make me known to 'Our Admirable Betty.' Will ye ride with me, Jack?" "Why thank'ee George, no--there's my chapter on the Defects of Salient Angles d'ye see, for one thing----" "Devil burn your salient angles!" "But here's Tom now. Tom might join you," suggested the Major with a meaning glance at his nephew. "'Twould be a joy, sir!" murmured the Viscount dutifully. "Why then I'll go get into my boots," nodded the Colonel and strode from the room. "Nunky," said the Viscount, rearranging his cravat before the mirror with scrupulous care, "there are soldiers at Sevenoaks and the man they seek lieth hid--next door, if I mistake not!" "Art sure, Pancras?" "I spoke with Charles himself a while since, and my lady Belinda saw the soldiers to-day. Question, what's to do, sir?" "'Tis a problem, nephew, and one requiring a nice judgment. Let me think! Sergeant, I'll thank you for my Ramillie coat. And she hath him hid?" enquired the Major, getting into the garment in question. "Under lock and key, nunky. Charles would have been away ere this for her sake, but she'd locked him in. You see he is still scarce recovered of his wound and hardships, and Betty is determined to keep him till he be quite strong again." "To be sure!" nodded the Major, fingering the tarnished buttons of his old campaigning coat. "And she locked him in--'twas like her! As for the soldiers, Tom, having traced him so far, they will be here next 'tis sure and her house will be searched first, of course." "Gad sir!" exclaimed the Viscount, striding to and fro in sudden perturbation. "You take it devilish calm and serene! If they search there they'll find him beyond doubt----" "Not so, Tom, I'll see to that." "You sir--how?" "He shall come here." "Here nunky--here in this house--with Colonel Cleeve your guest?" "Precisely, Tom--I must hide him under old George's honest nose. 'Tis irregular, as 'twere--aye, 'tis vastly irregular, and yet----" Here there rose a distant roaring, a hoarse and intermittent clamour. "Gad love us!" exclaimed the Viscount, starting, "what's here?" "'Tis only George roaring for thee, Tom." "And the horses are at the door, my lud!" added the Sergeant, glancing from the window. "So begone, Tom and----" "No no, sir, I'll stay and aid you with----" "Nay, look'ee Tom, you ride to Sevenoaks with George. You learn precisely when the soldiers march for Westerham and, if need be, you make your excuses and ride back to warn me of their coming. Your dapple-grey is the fastest thing on four legs and--ah, George--I do but stay my nephew to give him certain commissions and, as I was saying, his big dapple-grey is the fastest----" "Ha--rot me, Viscount, we'll see that--we'll see that!" nodded the Colonel pulling on his gauntlets. "Now, if you're ready, sir?" "Quite, my lord, quite!" smiled the Viscount, and, taking hat, gloves and whip from Sergeant Zebedee, he bowed and followed the Colonel out. Thereafter rose the clatter of their horse-hoofs which died rapidly away until they were lost altogether. "Zeb," said the Major, sinking heavily into his chair and leaning head on hand, "Sergeant Zebedee, I go about to do a thing I never thought to do. We fought and bled for England and Queen Anne Zeb, you and I, and after for King William and then for King George, and now, it seems, I must forget my loyalty for the sake of a youth I've never seen, a Jacobite fugitive, Zeb, whose life is held forfeit--but, he is the brother of one--one I hold--very dear, Zeb. And for her sake I am about to be false to the oath I swore as an officer, I am about to give aid and shelter to an enemy of my king. This is a grief to me, Zeb, a great grief, since honour was very dear to me, but she--is dearer still! So shall I do this thing gladly--aye, even though it lose me all as well as honour--even life itself because 'tis for--her." Here the Major paused to sigh and the Sergeant finding nothing to say, saluted. "But as for you yourself, Zeb, all these long, hard years you've served faithfully and kept your record clean, and God forbid I should smirch it. So, Zebedee, you will take a week's leave--you will get you to London or----" "Which, saving your presence, can't nowise be, your honour!" answered the Sergeant. "King George is very well and I say, God bless same. But then King George and me don't chance t' have fought for England together side by side, nor yet have saved each other's life, sir--very good! But, says I, in action or out, wheres'ever you've led I've folleyed most determined, and I'm too old to change my tactics, sir. So, your honour, I'm with you in this, in that, or in t'other, heretofore, now and hereafter, so be it, amen!" Having said which, the Sergeant saluted again and stood at ease. "You risk your neck, Zeb!" "I've risked every member I possess afore now, like your honour." "I mean there is a danger that----" "Dangers has been our daily meat and drink, sir, and perils our portion. Consequently if dangers and perils should threaten your honour 'tis only nat'ral I should share same, besides 'tis become a matter o' dooty wi' me, d'ye see, sir?" "Zeb," said the Major, rising, "Zebedee--ha--Sergeant Tring, give me your hand! And now," he continued, as their hands gripped and fell apart, "bring me my hat and cane, Zeb, I'll to my lady." These being produced, the Major clapped on laced hat, took ebony cane in hand and crossed to the door; but there the Sergeant stayed him: "Sir," said he in gentle remonstrance, "you'll never go in your old coat? "And wherefore not, Zeb?" "'Tis not in keeping wi' your brave new hat, your honour!" "Maybe not, Zeb," sighed the Major, "but then 'tis in most excellent keeping with my--my limp, d'ye see. So let be, Zeb, let be!" And so the Major went forth upon his errand and, being a little perturbed as to his possible reception, fell to planning himself a line of conduct for the forthcoming interview and forming stern resolutions that should govern him throughout. Thus, as he walked, head a-droop and deep-plunged in thought, his limp was rather more pronounced than usual. CHAPTER XXIX TELLS HOW LADY BETTY DID THE SAME And so my Lady Carlyon sitting in her arbour, lovely head bent above a book on surgery, presently espied the Major's tall figure advancing towards her; and beholding the familiar features of the Ramillie coat, its threadbare seams, its tarnished braid and buttons, she had the grace to blush, and felt her breath catch unwontedly. The rosy flush still mantled her cheeks as she rose to greet him, quick to heed the courtly grace of his stately bow and his air of gentle aloofness. "Madam--my lady, pray pardon this unwarranted intrusion, but----" "O sir," she murmured, eyes a-droop, "most fully." "I am come on account of your brother, my Lord Medhurst." "Ah!" she sighed, "you mean my dear rebel--will't please you to sit, sir?" "Thank you, I had--rather stand," he answered gently. "And pray sir, what of my brother?" "My lady, it seems the soldiers--a search-party have reached Sevenoaks and may be on their way hither, and your house would prove but a dangerous hiding-place, I fear. They would naturally search there first and very thoroughly." "And you are here to warn me?" "I am here to offer him the more secure shelter of the Manor." Here my lady sighed, glanced swiftly up at his averted face and made room for him beside her on the rustic bench. "Will you not--sit down, sir?" she asked softly. "Thank you but I--am very well here!" he answered; whereupon my lady frowned at her book and fluttered its pages with petulant fingers. "Can it be sir," she questioned, "can it possibly be that Major John d'Arcy so--so sternly orthodox and----and Whiggish is willing to give shelter to a Jacobite rebel?" The Major bowed. "And you are a--loyal soldier?" "I--was!" he answered, sighing so deeply that she glanced at him again and beholding his troubled face, her petulant fingers were stilled, her frown vanished and her voice grew suddenly pleading and tender. "Prithee, Major John will you not--sit awhile?" and she drew aside the folds of her gown invitingly. "Indeed I--I had--rather not!" he answered, drawing back a step. My lady's round bosom heaved tempestuous and she glanced at his averted face with eyes of scorn. "Sir," said she, "the soldier who shelters the enemies of his king is a--traitor!" The Major winced. "And traitors are sometimes--hanged, sir!" "Or shot, or beheaded!" he murmured. "And you, Major d'Arcy, you are willing to run all these risks and wherefore?" The Major prodded diligently at a patch of moss with his cane, while, chin on hand, she watched him, waiting his answer. "Need you ask?" he muttered. "I do ask, sir," said she, her watchful gaze unwavering; and he, conscious of this intent look, flushed, grew uneasy, grew abashed; finally he raised his head and returned her look and in his eyes was that which called imperious to all her womanhood, that before which her own eyes fell though his voice was very tender as he answered: "My lady you know well 'tis--for you. You know my love is one that counteth not risk, now or--or ever." At this, my lady having seen and heard all she had desired, bowed shapely head and was silent awhile, staring down at the page before her headed: "Quartern Ague." When at last she spoke her voice quavered oddly and he flinched, believing that she laughed at him again. "Your coat is more--more threadbare and--woebegone than--ever, John!" Here he sighed, still thinking that she mocked him but, as he turned away, he saw something that fell sparkling upon the page before her, followed by another and another. The Major stood awe-struck. "My lady!" he exclaimed, "mam----" "Do--not----" my lady sobbed but stamped her foot at him none the less. "Madam," he corrected hastily. "Nor that, sir! I'll not be 'madam-ed' or 'my lady-ed'--by you--any longer." "Betty! O Betty!" he cried yearningly. "John!" she sighed, "Jack!" And lifting her head she looked at him with eyes brimful of tears, tears that would not be winked away, so she dabbed at them with her handkerchief and sobbed again. The Major stepped hastily into the arbour. "Betty?" he questioned in awed wonderment. "Yes--I'm weeping, sir," she confessed. "I'm shedding--real tears and 'tis not a custom of mine, sir--consequently 'tis not so easy as to faint or--swoon. I hate to--sob and weep, and I--despise tears--besides they hurt me, John." He came a quick step nearer. "O 'tis very cruel to make a poor maid weep--how can you, John dear?" "I?" he exclaimed aghast, "I--make you weep?" "Indeed you--you! O cruel!" "In heaven's name, how--what have I done?" "Heaped coals of fire, John! Burnt me! Scorched me!" The Major stared, utterly at a loss and fumbled with one of his tarnished buttons; then, seeing his bewilderment, she laughed through her tears and, choking back her sobs, rose and stretched out her arms to him. "John," she murmured, "you dear, noble, generous Jack--ah, don't you see? When I made a public mock of you the other day, you hid your pain for my sake--and to-day, O to-day you come ready and willing to aid my brother heedless of risks and dangers. And now--now you--stand so--far off! John dear, if--if you won't sit down--prithee come a little nearer for me--just to--touch you." Now hearing the thrill in her voice, beholding the melting tenderness of her look, his doubts were all forgotten and his stern resolutions swept clean away; so he came near, very near and, sitting down, clasped her yielding loveliness to the shabby, war-worn Ramillie coat. "My dear, brave, noble John," she sighed, "and I such a beast to thee! To make a mock of thee for fools to laugh at--but none so great a fool as I--yes, Jack I repeat----" But here the Major closed her self-accusing lips awhile. "Yes, dear John," she continued, "I was a positive beast--though 'tis true you did anger me vastly!" "How?" he questioned, drawing her yet nearer. "You would not heed my signals--my fan, my handkerchief, both unregarded." "Fan?" he repeated. "Handkerchief? You mean--Egad!" His fervent arms grew suddenly lax and he sighed. "Dear," said he, shaking rueful head, "I fear you do find me very obtuse, very dull and stupid, not at all the man----" "The only man!" she whispered. "But to think I could be so dense, such an unutterable blockhead, such a----" Here my lady in her turn stopped his self-reproaches and thereafter, taking him by two curls of his great periwig, one either side, nodded lovely head at him. "Though indeed, 'tis true sir, I was a little put out----" "And no wonder!" he agreed. "Any other man would ha' known and understood. But I, being nought but a simple----" Again she sealed his lips, this time with one white finger. "Nay, Major John sir--I do protest your grave simplicity hath a potent charm in a wilderness of wits and beaux! 'Twas that same, methinks did first attract me, for dear John, hear me confess, I have loved thee from our first meeting--to-day I honour thee also. Dost mind that first hour--when you caught me stealing your cherries? Dost remember, John?" "Aye, truly," he answered, "'twas in that hour happiness found me--a happiness I had never thought to know!" Here, meeting his ardent gaze, she flushed and drooped her lashes, yet nestled closer. "John," she whispered, "thou'rt so placid as a rule, so serene and calm yet, methinks there might come a time when I--should--fear thee--almost. Our love is not politely _a la mode_, John!" "Nor ever could be!" he answered. "'Tis thing so wondrous great John, that I do tremble--and you--you too, John! Ah prithee loose me awhile. Love is so vastly different from what I dreamed--'tis methinks a happiness nigh to pain. And yet our love hath not run so smooth dear, there have been doubts, and fears, and misconceptions and--mayhap John, there shall be more." "Heaven forefend, sweet. For indeed thou art my light, without thee this world were place of emptiness and gloom and I a lonely wanderer lost and all foredone. Ah Betty, since love looked at me through thine eyes life hath become to me a thing so precious----" "Yet you would peril it, John, and with thy life my happiness." "Nay, but my Betty----" "Aye, but my John, this shall not be! Think you I'll permit that you hazard yourself----" "But, dear heart, I have a plan very excellent----" "So have I, John, a plan more excellent, nay--most!" "But sweeting, I am here to----" "To listen to me, of course, my Jack. See now, Charles is my brother and if danger come I, as his sister, am proud and willing to share it with him or to--endure much for his sake. But dear, whiles I live none other shall jeopardise life or fortune in his behalf, on this I am determined and he also. Besides, I have a plan, a wondrous plan, John, shall save my dear Charles from all the soldiers 'twixt here and London town. If they will search my house--let them, but they shall not find him. And after, when he's strong enough, he shall win to France and none to give him let or stay. Moreover John I shall be very sweetly avenged in certain trifling matter. Nay--no questions sir, only meddle not in this and, beyond all, have faith in thy Betty." The sun had set long since, evening deepened into night but, when he would have gone, she stayed him with gentle hands, with sighs and plaintive murmurs. "'Tis not yet late ... life holdeth so few hours the like of this ... and John dear, I do feel troubles are nigh us ... doubts, John ... sorrows belike... And yet surely our love is too great... But if you should ... hear aught of evil ... or ... should see----" "Betty--O Betty, alas, alas!" It was Lady Belinda's voice and in it a note that brought Betty to her feet, suddenly pale and trembling. "Betty, O Betty!" With the cry on her lips Lady Belinda appeared in the half-light hurrying towards them distractedly and wringing her hands as she came: "Alas, Betty!" "Yes, aunt--dear heaven, what's amiss?" "'Tis Charles--our dear Charles!" "What--what of him?" "O Betty, he's--gone!" "Gone? But aunt 'tis impossible, his door was locked----" "Aye, but the window--the window! He's gone, Betty--ropes and things--bed-clothes and what not. O my heart! There they are--dangling from the window--to and fro. But poor, naughty, wilful Charles is gone!" CHAPTER XXX CONCERNING CHARLES, EARL OF MEDHURST If my lady Betty was of a determined temper, my lord of Medhurst was no less so; being set on ridding his sister of his dangerous presence he contrived, so soon as her back was turned, to effect his exit through the window by means of his bed-clothes and sundry odds and ends of rope and cord he had found in the attics. Darkness having fallen, the frantic search for him being over and the coast at last clear, the earl proceeded to squirm and clamber out of the disused water-butt that had been his hiding-place, knocked the dust and cobwebs from his person (dressed somewhat roomily in a suit of Viscount Merivale's clothes) and glided away into the shadows of the garden swift and silent as any ghost. Reaching the wall he scaled it lightly, paused to sweep off his hat and to blow a kiss towards his sister's window, then dropped into the lane; followed it a little way and, turning aside into the fields set off at a smart pace. Very soon he reached a small wood and had advanced but a little way in among the trees when his quick ears warned him that others were here before him; a bush rustled at no great distance and he caught the sound of a voice hoarse and subdued: "... heard someone behind us I say!" "'Twere a bird Joe, wood be full of 'em. 'Taren't our man, he'll come by th' field-path--hist! What's yon?" My lord's eyes sparkled as, settling his hat more firmly, he loosened sword in scabbard and stepped daintily into the open. Then came a sudden rustling of leaves, the muffled thud of hasty feet, and, by light of the rising moon, his lordship saw a tangle of vague forms, that twisted and writhed, and arms that rose and fell viciously; out came his steel and with the long, narrow blade a-glitter he leapt forward shouting blithely as he ran. He was close upon the combatants when one staggered and fell, another was beaten to his knees and then the earl was upon them. Now a light small-sword is an awkward weapon to meet the swashing blows of heavy bludgeons; therefore his lordship kept away, avoiding their rushes and fierce strokes by quickness of foot and dexterity of body; twice his twinkling point had darted vainly but his third thrust was answered by a snarling cry of pain and incontinent his two assailants took to their heels, whereupon his lordship uttered a joyous shout and leapt in pursuit but was staggered by a blow from behind and, reeling aside, saw his third assailant make off after the others. My lord feeling suddenly faint and sick, cursed feebly and dropped his sword then, hearing a groan near by, staggered across to the fallen man. Thus Sergeant Zebedee presently opening his eyes looked up into the face above him, a face pallid in the moonlight and with a dark smear of blood on the cheek. Hereupon the Sergeant blinked, sat up and stared. "Zounds!" he exclaimed. "If you ain't the poacher as vanished into air all I say is--Zooks!" His lordship nodded and smiled faintly. "How goes it, Sergeant?" he questioned, swaying strangely from side to side as he knelt. "A woundy rap o' the nob d'ye see lad, and more o' the same front and rear, but no worse thanks t'you and now--Gog and Magog, hold up lad! What, ha' they got you too?" His lordship tried to laugh but failing, smiled instead: "Got me--aye!" he mumbled, "I--almost think--I'm going----" The words ended in a sigh and my lord Medhurst slipped limply to the ground and lay there. Muttering oaths in English, French and Dutch the Sergeant set hands to throbbing head and staring blankly about spied the sword near by; took it up, examined the point instinctively and nodding grimly contrived to set it back in scabbard. Then taking the inert figure in practised hold lifted him to broad shoulder and trudged sturdily off; but as he went the throbbing in his head seemed like hammer-strokes that deafened, that blinded him; yet on he strode nor paused nor stayed until the welcome lights of the Manor gleamed before him. As he plodded heavily on, he became aware of a voice hailing him above the thunderous hammer-strokes and he paused, reeling: "Zeb, Sergeant Zebedee!" "Here, sir!" he gasped hoarsely. Next moment the Major was beside him: "Suffer me, Zebedee," said he, and taking the insensible form in his powerful arms, led the way into the house and so to the library, the Sergeant plodding doggedly in his rear. Laying his inert lordship upon a settee, the Major summoned Mrs. Agatha, who, seeing the Sergeant bruised and bloody screamed once, below her breath, and immediately became all womanly dexterity. Softly, swiftly she bustled to and fro; first came cordials and glasses, thereafter a bowl of water, sponges and soft linen and very soon beneath her able and gentle ministrations the earl sighed, opened languid eyes and sitting up, stared about him while Mrs. Agatha promptly turned her attention to the battered Sergeant. "Faith, sir," said my lord apologetically, "I--I fear I was so foolish as to swoon----" "But saved my life first, your honour," added the Sergeant, dodging Mrs. Agatha's sponge to say so, "and winged one o' the rogues into the bargain." "Then sir," said the Major, "my deepest gratitude is yours. Sergeant Zebedee is--is an old comrade of mine a--a comrade and--and so forth as 'twere, my lord Medhurst." Here the Sergeant blinked and opened his mouth so wide that Mrs. Agatha felt impelled to promptly fill it with the sponge. "I trust sir," continued the Major, "you feel yourself a little recovered of your hurts?" "O infinitely sir--quite, quite!" answered the earl and getting to his feet, staggered and sat down again. "A small vertigo sir, a trifling dizziness," he explained, more apologetically than ever, "but 'twill soon pass." "Meantime," suggested the Major, viewing his pallor with sharp eyes, "I will, with your permission, send and notify my lady Carlyon of her brother's welfare." Here, by reason of astonishment and Mrs. Agatha's sponge the Sergeant spluttered and choked: "As to that sir," answered the earl, fidgeting, "I--faith! I had rather you didn't. And indeed, since you know who I am, 'twill be immediately apparent to you that the farther I am from Betty and the sooner I quit your roof, the better for all concerned----" "On the contrary, sir," said the Major, "'tis for that very reason I offer you the shelter of my roof until----" A rush of flying feet along the passage without, a fumbling knock and the door flying open discovered one of the maids her eyes round and staring in fearful excitement: "Soldiers!" she cried, "O sir--O Mrs. Agatha--'tis the soldiers--all round the house--lanthorns and guns--I do be frighted to death!" Mrs. Agatha dropped the sponge and uttering no word, pointed one plump finger at the frightened girl and stamped her foot; and before that ominous finger the trembling maid shrank and turning about incontinent fled, slamming the door behind her. For a breathless moment none moved. Then Medhurst rose a little unsteadily, glancing round rueful and helpless. "So then--'tis ended!" he sighed. "My poor, sweet Bet! And you sir--you--my God, I must not be taken here for your sake!" and he sprang towards the window. "Stay sir," said the Major gently, "'tis no use, the house is surrounded of course. Aye, I thought so----!" He nodded as in the dark beyond the curtained windows came the measured tramp of feet, a hoarse command and the ring of grounded muskets. "Sir--sir," exclaimed Lord Medhurst, "God forgive me that I all unwitting as I was, should bring you to this black hazard." "Nay, my lord," answered the Major, smiling into the earl's troubled face, "grieve not yourself on my account, 'twas I brought you hither knowing who you were, so do not reproach yourself, 'tis but the fortune of war. Hark, they are here, I think----" "Then I'll go meet 'em!" said his lordship, "I'll give myself up--they shall never--take me!" "Well said, sir," nodded the Major, his brow unruffled and serene, "we'll go together! Pray, Sergeant, open the door!" "Don't, Sergeant, don't!" panted Mrs. Agatha, "wait--O--wait!" Thus, speaking, she sped across the room and, kneeling before the great fireplace, seemed to feel along the carved foliage of the mantel with frenzied fingers, then uttered a gasp of satisfaction: "Quick--quick my lord!" she panted. And even as she spoke the great hearthstone sank down endwise turning upon itself and disclosing a narrow flight of steps. The earl uttered a sound between a laugh and a sob, turned aside to take up hat and sword and, descending into the gloomy depths, glanced up blithe of eye and waved his hand as the stone swung back into place above him. Then Mrs. Agatha rose, dusted her silken gown with her pretty white hands and curtseyed: "Your honour," said she, "with your leave, I'll run out to my poor, silly, frighted maids!" and taking up bowl and sponges while the Sergeant opened the door, she rustled away. With the door still in his hand, Sergeant Zebedee turned to stare at the Major and found the Major staring at him. "Sir," said he at last, "sir, she's--a----" here he paused to shake solemn head, "sir, she's the--sir--she--is--a--woman!" "Zeb," answered the Major, sinking into a chair, "she--most--undoubtedly--is!" But now the house was full of strange stir and hubbub, the tread and tramp of heavy feet, the clatter of accoutrements, and the ring of iron-shod muskets on stone-flagged hall. "Sir," questioned the Sergeant, putting on his wig and re-settling his rumpled garments, "shall I go out to 'em?" "Do so, Zeb, and bring the officer to me--here, in the library." The officer in question, a tall and languid exquisite, found the Major at his desk, who, setting aside his papers, rose to give him courteous greeting. "Ged, sir," he exclaimed returning the Major's stately bow, "you'll f'give this dem'd intrusion I trust--I'm Prothero, Captain o' Cleeve's, your very dutiful humble. You are Major d'Arcy, I think?" "The same, sir, and yours to command." "Let me perish, sir, 'tis an honour to meet you I vow and protest. Colonel Cleeve hath spoke of you--I've heard of you in Flanders also. All o' which doth but make an unpleasant duty--dem'd unpleasant. Regarding the which I may tell you that my lord Colonel is so put out over the business that he hath absented himself until our search here shall be over. But this Jacobite f'low is known to be i' these parts and my orders are to search every house----" "And orders are to be obeyed!" smiled the Major. "Let your men search, sir, and meantime a glass or so of Oporto perhaps----?" "Ged sir, your kindness smites me t' the heart I vow." The bottle having duly been brought and the glasses filled the Captain rose and proposed: "Sir, I give you 'Our Admirable Betty!' 'Tis a health much discussed in these parts o' late I believe, sir," said he, "aye and in London too. And the dem'dest strangest part on't is the man we hunt is her own brother--no less, sir! And since he is so here's wings to his heels say I, curst Jacobite though he be. But when a man is blessed with such a sister damn his politics, say I. And O Cupid, sir, what a crayture! Her shape! Her air! Her pretty, little, dem'd demure foot! I give you her foot, sir. And the pride of her! The grace of her! The dem'd bewitching enchanting entirety of her. I vow 'tis the dem'dest, charmingest piece o' feminine loveliness that ever lured mankind t' demnition. Demme sir, she's the sort o' goddess-crayture that gets into a f'low's blood--goes t' f'low's head like wine sir, makes a f'low forget duty, kindred, country, honour and even himself." "You have searched my lady's house, I take it?" enquired the Major. "Faith we have so, sir,--and herself to light us up-stairs and down. So gracious sir! _So tres debonnaire_! So smiling and altogether dem'd sedoocing--O Lard!" On this wise the Captain held forth until the wine was all gone, and his corporal came to announce that the house had been duly and thoroughly searched from cellar to attic, without success: whereupon the Captain rose, shook the Major's hand--babbled forth more apologies in melting, mellifluous accents, roared at his men and finally marched them out of the house and away. CHAPTER XXXI WHICH DESCRIBES SOMETHING OF MY LADY BETTY'S GRATITUDE The Major, leaning back somnolent in his great elbow-chair, fingers joined and head bowed, listened lethargically to the Sergeant who, sitting bolt upright, read aloud from the manuscript he held. "'Vauban, in his instructions on the siege of Aeth, giveth notice of sundry salient angles all fortified, the most open by bastions, the others, and those of at least ninety degrees, by demi-bastions----'" Here the Major snored but so gently that the Sergeant, whose whole attention was centred on the written words, was proceeding all unaware when a small, roundish object hurtled across the room, smote the Major softly upon the cheek and fell to the floor; hereupon the Major opened sleepy eyes. "Certainly, Zeb!" said he. "Egad you're in the right on't--er--I fear my attention was wandering as 'twere--though I listen very well with my eyes shut!" The Sergeant lowered the manuscript to stare, round-eyed: "Anan, sir?" he enquired. "Go on again, Zeb--this chapter on Salient Angles must be clear and concise as possible. Proceed, Zebedee--we'd got as far as the siege of Aeth, I think." Saying which, the Major closed his eyes again and Sergeant Zebedee, nothing loth, went on: "'--the most open by bastions, the others, and those of at least ninety degrees, by demi----'" Once again a small missile flew with unerring aim, struck the Major on the chin and rebounded on to the desk. The Major started, rubbed his eyes and sat up. "What now, Zeb?" he enquired. The Sergeant, lowering the manuscript again, stared harder than ever. "Sir?" he enquired. "Something--er--touched me I think Zeb!" "Touched you, sir! Zounds, here's but you and me, your honour!" "Strange!" mused the Major, rubbing his chin, "very strange, Zeb, I must ha' dreamed it, though I distinctly felt----" He leaned forward suddenly and picked up from the desk before him a half-opened moss rosebud. With this in his fingers he turned towards the open casement behind the Sergeant's chair and beheld a face, all roguish witchery and laughter, and two white hands held out to him. "Help me in, John--help me in!" she commanded. In an instant the Major was across the room, had clasped those slender hands and my lady, mounting the low sill, stood a moment framed in the heavy moulding of the long window, a very picture of vigorous young womanhood; then leaping lightly down with flashing vision of dainty feet and ankles, she crossed to where the Sergeant stood, very erect and upright, and setting her two hands upon his broad shoulders, smiled up at him radiant-eyed. "Sergeant Zebedee," said she, "dear Sergeant Zebedee you must be vastly strong to have carried my brother so far. Stoop down!" Wondering, the Sergeant obeyed and immediately felt the pressure of two warm, soft lips on his smooth-shaven cheek; whereupon he flushed, blinked and stood at attention. "Did you like it, Sergeant?" she enquired. "My lady, all I can say is--mam I--I did, your ladyship." "Then stoop again, Sergeant!" With an apologetic glance towards the Major he obeyed and my lady kissed his other cheek. Then she turned and looked at the Major with glistening eyes. "O!" she cried, "I am come overflowing with gratitude to you all for my dear brother's sake. I owe you his life--but for you he--he would be----" Her deep bosom swelled and she bowed her head. "Charles is very--very dear to me and--you saved him to me. O pray, John, may I see Mrs. Agatha?" Here, at a sign from the Major, Sergeant Zebedee strode from the room shutting the door carefully behind him: and as it closed they were in each other's arms. "Jack!" she murmured. "My noble John!" "Nay, beloved," he sighed, "dream not 'twas I. Sergeant Zebedee found him and but for Mrs. Agatha----" "O my scrupulous man, art afraid lest I do think too well of thee? Art frighted lest I give thee more gratitude than thy just due? Indeed but Charles hath told me all and I do know 'twas these arms bore him 'neath thy roof, 'twas thy brave heart sheltered him and was ready to face ignominy with him. But indeed if you have no--no will to--kiss me----" The Major kissed her until she sued for mercy. Thereafter, throned in his great chair, she surveyed the bare chamber with gentle eyes: "'Tis a great house, John," she nodded, "and this, a barren corner--and yet, meseemeth, 'tis not so--so outrageously desolate as it was." "My Betty," he answered, "I do but live for the time when it shall be brightened by thy sweet presence, its floors know the light tread of these dear feet, its walls the music of thy voice and---thy love make it 'home' for me at last." "'Deed John but you do grow poetical--though perchance thy style might not please Sir Benjamin or Sir Jasper or--O John how I have laughed and laughed----" Here came a gentle rapping on the door and being bidden enter, Mrs. Agatha appeared demure and smiling, dropped a curtsey to the Major, another to my lady and then she was caught in gentle embrace and kissed. "Why Mrs. Agatha!" exclaimed my lady, "dear Mrs. Agatha, how pretty you are! 'Tis seldom wit and beauty go together! Thank you, my dear, for a brother's life. For service so great there are no words--nought to repay. But take this and wear it in memory of a sister's gratitude!" And speaking, my lady took a necklet from her own white throat and clasped it about Mrs. Agatha's neck. "But for you," she sighed, "but for you I should have lost my only brother and--" my lady faltered, then, meeting Mrs. Agatha's gentle glance, threw up proud head, "and one I love--beyond all!" "My lady--O my lady!" cried Mrs. Agatha, "Heaven send you happiness now and ever--both!" Then stooping, she kissed my lady's hand and was gone. My lady crossed the room and seated herself in the Major's great elbow-chair while he, sitting on a corner of the desk gazed down at her with eyes of rapture. "Well, Major John?" "How--beautiful you are!" he sighed and she actually blushed and bowed her head. "O--John!" she whispered. "Surely many have told you so before?" "Hosts, of course, dear Major!" she nodded. "Aye, I fear I'm not very original," he sighed, "I'm awkward, I know, tongue-tied and mute when I would speak; but dear, my love doth 'whelm me so--poor, futile words are lost----" "'Deed, sir," she answered demurely, "I find no fault with your powers of converse more especially when you grow personal. That remark, now, 'beautiful' was the word I think, being a woman such will never tire me--as you say them." "Yet I do but echo what others have said before me." "Aye, but you say it as no other man ever did--you speak it so sincerely and reverently as it had been a prayer, John." "God knoweth I'm sincere, Betty." "So do I, John," and taking the rosebud from the desk she began to open its petals with gentle fingers. So the Major sat gazing at her, wishing that she would lift her eyes and she, knowing this, kept them lowered of course. "John," said she at last. "Betty?" "Sometimes you do seem almost--afraid to--touch me." "I am." "And wherefore?" "Because even now there are times when I scarce can credit my wondrous happiness, scarce believe you can really love--such as I----" "None the less I shall convince you once and for all--one day, Master Humility!" And now she lifted her head at last and looked at him, and, thrilling to the revelation of that look, he leaned swiftly down to her, but then she put up gentle hand and stayed him. "John," she murmured, "dear, when you look at me so you are not a bit humble, I know not if I fear you or--love you most. Stay, John, if my hair should come down and anyone see I--O then quick, John--there's aunt calling! Let us join the company ere we are fetched like truants. She is out on the terrace with Pancras and Mr. Marchdale who is a trifle trying at times being over-youthful and very soberly adoring. 'Chaste hour, soft hour, O hour when first we met!'" she quoted. "Indeed," she laughed, "'tis a very worshipful, humble youth so very unlike----" "Mr. Dalroyd!" said the Major thoughtfully. My lady started, the rosebud fell from relaxed fingers and she glanced up with a look in her eyes that might have been mistaken for sudden fear. "Why--why do you name--him?" she questioned dully; but before he could answer came a knock at the door and Mrs. Agatha appeared to say that "tea was a-drinking on the terrace!" They found Lady Belinda seated on the terrace before a tea equipage with Mrs. Agatha and a footman in attendance while beside her sat the Viscount, one arm in a sling, dutifully sipping a dish of tea and making wry faces over it. "Gad love me, 'tis the washiest stuff!" he sighed. "O dear Major, hark to the naughty wanton!" cried Lady Belinda as the Major bowed over her hand, "First he nigh breaks his neck knocking at fences and now miscalleth tea!" "Knocks at fences, aunt?" "Truly, he tells me his horse budged, took off something or other, was very short about it, knocked at a fence and fell--which is not to be wondered at." "Faith, Viscount," said Mr. Marchdale looking puzzled "'tis a fierce and dangerous beast that grey o' yours but I don't quite see----" "Nay," smiled the Viscount, "'twas that stiffish fence beyond Meadowbrook Bottom--the Colonel put his Arab at it and cleared but my grey balked, took off short, rapped, came down on his head and I came by a sprained arm and shoulder." "'Twas all that Colonel Cleeve's fault, I dare swear," cried Lady Belinda, "he's a wild soul, I fear!" "On the contrary, Aunt Belinda, he's a very noble fellow. And he bade me be sure carry you his humble duty." Here Lady Belinda blushed quite becomingly and perceiving the Viscount had contrived to swallow his tea, forthwith filled him more despite his expostulations. "Drink it, Pancras," she commanded, "'tis soothing and sedative and good for everything--see how healthy the Chinamen are--so polite too and placid, I vow!" "I'd no idea, mam," said the Major, "no idea that you and my old friend George were acquaint." "It happened yesterday sir, in Sevenoaks, Sir Benjamin made us known." "Talking of the Colonel," said Mr. Marchdale, "the village is all agog over the soldiers--they searched your house as well as my lady's I understand, sir?" "They did!" nodded the Major. "Consequently everybody is wondering what i' the world they wanted." "Why Charles for sure!" answered Lady Betty, "they seemed to think we had him in hiding." "Charles!" exclaimed Mr. Marchdale opening his mouth and staring, "O--Egad they--they didn't find him, of course!" "No, and I pray God they never will, wherever he may be." "Have you seen or heard from him since he rode for Scotland?" enquired Mr. Marchdale. "Because I----" "More tea, Mr. Marchdale?" demanded Lady Belinda. Mr. Marchdale's feeble refusals were overruled and he was treated beside to a long exordium on the beneficent qualities of the herb, the while he gulped down the beverage to the Viscount's no small satisfaction. As for the Major, he was looking at Betty and she at him, and the Viscount's quick glance happening to rove their way and noting the look in the Major's eyes and the answering flush on her smooth cheek the Viscount's own eyes opened very wide, he pursed his lips in a soundless whistle and thereafter studiously glanced another way. "Major d'Arcy sir," said Mr. Marchdale, gulping his tea and blinking, "I am come with an embassage to you, Tripp and the rest of us present their service and beg you'll join us at cards this evening--nothing big, a guinea or so----" "Aye, go, nunky," nodded the Viscount, "I'm going over to try some new songs with Betty." Here Mr. Marchdale sighed heavily. All too soon for the Major the ladies arose to take their departure. "We are hoping, dear Major," said Lady Belinda, "that you will come in to supper one evening soon, you and Pancras----" "With Colonel Cleeve, if he chance to be here still," added Betty. The gentlemen bowed, the ladies curtseyed, and descended the terrace steps all stately dignity and gracious ease. Left alone the Major stood awhile to enjoy the beauty of the sunset-sky and to sigh over the past hour; then slowly went into the house. In the study he found Sergeant Zebedee who stood tentatively beside the desk. "I was thinking, sir," said he, "that seeing the company is gone we might contrive to get through your chapter on Salient Angles at last!" "A happy thought, Zeb--by all means." So they sat down together then and there and the Sergeant took up the manuscript. It was then that the Major spied the fallen rosebud and glancing at the Sergeant stooped and picked it up almost furtively though all the Sergeant's attention was focussed, like his eyes, upon the foolscap in his hand; so, leaning back in his chair the Major raised the bud to reverent lips watching Sergeant Zebedee the while, who, clearing his throat with a loud "Hem!" began to read forthwith: "'Vauban, in his instructions on the siege of Aeth, giveth notice of sundry salient angles all fortified, the most open by bastions, the others, and those of at least ninety degrees, by demi-bastions...'" CHAPTER XXXII FLINT AND STEEL The Major, puffing thoughtfully at his pipe and hearkening to Sir Benjamin's ponderous witticisms, kept his sharp eyes on the card-players opposite, Mr. Marchdale flushed and eager, the Marquis smiling and good-humoured, Lord Alvaston sleepy as usual and Mr. Dalroyd blandly imperturbable. "Then, my dear sir, I gather you judge well o' that little flight o' mine t'other night?" enquired Sir Benjamin, "I mean the acrostic alliterative, how did it go----" 'Bewitching Bet, by bounteous beauty blessed'-- you think well on't, Major, eh?" "Indeed sir, 'twas very ingenious." "Od's body, sir, I think you've a judgment to be commended, I venture to opine it was ingenious--and therewith not lacking in wit, sir?" "By no means, Sir Benjamin." "To be sure the last line might be bettered, though it cost me a world o' thought. 'Twas if I remember: 'Yea you, yourself to yearn as beauty ought.' Yet od's my life sir! I fail to see how it should be bettered. Y is an awkward, stubborn, damned implacable letter at best, sir." "Truly a most awkward letter, Sir Benjamin." Here Mr. Marchdale slammed down his cards petulantly. "So!" he exclaimed, "that makes another fifteen guineas!" "Twenty-five, my dear Marchdale!" smiled Mr. Dalroyd, taking up a new pack. "How much ha' you lost, Alton?" "Nothing much Tony, only ten or so." "And you, Alvaston?" "Nay I'm 'n odd guinea or so t' th' good, s' far," yawned his lordship. "May I perish," exclaimed Mr. Marchdale, "but you and Dalroyd have all the luck, as usual!" "I--I in luck?" exclaimed Alvaston, his sleepy eyes wider than usual, "stint y'r dreams and babble not, Tony! Whoe'er saw me win? Never had any measure o' luck since I was breeched, or before. And talking o' luck, Major, how goeth Merivale, how's poor Tom since his spill yesterday?" "Bruised and sore, sir, but no worse, thank God. He'll be about again in a day or so." "Tom rides like--like the devil, strike me blue if he don't!" said the Marquis. "And just as reckless!" added Dalroyd. "Aye, but here was none o' that. His horse balked a fence, rapped and went down with him. Brute'll kill him yet, damme if he don't!" "Talking o' luck," pursued Alvaston, sorting his cards lazily, "never had any measure of it yet, either with cards, dice, horses or the sex. An' talkin' o' the sex, Tony my lad, what of its brightest and most particular, what of Bet, how speeds th' wooing?" Mr. Marchdale swore earnestly. "Oho!" murmured Alvaston, "doth she prove so cold and indifferent----" "Neither one nor t'other, but I must ha' more time." "Three days must suffice, Tony, 'twas so agreed. After you comes Ben and after Ben, Jasper and then after Jasper, West, with poor Ned and me left nowhere." "Aye, but damme," quoth the Marquis, "what o' Dalroyd here?" "Aye, where d'you come, Dalroyd?" queried Alvaston. Mr. Dalroyd's nostrils worked and his white teeth gleamed. "I come nowhere, anywhere or everywhere," he answered, surveying his hearers beneath lowered eyelids. "A free-lance in love, I--to woo precisely how and where and--when, I choose." Here for an infinitesimal space of time his keen eye rested on the Major. "You always were such a dem'd dumb dog!" quoth the Marquis. "Close as 'n oyster!" murmured Alvaston. "And he's lucky in cards and love, which ain't fair," grumbled Mr. Marchdale. "I've heard whispers of a handsome farmer's daughter not a hundred miles hence--eh, Dalroyd?" "'Tis your turn to lead, Marchdale!" said Mr. Dalroyd, his lips a little grim. "My fellow swears he saw you only t'other night--dev'lish late--with an armful o' loveliness----" "You should kick your fellow for impertinence, Marchdale, and 'tis your turn to lead!" "I'll be curst if I know what, then!" he exclaimed, slapping down a card at random. "There's Bet, now--and but one more day to win her! Who might win such a goddess in a day, 'tis preposterous----" "I've heard," smiled Mr. Dalroyd, "yes, I've heard of women being won in less. And as to goddesses, Endymion sighed not vainly nor over long." "Why as to that I progress--O I progress!" nodded Mr. Marchdale with youthful assertiveness, "she's all witching laughter and affection----" "Unhappy wight!" exclaimed Mr. Dalroyd. "Eh?" exclaimed Mr. Marchdale, wine-glass at lip, "How so?" "Kind Venus save me from affection feminine!" smiled Dalroyd, "Where affection is passion is not. So give me burning love or passionate hate and she is mine." "Od Dalroyd," interposed Sir Benjamin indignantly, "I say od's my life, sir, here's wooing most unorthodox, most unseemly i' faith!" "But natural, Ben," retorted Dalroyd, "women love or hate as the wind bloweth. Your loving woman is very well though apt to cloy, but your hater--O Ben! Besides, all women love a little force--to force 'em willing is child's play, to force 'em hating--ah Ben, that methinks is man's play." "Out on you, sir!" exclaimed Sir Benjamin. "Is it thus you'd win our incomparable, Our Admirable Betty?" Mr. Dalroyd threw down his cards and leaning back in his chair surveyed the indignant Sir Benjamin with his fleeting smile. "She is a woman, Ben, and therefore to be won one way or t'other." And here once again his keen gaze rested momentarily on the Major's passive figure. As for Sir Benjamin, his face grew purple, his great peruke seemed to bristle again. "Enough sir!" he cried, "Are we satyrs, hairy and unpolished, to creep, to crouch, to win by forceful fury what trembling beauty would deny? I say no sir--I say the day of such is long gone by I--I appeal to Major d'Arcy!" The Major, being thus addressed, blew forth a cloud of smoke, fanned it away with his hand and spoke in his measured, placid tones: "I fear sir, even in these days satyrs walk among us now and then though indeed they have covered their hairy and unpolished hides 'neath velvets and fine linen and go a-satyrizing delicately pulvilled. Yet woman, I take it, hath been granted eyes to see the brute 'neath all his dainty trappings." Here there fell a moment's silence, for the company, quick to sense the sudden tenseness in the air, sat in rapt expectation of what was to be; perceiving which Mr. Dalroyd smiled again and the Major went on smoking. At last, when he judged the silence had endured long enough, Mr. Dalroyd spoke: "Major d'Arcy, Ben's simile is perchance a little harsh, for he would have us all satyrs, in that at some time or other, every man doth seek, pursue and hunt the lovely sex to his own selfish end. Even you yourself, I dare swear, have dreamed dreams, have beheld a vision of some dainty beauty you would fain possess. I have, I do confess. Now, doth she yield--well and good! Doth she fly us, we pursue. And do we catch her--well, hate and love are kindred passions, nay indeed, hate is love's refinement, though both are passing moods. Indeed some women are preferable in the hating moods--to know the woman in one's arms hates one, there, sir, so 'tis said, is the very refinement of pleasure." "Sir," said the Major gently, "I heard one say as much in Flanders years agone and I did my best to kill him and thought I had succeeded, but of late I have begun to entertain grave doubts and never more so than at this minute." Here fell a silence absolute. Mr. Dalroyd's white lids flickered and into his eyes came a bodeful glare as he met the Major's placid but unswerving gaze and as they fronted each other thus, there fell a silence so absolute that the tick of a clock in distant corner sounded uncannily loud--a chair creaked, a foot scraped the floor, but save for this was silence, threatening and ominous, while Mr. Dalroyd glared at the Major and the Major, leaning back in his chair, stared at Mr. Dalroyd as if he would read the very soul of him. All at once came a whirr of springs and the clock began to chime midnight whereupon was sudden relaxation, chairs were moved, arms and legs stretched themselves. "Od's my life--midnight already!" exclaimed Sir Benjamin in very apparent relief. "Aye, faith!" yawned Alvaston, "Now is the witching hour when graveyards yawn----" "No, no, Bob!" laughed Dalroyd, "Now is the witching hour when beauty coy doth flush and furtive steal to raptures dreamed by day. Now is the witching hour when satyrs in compelling arms----" he yawned, smiled and rose. "Howbeit sirs, I am summoned hence----" "Ah--ah!" nodded Marchdale, "The farmer's daughter--the beauty o' the blue cloak--ha, lucky dog!" "A blue cloak!" repeated Mr. Dalroyd, "Egad, your fellow's too infernally observant, Marchdale, you should really kick him a little." So saying, Mr. Dalroyd crossed to the corner and took up his sword, "Adieu gentlemen," said he, "I go, shall we say, a-satyrizing--no, 'twould shock our Ben, none the less I--go. Gentlemen, I salute you!" And bowing to the room Mr. Dalroyd sauntered away. "Burn me!" exclaimed Alvaston, "the wine's near out, let's order up 'nother dozen or so an' make a night on't." This being agreed, the bottles presently made their appearance, glasses clinked and the company began to grow merry. But after two or three toasts had been called and honoured, the Major arose, made his excuses, and calling for his hat, sword and cane, presently took his departure. CHAPTER XXXIII DESCRIBING SOMETHING OF COQUETRY AND A DAWN It was a glorious summer night, the moon riding high in a cloudless heaven, a night full of a tranquil quietude and filled with the thousand scents of dewy earth. Before him stretched the wide road, a silver causeway fretted with shadows, a silent road where nothing moved save himself. Thus, joying in the beauty of the night, Major d'Arcy walked slowly and took a roundabout course, and a distant clock chimed the hour of one as he found himself traversing a small copse that abutted on his own property. In this place of light and shadow a nightingale poured forth his liquid notes rilling the leafy mysteries with ecstatic song; here the Major paused and setting his back to a tree, stood awhile to hearken, lost in a profound reverie. And into this little wood came two who walked very close together and spoke in rapt murmurs; near they came and nearer until the Major started and looking up beheld a woman who wore a blue cloak and whose face, hidden beneath her hood, was turned up to the eager face of him who went beside her. The Major, scowling and disgusted thus to have stumbled upon a vulgar amour and fearing to be seen, waited impatiently for them to be gone. But they stopped within a few yards of him, half screened from view behind a tangle of bushes. Hot with his disgust, the Major turned to steal away, heard a cry of passionate protest, and glancing back, saw the woman caught in sudden fierce arms, viciously purposeful, and drawn swiftly out of sight. "Mr. Dalroyd," said my lady gently, lying passive in his embrace, "pray turn your head." Wondering, he obeyed and stared into the muzzle of a small pocket pistol. "Dear Mr. Dalroyd--must I kill you?" she smiled; and he, beholding the indomitable purpose in that lovely, smiling face, gnashed white teeth and loosing her, stood back as the Major appeared. For a tense moment no one moved, then with an inarticulate sound Mr. Dalroyd took a swift backward step, his hand grasping the hilt of his small-sword; but the Major had drawn as quick as he and the air seemed full of the blue flash and glitter of eager steel. Then, even as the swift blades rang together, my lady had slipped off her cloak and next moment the murderous points were entangled, caught, and held in the heavy folds. "Shame sirs, O shame!" she cried. "Will you do murder in my very sight? Loose--loose your hold, both of you--loose, I say!" Here my lady, shaking the entangled blades in passionate hands, stamped her foot in fury. The Major, relinquishing his weapon, stepped back and bowed like the grand gentleman he was; then Mr. Dalroyd did the same and so they stood facing each other, my lady between them, the bundled cloak and weapons clasped to her swelling bosom; and it was to be remarked that while Mr. Dalroyd kept his ardent gaze bent upon her proud loveliness, the Major, tall and stately, never so much as glanced at her. "Sir," said he, "our quarrel will keep awhile, I think?" "Keep--aye sir!" nodded the other carelessly, "you'll remark the farmers in these parts beget goddesses for daughters, sir." "Major d'Arcy," said my lady, "take your sword, sir." The Major, keeping his eyes averted, sheathed the weapon and forthwith turned his back; and as he limped heavily away was aware of Dalroyd's amused laughter. He walked slowly and more than once blundered into a tree or tripped over manifest obstacles like one whose eyesight is denied him, and ever as he went Mr. Dalroyd's triumphant laughter seemed to ring in his ears. Thus at last he came out of the shadow of the little wood, but now was aware of the tread of quick, light feet behind him, felt a hand upon his arm and found my lady at his side. Then he stopped and drawing from her contact glanced back and saw Mr. Dalroyd watching them from the edge of the coppice, his arms folded and the smile still curling his lips; my lady saw him also and with a passionate gesture bade him begone, whereupon he flourished off his hat, laughed again, and bowing profoundly, vanished amid the trees. Then they went on side by side, my lady quick-breathing, the Major grim and stately--a very grand gentleman indeed. At last they reached a lane whose high banks sheltered them from all chance of observation; here my lady paused. "O John," she murmured, "I'm so--so weary, prithee don't hurry me so!" The Major, mute and grim, stared straight before him. "John?" said she tenderly. At this he turned and looked at her and before that look my lady cried out and cowered away. "John!" she cried in frightened wonderment. "Madam," said he, "why are you here, I sought you not? If you are for dallying, go back--back to your----" He clenched his teeth on the word and turned away. "If mam, if you are--for home to-night I'll see you so far. Pray let us go." And he strode impatiently forward, but presently, seeing her stand where he had left her, pale and forlorn, frowned and stood hesitating. Here my lady, feeling the situation called for tears, sank down upon the grassy bank beside the way and forthwith wept distractingly; though had any been there to notice, it might have been remarked that her eyes did not swell and her delicate nose did not turn red--yet she wept with whole-hearted perseverance. The Major grew restless, he looked up the lane and he looked down the lane, he turned scowling eyes aloft to radiant moon and down to shadowy earth; finally he took one long pace back towards her. "Madam!" said he. My lady sobbed and bowed her lovely head. The Major approached another step. "My lady!" he remonstrated. My lady gasped and crouched lower. The Major approached nearer yet. "Mam!" My lady choked and sank full length upon the mossy turf. The Major stooped above her. "Betty!" said he anxiously. "You--you're never swooning?" "O John!" she said in strangled voice. "Great heavens!" he exclaimed. "Art ill--sick----?" "At--at heart, John!" she murmured, stealing a look at his anxious face. The Major stood suddenly erect, frowning a little. "Madam!" said he. A deep sigh. "My lady--mam----" "Do not--call me so!" "You'll take a rheum--a cold, lying there--'tis a heavy dew!" "Why then I will--let me, John." "Pray get up, mam--my lady." "Never, John!" "Why then----" said he and paused to look up the lane once more. "What, John?" "You force me to----" He paused and glanced down the lane. "To--what, John!" "To carry you!" "Never, John! For shame! Besides you couldn't. I'm a vast weight and----" The Major picked her up, then and there, and began to carry her down the lane. And after they had gone some distance she sighed and with a little wriggle disposed herself more comfortably; and after they had gone further still he found two smooth, round arms about his neck and thereafter a soft breath at his ear. "Pray don't be angry with your Betty, John dear." The Major stopped and stared down at her in the brilliant moonlight. Her eyes were closed, her rosy lips just apart, curving to a smile; he drew a sudden deep breath, and stooping his head, kissed her. For a long moment he held her thus, lip to lip, then all at once he set her down on her feet. "Gad!" he cried, "what kind of woman are you to lure and mad me with your kisses----" "Your woman, John." "And yet--for aught I know----" the Major clenched his fists and pressed them on his eyes as if to shut out some hateful vision--"ah God, for aught I can be sure----" "What, John?" "He--he hath kissed you too, this night----" "But he hath not, John--nor ever shall." "Yet I saw you in his arms----" My lady sighed and bowed her head. "The beast is always and ever the beast!" she said. "How came you with him in a wood--after midnight?" "For sufficient reasons, John." "There never was reason sufficient--nay, not even your brother----" "Nay dear John, I think different----" "To peril that sweet body----" The Major choked. "Nay, I'm very strong--and--and I have this!" The Major scowled at the small, silver-mounted weapon and turned away. "There is your maiden reputation----" "That is indeed mine own, and in good keeping. Grieve not your woeful head on that score." "Ah Betty, why will you run such hazard----" "Because 'tis so my will, sir." The Major bowed. "'Tis long past midnight, madam." "Aye, 'tis a sweet hour--so still and solitary." "Shall we proceed, madam?" "At your pleasure, sir." So they went on side by side silently awhile, the Major a little grim and very stately. "I do think John thou'rt very mannish at times." "Mannish, madam?" "Blind, overbearing and apt to be a little muddled." The Major bowed. "For instance, John, methinks you do muddle a woman of will with a wilful woman." The Major bowed. "Now if, John, if in cause so just I should risk--not my body but my name--my fame, who shall stay me seeing I'm unwed and slave to no man yet--God be thanked." The Major bowed lower than ever and went beside her with his grandest air. "'Deed John," she sighed, "if you do grow any more dignified I fear you'll expire and perish o' pride and high-breeding." The distant clock struck two as, turning down a certain bye-lane, the Major paused at a rustic door that gave into my lady's herb-garden. But when he would have opened it she stayed him. "'Tis so late, John----" "Indeed 'tis very late, madam!" "Too late to sleep this night. And such a night, John--the moon, O the moon!" "What o' the moon, madam?" "John d'Arcy I do protest if you bow or say 'madam' again I--I'll bite you! And the moon is--is--the moon and looks vastly romantic and infinite appealing. So will I walk and gaze upon her pale loveliness and sigh and sigh and--sigh again, sir." "But indeed you cannot walk abroad--at this hour----" "Having the wherewithal I can sir, and I will, sir." "But 'tis after two----" "Then sir, in but a little while it will be three, heigho, so wags the world--your arm pray, your arm." "But my lady pray consider--your health--your----" "Fie sir and fiddlededee!" "But the--the dew, 'tis very----" "Excellent for the complexion!" and she trilled the line of a song: 'O 'tis dabbling in the dew that makes the milkmaids fair.' "But 'tis so--unseasonable! So altogether--er--irregular, as 'twere----" "Egad sir and you're i' the right on't!" she mocked. "'Tis unseasonable, unreasonable, unwomanly, unvirginal and altogether unthinkable as 'twere and so forth d'ye see! Major d'Arcy is probably pining for his downy bed. Major d'Arcy must continue to pine unless he will leave a poor maid to wander alone among bats and owls and newts and toads and worms and goblins and other noxious things----" "But Betty, indeed----" "Aye, John--indeed! To-night you did look on me as I had committed--as I had been--O 'twas a hateful look! And for that look I'll be avenged, and my vengeance is this, to wit--you shall sleep no wink this night! Your arm sir, come!" Almost unwillingly he gave her his arm and they went on slowly down the lane; but before they had gone very far that long arm was close about her and had swept her into his embrace. "Betty," he murmured, "to be alone with you thus in a sleeping world 'tis surely a foretaste of heaven." He would have drawn her yet nearer but she stayed him with arms outstretched. "John," said she, "you ha' not forgot how you looked at me to-night, as I were--impure--unworthy? O John!" The Major was silent. "It angered me, John but--ah, it hurt me more! O Jack, how could you?" But now, seeing him stand abashed and silent, her repelling arms relaxed and she came a little nearer. "Indeed John, I'll allow you had some small--some preposterously pitiful small excuse. And you might answer that one cannot come nigh pitch without being defiled. But had you said anything so foolish I--I should ha' sent you home to bed--at once!" Here the Major drew her a little nearer. "But John," she sighed, "you did doubt me for awhile--I saw it in your eyes. Look at me again, John--here a little closer--here where the light falls clear--look, and tell me--am I different? Do I seem any less worthy your love than I was yesterday?" "No," he answered, gazing into her deep eyes. "O my Betty, God help me if ever I lost faith in you, for 'twould be the end of hope and faith for me." "But you did lose faith to-night, John--for a little while! And so you shall sue pardon on your knees, here at my feet--nay, 'tis damp, mayhap. I'll sit yonder on the bank and you shall kneel upon a fold of my cloak. Come!" So the Major knelt to her very reverently and taking her two hands kissed them. "Dear maid that I love," said he, "forgive the heart that doubted thee. But O love, because I am a very ordinary man, prithee don't--don't put my faith too oft upon the rack for I am over prone to doubts and jealous fears and they--O they are torment hard to bear." Now here she leaned forward and, taking him by two curls of his long periwig, drew him near until she could look into his eyes: "Jack dear," she said, very tenderly, "I needs must meet this man again---and yet again----" "Why?" he questioned, "Why?" "Because 'tis only thus my plan shall succeed. Will you doubt me therefore?" "No!" he cried hoarsely, "not you--never you, sweet maid! Tis him I doubt, he is a man, strong, determined and utterly ruthless and you are a woman----" "And more than his match, John! O do but trust me! Do but wait until my plan is ripe----" "Betty, a God's name what is this wild plan?" "Nay, that I may not tell thee----" "Could I not aid?" "Truly--by doubting me no more, John. By trusting me--to the uttermost." The Major groaned and bowed his head: "Ah Betty!" he sighed, "yet must I think of thee as I saw thee to-night--alone with that--that satyr and nought to protect thee but thy woman's wit. God!" he cried, his powerful form shaking, "God, 'tis unthinkable! It must not be--it shall not be!" here he lifted face to radiant heaven, "I'll kill him first--I swear!" Now seeing the awful purpose in that wild, transfigured face, she cried out and clasping him in tender arms, drew him near to kiss that scowling brow, those fierce, glaring eyes, that grim-set, ferocious mouth, pillowing his head upon her bosom as his mother might have done. "O my John," she cried, "be comforted! Never let thy dear, gentle face wear look so evil, I--I cannot bear it." "I'll kill him!" said the Major, the words muffled in her embrace. "No, John! Ah no--you shall not! I do swear thee no harm shall come to me. I will promise thee to keep ever within this lane when--when we do meet o' nights----" Here the Major groaned again, wherefore she stooped swiftly to kiss him and spoke on, her soft lips against his cheek; "Meet him I needs must, dear--once or twice more if my purpose is to succeed--but I do vow and swear to thee never to quit this lane, John. I do swear all this if thou too wilt swear not to pursue this quarrel." "He will insist on a meeting, Betty--and I pray God soon!" "And if he doth not, John--if he doth not, thou wilt swear to let the quarrel pass?" "Art so fearful for me, Betty?" "O my John!" she whispered, her embrace tightening, "how might I live without thee? And he is so cold, so--deadly!" "Yet art not afraid for thyself, Betty!" "Nor ever shall be. So promise me, John--O promise me! Swear me, dear love!" And with each entreaty she kissed him, and so at last he gave her his promise, kneeling thus his head pillowed between soft neck and shoulder; and being in this fragrant nest his lips came upon her smooth throat and he kissed it, clasping her in sudden, passionate arms. "John!" she whispered breathlessly. "O John!" Instantly he loosed his hold and rising, stood looking down at her remorsefully. "Dear--have I--angered you?" he questioned in stammering humility. "Angry--and with thee?" and she laughed, though a little tremulously. "Betty, I do worship thee--revere thee as a goddess--and yet----" "You tickle me, John! You are by turns so reverent and humble and so--so opposite. I do love your respect and reverent homage, 'tis this doth make me yearn to be more worthy--but alack! I am a very woman, John, especially with thine arms about me and--and the moon at the full. But heigho, the moon is on the wane, see, she sinketh apace." "Dawn will be soon, Betty." "Hast seen a many dawns, John?" "Very many!" "But never one the like of this?" "Never a one." "O 'tis a fair, sweet world!" she sighed, "'tis a world of faerie, a dream world wherein are none but thou and I. Here is neither doubt nor sorrow, but love and faith abiding. Come let us walk awhile in this our faerie kingdom." Slowly they went beneath the fading moon, speaking but seldom, for theirs was a rapture beyond the reach of words. So at last they came to a stile and paused there to kiss and sigh and kiss again like any rustic youth and maid. Something of this was in my lady's mind, for she laughed soft and happily and nestled closer to him. "My Master Grave-airs," she murmured, "O Master Grave-airs where is now thy stately dignity, where now my fine-lady languor and indifference? To stand at a stile and kiss like village maid and lad--and--love it, John! How many rustic lovers have stood here before us, how many will come after us, and yet I doubt if any may know a joy so deep. Think you paradise may compare with this? Art happy, John?" "Beloved," he answered, "I who once sought death boldly as a friend now do fear it like a very craven----" "Ah no!" she cried, "speak not of death at such an hour, my Jack." "Betty," said he, "O Betty, thou art my happiness, my hope, my very life. I had thought to go wifeless, childless and solitary all my days in my blindness and was content. But heaven sent thee to teach me the very joy and wonder of life, to--to----" "To go beside thee henceforth, John, my hand in thine, learning each day to love thee a little more, to cherish and care for thee, men are such children and thou in some things a very babe. And belike to quarrel with thee, John--a little----" At this he laughed happily and they were silent awhile. "See John, the moon is gone at last! How dark it grows, 'tis the dawn hour methinks and some do call it the death hour. But with these dear arms about me I---shouldn't fear so--very much." Slowly, slowly upon the dark was a gleam that grew and grew, an ever waxing brightness filling the world about them. "Look!" she whispered, "look! O John, 'tis the dawn at last, 'tis the dayspring and hath found me here upon thy breast!" Thus, standing by that weatherbeaten stile that had known so many lovers before them, they watched day's majestic advent; a flush that deepened to rose, to scarlet, amber and flaming gold. And presently upon the brooding stillness was the drowsy call of a blackbird uncertain as yet and hoarse with sleep, a note that died away only to come again, sweeter, louder, until the feathered tribe, aroused by this early herald, awoke in turn and filled the golden dawn with an ecstasy of rejoicing. Then my lady sighed and stirred: "O John," said she, "'tis a good, sweet world! And this hath been a night shall be for us a fragrant memory, methinks. But now must I leave thee--take me home, my John." So he brought her to the rustic gate that opened upon the lane and setting it wide, stooped to kiss her lips, her eyes, her fragrant hair and watched her flit away among the sleeping roses. When she had gone he closed the door and trod a path gay with dewy gems; and hearkening to the joyous carolling of the birds it seemed their glad singing was echoed in his heart. CHAPTER XXXIV HOW MR. DALROYD MADE A PLAN AND LOCKED HIS DOOR Mr. Dalroyd kicked the obsequious Joseph soundly and cursed him soft-voiced but with a passionate fervour; yet such violence being apt to disarrange one's dress and to heat and distort one's features, Mr. Dalroyd reluctantly checked the ebullition and seating himself before the mirror surveyed his handsome face a little anxiously and with glance quick to heed certain faint lines that would occasionally obtrude themselves in the region of eye and mouth. "Positively, I'm flushed!" he panted, "and for that alone I'd kick you downstairs, my poor worm, were it not that 'twould disorder me damnably. As 'tis I'll restore you to the hangman for the rogue you are!" "Sir," said Joseph, bowing obsequious back and keeping his eyes humbly abased, "you ask a thing impossible----" "Ask, animal? I never ask, I command!" "But indeed--indeed sir I cannot even though I would----" "Think again, Joseph, and mark this, Joseph, I saved you from the gallows because I thought you might be useful, very good! Now the instant you cease to be of use I give you back and you hang--so think again, Joseph." "Lord--Lord help me!" exclaimed Joseph, writhing and wringing his hands but keeping his eyes always lowered. "Sir, 'tis impossible, 'tis----" "In your predatory days, Joseph, you were of course well acquainted with other debased creatures like yourself, very good! You will proceed forthwith to get together three or four such--three or four should suffice. You will convene them secretly hereabouts. You will form your plans and next Saturday you will escort my lady Carlyon to a coach I shall have in waiting at the cross-roads." "Abduct her, sir?" "Precisely, Joseph! You and your--ah--assistants will bear her to the coach----" "By force, sir?" "Force! Hum, 'tis an ugly word! Say rather by gentle suasion, Joseph, but as silently as may be--there must be no wails or shrieking----" "You mean choke her quiet, sir?" enquired Joseph gently, his eyelids drooping more humbly than ever. Mr. Dalroyd turned from his toilet and smiled, "Joseph," said he softly, "if I find so much as a bruise or a scratch on her loveliness I'll break every bone in your rogue's carcass. So, as I say, you will see her conveyed silently into the coach, you will mount the rumble with your weapons ready in case of pursuit and upon arrival at our--destination I disburse to you certain monies and give you--quittance of my service." "Abduction is a capital offence, sir." "Egad, I believe it is. But you have run such chances ere now----" "True sir. There was your uncle, since dead----" "Ha!" exclaimed Mr. Dalroyd and, soft though his voice was, Joseph blenched and cowered. "I--I've served you faithfully hitherto, sir!" said he hastily. "And will again, grub!" nodded Mr. Dalroyd. "You will take two days' leave to make your necessary arrangements and on second thoughts I will give you two hundred guineas; one half as earnest-money you shall take with you in the morning--now go. I'll dispense with your services to-night. Begone, object! You shall have the money and further instructions in the morning." Joseph took a hesitating step towards the door, paused and came back. "Sir, how if--our scheme fail?" "The--scheme will not fail." "Sir, how if I make off with the money?" "Why then, Joseph, there is your bedridden mother you have so great a weakness for--she cannot abscond." Here Joseph raised his eyes at last and Mr. Dalroyd happening at that moment to glance into the mirror saw murder glaring at him, instantly Joseph's gaze abased itself, yet a fraction too late, Mr. Dalroyd's hand shot out and catching up a heavy toilet-bottle he whirled about and felled Joseph to his knees. "Ha!" he exclaimed softly, staring down at the fallen man who crouched with bloody face hidden in his hands, "I've met and mastered your like ere this! Out, vermin--come out!" And stooping, he seized the cowering form in strong, merciless hands, dragged him across the floor and kicked him from the room. Then, having closed the door Mr. Dalroyd surveyed himself in the mirror again, examined eye and mouth with frowning solicitude and proceeded to undress. Being ready for bed, he took up the candle, then stood with head bent in the attitude of one in thought or like one who hearkens for distant sounds, set down the candle and opening a drawer took out a silver-mounted pistol and glanced heedfully at flint and priming; with this in his hand he crossed the room and slipping the weapon under his pillow, got into bed and blew out the candle. But, in the act of composing himself to sleep, he started up suddenly, and sat again in the attitude of one who listens; then very stealthily, he got out of bed and crossing to the door felt about in the dark and silently shot the bolt. CHAPTER XXXV HOW THE SERGEANT TOOK WARNING OF A WITCH Sergeant Zebedee having pinked the Viscount in every vital part of his aristocratic anatomy, lowered his foil, shook his head and sighed while the Viscount panted rueful. "You reached me seven times I think, that bout, Zeb?" "Eight, sir!" "Ha, the dooce! How d'ye do it?" "'Tis your own self, m' lud. How can I help but pink you when you play your parades so open and inviting?" "Hm!" said the Viscount, frowning. "And then too, you're so slow in your recoveries, Master Pancras--Tom, sir!" "Anything more, Zeb?" "Aye, m' lud. Your hand on your p'int's for ever out o' the line and your finger-play----" The Sergeant shook his head again. "Devil burn it, Zeb! I begin to think I don't sound over-promising. And yet--Gad love me, Sergeant, but you've no form, no style, y' know, pasitively none! In the schools they'd laugh at your play and call it mighty unmannerly." "Belike they would, sir. But 'tis the schools as is the matter wi' you and so many other modish gentlemen, same be all froth and flourish. But flourishes though taking to the eye, is slow m' lud, slow." "Nay, I've seen some excellent fencing in the schools, Zeb, such poise o' bady, such grace----" "Grace is very well, m' lud--in a school. But 'tis one thing to play a veney wi' blunted weapons and another to fight wi' the sharps." "True, Zeb, though La Touche teacheth in his book----" "Book!" exclaimed the Sergeant and snorted. "Hm!" said the Viscount, smiling, "howbeit in these next three days, I'd have you teach me all you can of your--unmannerly method." "And wherefore three days, sir?" "Why as to that Zeb--er--Lard save me, I'm to ride with the Major to Sevenoaks, he'll be waiting! Here, help me on with this!" And laying by his foil, the Viscount caught up his coat. "Three days, Master Tom, and wherefore three?" enquired the Sergeant as Viscount Merivale struggled into his tight-fitting garment. "Take care, Zeb, 'tis a new creation." "And seems much too small, sir!" "Nay, 'twill go on in time, Zeb, in time. I shall acquire it by degrees. Ease me into it--gently, gently--so!" "And wherefore three days, sir?" persisted the Sergeant, as the coat being "acquired" its wearer settled its graceful folds about his slender person. "Why three is a lucky number they say, Zeb," and with a smiling nod the Viscount hasted serenely away. "Three days!" muttered the Sergeant, looking after him. "Zounds--I wonder!" So saying, he put away the foils and taking a pair of shears set himself to trim one of the tall yew hedges, though more than once he paused to rub his chin and murmur: "Three days--I wonder?" This remark he had just uttered for perhaps the twentieth time when, roused by a hurried, shambling step, he glanced up and saw Roger, one of the under-gardeners who, touching an eyebrow, glanced over right shoulder, glanced over left, and spoke: "Sergeant I do ha' worked here i' the park an' grounds twenty-five year man an' boy, an' in all that length o' days I never knowed it to happen afore, an' now it 'ave happened all of a shakesome sweat I be, hares-foot or no--an' that's what!" "What's to do, Roger?" "'Tis the eyes of 'er, Sergeant! 'Tis 'er mumping an' 'er mowing! 'Tis all the brimstoney look an' ways of 'er as turns a man's good flesh to flesh o' goose, 'is bones to jelly an' 'is bowels to water--an' that's what!" "Nay, but what is't, Roger man?" "'Ere's me, look'ee, trimming them borders, Sergeant, so 'appy-'earted as any bird and all at once, I falls to coldsome, quakesome shivers, my 'eart jumps into my jaws, my knees knocks an' trembles horrorsome-like, an' I sweats----" "Zounds!" exclaimed the Sergeant. "Then I feels a ghas'ly touch o' quakesome fingers as shoots all through my vitals--like fire, Sergeant and--there she is at my elber!" "Who, Roger?" "And 'er looks at me doomful, Sergeant, an' that's what!" "Aye, but who, Roger, damme who?" "'Tis th' owd witch as do be come for 'ee an' that's what!" "Name of a dog!" exclaimed the Sergeant. "For me?" "Aye," nodded Roger, glancing over his shoulder again, "'I want the Sergeant,' says she roupysome and grim-like, 'bring me the fine, big, sojer-sergeant,' she says." "And what's her will wi' me?" enquired the Sergeant, glancing about uneasily. "Wants to blast 'ee belike, Sergeant," groaned Roger. "Or mayhap she be minded only to 'witch 'ee wi' a bloody flux, or a toothache, or a windy colic or--Angels o' mercy, there she be a-coming!" Turning hastily the Sergeant beheld a bowed, cloaked figure that hobbled towards them on a stick. The Sergeant let fall the shears and thrusting hand into frilled shirt, grasped a small, gold cross in his sinewy fingers. Being come up to them the old creature paused and showed a face brown, wrinkled and lighted by glittering, black eyes; then lifting her staff she darted it thrice at the trembling Roger: "Hoosh! Scow! Begone!" she cried in harsh, croaking voice, whereupon Roger forthwith took to his heels, stumbling and praying as he ran while the Sergeant gripped Mrs. Agatha's gold cross with one hand while he wiped sweat from his brow with the other as he met her piercing eyes. "Good morrow, mam!" said he at last. The old woman shook her head but remained silent, fixing him with her wide-eyed stare. "Mam," he ventured again, "what would ye wi' me? Are you in trouble again, old Betty? If so--speak, mam!" The old woman, bowed upon her staff, viewed his tall figure up and down with her bright eyes and nodded: "'Tis my tall, fine sojer!" she said at last, and her voice had lost its shrill stridency. "'Tis my kind sojer so like the one I lost long and long since. I'm old: old and knew sorrow afore the mother as bore ye. Sorrow hath bided in me all my woeful days. Pain, pain, and hardship my lot hath been. They've hunted me wi' sticks and stones ere now, I've knowed the choking water and the scorch o' cruel fire. I mind all the pain and evil but I mind the good--aye, aye! There's been many to harm and few t' cherish! Aye, I mind it all, I mind it, the evil and the good. And you was kind t' old Betty because your 'eart be good, so I be come this weary way to warn 'ee, my big sojer." "Warn me--of what, mam?" "A weary way, a woeful way for such old bones as Betty's!" "Why then come sit ye and rest, mam. Come your ways to the arbour yonder." Moaning and muttering the old woman followed whither he led, but seeing how she stumbled he reached out his hand, keeping the other upon his small gold cross and so brought her into the hutch-like sentry-box. Down sat old Betty with a blissful sigh; but now, when he would have withdrawn his hand, her fingers closed upon it, gnarled and claw-like and, before he could prevent, she had stooped and touched it to her wrinkled cheek and brow. "'Tis a strong hand, a kindly hand," she croaked, "'tis a sojer's hand--my boy was a sojer but they killed him when the world was young. I'm old, very old, and deaf they say--aha! But the old can see and the deaf can hear betimes, aha! Come, ope your hand, my dear, come ope your hand and let old Betty read. So, here's a big hand, a strong hand--now let us see what says the big, strong hand. Aha--here's death----" "Zounds!" exclaimed the Sergeant, starting. "You're something sudden mam, death is our common lot----" "Death that creeps, my dear. Here's ill chances and good. Here's sorrow and joy. Here's love shall be a light i' the dark. But here's dangers, perils, night-lurkers and creepers i' the gloom. Death for you and shame for her." "Ha--for her!" cried the Sergeant, his big hand clenching on the feeble, old fingers. "D'ye mean--Mrs. Agatha, mam?" "No, no, my dear, no no!" answered old Betty, viewing his stern and anxious face with her quick bright eyes. "'Tis not her you love, no, no, 'tis one as loveth him ye serve. 'Tis one with a soul as sweet, as soft and white as her precious body, 'tis one as is my namesake, 'tis----" "_Sapperment_!" exclaimed the Sergeant. "You never mean my lady Betty, my lady Carlyon----" "Aye, aye my dear--'tis she!" "And in danger, d'ye say? Can ye prove it, mam?" "Come ye to-morrow t' my cottage at rise o' moon and I'll show ye a thing, ye shall see, ye shall hear. Bring him along o' you him--ssh!" The old woman's clutch tightened suddenly, her bowed figure grew more upright, and she stared wide of eye: "Come," she cried suddenly, in her shrillest tones, "you as do hearken--come! You in petticoats--aha, I can see, I can hear! Come forth, I summon ye!" A moment's utter silence, then leaves rustled and Mrs. Agatha stood in the doorway, her eyes very bright, her cheeks more rosy than usual. "Sergeant Tring," she demanded, "what doth the old beldam here?" Old Betty seemed to cower beneath Mrs. Agatha's look, while the Sergeant fidgeted, muttered "Zounds" and was thereafter dumb. "'Tis an arrant scold and wicked witch," continued Mrs. Agatha, "and should to the brank, or the cucking-stool----" "No, no!" cried the old woman, shivering and struggling to her feet. "Not again a God's love, mistress--not again! I'll be gone! Let me go!" "Nay, not yet mam," said the Sergeant gently as he rose; "you are weary, sit ye and rest awhile. Mrs. Agatha mam, you speak woman-like----" "Aye, aye," nodded old Betty, "'tis ever woman is cruellest to woman!" "As you will, Zebedee Tring!" nodded Mrs. Agatha. "Yonder is Roger Bent shook with a shivering fit at sight of her while you sit here and let her scrabble your hand, but as you will!" and crossing her arms over opulent bosom Mrs. Agatha would have turned away but old Betty stabbed at her with bony finger. "Woman," she croaked, "I'm here t' save the man you love. Come sit ye and list to my telling." Mrs. Agatha faltered, whereupon the Sergeant caught her hand, drawing her into the arbour: and there, sitting beside the old woman they hearkened to her story. "Mam," said the Sergeant, "ha' ye told my lady Carlyon aught o' this? "Nay, nay," answered old Betty, "I had a mind to--but they wouldna let me see my lady--the footmen and lackeys laughed at poor old Bet and turned her from the door--so I did come to tell my brave sojer-sergeant." "'Tis just as well, mam," nodded the Sergeant, "for now you shall come wi' us to his honour, the Major will hear you, I'll warrant me, so come your ways, mam." "Aye," said Mrs. Agatha, "and you shall eat and drink likewise and after the Sergeant shall drive you back to Inchbourne an he will." Thus Roger Bent, busied in the herb-garden, chancing to lift his head, stood suddenly upright, staggered back and fell into a clump of parsley; and propped upon an elbow, stared, as well he might, for into the sacred precincts of her stillroom went Mrs. Agatha and the Sergeant but between them tottered the bowed form of old Betty the witch. "Lord!" exclaimed Roger, ruffling up his shock of hair. "My eyes is sure a-deceiving of me--an' that's what!" CHAPTER XXXVI HOW THEY RODE TO INCHBOURNE "And what time doth the moon rise, Zebedee?" enquired the Major as they swung their horses into the high road. "Ten forty-five about, your honour," "Then we've no need for hurry. And egad Zeb, it sounds a wild story!" "It do so, sir, cock and bullish as you might say." "To abduct my lady, Zeb!" "On Saturday night next as ever was, your honour." "And this is Friday night!" said the Major thoughtfully. "Which do give us good time to circumvent enemy's manoover." "How many of the rogues will be there, think you?" "Can't say for sure, sir. 'Twas three on 'em as ambushed me t'other night." "Why as to that Zeb, as to that I imagine you brought that drubbing on yourself by your somewhat frequent and indiscriminate--er--pewter-play as 'twere." "Mayhap sir, though if so be rogues were same rogues I should ha' knowed same, though to be sure 'twere a darkish night and they were masked. Howsobe, my Lord Medhurst pinked one of 'em, his point was prettily bloodied." "Are you armed, Zeb?" "Nought to speak of, sir." "What have you?" "A sword sir, and a brace o' travelling-pistols as chanced to lay handy which, with your honour's, maketh four shot, two swords and a bagnet." "Lord, Zeb, we're not going up against a troop!" said the Major, smiling in the dark, "and why the bayonet?" "'Tis the one I used for to carry when we were on outpost duty at night, sir--the one as I had shortened for the purpose, your honour. You'll mind as there's nought like a short, stiff bagnet when 'tis a case o' silence. And as for a troop you ha'n't forgot the time as we routed that company o' Bavarian troopers, you and me, sir, thereby proving the advantages o' the element o' surprise?" "Aye, those were desperate times, Zebedee." "Mighty different to these, sir." "Aye, truly, truly!" said the Major, gently. "But if there is to be a little bit o' cut and thrust work to-night, your honour, 'tis as well to be prepared." "You think old Betty is to be relied on, Zeb?" "Aye sir, I do." "None the less I'm glad my lady Carlyon knoweth nought o' the matter, 'tis best, I think, to keep it from her--at least until we are sure, moreover 'tis like enough she--" the Major paused to rub his chin dubiously, "'tis very like she would only----" "Laugh, your honour?" "Hum!" said the Major. "Lord sir, but she's a woundy fine spirit!" exclaimed the Sergeant. "True, Zeb, very true!" The Major nodded. "Yet I would she were a thought less venturesome and--ah--contrary at times as 'twere, Zeb----" "Contrairy, sir? Lord love me, there you have it! Woman is a contrairy sect, 'tis born in 'em! Look at Mrs. Agatha, contrairiness ain't no word for same!" "How so, Zeb?" "Why, d'ye see sir, when thinking I'd soon be under marching orders--you then talking o' campaigning again--there's me don't venter to open my mind to her touching matrimony though her a-giving me chances for same constant. To-day here's me--you being settled and wi' no wish for foreign fields--here's me, d'ye see, looking for chances and occasions to speak wedlock and such constant and her giving me no chances what-so-ever. And that's woman, sir!" They rode at a gentle, ambling pace and with no sound to disturb the brooding night-silence except the creak of their saddles and the thudding of their horses' hoofs dulled and muffled in the dust of the road. A hushed and windless night full of the quivering glamour of stars whose soft effulgence lent to hedge and tree and all things else a vague and solemn beauty; and riding with his gaze uplifted to this heavenly host, the Major thought of Life and Death and many other things, yet mostly of my lady Elizabeth Carlyon, while Sergeant Zebedee, gazing at nothing in particular, dreamed also. "'Tis as well she should learn nought of the ugly business!" said the Major at last. "But sir, Mrs. Agatha----" "I mean her ladyship, Zebedee." "Aye, aye for sure, sir, for sure!" "And if there be indeed villainy afoot--if there is, why then egad, Sergeant Zeb, I'll not rest until I know who is at the bottom on't!" "Aye--who, sir? 'Tis what we're a-going to find out to-night I do hope. And when we do find out, sir--how then?" "Why then, Zeb--ha, then--we shall see, we shall see!" After this they rode on in silence awhile, the Major staring up at the glory of the stars again. "If so be we should be so fortuned as to come in for a little bit o' roughsome to-night, your honour," said the Sergeant thoughtfully, "you'd find this here bludgeon a vast deal handier than your sword and play very sweet at close quarters, sir." "By the way, Zebedee, I think you once told me you surprised--er--Mr. Dalroyd i' the orchard one night?" "I did so, your honour." "And did you chance to---ah--to see his face, to observe his features clear and distinct, as 'twere, Zeb?" "Aye, sir." "Well?" "Aye, very well, sir!" By this time they had reached the cross-roads and here the Major checked his horse suddenly, whereupon Sergeant Zebedee did likewise. "Sergeant!" "Sir?" The Major leaned from his saddle until he could peer into the Sergeant's eyes. "Did Mr. Dalroyd remind you of--of anyone you have ever seen before?" "Of Captain Effingham as your honour killed years agone." "Ah!" said the Major and sat awhile frowning up at the stars. "So you likewise marked the resemblance, did you, Zeb?" "I did so, sir." "And what did you think----" "Why sir, that Captain Effingham having been killed ten years agone, is very dead indeed, by this time!" "Supposing he wasn't killed--how then, Zeb?" "Why then sir he was alive arter all--though he looked dead enough." "'Twas a high chest-thrust you'll mind, Zeb." "Base o' the throat, sir." "Why have you never mentioned your suspicions, Zebedee?" "Because, your honour, 'tis ever my tactics to let sleeping dogs lie--bygones is bygones and what is, is. If, on t'other hand Mr. Dalroyd's Captain Effingham which God forbid, then all I says is--what is, ain't. Furthermore and moreover Mr. Dalroyd would be the last man I'd ha' you cross blades with on account o' the Captain's devilish sword-play--that thrust of his in carte nigh did your honour's business ten years ago, consequently to-day I hold my peace regarding suspicions o' same." "D'ye think he'd--kill me, Zeb?" "I know 'twould sure be one or t'other o' ye, sir." "And that's true enough!" said the Major and rode on again. "None the less, Zeb," said he after awhile, "none the less he shall have another opportunity of trying that thrust if, as I think, he is at the bottom of this vile business." But now they were drawing near to Inchbourne village and, reining up, the Major glanced about him: "What of our horses, Zebedee?" he questioned. "'Twill never do to go clattering through the village at this hour." "No more 'twill, sir. Old Bet's cottage lieth a good mile and a half t'other side Inchbourne, d'ye see. Further on is a lane that fetcheth a circuit about the village--this way, your honour." So they presently turned off into a narrow and deep-rutted lane that eventually brought them out upon a desolate expanse with the loom of woods beyond. "Yonder's a spinney, sir, 'tis there we'll leave our horses." Riding in among the trees they dismounted and led their animals into the depths of the wood until they came to a little dell well hidden in the brush. Here, having securely tethered their horses they sat down to wait the moonrise. "Sir," said the Sergeant, settling pistols in pockets, "this doth mind me o' the night we lay in such another wood as this, the night we stormed Douai, you'll mind I was wounded just arter we carried the counterscarp----" "By a pike-thrust meant for me, Zeb." "'Twas a pretty fight, sir, 'specially the forcing o' the palisadoes--'twere just such another night as this----" "Only we were younger then, Zeb, years younger." "Why as to that, sir, I've been feeling younger than e'er I was, of late--and yonder cometh the moon at last! This way, sir!" CHAPTER XXXVII OF ROGUES AND PLOTS The moon was fast rising as they left the shadow of the trees and crossing a meadow presently saw before them the loom of a building which, on near approach, proved to be a very tumble-down, two-storied cottage. The Sergeant led the way past a broken fence through a riotous tangle of weeds and so to a door whereon he rapped softly; almost immediately it was opened and old Betty the witch stood on the threshold peering into the dimness under her hand. "Mam," said the Sergeant, "'tis us--we've come!" "Aha!" she croaked. "'Tis you--'tis my big sojer--my fine sojer-sergeant an' the lord squire o' the Manor! Come your ways--come your ways in--'tis an ill place for fine folk but 'tis all they've left me. Come in!" Following Sergeant Zebedee's broad back the Major stumbled down three steps into a small, dim chamber, very close and airless, lighted by a smoky rushlight. Old Betty closed the door, curtseyed to the Major and clutching at Sergeant Zebedee's hand, stooped and kissed it, whereupon he glanced apologetically at the Major and saluted. "'Tis her gratitood, sir," he explained, "on account o' Mr. Jennings me having kicked same, as dooly reported." "An ill place for the likes o' your honour," croaked the old woman, "an evil place for evil men as will be here anon--the rogues, the fools! They think old Betty's blind and deaf--the rogues! Come, dearies, the moon's up and wi' the moon comes evil so get ye above--yonder, yonder and mum, dearies, mum!" As she spoke old Betty pointed to a corner of the dingy chamber where a rickety ladder gave access to a square opening above. "Go ye up, dearies and ye shall see, ye shall hear, aha--but mum, dearies, mum!" Forthwith they mounted the ladder and so found themselves in a small, dark loft full of the smell of rotting wood and dank decay. Above their heads stars winked through holes in the mouldering thatch, beneath their feet the rotten flooring showed great rents and fissures here and there through which struck the pallid beams of the twinkling rushlight in the room below. "God bless my soul!" exclaimed the Major, "does this pestiferous ruin belong to me, Zeb?" "Well, I don't rightly know, your honour, 'tis a mile and a half out o' the village d'ye see, and hath stood empty for years and years they do tell me, on account of a murder as was done here, and nobody would live here till old Betty come. Folk do say the place is haunted and there be few as dare come nigh the place after dark. But old Betty, being a powerful witch d'ye see sir, aren't nowise afeard of any ghost, gobling nor apparation as ever--ssh!" Upon the night without, was a sound of voices that grew ever louder, the one hoarse and querulous the other upraised in quavering song: "O 'tis bien bowse, 'tis bien bowse, Too little is my skew. I bowse no lage, but one whole gage O' this I'll bowse to you----" "Stow the chaunting, Jerry!" growled the hoarse voice, "close up that ugly gan o' yourn. Oliver's awake----" "Oliver? Aye, so 'tis with a curse on't! The moon's no friend o' mine. Gimme a black night, darkmans wi' a popper i' my famble and t'other in my cly and I'm your cull, ecod!" Here the door of the cottage swung open and two men entered, the one a tall, wild, gipsy-looking fellow, the other a shortish man in spurred boots and long riding-coat from the side-pockets of which protruded the brass-heeled butts of a pair of pistols. "What, Benno, my lad--what Benno," he cried, scowling round the dismal room beneath the cock of his weatherbeaten hat, "blind me, but here's a plaguy dog-hole for a genty-cove o' the high-toby!" "O, the high pad is a delicate trade And a delicate trade o' fame We bite the cully of his cole And carry away his game Oho, and carry away----" "Quit, Jerry, quit!" growled the man Benno. "Hold that dasher o' yourn won't 'ee----" "No, Benno my cove, if I do ha' a mind for t' sing, I'll sing and burn all, says I!" "I keep my prancer and two pepps A tattle in my cly. When bowsing----" "Keep your chaffer still, won't 'ee!" snarled the other. "'Swounds, a pal can't hear hisself! Ha, Bet!" he roared, "old Bet--what grannam, oho--lights, more lights here!" "Lights--aye," nodded Jerry, "lights inside's well enough but lights outside's the devil! Look at Oliver, look at th' moon, well--curse th' moon says I and--O ecod! What's yon i' the corner? A ladder as I'm a roaring boy--a ladder! Well, here's to see what's above. A doxy, aha, a dimber-dell, oho--" "When my dimber-dell I courted She had youth and beauty too----" As he sang he whipped a pistol from his pocket and lurched towards the ladder; and Sergeant Zebedee, watching through one of the many crevices, smiled happily and drew his bayonet. Jerry had one foot on the ladder when his companion caught his shoulder and swung him roughly away. "How now?" he demanded. "What's your ploy?" "Look'ee Benno, if you're a-hiding of some dimber mort aloft there I'm the cove to----" "Ah, you're lushed, Jerry, foxed t' your peepers, sit down--sit down and put away your popp--afore I crack your mazzard!" Sulkily enough Jerry obeyed and seating himself at the table turned, ever and anon, to view the ladder with a drunken stare. "Lushed am I?" he repeated. "Drunk hey? Well, so I am and when lushed 'tis at my best I am, my lad. And look'ee a ladder's meant for to climb ain't it? Very well then--I'm the cove to climb it! And look'ee, what's more 'tis a curst dog-hole this for a genty-cove o' the high pad and----" But here his companion roared again for "Old Bet" and "Lights" until the old woman hobbled in. "Eh, eh?" she whimpered, blinking from one to the other. "Did ye call, dearie?" "Aye--bring more glims, d'ye hear----" "Candles, dearie, eh--eh?" "Aye, candles! And I'm expecting company, so bring candles and get ye to bed, d'ye hear?" "Aye, aye, I hear, dearie, I hear--candles, candles," and muttering the word she hobbled away and presently was back again and stood, mowing and mumbling, to watch the candles lighted. "Now get ye to bed," cried Benno, "to bed, d'ye hear?" "Dead, dearie?" she croaked. "Who's dead now? Not me, no, no, nor you--yet. No no, but 'tis coming, aha--'tis coming--dead oho!" The man Benno fell back a step, eyes wide and mouth agape, then very suddenly made a cross in the air before him, while Jerry, getting on his feet, did the same with unsteady finger on the table. "The evil eye! 'Tis the evil eye!" he muttered, while old Betty nodded and chuckled as her quick, bright eyes flashed from one to the other. "I said 'bed'!" roared the gipsy-looking fellow clenching his fists fiercely but falling back another step from old Betty's vicinity, "bed was the word----" "Aye, aye, dearie!" she nodded, "some in bed an' some out--dead, aye, aye, some by day and some by night--all go dead soon or late, you an' me and all on us--one way or t'other--dead, dearie, dead!" So saying old Betty hobbled out of the room closing the door behind her. "A curst old beldam, a hag, a damned witch as I'm a roarer!" exclaimed Jerry shaking his head, while his companion wiped sweat from his brow. "O rot me, a nice dog-hole this and wi' a ladder look'ee, leading devil knoweth where, but I'm the cove to see----" "Sit still--sit still and take a sup o' this, Jerry!" And crossing to a corner Benno brought thence a stone jar and a couple of mugs and brimming one unsteadily he tossed it off; then sitting down at the rickety table they alternately drank and cursed old Betty. "Come now, Benno my dimber cove," cried Jerry at last, "what's the game? What ha' ye brought me here for? Tip us the office!" "Why then we're on the spiriting lay--a flash blowen--a genty mort, Jerry." "Aha, that should mean shiners, plenty o' lour, Benno?" "Fifty apiece near as nothing." "Here's game as I'm a flash padder. What more, cove, what more? Let's hear." "Not me, Jerry--there's one a-coming as will tip you the lay--an old pal, Jerry, a flaming buck o' the high pad, a reg'lar dimber-damber, a--hist! 'Tis him at last, I think, but ha' your popps ready in case, Jerry." Here Benno arose and crossing a little unsteadily to the door stood there listening: after a while came a knock, a muffled voice, and, opening the door, he admitted three men. The first a great, rough fellow who bore one arm in a sling, the second a little man, _point-de-vice_ from silvered spurs to laced hat, yet whose elegant appearance was somewhat marred by a black patch that obscured one eye; the third was the obsequious Joseph, but now, as he stood blinking in the candle-light, there was in his whole sleek person an air of authority and command, and a grimness in the set of smooth-shaven jaw that transfigured him quite. At sight of him Jerry sprang up, nearly upsetting the table, and stood to stare in gaping astonishment. "'Tis Nick!" he cried at last, "Galloping Nick, as I'm a hell-fire, roaring dog! 'Tis Nick o' the High Toby as hath diddled the nubbing-cheat arter all, ecod! Ha, Nick--Nicky lad, tip us your famble and burn all, says I!" Joseph suffered his hand to be shaken and nodded. "Drunk as usual, Jerry?" "Ecod and so I am! Drunk enough t' shoot straight--drunk as I was that night by the gravel-pits on Blackheath. You'll mind that night, Nick and how you----" "Bah, you're talking lushy, Jerry! Here's Captain Swift and the Chicken so--let's to business." "Aye, to business, my cullies!" cried Jerry saluting them in turn. "To business--'tis the spiriting of a genty mort, eh Nick?" "A fine lady, aye!" nodded Joseph. "There's two hundred guineas in't, which is fifty for me and the rest atween you, share and share." "Which is fair enough, rabbit me!" said the Captain. "Now hark'ee all," continued Joseph beckoning them near and lowering his voice. "You, Jerry and the Captain will come mounted and meet us at the cross-roads beyond----" "Cross-roads?" hiccoughed Jerry, "not me, Nick, no, no--there's cross-roads everywhere hereabouts I tell'ee, and I don't know the country hereabouts--no meetings at cross-roads, Nicky, burn my eyes no----" Here Joseph cursed him and fell to biting his nails. "Why not meet here?" suggested Benno. "No, nor here!" snarled Jerry, "I don't like this place, 'tis a dog-hole and wi' a ladder look'ee a ladder leading devil knoweth where look'ee--a ladder as is meant to climb and as I'm a-going to c-climb----" But as he rose unsteadily Joseph's heavy hand dragged him down again. "There's the mill then," said he, "the ruined mill beyond Westerham, we'll meet there. We all know it----" "I don't," growled Jerry, "and don't want----" "The Captain does and you'll ride with him. At the ruined mill then to-morrow night a half after ten--sharp." "And what then, Nick--ha?" enquired the Captain, taking a pinch of snuff. "Why then----" Here Joseph sunk his voice so low as to be inaudible to any but those craning their necks to listen. "'Tis a simple plan and should be no great matter!" nodded the Captain. "Aye, rat me, I like your plan, Nick----" "Aye, but the genty mort," demurred Jerry, "now if she squeal and kick--burn me I've had 'em scratch and tear d-damnably ere now----" "Squeeze her pretty neck a little," suggested the Captain. "Or choke her with her furbelows," grinned Benno. "No!" said Joseph, scowling, "there's to be no strangling--no rough work, d'ye take me--it's to be done gentle or----" "Gentle, ho--gentle, is it!" cried Jerry fiercely. "And how if she gets her claws into me--the last one as I culled for a flash sportsman nigh wrung my ear off--gentle? 'Tain't fair to a man it don't give a man a chance, it d-don't----" "And that's all now!" said Joseph, rising. "To-morrow night at the ruined mill--I'll give you your last instructions to-morrow at half after ten. Now who's for a glass over at the inn--landlord's a cull o' mine." At this everyone rose excepting Jerry who lolled across the table scowling from one candle to another. "Ain't you a-coming, Jerry?" enquired the gipsy-looking fellow, turning at the door. "No--not me!" snarled Jerry. "Bones do ache--so they do! 'S-sides I've drunk enough, and I--I'm a-going--to climb--that ladder an' burn all, says I." "Then climb it and be damned!" said the other and strode away after his companions, slamming the door behind him. Jerry sat awhile muttering incoherently and drew a pistol from his pocket; then he rose and steadying himself with infinite pains against the rickety table, fixed his scowling gaze upon the ladder and lurched towards it. But the liquor had affected his legs and he staggered from wall to wall ere, tripping and stumbling, he finally reached the ladder that shook under the sudden impact. For a long moment he stood, weapon in hand, staring up into the blackness above, then slowly and with much labour began the ascent rung by rung, pausing very often and muttering hoarsely to himself; he was already half-way up and the Sergeant, crouched in the shadow, was waiting to receive him with upraised pistol-butt, when he missed his hold, his foot slipped and pitching sideways he crashed to the floor and lay still, snoring stertorously. Almost immediately old Betty appeared, crossed to the outstretched body, looked at it, spat at it and spoke: "'Tis all well, dearies--he be nice and fast what wi' drink and fall. Come down, my dearies, come down and get ye gone." The Major followed Sergeant Zebedee down the ladder and crossing to the old woman, removed his hat. "Mam," said he, "'tis like enough you have saved a great wrong being committed and I am deeply grateful. Words are poor things, mam, but henceforth it shall be my care to see your remaining days be days of comfort. Meantime pray accept this and rest assured of the future." Saying which the Major laid a purse upon the table, then turned rather hastily to escape old Betty's eager, tremulous thanks and stepped from the cottage. "Zebedee," said he as they led their horses out of the coppice, "I recognised two of these rascals. One is the tramping gipsy I broke my cane over and the other----" "The other is Mr. Dalroyd's man Joe, sir." "Ha! Art sure o' that, Zeb?" "I am so, sir!" "Excellent!" said the Major, swinging to saddle. "Our expedition to-night hath not been in vain, after all." "Where now, sir?" enquired the Sergeant, gathering up his reins. "Home!" "What--ha' we done, your honour?" "Until to-morrow night--at the ruined mill, Zeb." "To-morrow night--zounds, sir!" chuckled the Sergeant as they broke into a trot. "'Twill be like old times!" "'Twill be five to two, Zebedee!" said the Major thoughtfully. "Warmish, sir--warmish! Though t' be sure the big rascal bore his arm in a sling, still, 'tis pretty odds, I allow." "There must be no shooting, Zeb." "Why your honour, pistols are apt t' be a trifle unhandy for close work, d'ye see. Now, a bagnet----" "And no steel, Zeb. We'll have no killing if it can be avoided!" "No steel sir?" gasped the Sergeant. "No steel--!" "Bludgeons will be best if it should come to fighting," continued the Major thoughtfully, "though I hope to effect their capture without any undue violence----" The Sergeant turned to stare: "What, is there to be no violence now, your honour?" he sighed. "Violent methods are ever clumsy, Zeb, I propose to use the element of surprise." "Ah!" exclaimed the Sergeant and smiling grimly up at the moon he slowly closed one eye and opened it again. After this they rode some time in silence, the Sergeant's mind preoccupied with the "Element of Surprise" as applied to the odds of five to two, while the Major, looking round about on the calm beauty of the night, dreamed ever of my lady Elizabeth Carlyon as had become his wont and custom. In due time they reached a certain quiet bye-lane and here the Major checked his horse. "Sergeant," said he, "'tis a fair night for walking what with the moon---er--the moon d'ye see and so forth----" "Moon, sir?" "Aye, the moon!" said the Major, dismounting. "Do you go on with the horses, I've a mind for walking." So he handed Sergeant Zebedee the reins of his horse and turned aside down this quiet bye-lane. This lane that led away between blooming hedges, that wandered on, haphazard as it were, to lose itself at last in a little wood where nightingales sang; this bye-lane wherein he had walked with her that never-to-be-forgotten night and stood with her to watch the world grow bright and joyous with a new day; this leafy sheltered lane that held for him the sweet magic of her presence and was therefore a hallowed place. Thus as he walked, his slow steps falling silent on soft mosses and dewy grass, the Major took off his hat. Bareheaded and with reverent feet he wandered on dreaming of those joys that were to be, God willing, and turning a sharp bend in the lane stopped all at once, smitten to sudden, breathless immobility. She sat upon the wall, dainty foot a-swing, while below stood Mr. Dalroyd who seized that shapely foot in irreverent hands, stooped and covered it with kisses that grew more bold and audacious until she, stifling laughter in her cloak, freed herself with a sudden, vigorous kick that sent Mr. Dalroyd's hat flying-- The Major turned and hurried away looking neither right nor left; becoming conscious of the hat in his hand, he laughed and crammed it on his head. So he went with great strides until he reached a stile beside the way and halting, he leaned there, with face bowed upon his arms. Long he stood thus, silent and motionless and with face hidden. At last he raised his head, looked up at heaven and round about him like one who wakes in a new world, and limped slowly homewards. "Sir," said the Sergeant, meeting him at the door, "Colonel Cleeve is here." "O!" said the Major, slowly. "Is he, Zeb? That is well!" "A-snoring in the library, sir!" "Aye, to be sure--to be sure!" said the Major vaguely. "Y' see 'tis getting late, your honour," continued Sergeant Zebedee, viewing the Major's drawn features anxiously. "Why then--go you to bed, Zebedee." "Can I get you aught first, sir--a bite o' something--a bottle or so?" "No, Zeb, no--stay! Bring me my Ramillie coat." CHAPTER XXXVIII HOW THE MAJOR MADE HIS WILL Colonel Lord George Cleeve, blissfully slumbering in deep armchair beside the library fire, choked upon a snore and, opening his eyes, perceived the Major opposite in another deep chair; but the Major was awake, his frowning gaze was bent upon the fire and ever and anon he sighed deeply. "Refuse me, Jack!" exclaimed the Colonel, "to hark to you one would think you in love and--er--damnably forlorn, you sigh, man, you sigh, aye, let me perish, you puff grief like any bellows." "And you snore, George, you snore man, aye, egad, like a very grampus! None the less I joy to see thee, George," said the Major, rising and extending his hand. "When did you arrive?" "Some half-hour since. And snore, did I? Well, 'tis late enough, o' conscience. Faith Jack, Sir Benjamin brews a devilish strong punch--I supped with the company at the George. Then strolled over with Tom to visit ya' charming neighbours. Man Jack, she's a damned fine creature--ha?" "She is!" sighed the Major. "And with an air, Jack--an air." The Major sighed and seemed lost in thought. "I say an air, Jack." "An air George, as you say." "Full up o' womanly graces and adornments feminine." "True, George." "And thoroughbred, Jack!" The Major stared pensively into the fire. "I say all blood and high breeding, Jack." "Aye, true George, true!" "Well then, a man might do worse--ha?" The Major started. "How think ye, Jack? I'm not a marrying man, Jack, as you know, the sex hath never been a weakness o' mine but I'm touched at last, Jack--aye touched with a curse on't!" "God--bless--my--soul!" exclaimed the Major, staring harder than ever. "'Fore Gad, man Jack, it came on me like a charge o' cavalry. Like you I meant to live and die a free man and now--O Gad! 'Tis her eyes, I think, I see 'em everywhere--blue, you'll mind, Jack, blue as--as--well, blue." "Aye, they're blue!" nodded the Major, all grave attention at last. "Well, 'tis her eyes, Jack, or else her dooced demure airs, or her languishing graces, or her feet, or her shape, or the way she smiles, or--O damme! Howbeit I'm smitten, Jack--through and through--done for and be curst to it!" "You too!" sighed the Major and stared into the fire again. "Aye--and why not i' faith? I'm a man sound in wind and limb and but few years ya' senior--why the devil not? She's free to wed and if she's willing and I've a mind for't who the devil's going to stay me--ha?" The Major sighed and shook his head. "Save us, Jack, but ya're curst gloomy, I think!" "Why as to that, as to that, George, I fear I am. Perhaps if we crack a bottle before we go to bed--how say you?" "With all my heart!" So the Major brought bottle and glasses and, having filled to each other, they sat awhile each staring into the fire. "And now," continued the Colonel, "what's to stop me a-marrying, Jack, if I'm so minded, come?" "Is she likely to--to make you happy, George?" "Rabbit me--and why not?" "Well," said the Major hesitatingly, "her age----" "Dooce take me, she's none so old----" "Old!" repeated the Major, "nay indeed I----" "She's no filly I'll allow, Jack, but then I shed my colt's teeth long ago. Nay, she's rather in her blooming prime, summer--er--languishing to autumn----" "Autumn!" murmured the Major, staring. "No--I see nought against it unless--O smite me, Jack!" The Colonel set down his glass and stared at the Major who stared back at him. "Unless what, George?" "Unless y'are bitten too." The Major frowned into the fire again. "If y'are, Jack, if y'are, why then damme I'll not come athwart ya'--no, no--old friends--Gad, no! I'll ride away to-morrow and give you a clear field." "I shall never marry--never, George!" said the Major and sighed deeper than ever. The Colonel refilled his glass, raised it to his lips, sighed in turn and put it down again. "Love's a plaguy business!" he groaned. "How old are ye, Jack?" "Forty-two, almost." "And I'm forty-five--quite. And i' faith, Jack, when the curst disease plagues men of our age 'tis there to stay. None the less, man Jack, if ya' love her, why then Belinda's not for me----" "Belinda!" exclaimed the Major. "Aye, who else? What the dooce, man?" "I--egad, George, I thought--" "What did ya' think?" "'Twas Lady Betty you had in mind." "Lady Bet----!" The Colonel whistled. "So-ho!" he exclaimed and turned, full of eager questions but seeing how the Major scowled into the fire again, sipped his wine instead and thereafter changed the subject abruptly. "Ya'r Viscount's a fine lad, Jack!" The Major's brow cleared instantly. "Aye, indeed, Tom's a man, 'spite all his modish airs and affectations, a man! Where is he, by the way?" "Went to bed hours since and very rightly, seeing what's toward." "As what, George?" "His forthcoming duel with Dalroyd." The Major sat suddenly upright. "A duel with--Dalroyd!" "What, didn't ya' know?" "Not a word." "Why true, it only happened this evening." "And when do they fight?" "That's the curst queer thing about the affair. I don't know, he don't know--nobody knows but Dalroyd. 'Tis a black business, Jack, a black business and looks ill for the lad!" "Aye!" said the Major, rising and beginning to pace to and fro. "Pray tell me of it, George." "Well, i' the first place, 'tis a hopeful youth, your nephew, Jack, a lovely lad. Smite me, I never saw an affront more pleasantly bestowed nor more effectively! Such a polished business with him and pure joy for the spectators, he insulted his man so gracefully yet so thoroughly that their steel was out in a twinkling. But the place was cluttered with chairs and tables, so Alvaston and Tripp fell upon Dalroyd and I and Captain West on the Viscount and parted 'em till the matter could be arranged more commodiously for 'em. Well, we cleared the floor and locked the door, they seeming so eager for one another's blood and then--damme, Dalroyd refuses to fight. 'No, gentlemen,' says he, smiling but with death aglare in his eyes, 'I grant Viscount Merivale a day or so more of life, when it suits me to kill him I'll let him know,' and off he goes. 'Tis a vile black business, for if ever I saw a killer, 'tis this Dalroyd. Though why the lad goes out of his way to affront such a man, God only knows. And talking of the affront I've told the story plaguy ill. Here sits Dalroyd, d'ye see, at cards, Jack, and along comes my fine young gentleman and insults him beyond any possibility o' doubt. 'Ah,' says Dalroyd, laying down his cards, 'I believe, I verily believe he means to be offensive!' 'Gad love me, sir,' smiles the Viscount, 'I'm performing my best endeavour that way.' 'You mean to quarrel, then,' says Dalroyd. ''Twill be pure joy, sir!' bows the Viscount. 'Impossible!' sneers Dalroyd. 'Why then, sir,' beams the Viscount, 'perhaps a glass of wine applied outwardly will make my intention quite apparent, because if so, sir, I shall be happy to waste so much good wine on thing of so little worth.' O Jack, 'twas pure--never have I seen it better done. But 'tis an ill business all the same, for when they meet 'twill go ill with the lad, I fear--aye, I greatly fear!" "Why then, they shan't meet!" said the Major gently. "Eh--eh?" cried the Colonel. "Damme, Jack--who's to prevent?" "I, of course, George." "Aye, but how, a Gad's name? "First, I do know Dalroyd a rogue unworthy to cross blades with the Viscount----" "I doubt 'twill serve, Jack, I doubt." "Secondly, I intend to cross blades with Dalroyd myself." "You Jack--you? O preposterous! Smite me, 'tis most irregular." "Indeed and so it is, George, but----" the Major smiled, and knowing that smile of old the Colonel shrugged his shoulders. "I will but ask you to be here in this room to-morrow night at--say twelve o'clock--alone, George." "When you use that tone, Jack, I know you'll do't. But how you'll contrive thing so impossible is beyond me. And talking of Dalroyd the resemblance is strong, he's very like----" "Ah, you mean like Effingham." "Aye, like Effingham--and yet again he's--different, Jack, and besides 'tis impossible!" "Ten years must needs alter a man," said the Major thoughtfully. "George, I'd give very much to know if Dalroyd bears a certain scar." "Impossible, Jack--quite, your thrust was too sure." "Hum!" said the Major, "howbeit I cross blades with Dalroyd as soon as possible, which reminds me I've made no will and 'tis best to be prepared, George, and you shall witness it if you will." So the document was drawn up, blunt and soldier-like, and duly attested. "A will, Jack," said the Colonel throwing down the pen, "is a curst dust to dust and dry bones business, let's ha' another bottle." "Egad, and so we will!" answered the Major. "And drink success to thy wooing, George." CHAPTER XXXIX WHICH IS A QUADRUPLE CHAPTER I My lady Betty opened the bedroom door and sneezed violently: "Aunt Bee," she gasped, "O!" "Heavens, child, how you pounce on one!" cried Lady Belinda, starting and dropping her powder puff. "What is't?" "Snuff, aunt--O!" "Snuff--O Lord! Where? Who?" "Your Colonel--Cleeve, aunt--O!" "Colonel Cleeve? Here again? O Heavens!" cried Lady Belinda, flushing. "He's been waiting below and sprinkling me with his dreadful snuff this half-hour and more, as you know very well, aunt!" "Indeed miss, and how should I know?" cried Lady Belinda indignantly, stealing a glance at her reflection in the mirror. "You saw him come a-marching up the drive of course, dear aunt. O he uses the dreadfullest snuff I vow--'tis like gunpowder--and scatters it broadcast! 'And pray how's your lady aunt?' says he, sprinkling it over the window-seat and me. 'O sir, in excellent health I thank you,' says I, 'twixt my sneezes. 'I trust she finds herself none the worse for her walk last night, the air grows chill toward sunset,' says he through a brown cloud. 'Indeed sir,' I choked feebly, 'aunt enjoys the evening air hugely.' 'Then,' says he, speaking like Jove in the cloud, 'I'm bold to hope that she perhaps--this afternoon----' 'I'll go and see,' I gasped, and staggered from the room strangling. 'Tis a dear, shy soul, aunt, for all his ogreish eyes and gruff voice." "Betty!" exclaimed Belinda clasping her hands, "when I think of him downstairs and our poor, dear Charles abovestairs I could positively swoon----" "Nay, aunt, the Colonel's presence here is Charles' safeguard surely, and the Colonel's a true soldier, a dear, gentle man 'spite all his bloodthirsty airs and ferocious eyes----" "Do you think them so--so fierce, Betty?" questioned Lady Belinda wistfully. "Go down and see for yourself, aunt." Lady Belinda crossed to the door, but paused there, fumbled with the latch and then, all at once, sobbed, and next moment Betty had her close in her arms. "Why, aunt!" she whispered. "My dear, what's your grief?" "O Betty!" whispered Lady Belinda, trembling in those strong young arms, "O my dear I'm--so--old----" Betty's eyes filled and stooping she kissed that humbly bowed head: "Aunt Belinda," she murmured, "Love is never old, nor ever can be. If Love hath come to thee when least expected, Love shall make thee young. Thy years of waiting and unselfish service these have but made thee more worthy--would I were the same. There, let me dry these foolish tears, so. Now go, dear, go down and may'st thou find a joy worthy of thy life of devotion to thy Betty who loveth thee and ever will. I'll upstairs to Charles!" II "Now look'ee Bet," my Lord of Medhurst was saying five minutes later, "I'll not endure it another week--I'll not I say. To lie mewed up here, to creep out like a very thief--'tis beyond my endurance----" "And mine too, Charles--almost," sighed Betty. "To have to live a hateful lie, to be forced to meet one I despise, to endure his looks, his words, his touches--O!" "God forgive me, Bet--I'm a beast, a graceless, selfish beast!" cried his lordship, clasping her in his arms. "When I think of all you've done for me I could kick this damned carcass o' mine--forgive me! But ha!" his lordship chuckled boyishly, "Deuce take me Bet, but I avenged you to some extent last night. I sat on the wall, Bet, as coyly as you please and true to a minute along comes my gentleman and kisses my hand and I more demure and shy than e'er you were. 'Betty,' says he, low and eager, 'by heaven, you're more bewitching than ever to-night!' His very words, Bet, as I'm a sinner!" Here my lord chuckled again, laughed and finally fell to such an ecstasy of mirth that he must needs gag and half-choke himself with his handkerchief, while Betty laughed too and thereafter gnashed white teeth vindictively: "What more?" she questioned, her eyes bright and malevolent. "Why then, Bet, the fool falls to an amorous ecstasy--pleads for a taste o' my lips--damn him! and finally catches me by the foot and falls to kissing that and I bursting with laughter the while! So there he has me by the foot d'ye see and I nigh helpless with suppressed joy, but when I wished to get away he did but hold and kiss the fiercer. So Bet, I--full of prudish alarms as it were--bestowed on him--a kick!" Here his lordship found it necessary to gag himself again while Betty, leaning forward with hands clasped, watched him gleefully. "You kicked him!" she repeated. "Hard?" "Fairly so--enough to send his hat flying, and Bet, as luck would have it who should chance along at that precise moment but Major d'Arcy and----" Uttering an inarticulate cry my lady sprang to her feet. "Did he see--did he see?" she demanded breathlessly, "Charles--O Charles--did he see?" "Begad, I fear he did--why Bet--Betty--good God--what is it?" For, covering her face, Betty had cowered away to the wall and leaned there. "What will he think!" she murmured. "O what will he think of me?" My lord stood speechless awhile, his delicate features twitching with emotion as he watched her bowed form. "Betty dear," said he tenderly at last, "doth it matter to thee--so much?" "Charles!" she cried, "O Charles!" and in that stricken cry and the agony of the face she lifted, he read her answer. "Dearest," said he after awhile, clasping his arm about her, "here is no cause for grief. I'll go to him in--in these curst floppy things--he shall see for himself and I'll tell him all----" "No!" said she rising and throwing up proud head. "I'll die first! We will go through with it to the end--nobody shall know until you are safe--none but you and I and Aunt Belinda. To speak now were to ruin all. So, my Charles, whatsoe'er befall you shall not speak--I forbid it!" "Forgive me, Bess," he pleaded, "wilt forgive me for jeopardising thy--thy happiness so?" "Aye to be sure, dear boy!" she answered, kissing him. "Only now I must go!" "Go, Betty?" "To him!" she sighed. "I must find out--just how and what he thinks of me." "Gad's my life, Bet!" sighed his lordship ruefully as he followed her to the door, "I do think thou wert ever the braver of the two of us." III "Consequently Tom, dear lad," the Major was saying as he walked the rose-garden arm in arm with the Viscount, "feeling for thee as I do and because of the years that have but knit our affections the closer, I am bold to ask thee what hath moved thee to run so great a risk o' thy life--a life so young and promising." "Why nunky," answered the Viscount, pressing the arm within his own affectionately, "in the first place I'll confess to a pronounced distaste for the fellow." "Yes, Tom?" "His air of serene assurance displeases me." "Quite so, Tom." "His air of cold cynicism annoys me." "Well, Tom?" "In fine sir, not to particularise, Mr. Dalroyd, within and without and altogether, I find a trifle irksome." "And so, Tom, for these trivialities, you picked a quarrel with a man who is a notorious and deadly duellist? "I believe I objected to his method of dealing cards, among other things, sir." "And now, Tom," said the Major, sitting down beside the sun-dial and crossing his legs, "may I suggest you tell me the real reason--your true motive?" The Viscount began to pull at and arrange the rich lace of his steenkirk with gentle fingers. "Gad save my poor perishing soul!" he sighed, "but you're a very persistent nunky!" "Tom," said the Major softly, "you--you love my lady Betty, I think?" The Viscount, sitting beside him, was silent a moment, still pulling gently at the lace of his cravat. "And--and always shall, sir," he answered at last. "This," said the Major, staring straight before him, "this brings me to a matter I have long wished to touch upon--and desired to tell thee, Tom. For I also thought--that she ... I ... we..." "Love each other, sir," said the Viscount gently. "You knew this, Tom?" "Sir, I guessed it a few days since." The Major bowed his head and was silent awhile. "Pancras," said he at last, "'twas none of my seeking. I thought myself too old for love--beyond the age. But Love stole on me all unbeknown, Love gave me back my vanished youth, changed the world into a paradise wherein I, dreaming that she loved me, found a joy, a happiness so great no words may tell of it. And in this paradise I lived until--last night, and last night I found it but the very paradise o' fools, dear lad----" "Last night!" exclaimed the Viscount, "last night sir?" "I chanced to walk in the lane, Tom." The Viscount clenched white hand and smote it on his knee: "Damn him!" he cried, "he must ha' bewitched her in some infernal manner! That Betty should act so--'tis incredible! Yet 'twas none so dark! And I saw! 'Twas shameless--a vulgar country-wench would never----" "Hush, Tom, hush!" cried the Major, flushing. "She's--after all she's so young, Tom, young and a little wilful--high-spirited--and--and--young, as 'twere----" "Betty's no child, sir, and 'fore heaven----" "'Tis strange I missed you, Tom," said the Major a little hastily. "The lane makes a bend there sir, and when I saw I stopped----" "So here's the true cause of your quarrel, Tom?" "Nay, sir, I've known Betty from childhood, I've honoured and loved her but--'twas not so much on her account----" "Then whose, Tom?" "Why sir I--knew you loved her too----" "God bless thee, lad!" said the Major and thereafter they sat awhile staring studiously away from each other. "The vile dog hath bewitched her somehow!" explained the Viscount suddenly at last, "I've heard tell o' such cases ere now, sir." "Heaven send he bewitch none other sweet soul!" said the Major fervently. "He sha'n't--if I may stop him!" said the Viscount scowling. "I don't think--no, I don't think he ever will, Tom!" "Gad love us!" exclaimed the Viscount suddenly in altered tone. "Nunky--sir--look yonder! 'Tis Betty herself and she's seen us! O Lard, sir--she's coming!" Glancing swiftly round, the Major sat with breath in check watching where my lady was descending the steps into the rose-garden, as fresh, as fair and sweet as the morning itself. With one accord they rose and, side by side, went to meet her. "Heavens!" she cried as they came up. "How glum you look--and the sun so bright too! Ha' you no greeting for me?" "Madam," said the Viscount with a prodigious bow, "I was but now relating how, last night, I saw you in a lane, seated upon a wall." "Was I, Pan?" "Indeed, my lady!" he answered, taking out his snuff-box. "And did you see me, too?" "Who else should see you?" questioned the Viscount staring. "I thought 'twas only Major d'Arcy--thought to see." "I saw you also, madam." "Art sure, Pan?" "O pasitive, madam!" "And prithee--what saw you?" "'Tis no matter----" "What saw you, Pan--Tom?" "I saw that Dalroyd fellow--brutalise your foot." My lady's cheek grew rosy and her delicate nostrils expanded suddenly, but her voice was smooth and soft as ever. "Will you swear it, Pan?" "On oath!" he answered. "Alack!" she sighed. "On what slender threads doth woman's reputation hang! And if I say I was not there?" "Then, my lady, I am blind or, having eyes, see visions----" "Was ever such a coil!" she sighed. "Dear Pan, hast ever been my second brother, so do I forgive thee and, thus forgiving, bid thee go, thinking on me as kindly as thou may'st and believing that thine eyes do verily see visions." So the Viscount bowed and went, somewhat stiff in the back and making great play with his snuff-box. "Dear Pan!" she murmured as she watched him go, "I might have loved him had I any love to spare. And now--you, John--will you rail at me, too?" "No, my lady," he answered dully, "never again!" "Yet your voice is cold and hard! Did you think to see me too?" "Aye, I saw--I saw," he answered wearily. "And if I say you saw me not?" "Then, my lady, I will say I saw you not." Now at this she came near, so near that he was conscious of all her warm and fragrant loveliness and thrilled to the contact of her hand upon the sleeve of the war-worn Ramillie coat. "And--wilt believe, John?" she questioned softly. The Major stood silent and with head averted. "This dear old coat!" she murmured. "Dost remember how I sewed these buttons on?" "Aye, I remember!" he groaned. "And--wilt believe, my John?" she questioned, and drew nearer yet, until despite her soft and even tone, he could feel against him the swell and tumult of her bosom; yet he stood with head still averted and arms, that yearned to clasp her, rigid at his sides. "Wilt believe, John?" "Betty," he answered, "ask me to believe the sun will rise no more and I'll believe, but not--not this!" "Yet, dost love me--still?" she whispered. "Aye, my lady--through life to death and beyond. The love I bear you is a love stronger than death and the agony of heartbreak and dead hopes. Though you take my heart and trample it in the dust that heart shall love thee still--though you profane the worship that I bear you still shall that worship endure--though you strip me of fame and honour and rob me of my dearest ideals still, ah still shall I love you until--until----" His voice broke and he bowed his head. "O Betty!" he cried. "In God's name show me--a little mercy--let me go!" And turning he limped away and left her standing alone. IV The Colonel's fierce eyes were transfigured with a radiant tenderness, his gruff voice was grown strangely soft and tender, his sinewy hand had sought and found at last those white and trembling fingers, while two soft eyes were looking up into his, eyes made young with love, and bright with happy tears. Seeing all of which from without the casement, my lady Betty, choking back her own grief, smiled, sobbed and, stealing away, crept softly upstairs to her room, locked herself in and, lying face down upon her bed, wept tears more bitter than any she had ever known. CHAPTER XL OF THE ONSET AT THE HAUNTED MILL A wild, black night full of wind and rain and mud--a raging, tearing wind with rain that hissed in every vicious gust--a wind that roared fiercely in swaying tree-tops and passing, moaned dismally afar; a wind that flapped the sodden skirts of the Major's heavy riding-coat, that whirled the Sergeant's hat away into the blackness and set him cursing in French and Dutch and English. "What is't, Zeb?" enquired the Major during a momentary lull as they rode knee and knee in the gloom. "My hat sir ... the wind with a cur----" The words were blown away and the Sergeant, swearing unheard, bent his head to the lashing rain. "Are we ... right ... think you? ... long way ... very dark egad..." "Dark sir, never knowed it darker and the rain--may the dev..." "Are we nigh the place Zeb d'ye think, we should be ... by now----" "Not so fur your hon ... a bye-road hereabouts if 'twarn't dark, with ten thousand..." In a while as they splashed on through the gloom the Major felt a hand on his arm. "By your left, sir ... bye-road ... can't see on account o' dark, may the foul fiend ... by your left, so!" Thus through mud and rain and buffeting wind they rode until at word of the Sergeant they dismounted. "Must hide the horses, sir," said he in the Major's ear. "I know a snug place hard by, wait you here sir ... some shelter under the hedge ... never saw such a plaguy night, may all the foul----" And the Sergeant was gone, venting curses at every step. Very soon he was back again and the Major stumbled after him across an unseen, wind-swept expanse until looming blacker than the dark, they saw the ruin of the haunted mill. Inside, sheltered from rain and wind the Major unloosed his heavy coat and took from under his arm a certain knobby bludgeon and twirled it in the dark while Sergeant Zebedee, hard by, struck flint and steel, but the tinder was damp and refused to burn. "Is a light necessary Zeb--if any should observe----" "Why sir, like as not they'd think 'twas ghosts, d'ye see. And 'tis as well to survey field of operations, wherefore I brought a lanthorn and----" The Major reached out and caught his arm. "Hark!" said he. Above and around them were shrieks and howlings, timbers creaked and groaned and the whole ruined fabric quivered, ever and anon, to the fierce buffets of the wind, while faint and far was an ever-recurrent roll and rumble of thunder. "Storm's a-waxing sir ... can't last, I..." Borne on the wind above the tempest came a faint hail. "Zounds, they're close on us!" exclaimed the Sergeant. "This way, sir, keep close, catch the tail o' my coat." Thus they stumbled on through the pitchy dark, found a wall, followed it, turned a corner, brought up against another wall and so stood waiting with ears on the stretch. And soon amid this confusion of sounds was a stamping of horse, the tread of feet and presently voices within the mill itself; one in especial that poured out a flood of oaths and fierce invective upon rain and wind and all things in general. "O burn me, and must we wait here, shivering in the darkness with a curse on't and me wet to the bone----" "Content ye, my lushy cove, the others aren't far." "The others, curse 'em! And what o' me shivering to the bones o' me as I'm a roaring lad----" "What, Jerry," cried another voice, "is the Captain wi' you?" "Aye, here I am--show a light!" "Why so I will an ye gimme time. So we're all met, then--all here, Nick?" Followed the sound of flint on steel, a flash, a glow, a light dazzling in its suddenness, a light that revealed four masked men, mud-splashed and bedraggled, thronged about a lanthorn on the uneven floor. "Now mark me all," said Joseph pushing up his vizard. "You, Jerry and the Captain will ride to the cross-roads, the finger-post a-top o' the hill. The coach should reach thereabouts in half an hour or so. Benno and I strike across the fields and join my gentleman's coach and come down upon you by the cross-roads. So soon as you've stopped the coach, do you hold 'em there till we come, then it's up wi' the lady and into my gentleman's coach wi' her. D'ye take me?" "No we don't!" growled Jerry, shaking the rain from his hat, "how a plague are we t' know which is the right coach----" "By stopping all as come your way----" "Ged so--we will that!" nodded the Captain. "And look'ee Jerry and be damned, if you----" "Stand!" The four sprang apart and stood staring at the Major who stood, a pistol in each hand, blocking the doorway between them and the howling desolation outside. "Move so much as a finger either one of you and he's a dead man. Quick, Sergeant---their wrists--behind!" Thus while the Major stood covering the four with levelled weapons watchful and ready, Sergeant Zebedee stepped forward with several lengths of stout cord across his arm. Coming up to the Captain who chanced to be nearest, the Sergeant was in the act of securing him, when Jerry uttered a dreadful cry: "God save us--look!" For an instant the Major's glance wavered and in that moment Joseph had kicked out the light and there and then befell a fierce struggle in the dark, a desperate smiting and grappling; no chance here for pistol-play, since friend and foe were inextricably mixed, a close-locked, reeling fray. So while the storm raged without, the fight raged within, above the howling of wind and lash of rain rose piercing cries, shouts, groans and hoarse-panted oaths. Smitten by a random blow the Major fell and was kicked and trampled upon by unseen feet; yet he staggered up in the dark, his long arms closed in relentless grip, his iron fingers sought and found a hold that never loosed even when he fell and rolled again beneath those unseen, trampling feet. Little by little the ghastly sounds of conflict died away and in their place was again the roar and shriek of wind. "Zebedee--Sergeant Zeb!" "Thank God!" a hoarse voice panted. "A moment sir--must have--light. Hot work your honour--never ask for warmer!" After some delay the Sergeant contrived to light his lanthorn; and the Major, looking into the face of the man he held, loosed his grip and got to his feet. "'Tis him they call the Captain!" said the Sergeant, flashing his light. "Pray God I haven't killed him!" the Major panted, clasping one hand to his side. "'Twould but save the hangman a job, sir. Lord! but you're ripped and tore, sir!" The Major glanced from his disordered dress to the Sergeant's bloody face: "Are you hurt, Zeb?" he questioned. "Nought to matter, sir. Look'ee, here lies the rogue Jerry--zounds, and a-coming to already! Hold the light, sir--may as well tie him up nice and comfortable." "And this other fellow too, Zeb--he's stirring, I'm glad to see----" "Glad sir? Zooks, 'tis pity you didn't kill him----" "Nay, I'll ha' no killing, Zebedee----" "Zounds sir, why so queasy-stomached nowadays? 'Tain't as if you'd never----" "Enough, Sergeant! I'm no longer a soldier and besides--things are--are different quite--nowadays." "Why look'ee sir, where's t'others? Here be but two o' the rogues----" "Only two, Zeb?--give me the lanthorn!" By its light they searched the mill inside and out; gruesome signs of the vicious struggle they found in plenty but, save themselves and their two groaning captives, the place was empty. "'Tis mortal hard," mourned the Sergeant, "here's me i' the dark, seemingly a-knocking of 'em all down one arter t'other, continual. Yet, 'spite said zeal here's but two to show for same, sure enough." "Why then we must after 'em, Zeb!" said the Major with a sudden sharp catch of the breath. "Go fetch the horses!" Forthwith Sergeant Zebedee hurried away and, left alone, the Major, leaning against the wall, set a hand to his side and kept it there until the Sergeant reappeared, leading their horses. "You picked up my pistols, Zeb?" "And put 'em back i' the holsters, sir. And the rogues are got away sure enough, their horses are gone, d'ye see." "Then we must spur, Zebedee." "Aye sir. And the rain's stopped, praise God!" quoth the Sergeant and blew out the lanthorn leaving their captives to groan in the dark. "Take the lead, Zeb," said the Major as they reached the high-road--"the finger-post a-top the hill--and gallop." CHAPTER XLI CONCERNING HIGHWAYMEN AND THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE My lady Betty leaned back in the corner of her coach, gazed at her aunt's slumbering features dim-seen in the light of the flickering lamps, and yawned. The storm had abated, the rain had passed, but the darkness was around them, a darkness full of rioting wind, and mud was below them through which the heavy wheels splashed dismally as the great coach laboured on its way. My lady Betty, stretching rounded limbs luxuriously, yawned again and having nothing particular to look at, closed her eyes; but, almost immediately she opened them rather wider than usual, and sat up suddenly as, from somewhere amid the gusty dark outside, a loud voice hailed, a pistol cracked and the coach pulled up with a jerk. Instantly Lady Belinda awoke, screamed "Highwaymen!" and swooned. Next moment the coach door swung open and Lady Betty saw a sodden hat with a hideous, masked face below; she saw also two arms that seized her roughly, dragged her forward and whirled her out into the tempestuous darkness. Hereupon my lady struggled once, found it vain, screamed once, felt the cry blown away and lost in the wind and, resisting no more, reserved her forces for what might be. Next she was aware of a dim shape, was bundled through a narrow opening, was seized by hands that aided her to a cushioned seat, heard the slam of a door, a hoarse command, and was jolted fast over an uneven road. Instinctively she reached out her hand, groping for the door, felt that hand clasped in smooth, strong fingers, and a voice spoke close beside her: "That would be unwise, sweet Bet?" Recognising that voice, she freed her hand and shrank back into her corner, shivering all at once; yet when she spoke her voice was almost casual. "This is quite surprising, Mr. Dalroyd." "But more delightful!" he retorted, and she was aware that his hand, in the darkness, was seeking hers again. "Yet--how very foolish and--and unnecessary!" said she a little breathlessly. "Unnecessary--ha, perhaps, dear Betty----" "Had I not promised to fly with you, next week?" "True, my Bet, true, but next week is--next week. And then besides though you would have run off with me in your own time yet I prefer to run off with you in my own time. Moreover----" "Well, sir?" "I love the unexpected! I want you, Betty, but I'd have you come a little unwilling to my embrace. Give me this pretty hand, suffer me to--what, no?--excellent! Presently, here in the dark, with unbridled tempest rioting about us, I shall kiss your lips and the more you struggle in my arms the sweeter I shall find you--so, dearest Bet, struggle and strive your best----" But at this moment the coach slowed down, came to a standstill and a hand knocked at the window. Whispering fierce curses Mr. Dalroyd lowered it. "Sir," said a voice humbly, "these bye-roads be evil going and in this dark hard to follow--shall we light the lamps?" "Aye--if you must--light one--the off one." Thus after some little delay the lamp was lighted and the coach lurched forward again. My lady sighed to find herself no longer in utter darkness, though the light was faint--scarcely more than a glow. Then dread seized her, for by this glow she saw her captor's eyes and, reading his sure and merciless purpose there, she grew suddenly and terribly afraid of him at last. Fronting that look she strove to hide her shame and terror but he, wise in the ways of proud and frightened beauty, laughed softly and leaned towards her. And in that moment, looking beyond him, she saw over his shoulder that which strung every quivering nerve of her, for in a sling, on Mr. Dalroyd's side of the coach, hung his travelling pistols; and now in her terror the one ambition of her life became narrowed down to this--to grasp sure fingers round the silver-mounted butt of one of these weapons. "Betty," said he, "my beautiful Betty, which is it to be?" "Pray sir," said she, striving to speak lightly, "pray be more explicit." "Doth proud loveliness yield at last?" he questioned softly, "or shall it be forced?" Even as he spoke his arms were about her; for a moment she struggled wildly, then, as he crushed her to him, still struggling against his contact, she yielded suddenly and, bearing him backward, her white hand flashed out and, laughing hysterically, she wrenched herself away from him. "Sir," she panted, "O dear sir, you love surprises, you tell me--look, look at this and beg your life of me!" His arms fell from her and slowly, sullenly, he recoiled, watching her beneath drooping lids. "Ah, Betty!" he sighed, "what an adorable woman you are!" "Why then sir," said she a little tremulously but with hand and eyes steady, "you will obey me." "'Twill be my joy, sweet Bet," he answered softly, "aye faith, my joy--when I have conquered thee----" "Conquered?" she cried and gnashed white teeth. "No man shall do that--you least of----" A hoarse command from the road in front, followed almost immediately by two pistol shots in rapid succession, and, lurching towards the hedge, the coach came to an abrupt standstill, ensued the stamp of horses, cries, fierce imprecations, the sounds of desperate struggling and a heavy fall. In an instant Mr. Dalroyd had snatched his other pistol, had jerked down the window and thrust out head and arms. "What now?" he cried. "What the devil----" The words ended in a choking gasp, for the pistol was twisted from his hold and a strong hand was upon his throat; then the door was wrenched open and himself dragged into the road there to be caught and crushed in arms of steel while his hands were drawn swiftly behind him and dexterously trussed together, all in a moment. "You!" he cried, staring into the pale, serene face of his captor and struggling against his bonds. "God, but you shall repent this outrage, I swear you----" "The gag, Sergeant!" "Here, sir!" And Mr. Dalroyd's vicious threats were choked to sudden silence. "His ankles, Sergeant!" "All secure, your honour!" "Then mount and take him before you---so! Up with him--heave!" Next moment Mr. Dalroyd lay bound, gagged and helpless across the withers of the Sergeant's horse. "What's come of the coachman, Zebedee?" "I' the ditch, sir." "Hurt?" "Lord love ye, just a rap o' the nob, sir." It was now that my lady, crouched in the darkest corner of the chaise, fancied she heard shouts above the raving of the wind and, grasping the pistol in trembling fingers, ventured to look out. And thus she saw a face, pallid in the flickering light of the solitary lantern, a face streaked with mud and sweat, fierce-eyed and grim of mouth. She caught but a momentary glimpse as he swung to horse but, reading aright the determined purpose of that haggard face, she cried aloud and sprang out into the road, calling on his name. "John--O John!" But her voice was lost in the rushing wind, and the Major, spurring his spirited horse, plunged into the dark, beyond the feeble light of the lamp, and was swallowed up in the whirling darkness. Deafened and half-dazed by the buffeting wind and the suddenness of it all, she stood awhile, then, squaring her dimpled chin, set about freeing one of the horses. CHAPTER XLII WHICH DESCRIBES A DUEL Colonel Lord George Cleeve, dozing over a bottle beside the hearth, stirred at the heavy tread of feet, unclosed slumberous eyes at the sudden opening of the door, glanced round sleepily, stared and sprang to his feet, broad awake in a moment, to see the Major and Sergeant Zebedee, wind-blown and mud-splashed, tramp heavily in bearing between them a shapeless bundle of sodden clothes and finery the which, propped upright in a chair, resolved itself into a human being, gagged and bound hand and foot. "Jack!" he gasped, his eyes rolling. "Why, Jack--good Lord!" After which, finding no more to say he sank back into his armchair and swore feebly. "Off with the gag, Sergeant," said the Major serenely as he laid by his own mud-spattered hat and riding-coat. The Sergeant obeyed; and now beholding the prisoner's pale, contorted features, the Colonel sprang to his feet again. "Refuse me!" he gasped. "What the--Mr. Dalroyd!" "Or Captain Effingham!" said the Major. "Loose his cravat and shirt, Sergeant, and let us be sure at last." Sergeant Zebedee's big fingers were nimble and the Major, taking one of the silver candlesticks, bent above the helpless man for a long moment; then, setting down the light, he bowed: "Captain Effingham, I salute you!" said he. "To-night sir, here in this room, I propose that we finish, once and for all, what we left undone ten years ago, 'tis for this purpose I brought you hither, though a little roughly I fear. My Lord Cleeve will oblige me by acting as your second, I think. But first, take some refreshment, I beg. We have ample leisure, so pray compose yourself until you shall have recovered from the regrettable violence I have unavoidably occasioned you. Loose him, Zebedee!" Freed of his bonds, Mr. Dalroyd stretched himself, re-settled his damp and rumpled garments, and lounged back in his chair. "Sir," said he, viewing the Major with eyes that glittered between languid-drooping lids, "though my--enforced presence here runs counter to certain determined purposes of mine, yet I am so much of a philosopher as to recognise in this the hand of Fate and to find therein a very real satisfaction, for I have long been possessed of a most earnest desire to kill you--as indeed I think I should ha' done years ago but for a slip of the foot." The Major bowed: "May I pour you a glass of wine, Captain Effingham? he enquired. "Not now sir, I thank you," answered Mr. Dalroyd, languidly testing the play of right hand and wrist, "afterwards, perhaps!" "You are without your sword, I perceive sir," said the Major. "Gad, yes sir!" lisped Mr. Dalroyd, smiling, "in our hurry we left it behind in the coach." "Still, you will prefer swords, of course?" "Of course, sir." "Go, bring the duelling-swords, Sergeant," said the Major and sitting down filled himself a glass of wine while Mr. Dalroyd gently smoothed and patted wrist and sword-hand with long, white fingers and the Colonel, standing on the hearth, his feet wide apart, stared from one serene, deadly face to the other. "Ten years, sir, is a fair span of life," said Mr. Dalroyd musingly, "and in that time Fortune hath been kind to you, 'twould seem. You have here a noble heritage to--ah--leave behind you to some equally fortunate wight!" Here he turned to glance at the wicked-looking weapons Sergeant Zebedee had laid upon the table. "When you have finished your wine, sir, I will play Providence to that fortunate wight, whoever he may be, and put him in possession of his heritage as soon as possible." The Major bowed, emptied his glass and rising, proceeded to remove coat and waistcoat and, with the Sergeant's aid, to draw off his long riding-boots and rolled back snowy shirt from his broad chest while Mr. Dalroyd, having kicked off his buckled shoes, did the same. "We have no surgeon here, I perceive," he smiled. "Ah well, so much the better." So saying, he took up the nearest sword haphazard, twirled it, made a rapid pass in the air and stood waiting. "My Lord Cleeve," said the Major as the Colonel drew his weapon and stepped forward, "when once we engage you will on no account strike up our swords----" "But damme, man Jack, how if you wound each other----" "Why then sir," murmured Mr. Dalroyd quietly, testing the suppleness of his blade, "we shall proceed to--exterminate one another. This is to the death, my lord!" The library was a long, spacious chamber with the broad fireplace at one end; moreover the Sergeant had already set back the furniture against the wall and rolled up the rugs out of the way. Lord Cleeve glanced round about him quick-eyed, ordered the candles to be disposed a little differently that there might be no advantage of light, then, folding his arms, glanced from the pale, serene face of the Major to the cold, smiling face of Mr. Dalroyd as they fronted each other sword in hand in the middle of the wide floor. "Then, 'tis understood, I am not to part ya', not to interfere until----" "Until one of us is dead, my lord!" said Mr. Dalroyd, his nostrils quivering. "Exactly so!" said the Major. "Sergeant Zebedee--lock the door!" Lord Cleeve shrugged his shoulders: "'Tis a damnably cold-blooded business altogether!" said he as the Sergeant turned key in lock. "Agreed, sir!" smiled Mr. Dalroyd. "But pray be so obliging as to give the word." The Colonel shrugged his shoulders again, cleared his throat and took a step backwards: "Ready, sirs!" said he curtly. "On guard!" The narrow blades glittered, crossed, kissed lightly together and remained for a moment rigidly motionless, then, quicker than eye could follow, flashed into swift and deadly action. Followed the soft thud of swift-moving feet, the quick, light beat of the blades, now ringing sharply, now clashing and grinding, now silent altogether. Mr. Dalroyd's white teeth were bared in a confident smile as, pressing in, he beset the Major with thrust on thrust, now in the high line, now in the low, constantly changing his attack, besetting him with cunning beats and skilful twists; but cunning was met with cunning and fierce attack with calm and unerring guard. Thus as the moments sped, the fighting grew ever more close and deadly, the blades darted and writhed unceasingly, they flashed and flickered in narrow circles, while the Sergeant, leaning broad back against locked door, watched the rapid exchanges with a fencer's eye and the Colonel forgot all else in the world but the sublime skill of their play. But as the moments dragged by, the Colonel's fingers began to pull and twist irritably at one of the buttons of his coat, and about this time too, Sergeant Zebedee's nonchalant attitude changed to one of rigid attention, his black brows twitched and in his look was dawning bewilderment; for while Mr. Dalroyd fought serene of face and tireless of arm the Major seemed to have become strangely languid and unaccountably slow, his pallid cheeks were lined with sweat and he laboured painfully in his breathing; noting all of which the Sergeant's bewilderment grew to anxiety, while Colonel Cleeve's fingers were twisting and wrenching at the button harder than ever. Without the windows was the ceaseless rush of the wind, now rising to an angry roar, now dying to a mournful wail; within was a ceaseless tread of shoeless feet and ring of steel, now clashing fierce and loud, and always the Sergeant's anxiety increased, for the Major's parries seemed slower than ever; again and again his adversary's point, flashing perilously near, was turned only just in time, once ripping the cambric at his neck and again at shoulder; and ever Mr. Dalroyd's smile grew more confident and the spectators' anxious bewilderment the keener. All at once the Sergeant uttered a gasp, the Colonel took a quick stride forward as Mr. Dalroyd, thrusting in tierce, flashed into carte and drove in a vicious lunge--was met by lightning riposte and flinging himself sideways sprang out of distance, a fleck of blood upon his shirt-sleeve. "You are touched, I think, sir?" enquired the Colonel. "Thank you, 'tis nought in the world," he answered, panting a little but with lips that curled and nostrils that quivered in his cold smile as he watched the Major who stood, haggard of face, one hand pressed to his side, his lips close-set, breathing hard through his nose. "Art hurt, man Jack--art hurt?" "Nay sir I--I am well enough!" he answered, forcing a ghastly smile--"when Captain Effingham is ready----" "Nay sir," answered Mr. Dalroyd, bowing, "pray take your time--you are a little distressed I think, pray recover your breath----" "I am quite ready, sir." So they bowed to each other, advanced upon each other and again their weapons crossed. And now as though they knew it was a matter of time they pressed each other more fiercely and with a new impetuosity, yet equally alert and wary--came a whirl and flurry of ringing steel drowned all at once in the crash of splintering glass at one of the windows--a frenzied hand that groped, then the casement swung wide with a rush of wind and, as though borne in upon the raging tempest, a figure sprang into the room, long hair flying, a cloud of tresses black as the night, silks and satins torn and mud-splashed, one white hand grasping a silver-mounted pistol, the other stretched out commandingly. "Stop!" she panted. "Stop!" At sight of her Mr. Dalroyd lowered his weapon and bowed; the Major, with head drooping, viewed her beneath his brows, then, crossing to the table leaned there with head averted, and Lord Cleeve, having opened his eyes to their widest, opened his mouth also--but said not a word and dropped a button from suddenly relaxed fingers; as for the Sergeant he unclenched his fists, breathed a deep sigh of thankfulness and murmured "Zounds!" "My Lord Cleeve," said she at last, "when Mr. Dalroyd has taken his departure, I will beg you to escort me to my house." Lord Cleeve bowed and sheathed his sword looking foolish the while. "A--a happiness!" he stammered. "Mr. Dalroyd," said my lady very proudly for all her torn and muddy gown, "I ask you to prove your manhood by setting by that sword and leaving the house--now! You will find one of your coach horses below the terrace. Your quicker way will be by the window yonder." Mr. Dalroyd hesitated, his pale cheeks flushed suddenly, his sleepy eyes opened wide, then he smiled and bowing, reached for his coat and with the Colonel's assistance got into it, and he slipped on his shoes. Then, heedless of the others, he caught my lady's hand to his lips and bowing, kissed it. "Ah, Betty," said he, "you are worth the winning--aye, upon my soul you are!" "Take your pistol, sir!" He took it, turned it over and laughed gently. "My dear lady," said he, "after your exploits this night I wouldn't forego you for any woman that ever tempted man. Your time shall be my time and my time is--soon, Betty--ah, soon!" And bowing again, he crossed to the open window, stepped out into the dark and was gone. For a moment none moved, then the Sergeant crossed the room and closed the shattered casement. "Major d'Arcy," said my lady, and now there was a troubled quiver in the clear voice, "upon a night not long ago you made me a promise--nay, swore me an oath. Do you remember?" The Major was silent. "Sir," she continued, her voice growing more troubled, "you did not give me that oath easily and now--O is it thus you keep all your promises?" The Major made no answer, nor did he stir, nor even lift his head. "John," she took a quick step toward the rigid figure. "O Jack--you are not hurt----" "Thank you--I am--very well!" he answered, still without turning, and gripping the sword he still held in rigid fingers. After this there seemed a long silence filled with the rumble of wind in the wide chimney. Then my lady stirred, sighed, and stretched out her hand to Colonel Cleeve. "O my lord," she said wearily, "prithee take me home." So the Colonel took her hand, drew it through his arm and led her towards the door, but ever as she went she gazed towards the Major's motionless back; reaching the door she paused, but still his head was averted; then she sighed, shivered and, despite her muddy and tattered gown, swept away upon Lord George's arm like a young, disdainful goddess. The Major drew a quivering breath and his sword clattered upon the floor. "God above!" exclaimed the Sergeant, clasping strong arms about that rigid form, "the Captain pinked you after all, sir." "No, Zeb, no--but I fancy I've broke a--couple of ribs or so--as 'twere, d'ye see, Zeb----" And sighing, he fell forward with his head pillowed upon the Sergeant's shoulder. CHAPTER XLIII HOW THEY DRANK A NEW TOAST "The Major's rib will do, sir," nodded Dr. Ponderby, "'tis doing well and will do better and better. A simple fracture, sir--'twill be sound in no time, it being a rib of health abounding, owing, if I may put it so, to an abstemious life, a past puritanic--a----" "Abstemious, sir!" exclaimed Lord Cleeve, rolling his eyes, "abstemious d'ya' say? O begad, hark to that, Jack! Abstemious sir, abste----" The Colonel choked and rolled his eyes fiercer than ever. "My lord," said portly Dr. Ponderby, patting his smooth wig, "I am no Puritan myself, nor do I look askance at a glass or so of wine, far from it----" "The bottle is at your elbow, sir," said the Major from his cushioned chair. "Abstemious--begad!" chuckled Lord Cleeve, snuffing fiercely. "I thank you, Major," said Dr. Ponderby, leisurely filling his glass, "and my Lord Cleeve, coming back to my patient's rib, I repeat its abounding health is due entirely to a youthful and immensely robust constitution and----" "Abstemious--ho!" chuckled the Colonel. "Given occasion sir, Jack can be as abstemious as Bacchus. I remember last time we made a night on't--aha! It being nigh dawn and we on our fifth bottle, or was it the seventh, Jack--not to mention Sir Benjamin's punch, begad, it being nigh dawn, I say, and I happening to glance about missed divers faces from the genial board. 'Where are they all, Jack?' says I. 'Under the table,' says he, sober as a judge, and damme sir, so they were and Jack as I say, sober as yourself sir, for all his abstemiousness!" "Hem!" exclaimed Dr. Ponderby, gulping his wine and rising. "None the less, Major d'Arcy, my dear sir, you shall be abroad again in a week if--I say, and mark me sir, I say it with deepest emphasis--if you will brisk up, banish gloomy thought and melancholy, cultivate joy, sit i' the sun, eat well, drink moderately and sleep as much as possible." "A copious prescription, sir!" sighed the Major wearily. "Brisk?" snorted Lord Cleeve, "brisk, is it? Refuse me but he's as brisk and joyous as a gallows! Here he sits, hunched up in that old service coat and glooms and glowers all day, and when night draws on, damns his bed, curses himself, and wishes his oldest friend to the devil and that's me sir--his friend I mean." "Stay, never that, George," smiled the Major, shaking protesting head. "But ya' curst gloomy Jack, none the less." "This won't do," smiled Dr. Ponderby, "won't do at all. Gloom must we dissipate----" "Dissipate!" exclaimed the Colonel, "dissipate--aye man, but he won't drink and the Oporto's the right stuff you'll allow----" "He must have company----" "Well and aren't I company?" "The very best, my lord----" "Not to mention Viscount Tom and----" "Very true sir," smiled the doctor, "only you don't either of you happen to wear petticoats----" "Petticoats!" exclaimed the Colonel, rolling his eyes. "Petticoats are my prescription, my lord--plenty of 'em and taken often. A house is a gloomy place without 'em----' "Agad and ya' right there--ya' right there!" nodded the Colonel vehemently. "No!" protested the Major. "Yes!" cried the Colonel. "Look at my place in Surrey, the damndest, dreariest curst hole y'ever saw----" "Nay George, when I saw it last it was----" "A plaguy, dreary hole, Jack!" snapped the Colonel. "Used to wonder why I couldn't abide the place--reason perfectly plain to-day--lacks a petticoat, and Jack man, a petticoat I'm a-going to have soon, man, soon ha, and so shall you begad!" "Never!" said the Major drearily. "Now hark to the poor, curst wretch, 'tis the woefullest dog!" exclaimed the Colonel feelingly, "won't drink and no petticoats! Man Jack, I tell thee woman is to man his--his--well, she's a woman, and man without woman's gentle and purifying influence is--is only--only a--well, man. Look at me. After all these years, Jack 'tis a petticoat for me." The Major murmured the old adage about one man's meat being another man's poison, whereon his lordship snarled and rolled his eyes as he rose to escort the doctor to the door. "Petticoats quotha?" said he, "Petticoats it shall be." "In large doses!" nodded Dr. Ponderby, "and repeated often." So saying, he shook the invalid's languid hand, smiled and bustled away. "Ha!" exclaimed his lordship, "there's a man of stark common sense, Jack." "Aye, aye," nodded the Major a little impatiently, "but what of Effingham, you say he has left Westerham?" "He left at mid-day, Jack." "For good?" "'Twould seem so, he marched bag and baggage. The rascal fences purely well, I vow." "Superlatively well," nodded the Major beginning to fill a much smoked clay pipe. "Man Jack, I thought he had ya' there in carte." "Nay I was expecting it and ready, George. I should have caught him on the riposte but I was short d'ye see----" "Owing to ya' rib, Jack." "Damn my rib!" exclaimed the Major. "'Tis pure folly I should be laid up and sit here like a lame dog for so small a matter as a rib, d'ye see----" "'Tis more than ya' rib is wrong with ya', Jack!" "A Gad's name, what?" "A general gloom and debility induced by lack of and need for--a petticoat." "Folly!" snorted the Major, but his pale cheek flushed none the less. "Talking o' Dalroyd, ya' pinked his sword arm, Jack." "But he's alive, alive George and now, now for all I know--where's Tom--where's Pancras? For all we know they may be fighting at this moment!" And the Major half rose from his elbow-chair. "Content ya', Jack, content ya'!" said the Colonel, pressing him back with hands surprisingly gentle, "the lad's not fighting--nor likely to. I swear again, he shan't cross blades with Dalroyd or Effingham if I have to pistol the rogue myself, so ha' no worry on that score, Jack." The Major sighed and leaned back in his chair while Lord Cleeve watched him and, snuffing copiously, sighed sympathetically. "'Tis the woefullest figure ya' cut, Jack, wi' that long face and damned old service coat." "'Tis the one I wore at Ramillies," said the Major, glancing down at faded cloth and tarnished lace. "Is it, begad! I'd never ha' recognised it. Then 'tis time 'twas superannuated and retired from active service. You was wounded that day I remember, Tack." "Yes." "Twice." "Yes." "But ya' never wore look so doleful--never such a damned dumb-dog, suffer-and-smite me air--not then, Jack--not in those days and ya' were generally nursing some wound or other." "I was younger then!" sighed the Major. "Pah!" exclaimed the Colonel scattering a pinch of snuff in his vehemence, "I say pish, man--tush and the devil! Ya' younger these days than ever ya' were--all ya' need to become a very youth is a petticoat--take your old comrade's advice and marry one." "Never!" exclaimed the Major, clenching his fists. "Tush!" exclaimed the Colonel, snuffing. "As ya' friend, Jack, 'tis my duty to see ya' happily married and I'll be damned if I don't. Wedlock 'twixt man and woman is--is--ah, is well, marriage. There's little Mrs. Wadhurst over at Sevenoaks--a shape, Jack, an eye and a curst alluring nose. Hast ever noticed her nose?" "No!" snarled the Major. "Ha!" sighed the Colonel. "Not to ya' taste, belike. Why then there's Lady Lydia Flyte--a widow, Jack--another neighbour--a comely piece, man, bright eyes, wealthy and sufficiently plump----" "Ha' done!" snapped the Major, puffing smoke. "Dooce take ya'!" snarled the Colonel, scattering snuff. "Begad, man Jack, ya' damned peevish and contrary, y'are 'pon my life! If I wasn't the most patient, long-suffering, meek and mild soul i' the world I should be inclined to lose my temper over ya' damned stubbornness--rot me, I should!" At this the Major chuckled.. "Your meekness, George, hath ever been equalled only by your humility!" said he. "Nay, but man Jack, look'ee now--'tis not that I would ram my own happiness down thy throat, but to see thee so glum and spiritless, damps my own joy doocedly. And the word glum brings us back to petticoats." "Nay George, for mercy's sake no more----" "But comrade, a petticoat should be--ah--should be, a petticoat is--is a--ha!" At this moment was a knock and, the door opening, the Sergeant advanced two paces and stood at attention: "Your honour," said he. "Ha, Zeb," exclaimed the Colonel, fixing him with fierce, blue eye, "ho, Sergeant Zeb, what the dooce is a petticoat?" The Sergeant stared at his lordship, stared at the ceiling, scratched smooth-shaven chin with thoughtful finger and spoke. "A petticoat, m' lud, is a article as a woman can't very well go without and a man shouldn't--and won't!" The Colonel set down his glass, threw back his head and roared with laughter till he stamped. "Aha--oho!" he cried at last, sprinkling snuff over himself and everything within reach. "O Gad, Zeb, ya' right, ya' right--must remember that. D'ya hear that, Jack--oho--aha!" And he roared again while the Major smiled, chuckled, and despite rib and bandages, laughed until Sergeant Zebedee anxiously bade him have a care, and announced that Sir Benjamin Tripp, Lord Alvaston, Mr. Marchdale, Sir Jasper and Captain West had ridden over to see him and enquire after his health. "Why then let 'em in, Zeb--let 'em in," said the Major a little breathlessly, "and bring up a half-dozen or so of the yellow seal----" "The yellow--ha!" sighed the Colonel, "if the same as last time 'tis bottled sunshine, 'twill warm the very cockles o' ya' heart, man----" "Nay, George----" "Tush, Jack--an you don't drink, I don't----" "But George----" "Pish, Jack! You'll never go for to deny ya' old friend?" Here the door opened and the company entered with a prodigious waving of hats, flirting of gold-mounted whips and jingling of spurs. "Major d'Arcy, sir!" cried Sir Benjamin, "your very devoted, humble servant. My lord, yours! Ods my life, my dear Major d'Arcy, I joy to see you no worse, sir, after your desperate battle with nine bloodthirsty ruffians----" "Four, Sir Benjamin----" "Common report, sir, makes 'em twelve but I'm assured they were but nine----" "Sir, they were but four," repeated the Major gently. "But gentlemen, you have lost one of your number--Mr. Dalroyd is gone, I understand?" "Faith and so he has, sir," answered Mr. Marchdale petulantly, "clean gone and with eight hundred guineas o' mine and more of Alvaston's, not to mention----" "But then we never had 'ny luck wi' th' cards, Tony," yawned his lordship. "Luck!" spluttered Mr. Marchdale, "luck, d'ye call it----" "Ahem!" exclaimed Sir Benjamin. "'Tis true Dalroyd is gone, sir, and suddenly, nor will I disguise the fact that his ahem!--his departure was in some sort a relief considering the deplorable scene 'twixt him and Viscount Merivale----" "And his curst secret ways," added Mr. Marchdale, "and his treatment of that fellow of his--Dalroyd's room was next mine and I know he's beaten the poor rogue damnably more than once of late." "Haw--that's true enough!" exclaimed Captain West, "heard the miserable dog myself. Dismally a-groaning a-nights. More than once, haw!" "And yesterday, just as he mounts to ride away Dalroyd must fall a-kicking the fellow--in the open street and with us standing by! And kicked him, look you, not as a gentleman should but with such vicious pleasure in it--faith, 'twas positively indecent!" "Od's life, sir, and that's true--indecent is the word!" nodded Sir Benjamin tapping his snuff-box, "and gentlemen, if the human optic, basilisk-like, could blast soul and wither flesh--Dalroyd would have hem! I say would have known--ha--would have made a sufficiently uncomfortable not to say painful exit--or setting forth the matter in plainer terms Dalroyd hem----" "Hold hard, Ben!" yawned Alvaston. "Y' gettin' lost again. What our Ben wants t' say 's simply Dalroyd's f'low looked bloody murder 'n so he did." "Ha--begad! He did so!" "Dalroyd is well enough enjoyed now and then," said Mr. Marchdale sententiously, "but as a constant diet is apt to become devilish indigestible! And as regards his unfailing lack with the cards, I shouldn't wonder----" "Then don't, Tony--don't!" murmured Lord Alvaston, crossing his slender legs. "Dalroyd may be this, that or t'other, but Dalroyd ain't here--enough of him." "Aye, true," nodded Sir Benjamin, "true indeed, Dalroyd is gone and we, dear Major, like this year's roses, are going too. In a week sir, this fraternity amorous will suffer disruption, our lady hath so decreed, the fiat hath gone forth." "Indeed sir, you surprise me!" said the Major, glancing from one to another, "whence comes this?" Here Sir Benjamin shook his head and sighed, Sir Jasper stifled a groan, Mr. Marchdale swore beneath his breath, the Captain uttered a feeble "Haw" and Lord Alvaston whistled dolefully. "Sir," sighed Sir Benjamin, "you behold in us a band of woeful wooers each alike condemned to sigh, and yet to sigh in unison and in this, the measure of our woe doth find some small abatement. Each hath wooed and each hath proved his wooing vain, his dreams, his visions must remain but--hem!--but dreams and----" "Hold on, Ben," murmured Alvaston, "burn me but y're gettin' int' th' weeds again! What poor old Ben's strivin' t' say 's simply that----" "Betty'll ha' none of us," scowled Mr. Marchdale, "though if I'd had more time----" "None of us!" added the Captain, "er--haw! Not one!" Here Sir Jasper, trying to sip his wine and groan at the same time, choked. "And yet--and yet," sighed Sir Benjamin, holding his glass between his eye and the light, "seeing that our ahem! our unspeakable grief is common to us, each and all, it shall, methinks, but knit closer the bonds of our fellowship and we should unite to wish her happiness with whatsoever unknown mortal she shall some day make blest. Regarding which I think a toast might be appropriate--pray charge your glasses and I----" Sir Benjamin paused and turned as with a perfunctory knock the Sergeant re-appeared. "Your honour," said he, "my Lady Belinda Damain with Lady Carlyon to see you." The Major caught his breath, then sat upright his square chin showing a little grim. "You will tell their ladyships that I present my humble respects and thanks but regret I am unable to see them." "Sir?" said the Sergeant, staring. "Go, Sergeant!" "Jack!" exclaimed the Colonel as the door closed "why, Jack!" "Sir!" answered the Major, his eyes very keen and bright. "P-petticoats, man--two of 'em--doctor's orders! O rot me!" spluttered the Colonel. "Gentlemen," said the Major, smiling wearily, "pray charge your glasses for Sir Benjamin's toast." "Major d'Arcy, sir," said Sir Benjamin, bowing from his chair, "permit me to say that I applaud the delicacy of your feelings. We lovers who have wooed and lost, alas! Ods my life, sir, 'twas well done--honour me!" And he extended his snuff-box. "Sir," he continued, when they had bowed and snuffed together, "summer is on the wane and with the summer we, like the swallows, shall desert these rural solitudes. A week hence, instead of perambulating bosky Westerham we shall most of us be jolting over the cobblestones of London--but we shall one and all treasure a lively memory of your friendship and trust that it may be renewed from time to time. Meanwhile, ere we fly hence, it is our united hope that you, together with my Lord Cleeve will honour us again with your company to supper on an early date----" "A Gad, sir, we will that!" nodded the Colonel. "Speaking for myself I thank you heartily, and speaking for Jack, I say he shall come if I have to carry him there and back again." "And now, Sir Benjamin," said the Major, "pray give us your toast." Sir Benjamin rose, glass in one hand, lace handkerchief in the other. "We have all here, I think, with the exception of the gallant Colonel, essayed our fortune with my lady Betty, and with equal ahem! equally deplorable lack of success. 'Twould seem that she is determined on according to no one of us here that felicity we have, each one, dreamed of and sought for. But she is young and 'tis but to be expected that one day some happier man shall succeed where we have failed. Now sirs, as lovers, as gentlemen and sportsmen true, let us raise our glasses to that happy unknown whoever he be, let us drink health to him, joy to him, success and long life to him for the sake of Our Admirable Betty. Gentlemen 'The Unknown!'" CHAPTER XLIV SOME ACCOUNT OF A HIGHWAYMAN Mr. Dalroyd was a man of habit and of late it had become his custom to take particular heed as to the lock and bolts of his chamber door of nights and to sleep with his pistol beneath his pillow. He had formed another habit also, a strange, uncanny habit of pausing suddenly with head aslant like one hearkening for soft or distant sounds; though to be sure his eyes were as sleepy and himself as languid as usual. But the stair leading to Mr. Dalroyd's bedchamber was narrow and extremely precipitous and, descending in the gloom one evening, he had tripped over some obstacle and only by his swordsman's quickness and bodily agility saved himself from plunging headlong to the bottom. He had wakened in the middle of the night for no seeming reason and, sitting up in that attitude of patient listening, had chanced to glance at the door lit by a shaft of moonlight and had watched the latch quiver, lift silently and as silently sink back in place. He had moreover become cautious as to how he took up his pistols, having found them more than once mysteriously at full cock. So Mr. Dalroyd continued to lock and double-lock his door at night and, in the morning, seated before his mirror, to watch Joseph the obsequious therein: as he was doing now. "Sir," said Joseph, eyes lowered yet perfectly aware of his master's watchful scrutiny, "everything is packed save your brushes and the gillyflower water." "Why then, my snail, you may pack them also." "I will, sir." "It is now half after ten, Joseph--we ride at eleven." "To London, sir?" "Order the horses to the door at that hour, Object." "Yes, sir. Pray, sir," said he humbly, head bowed and big hands twitching nervously, "regarding your promise of permitting me to--to--quit your service--pray when is it to be?" "I don't know, Joseph, I can't say." "Sir--sir--d'ye mean----" "I mean that I don't feel I can endure to part with you, Joseph." "You mean--you--won't?" "You interest me, Joseph. Yes, you amuse me vastly, there is about you such infinite repression, Joseph, such latent ferocity. Yours is a nature of great and unexpected possibilities. Ferocity, duly in check, allures me, Joseph; so I shall continue to be your master and to--master you, Animal. Reach me my pistols." Joseph crossed the room to where they lay beside the bed. "Sir," said he, taking up the weapons, "you won't let me go, then?" "Are they loaded, Joseph?" "Yes, sir." "Are they cocked?" "No, sir." "Which is just as well, Joseph. With your hands shaking like that you might have had the misfortune to shoot me and be infallibly hanged for a deplorable accident." Joseph's eyes flickered and he stood, still grasping a pistol in either hand. "Sir," said he thickly, "do you mean to let me go--yes or no?" "Hanged, Joseph, for--knowing you as I do, Reptile, I am leaving behind me a letter to the effect that should I meet with any sudden or untoward misfortune on my journey, a knife in the back, say, or a bullet, Joseph, justice may be done on the body of one Joseph Appleby, alias Galloping Nick, already wanted for the murder of----" The weapons thudded to the floor and Joseph cowered. "For the love of God!" he whispered hoarsely. "Sir--sir----" And he clenched and wrung his hands together. "Pick up the pistols, Worm, and handle them carefully, they've taken to cocking themselves of late, 'twould seem. And I, Joseph, I've taken to locking and bolting my door a-nights and being particular how I tread in the dark." So saying, Mr. Dalroyd smiled and went downstairs humming softly, where the company were gathered to see him off. In due time the horses were brought to the door and Mr. Dalroyd, pulling on his gauntlets, prepared to mount; but before doing so, drew his pistols from their holsters and found that their primings had been shaken out. Whereupon he beckoned Joseph smilingly--saw them re-primed and, smiling still, kicked Joseph viciously. Then he mounted, watched Joseph do the same, waved an airy farewell to the company and rode gracefully away. Reaching the open road, Mr. Dalroyd summoned his follower to ride beside him. "On the whole, Joseph," said he, "I prefer to have a man of your--infinite possibilities beside me, at my elbow---within reach. Besides, I'm in the mood for conversation, let us talk, creature." Joseph's heavy brow grew rather more lowering and he kept his gaze bent obsequiously on the dust of the way as he drew level with his master, who had reined his horse to a gentle, ambling pace. "You were educated above your station, Joseph--the law, I think?" "Yes, sir." "Owing to your mother's exertions--hence the extreme warmth of your--ah--filial regard." "She also shielded me from a father's brutality, sir." "Hence, Joseph, as I say, the ardour of your regard for her. 'Tis strange to find that even in the basest, most depraved natures the softer qualities of gratitude and love may occasionally be remarked by the philosophical observer, a fact sufficiently strange and interesting!" Joseph's wolverine mouth twitched and he lifted his gaze slowly as high as the top of the hedge and kept it there. "Your first noteworthy exploit," continued Mr. Dalroyd good-humouredly, "was the forgery of a bill----" "Sir--sir," stammered Joseph, glance abased to the dust again, "pray why must you----" "My good Object, I would see that I have the facts sufficiently clear. To begin again, you forged a bill on one Hilary Girard, he, discovering your criminality, taxed you with the fact, whereafter poor Mr. Girard suddenly died--misfortunate wight! Lead poisoning was it, or powdered glass?" Joseph uttered a sound between a choke and a groan. "Nay, after all, 'tis no matter which," continued Mr. Dalroyd, "suffice it--he died. Thereafter you took to the highway, became famous for your daring, were finally betrayed by a jealous beauty, were sentenced to hang, escaped on a legal quibble, and were cast for transportation, effected your escape and--Fortune sent you to me and I give you life, Joseph, and a certain amount of freedom so long as you are of use to me." Joseph's mouth had become a twisted line and he moved in his saddle as if undergoing some sharp, physical discomfort, while Mr. Dalroyd lapsed into pleasant reverie as they rode on through the warm and fragrant air. They held a course south-easterly staying only to change horses at the various stages where Joseph, acting on his master's instructions, ordered post-horses to be in readiness three nights hence. Towards late afternoon Mr. Dalroyd halted at Tenterden for refreshment; after an excellent meal he sauntered out into the yard and summoned Joseph, but without avail, the obsequious Joseph was not to be found. Mr. Dalroyd's modish languor changed to a sudden cold ferocity before which ostlers, post-boys and stablemen quailed; within five minutes he had roused the whole place and set everyone searching, from host to pot-boy. Every hiding-place, likely and unlikely, was ransacked, the inn, the stable and scattered outbuildings, but to no end, Joseph had vanished. Finally he ordered his horse to be saddled and while this was doing, stood, chin in hand, like one lost in vexed thought yet more than once fell into that attitude of strained attention as though listening for distant sounds. Roused by the clatter of his fresh horse's hoofs on the cobbles of the yard as it was led from the stables, he glanced up and surveyed the animal with quick, appraising eye and prepared to mount; but, before doing so, stayed to lift his holster-flaps and found that his pistols were gone. At this he laughed suddenly---a strange laugh, at sound of which the fellow holding the horse put up an elbow and cowered behind it as if expecting a blow; but Mr. Dalroyd, laughing still, turned and beckoned to the landlord with his gold-mounted riding-whip. "Look'ee," said he, his mirth still distorting his features, "I've been robbed by the rascal and among other things, of my pistols. I must have another pair--at once!" "Sir," began the landlord, bobbing apologetically, "there ain't a pair in the house Lord love me, no such thing except a blunderbuss----" "Blockhead!" exclaimed Mr. Dalroyd, pointing at the speaker with his whip, "I said a pair of pistols, go get 'em--how and where you will, but get them and bring 'em to me and don't keep me waiting, my good oaf." So saying, Mr. Dalroyd turned and sauntered up and down the shady side of the yard apparently lost in dreamy reverie. Very soon the landlord came hurrying back triumphantly bearing a long-barrelled weapon in either hand. Mr. Dalroyd took one, balanced it and cursed its weight and clumsiness. "Careful, sir," warned the landlord, flinching, "they're loaded." Mr. Dalroyd glanced around; overhead a crow flapped heavily on lazy wings. Mr. Dalroyd aimed the weapon and while the report still rang and echoed, the crow turned over and over, a shapeless bundle of ragged feathers and thudding down into the grassy ditch opposite the inn lay there struggling and croaking dismally. "They'll serve!" nodded Mr. Dalroyd, "have the thing loaded again and hasten!" Watched by many awestruck eyes, Mr. Dalroyd crossed to his horse, mounted, and oblivious of the interest he caused, sat awhile with eyes half-shut and head aslant, listening, until the weapon was brought; then he examined each with care, flint, priming and charge, and thrust them into his holsters. "Landlord," said he, as he put away his purse, "did you take any heed to the general appearance of that runaway rogue of mine?" "Aye sir, a tall chap wi' big hands and a way o' lookin' down his nose and--come to think on't, a fresh-healed scar just over one eye-brow----" "Caused by a cut-glass perfume bottle!" nodded Mr. Dalroyd. "A just and fair description, landlord. Should you ever chance on such a fellow anywhere at any time you will do well to apprehend him----" "For robbery, sir----?" "For murder, landlord!" As he spoke Mr. Dalroyd touched spurs to his horse and cantered away, leaving the landlord to stare open-mouthed and the crow to thrash broken wing and croak dismally in the ditch as, reaching the highway, he spurred to a gallop. All the afternoon he kept the road, and as the day waned he became ever more alert, his quick eyes scanned the road before and behind and he rode for long stretches with his head leaned to that angle of patient listening for sounds afar. Now, as evening fell he had an unpleasant feeling that he was being followed, more than once he fancied he caught the faint throbbing of distant hoofs, now lost, now heard again, never any nearer yet never any further off. Once he reined up suddenly to hearken but heard nothing save the desolate sighing of wind in trees; yet when he went on again he could have sworn to the distant beat of galloping hoofs, wherefore, ears on the stretch, he loosed the flaps of his holsters. So day drew to evening and evening to night and with every mile the fancy grew within him, little by little, until it became an obsession and he spurred fiercely uphill and down, often turning to glance back along the darkening road and with his pistols cocked and ready. CHAPTER XLV CERTAIN ADVENTURES OF THE RAMILLIE COAT The Major's rib mended apace; nevertheless his fits of gloom and depression seemed but to grow more pronounced, insomuch that he would seize any and every opportunity to escape from Colonel Cleeve's cheery presence or the Viscount's affectionate solicitude and, locking himself into his study, would strive feverishly to banish thought with his gabions, angles of fire, etc. To-day the Viscount and Colonel Cleeve had ridden abroad together, and being alone, the Major had ventured forth into the orchard and now sat in the hutch-like sentry-box hard at work on his History of Fortification. The afternoon was very still and very hot, so hot indeed that he had laid by coat and wig and sat in shirt-sleeves, his close-cropped, brown head bent above his manuscript, writing busily. But presently he set this aside and leaning head on hand wearily, became lost in troubled reverie, then, sighing deeply, took pen and paper and began to indite a letter. At first he paused often as if the composition were difficult, but, little by little, his thoughts seemed to flow more freely for his quill flew rapidly, never staying until the letter was finished. Having sanded it, he read over what he had written, folded it, paused, shook his head and tore it across and across in his sinewy fingers, made as if to throw the scraps aside, checked himself and crammed them into one of the yawning side-pockets of the Ramillie coat. Thereafter, he sat staring straight before him until, moved by sudden impulse, he drew to him a new sheet of paper and wrote again busily. Then, not staying this time to read over what he had set down, he sanded, folded, sealed it, and turning, thrust it carefully into a pocket of the Ramillie coat and so turned back to his history once more. All at once he started, lifted his head and glanced across at a certain part of the old, red-brick wall and, dropping his pen, got stealthily to his feet. "A young cavalier he rode on his way Singing heigho, this loving is folly." The singing voice on the opposite side of the wall was drawing nearer, wherefore the Major snatched up his wig, clapped it on anyhow and incontinent fled. My lady Betty, having watched this hasty retreat, frowned, plucked a leaf, bit it with sharp, white teeth and--espied the Ramillie coat. The wall was rather high and there was no ladder this side, but my lady was of courageous temper and determined character, so---- The Major, turning a sharp corner of the yew walk, ran full tilt into Sergeant Zebedee. "Ha, Zeb," said he, a little breathlessly, "I--I was looking for you----" "Same likewise, sir," answered the Sergeant, standing at attention. "There's Colonel Cleeve, Sir Benjamin, and the Viscount a-waiting to play cards wi' you----" "Excellent! I'll join 'em at once----" "But your--your coat, sir?" "Aye, to be sure! You'll find it in the arbour, Zeb, bring it to me in the library." "Now, I wonder," murmured the Sergeant as the Major hastened away with long strides, "I wonder wherefore so rapid?" So my lady jumped. She had just caught up the Ramillie coat when she heard the approach of heavy steps and, being as resourceful as she was determined, she folded the garment compactly and sat upon it. The Sergeant, about to enter the arbour, paused, started and stood at attention. "Good day, Sergeant Zebedee!" quoth she demurely. "Same to you my lady and thank'ee." "And pray how is the Major?" "Ha'n't you just seen him mam?" "Indeed, but he--he vanished before I could speak a word, Sergeant." "Zounds!" murmured the Sergeant. "What d'you say, Sergeant Zebedee? "Why my lady, 'tis his coat I'm after----" "Coat?" repeated my lady. "Aye mam, his Ramillie coat, sent me here for same----" "I don't see it, do you, Sergeant?" "Why no, my lady, I don't! But he says he left same here and----" "But it doesn't seem to be, does it?" "No my lady, unless you----" "And how is the Major, pray?" Sergeant Zebedee sighed and shook his head. "Lord, my lady, he is that gloomy, he do sigh continual--mopes in his study when he should be out i' the sun and wanders abroad when he should be snug abed----" "But he sat out here to-day----" "Aye, for a wonder! 'Twas Mrs. Agatha and me as coaxed him out." "He seems to be a very--uncomfortably--moody kind of man, Sergeant." "Aye--but only of late, my lady." "I wonder why?" The Sergeant glanced down into her bright eyes, looked at earth, looked at sky, and scratched his chin. "Why, since you put the point, my lady, I should say 'tis either on account o' petticoats or witchcraft or--maybe both. And talking o' witchcraft, there's his coat now, p'r'aps you might chance to be----" "He seems mighty set on this coat," said she, deftly spreading out her voluminous petticoats, "and 'tis such a shabby, woeful old thing." "True mam, but I follered that coat through the smoke and dust of Ramillies fight though 'twas gayer then, d'ye see, but even now it shows the rents in skirt and arm o' bullet and bagnet as he took that day. 'Tis a wonderful garment, my lady." "It would irk him to lose it, belike?" "Lose it! Mam, it aren't to be thought on!" "Still I think 'twould do him a world of good if 'twere lost awhile, it seems to affect him so evilly." "Nay, I think 'tis t'other way about, mam. Says I to him one day, 'Sir,' says I, 'when at all put out wherefore and why the Ramillie coat?' 'Because Zeb,' says he, 'when I put it on I seem to put on some of my lost youth also.' Still, there's limits, mam, there's limits, and for a gentleman o' his degree to go out in same, and among his tenants d'ye see, well, it aren't right--though I've darned same constant. No wonder Widow Weston, which same is a scold, my lady, but 'tis no wonder she contradictioned of his honour no later than yesterday arternoon towards four o' the clock as ever was----" "Aye, I know Widow Weston!" smiled my lady. "Contradicted him--aye--she would." "And did, my lady! Here's his honour in his old coat a-bowing to her and a-choking and coughing d'ye see, on account of her chimbley a-smoking woeful. 'Mam,' says he, 'I fear your chimbley smokes.' 'It don't!' she cries, 'it don't, and if it do 'tis no worse than it was in my husband's time and if it did for him 'twill do for me,' she says. Whereon his honour bows himself into the air and wipes the soot out of his eyes all the way home, mam." "But referring to the coat, Sergeant----" "Begad, yes mam, saving your presence. There's him a-waiting for same." "You must insist on his leaving it off, Sergeant." "Insist? Zounds, my lady, insist--to the Major. Couldn't nowise be done, mam." "Why then he must lose same, Sergeant Zeb," said my lady roguishly. "Lose it, mam! Lord mam, his honour would never forgive me." "He would--O he would. Besides you didn't lose it. And it isn't here, is it?" "Why it aren't apparent to human observation, my lady. But p'r'aps you might chance to be sit----" "Hush!" cried my lady, white finger upraised. "Is someone coming?" The Sergeant stepped outside to glance about, listened dutifully and shook his head. "No mam, but I must get back to the house, his honour will----" "How is he progressing in health, Sergeant--his appetite--doth he eat well? "Eat, my lady!" exclaimed the Sergeant dolefully, "he's forgot how." "Truly I do begin to think he hath a soul after all, Sergeant." "Soul, mam? The finest as ever was! He's all soul, my lady, 'tis his body as do worry me--vading mam it be, vading and a-languishing away. Aye, 'tis his body----" "There seems plenty of it left, Sergeant, and it looks solid enough--O Lud!" she exclaimed all at once and clasped her hands, as from afar rose a hoarse, growl that swelled into a deep-lunged roar. "A mercy's sake, what is it?" "My lady, 'tis the Colonel a-calling me. I must go, my lady, and consequently humbly request you to----" "Stay, dear Sergeant Zeb, first pray go fetch me a ladder." "Ladder, my lady?" "How may I get back over the wall without it?" The Sergeant turned and stared at the wall, shook his head and rubbed his chin: "Question is, how did you get over, my lady?" "'Tis no matter! Go--go fetch the ladder, I must not be seen here--go this instant!" The Sergeant went. Once out of eyeshot my lady sprang up, sped across the orchard, hurled the Ramillie coat over the wall into her own garden and was back in the arbour a full half-minute before the Sergeant re-appeared, ladder on shoulder. "You dear Sergeant Zeb!" she exclaimed, rising and crossing the orchard beside him. "The bravest soldiers and strongest men are always the kindest and gentlest to women, aren't they?" "Are they, mam?" said the Sergeant flushing a little as he planted the ladder where she directed. "To be sure they are," she sighed, gathering up her petticoats, "see how hard you kicked that hateful Jennings----" "Shall I hold the ladder, my lady?" he enquired, flushing deeper. "Thank you--no!" she answered and set a slender foot upon the lowest rung. "Sergeant Zebedee!" "My lady?" "Right about face!" The Sergeant turned automaton-like and stood so until a laughing voice cried, "Sergeant Zebedee--as you were!" And swinging round he beheld her smiling down at him from her own side of the wall. "Thank you, dear Sergeant Zeb, thank you!" she said, and nodding, vanished from sight. The Sergeant, being orderly in all things, proceeded to set back the ladder in the tool-house, to dust his coat and re-settle his wig, then crossed to the arbour and stood there for a full minute staring at the empty bench. "Zounds!" he exclaimed at last, and wheeling, marched very thoughtfully into the house. "Eh--not there--not there, Zeb?" exclaimed the Major, laying down his cards and turning to glance at the Sergeant's expressionless face. "Your honour, it are--not!" "But--God bless my soul--it must be!" "Why then sir, if 'tis it aren't apparent to human observation!" "But I distinctly remember taking it off there!" "Why then sir, it hath gone and vanished itself away!" "Pish!" exclaimed the Major rising. "I'll fetch it myself." "O rot me, Jack!" cried the Colonel, "here's a curst rampageous business over an old rag. 'Tis time 'twas lost----" "Or burned, nunky!" added the Viscount. "So let be, Jack--Sergeant Zeb shall bring you another!" But the Major was determined, and presently sallied forth with Sir Benjamin, the Viscount, Colonel Cleeve and the Sergeant at his heels. Reaching the orchard, they searched the arbour within and without, they peered and prodded under bushes, they sought high and they sought low without avail. "Very remarkable!" exclaimed the Major at last. "Most extraordinary, od's my life!" assented Sir Benjamin, mopping heated brow. "Are you sure you had it on, sir?" "Belike some stray cur hath taken a fancy to it and run off wi' it!" the Colonel suggested. "Mistaking it for--er--something equally unpleasant, nunky!" added the Viscount. "'Tis not so much the loss of the coat itself that gives me worry as--er--the contents of the pockets!" said the Major, wrinkling his brow. "What, your purse, sir?" enquired Sir Benjamin. "Nay that--would scarce ha' mattered." "Ya' snuff-box, Jack?" "Letters, uncle?" "No, no, not--exactly letters as 'twere and yet--ah--O demme!" So the Major gave up the useless search. "Come, gentlemen--if 'tis gone, 'tis gone. Come, let us get back to our game." CHAPTER XLVI FURTHER INTIMATE ADVENTURES OF THE RAMILLIE COAT "Aunt Belinda," said my lady, pausing on the broad stair with lighted candle, "pray how do you refrain?" "From what, dear Betty?" "Sneezing, aunt!" "O naughty puss!" "All the evening by my reckoning you have sneezed but once. Sure you must be getting snuff-proof or----" "O wicked, teasing baggage!" "Art very happy, dear aunt?" "Ah my sweet, so happy that I yearn to have thee happy too!" "In two days, aunt, two little days! Charles will wait no longer and--I'm glad." "Hast been up to wish him good-night, Bet?" "Nay, he was asleep, dear boy, and looked so young, aunt, for all his trials." "Trials do but better us, child--or should do. Good-night, my sweet, and pleasant dreams!" So they kissed each other and went their several ways. Reaching her chamber my lady sent her maid to bed, locked the door, took a key from her bosom and, from its hiding-place among dainty, perfumed garments and laces, drew forth the Ramillie coat. Then she set it upon the back of a chair and, hanging thus, the well-worn garment fell into such natural folds and creases that its owner might almost have been inside it. The night was hot and still, and through the open lattice stole the languorous perfume of honeysuckle, and breathing in the sweetness my lady sighed as she began to undress; yet in the midst of this dainty business, chancing to glance at the Ramillie coat she blushed and started instinctively so lifelike was that broad back and the set of those square shoulders. And now in dainty night-rail and be-ribanded cap she sat down and leaned near to snuff delicately at the worn and faded garment. Tobacco! How coarse and hateful! And yet how vividly it brought his stately presence before her, his slow, grave smile, his clear, youthful eyes, his serene brow, and all his shy yet virile personality. Tobacco! Him! O was there in all the world quite such another man, so brave, so chivalrous--and so unmodish? Here in the sleeve was a rent, even as the Sergeant had said, and very featly mended by the Sergeant's own skilful fingers; a jagged rent it had been and even now she could see a faint stain--she shivered, for now she saw other like stains were here also. So my lady shuddered, yet, doing so, leaned nearer and drew the threadbare sleeve about her snowy neck and thus espied the yawning side-pocket. My lady peeped into it, hesitated, then plunged slim hand into those cavernous depths. His clay pipe. His silver tobacco-box. A mass of torn paper. A letter sealed with his signet, and my lady sighed rapturously for it was addressed thus: "To Lady Elizabeth Carlyon." With this in one hand, the Ramillie coat in the other, she crossed to her great high bed and, seated there, the coat beside her on laced pillow, drew the candles a little nearer, broke the seals and read: "DEAR LADY AND MY LOVE, When you receive this I shall be beyond seas and 'tis like I shall not see you again for I leave suddenly and unknown to any. All this summer afternoon I have sat here striving to tell you why this must be, and now my labour is lost for I have destroyed my letter since it doth seem that it might perchance have pained you to read it almost as much as me to write. So I have destroyed it since I would spare you pain now and ever. Of late I have been sick, not of body so much as mind, and mayhap once or twice have suffered harsh thoughts of thee, but to-day these are gone and out of mind, and love for thee burns within me true and steadfast as it shall do until I cease to be--aye, and beyond. For if I have grieved of late yet have I known joys undreamed and have looked and seen what Happiness is like unto, wherefore I do not repine that Happiness hath not stayed. Love and I have lived so long estranged that now methinks I am not fitted, so do I go back to the things I understand. But Happiness hath stooped to me a little while to brush me with his pinions ere he fled and hath left with me a glory shall never fade. So now, dear maid that I do love and ever shall beyond mine understanding, here do I take my leave of thee. I ride alone henceforth yet shall I not be solitary since thy sweet memory goeth beside me even unto my journey's end. JOHN D'ARCY." And now my lady turned and looked upon that war-worn coat through a mist of tears and sinking down, laid soft cheek upon its tarnished braid and lay thus a long while, the letter clasped to swelling bosom. Then starting up she gathered those torn scraps of paper and strove to piece them together; but they were inextricably mixed, yet here and there the fragment of some sentence would leap to meet her. "... my breaking heart ... ever doubted thine eyes so sweet and true ... joy for me is dead, the world a black nothingness ... O that night with thee in the dawn when earth touched heaven ... if Death should meet me in the field I'll meet him gladly ... my Love, my Betty, leaving thee I leave my very soul behind ... my farewell to thee and to love ... forget thee never..." These she saw and many more. Every scrap of crumpled paper she smoothed with gentle fingers and every written word she read and laid tenderly aside. And now, since she had pried thus far, she opened the other missive also, a folded sheet of paper, and saw this: "I, John d'Arcy of Shevening Manor, Westerham, Kent, in the event of my falling in action do will and bequeath as follows: To Zebedee Tring my servant late of His Majesty's Third Regiment of Foot the sum of Five Thousand Pounds and any cottage he may choose on my estate. To Mrs. Agatha Ridley the sum of One Thousand Pounds: But should she marry the aforesaid Zebedee Tring then I bequeath to them a marriage portion of Four Thousand Pounds making Ten Thousand Pounds in all. And all the rest I die possessed of soever both land and monies I leave unconditionally to my dear Lady Elizabeth Carlyon. JOHN D'ARCY." Having folded this up again and laid it by, Lady Betty sat awhile very still, staring out into the fragrant, summer night. Then she blew out the candle and lying amid the gloom, fell to sudden, stifled sobbing and muffled, passionate whispers, her head pillowed upon a certain mended coat-sleeve; and when at last she fell asleep, that shabby, war-worn garment lay close about her loveliness. CHAPTER XLVII OF A FEMININE COUNCIL OF WAR The Sergeant was at all times an early riser, but this morning he was abroad with the sun itself--a sun whose level beams wrought gloriously in dew-spangled grass underfoot, in scarlet, pink and flaming gold overhead and added fresh beauty to herb and leaf and flower; a fair, fragrant, golden morning where dismal Doubt had no place and Hope lilted in the joyous pipe of the birds, insomuch that the Sergeant paused to snuff the balmy air and to glance up at radiant sky and round about upon radiant earth feeling that life was sweet and held its best yet in store even for a battered sergeant of forty-three. And standing thus, his grim features relaxed, and for once in his busy life he fell to dreaming and forgot awhile the work that had lured him forth so very early; at length he roused himself and marched across wide lawns and along yew-bordered walks to his small tool-house, whistling softly as he went. And now, armed with nail-box, hammer, saw etc., he presently reached the work--a rustic pergola in course of construction; a very artful work this, in every respect, requiring many fierce contractions of the eyebrows, sudden fallings back two paces to the rear with head jerked suddenly left or right to judge of angle, alignment, nice proportion and the like. The Sergeant, whistling still, had driven his first nail and had fallen back, eyebrows contracted, to judge the effect, when he wheeled suddenly about and dropped the hammer: "Sergeant--O Sergeant Zebedee!" Picking up the hammer, he set off at the double and reaching the orchard, halted at the foot of the wall, saluted and stared up wondering at my lady's lovely, anxious face. "You be early abroad, mam." "O I was here before dawn--waiting for you. Tell me, is--is the Major in?" "The Major, mam? Aye, and sound asleep!" "Are you sure--quite sure, Sergeant?" "Sure, my lady. I went in but now to draw his curtains according to custom and found him sleeping soft as any child, God be thanked. But why----" "Because he intends to go away--soon." "Where to, my lady?" "Back to the wars." The Sergeant swore, apologised immediately, and saluted. "Be you sure, my lady?" "Quite, O quite, Sergeant." "But he would never go without me, mam, couldn't possibly--'twould be agin natur', d'ye see." "But he will, Sergeant, he hath written me so--he will ride away--steal away at midnight---alone--to-night mayhap or to-morrow night--we must stay him." The Sergeant stared grimly at a bold thrush that hopped upon the grass near by. "Do you hear, Sergeant?" "Aye, I hear, my lady, I hear!" "Well--say something----" "Mam, there aren't no words as'll fit--not one!" "Well, what can you do?" "Pipeclay my cross-belts for one thing and then there's my spatterdashes----" "What do you mean?" "I mean if he goes, my lady, I go----" "O folly, Sergeant, folly----" "Agreed mam, heartily, but dooty is dooty and when his honour commands, I obey--'tis become a matter o'----" "But he doesn't command--he means to ride without you." "Same couldn't nowise be, my lady, consequently and therefore notwithstanding, if he goes--I go." "And pray what of poor Mrs. Agatha?" At this the Sergeant's grim mouth twitched and he turned to watch the thrush again. "Dooty is dooty, my lady." "Do you want to go fighting again?" "No mam, I thought my soldiering was done, but if he goes, I----" "And never try to stay him--you'll do nought----" "Stay his honour the Major? My lady, if his mind's set on't, a whole troop o' cavalry couldn't stop him--no, not even a picked company o' the Third itself--earthquakes, fires, floods nor furies couldn't----" "No, but I can, Sergeant, and I will!" said my lady setting her dimpled chin resolutely. "Lord!" she exclaimed fervently, "what troublesome, wayward children men are--and how helpless!" "Children, my lady?" "Aye--both of you! He so wilfully wayward and you so helpless. Prithee go fetch me Mrs. Agatha." The Sergeant started. "Why mam--my lady, I----" he stammered, flushing, "'tis so early and she asleep and I--she being asleep, d'ye see, 'twouldn't be--that is I----" "Sergeant," sighed my lady, "bring hither the ladder like a good child. I'll e'en wake her myself." So the ladder was brought, the Sergeant turned his back and in the twinkling of an eye my lady was over the wall and walking across the dewy grass beside him; reaching the house he pointed to a latticed casement above their heads. "'Tis rather high, Sergeant, but a handful of gravel----" "Gravel, my lady?" "Gravel, child--launched into the air and truly aimed----" "But mam----" The Sergeant glanced from the loose gravel underfoot to the open lattice above and flushed. "Zounds mam, I--never did such a thing in all my days----" "Then 'tis time you began, you're quite old enough--gravel, Sergeant--aimed carefully!" The Sergeant obeyed and almost immediately out of the window came Mrs. Agatha's pretty face framed in a dainty, be-ribanded nightcap; at sight of the Sergeant, she flushed rosily, perceiving my lady, who beckoned imperiously, she smiled, nodded and vanished. "Mrs. Agatha hath a pretty taste in nightcaps, Sergeant Zebedee!" said my lady demurely. The Sergeant looked sheepish, grew red, became exceedingly grim and finally answered: "Aye, my lady." "And a pretty face below, Sergeant!" said she, watching a lark that soared, carolling, against the blue. "Aye, my lady!" "And you will go a-marching to the wars, Sergeant!" At this he uttered a sound between a sigh and a groan and thereafter looked grimmer than ever. In surprisingly short time Mrs. Agatha appeared, as neat, demure and self-possessed as usual. "Is aught amiss, my lady?" she enquired, dropping a curtsey. "Only this, Mrs. Agatha, Major d'Arcy will away campaigning again and the Sergeant feels he must needs go too, so I have summoned you from bed that we together may end such folly." The Sergeant stared. "And end it once and for all!" added my lady firmly. "Aye for sure, madam," said Mrs. Agatha, calmly. The Sergeant gaped. "Then come to the orchard and let us talk." Seated in the arbour my lady beckoned Mrs. Agatha to sit beside her: "I don't think we need the Sergeant, do we?" she enquired. "I'm sure we don't, my lady." "Then Sergeant, go and hammer!" The Sergeant went like one in a dream. CHAPTER XLVIII OF THE INSUBORDINATION OF SERGEANT ZEBEDEE TRING "Man Jack," sighed the Colonel, ogling the wine in his glass, "now mark me, Jack, for pure Christian drink there's nought may compare with wine of Oporto, 'tis a heart-warmer, a soul-expander, a sharpener o' th' intellect, a loosener o' tongues. Moreover it doth beget good fellowship and love o' mankind in general. Begad sir, wine of Oporto is--is--I say Oporto wine is--is, well--wine. So give me Oporto----" "And now and then a dish of tea, George!" added the Major solemnly. At this Colonel Cleeve might have been observed to quail slightly. "You have acquired the taste--very lately, I think, sir?" enquired the Viscount. "True, sir," answered the Colonel, rolling his eyes, "and on the whole ha' managed it very well. Tea is none so bad--once 'tis disposed of, I've drank worse stuff ere now--aye and so has Jack. Tea hath its virtues, sir, first 'tis soon over--a dish or so may be swallowed readily enough when cool by a determined effort----" "Though," murmured the Viscount, "though 'tis better thrown out o' the window, 'twould seem, sir." Colonel Cleeve rolled his fierce eyes again, sprinkled himself with snuff and finally laughed: "Agad, Viscount, ya' ha' me there true enough. Look'ee now, one dish I can manage creditably enough, two at a pinch with my lady's eye on me, but three and with Belinda's eye off me--damme, no! So--out o' the window it went, aha! But how came ya' to spy me do't--eh?" "I came to bring you news, sir, but seeing you so--ah--particularly engaged I let it wait." "What news, lad--ha?" "I am become a soldier, sir. I have secured a commission in His Majesty's Third Regiment of Foot." "Ha, the old regiment--dooce take me, Viscount, but I rejoice to hear it!" exclaimed the Colonel and leapt to his feet with hand outstretched. "The 'Third' is the one and only--eh, Jack? And hath the noblest and highest traditions, yet--high and noble though they be, I'm bold to say you'll do 'em credit and be worthy of 'em, Viscount Tom--eh, man Jack?" "Nay sir," answered the Viscount, clasping the proffered hand, "if I can but emulate in some small way nunky's and your achievements I shall be proud indeed." "Whose company are ya' 'tached to--and when?" "Ogilvie's sir--a fortnight hence." "Begad, but Ogilvie's hath been cast for foreign service." "'Tis why I chose it, sir." "Aha!" exclaimed the Colonel, "Oho! Another case o' the heart, I judge. There was young Denholm talking but yesterday about a red coat, death and glory, or bleaching his dead bones on some foreign shore." The Viscount smiled serenely: "I do confess love hath something to do with it, sir," said he, "though not altogether. I've had the project in mind for some time." "Love--God bless it!" exclaimed the Colonel, "love hath made a many fine soldiers ere now, sir, and begad there's nought can cure a heartache like a brisk campaign. Come, a toast--and bumpers! Here's health and long life, honour and fortune to Ensign Viscount Merivale!" So my Lord Cleeve and the Major rose and drank the toast with hearty goodwill while the Viscount, his smooth cheek a little rosier than usual, bowed his acknowledgments. "And now," quoth the Colonel, setting down his empty glass, "the bottle's out, 'tis near twelve and I'm for bed. To-morrow, Viscount, I'll give ya' certain advices may be of service to ya' in the regiment and write ya' a letter to Ogilvie. And so good-night, sir!" "Good-night, George!" said the Major and reaching out suddenly he grasped Lord Cleeve's hand and wrung it hard. "Why Jack!" said the Colonel, staring, "y'are dooced impressive, one would think ya' were going out to-night on a forlorn hope. Talking o' which, d'ya' remember the storming o' Douai, Jack? Aha, those were times--stirring times--but past and done, since, like you, I mean to quit the service for wedlock--'tis a great adventure that, Jack, belike the greatest of all, may we front it with a like resolution." With which the Colonel bowed and betook himself to bed. "Tom," said the Major, staring wistfully into the fire, "I'm glad you've chosen the old regiment--'ours'--very glad, because I know you will be worthy of it and this England of ours and help to add to the glory and honour of both. But Tom, as to your--your--er--love trouble, dear lad, I--trust 'tis no mistaken idea of self-sacrifice, no idea that--that she loveth--that she--I----" "Nay sir, that you love her I do know right well, that she loveth you I cannot doubt, aye, despite the--despite the wall, with a curse on't! But that she loveth not me I am perfectly sure. So here is no self-sacrifice, nunky, never fear. And sir," continued the Viscount, taking out his snuff-box and tapping it with one delicate finger, "sir, I have a feeling, a premonition that, so far as you and she are concerned, matters will right themselves anon. For if--if she did sit on that--that curst wall, she is always her pure, sweet self and remember, sir, she kicked the damned fellow's hat off!" Here he opened his snuff-box and gazed into it abstractedly as he went on: "Sir, when love cometh to such as you and she, there are few things in earth may thwart or stay such a love, 'tis a fire consumeth all obstacles and pettiness. And indeed, in my mind I see her, in days to come, here beside you, filling this great house with gladness and laughter and, wherever I may be, you will know that in your happiness I am happy too. And sir, as she is the only woman i' the world, I do think you are the only man truly worthy of her and I--ha--I therefore--nunky--er----" Here the Viscount inadvertently took a pinch of snuff and immediately sneezed violently: "O Lard--O Lard!" he gasped. "'Tis the damndest stuff! Always catches me--vilely! A--a curse--on't and--goo'-night, sir!" And, turning abruptly away he sneezed himself out of the room. For a long while the Major stood looking down into the dying fire, then he stirred, sighed, shook his head and, extinguishing the candles, tramped heavily upstairs, closing the door of his bedchamber a little louder than was necessary. Then, seated at his writing-table he fell to work and wrote so industriously that the clocks were striking the hour of one when at last he rose and stood listening intently. The house lay very still, not a sound reached him save the whisper of the night-wind beyond his open lattice. Treading softly, he crossed to the hearth, above which the Sergeant had hung his swords, half-a-dozen light, richly-hilted walking-swords and his heavier service blade, the colichemarde. This he reached down, drew it from shabby leathern scabbard and found the steel bright and glittering with the Sergeant's unremitting care; so he sheathed it, girded it to his side and, opening a tall, carved press, took thence his old campaign cloak, stained by much hard service, and a pair of long and heavy riding-boots. Kicking off buckled shoes he proceeded to don this cumbrous footgear but paused, and rising, took the spurred boots under his arm together with the cloak and crossing the wide room in stockinged feet, softly opened the door and stood again to listen; finally he took his candle, closed the door with infinite care and crept softly down the great, wide staircase. Reaching the foot he paused to look back up that noble stair and to glance round the spacious hall with its tapestries, its dim portraits, its gleaming arms and armour then, sighing, took his way to the library. Here he paused to shift the candle from one hand to the other; then he opened the door and fell back, staring. The Sergeant advanced one pace and came to attention. Very upright he stood in ancient, buff-lined, service coat, in cross-belts and spatterdashes, his hat at its true regimental cock, his wig newly ironed and powdered--a soldier from the crown of his head to the lowest button of his long, white gaiters, a veteran grim and ineffably calm. The scarlet of his coat was a little faded, perhaps, but the sheen of broad white belts and the glitter of buckles and side-arms made up for that. His chin, high-poised above leathern stock, looked squarer than usual and his arm seemed a trifle stiffer as he saluted. "Your honour," said he, "the horses are saddled and ready." "Zeb--Zebedee!" exclaimed the Major, falling back another step. "A Gad's name what does this mean?" "Sir," answered the Sergeant, staring stonily before him, "same do mean as I, like the horses, am ready and waiting to march so soon as you do give the word." "Then, damme Zeb, I'll not permit it! I ride--alone. D'ye hear?" "I hear, sir." "You understand, Zebedee, alone!" "Aye, sir." "Consequently you will go back--back to bed, at once, d'ye hear?" "Aye sir, I hear." "Then begone." "Axing your grace, your honour, but same can't nowise be, orders notwithstanding nevertheless--no!" "Ha! D'ye mean you actually--refuse to obey?" The Sergeant blinked, swallowed hard and saluted: "Your honour--sir--I do!" "God--bless--my--soul!" ejaculated the Major and stared wide-eyed at cross-belts, buckles and spatterdashes as if he had never seen such things in all his forty-one years. "Is it--insubordination, Sergeant Zebedee?" he demanded, his cheeks flushing. "Your honour--it be. Same I do admit though same regretting. But sir, if you are for the wars it na't'rally do follow as I must be. Wheresoever you go--speaking as soldiers sir, I must go as by natur' so determined now and for ever, amen." "And what o' the estate, ass? I ha' left you agent here in Mr. Jennings' room." "Same is an honour, sir, but dooty demands----" "And what of Mrs. Agatha, dolt?" The Sergeant's broad shoulders drooped quite perceptibly for a moment, then grew rigid again: "Dooty is--dooty, your honour!" "And you are a damned obstinate fellow, Zebedee, d'ye hear?" The Sergeant saluted. "I say a dolt and a preposterous fool to boot--d'ye take me, Zeb?" The Sergeant saluted. "And you talk pure folly--curst folly, d'ye understand, Zebedee?" "Folly as ever was sir, but--folly for you, folly for me, says I!" Now at this the Major grew so angry that he dropped a riding-boot and, stooping for it at the same instant as the Sergeant they knocked their hats off and were groping for these when there came a soft rapping at the door and, starting erect, they beheld Mrs. Agatha, smiling and bright-eyed and across one arm she bore--the Ramillie coat. "Your honour," said she, curtseying, "'tis very late, I know, but I'm here to bring your old battle-coat as I found to-day in the garden, knowing 'tis such a favourite with you. Good-night, sir!" So Mrs. Agatha dimpled, curtseyed and sped softly away, surreptitiously beckoning to the Sergeant. Left alone, the Major let fall his boots and sinking into a chair sat staring at the Ramillie coat, chin on breast; then he leaned forward to take it up but paused suddenly arrested by a fragrance very faint and elusive yet vaguely familiar; he sighed and sinking deeper into his chair became lost awhile in reverie. At last he roused himself and reaching the garment from where Mrs. Agatha had set it on the table, drew it upon his knees, made as if to feel in the pockets and paused again for now the fragrance seemed all about him, faint but ineffably sweet, a sweetness breathing of--Her. And, inhaling this fragrance, the glamour of her presence was about him, he had but to close his eyes and she was there before him in all her warm and vivid beauty, now smiling in bewitching allurement, now plaintive and tender, now quick-breathing, blushing, trembling to his embrace--even as he was trembling. So the Major sat grasping his old coat and sighed and yearned amain for the unattainable; imagination rioted and he saw visions and dreamed dreams of happiness as far beyond expression as they were beyond hope of realisation. Wherefore he groaned, cursed himself for a fool and casting the Ramillie coat to the floor, set his foot upon it; and frowning down at this worn-out garment, how should he guess of those bitter tears that had bedewed its tarnished braid, of the soft cheek that had pressed it, the white arms that had cradled it so recently? How indeed should Major d'Arcy as he scowled down at it know aught of this? Though to be sure there was that haunting fragrance, that sweetness that breathed of--Her. Suddenly he stooped and picking it up, raised it to his nostrils; yes it was here--particularly the right sleeve and shoulder. He closed his eyes again, then opening them very wide plunged a hand into the nearest pocket. His pipe! His silver tobacco-box! In another pocket his purse and a few odds and ends but nothing more. He ransacked the garment feverishly but in place of will, torn paper and letter, he found only one other letter, sealed and addressed thus, "To Major d'Arcy." Letting the coat slip to the floor he sank back in the chair, staring long at superscription and seal; then he drew the candle nearer and opening the letter read as follows: "DEAR SIR, If this sorry coat looketh a little more creased and rumpled than it is wont to do, this is entirely my fault. And because I am as much a woman as our common mother Eve I have read every document in every pocket. And because every document was for me or of me I have kept them. Yet because, after all, I am truly a very honest person, I do return this your garment herewith together with all other articles soever herein contained, as namely and to wit: Item, one clay pipe and smells! Item, tobacco-box of silver, much scratched. Item, a tobacco-stopper of silver-gilt. Item, a silver sixpence with a hole in it. Item, one purse containing three guineas, one crown piece and a shilling. Item, a small knife for making pens and very blunt. O John, O Jack, great strong tender chivalrous man, and doth thy poor heart break? Stay then, my love shall make it whole again. And wilt thou to the cruel wars? Then will I after thee. And wilt thou die? Then will I die with thee. But O John if thou wilt live, then will I live to love thee better day by day for I am thine and thou art mine henceforth and for ever. But now do I lie here sleepless and grieving for thee and writing this do weep (see how my tears do blot the page) and none to comfort me save thine old coat. O John, John, how couldst have writ such things--to tear my heart and blind me with my tears--yet do I love thee. And thou didst break thine oath to me and yet do I love thee. And thou wouldst have left me--stolen away to give thy body unto cruel death and slay me with despair but still--still do I love thee dearest John. Shouldst thou steal away like a very coward I would be bold to follow thee--aye even into battle itself--so fly not John. And since thou didst break thine oath--thou shalt sue me an humble pardon. And since I do lie sleepless here and weep by reason of thee--so shalt thou make unto me a comfortable reparation. So dear John to-morrow night at nine-thirty of the clock thou shalt meet me at our stile--where we did watch the dawn--and there all thy doubts and fears shall be resolved and vanish utterly away for ever and ever and thou (as I do think) shalt learn to love me even a little better. So come my John at nine-thirty of the clock but not an instant sooner and fail not for my sake and thy sake and Love's sweet sake. O John my love 'tis nigh to dawn, art thou waking or asleep I wonder? Since I am thine so utterly, fain would I write that which I dare not write yet in these lines read all thou fain wouldst read. God keep thee my love and waking or sleeping thou hast the prayers and thoughts of thy Betty. My poor eyes are all bleared with my weeping and my nose is woeful. And John dear take care of this dear old coat it shall be my comforter this night." Having read to the end, the Major carefully re-folded the letter and thrust it into an inner pocket; took it out again, unfolded it and having re-read every word once more put it away. Then rising, he set the Ramillie coat upon a chair-back and taking out his handkerchief dusted it, touching its rumpled folds with hands grown almost reverent, which done he sat down and propping square chin on fist gazed at it with a new and wonderful interest. Then he took out the letter again, read it through again and pressed it to his lips; thus he sat, his attention divided between the letter and the coat, until the clock struck two. He was reading the letter for perhaps the sixth time when came a knock at the door and the Sergeant entered. "Ax your pardon sir, but what o' the horses?" he enquired. "Horses?" repeated the Major vacantly. "Aye sir, they've been a-standing in their stalls saddled and bridled a hour or more." "Have they, Zeb?" "Aye sir, a-waiting for your honour to give the word to march." "Why then Zeb," said the Major rising and taking the Ramillie coat over his arm, "you may unsaddle 'em, my honour has decided--not to march." "Very good, sir!" The Sergeant blinked, saluted and wheeled about. "Sergeant Zebedee!" The Sergeant wheeled back again. "Sir?" "I think--ha--I rather fancy I called you a damned obstinate fellow as 'twere and er--so forth." "You did so, sir. Likewise 'ass' and 'dolt.'" "Why if I said 'em, I meant 'em, Zebedee and----" The Major strode forward impulsively and grasped Sergeant Zebedee's hand. "'Twas true Zeb, 'twas true every word, so you are, but--God bless thee for't, Zeb!" Saying which the Major went upstairs to his chamber bearing the Ramillie coat much as if it had been some sacred relic rather than the rumpled, unlovely thing it was. Being alone the Sergeant stared at his right hand, smiled, took it in his left and shook it heartily. "_Sapperment_!" he exclaimed, "All I says is, O woman!" CHAPTER XLIX OF A JOURNEY BY NIGHT The Major stood chin in hand staring at the weather-beaten stile, set a little back from the road between high hedges and shaded by the spreading boughs of a great tree; its worn timbers were gnarled and twisted with years and the rigours of succeeding winters and, in its length of days, many were the lovers had sighed and kissed and plighted troth beside it; and yet of them all surely never a one had waited with more impatience or hearkened more eagerly for the quick, light tread of approaching feet than Major John d'Arcy, for all his quiescent attitude and apparent calm, as he stood in the light of the rising moon staring gravely at the rickety fabric. It was here he had held her to his breast as night melted into day, it was here he had kissed her in the dawn--and to-night----The Major's big hand touched the warped crossbar and rested there a little tremulously. And standing thus he fell to thinking of love and the never-ceasing wonder of it and to-night----! "So dear John to-morrow at nine-thirty of the clock thou shalt meet me at our stile--where we did watch the dawn and there all thy doubts and fears shall be resolved and vanish utterly away for ever and ever, and thou (as I do think) shalt learn to love me even a little better. So come my John at nine-thirty of the clock but not an instant sooner and fail not for my sake and thy sake and Love's sweet sake." How well he remembered those oft-read lines, he knew every twirl and flourish that her pen had made---- Soft with distance the church clock chimed the hour of nine. Half an hour to wait! He was earlier than he had thought. The Major sighed and leaning across the stile, stared away towards the rising moon. Half an hour and then----? "Come my John at nine-thirty of the clock but not an instant sooner." And wherefore not? he wondered. Was it on his account or--? Here he fell to frowning thought and gradually a vague unease came upon him; standing erect he half turned, meaning to walk awhile and return at the appointed time, then paused suddenly to listen. The night was warm and so very still that sounds carried far and thus he heard a throb upon the air which his trained senses instantly recognised as the sound of horse-hoofs coming at a gallop. Wondering, he moved forward until, standing in the shadow of the high hedge, he could see the road stretching away white under the moon; and presently upon the road were two horsemen, travellers these who rode close side by side, despite their speed. Instinctively the Major stepped back into the shadow and had reached the stile again when he started and wheeled swiftly about--above the drumming of rapidly approaching hoofs he had caught the sound of a laugh, a lazy laugh full of languid amusement; the Major clenched his fists and standing in the shadow, watched the oncoming horsemen under knitted brows. Nearer they came until he could see that one of the riders was a woman; nearer yet until he could make out the pale, aquiline features of Mr. Dalroyd; on they came at speed until--the Major's breath caught suddenly for beneath the lady's riding-hood he saw a face framed in glossy, black curls--the delicate profile, the long-lashed eye, that sweet, proud, red-curving mouth--the face of my lady Betty herself. 'So 'twas thus she came to meet him! Well, even so--' he took an uncertain pace forward. 'But was she there to meet him?' She rode loose-reined at the same swift pace; twelve yards, six! 'Was she indeed coming to keep her appointment? No, by God!' For once in his life the Major's iron self-control was not, a wild rage possessed him; he wore no sword, but, acting upon blind impulse, unarmed as he was, he sprang for the head of Dalroyd's horse. A startled, breathless oath, a wild hurly-burly of stamping hoofs and rearing of frightened horses, then, whipping out one of his ever-ready pistols, Mr. Dalroyd levelled it point-blank at his dim-seen opponent, but as he pulled the trigger his arm was knocked up and the weapon exploded in the air. A desperate smiting in the shadow then, spurring his rearing horse, Mr. Dalroyd broke free and the Major, struck by the shoulder of the plunging animal, was hurled violently into the ditch. When at last he got to his feet, my lady and her escort were nearly out of sight. "Ha--d'Arcy was it!" said Mr. Dalroyd a little breathlessly as he thrust discharged pistol into holster. "Egad, sweetheart, 'tis relief to know it, I thought 'twas--d'Arcy was it, poor devil. By heaven, Betty, since you are mine at last I can almost find pity for the poor devil, he loved you with a death-in-life adoration, sweet Bet, worshipped you with lowly fervour as you were a saint--you, all warmth and love and passion. O, 'tis a pitiful lover you'd ha' found him, sweetheart, 'tis a smug fool and would ha' driven you frantic with his grave and reverent homage. Now I on the other hand Bet----" Mr. Dalroyd paused suddenly to glance over his shoulder and rode on for a few moments, his head aslant in that attitude of patient listening. "Didst hear aught, sweetheart? A horse galloping?" "Nay indeed!" voice muffled in her cloak. "Good!" Hereupon Mr. Dalroyd entered into a full and particular account of his own virtues as a lover, though more than once he paused in the recital to glance over his shoulder and to listen. "Indeed, sweet Bet, 'tis as well you are set on Paris henceforth for 'tis necessary I should quit England for awhile. I had the misfortune to offend a gentleman some months since and last week the thoughtless fellow was so mistaken as to die--hence I must to France awhile--but with thee 'twill be a very paradise." Here Mr. Dalroyd reached out to touch his companion's hand but in the act of doing so, paused and glanced over his shoulder and immediately proceeded to change the pistols in his holsters. "'Twas folly in my lord your brother to choose a different route, Bet, I have post-horses waiting all along the road and a lugger waiting in a certain snug cove. If he should be behind----" "We must wait!" said my lady. "Wait--aye Bet, we'll wait a reasonable while, though 'tis torment to an eager lover. To-morrow morning we should reach Boulogne and in Boulogne you shall wed me and----" My lady turned and scanned the long road behind. "Ha--d'ye hear hoofs, Bet--a horseman?" My lady shook her head, but now Mr. Dalroyd grew silent and rode alert and watchful. So they rode, staying only to change horses and on again; even when they paused for refreshment, Mr. Dalroyd spoke little except to urge haste and often would cross to door or window and stand there, head aslant, listening. It was after they had changed horses for the last time that Mr. Dalroyd lifted his head suddenly and glared back over his shoulder as, faint and far, but plain to hear, came the rhythmic throb of galloping hoofs. "Ha!" he exclaimed in a long-drawn breath. "Dost hear aught, Bet?" "One gallops behind us!" said my lady faintly. "Art wearied, sweetheart?" "Nay--not very." "Then ride--spur!" "Nay, 'tis Charles--my brother, perchance." "'Tis not your brother!" "How can you tell?" "I know!" said he grimly and lifted his holster-flap. Thus, mile after mile they rode with never a word between them, yet, despite their speed, faint and far behind was that rhythmic beat of pursuing hoofs, now lost, now heard again, faint but persistent, never any nearer yet never any further off. And often Mr. Dalroyd glared back across his shoulder and spoke only to encourage his companion to faster pace. Uphill and down they spurred and across wind-swept levels while the moon waned and the stars paled to the dawn; and with the first chill breath of coming day there reached them the sharp, salt tang of the sea. Mr. Dalroyd uttered a short, fierce laugh and, seizing his companion's rein, spurred his jaded animal to the hill before them. A sloping upland, wild and desolate, a treeless expanse clothed with bush and scrub, with beyond, at the top of the ascent, a little wood. Spurring still, they reached this wood at last and here Mr. Dalroyd drew rein, whipped pistols into pockets and dismounting, lifted my lady from the saddle; then he turned and looked back to see, far away upon the lonely road, a solitary horseman indistinct in the half-light. "I can do it yet!" he laughed and, catching his companion's hand, hurried through the wood, across a short stretch of grass and so to the edge of a cliff with the sea beyond, where a two-masted vessel rode at her anchor close inshore, while immediately below them was a little bay where a boat had been drawn up. Mr. Dalroyd whistled shrilly, at which signal two men rose from where they had sprawled on the shingle and ran the boat to the edge of the tide. Then Mr. Dalroyd turned and laughed again. "Come Betty--my Betty!" he cried. "Yonder lies France and happiness." "But Charles----" "He's aboard like enough." "But----" "Come!" he cried, glancing toward the little wood. But now my lady's petticoats must catch which caused much delay; free at length she, not troubling for Mr. Dalroyd's hand, went on down the precipitous path. The sailors, seeing her coming, launched their boat, and my lady, not waiting for their aid and heedless of wet ankles, sprang in, motioning them to do the same. "But th' gentleman, mam--you'll never run off wi'out your fancy man, lady!" laughed one of the men and pointed to where Mr. Dalroyd yet stood upon the edge of the cliff, staring back towards the wood. "Lady do be in a 'urry an' no mistake. Tom, give my lord a hail!" The fellow Tom hailed lustily whereupon Mr. Dalroyd shook clenched fist at the little wood and turned to descend the cliff, but in that instant was a faint report; Mr. Dalroyd staggered, wheeled round, took a reeling pace towards that dark wood and fell. "Lord--Lord love me, Tom!" gasped the sailor. "Shove off!" cried my lady. "But mam--your ladyship----" "Shove off, I say." Almost instinctively the men obeyed, shipped the oars and sat waiting. "Row!" cried my lady. "But Lord--Lord love 'ee mam, what o'----" "Row!" commanded my lady again, "Row and be damned!" And from under her cloak came a hand grasping a long-barrelled pistol. The little boat shot away from shore out towards the lugger. Mr. Dalroyd lay motionless, outstretched upon the grass, one arm hidden beneath him and with blood welling between his parted lips; and presently, forth from the shadow of the little wood a masked figure crept, head out-thrust, shoulders bowed, big hand yet grasping the smoking pistol; cautiously and slowly the man drew near and stood looking down on his handiwork. Then Joseph, his obsequiousness gone for ever, laughed harshly and spurned that limp and motionless form with the toe of his heavy riding-boot. With sudden, mighty effort the dying man struggled to his knees and glaring up into the masked face of his slayer, levelled the weapon he had drawn and cocked with so much agony and stealth. "Ha, worm!" he groaned, "I waited and you--came. Die--vermin!" Steadying himself he pulled the trigger and Joseph, throwing up his arms, fell and lay staring up, unwinking and sightless, on the pallid dawn. Then Mr. Dalroyd laughed, choked and sinking slowly to the grass, moved no more. The death which had pursued him so relentlessly had caught up with him at last. CHAPTER L WHICH TELLS OF ANOTHER DAWN By a kindly dispensation of Nature all great and sudden shocks are apt to deaden agony awhile. Thus, as the Major stared along the deserted road he was conscious only of a great and ever-growing wonder; his mind groped vainly and he stood, utterly still, long after the throb of horse-hoofs had died away. At last he turned and fixed his gaze upon the weatherbeaten stile again. It was here he had held her to his heart, had felt her kisses on his lips, had listened to her murmurs of love. It was here she had promised to meet him and resolve his doubts and fears once and for all. And now? She was away with Dalroyd of all men in the world--Dalroyd! The Major stirred, sighed, and reaching out set his hand upon the warped timber of the old stile, a hand that twitched convulsively. She was gone. She was off and away with Dalroyd of all men! Dalroyd--of course! Dalroyd had been the chosen man all along and he himself a blind, self-deluding fool. The Major bowed his head, loathing his fatuous blindness and burning with self-contempt. Slowly those twitching fingers became a quivering fist as wonder and shame gave place to anger that blazed to a fury of passion, casting out gentle Reason and blinding calm judgment. Truly his doubts and fears were resolved for him at last--she was off and away with Dalroyd! So she had tricked--fooled--deceived from the very first! The big fist smote down upon the stile and, spattering blood from broken knuckles, the Major leapt over and hasted wildly from the accursed place; and as he strode there burned within him an anger such as he had never known--fierce, unreasoning, merciless, all-consuming. Headlong he went, heedless of direction until at last, finding himself blundering among underbrush and trees, he stopped to glance about him. And now, moved by sudden impulse, he plunged fierce hand into bosom and plucked forth her letter, that close-written sheet he had cherished so reverently, and, holding it in griping fingers, smiled grimly to see it all blood-smeared from his torn knuckles; then he ripped it almost as though it had been a sentient thing, tore it across and across, and scattering the fragments broadcast, tramped on again. Thus in his going he came to the rustic bridge above the sleepy pool and paused there awhile to stare down into the stilly waters upon whose placid surface the moon seemed to float in glory. And she had once stood beside him here and plied him with her woman's arts, tender sighs and pretty coquetry--and anon proud scorn as when he had vowed her unmaidenly and he, poor fool, had loved and worshipped her the while. And now? Now she was away with--Dalroyd of all men in the world, Dalroyd who, wiser in woman, loved many but worshipped never a one. Borne to his ears on the quiet night air came the faint sound of the church clock chiming ten. The Major shivered forlornly and turning, tramped wearily homeward. Sergeant Zebedee, opening to his knock, glanced at him keen-eyed, quick to notice lack-lustre eye, furrowed brow and down-trending mouth. "Sir," he enquired anxiously, "your honour, is aught amiss?" "Nought, Zeb," answered the Major heavily, "nought i' the world. Why?" "Why sir, you do look uncommon--woeful." "'Tis like enough, Zeb, like enough, for to-night I have--beheld myself. And I find, Zeb, yes, I find myself a pitiful failure as a--a county squire and man o' leisure. This _otium cum dignitate_ is not for me so I'm done with it, Zeb, I'm done with it." "Meaning how, sir, which and what, your honour?" "Meaning that Nature made me a man of limitations, Zeb. I am a fair enough soldier but--in--in certain--other ways as 'twere I am woefully lacking. I'm a soldier now and always, Zeb, so a soldier I must live and a soldier, pray God, I'll die. Last night you were in a mind to follow me to the wars--doth the desire still hold?" "Aye sir. Dooty is dooty. Where you go--I go." "So be it, Zeb. We will ride to-morrow for Dover at five o' the clock." "Very good, sir." "Are the servants all abed?" "Aye, sir, and so's the Colonel." "Then lock up and go you likewise, I have certain writings to make. And mark this, Zebedee, 'tis better to die a man of limitations than to live on smug and assured the sport of coquette Fortune as--as 'twere and so forth. D'ye get me, Zeb?" "No sir, I don't." "Egad, 'tis none surprising Zeb," said the Major ruefully, "I express myself very ill, but I know what I mean. Good-night, Zeb--get ye to bed." Reaching the library the Major crossed to the hearth and sinking down in a chair beside the fire, sat awhile staring into the fire, lost in wistful thought. At length he arose and taking one of the candles opened the door of that small, bare chamber he called his study; opened the door and stood there wide-eyed and with the heavy silver candlestick shaking in his grasp. She sat crouched down in his great elbow-chair, fast asleep. And she was really asleep, there was no coquettish shamming about it since coquetry does not admit of snoring and my lady snored distinctly; true, it was a very small and quite inoffensive snore, induced by her somewhat unwonted posture, but a snore it was beyond all doubt. The Major rid himself of the candle and closing the door softly behind him leaned there watching her. She half sat, half lay, lovely head adroop upon her shoulder, one slender foot just kissing the floor, the other hidden beneath her petticoats; and as she lay thus in the soft abandonment of sleep he could not help but be struck anew by the compelling beauty of her: the proud swell of her bosom that rose and fell with her gentle breathing, the curves of hip and rounded limbs, the soft, white column of her throat. All this he saw and, because she lay so defenceless in her slumber, averted his gaze for perhaps thirty seconds then, yielding himself to this delight of the eyes, studied all her loveliness from dark, drooping lashes and rosy, parted lips down to that slender, dainty foot. And as he gazed his eyes grew tender, his fierce hands unclenched themselves and then my lady snored again unmistakably, stirred, sighed and opened her eyes. "John!" she whispered, then, sitting up, uttered a shy gasp and ordered her draperies with quick, furtive hands, while the Major, eyes instantly averted, became his most stately self. "O John are you come at last and I asleep? And I fear I snored John, did I? Did I indeed, John?" The Major, gaze bent on the polished floor, bowed. "I don't as a rule--I vow I don't! 'tis hateful to snore and I don't snore--ask Aunt Belinda. And O pray John don't be so grim and stately." "So," said he gently but his voice a little hoarse, "so you have--have thought better of your bargain, it seems." "Bargain, dear John?" "Your--cavalier, madam. Mr. Dalroyd rides alone after all, 'twould appear." "Mr. Dalroyd!" she repeated, busied with a lock of glossy hair that had escaped its bonds. The Major bowed with his gravest and grandest air. "Nay prithee John," she sighed, "beseech thee, don't be dignified. And the hour so late and I all alone here." "And pray madam, why are you here?" he questioned. Now at this, meeting his cold, grey eye, she flushed and quailed slightly. "Doth it--displease you, Major John?" "Here is no place for you, madam, nor--nor ever can be, nor any woman henceforth." At this she caught her breath, the rosy flush ebbed and left her pale. "Must I go, sir?" she asked humbly, but with eyes very bright. "When you are ready I will attend you as far as your own house." "If I go, John," said she a little breathlessly, "if I go you will come to me to-morrow and plead forgiveness on your knees, and I am minded to let you." "I think not, my lady--there is a limit I find even to such love as mine." "Then is my love the greater, John, for now, rather than let you humble yourself to beg forgiveness for your evil thought of me, I will stoop to explain away your base suspicions. To-night you went to the stile before the time appointed and saw that hateful Dalroyd eloping with my brother Charles in my clothes as you saw him once before--upon the wall." "Your brother!" cried the Major. "Dear God in heaven!" "Is it so wonderful?" she sighed. "Had you been a woman you would have guessed ere now, I think. But a woman is so much quicker than a blind, blundering man. And you are very blind, John--and a prodigious blunderer." The Major stood silent and with bowed head. "So this was my scheme to save my dear Charles and avenge myself upon Mr. Dalroyd--and see how near you brought it to ruin, John, and your own life in jeopardy with your fighting. But men are so clumsy, alas! And you are vastly clumsy--aren't you, John?" The Major did not answer: and now, seeing him so humbled, his grand manner quite forgotten, her look softened and her voice grew a little kinder. "But you did save Charles from the soldiers, John. And after, did save me from Mr. Dalroyd's evil passion--wherefore, though I loved thee ere this, my love for thee grew mightily--O mightily, John. But now, alas! how should a poor maid wed and give herself into the power of a man--like thee, John? A man so passionate, so prone to cruel doubt, to jealousy, to evil and vain imaginings, to cruel fits of--of dignity--O John!" The Major raised his head and saw her leaning towards him in the great chair, her hands outstretched to him, her eyes full of a yearning tenderness. "Betty!" He was down before her on his knees, those gentle hands pressed to his brow, his cheek, his eager lips. "I have been blind, blind--a blind fool!" "But you were brave and generous also, dear John, though over-prone to cruel doubt of me from the first, John, the very first." "Yes, my lady," he confessed, humbly. "Though mayhap I did give thee some--some little cause, John, so now do I forgive thee!" "This night," said he sighing, "I destroyed thy dear letter." "Did you, John?" "And thought to destroy my love for thee with it!" "And--did you, John?" "Nay, 'tis beyond my strength. O Betty--canst love me as I do thee--beyond all thought and reason?" At this she looked down at him with smile ineffably tender and drew his head to her bosom and clasping it there stooped soft lips to cheek and brow and wistful eyes. "Listen, dear foolish, doubting John, my love for thee is of this sort; if thou wert sick and feeble instead of strong, my strength should cherish thee; wert thou despised and outcast, these arms should shelter thee, hadst thou indeed ridden hence, then would I humbly have followed thee. And now, John--unless thou take and wed me--then solitary and loveless will I go all my days, dear John--since thou art indeed the only man----" The soft voice faltered, died away, and sinking into his embrace she gave her lips to his. "Betty!" he murmured. "Ah God--how I do worship thee!" The hours sped by and rang their knell unheeded, for them time was not, until at last she stirred within his arms. "O love," she sighed, "look, it is the dawn again--our dawn, John. But alas, I must away--let us go." And she shivered. "Art cold, my Betty, and the air will chill thee----" "Thy old coat, John, the dear old coat I stole away from thee." So he brought the Ramillie coat and girded it about her loveliness and she rubbed soft cheek against threadbare cuff. "Dear shabby old thing!" she sighed, "it brought to me thy letters--so shall I love it alway, John." "But thy shoes!" said he. "Thy little shoes! And the dew so heavy!" My lady laughed and reached up to kiss his anxious brow. "Nay," she murmured as he opened the door---- "'Tis dabbling in the dew that makes the milkmaids fair." Hand in hand, and creeping stealthily as truant children, they came out upon the terrace. "John," she whispered, "'tis a something grey dawn and yet methinks this bringeth us even more joy than the last." "And Betty," said he a little unsteadily, "there will be--other dawns--an God be kind--soon, beloved--soon!" "Yes, John," she answered, face hidden against his velvet coat, "God will be kind." "And the dew, my Betty----" "What of it, John?" she questioned, not moving. "Is heavier than I thought. And thou'rt no milkmaid, and beyond all milkmaids fair." "Dost think so, John dear?" "Aye, I do!" he answered. "So, sweet woman of my dreams--come!" Saying which he caught her in compelling arms and lifting her high against his heart, stood awhile to kiss hair and eyes and vivid mouth, then bore her away through the dawn. And thus it was that Sergeant Zebedee Tring, gloomy of brow, in faded, buff-lined service coat, in cross-belts and spatterdashes, paused on his way stablewards and catching his breath, incontinent took cover behind a convenient bush; but finding himself wholly unobserved, stole forth to watch them out of sight. Now though the dawn was grey, yet upon those two faces, so near together, he had seen a radiance far brighter than the day--wherefore his own gloom vanished and he turned to look up at Mrs. Agatha's open lattice-window. Then he stooped and very thoughtfully raked up a handful of small gravel and strode resolutely up the terrace steps. Being there he paused to glance glad-eyed where, afar off, the Major bore my lady through the dawn, and, as the Sergeant watched, paused to stoop again and kiss her. "Glory be!" exclaimed the Sergeant and instantly averted his head: "All I says is--Joy!" Then, with unerring aim, he launched the gravel at Mrs. Agatha's window. THE WHITEFRIARS PRESS, LTD., LONDON AND TONBRIDGE. End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Our Admirable Betty, by Jeffery Farnol ***

--- author: - 'T. Corbard' - 'F. Morand' - 'F. Laclare' - 'R. Ikhlef' - 'M. Meftah' date: 'March 31, 2013' title: On the importance of astronomical refraction for modern Solar astrometric measurements --- [Several efforts are currently made from space missions in order to get accurate solar astrometric measurements i.e. to probe the long term variations of solar radius or shape, their link with solar irradiance variations and their influence on earth climate. These space missions use full disk solar imagery. In order to test our ability to perform such measurements from ground on the long term, we need to use similar techniques and instruments simultaneously from ground and space. This should help us to model and understand how the atmosphere affect ground based metrologic measurements. However, using full imagery from ground instead of the traditional astrolabe technique immediatly raise the question of the effect of refraction and how well we can correct from it.]{} [The goal is to study in details the influence of pure astronomical refraction on solar metrologic measurements made from ground-based full disk imagery and to provide the tools for correcting the measurements and estimating the associated uncertainties.]{} [We use both analytical and numerical methods in order to confront commonly or historically used approximations and exact solutions.]{} [We provide the exact formulae for correcting solar radius measurements at any heliographic angle and for any zenith distance. We show that these corrections can be applyed up to $80\degr$ of zenith distance provided that full numerical integration of the refraction integral is used. We also provide estimates of the absolute uncertainties associated with the differential refraction corrections and shows that approximate formulae can be used up to $80\degr$ of zenith distance for computing these uncertainties. For a given instrumental setup and the knowledge of the uncertainties associated with local weather records, this can be used to fix the maximum zenith distance one can observe depending on the required astrometric accuracy. ]{} Introduction ============ Ground based solar astrometric measurements have up to now been based on the so-called equal altitudes method (Débarbat & Guinot [@Debarbat]). They have historically been made from transit instruments or astrolabes. Several instruments, derived from Danjon astrolabe, have been dedicated to solar diameter measurements, as DORaySol experiment (Morand et al. [@Morand]). Observations consist in determining the transit times, through the same equal zenith distance circle, of the two solar limbs which are the extremities of a vertical solar diameter. Accuracy of these measurements is then mainly determined by datation accuracy and not by the optical resolution of the instrument. As the two limbs are observed at equal zenith distances, influence of astronomical refraction is inherently reduced (e.g. Laclare et al. [@Laclare]). Only the small climatic conditions variations (temperature, pressure, relative humidity) between the two crossings, distant from a few minutes of time, can still play a role. The main drawback of this method is that only vertical diameters can be determined. Recent work in the field of solar metrology involve measurements from space using full disk solar images (Dame et al. [@Dame]; Kuhn et al. [@Kuhn]). PICARD-SOL (Meftah et al. [@Meftah]) is a ground based project that was set up at Calern observatory in order to use the same technique simultaneously from ground and space and in order to inter-calibrate the different measurements. Using full disk imagery from ground raise however the question of the influence of astronomical refraction and how well we can correct for it. The effect of atmospheric refraction is to change the true topocentric zenith angle $z^t$ of a celestial object to a lower observed one $z$. The refraction function $R(z)$ is defined by: $$\label{eq:gen} z=z^t-R(z)$$ Alternatively, we may take the true angles as argument and define the associated refraction function $\bar{R}$ by: $$\label{eq:gen_alt} z=z^t-\bar{R}(z^t)$$ If the refraction function $R(z)$ is known, the associated function $\bar{R}(z^t)$ can easily be evaluated for any true zenith distance $z^t$ by solving the non linear equation $x-R(z^t-x) = 0$. fundamental equations for astronomical refraction ================================================= From Snell’s law of refraction applied to a spherical atmosphere, the curvature of a light path is linked to the local refractive index $n$ through the so-called refractive invariant : $$\label{eq:invarient} n \ r \sin(\xi)=\mathrm{constant}$$ where $\xi$ is the local zenith distance i.e. the angle between the light ray and the radius vector $r$ from Earth center. From this, the differential refraction along the light ray is obtained by: $$\label{eq:diff} dR=- \tan \xi \ {dn \over n}$$ In order to find the total amount of refraction at observer position, we can integrate along the full ray path from $n=n_{\mbox{obs}}$ and $\xi=z$ at observer position up to $n=1$ outside the atmosphere. $$\label{eq:int} R= \int_1^{n_{\mathrm{obs}}} \tan \xi \ {dn \over n}$$ This can be done either by direct numerical integration of Eq. (\[eq:int\]) after an appropriate change of variable (Auer & Standish [@Auer]) or by using a full ray-tracing procedure solving the system of coupled differential equations provided by Eq. (\[eq:diff\]) and the differentiation of Eq. (\[eq:invarient\]) (van der Werf [@Werf2003], [@Werf2008]). This, in principle, requires a model of the full atmosphere i.e. temperature, pressure, density etc..at any point through the light path. In the next section we recall why this is in fact not needed if we avoid areas close to the horizon and give some usual approximations of the refraction integral. Approximation to the refraction integral {#sec:approx} ======================================== For zenith distance up to $70\degr$, the refraction integral can be evaluated with good accuracy without any hypothesis about the structure of the atmosphere: it depends only on temperature and pressure at the observer (Oriani’s theorem, see also: Ball [@Ball]; Young [@Young]). This justifies that, over time, a large number of nearly equivalent approximate formulae have been derived that do not require the full knowledge of the structure of the real atmosphere. A development of the refraction integral into semi-convergent series of odd power of $\tan(z)$ is what is commonly found in textbooks (e.g. Ball [@Ball]; Smart [@Smart]; Woolard & Clemence [@Woolard]; Danjon [@Danjon]). An example of this will be given in Sect. \[sec:calern\]. In fact the first two terms of such expansion (up to $\tan^3$) corresponds to what is known as Laplace formulae of which Fletcher ([@Fletcher]) said that *no reasonable theory differs by more than a few thousandths, hundredths, tenths of a second at $z= 60\degr$, $70\degr$, $75\degr$ respectively*. For large zenith distance, $\tan(z)$ power series will diverge at the horizon and are not appropriate. Closed formula valid at low zenith distance and that are finite at the horizon can however still be found (see e.g. Wittmann [@Wittmann]). Assuming an exponential law for the variation of air density with height, it’s possible for instance to derive a formula involving the error function (Fletcher [@Fletcher]; Danjon [@Danjon]). Another example is Cassini’s exact formula for an homogeneous atmosphere model. While physically un-realistic, the model of Cassini, thanks to Oriani’s theorem, gives also excellent results up to at least $70\degr$ of zenith distance while remaining finite down to the horizon (Young [@Young]). For large zenith distances however, Young ([@Young]) have shown that the lowest layers of the atmosphere and especially the lapse rate at observer becomes progressively dominant as one observe closer to the horizon. This therefore should be included in atmospheric models and we can not avoid anymore the full numerical evaluation of the refraction integral. In the following sub-sections we present first in details the refraction model as it was used for reducing solar astrolabe data at Calern observatory, then we give the full error function model from which the Calern model was actually derived and finally we recall Cassini’s formula. In Sect. \[sec:res\], these three approximations will then be compared to full numerical integration of the refraction integral using a standard atmosphere model. Refraction model used at Calern observatory for Solar metrology {#sec:calern} --------------------------------------------------------------- The refraction model that was used for the reduction of astrolabe measurements at Calern observatory is a truncation of the expansion in odd power of $\tan(z)$ (Danjon [@Danjon]). For an observer at geodetic latitude $\varphi$ and altitude $h$ above the reference ellipsoid, the refraction $R$ is obtained as a function of the observed zenith angle, the wavelength ($\lambda$) and local atmospheric conditions i.e. pressure ($P$), absolute temperature ($T$), and relative humidity ($f_h\in[0,1]$) by: $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq:Danjon} R(z,\lambda,P,T,f_h,h,\varphi)&=\alpha(1-\beta) \tan(z)-\alpha(\beta-{\alpha \over 2}) \tan^3(z) \nonumber\\ & +3\alpha\left(\beta-{\alpha \over 2}\right)^2 \tan^5(z) \end{aligned}$$ where $$\alpha(T,P,f_h,\lambda)=n_{\mathrm{obs}}-1$$ is the air refractivity for local atmospheric conditions and the given wavelength, and $$\label{eq:beta} \beta(T,h,\varphi)=\ell(T)/r_c(\varphi,h)$$ is the ratio between the height $\ell$ of the homogeneous atmosphere and the earth radius of curvature $r_c$ at observer position. The homogeneous atmosphere has by definition a constant air density $\rho$ equal to the one at observer position and its height is such that it would give the same pressure as the one recorded at observer position. Note that we do not assume here that the atmosphere is homogeneous, we just use the reduced height that can be obtained for any real atmosphere just from the pressure and density at observer. Assuming furthermore ideal gas law for dry air we have: $$\label{eq:ell} \ell(T)={P \over {\rho \ g}}={P_0 \over {\rho_0 \ g_0}}{T \over T_0},$$ where ${\rho_0=1.293\ \mbox{kg}\,\mbox{m}^{-3}}$ for ${T_0=273.15\,\mbox{K}}$, ${P_0=101325\,\mbox{Pa}}$ and normal gravity ${g_0=9.80665\,\mbox{m}\,\mbox{s}^{-2}}$. The radius of curvature for Calern observatory (${\varphi=43\degr45\arcmin7\arcsec}$, ${h=1323\,\mbox{m}}$) was approximated by the minimum reference ellipsoid curvature at latitude $45\degr$ and sea level (Chollet [@Chollet], see Appendix \[App:curvature\]): $$r_c(45\degr,0)=6367.512\ \mathrm{km}$$ Ambient air refractivity was deduced from the refractive index $n_0(\lambda)$ under standard conditions and the partial pressure of water vapor $p$ by applying the formula recommended by the first resolution of the 13th General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG [@IUGG63]; Baldini [@Baldini]). After conversion to Pa (Pascal) as the pressure unit, the equation becomes: $$\label{eq:alpha} \alpha(T,P,f_h,\lambda)={T_0 \over T} \left\{(n_0(\lambda)-1) {P \over P_0} - 4.13\, 10^{-10}\ p(f_h,T)\right\}$$ Refractivity under standard condition (sea level, ${T=T_0}$, ${P=P_0}$, $0\%$ humidity, $0.03\%$ of carbon dioxide) was taken from the work of Barrel and Sears ([@Barrel]): $$\label{eq:Barrel} n_0(\lambda)-1=\left\{2876.04+{16.288 \over (10^6\lambda)^2}+{0.136 \over (10^6\lambda)^4}\right\}\ 10^{-7}.$$ Partial pressure of water vapor for the current temperature and relative humidity was deduced from a fit of water vapor pressure data published by the Bureau Des Longitudes ([@BDL]) for temperatures between $-15\ {\degr}\mbox{C}$ and $+25\ {\degr}\mbox{C}$. The resulting equation, converted to Pa, is (Chollet [@Chollet]): $$\label{eq:water} p(f_h,T)=f_h\ 6.1075\, 10^2\ e^{7.292\, 10^{-2}(T-T_0)-2.84\, 10^{-4}(T-T_0)^2}$$ Finally, we note that local atmospheric pressure $P$ was measured from the height $H$ (in mm) of a mercurial barometer and its temperature $\theta$ (in $\degr\mbox{C}$). Taking into account corrections for local gravity (latitude and altitude) and for temperature (through the volume thermal expansion of mercury and the coefficient of linear thermal expansion of the tube), $P$ was obtained by[^1] (see Appendix \[App:baro\]): $$\label{eq:baro} P=H\left\{1-2.64\, 10^{-3}\cos(2\varphi)-1.96\, 10^{-7} h - 1.63\, 10^{-4}\ \theta\right\}$$ Error function formula ---------------------- In fact, in Eq. (\[eq:Danjon\]), only the first two terms which correspond to Laplace formula can be found without any hypothesis on the real atmosphere (only the reduced height $\ell$ and the refractivity at observer are needed). The term in $\tan^5$ comes from an additional assumption, namely the fact that air density follows an exponential decrease with height (actually with a well chosen variable which vary almost linearly with height, see Danjon ([@Danjon]), Fletcher ([@Fletcher])). This leads to the following equation: $$\label{eq:erfc} R=\alpha \left({{2-\alpha}\over {\sqrt{2\beta-\alpha}}}\right)\sin(z)\ \Psi\left({{\cos(z)}\over{\sqrt{2\beta-\alpha}}}\right)$$ with : $$\Psi(x)=e^{x^2}\int_x^{\infty}e^{-t^2}dt={{\sqrt{\pi}}\over{2}}e^{x^2}\left(1-\mathrm{erf}(x)\right)$$ from which Eq. (\[eq:Danjon\]) was derived by keeping only the three first terms of its asymptotic expansion. Cassini ------- By comparing the results with a full integration method, Young ([@Young]) shows the superiority of Cassini’s formula over the series-expansion approach and advocates its use by astronomers. Cassini assumed an homogeneous atmosphere for which he obtained the exact formula: $$\label{eq:Cassini} R=\mathrm{asin}\left({{n_{obs}\ r_c\sin(z)}\over{r_c+\ell}}\right)-\mathrm{asin}\left({{r_c\sin(z)}\over{r_c+\ell}}\right)$$ Again, it can be shown (Ball [@Ball]) that expanding this formula also leads to the to first two terms of Eq. (\[eq:Danjon\]) i.e. to Laplace formula. On the observed shape of the Sun due to pure astronomical refraction ==================================================================== ![Geometry for the solar shape due to astronomical refraction.The dashed circle represents the true solar disk of centre C$^t$ and radius $R_{\sun}$ while the elliptical shape (full line) represents the observed Sun of centre C. The point at the top represents observer’s zenith. []{data-label="Fig:Dessin"}](dessin.eps){width=".3\textwidth"} In this section, we assume that the Sun is a perfect sphere of angular radius $R_{\sun}$ at 1 AU and that there is no other effect affecting its observed shape than astronomical refraction defined by Eq. (\[eq:gen\_alt\]). In the horizontal coordinate system (zenith distance-azimuth), we note ($z_{\sun}^t$, $A_{\sun}$) the true position of the Sun centre ($C^t$) observed at zenith angle $z_{\sun}$; ($z^{t}$, $A$) the true position of a point ($L^t$) of the solar limb observed at zenith angle $z$; ${\delta z=z-z_{\sun}}$ and ${\delta A=A-A_{\sun}}$. Figure \[Fig:Dessin\] shows all the angles involved. Each true limb point position can be defined by the angle $\psi^t\in[-\pi,\pi[$ between the direction $\overline{C^tL^t}$ and the vertical circle. Similarly, each observed limb point can be located by the angle $\psi\in[-\pi,\pi[$ between the observed direction $\overline{CL}$ and the vertical circle. However, because the figure is symmetric with respect to the vertical circle, we consider only the interval $[0,\pi]$ for $\psi$ and $\psi^t$ in the following. For observation with an Alt-Az mount this would correspond directly to the angle with one of the CCD axis. For an equatorial mount, one CCD axis is aligned with the hour circle passing through the celestial poles and the Sun and therefore the vertical circle can be materialized on the solar image by computing first the parallactic angle between these two circles. If ${d(\psi)=\bar{d}(\psi^t)}$ is the angular distance between the observed position of the Sun centre and the observed limb points, we define by: $$\label{eq:ddef} <d>=\left[{1 \over {\pi}}\int_0^{\pi}d(\psi)^2d\psi\right]^{1/2}=\left[{1 \over {\pi}}\int_0^{\pi}\bar{d}(\psi^t)^2d\psi^t\right]^{1/2}$$ the geometric mean radius of the observed Sun. The horizontal and vertical angular extent of the observed Sun are noted $D_{h}$ and $D_{v}$ respectively and, the flattening is given by: $$\label{eq:flatdef} f={{D_{h} - D_{v}} \over D_{h}}$$ Following Mignard ([@Mignard]), we define the magnification $\Gamma$ as the ratio between the vertical size of the image ($\delta z$) of a small object to its true size ($\delta z^t$). From Eqs. (\[eq:gen\]) and (\[eq:gen\_alt\]), we have: $$\label{eq:gamma} \Gamma={{dz}\over{dz^t}}=1-{{d\bar{R}}\over{dz^t}}=\left({{dz^t}\over{dz}}\right)^{-1}=\left({1+{{dR}\over{dz}}}\right)^{-1}$$ The distorsion $\Delta$ is then defined as the rate of change of the magnification: $$\label{eq:delta} \Delta={{d\Gamma}\over{dz}}=-\Gamma^2{{d^2R}\over{dz^2}}=-{1\over\Gamma}{{d^2\bar{R}}\over{d{z^t}^2}}$$ Approximate formulae for all zenith angles ------------------------------------------ Any limb point true position can be located by its projections on the vertical circle passing through the true Sun centre, and on the great circle perpendicular to this vertical circle passing through the limb point (see Fig. \[Fig:Dessin\]). Because all the angles involved are small, we can write: $$\begin{aligned} x^t&=&R_{\sun}\cos(\psi^t)\\ y^t&=&R_{\sun}\sin(\psi^t)\end{aligned}$$ and: $$\label{eq:circle} {x^t}^2+{y^t}^2=R_{\sun}^2$$ By looking at the expression of the observed values $x$ and $y$ of these projections, one can obtain an approximate formula for the observed shape of the Sun. The projection $x^t$ on the vertical circle can be approximated by keeping the two first terms of a Taylor expansion of the refraction: $$\label{eq:xt} x^t\simeq z^t-z_{\sun}^t=\delta z+R(z)-R(z_{\sun})\simeq\delta z\left(1+ {{dR}\over{dz}}\right)+ {{(\delta z)^2}\over{2}}{{d^2R}\over{dz^2}}$$ The observed projection $y$ is linked to $z$ and $\delta A$ both by the cosine and sine rules: $$\begin{aligned} \cos(y^t)&\simeq&\cos^2(z^t)+\sin^2(z^t)\cos(\delta A) \label{eq:cos}\\ \sin(y^t)&=&\sin(\delta A) \sin(z^t) \label{eq:sin}\end{aligned}$$ Differentiating Eq. (\[eq:cos\]) and using Eq. (\[eq:sin\]) with ${\sin(y^t)\simeq y^t}$, ${\sin(\delta A)\simeq \delta A}$ and ${dz^t=-\bar{R}(z^t)}$ leads to: $$dy^t={{-y^t\ \bar{R}(z^t)}\over{\tan(z^t)}}$$ The observed distance $y$ is then obtained by: $$\label{eq:yt} y\simeq \delta A \sin(z)=y^t+dy^t=y^t\left({ 1-{{\bar{R}(z^t)}\over{\tan(z^t)}}}\right)$$ Finally, by reporting Eqs. (\[eq:xt\]) and (\[eq:yt\]) in Eq. (\[eq:circle\]) and using Eqs. (\[eq:gamma\]) and (\[eq:delta\]), we obtain: $$\label{eq:shape} \left[{{\delta z}\over{\Gamma}}-{\Delta\over 2}\left({{\delta z} \over \Gamma}\right)^2\right]^2+\left[{{\delta A \sin z}\over{1-{{\displaystyle\bar{R}(z^t)}\over{\displaystyle\tan(z^t)}}}}\right]^2=R_{\sun}^2$$ where the magnification and distortion are taken at $z_{\sun}$. From this we can deduce the position of the two vertical limb points and the observed vertical extent of the image. For ${\Delta \ll R_{\sun}}$ and ${\delta A=0}$, we find: $$\begin{aligned} d(\pi)&\simeq&\Gamma\, R_{\sun} \left(1+{{\Delta R_{\sun}}\over 2}\right) \label{eq:dpi}\\ d(0)&\simeq&\Gamma\, R_{\sun} \left(1-{{\Delta R_{\sun}}\over 2}\right)\label{eq:d0}\end{aligned}$$ and thus: $$\label{eq:Dv} D_{v}=d(0)+d(\pi)\simeq 2\,\Gamma\, R_{\sun}$$ In the horizontal direction we obtain from Eq. (\[eq:shape\]) with ${\delta z =0}$: $$\label{eq:approxdmax} D_{h}=2d(\pi/2)\simeq 2R_{\sun} \left(1-{{\bar{R}\left(z_{\sun}^t\right)}\over{\tan\left(z_{\sun}^t\right)}}\right)$$ Approximate formulae for small zenith angles - elliptic shape ------------------------------------------------------------- Keeping only the first term in Eq. (\[eq:Danjon\]) is equivalent to neglecting Earth curvature. We obtain the following approximation valid close to the zenith only (${z<45\degr}$): $$R(z)=k\tan(z) \ \ \mathrm{with:} \ \ k=\alpha(1\!-\!\beta)$$ For this flat-Earth approximation we can also write: $$\label{eq:kkp} \bar{R}(z^t)\simeq k'\tan(z^t) \ \ \mathrm{with:} \ \ k'= k\big(1-k\ \mathrm{sec}^2(z^t)\big)$$ In that case and if we neglect the distortion, Eq. (\[eq:shape\]) is reduced to the equation of a simple ellipse (see also e.g. Ball [@Ball]): $${{x^2}\over{\left(1-k'\ \mathrm{sec}^2\left(z_{\sun}^t\right)\right)^2}}+{{y^2}\over{(1-k')^2}}=R_{\sun}^2$$ where ${x=\delta z}$ and ${y=\sin(z)\,\delta A}$ can be assimilated to Cartesian coordinates on two perpendicular axes on the image. The major axis of the observed ellipse is thus given by: $$\label{eq:dmax} {D_{h}\over 2} =R_{\sun}(1-k')$$ while the observed minor axis is: $$\label{eq:dmin} {D_{v}\over 2} =R_{\sun}\left(1-k'\ \mathrm{sec}^2\left(z_{\sun}^t\right)\right)$$ We note from these equations that the Sun is shrunken in all directions. The observed horizontal diameter is smaller than the true diameter but remains the same for all zenith angles (c.f. Fig.\[Fig:contract\]) while the observed vertical diameter decreases with increasing zenith distance. The combination of these two effects leads to the apparent flattening of the setting Sun (but keeping in mind that this approximate formula is not valid close to the horizon). From Eqs. (\[eq:flatdef\]), (\[eq:dmax\]) and (\[eq:dmin\]), the flattening for small zenith angles is: $$f\simeq k \tan^2(z^t_{\sun}).$$ while, near the horizon, Eq. (\[eq:shape\]) implies that the flattening is simply given by the vertical magnification taken at the the Sun’s centre. For small zenith angles, the observed elliptic shape can be written as: $$d(\psi)={{D_{v}} \over { 2\sqrt{1-(2f-f^2)\sin^2(\psi)}}}$$ which can be approximated by: $$\label{eq:dist_app} d(\psi)\simeq R_{\sun}\left(1-k'\left(1+\cos^2(\psi)\tan^2(z^t_{\sun})\right)\right),$$ and the mean radius is obtained by: $$\label{eq:meanell} <d>={{\sqrt{D_{v}D_{h}}}\over{2}}\simeq R_{\sun} \left(1-k'-{k'\over 2}\tan^2(z^t_{\sun})\right)$$ Exact formulae for all zenith angles ------------------------------------ The classical approximate formulae above are useful for understanding the shape of the observed Sun in terms of magnification and distortion induced by refraction. Equation (\[eq:shape\]) shows that the general shape is a distorted ellipse with more flattening in the lower part than in the upper’s. However, the shape of the observed Sun can also easily be obtained, in the general case, without any approximation. In the following, we obtain first the solution of the forward problem: for given true Sun radius $R_{\sun}$ and true zenith distance $z_{\sun}^t$, we obtain the shape of the observed Sun for any given refraction model. Then, we give the solution of the inverse problem: from the observed solar shape, the knowledge of $z_{\sun}^t$ (from ephemeris) and assuming a refraction model, we deduce the true angular solar radius. Forward problem --------------- Here we assume that the true zenith distance of the Sun centre $z_{\sun}^t$ and its true angular radius $R_{\sun}$ are known. For any refraction model $\bar{R}(z^t)$, and true angle $\psi^t$, we deduce the observed angle $\psi$ and angular distance $d(\psi)$. Applying the cosine and sine formulae respectively, we have : $$\label{eq:limb} \left\{ \begin{array}{r c l} z^t&=&\mathrm{acos}\left[\cos\left(z_ {\sun}^t\right)\cos\left(R_{\sun}\right)+\sin\left(z_{\sun}^t\right)\sin\left(R_{\sun}\right)\cos(\psi^t)\right]\\ \\ \delta A&=&\mathrm{asin}\left({\displaystyle\sin(R_{\sun})\sin(\psi^t)}\over{\displaystyle\sin(z^t)}\right) %\mathrm{atan}\left[{\sin(\psi^t)}\over{\sin\left(z_{\sun}^t\right)\cot\left(R_{\sun}\right)-\cos\left(z_{\sun}^t\right)\cos(\psi^t)}\right] \end{array} \right.$$ From Eq. (\[eq:gen\_alt\]), we can get the observed zenith distances: $$\label{eq:limb2} z=z^t-\bar{R}\left(z^t\right) \ \ \ \mathrm{and} \ \ \ z_{\sun}=z_{\sun}^t-\bar{R}\left(z_{\sun}^t\right)$$ and finally angular distances $\bar{d}(\psi^t)$ between the observed Sun centre and the observed positions of each limb point are obtained by application of the cosine rule: $$\label{eq:dist} \bar{d}(\psi^t)\!=\!d(\psi)\!=\!\mathrm{acos}\big(\cos(z)\cos(z_{\sun})+\sin(z)\sin(z_{\sun})\cos(\delta A)\big)$$ where the observed angle $\psi$ can be deduced from the true one by applying the sine rule: $$\psi=\mathrm{asin}\left({{\sin(\delta A)\sin(z)}\over{\sin(\bar{d}(\psi^t))}}\right)=\mathrm{asin}\left({{\sin(z)}\over{\sin(z^t)}}{{\sin(R_{\sun})}\over{\sin(\bar{d}(\psi^t))}}\sin(\psi^t)\right)$$ The smallest observed diameter of the Sun is obtained on the vertical direction: $$D_{v}={d}(0)+{d}(\pi)=2R_{\sun}-\left(\bar{R}\left(z_{\sun}^t+R_{\sun}\right)-\bar{R}\left(z_{\sun}^t-R_{\sun}\right) \right)$$ and the largest angular extent, observed in the direction parallel to the astronomical horizon is obtained by: $$D_{h}=2{d}(\pi/2)$$ We note that Eqs. (\[eq:limb\]) and (\[eq:limb2\]) lead back to the approximation Eq. (\[eq:approxdmax\]) for the largest observed angular extent. This is however more easily obtained using the sine rule rather than Eq. (\[eq:dist\]). With ${\sin(d(\pi/2))\simeq d(\pi/2)}$, ${\sin(R_{\sun})\simeq R_{\sun}}$ and ${\cos(R_{\sun})\simeq 1}$, we obtain: $$\label{eq:sinerule} {d}(\pi/2)\simeq\sin(z)\, \sin(\delta A)=\sin\left(z_{\sun}^t-\bar{R}\left(z_{\sun}^t\right)\right){{R_{\sun}}\over{\sin(z_{\sun}^t)}}.$$ which, with a first order expansion of the sine function around $z_{\sun}^t$, leads to Eq. (\[eq:approxdmax\]). Inverse problem {#Sec:inverse} --------------- Here we give the solution of the inverse problem: given a refraction model ($R(z)$, $\bar{R}(z^t)$), knowing $z_{\sun}^t$ from ephemeris and the observed angular distance $d(\psi)$ between the observed Sun centre and a limb point at an observed angle $\psi$ with the vertical circle, we deduce the true angular radius $R_{\sun}$. One can compute successively: $$\label{eq:inverse} \left\{ \begin{array}{r c l} z_{\sun}&=&z_{\sun}^t-\bar{R}(z_{\sun}^t)\\ \\ \delta A&=&\mathrm{atan}\left[{{\displaystyle\sin(\psi)}\over{\displaystyle\sin(z_{\sun})\mathrm{cot}(d(\psi))+\cos(z_{\sun})\cos(\psi)}}\right]\\ \\ z&=&\mathrm{asin}\left[{{\displaystyle\sin(\psi)\sin(d(\psi))}\over{\displaystyle\sin(\delta A)}}\right]\\ \\ z^t&=&z+R(z)\\ \\ \psi^t&=&\mathrm{atan}\left[{{\displaystyle\sin(\delta A)}\over{\displaystyle \cos(z_{\sun}^t)\cos(\delta A)-\sin(z_{\sun}^t)\mathrm{cot}(z^t)}}\right]\\ \\ R_{\sun}&=&\mathrm{asin}\left[{{\displaystyle\sin(\delta A)\sin(z^t)}\over{\displaystyle\sin(\psi^t)}}\right]\\ \end{array} \right.$$ Results {#sec:res} ======= On the absolute value of refraction ----------------------------------- We first look at the absolute value of refraction and compare the various approximate formulae of Sect. \[sec:approx\] to the full numerical integration of the refraction integral using a standard atmosphere (Sinclair [@Sinclair]). This atmosphere is assumed to be spherically symmetric, in hydrostatic equilibrium and made of a mixture of dry air and water vapor that follows the perfect gas law. It is made of two layers: the troposphere with a constant temperature gradient which extends from the ground up to the tropopause at 11 km, and an upper isothermal stratosphere. Like in the US Standard Atmosphere ([@US76]), the temperature and pressure at the surface are 288.15 K and 101325 Pa and the constant tropospheric lapse rate is 6.5 K km$^{-1}$. In the troposphere, the relative humidity $f_h$ is assumed constant and equal to its value at the observer. The partial pressure of water vapor in a tropospheric layer at temperature $T$ is then obtained by: $$\label{eq:vaporbis} p(f_h,T)=f_h\left({T}\over{247.1}\right)^\delta 10^2$$ which, with ${\delta=18.36}$, never depart by more than $0.5$ hPa from Eq. (\[eq:water\]) for temperature lower than $30\degr$. Dry air is assumed in the stratosphere. Finally, Eq. (\[eq:alpha\]) and its derivatives with respect to $T$ and $P$ are used to find air refractivity along the integral path. The numerical integration was performed by using the method of Auer & Sandish ([@Auer]) also recommended by the Astronomical Almanac (Seidelmann [@Seidelmann]). The program used is based on the one published by Hohenkerk & Sinclair ([@Hohenkerk]) but adapted in order to use a dispersion equation based on the work of Peck & Reeder ([@Peck]) in replacement of the less accurate equation of Barrel & Sears ([@Barrel]) (Eq. (\[eq:Barrel\])). For ${T=15\ \degr\mbox{C}}$, ${P=P_0}$, $0\%$ humidity and $0.045\%$ of carbon dioxide, we take: $$\label{eq:Peck} n_0(\lambda)-1=\left\{ { {0.05792105}\over{238.0185-\left(10^6\lambda\right)^{-2}} } + { {0.00167917}\over{57.362-\left(10^6\lambda\right)^{-2}} } \right\}$$ This dispersion equation was also used by Ciddor ([@Ciddor]) who derived a new set of equations for calculating the refractive index of air which was subsequently adopted by the International Association of Geodesy (IAG [@IAG99]) as a new standard. In the following, all computations have been made using ${\lambda=535.7\ \mbox{nm}}$ which is one of the wavelengths used by the PICARD-SOL project. ![Absolute differences (in mas) between a reference model and the different approximate refraction formulae as a function of the true zenith distance. The reference model is obtained by full numerical integration of the US Standard Atmosphere ([@US76]) and Ciddor ([@Ciddor]) equation for air refractivity. From top to bottom: $\tan^5$ expansion Eqs. (\[eq:Danjon\])-(\[eq:water\]), full error function Eq. (\[eq:erfc\]), $\tan^5$ expansion Eq. (\[eq:Danjon\]), Cassini’s formula Eq. (\[eq:Cassini\]). All approximate formulae but the top one use Ciddor ([@Ciddor]) air refractivity[]{data-label="Fig:compabs"}](compare_refrac_p_1.ps){width=".3\textwidth"} Figure \[Fig:compabs\] shows the absolute differences in milliarcseconds (mas) between the approximate formulae and the exact integral evaluation for zenith distances up to $80\degr$. We immediately see that for zenith distance lower than $75\degr$, all the approximate formulae lead to less than 50 mas of absolute error. The full line corresponds to the $\tan^5$ formula Eq. (\[eq:Danjon\]) described in Sect. \[sec:calern\] while the dashed line corresponds to the same formula but using the new Ciddor ([@Ciddor]) equations instead of Eqs. (\[eq:alpha\])-(\[eq:water\]) for computing air refractivity. For zenith distances lower than $80^\circ$, the impact of using the old formula for refractivity never exceed 80 mas. The superiority of Ciddor equations to better fit observations and this for a wider range in wavelengths is however clearly established. The two other lines correspond to the error function (dot-dash) and Cassini (triple dots-dash) formulae both using the Ciddor ([@Ciddor]) equation for refractivity. These two last formulae were selected mainly because, unlike the series expansions in $\tan(z)$, they are finite at the horizon. The full integration with standard atmosphere conditions leads to a refraction of about $1980\arcsec$ at the horizon. The error function and Casini formulae lead respectively to $2088\arcsec$ and $1180\arcsec$ corresponding to relative errors of $5\%$ and $40\%$ respectively. This tends to favour the use of the error function formula over Cassini’s one very close to the horizon. The hypothesis made to derive the error function formula are indeed more realistic than Cassini’s hypothesis of an homogeneous atmosphere. It has however been shown that refraction below $5\degr$ of the horizon is variable and strongly depend on the local lapse rate and properties of the boundary layer above or below the observer’s eye (e.g. Young [@Young]). Within few degrees from the horizon, refraction may be influenced by thermal inversion boundary layers, ducting or other phenomena leading to extreme refraction. In this range, the local lapse rate must be known and it is not expected that any formula using just the temperature and pressure at observer could give an accurate absolute refraction. It is however probably more interesting to look in the range between $60\degr$ and $85\degr$ of zenith distance, which is more important to astronomers willing to push in that range the limits of their astrometric measurements using only temperature and pressure recorded at observer position. We first note from Fig. \[Fig:compabs\] that, between $60\degr$ and $77\degr$, the $\tan^5$ expansion formula is actually giving slightly better absolute refraction values than the error function formula. If we now assume that temperature and pressure at observer position are perfectly known, the only remaining important unknown in the atmospheric model is the tropospheric lapse rate. We can however fix limits for a realistic lapse rate: it must lie between an isothermal model and a lapse rate of ${10\ \mbox{K\,km}^{-1}}$ which would correspond to an adiabatic atmosphere (Young [@Young]). Figure \[Fig:comprel\] shows the absolute value of the relative error for such models with lapse rate ranging from 0 to ${10\ \mbox{K\,km}^{-1}}$ when they are compared to the standard model with a lapse rate of ${6.8\ \mbox{K\,km}^{-1}}$. From this we can deduce that, no matter what is the real atmosphere, if the conditions at observer are known, the relative error on refraction is lower than $0.01\%$ for zenith angles below $77\degr$ and lower than $0.4\%$ for zenith angles between $77\degr$ and $85\degr$. ![Relative error on refraction as a function of zenith distance for different tropospheric lapse rate. The reference model use US Standard Atmosphere ([@US76]) with a lapse rate of ${6.8\ \mbox{K\,km}^{-1}}$. The top curve correspond to an isothermal model and other atmosphere models have lapse rate of $2.5$, $5$, $10$ and ${7.5\ \mbox{K\,km}^{-1}}$ (from top to bottom at low zenith distance). All models are computed using full numerical integration.[]{data-label="Fig:comprel"}](compare_refrac_laps_2.ps){width=".3\textwidth"} On the mean solar radius correction {#Sec:mean} ----------------------------------- ![Difference between the true solar radius and the observed one as a function of the true zenith distance. The full line corresponds to average weather conditions at Calern (${T=15\ {\degr}\mbox{C}}$, ${P=875\ \mbox{hPa}}$). The dashed and dot-dashed lines correspond respectively to ${T=-10\ {\degr}\mbox{C}}$, ${P=900\ \mbox{hPa}}$ and ${T=30\ {\degr}\mbox{C}}$, ${P=850\ \mbox{hPa}}$. All calculations are made using the exact formulae Eqs. (\[eq:ddef\]) and (\[eq:dist\]) for Calern station assuming $50\%$ humidity.[]{data-label="Fig:refrac2diam"}](refrac2diam_p_1.ps){width=".3\textwidth"} ![Difference between the correction due to refraction on the mean solar radius as calculated from integrating the exact formula Eq. (\[eq:dist\]) or using the approximate formula Eq. (\[eq:meanell\]). The dashed line is obained by replacing $k'$ by $k$ in Eq. (\[eq:meanell\])[]{data-label="Fig:refrac2diam2"}](refrac2diam_p_2.ps){width=".3\textwidth"} Figure \[Fig:refrac2diam\] shows the difference between the true radius of the Sun and the mean radius of the observed Sun as defined by Eq. (\[eq:ddef\]) as a function of the true zenith distance of the centre of the Sun. The exact formula Eq. (\[eq:dist\]) was used and we took standard conditions for Calern observatory (${T=15\ {\degr}\mbox{C}}$, ${P=875\ \mbox{hPa}}$). The dashed and dot-dashed lines are for ${T=-10\ {\degr}\mbox{C}}$, ${P=900\ \mbox{hPa}}$ and ${T=30\ {\degr}\mbox{C}}$, ${P=850\ \mbox{hPa}}$ respectively in order to illustrate the maximum amplitude of the effect at Calern station. The difference in the mean radius correction between the two extreme weather conditions range from 50 mas at the zenith up to 1850 mas at ${z^t=85\degr}$. It reaches 100 mas around ${z^t=55\degr}$ and 200 mas around ${z^t=70\degr}$. This represents always less than $0.2\%$ of the correction. Figure \[Fig:refrac2diam2\] shows the difference between the exact formula obtained by integrating Eq. (\[eq:dist\]) and the approximate formula Eq. (\[eq:meanell\]) corresponding to an elliptical shape. The dashed line illustrates the result if $k'$ is approximated by $k$ (see Eq. (\[eq:kkp\])). In both cases the difference remains less than 20 mas for zenith distances lower than $70\degr$. For larger zenith distances however, errors increase rapidly and the refraction function should be evaluated using full numerical integration. On the angular dependence of solar radius correction ---------------------------------------------------- ![Difference between the true solar radius and the angular distances between the observed Sun centre and the observed positions of each limb points between the vertical (north for ${\psi=0\degr}$ and south for ${\psi=180\degr}$) and the horizon (${\psi=90\degr}$). The full lines are for ${z_{\sun}^t=70\degr}$, $50\degr$, $30\degr$ and $10\degr$ respectively from top to bottom and are for average weather conditions at Calern. The dashed and dot-dashed lines are for ${z_{\sun}^t=70\degr}$ and the same extreme weather conditions as in Fig. \[Fig:refrac2diam\].[]{data-label="Fig:refrac2diam3"}](refrac2diam_p_3.ps){width=".3\textwidth"} For precise metrologic measurements of the Sun and in order to correct for other effects (optical aberrations, turbulence, etc..) that are dependent on the position on the image, one may want to correct not the mean radius but each individual radius measured at all angles $\psi$. This can be done by following the procedure given in Sect. \[Sec:inverse\]. Figure \[Fig:refrac2diam3\] is obtained from Eq. (\[eq:dist\]) and illustrates the amplitude of the correction as a function of $\psi$ for different values of $z_{\sun}^t$, the true zenith distance of the Sun centre. We see that the horizontal diameter (${\psi=90\degr}$) is affected by refraction (by about ${2\times 0.23\arcsec=0.46\arcsec}$ for the chosen weather conditions) in agreement with Eq. (\[eq:approxdmax\]). The north and south vertical corrections (${\psi=0\degr}$ and $180\degr$ respectively) are also slightly different in agreement with Eqs. (\[eq:dpi\])-(\[eq:d0\]). Figure \[Fig:contract\] shows that the contraction of the horizontal radius lies between 210 and 260 mas depending on the actual weather conditions and remains constant for all zenith distances below $80\degr$. It then decreases rapidly towards zero at the horizon. ![Contraction of the horizontal radius (${R_{\sun}-d(\pi/2)}$) as a function of the true zenith distance $z^t_{\sun}$. The full line is for average weather conditions at Calern. The dashed and dot-dashed lines are for the same extreme weather conditions as in Fig. \[Fig:refrac2diam\].[]{data-label="Fig:contract"}](contract.ps){width=".3\textwidth"} On uncertainties associated to radius corrections ------------------------------------------------- ![Partial derivatives of the vertical diameter correction ($\delta_v$) as a function of the true zenith distance. Partial derivatives in temperature, pressure, zenith distance and relative humidity are given in $\mbox{mas\,K}^{-1}$, $\mbox{mas\,hPa}^{-1}$, $\mbox{mas\,arcmin}^{-1}$ and $\mbox{mas/\%}$ from top to bottom (at $40\degr$) respectively. The full, dashed and dot-dashed lines are for the same weather conditions as on Fig. \[Fig:refrac2diam\].[]{data-label="Fig:refrac2diam5"}](refrac2diam_p_5.ps){width=".3\textwidth"} ![Uncertainties on the vertical diameter correction assuming ${\Delta T=0.5\ \mbox{K}}$ (dotted line), ${\Delta P=1\ \mbox{hPa}}$ (dashed line), ${\Delta f_h=5\%}$ and ${\Delta z_{\sun}^t=5.4\arcmin}$, $1.0\arcmin$ or $0.2\arcmin$ (full lines from top to bottom). The total error is obtained by summing the four contributions.[]{data-label="Fig:refrac2diam6"}](refrac2diam_p_6.ps){width=".3\textwidth"} We have shown that, apart from weather conditions at observer’s position, differences in atmospheric models and especially different tropospheric lapses rate will not play any significant role at least up to $85\degr$ of zenith distance. The four main contributions are therefore uncertainties in temperature, pressure, humidity and, for large zenith distance, uncertainties on the true zenith distance itself. $$\label{eq:deriv0} \Delta d(\psi)=\sum_{i=1}^4\left|{{\partial d(\psi)}\over{\partial X_i}}\right|\Delta X_i \ \ \ \ \ \ \ X=\left\{T,P,f_h,z_{\sun}^t\right\} %\Delta\delta_v=\left|{{\partial\delta_v}\over{\partial T}}\right|\Delta T+\left|{{\partial\delta_v}\over{\partial P}}\right|\Delta P+\left|{{\partial\delta_v}\over{\partial f_h}}\right|\Delta f_h+\left|{{\partial\delta_v}\over{\partial z_{\sun}^t}}\right|\Delta z_{\sun}^t$$ It should be noted that we assume here observations made using filters with a narrow bandwidth around $\lambda$. For broadband filters, an additional term ${{\partial d(\psi)}/{\partial \lambda}}$ should be added by differentiating Eq. (\[eq:Peck\]). The largest uncertainty will be obtained for the vertical diameter (${D_v=d(0)+d(\pi)}$) which is the most affected by refraction. Figure \[Fig:refrac2diam5\] shows the four partial derivatives contributing to $\Delta D_v$ between the two extreme weather conditions chosen above for Calern (see Sect. \[Sec:mean\]). The partial derivatives shown have been obtained by numerically differentiating Eq. (\[eq:dist\]) but we have also checked that the analytical expressions that can be derived from the approximate elliptical shape Eq. (\[eq:dist\_app\]) are actually valid up to $80\degr$ of zenith distance. Closer to the horizon the partial derivative over the zenith distance becomes significantly overestimated (c.f. Fig. \[Fig:refrac2diamfinal\]). From Eq. (\[eq:dist\_app\]) and taking $k'\simeq k$, we obtain: $$\label{eq:deriv1} \left\{ \begin{array}{r c l} \left|{{\displaystyle\partial d(\psi)}\over{\displaystyle\partial X_i}}\right|&=&\left|{{\displaystyle\partial k}\over{\displaystyle\partial X_i}}\right|\left(1+\cos^2(\psi)\tan^2\left(z^t_{\sun}\right)\right)R_{\sun} \ \ \ \ \ i=1..3\\ \\ \left|{{\displaystyle\partial d(\psi)}\over{\displaystyle\partial z^t_{\sun}}}\right|&=&2 k \cos^2(\psi){\rm sec}^2\left(z^t_{\sun}\right)\tan\left(z^t_{\sun}\right)R_{\sun} \end{array} \right.$$ and from Eqs. (\[eq:beta\]), (\[eq:ell\]), (\[eq:alpha\]), (\[eq:kkp\]), (\[eq:vaporbis\]), we obtain: $$\label{eq:deriv2} \left\{ \begin{array}{r c l} {{\displaystyle\partial k}\over{\displaystyle\partial T}}&=&-C_1{{P}\over{T^2}}(n_0(\lambda)-1)+C_3 T^{\delta-1}f_h\left(C_2-{{\delta-1}\over{T}}\right)\\ \\ {{\displaystyle\partial k}\over{\displaystyle\partial P}}&=&C_1(T^{-1}-C_2)(n_0(\lambda)-1) \\ \\ {{\displaystyle\partial k}\over{\displaystyle\partial f_h}}&=&-C_3(T^{-1}-C_2)T^\delta\\ \end{array} \right.$$ where: $$\label{eq:deriv3} C_1=T_0/P_0,\ \ C_2^{-1}=C_1r_c\rho_0g_0, \ \ C_3=4.13\,10^{-8}T_0(247.1)^{-\delta}$$ For temperature, pressure and humidity, we assume uncertainties of ${\Delta T = 0.5\ \mbox{K}}$, ${\Delta P = 1\ \mbox{hPa}}$ and ${\Delta f_h = 5\%}$ which are typical for a standard weather station. The precision on the true zenith distance relies on ephemeris calculations and a correct timing. At any given time ephemeris can give not only $z_{\sun}^t$ but also the instantaneous rate ${dz_{\sun}^t}/{dt}$ and, from the knowledge of the image exposure time $\Delta t$, one can deduce an uncertainty on $z_{\sun}^t$ by: $$\label{eq:deriv4} \Delta z_{\sun}^t=\left|{{dz_{\sun}^t}\over{dt}}\right| \Delta t$$ The maximum rate is about $650\arcsec\,\mbox{min}^{-1}$ at summer solstice. Image exposures of 1 s, 5.5 s or 30 s would then correspond to a maximum uncertainty $\Delta z_{\sun}^t$ of $0.18\arcmin$, $1\arcmin$ or $5.4\arcmin$ respectively. Figure \[Fig:refrac2diam6\] shows the contribution of these uncertainties to the total uncertainty on vertical diameter correction for large zenith distances. We can see for instance that for $1\arcmin$ precision on the zenith distance (or 5.5 s exposure), the uncertainty coming from zenith distance can become, above $70\degr$, of the same importance as the combined uncertainties coming from temperature and pressure records. The total relative error on the vertical diameter correction (${\Delta D_v/(2R_{\sun}-D_v)}$) remains however below $1\%$ up to ${z^t_{\sun} = 85\degr}$. Conclusions =========== We have obtained in Sec. \[Sec:inverse\], the exact formulae that can be used to correct solar radius measurements at any heliographic angle and any zenith distance from the effect of astronomical refraction. Using full integration of the refraction integral, we have shown that this correction can be applied for any true zenith distance up to $85\degr$ with a relative uncertainty on the correction that remains less than $1\%$. Absolute uncertainties on these corrections are also derived that allows us to fix the maximum zenith distance one should observe depending on the needed metrologic accuracy. Figure \[Fig:refrac2diamfinal\] shows the maximum total absolute uncertainty obtained on the solar radius assuming that the vertical radii have been observed at different zenith distances. We use ${\lambda = 535.7\ \mbox{nm}}$ and two exposure times used by the PICARD-SOL project at this wavelength. Because we took the maximum value for $dz_{\sun}^t/dt$, this curves represent only upper limits, the actual value of $dz_{\sun}^t/dt$ should be use for each measurement. From this, one can deduce that observing below $70\degr$, $75\degr$ or $80\degr$ of zenith distances will keep the absolute uncertainties on refraction corrections below 10, 20 and 50 mas respectively. The comparison between numerical derivatives (full lines) and the use of approximate formulae Eqs. (\[eq:deriv0\])-(\[eq:deriv4\]) (dashed lines) shows that, even if the approximate formulae should not be used above $70\degr$ for correcting the measurements (c.f. Fig. \[Fig:refrac2diam2\]), they can be used at least up to ${z_{\sun}^t=80\degr}$ for estimating the uncertainties. In summary, the process that we suggest to correct ground based radii measurements from refraction for true zenith distances up to $80\degr$ is as follow. Inputs are: the measurements $d(\phi)$ and eventually their associated errors $\delta d(\phi)$ where $\phi$ is an arbitrary angle defined on the solar image; the time of image record and the exposure time $\Delta t$; weather records ($P$, $T$, $f_h$) and their associated uncertainties ($\Delta T$, $\Delta P$ and $\Delta f_h$); the wavelength ($\lambda$) and observer’s geodetic coordinates ($\varphi$, $h$). One can then successively: - find the direction of the zenith on the image and associate each angle $\phi$ to its corresponding angle $\psi$ (c.f. Fig. \[Fig:Dessin\]). Depending on the instrumental setup, this may require the computation of the parallactic angle from ephemeris, - determine $z_{\sun}^t$ and $dz_{\sun}^t/dt$ from ephemeris at the time of image record, - calculate $R_{\sun}$ using Eqs. (\[eq:inverse\]) and full numerical integration for the refraction function $R(z,\lambda,P,T,f_h,h,\varphi)$, - estimate $\Delta d(\psi)$ from Eqs. (\[eq:deriv0\])-(\[eq:deriv4\]) and the knowledge of $\Delta T$, $\Delta P$, $\Delta f_h$, $\Delta t$ and $dz_{\sun}^t/dt$, - estimate $\Delta R_{\sun}$ from: $$\Delta R_{\sun}=R_{\sun} { {\Delta d(\psi)+\delta d(\psi)} \over {d(\psi)} }.$$ For zenith distances lower than $70\degr$ full numerical integration can be replaced by Eq. (\[eq:Danjon\]) in order to evaluate the refraction function (c.f. Fig. \[Fig:compabs\]). In both cases Ciddor ([@Ciddor]) equations should be used for computing air refractivity at observer position. The corresponding codes are available from the authors upon request. It is important to keep in mind that, at all zenith distances, other phenomena such as extinction or optical turbulence must be taken into account for ground based solar metrology. We know that they will dominate refraction effects at low zenith distances. Close to the horizon extinction is proportional to refraction (Laplace’s extinction theorem) and effects of optical turbulence (e.g. Ikhlef et al. [@Ikhlef] and reference therein) will become increasingly important knowing that the Fried parameter varies as sec(z)$^{-0.6}$. It is interesting however to know that for any zenith distance up to $80\degr$ refraction can be reliably corrected and uncertainties on this correction estimated. After these correction are applied, all other phenomena impacting metrologic measurements can therefore be investigated without fearing contamination by astronomical refraction even at high zenith distances. The mean radius correction presented here (c.f. Fig. \[Fig:refrac2diam\]) as well as mean turbulence corrections have been applied to correct the first PICARD-SOL measurements (Meftah et al. [@Meftah]). The corrections that can be applied individually for each heliographic angles should be used in future work in order to disentangle the different effects. Finally we note that we have considered only the radial symmetric-component of refraction also called pure or normal refraction. There also exists an asymmetric component known as anomalous refraction (e.g. Teleki [@Teleki]) resulting from the tilted atmospheric layers. Anomalous refraction may depend not only on zenith distance but also on azimuth and it can lead to seasonal or high frequency effects (see e.g. Hirt ([@Hirt]) and references therein). The amplitude of such effect has however been found to be lower than $0.2\arcsec$ for local effects and one order of magnitude less for regional effects that may originate higher in the atmosphere (e.g. Hu [@Hu]). Moreover it has been shown that anomalous refraction is spatially coherent at scales of at least $2\degr$ (Pier et al. [@Pier]) and it has been established from dedicated observations that its main source is confined in the layer immediately above ground level (less than 60 m, see Taylor et al. ([@Taylor])). It is therefore difficult to believe that differential effects of anomalous refraction and especially the one that may be triggered in the Upper Troposphere - Lower Stratosphere (UTLS) interface (c.f. Badache-Damiani et al. [@Badache]) could lead to significant bias on solar astrometric measurements relying on direct solar disk imaging. ![Maximum absolute uncertainties on radius estimates using measurements in the vertical direction corrected from refraction. This curves are obtained for ${\lambda=535.7\ \mbox{nm}}$, ${T=(15 \pm 0.5)\ {\degr}\mbox{C}}$, ${P=(875 \pm 1)\ \mbox{hPa}}$, ${f_h=50\% \pm 5\%}$ and ${dz_{\sun}^t/dt = 650\arcsec\,\mbox{min}^{-1}}$. The top and bottom lines are for 8.9 s and 1.3 s of exposure time respectively. Full lines give the results from full numerical derivatives calculations while dashed lines are obtained using approximate formulae Eqs. (\[eq:deriv0\])-(\[eq:deriv4\]).[]{data-label="Fig:refrac2diamfinal"}](refrac2diam_p_final.ps){width=".3\textwidth"} Tha authors acknowledge financial support from CNES in the framework of PICARD-SOL project. We thank P. Exertier and J. Paris for useful discussions on the precise geodetic coordinates of Calern station, S. Y. van der Werf (Univ. of Groningen) for providing is ray tracing code also used to check our results and K. Reardon (INAF) for making available his IDL codes for computing refractivity from Ciddor ([@Ciddor]) equations. Auer L., & Sandish, E. M. 2000, ApJ, 119, 2472 Badache-Damiani, C., Rozelot, J. P., Coughlin, K., & Kilifarska, N. 2007, MNRAS, 380, 609 Baldini, A. A. 1963, GIMRADA Research Note, 8 Ball, R. S. 1908, A treatise on spherical astronomy, Cambrige University Press Barrel, H. & Sears, J. E. 1939, Phil. Trans. R. Soc., A238 Annuaire du Bureau Des Longitudes, 1975 Cassini, G. D. 1662, in Ephemerides Novissimae Motuum Colestium Marchionis C. Malvasiae (Modena: A. Cassini) Chollet F. 1981, PhD thesis, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (Paris VI) Ciddor, P. E. 1996, Appl. Opt., 35, 1566 Damé, L., Hersé, M., Thuillier, G., et al. 1999, Adv. in Space Res., 23, 205 Débarbat, S. & Guinot, B., 1970, La Méthode des Hauteurs Egales en Astronomie, Gordon & Breach Science Publishers Danjon, A. 1980, Astronomie Générale (Seconde édition), ed. Albert Blanchard, Librairie Scientifique et Technique, Paris. Fletcher, A. 1931, MNRAS, 91, 559 Hirt, C. 2006, A&A, 459, 283 Hohenkerk, C. Y., & Sinclair, A. T. 1985, HM Naut. Alm. Off. Tech. Note No. 63 Hu, N. 1991, , 177, 235 IAG (International Association of Geodesy), 1999, Resolutions, 22nd General Assembly (see http://www.gfu.ku.dk/$\sim$iag/resolutions),19-30 July 1999, Birmingham, U.K. , R., [Corbard]{}, T., [Irbah]{}, A., et al. 2012, EAS Publications Series, 55, 369 IUGG (International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics), 1963, Resolutions, 13th General Assembly, 19-31 August 1963, Berkeley, California, USA. Bulletin Géodésique, 70, 390 , J. R., [Bush]{}, R., [Emilio]{}, M., & [Scholl]{}, I. F. 2012, Science, 1638 , F., [Delmas]{}, C., [Coin]{}, J. P., & [Irbah]{}, A. 1996, Sol. Phys, 166, 211 Meftah, M., Corbard, T., Irbah, A., et al. 2013, JPCS, accepted Mignard, F. 2010, Technical Note, OCA-TN-FM-Corsica, Univ. Nice Sophia-Antipolis, CNRS, OCA Morand, F., Delmas, Ch., Corbard, T., Chauvineau, B., Irbah, A., Fodil, M.& Laclare, F., 2011, Comptes Rendus Physique, vol. 11, 660-673 Nicolas, J., Nocquet, J.-M., Van Camp, M., et al. 2006, Geophys. J. Int., 167, 1127 Peck, E. R., & Reeder, K. 1972, J. Opt. Soc. Am., 62, 958 Pier, J. R. , Munn, J.A., Hindsley, R. B., et al. 2003, AJ, 125, 1559 Princo Instruments inc., Instruction booklet for use with PRINCO Fortin type mercurial Barometers, http://www.princoinstruments.com/booklet2007.pdf Seidelmann, P. K., ed. 1992, Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac (Mill Valley, CA; Univ. Sci. 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T. 2004, AJ, 127, 3622 Note on the radius of curvature at Calern observatory {#App:curvature} ===================================================== According to the WGS84 reference ellipsoid, the Earth’s equatorial and polar radii are given respectively by ${a=6378.137\ \mbox{km}}$ and ${b = 6356.752\ \mbox{km}}$. The curvature in the (north-south) meridian and at the geodetic latitude of Calern solar astrometric instruments ${\varphi= 43\degr 45\arcmin 7\arcsec}$ is then given by: $$r_c^0={(ab)^2 \over {\left(a^2\cos^2(\varphi)+b^2\sin^2(\varphi) \right)^{3/2}}}=6365.985 \ \mathrm{km}$$ One could also consider the mean radius of curvature calculated for Calern. From the curvature in the prime vertical (normal to the meridian): $$r_c^{90}={a^2 \over {\sqrt{a^2\cos^2(\varphi)+b^2\sin^2(\varphi)} }}=6388.371 \ \mathrm{km}$$ we can deduce the radius of curvature for any azimuth angle $A$ by: $$r_c^A={1 \over {{\cos^2(A)\over r_c^0}+{\sin^2(A)\over r_c^{90}} } }$$ from which we can deduce the mean radius of curvature averaging over all directions, by: $$<\!\!r_c\!\!>=\sqrt{r_c^0 r_c^{90}}= {a^2b \over {a^2\cos^2(\varphi)+b^2\sin^2(\varphi) }}=6377.168 \ \mathrm{km}$$ If, instead of the radius of curvature, one considers the distance from geocenter, we have: $$R=\sqrt{ {{a^4\cos^2(\varphi)+b^4\sin^2(\varphi)} }\over {{a^2\cos^2(\varphi)+b^2\sin^2(\varphi)} }}=6367.955 \ \mathrm{km}$$ One should add to these values the elevation of the observer above the reference ellipsoid (${h=1.323\ \mbox{km}}$ for Calern observatory). If we consider that, on average, we observe the sun closer to the north-south direction than east-west direction we can take: $$r_c=r_c^0+h=6367.308 \ \mathrm{km}$$ which is very close to the value used by Chollet ([@Chollet]). Finally we note that, for ephemeris calculations, the geodedic latitude should be corrected for the local gravimetric deflection. For Calern solar astrometric instruments this lead to an astronomic latitude ${\varphi_{\mathrm{ast}}= 43\degr 44\arcmin 53\arcsec}$ which is also compatible within $1\arcsec$ with the direct measurements made using a full entry pupil astrolabe on the same site. Similarly, we note that taking into account the local undulation with respect to the reference ellipsoid leads to a height above sea level of ${h_{\mathrm{sl}}=1.271\ \mbox{km}}$ for Calern solar astrometric station. Note on the corrections applied to mercurial barometer reading {#App:baro} ============================================================== The two corrections (for gravity and barometer temperature) can be written as multiplicative factors (e.g. Princo [@Princo]): $$\label{eq:manuel} P=H\left({1+L\ \theta}\over{1+M\ \theta}\right){g \over g_0}$$ where $P$ is the corrected atmospheric pressure, $H$ is the barometer reading, ${M=1.818\, 10^{-4}\ \mbox{K}^{-1}}$ is the coefficient of volume thermal expansion of mercury, and ${L=1.84\,10^{-5}\ \mbox{K}^{-1}}$ is the coefficient of linear thermal expansion of brass. According to the 1967 reference system formula (Helmert’s equation), we have: $$\label{eq:helmert} g=g_{45}\left(1-a\cos(2\varphi)-b\cos^2(2\varphi)\right)$$ where ${g_{45}=9.8061999\ \mbox{ms}^{-2}}$ is the gravity acceleration at mid latitude, ${a = 2.64\,10^{-3}}$ and ${b = 1.96\,10^{-6}}$. This can be corrected from the so-called Free Air Correction (FAC) which accounts for the fact that gravity decreases with height above sea level (${C_{\mathrm{FAC}} = -3.086\, 10^{-6}\ \mbox{s}^{-2}}$), itself corrected in order to take into account the increasing gravity due to the extra mass assumed for a flat terrain (Bouger correction, ${C_{\mathrm{B}} = 4.2\, 10^{-10}\ \mbox{m}^3\,\mbox{s}^{-2}\,\mbox{kg}^{-1}}$). For a mean rock density of ${\rho_r = 2.67\, 10^3\ \mbox{kg}\,\mbox{m}^{-3}}$ this leads to: $$C_g=(C_{\mathrm{FAC}}+\rho_r C_{\mathrm{B}})=-1.96\,10^{-6}\ \mbox{s}^{-2}$$ Close to $45\degr$ of latitude, the second term of Eq. (\[eq:helmert\]) can be neglected and, if we note ${\epsilon = 1-g_{45}/g_0 = 4.6\,10^{-5}}$, Eq. (\[eq:manuel\]) can be approximated by: $$P=H\left(1-\epsilon\right)\ \big(1-(M\!\!-\!\!L)\ \theta\big) \ \left\{1-a\cos(2\varphi) +{C_g\over g_{45}}\ h\right\}$$ Neglecting second order terms leads to Eq. (\[eq:baro\]). We note that absolute gravity measurements have now been made at Calern geodetic observatory leading to ${g=(980215549.2 \pm 12.6)\,10^{-8}\ \mbox{m}\,\mbox{s}^{-2}}$ (Nicolas et al. [@Nicolas]). This shows that the relative error on the correction $g/g_0$ discussed above and previously used for refraction calculations was less than $5\,10^{-5}$. One could however now directly use Eq. (\[eq:manuel\]) with the measured value of local gravity. [^1]: Chollet ([@Chollet]) used erroneously $2.64\, 10^{-4}$ in this equation.

Q: My commitment token from the UI site hasn't been returned Is returning the commitment token from a site a manual process or is it automatic? If it's automatic what are the criteria? I've made 14 posts (2 questions and 12 answers), commented and earned 11 badges including the beta. I'm not concerned as I still have one token left and there's nothing I really want to commit to at the moment. It's just that it was discussed on chat yesterday and someone mentioned that they'd had their token from the Unix site returned and that went into beta after the UI site. A: This is fixed now. Commitment tokens are supposed to be returned automatically, but we had a bug in which Area 51 was failing to take account for the Beta badge having a different Id in the newer sites (16) than in the older sites (30).

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government visited a Help to Buy development in Bedford. Mr Eric Pickles MP met staff and residents at Barratt Homes’ Orchid Fields development in Kempston, as new figures revealed since it was introduced Help to Buy has been used to support the sale of around 50,000 homes in England - with around 800 in Bedford and Central Bedfordshire in the first 16 months of the scheme. Mr Pickles said: “The 2008 housing crash devastated our housing industry. locking thousands of aspiring homeowners out of the market for years, and leading to a loss of a quarter of a million construction jobs. “The government’s long-term economic plan, including Help to Buy, has turned it around leading developers to build more homes and creating thousands of jobs across the country, and helping around 50,000 housholds to buy with a fraction of the deposit they would normally require - over 80 per cent of which are first time buyers.” At Orchid Fields, where more than 100 homes are being built, 70 are currently available through Help to Buy with 26 reserved using the scheme, Barratt has pledged to take on 1,100 graduates, apprentices and trainees nationally over the next three years. For information on Orchid Fields visit www.barratthomes.co.uk. Trending Campaigners taking development fight to the council over plans for more than 40,000 new homes in Central Bedfordshire

On the high, crenelated ramparts of Castle Clinton, a chill breeze is stirring ― a faint but gnawing sense that the White Walkers are coming, wearing “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN” baseball caps on their skinless noggins. If Donald Trump does sack the fortress, no one who lost the battle will want to admit it was Hillary Clinton’s fault. It will have had nothing to do with, say, “transparency” or calling bearded villagers “deplorables” or the Iraq War vote or the simple fact that middle-of-the-road Clintonism ran out of gas as a public philosophy. No, other individuals, groups and forces will have to be blamed. In fact, they already are, pre-emptively. If Trump wins, we’re all going to be too busy moving to Canada to read the postmortems (or write them), so we offer them to you now: RANK REASON Photos: Getty, Associated Press

Home>LaunchPad> Server and protect: FTC attorney offers tips on how to handle cybertheft Blog Share article Server and protect: FTC attorney offers tips on how to handle cybertheft An attorney for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) calls personal information-targeted by cyber thieves-the "new oil, the new gold" in our economy. Katherine E. McCarron, an attorney in the FTC's division of privacy and identity protection, presented at Optometry's Meeting® in June on resources that can protect consumers, including doctors of optometry and their staffs, from data breaches of their business and personal data. "It's a lot easier to recover from identity theft if you have a plan." Identity theft is among the top and most widespread complaints her division receives, McCarron said during her presentation. That's because the information has cash value-it can be used to file a fraudulent tax return, apply for a line of credit or open a bank account. "That is why your personal information is so valuable to people who would like to use it and why consumers need to take special steps to protect their personal information," she added. She offered this high-level strategy for protecting information: Take stock Scale down Lock it Pitch it Plan ahead McCarron then detailed lessons learned from the more than 50 data security cases handled by the FTC. Useful FTC resources if credit is breached The FTC attorney strongly recommended that consumers access important and actionable resources at IdentityTheft.gov . At the site, consumers can report a theft, create a recovery plan and create other documents that can make process go more smoothly in the case of a cybertheft. That includes a strongly worded, pre-populated letter to file with the company where the fraud occurred. The letter might ask the company to remove the fraudulent charges, not to report the debt to a credit reporting agency because it's not your debt, place a fraud alert, or credit freeze on the account. "The website will take you through (a process) asking for specific details and then use those details you provide to create an identity theft affidavit," McCarron said, noting that the affidavit can be used to file a formal police report if an individual chooses to go that route. "This is a document you can use to help exercise a number of your rights under statutes that are in place to protect consumers and help them repair their credit after an identity theft occurs. "It's a lot easier to recover from identity theft if you have a plan," she said. If fraudulent charges or other suspicious financial activity are suspected, go to annualcreditreport.com . Reports are free on the website, she said. "You can use that annual credit report to dispute charges," McCarron said. Ounces of prevention McCarron also listed 10 actionable steps to prevent a breach of patients' and personal information. Among them: Start with security: Have a plan in case a breach occurs. Don't collect personal information you don't need and only hold onto it as long as you have a legitimate business need. Control access to data sensibly. Require secure passwords and authentication. Don't use commonly used passwords such as 1,2,3,4, 5, 6... The FTC recommends people use "pass phrases" and substituting numbers and special characters for letters (an ampersand for an 'a' or a '3' for an 'e'). An example of a pass phrase that would throw off cyberthieves, but would be easy to remember, might be "myfavoritefoodischocolate" but with special characters. She also suggested using different passwords on accounts. An effective way of preventing "credential stuffing," she said, is multi-factor authentication. Store sensitive personal information securely and protect it during transmission. Segment your network and monitor who's trying to get in and out. Secure remote access to your network. Apply sound security practices when developing new products. Make sure service providers implement reasonable security measures. Put procedures in place to keep your security current and address vulnerabilities if they arise. Secure paper, physical media and devices (cellphones and laptops). Learn more by watching a video of McCarron's presentation. AOA advocates for data privacy, data breach resolution Optometry continues to contend with a data breach dogging countless doctors and optometry students since this past fall when reports of unsolicited, fraudulent applications for Chase Amazon.com Visa cards came to light. At the direction of the AOA's Board of Trustees , the AOA apprised federal authorities of the breach, including the U.S. Attorney General's Office (member login required) and Department of Justice. Additionally, the AOA called for a united front among affiliates and others, asking optometric testing organizations and state boards of optometry to immediately discontinue use of Social Security numbers (SSNs) as personal identifiers. This petition resulted in the National Board of Examiners in Optometry eliminating the use of SSNs in favor of "OE Tracker numbers." The source of the data breach from last fall has not been determined.

Pennsylvania state Rep. Stephen Bloom (R) is under fire after seeking cosponsors for legislation that critics say would allow creationism to be taught in the classroom. Bloom denies such claims, saying the bill would spur intellectual debate by allowing K-12 students in public schools to question scientific theories like evolution and climate change, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. In the memo, sent Aug. 1, Bloom began soliciting fellow politicians to cosponsor the bill, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. "In the real world, outside of academia, scientific theory is up for all kinds of argument," Bloom said of the bill, which has not been written. "I don't think it's right to exclude any particular kind of argument prima facie. If a student wants to discuss a criticism, he or she should be able to," reports the Philadelphia Inquirer. Bloom told a local ABC affiliate that he did not intend to insert religion into the classroom, but rather to expand students’ academic freedoms. "The free exchange of ideas was being quelled by these very strict speech codes in school," said Bloom. "And, so for me ... it's just something from the heart." Still, the idea of Bloom’s bill already has prompted opposition from the American Civil Liberties Union in Pennsylvania. Andy Hoover, legislative director for the Pennsylvania branch of the ACLU, said that it would be difficult to ensure that scientific debates regarding evolution would not veer into religious territory. "We do think that ultimately some teacher somewhere or students ... will bring religious doctrine into public school classrooms," he told a local ABC affiliate. States like Louisiana and Tennessee currently have similar academic freedom laws in place. At the same time, comparable bills in states like Colorado and Indiana recently failed to pass. According to the “Educating Our Children” section of <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/98440774/2012-Platform-Final">Texas Republican Party 2012 Platform</a>, “corporal punishment is effective.” Furthermore, the document recommends teachers be given "more authority" to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/27/texas-republican-party-2012-platform-education_n_1632097.html">deal with disciplinary problems</a>.

USA. New York politicians consider bill to legalize recreational marijuana The sheer pace of cannabis law reform in the USA has been breathtaking and a victory for common sense over politics. Now New York will follow the example set by Colorado and Washington and introduce a bill to discuss legalizing cannabis for recreational use. This will be quite a controversial discussion, it will consider taxation as well as retail outlets for cannabis. Should a state as large as New York legalize recreational cannabis the demand for cannabis will make Colorado’s cannabis industry look small by comparison. It hold be a fascinating debate. New York state became the 23rd legal medical cannabis state recently, but campaigners are not sure how the ‘risk averse’ New York politicians will react to the bill which will be introduced for debate in 2015. If successful the New York State Liquor Authority would be responsible for regulating cannabis. Following the successful legalisation of recreational cannabis in Washington/Colorado US public opinion polls are now consistently in favour of cannabis legalisation. Seed type Dutch Passion advise their customers to reassure themselves of local applicable laws and regulations before germination. Dutch Passion cannot be held responsible for the actions of those who act against laws and regulations that apply in their locality. Cannabis seeds should be kept as collectible souvenirs by anyone in an area where cultivation of cannabis is not legal.

Jamie Foxx feat. Drake, Kanye West & The-Dream – Digital Girl (Remix) “Drake is the new movement, man. You gotta think about what this kid has done, man. To have records on a mixtape, and then the next thing you know he’s on top of the charts. And every time you mention him, people go crazy,” Foxx told MTV News. “I’ve had the chance to meet Drake and listen to his music. The volumes of music he’s producing makes him a strong force that’ll be around for a very long time. Because usually, when you see an artist of today, they do one thing — maybe they perform a song or do a great hook — but you seldom see a guy who can walk a song, all from the R&B end, and then to be on a track with Bun B … and Bun B, he doesn’t get on tracks with people unless it’s really legit … so I’m actually honored to have him on a track called ‘Digital Girl,’ and we will be working with each other in the future.”

United States Court of Appeals For the First Circuit No. 15-1069 DIANA DEL GROSSO; RAY SMITH; JOSEPH HATCH; CHERYL HATCH; KATHLEEN KELLEY; ANDREW WILKLUND; RICHARD KOSIBA, Petitioners, v. SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD; UNITED STATES, Respondents, GRAFTON & UPTON RAILROAD COMPANY, Intervenor. PETITION FOR REVIEW OF A FINAL ORDER OF THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION BOARD Before Torruella, Selya, and Dyk,* Circuit Judges. Mark Bobrowski, with whom Blatman, Bobrowski & Mead LLC was on brief, for petitioners. Erik G. Light, Attorney, Surface Transportation Board, with whom William J. Baer, Assistant Attorney General, Robert B. Nicholson and Shana Marie Wallace, Attorneys, Department of Justice, Craig M. Keats, General Counsel, and Evelyn G. Kitay, Deputy General Counsel, were on brief, for respondents. James E. Howard, with whom John A. Mavricos, Jonah M. Temple, Christopher, Hays, Wojcik & Mavricos LLP, Linda J. Morgan, and Nossaman, LLP, were on brief, for intervenor. * Of the Federal Circuit, sitting by designation. October 16, 2015 -2-  DYK, Circuit Judge. Diana del Grosso, et al. ("petitioners") petitioned the Surface Transportation Board ("Board") for a declaratory order that state and local regulations of a facility owned by Grafton & Upton Railroad Company ("G&U") were not preempted by the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act ("ICCTA"), Pub L. No. 104-88, 109 Stat. 803. The Board held that state and local regulations were preempted because the facility was part of "transportation by rail carrier." 49 U.S.C. § 10501(a)(1). We affirm the Board’s decision that the facility was operated by a "rail carrier." But because the Board relied on an erroneous standard in concluding that the activities at the facility were a part of "transportation," we vacate and remand. I. Under the ICCTA, the Board has jurisdiction over "transportation by rail carrier." Id. Where the Board has such jurisdiction, it is exclusive. Whether or not the Board is exercising its regulatory authority over the transportation, state and local1 laws governing such transportation are generally preempted. See id. § 10501(b) ("[T]he remedies provided under this 1 In a companion case decided today, Padgett v. Surface Transportation Board, No. 14-2067, slip op. at 7 (1st Cir. Oct. 16, 2015), we confirm that preemption applies to local as well as state regulations. -3- part with respect to regulation of rail transportation are exclusive and preempt the remedies provided under Federal or State law."); Norfolk S. Ry. Co. v. City of Alexandria, 608 F.3d 150, 157 (4th Cir. 2010); Green Mountain R.R. Corp. v. Vermont, 404 F.3d 638, 642 (2d Cir. 2005); City of Auburn v. U.S. Gov’t, 154 F.3d 1025, 1030 (9th Cir. 1998); see also Borough of Riverdale — Petition for Declaratory Order, STB Finance Docket No. 33466, 1999 WL 715272, at *4 (S.T.B. Sept. 9, 1999) (preemption even where rail construction project outside Board’s regulatory authority). Such preemption is not limited to state and local economic regulation of rail transportation. See N.Y. Susquehanna & W. Ry. Corp. v. Jackson, 500 F.3d 238, 252 (3d Cir. 2007); Green Mountain, 404 F.3d at 644–45; City of Auburn, 154 F.3d at 1031. But see Fla. E. Coast Ry. Co. v. City of W. Palm Beach, 266 F.3d 1324, 1337–39 (11th Cir. 2001). In order for an activity to count as "transportation by rail carrier," it has to be both "transportation" and operated by a "rail carrier." Tex. Cent. Bus. Lines Corp. v. City of Midlothian, 669 F.3d 525, 530 (5th Cir. 2012). "Transportation" is a broad category that includes any "property, facility, instrumentality, or equipment" connected to "movement . . . by rail," as well as various "services related to that movement." 49 U.S.C. § 10102(9)(A)–(B). Whether an activity is conducted by a "rail carrier" is a case-by-case factual determination based on, -4- inter alia, how much control a rail carrier is exercising over the activity. See Tex. Cent., 669 F.3d at 530–31 (internal quotation marks, citations omitted). The Board routinely grants declaratory orders as to whether particular activities are preempted, but the ICCTA does not delegate to the Board the determination of whether state and local law is preempted. See 49 U.S.C. § 10501(b). II. Here, G&U is a licensed rail carrier that began operations in 1873. It owns a railroad line that extends from North Grafton, Massachusetts, to Milford, Massachusetts. Upton is a town located between Grafton and Milford. In 2008, G&U decided to expand its rail yard in Upton and develop it into a rail-to- truck transloading facility. As a part of that plan, G&U undertook to build a wood pellet facility that would receive wood pellets in bulk from hopper railcars and transfer them, after some processing and bagging, onto trucks. G&U also entered into a Terminal Transloading Agreement with Grafton Upton Railcare LLC ("GU Railcare"), a part of Dana Companies, a group of companies with extensive experience in transloading bulk materials. GU Railcare was neither owned nor operated by G&U. GU Railcare was to operate the transloading services on behalf of G&U. By the fall of 2011, G&U finished the wood pellet facility. At the facility, a vacuum hose is attached to hopper railcars carrying wood pellets in bulk and sucks the pellets -5- through a system that removes dust from the pellets. The pellets are then moved to silos for temporary storage. Additional dust is then removed from the pellets, and the pellets are conveyed from the silos, placed in forty-pound bags, and stacked onto pallets, fifty bags to a pallet. The pallets are then shrink-wrapped and stored until they are loaded into trucks for final delivery to retail stores. The Upton Board of Selectmen concluded that the activities at the facility were preempted by the ICCTA, 49 U.S.C. § 10501(b), and did not seek to regulate them. However, on August 1, 2012, petitioners, who live near the facility, sought a declaratory order from the Board that the wood pellet activities were not part of "transportation by rail carrier" under 49 U.S.C. § 10501(b) and that state and local regulations were therefore not preempted. Petitioners complained that the transloading operations caused them harms such as exposure to excess glare, light intrusion, noise, and diminution of property values, and that such harms would be prevented by enforcement of Upton’s zoning by-laws, which, for example, restrict a building’s height and require special permits for manufacturing facilities, which permits could limit noise and above-ground storage. See, e.g., Town of Upton Zoning By-Law, § 4.2 Table C (height restrictions); id. § 3.1.3 Table A & n.6 (special permit requirements). The petitioners mounted a two-pronged attack on the railroad’s claim of preemption. -6- First, they argued that the wood pellet transloading operations were not "transportation" under the ICCTA because they were manufacturing activities. Second, they argued that GU Railcare was not a "rail carrier" under the statute. With respect to the second issue, petitioners requested discovery of documents regarding the construction, financing, operation, management, and ownership of the facility in order "to determine the real relationship" between G&U, GU Railcare, and Dana Companies. On January 23, 2013, the Board initiated a declaratory order proceeding but denied the discovery request by petitioners, noting that petitioners had access to G&U’s transloading agreement with GU Railcare and its lease agreement for the rail yard, and that G&U had also not explained why discovery or additional documents were needed. On February 13, 2013, petitioners requested reconsideration of the Board’s denial of discovery. Petitioners argued mainly that there was new evidence that "raises significant questions" regarding G&U. The evidence was that G&U was involved in a separate litigation with the town of Grafton, Massachusetts, over a proposed propane transloading facility,2 and that evidence as to the relationship between G&U and the operator of the other facility could shed light on the relationship between G&U and the 2 This other case is also being decided today. See Padgett v. Surface Transp. Bd., No. 14-2067, slip op. at 3 (1st Cir. Oct. 16, 2015). -7- Dana Companies. On May 7, 2013, the Board denied reconsideration. It concluded that the various agreements already submitted were sufficient to determine the issue of whether the activities were being conducted by a "rail carrier," noting that the Board "is guided [on that issue] by the terms of the agreements between the railroad and the transloader." It also concluded that the relationship between G&U and a third party involving a different transloading facility was not relevant. On December 5, 2014, the Board issued a declaratory order. After concluding that the petitioner had standing to raise the preemption issue, the order declared that the Board had exclusive jurisdiction over the transloading activities in G&U’s facility because they constituted "transportation" by "rail carrier." The Board concluded that the vacuuming, screening, bagging, and palletizing of the wood pellets were "transportation" and not "manufacturing" because, although those activities were "not essential" to transporting wood pellets by rail, they "facilitate[d]" such transportation by making it "more efficient." This was so because the activities allowed G&U to transport the pellets by hopper cars rather than boxcars. The Board also distinguished the activities in question from manufacturing and commercial transactions because they did not "change [the] nature of the product," even though some of the activities, such as bagging, "may produce some value to the consumer." The Board also -8- determined that GU Railcare was acting on behalf of G&U in performing the transloading activities, and so a "rail carrier" was doing the transporting. It finally determined that GU Railcare was not a sham set up simply to avoid state and local regulations. The petitioners sought judicial review. We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2342. Under the Administrative Procedure Act ("APA"), we will not set aside the Board’s determinations unless they are "arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law," or are "unsupported by substantial evidence." See 5 U.S.C. § 706(2). The APA requires the agency to "articulate a satisfactory explanation for its action including a ‘rational connection between the facts found and the choice made.’" Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Ass'n v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 463 U.S. 29, 43 (1983) (quoting Burlington Truck Lines, Inc. v. United States, 371 U.S. 156, 168 (1962)); see also Granite State Concrete Co. v. Surface Transp. Bd., 417 F.3d 85, 91 (1st Cir. 2005). III. In this court, both the Board and the railroad argue that the Board’s decision on the issue of preemption is entitled to Chevron deference. Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Nat. Res. Def. Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837 (1984). We disagree. In Wyeth v. Levine, 555 U.S. 555 (2009), the Supreme Court explained that "agencies have no special authority to -9- pronounce on pre-emption absent delegation by Congress," noting that the Court had never "deferred to an agency’s conclusion that state law is pre-empted." Id. at 576–77 (emphasis in original). Rather, "[w]here . . . Congress has not authorized a federal agency to pre-empt state law directly, the weight this [c]ourt accords the agency’s explanation of state law’s impact on the federal scheme depends on its thoroughness, consistency, and persuasiveness"; that is, the agency’s decision is entitled only to Skidmore deference. Id. at 556 (citing Skidmore v. Swift & Co., 323 U.S. 134 (1944)). Contrary to the Board’s suggestions, nothing in City of Arlington v. FCC, 133 S. Ct. 1863 (2013), undermines Wyeth. City of Arlington concerned only whether an agency’s interpretation of the scope of its jurisdiction is entitled to Chevron deference, did not even mention Wyeth, and, as the Court explicitly noted, "ha[d] nothing to do with federalism," id. at 1873, which animates the Court’s preemption jurisprudence, see, e.g., Wyeth, 555 U.S. at 565; Medtronic, Inc. v. Lohr, 518 U.S. 470, 485 (1996). Following Wyeth, the courts of appeals have been unanimous in concluding that Chevron deference does not apply to preemption decisions by federal agencies. See Seminole Tribe of Fla. v. Stranburg, No. 14-14524, 2015 WL 5023891, at *13 (11th Cir. Aug. 26, 2015) ("[D]eference to an agency’s ultimate conclusion of federal preemption is inappropriate."); Steel Inst. of N.Y. v. City of New York, 716 F.3d 31, 39–40 (2d Cir. 2013) ("We do not defer to -10- an agency’s legal conclusion regarding preemption . . . ."); In re Universal Serv. Fund Tel. Billing Practice Litig., 619 F.3d 1188, 1200 (10th Cir. 2010) ("An agency’s conclusion that state law is preempted is not necessarily entitled to deference."); see also St. Louis Effort for AIDS v. Huff, 782 F.3d 1016, 1024 (8th Cir. 2015); Do Sung Uhm v. Humana, Inc., 620 F.3d 1134, 1155–56 (9th Cir. 2010). The Fifth Circuit in Franks Investment Co. v. Union Pacific Railroad Co., 593 F.3d 404 (5th Cir. 2010), has held in particular that Chevron deference to the Surface Transportation Board on the question of preemption is inappropriate, holding that "the [Board’s] decision regarding the preemptive effect of the ICCTA and the test it uses to determine preemption are not binding on us." Id. at 413–14 (citing Wyeth). We agree that the Board is not entitled to Chevron deference on the issue of preemption.3 3 We do not decide whether, if Congress does give express authority to an agency to determine the scope of preemption, Chevron deference would apply. See Medtronic, 518 U.S. at 495–96 (citing Chevron and giving "substantial weight" to an agency’s pronouncement on a preemption issue where there was an express preemption provision in the organic statute and Congress explicitly granted agency authority to exempt state regulations from preemption); see also City of New York v. FCC, 486 U.S. 57, 63–64 (1988). Here, in contrast to statutes where Congress has delegated authority to an agency to pronounce on the scope of preemption, see Wyeth, 555 U.S. at 576 n.9 (listing examples), the Board’s organic statute simply states that its remedies are exclusive and have preemptive effect. See 49 U.S.C. § 10501(b). The Board’s general authority to issue a declaratory order is derived from the APA. See 49 U.S.C. § 721(b)(4); 5 U.S.C. § 554(e). -11-  This does not mean that the Board’s preemption decision earns no deference. We apply Skidmore deference, which allows us to defer to the Board in so far as we find the Board’s interpretations persuasive. See Merrimon v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am., 758 F.3d 46, 55 (1st Cir. 2014). We also defer to the Board’s factual determinations, such as whether there are efficiency gains connected to the choice of railcars in transportation. Such determinations need only be supported by substantial evidence and a "‘rational basis’ . . . in the facts on the record." See Granite, 417 F.3d at 91–92 (citation omitted); Ross Express, Inc. v. United States, 529 F.2d 679, 681 (1st Cir. 1976). IV. The primary issue on appeal is whether the activities at the transloading facility at the conclusion of a rail journey — that is, the vacuuming, screening, bagging, and palletizing of the wood pellets — constitute rail "transportation," and thus are not subject to otherwise applicable state and local regulations. Section 10501 of the ICCTA vests the Board with "exclusive" jurisdiction over "transportation by rail carriers" and the "construction, acquisition, operation, abandonment, or discontinuance of . . . facilities." 49 U.S.C. § 10501(b). "Transportation" covers "a . . . facility, instrumentality, or equipment of any kind related to the movement of passengers or property, or both, by rail," 49 U.S.C. § 10102(9)(A), as well as -12- "services related to that movement, including receipt, delivery, elevation, transfer in transit, . . . storage, handling, and interchange of passengers and property," 49 U.S.C. § 10102(9)(B). It is well-established that the preemption of state and local regulation under the ICCTA generally extends to transloading facilities. Transloading, performed at the "starting or ending point of the rail component of the movement," New Eng. Transrail, STB Finance Docket No. 34797, 2007 WL 1989841, at *1 (S.T.B. Jun. 29, 2007), involves transferring bulk shipments from one type of vehicle to another at an interchange point. See N.Y. Susquehanna, 500 F.3d at 242 n.1. In the language of the statute, transloading typically involves "receipt, . . . storage, handling, and interchange" or "transfer in transit" of goods. 49 U.S.C. § 10102(9)(B). Such activities are generally preempted. See N.Y. Susquehanna, 500 F.3d at 247–49 (waste transloading from trucks to railcars headed to landfills); Tex. Cent., 669 F.3d at 530 (transloading of hydraulic fracking sand, including offloading sand from railcars to silos and loading onto trucks); Norfolk, 608 F.3d at 154, 158 (transfer of bulk shipments of ethanol from railcars onto surface tank trucks); Green Mountain, 404 F.3d at 640, 645 (unloading of bulk salt and cement arriving by rail to load onto trucks for local distribution or to temporarily store pending distribution). -13-  In short, as a general matter, "intermodal transloading operations and activities involving loading and unloading materials from rail cars and temporary storage of materials" are a part of transportation. New Eng. Transrail, 2007 WL 1989841, at *6; see also, e.g., Tex. Cent., 669 F.3d at 530; Green Mountain, 404 F.3d at 642. That such transloading activities are integral to the physical movement of goods, and thus "transportation," is an "indisputable point." Tex. Cent., 669 F.3d at 530. Petitioners argue that the activities here do not constitute traditional transloading operations, but rather constitute manufacturing, and that state and local regulations are not preempted. In its decision, the Board did not focus on whether the activities facilitated transloading of the pellets from rail to truck. Instead, the Board concluded that the transloading activities here were "transportation" because the vacuuming, screening, bagging, and palletizing of the wood pellets allowed G&U to transport the pellets in hopper railcars, which accommodate twenty more tons of pellets than boxcars. "Were these activities performed at the manufacturing facility," the Board reasoned, "the wood pellets would have to be transported in boxcars, in which case each pallet containing 50 40-pound bags would have to be blocked and braced in order to limit movement within the boxcar." That in turn "would consume space and . . . leav[e] less capacity for the wood pellets themselves." -14-  We think that the Board’s efficiency rationale goes beyond the statute and is beside the point. While "transportation" is "an extremely broad category," Pejepscot Indus. Park, Inc. v. Me. Cent. R.R. Co., 215 F.3d 195, 199 (1st Cir. 2000), not all activities connected with rail transportation are considered "transportation" under the statute. The definition of "transportation" in the statute, "[w]hile certainly expansive, . . . does not encompass everything touching on railroads." Emerson v. Kan. City S. Ry. Co., 503 F.3d 1126, 1129 (10th Cir. 2007). Thus, "manufacturing and commercial transactions that occur on property owned by a railroad that are not part of or integral to the provision of rail service are not embraced within the term ‘transportation.’" New Eng. Transrail, 2007 WL 1989841, at *6. In particular, the ICCTA does not preempt all state and local regulation of activities that has any efficiency-increasing relationship to rail transportation. Rather, Subsection (A) of the definition "focuses on physical instrumentalities ‘related to the movement of passengers or property,’" while Subsection (B) focuses on "‘services related to that movement.’" Emerson, 503 F.3d at 1129-30 (emphases added) (quoting 49 U.S.C. § 10102(9)). The statute is clear on its face that the preempted activities are all related to the physical movement of "passengers or property." Here, the proper focus of the Board should have been on the question of whether the activities — vacuuming, screening, -15- bagging, and palletizing — facilitated the physical movement of "passengers or property" (here the transfer of the pellets from rail to truck), rather than cost efficiency. The questionable nature of the Board’s rationale is revealed by a simple example. Under the Board’s rationale, the transloading facility would be exempt from regulation if it had been constructed and operated by the rail carrier at the ultimate destination at a retail store. Under the Board’s reasoning, the retail facility would be exempt because postponing the bagging and other operations would have made it feasible to transport the pellets more efficiently in hopper cars. We think that sweeps too far. The Board’s efficiency rationale would result in a vast regulatory gap in which state and local regulation would be eliminated simply because the facilities were economically connected to rail transportation.4 Courts and the Board have rejected interpretations of "transportation" that go beyond facilitating the movement of "passengers or property." In New England Transrail, the Board held that state and local regulation of shredding of construction debris that had arrived at a transloading facility from trucks — before 4 Nor would the Board be able to regulate such facilities. See Joint Petition for Declaratory Order — Bos. & Me. Corp. & Town of Ayer, MA, STB Finance Docket No. 33971, 2001 WL 458685, at *4 (S.T.B. Apr. 30, 2001) ("Railroads are not required to obtain Board approval . . . to build or expand facilities that are ancillary to a railroad's operations unless the activity is part of a larger project subject to our jurisdiction (such as construction of a new rail line)."). -16- being loaded onto railcars — was not preempted because such activity did not constitute "transportation." This was so because the shredding was not necessary to load the debris onto railcars. See New Eng. Transrail, 2007 WL 1989841, at *9–10 (noting that "a shredder is not required to pack into rail cars" the debris that had arrived from trucks. (emphasis added)). In Emerson, 503 F.3d at 1129–32, the Tenth Circuit similarly rejected an interpretation of "transportation" that would preempt state tort law governing a railroad’s dumping of old railroad ties into a wastewater drainage ditch. The court held that the dumping did not relate to "movement of passengers or property" under the ICCTA, 503 F.3d at 1130, and the interpretation would entail the Board’s jurisdiction over the railroad’s dumping a "dilapidated engine in the middle of Main Street" simply because "disposing of unneeded railroad equipment [would be] cost-conscious," id. at 1132. Here, the Board’s interpretation is defective because it fails to relate the wood pellet facility’s activities to the physical "movement of passengers or property," as opposed to cost efficiency. New England Transrail is not to the contrary. The Board held that baling and wrapping of solid waste arriving at a transloading facility from trucks constituted "transportation," noting that such baling and wrapping "permits a wider variety of rail cars to be used." New Eng. Transrail, 2007 WL 1989841, at *9. But there preemption was appropriate because the baling and -17- wrapping was necessary to transload the waste from trucks to railcars. The Board expressly found that "baling and wrapping are not the sort of activities that would have value for any other purpose."5 Id. Here, while the wood pellets are being transloaded from railcars onto trucks, there has been no Board finding that the vacuuming, screening, bagging, and palletizing facilitated the loading of the pellets onto the trucks. Under these circumstances, a remand is required to determine whether the vacuuming, screening, bagging, and palletizing facilitated the transloading of the pellets from the railcars to the trucks or was done solely for another, unrelated purpose. V. Two collateral issues remain. First, petitioners contend that the Board erred in not considering the facility’s "re- pelletization" of the wood pellets. Re-pelletization, a process which, according to G&U, began around December 2012, involves screening broken pellets from unbroken pellets, pressing them together into new pellets, and moving the new pellets into silos for storage. Petitioners argue that such a process, because it transforms the nature of the product, constitutes manufacturing and 5 While the fact that the activity adds value to the consumer (or the railroad) does not bar it from being transportation, it is equally clear that merely adding value does not support a claim that the activity is transportation. See New Eng. Transrail, 2007 WL 1989841, at *10. -18- not rail transportation. But whether or not it does constitute manufacturing — a matter on which we take no view — petitioners did not raise this issue before the Board, and it is thus not properly before us. See Commonwealth of Mass., Dep’t of Pub. Welfare v. Sec’y of Agric., 984 F.2d 514, 523 (1st Cir. 1993) ("In the usual administrative law case, a court ought not to consider points which are not seasonably raised before the agency." (citing United States v. L.A. Trucker Truck Lines, Inc., 344 U.S. 33, 37 (1952))). However, we do not preclude the Board from considering this issue on remand. Second, while petitioners do not ask for judicial review of the Board’s determination that G&U was operating the facility and that GU Railcare was acting on behalf of G&U in performing the transloading activities, they do argue that the Board erred in denying discovery, which they claim was necessary to determine whether the transloading activities were being performed by a "rail carrier." We see no error. We generally do not intervene in a lower tribunal’s discovery order unless it was plainly wrong and resulted in substantial prejudice to the aggrieved party. See Modern Cont’l/Obayashi v. Occupational Safety & Health Review Comm’n, 196 F.3d 274, 281 (1st Cir. 1999) (appellate court will "intervene in such matters only upon a clear showing of manifest injustice, that is, where the lower court's discovery order was plainly wrong and -19- resulted in substantial prejudice to the aggrieved party" (citation omitted)); see also Trailways Lines, Inc. v. Interstate Commerce Comm’n., 766 F.2d 1537, 1546 (D.C. Cir. 1985) ("[T]he conduct and extent of discovery in agency proceedings is a matter ordinarily entrusted to the expert agency in the first instance and will not, barring the most extraordinary circumstances, warrant the Draconian sanction of overturning a reasoned agency decision."). As petitioners seem to concede, the Board’s regulations permit discovery "regarding any matter, not privileged, which is relevant to the subject matter involved in a [Board] proceeding," 49 C.F.R. § 1114.21(a)(1), but they do not require such discovery, id. ("Parties may obtain discovery . . . ." (emphasis added)). Any such discovery must still be "relevant to the subject matter involved," id., and the Board need not order discovery "where the dispute involves a legal issue and where the record is sufficient to resolve the controversy without discovery." Md. Transit Admin. — Petition for Declaratory Order, STB Finance Docket No. 34975, 2008 WL 4281987, at *5 (S.T.B. Sept. 17, 2008). Here, other than petitioners’ initial barebones request for discovery to determine the "real" relationship between G&U, GU Railcare, and Dana Companies, petitioners failed to show a need for any specific documents. The Board concluded that the transloading agreement and the lease would suffice to determine whether the relationship between GU Railcare and G&U was such that the transloading -20- activities were being performed by a "rail carrier" and that G&U’s involvement in a litigation with separate parties involving separate contracts was not relevant evidence to reopen its discovery decision. In this proceeding, petitioners fail to explain why any of this is incorrect, let alone why the Board’s decision resulted in manifest injustice. There is no basis to set aside the Board’s decision that the activities in question were conducted by a "rail carrier." CONCLUSION We vacate and remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. VACATED AND REMANDED All parties shall bear their own costs. -21-

An online journal in which members of The Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar document their noble efforts. Friday, August 18, 2006 SPOGGing Ourselves This is the lead of a column we wrote for MSN Movies: Becoming a part-time, high-school teacher isn't the easiest way to find good baby sitters, but it's better than, say, hanging out at the mall and hitting on everyone younger than 20 who's not riding a skateboard. Note the unnecessary comma in red. An editor added this, but our name is on the top of the story, which makes us look like we shoot commas from a shotgun. Tell us: Are we making a mountain out of this molehill? Or did the editor make a good call?

3584461 wrt d? 61452336*d**2 Differentiate -400767*a**2 - 6*a + 502957122. -801534*a - 6 What is the second derivative of 429164173*f**5 + 8168492*f? 8583283460*f**3 Find the second derivative of 4953*k**3*l + 4623*k**2*l - k**2 - 13*k*l + 23292423*k wrt k. 29718*k*l + 9246*l - 2 Find the first derivative of 79921883*i + 34158786. 79921883 Differentiate 839533767*f**3 + 66106675 wrt f. 2518601301*f**2 What is the second derivative of -4*w**3 + 1067624*w**2 + 5513*w + 507 wrt w? -24*w + 2135248 Find the first derivative of 24*g**2*v + 461430*g*v**3 - 2*v**3 - 14850566*v + 2 wrt g. 48*g*v + 461430*v**3 What is the first derivative of 3*k*u**3 + 3806145*k*u + 6496762*k wrt u? 9*k*u**2 + 3806145*k What is the third derivative of -119*o**5*x**3 - 32876*o**5 + 3*o**2*x**3 + 12*o**2*x + 3374*o**2 wrt o? -7140*o**2*x**3 - 1972560*o**2 What is the second derivative of 239304029*i**4 - 106411111*i - 3 wrt i? 2871648348*i**2 What is the first derivative of 89500*w**3 - 3*w**2 + 4276571? 268500*w**2 - 6*w Find the second derivative of 34717430*t**4 - 5*t - 1163313. 416609160*t**2 What is the third derivative of -18255102*j**3 - 14*j**2 - 98*j - 109 wrt j? -109530612 What is the second derivative of -25261500*u**3 + 6*u - 180116? -151569000*u Find the third derivative of -81726524*u**3*v**2 + 1742106*u**2*v**2 + u wrt u. -490359144*v**2 Find the third derivative of 729*g*q**5 - 689*g*q**2 - 87*g*q + g - 46754*q**5 - 2*q**2 - 1 wrt q. 43740*g*q**2 - 2805240*q**2 What is the second derivative of 106181719*b**2 + 3*b + 24434236 wrt b? 212363438 Find the third derivative of 175*g*o**3 + 2*g*o**2 - 1168*g + 4375*o**3 - 22*o**2 + 61*o + 1 wrt o. 1050*g + 26250 Differentiate 723281151*z + 660487878. 723281151 What is the second derivative of -7*v**4 + 8*v**3 + 1647*v**2 - 224*v - 20838? -84*v**2 + 48*v + 3294 Find the second derivative of -18760917*q**2 - 1857156*q wrt q. -37521834 What is the derivative of 839*k*u**2 + 6503042*k - 4324*u**3 wrt u? 1678*k*u - 12972*u**2 Differentiate -47181*f*y + 208*f + 192493805*y wrt f. -47181*y + 208 What is the derivative of 623694399*a*k + 114505328*a wrt k? 623694399*a What is the third derivative of -3*b**4*g - 3087*b**4 + 34535*b**3*g - b**2*g + 234130447*b**2 + b*g - 1 wrt b? -72*b*g - 74088*b + 207210*g Find the first derivative of -22941110*s**4 - 31295006 wrt s. -91764440*s**3 Find the first derivative of 30788646*q + 461620472. 30788646 What is the third derivative of -13*k**6 + 9218344*k**4 + 224781786*k**2? -1560*k**3 + 221240256*k What is the first derivative of 64*c**2 - 792930*c + 22375758 wrt c? 128*c - 792930 Differentiate 399*g**2 + 75307*g + 73556635. 798*g + 75307 Find the first derivative of -2*a**4 + 129188331*a**2 - 153136304. -8*a**3 + 258376662*a Find the second derivative of -2*k**3 - 5814978*k**2 - 331048*k + 10 wrt k. -12*k - 11629956 What is the second derivative of 91398*l**5 - l**3 + 204*l**2 - 81484652*l wrt l? 1827960*l**3 - 6*l + 408 What is the second derivative of 8252800*l**3 - 226380*l - 32? 49516800*l What is the third derivative of -3185604*g**3 - 2*g**2 - 14478419*g wrt g? -19113624 What is the third derivative of 912351325*m**5 - 87328167*m**2 wrt m? 54741079500*m**2 What is the second derivative of -3834349*k**2*y**2 + 13*k**2*y - k**2 - 9*k*y**2 - 2*k*y - 1177337*k + 2*y**2 - y + 1 wrt k? -7668698*y**2 + 26*y - 2 Find the second derivative of -146*c**4 - 881*c**3 - 2*c**2 + c + 23861862 wrt c. -1752*c**2 - 5286*c - 4 What is the third derivative of 389*g**4*t**2 + 129*g**4 + 789*g**3 - 2*g**2*t**2 + 8967788*g**2*t - 6*g*t**2 - 2*g*t wrt g? 9336*g*t**2 + 3096*g + 4734 Find the first derivative of 30398*r**3*w**2 - 94145*r**3 - 251*r**2*w**3 - 1544*r wrt w. 60796*r**3*w - 753*r**2*w**2 What is the derivative of 3*r**2*v - 5991701*r**2 + r*v + 2883969*v + 13 wrt r? 6*r*v - 11983402*r + v What is the second derivative of 9*p**4 - 463*p**3 - 18*p**2 + 6343307*p wrt p? 108*p**2 - 2778*p - 36 What is the third derivative of -5773808*q*t**3*u*y + 5*q*t**2*u*y - q*t**2*u + 41*q*y + 39*t*u*y - 16*t*y wrt t? -34642848*q*u*y What is the first derivative of -524556514*l**4 + 192736622 wrt l? -2098226056*l**3 What is the third derivative of 21419604*c**4 + 17*c**2 + 183*c + 345 wrt c? 514070496*c What is the first derivative of 140492055*l**2 - 98666664? 280984110*l Differentiate d*r**2 + 6*d*r + 111874*d + 2979*r**2 + r - 114 wrt r. 2*d*r + 6*d + 5958*r + 1 What is the third derivative of 25136248*n**3*x**3 + 106031509*n**2*x - x**3 wrt n? 150817488*x**3 What is the third derivative of -3*g*v**5 - 5268276*g*v**3 - 4*g*v**2 + 5*g*v - 5*g - v**2 + 13*v - 2 wrt v? -180*g*v**2 - 31609656*g Find the third derivative of -38815032*l*z**3 - l*z**2 - 2*l*z - 63798*l - 6*z**2 wrt z. -232890192*l What is the second derivative of -1513*u**4 - 848*u**3 + 31198066*u wrt u? -18156*u**2 - 5088*u Differentiate -1559*g**2 - 13889*g - 37683860 wrt g. -3118*g - 13889 What is the derivative of 1705706*i**2*p - 2*i**2 - 2*i*p + 81084*i - p - 7 wrt p? 1705706*i**2 - 2*i - 1 What is the second derivative of 13766579*b**2 - 6281779*b? 27533158 Differentiate -2*b**2*j - 1143*b**2 - 281*b - 3050962*j + 6 with respect to j. -2*b**2 - 3050962 What is the second derivative of n**4 + 6*n**3 + 4440*n**2 - 3921354*n? 12*n**2 + 36*n + 8880 Find the second derivative of -31428375*f**4 + 2*f - 12446439. -377140500*f**2 What is the derivative of -32920*c**2 + 9275*c - 702793953 wrt c? -65840*c + 9275 What is the second derivative of 10201738*f**2 + 1264612*f wrt f? 20403476 Find the first derivative of 4171448*j**3 + 4622996 wrt j. 12514344*j**2 What is the second derivative of 5501*r**3 + 1075*r**2 + 768263*r + 1? 33006*r + 2150 Find the second derivative of -2942*i**2*p - 484*i**2 - 380*i*p + 15*i + 129*p wrt i. -5884*p - 968 What is the first derivative of -25601823*x**2 + 46863330? -51203646*x What is the first derivative of 3121336*f + 5347314 wrt f? 3121336 Find the second derivative of -68*f*j**3 - 1151*f*j**2 + 2*f*j + 6*f + 15*j**3 - 2*j - 14050 wrt j. -408*f*j - 2302*f + 90*j Find the second derivative of -230*o**3*t**2 - 538*o**3 + 91147*o**2*t**2 + 40143*o**2*t + o*t**2 wrt t. -460*o**3 + 182294*o**2 + 2*o Find the third derivative of 4326336*x**5 - 1882674*x**2 wrt x. 259580160*x**2 Find the first derivative of -37291416*c**4 - 24803293 wrt c. -149165664*c**3 What is the third derivative of 8169*d**3*t**2 + 150*d**3*t + 3*d**3 + 4*d**2*t**2 + 9*d**2*t - 1020*d**2 - 21*d*t wrt d? 49014*t**2 + 900*t + 18 Find the second derivative of 25866*h**2*s**3 + 94484*h**2*s + 1281*h*s**4 - 538*h*s wrt s. 155196*h**2*s + 15372*h*s**2 Find the third derivative of -5*p**3*x**2 - 5*p**3*x - 778645*p**3 - 6*p**2*x**2 + 2*p**2*x - 150463*x wrt p. -30*x**2 - 30*x - 4671870 What is the second derivative of -140270283*k**2 - 231980259*k wrt k? -280540566 Find the third derivative of 10066635*l**5*r - 2*l**4*r - 4711*l**2 + 10210*l*r wrt l. 603998100*l**2*r - 48*l*r What is the second derivative of 5*w**3*z**2 + 2*w**2*z + 2141490*w**2 + 87344*w*z**2 - 19*w*z wrt w? 30*w*z**2 + 4*z + 4282980 What is the second derivative of -3*q*v**3 + 55*q*v - 11989*q - 6*v**3 - 442514*v**2 wrt v? -18*q*v - 36*v - 885028 What is the third derivative of -1189*a*q**2*t**3 - 2743*a*q*t**3 + a*q*t**2 + a*q - 2*a*t + 4*q**2 - 10494*q + 23 wrt t? -7134*a*q**2 - 16458*a*q What is the third derivative of -4*p**5 - 677847*p**4 + 28*p**3 - 4*p**2 + 99335711? -240*p**2 - 16268328*p + 168 Find the third derivative of -9381490*x**4 + 7304632*x**2. -225155760*x Find the third derivative of -58*h*j*p**2 + 4*h*j + 810272*h*p**3 + h*p**2 + 233*h*p + j*p**5 + j*p**3 - 2*j*p**2 wrt p. 4861632*h + 60*j*p**2 + 6*j Find the second derivative of -178*t*w*y**2 + 2415238*t*w*y + 2*t*y + 67*w*y**2 - 64*y**3 wrt y. -356*t*w + 134*w - 384*y Find the second derivative of 478742294*g**5 - 314*g - 238796. 9574845880*g**3 What is the second derivative of 270262009*g**3 + 3*g - 8706837 wrt g? 1621572054*g What is the third derivative of 85046543*o**6 + 111*o**2 + 1254*o + 20? 10205585160*o**3 What is the first derivative of -3469*k**2 + 133*k + 3371832? -6938*k + 133 Find the second derivative of -407938*d**2*g**3 - 8*d**2*u**2 + 3*d*g**3*u + 213434*g**2*u**2 wrt d. -815876*g**3 - 1

UPDATED: Michigan elections board OKs “Plan Ahead for Your Abortion” petition, <3% of residents could make it law Decline to sign It’s not often that less than 3% of a state’s citizens get to create new law without having to let the voters decide or the governor to sign it into law but that is exactly what’s about to happen in Michigan. Yesterday, the State Board of Canvasser approved petition language submitted by Right to Life of Michigan that would force women to purchase a separate rider on their insurance to cover abortion. Not just government-subsidized or government provided health insurance. ALL health insurance. I’m calling it the “Plan Ahead for Your Abortion” law. If Right to Life can get only 258,088 in 6 months, the measure goes to the legislature which has 40 days to approve it. If they do, and they will, it becomes law. The rest of Michigan voters will have no say in it and it won’t require Governor Snyder’s signature. It’s clever, for sure. Right to Life Michigan KNOWS they are on the wrong side of this issue from the majority of Michigan residents and from Governor Snyder himself so they have to bypass the normal process and exploit a loophole made possible by a legislature full of conservative extremists put in place by decades of Republican gerrymandering. The rhetoric coming from the anti-Choice forces is offensive. Because the measure makes no exceptions in the case of rape, a reporter asked Barbara Listing from Right to Life Michigan how women could be expected to plan ahead for being raped and purchase the extra insurance coverage. Listing’s answer was shocking: she compared being raped to having a car accident or having your basement flooded: It’s simply like nobody plans to have an accident, a car accident. Nobody plans to have their homes flooded. And you have to buy extra insurance for those things, too. Planned Parenthood of Michigan, whose supporters attended the elections board’s meeting en masse, released a statement condemning the decision in no uncertain terms: By pursuing this initiative, extremists in the legislature are trying to go around Governor Snyder and the will of the majority of Michigan voters. This proposal would allow the government to dictate to the private sector what type of insurance coverage can be offered to private customers. Mandating that businesses cannot contract to cover abortions for rape victims, incest victims and women who face health risks is an unwarranted intrusion on the marketplace and a threat to women’s health. Nearly two-thirds of Michiganders think this is outrageous. We are dedicated to making sure that this effort fails. It’s important to note that this petition is based entirely on a lie, a deception designed to make people uncomfortable about abortions support it. State and federal law already prohibit the use of taxpayer money to provide abortions. Also, companies that provide health insurance for their employees already have the option of putting the abortion coverage in a separate rider. This measure would prevent ALL companies from offering health insurance that covers abortions whether they wish to or not. Not just those decide to and not just insurance provided by the government. But you can be sure that the anti-Choice extremists will tout this as “stop the use of tax money for killing babies”, a lie of epic proportions. In fact, the group that submitted the petition language calls itself “No Taxes for Abortion”. It’s a truly outrageous lie and one they need to tell because nearly two-thirds of Michigan voters reject it. Planned Parenthood has already rolled out a “Decline to Sign” campaign to inform voters about this deceptive petition drive, encouraging them NOT to sign Right to Life’s petitions. As supporters of Planned Parenthood and women’s health, we need YOUR help to educate the public on why they should NOT sign petitions in favor of this misleading and disingenuous proposal. We will keep you informed in the coming weeks on how you can help stop these politically motivated attacks and government intrusion into women’s personal and private decisions. The proposal deceptively implies that tax dollars are somehow involved in private insurance for abortion care. NO federal, state, or local tax dollars pay for abortions in Michigan—it’s already the law. The petition has nothing to do with how abortions are funded. It is about who decides what should or should not be covered by someone’s personal health plan. The initiative would have legislators replace the judgment of women, their families, their faith, their health care provider, and their private insurers. It’s important to educate people about the lies being told by the desperate and extremist anti-Choice zealots. Let people know that it’s already law that tax dollars not be used for abortion services and, just as importantly, that this measure would allow just 3.4% of registered Michigan voters to make law for the rest of, nearly two-thirds of whom disagree with it. UPDATE: If you’re confused by the fact that 3.4% of the registered voters can bypass the Governor and the rest of the voters in Michigan to make a new law, you’re not alone. It’s part of a rarely-used process called the “indirect initiated state statute” process. It only makes sense to use this when you know you have overwhelming support in both chambers of the state legislature. An indirect initiated state statute has the following characteristics: It is citizen-initiated, through the collection of signatures. Once the signatures are collected, the proposed law is sent to that state’s state legislature. Depending on the specific laws in that state, the state legislature typically can either choose: Not to act on the measure at all, in which case the measure is placed on the state’s statewide ballot and the voters decide its fate. To pass the law as written by the group that initiated it. To amend and then pass the law To come up with a law of its own addressing the same subject as the citizen-initiated measure and place that law on the ballot along with the citizen-initiated measure, allowing the state’s voters to choose the version they prefer. In Michigan, only the first and second options are available. The number of signatures required is 8% of the number of votes for governor in the previous gubernatorial election. If the petition contains a sufficient number of valid signatures the state legislature has 40 session days to adopt or reject the proposal. If the legislature rejects the law, then the measure is placed on the next general election ballot. Share this: Follow us! Subscribe to our newsletter using the link in the right sidebar. Use the buttons below to follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. The process for indirect-initiative statutes is not new, and it is technically a part of every initiative process. Art. II, Sec. 9 of the Michigan Constitution of 1963 establishes the people’s right to initiate legislation and to seek a referendum on the legislature’s legislation. A portion of Art. II, Sec. 9, (emphasis added): “Any law proposed by initiative petition shall be either enacted or rejected by the legislature without change or amendment within 40 session days from the time such petition is received by the legislature. If any law proposed by such petition shall be enacted by the legislature it shall be subject to referendum, as hereinafter provided. If the law so proposed is not enacted by the legislature within the 40 days, the state officer authorized by law shall submit such proposed law to the people for approval or rejection at the next general election. The legislature may reject any measure so proposed by initiative petition and propose a different measure upon the same subject by a yea and nay vote upon separate roll calls, and in such event both measures shall be submitted by such state officer to the electors for approval or rejection at the next general election.” So, in effect, the Legislature can cut short any initiative petition, with a victory for the petitioners, by a majority vote of both houses of our elected-legislature. Tony Trupiano is the host of the online radio program The Voice of the People, M-F, 9 a.m.-noon . He is the author of two books and has been part of the progressive media landscape for 20+ years. Follow him on Twitter @tonytrupiano.

Server virtualization allows you to deliver computing resources to workstations in your network. Those resources are packed into virtual machines (VMs), which can be deployed at a moment’s notice so you can easily add users to your network. However, there are risks associated with trying to manage lots of VMs. The dangers of VM sprawl VM sprawl is a phenomenon that occurs when there are too many virtual machines on a network.

Higher-order equation-of-motion coupled-cluster methods for electron attachment. High-order equation-of-motion coupled-cluster methods for electron attachment (EA-EOM-CC) have been implemented with the aid of the symbolic algebra program TCE into parallel computer programs. Two types of size-extensive truncation have been applied to the electron-attachment and cluster excitation operators: (1) the electron-attachment operator truncated after the 2p-1h, 3p-2h, or 4p-3h level in combination with the cluster excitation operator after doubles, triples, or quadruples, respectively, defining EA-EOM-CCSD, EA-EOM-CCSDT, or EA-EOM-CCSDTQ; (2) the combination of up to the 3p-2h electron-attachment operator and up to the double cluster excitation operator [EA-EOM-CCSD(3p-2h)] or up to 4p-3h and triples [EA-EOM-CCSDT(4p-3h)]. These methods, capable of handling electron attachment to open-shell molecules, have been applied to the electron affinities of NH and C2, the excitation energies of CH, and the spectroscopic constants of all these molecules with the errors due to basis sets of finite sizes removed by extrapolation. The differences in the electron affinities or excitation energies between EA-EOM-CCSD and experiment are frequently in excess of 2 eV for these molecules, which have severe multideterminant wave functions. Including higher-order operators, the EA-EOM-CC methods predict these quantities accurate to within 0.01 eV of experimental values. In particular, the 3p-2h electron-attachment and triple cluster excitation operators are significant for achieving this accuracy.

### ### Mayo Clinic on Arthritis provides reliable, practical information on osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and many related disorders. Much of the information comes directly from the experience of Mayo Clinic physicians, nurses, research scientists, health educators, therapists and other health care professionals. This book is intended to supplement the advice of your personal physician, whom you should consult about your individual medical condition. Mayo Clinic on Arthritis does not endorse any company or product. MAYO, MAYO CLINIC and the Mayo triple-shield logo are marks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. © 2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in review. Address inquiries to Mayo Clinic Health Solutions, Permissions Department, 200 First St. S.W., Fifth Floor Centerplace Building, Rochester, MN 55905. For bulk sales to employers, member groups and health-related companies, contact Mayo Clinic Health Solutions, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905, or [email protected] Library of Congress Control Number: 2013930265 Printed in the USA First Edition 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 #### Editorial Staff Medical Editors – April Chang-Miller, M.D. Managing Editor – Kevin G. Kaufman Senior Product Manager, Books – Christopher C. Frye Editorial Director – Paula M. Marlow Limbeck Art Director – Richard Resnick Illustrators – Joanna R. King, Michael A. King Editorial Research – Anthony J. Cook, Amanda K. Golden, Deirdre A. Herman, Erika A. Riggin Proofreaders – Miranda M. Attlesey, Donna L. Hanson, Julie M. Maas Contributing Writers – Rachel Bartony Alicia C. Bartz Contributors and Reviewers – Renee J. Andersen, O.T.; Brent A. Bauer, M.D.; Larry R. Bergstrom, M.D.; Lisa K. Buss Preszler, Pharm.D., R.Ph.; Kathryn R. Cieslak, P.T., D.Sc., OCS; Mary L. Jurisson, M.D.; Susan W. Lepore; Timothy J. Madson, P.T.; Eric L. Matteson, M.D.; Jennifer K. Nelson, R.D., L.D.; Terry H. Oh, M.D.; Thomas G. Osborn, M.D.; John A. Postier, P.T.; Ann M. Reed, M.D.; Kevin J. Renfree, M.D.; Christopher D. Sletten, Ph.D., L.P.; Mark J. Spangehl, M.D. Production – Downtown Bookworks, Inc., New York, NY; Sara N. DiSalvo, project manager; Laura J. Smyth, designer Indexer – Steve Rath Administrative Assistant – Beverly J. Steele ### About arthritis If you have arthritis, you're not alone. It's the No. 1 cause of disability in the United States. More than 46 million Americans have some form of arthritis. Although a cure for the disease has yet to be found, many effective treatment strategies are available. This book focuses on the two most common forms of arthritis – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis – but includes information that may be useful if you have one of the more than 100 other forms of arthritis. Much of this information is based on what Mayo Clinic doctors, nurses and therapists use in caring for their patients. If you understand your condition and its treatment options and you put this practical knowledge to use in daily living, you can live more productively and more comfortably with arthritis. You'll also be able to communicate more effectively with your doctor and other health care professionals. About Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world, and provides health and wellness services to consumers and businesses across the globe. Joined by common systems and a philosophy that "the needs of the patient come first," more than 3,700 doctors and scientists from every medical specialty, and over 50,000 allied health staff work together to care for patients, conduct medical research, and train tomorrow's health care providers. Each year, Mayo Clinic treats more than half a million people from all walks of life at its campuses in Rochester, Minn.; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz; and via community-based providers in more than 70 locations in the Upper Midwest. With its depth of medical knowledge, experience and expertise, Mayo Clinic occupies an unparalleled position as an award-winning health information resource. ### Preface Mayo Clinic is dedicated to providing the best medical care to every person who seeks it. This primary focus – meeting the needs of the patient – is accomplished through an integrated model of clinical practice, education and research. In addition, we recognize that many people wish to play an active role in the diagnosis and treatment of their conditions. My colleagues and I have written Mayo Clinic on Arthritis to give you high quality, reliable and up-to-date information about different types of arthritis, the medications used to treat the disease, surgical options, and ways in which you can help manage your signs and symptoms and lead a more active life. In the first part of this book, you'll find detailed information about the two most common forms of arthritis – osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis – as well as many other related conditions. The second part covers the latest treatments for arthritis, including an easy-to-read guide to medications and chapters on joint surgery, pain control, complementary and alternative treatments, and promising new therapies. The final part of the book offers an in-depth guide to living with arthritis. How do you protect your joints while performing daily tasks? What's the best way to exercise if you have arthritis? Do diet and weight make a difference? How can you best work on a computer? What are ways to reduce the stress of living with a long-term illness? We give you the answers to all these questions and more. We are not promising you a cure, but our mission is to inspire hope and contribute to your health and well-being by providing you with reliable information that you can trust from the Mayo Clinic specialists who care for patients with arthritis. April Chang-Miller, M.D. Medical Editor # Table of contents **Part 1: Understanding arthritis** **Chapter 1: Arthritis – Common and complex** Who gets arthritis? What causes arthritis? Common forms of arthritis Hopeful outlook **Chapter 2: Osteoarthritis and other aches and pains** Osteoarthritis Other aches and pains **Chapter 3: Rheumatoid arthritis** Understanding the condition A chronic disease Juvenile idiopathic arthritis **Chapter 4: Other inflammatory disorders** Gout Pseudogout Spondyloarthritis Sjogren's syndrome Systemic lupus erythematosus Scleroderma Polymyositis and dermatomyositis Rheumatic fever Vasculitis Polymyalgia rheumatica Moving forward **Part 2: Living with arthritis** **Chapter 5: Medications for arthritis** Different treatment strategies Common drug classes Arthritis medication guide **Chapter 6: Surgical treatments** Common types of joint surgery Choosing the right procedure Things to know before surgery New lease on life **Chapter 7: Complementary and alternative treatments** Choosing a complementary therapy Forms of complementary therapy Evaluating complementary therapy **Chapter 8: Promising trends in diagnosis and treatment** Improvements in diagnosis Medications Gene therapy Surgery Future horizons **Chapter 9: Tips on pain control** Treating acute pain Professional help for pain **Part 3: Living with arthritis** **Chapter 10: Protecting your joints** Basics of joint protection Assistive devices for daily tasks Assistive devices for mobility **Chapter 11: Being active** Benefits of exercise Getting started Your weekly workout Exercise guide Tailoring your program Staying motivated **Chapter 12: Eating a healthy diet** Diet and arthritis Reducing arthritis symptoms The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid How to get more calcium Benefits of a healthy weight Strategies for success A word about food and drug interactions **Chapter 13: Your mind and your health** Your body and stress Focus on the positive Reduce stress Learn to relax Seek support Intimacy and arthritis Simplify your life Get your rest Stay in control **Chapter 14: Traveling with arthritis** Planning a trip Booking a hotel What to take Mode of transportation Touring overseas **Chapter 15: On the job with arthritis** Know your rights Protect your joints Commute wisely Be friends with your computer Keep an open mind Job interview tips **Chapter 16: Where to get more help** Your local library Using the Internet # **PART 1** # **Understanding arthritis** ### **Chapter 1** # **Arthritis — Common and complex** When your joints are working smoothly, it's easy to take them for granted. When they begin to ache, you take notice. If you've ever experienced pain, stiffness, swelling and difficulty moving because of arthritis, you're not alone. Arthritis is one of the most common conditions in the United States and the leading cause of disability. About 1 in 5 U.S. adults – more than 46 million Americans – has been diagnosed with some form of the disease. The costs for medical care and lost productivity due to arthritis amount to more than $128 billion annually. As the population ages, the number of people with arthritis is expected to increase. By 2030, an estimated 67 million adults age 18 and older will have the disease. Arthritis refers to diseases that can cause joint pain or stiffness, damage to the structure of a joint, or loss of joint function. The word arthritis is a blend of the Greek words arthron and itis that literally means "joint inflammation." However, the term is commonly used to refer to any disease of the joints. Inflammation is the body's normal response to infection or injury. The chemicals released by the immune system to fight infection stimulate a reaction that causes warmth, swelling and pain. But some diseases trigger an abnormal response from the immune system, creating ongoing (chronic) inflammation. Although people often think of arthritis as one disease, it's not. It occurs in more than 100 different forms. Some forms develop gradually due to the natural wear of joints, while others appear suddenly and then disappear, recurring at a later date. Other forms of arthritis are chronic and progressive, getting worse over time. Arthritis signs and symptoms can vary a great deal from one person to another, even if both individuals have the same form of the disease. Probably the best known general symptoms of arthritis are pain while using the affected joints and joint stiffness after periods of rest or inactivity. But many arthritic disorders affect more than your joints. They can also affect the muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the joints, as well as your skin and other organs, such as the lungs, heart, bowel, brain, liver and kidneys. Although there's no cure for arthritis, current treatments are far ahead of what was available just a decade ago, and promising research offers hope of even better therapies. Early and proper treatment can help prevent joint damage and mobility problems. You can also take steps at home to prevent arthritis or minimize its effects. By actively managing your arthritis and staying positive, you can enjoy a more active, fulfilling life. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### WHAT IS RHEUMATISM? If your grandparents had achy joints, they might have talked about the "rheumatism" in their bones. Rheumatism is an older term used to describe the pain and stiffness of arthritis. Both words – rheumatism and arthritis – are often used in a general way to describe joint problems. In fact, arthritis is an umbrella term for more than 100 diseases that cause joint pain, swelling and stiffness. The term rheumatic disease has broader significance for any disease of the bones, muscles and joints. Rheumatology is the branch of medicine devoted to arthritis and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system, which includes the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and other connective tissues that provide a framework and support for your body. Rheumatologists are medical doctors who have specialized training in rheumatology and internal medicine. In addition to treating arthritis, rheumatologists treat certain autoimmune diseases (illnesses in which your immune system attacks your own body tissues), musculoskeletal disorders, including back pain and bursitis, and bone diseases such as osteoporosis. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Who gets arthritis? Arthritis affects people of all ages – two-thirds of people with arthritis are under age 65, and symptoms often begin after age 40. Nevertheless, the risk of getting arthritis increases as you get older. By age 75, more than half of all adults have some form of arthritis. Women are at higher risk than are men of getting many forms of arthritis, especially after age 40. Researchers believe that female hormones that are naturally produced in the body may play a role in development of the condition. These hormones may also affect the severity of arthritis symptoms in women. The likelihood of having arthritis varies by race and ethnicity. For example, whites, blacks and Native Americans are more likely to get arthritis than are Hispanics and Asians. People who are overweight have a higher risk of developing arthritis, especially in the knees. According to one survey, approximately two-thirds of U.S. adults diagnosed with arthritis are either overweight or obese. Excess weight puts more pressure on the joints. In addition, a past joint injury can also increase the risk of arthritis. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### ANATOMY OF A JOINT Joints are points of connection between two or more bones. The joints are designed to hold the bones together and allow your skeleton to move. The parts of a bone within your joints are covered with shock-absorbing cartilage. Cartilage is a tough, smooth, slippery material that prevents bone-against-bone contact, allowing for easy movement with little friction. Synovial joints, found in the shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers, hips, knees, ankles and toes, are the most mobile form of a joint. These joints are surrounded by a tough, fibrous capsule that attaches to the bone on each side of the joint. The joint capsule helps stabilize and protect the joint. The capsule is lined with a tissue called the synovium. This thin membrane produces synovial fluid, a clear substance that nourishes the cartilage and "oils" (lubricates) the joint so that it can move smoothly. Ligaments are tough cords of fibrous tissue that attach bone to bone. They help support the joint and keep it properly aligned. Muscles and tendons also hold the joint together. Tendons – which connect muscle and bone – attach to bone just outside the capsule above or below the joint. Bursae are small, fluid-filled sacs tucked between muscles, tendons and bone. Synovial membrane lines the inside of each bursa, releasing a lubricating fluid to cushion the joint and reduce friction as tendons and muscles glide over bones. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### What causes arthritis? The pain associated with arthritis is caused by joint damage, but the damage can occur in different ways. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, involves a wearing away of the tough, lubricated cartilage that normally cushions the ends of the bones in your joints. Rheumatoid arthritis develops from an uncontrolled response of your immune system, which causes chronic inflammation in the lining of your joints. Most of the underlying causes of arthritis are unclear, but researchers believe that the condition may result from a complex interplay of multiple factors, including genetics and environment. While it's true that wear and tear on joints over time can contribute to osteoarthritis, the condition can't be considered a normal consequence of aging because some people never develop it. There's little doubt that heredity influences whether or not you get arthritis. Scientists have identified specific genes linked to an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis. As well, scientists have identified certain genetic factors that contribute to some cases of osteoarthritis. But even people who are genetically predisposed to having arthritis don't necessarily get the disease. Other possible factors that could trigger the onset of arthritis may include infectious agents, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi or parasites, toxic materials, or substances in food, water or air. An imbalance of certain hormones or enzymes in the body could possibly play a role. Physical trauma, such as an ankle sprain or knee injury, can set the stage for osteoarthritis and other forms of the disease. Lack of physical activity, excess weight and joint defects such as bowlegs can also lead to arthritis. Stress or other forms of emotional trauma can worsen symptoms. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### CAN ARTHRITIS BE PREVENTED? Many risk factors for arthritis, such as your heredity, age and sex, aren't under your control. But there are things you can do to help lower your risk of arthritis. Even if you're beginning to experience pain and stiffness, you can influence how the disease affects you. One of the best ways to prevent pain and joint damage is to see a doctor as soon as you have signs and symptoms such as joint pain, stiffness or swelling. Early diagnosis and proper treatment can limit much of the damage. To help prevent arthritis or minimize its effects, follow these guidelines: * **Avoid joint injuries.** Injuries to joints can lead to arthritis. When participating in physical activities, make sure to warm up before exercise and to stretch appropriately afterward. * **Treat injuries properly and promptly.** This will help the injury heal correctly and limit possible joint damage. * **Stay physically active.** Exercise keeps your joints flexible and strong. Aerobic exercise can help you maintain that flexibility. Strength training strengthens the joint muscles. * **Use good body mechanics to avoid joint stress.** Use your large joints and largest muscles for tasks such as lifting. Don't lift or move things that are too heavy for you. Perform daily tasks with proper body mechanics to avoid overloading your joints. * **Maintain a healthy weight.** Being overweight or obese increases your chance of getting osteoarthritis. If you do have arthritis, the pressure on your joints may make your symptoms a little worse. * **Avoid cigarette smoking.** Studies suggest that smoking increases the risk of rheumatoid arthritis and quitting smoking may help prevent it. * **Pay attention to what you eat.** Although there's no magic diet or food that can prevent arthritis, the oils containing monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, may have anti-inflammatory effects. Calcium and vitamin D help keep bones strong, and strong bones help protect against arthritis damage. In addition to dietary sources, brief exposure to sunlight is the easiest way to get vitamin D. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Common forms of arthritis The vast majority of people who have arthritis have one of two forms – osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is by far the most common form (see Chapter 2). Rheumatoid arthritis affects fewer people, but its symptoms can be much more debilitating (see Chapter 3). All forms of arthritis have certain signs and symptoms in common, such as joint pain or tenderness, stiffness, difficulty moving and joint swelling. However, other musculoskeletal conditions may cause similar joint discomfort. New technology and tests have made it easier to diagnose arthritis, but there still aren't definitive tests that can pinpoint the specific condition. For these reasons, diagnosing arthritis can sometimes be a challenge. Your doctor will rely on your description of the symptoms and associated factors, as well as a physical exam. This input is key to successfully diagnosing your condition. It may require a series of visits before your doctor can determine the exact cause. Regardless, the earlier you can start treatment, the better it is for your long-term health. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, involves the wearing away of the cartilage that caps the bones in your joints. With rheumatoid arthritis, the synovial membrane that protects and lubricates joints becomes inflamed, causing pain and swelling. Joint erosion may follow. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### WHEN TO CALL A DOCTOR Most often, arthritis isn't an emergency. But treatment is usually more effective when symptoms are caught in the early stages of the disease. In addition, some symptoms require immediate attention. If you experience joint pain and stiffness that disappears in a few days, you probably don't need to call your doctor. If you experience any of the signs and symptoms listed below, call your doctor: * You have new pain or persistent symptoms lasting several days. * You have joint pain with fever, rash, headache or weight loss. * You have severe or worsening pain in one or more joints. * You have numbness or pain in your hands or legs or pain that radiates from your neck or lower back. * You experience joint injury or trauma. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Hopeful outlook Despite the aches and pains and the joint problems that arthritis causes, most people with arthritis get on with their lives and control their symptoms successfully. The two most common forms of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, aren't ordinarily life-threatening and respond well to medical treatments and self-care. Start by learning as much as you can about your form of arthritis, your treatment options and, most importantly, the steps you can take to control the condition in partnership with your physician. The following chapters in this book will give you information as well as tools and strategies for living with a chronic disease. Armed with this information and a positive attitude, you can move forward, adjusting your lifestyle without compromising your happiness and fulfillment. ### **Chapter 2** # **Osteoarthritis and other aches and pains** Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, especially in older adults. Often called wear-and-tear arthritis, it occurs when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints deteriorates. With use, the soft, pliable layer of cartilage may start to wear down and its smooth surface roughens. At this point many people feel intermittent pain in the joint, especially after strenuous use. If the cartilage wears away completely, you may be left with bone rubbing on bone, which damages the ends of your bones. This is usually painful. The condition gradually worsens over time, and no cure exists. But treatment can slow progression of the disease, relieve pain and improve joint function. In this chapter, you'll learn about osteoarthritis, its signs and symptoms, and how it's diagnosed and treated. There are other conditions, including back pain, bursitis and tendinitis, that at least initially may be confused with osteoarthritis — you'll find information about these related conditions as well. ### Osteoarthritis If you have osteoarthritis, your joints may be stiff and achy when you get out of bed in the morning but feel less creaky soon after, about the time you finish the first cup of coffee. Your fingers may be stiff and deformed, making it hard to hold a pen or open a jar. Your knees may start to ache after a game of tennis or a jog in the park. Osteoarthritis, sometimes called degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, affects approximately 27 million American adults. The disease is more common in women than in men. The condition may affect any joint in your body, but it most often occurs in the hands, knees, hips and back. Initially, osteoarthritis tends to affect only one joint but then spreads. For example, you may first feel pain and stiffness in the index finger of one hand, but eventually multiple finger joints in both hands may be affected. Your body tries to repair the damage, but the repairs are usually inadequate. When protective cartilage in the joint wears away, new bone growth forms spurs (osteophytes) along the sides of existing bones. Prominent lumps that can form around the joint as a result occur most often with osteoarthritis of the hands and feet. Pain and tenderness over the bony lumps may be most noticeable early in the disease and less noticeable later on. If cartilage in a joint is severely damaged, the joint lining (synovium), also called the synovial membrane, may become inflamed. A low-grade inflammation (synovitis) can cause episodes of joint swelling. Some scientists believe cartilage damage may be due to an enzyme imbalance in the cartilage cells or lining of the joint. When balanced, these enzymes allow for the natural breakdown and regeneration of cartilage. But too many enzymes can cause the cartilage to break down faster than it's rebuilt. The exact cause of this enzyme imbalance is unclear. Early changes to the cartilage and bone don't always result in pain or other symptoms. Many older adults have osteoarthritis but are unaware of it until their doctor sees it on a routine X-ray. The risk of osteoarthritis increases with age, with the disease most often developing after age 40. It's relatively rare among younger adults unless they've had a joint injury. Those affected often have a family history of the disease. Although an active lifestyle may slow the development of osteoarthritis, almost everyone older than age 65 will experience some joint damage and have mild symptoms. Men usually develop symptoms before age 55, while women typically don't have symptoms until after that age. A severe injury to one or more joints at an early age may lead to osteoarthritis years later. Also, excessively stressful use of joints over many years — such as working at a job that requires repeated knee bending — may cause osteoarthritis later on. If certain activities are causing joint pain, avoid those activities until you've had the joint examined by a doctor. Being overweight also increases your risk of developing osteoarthritis, especially in the hips and knees. In one study, women who were heaviest were twice as likely to get osteoarthritis and had three times the risk of knee osteoarthritis. Losing excess weight can help you reduce that risk. (See Chapter 12 for information on weight management.) ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### JOINT CHANGES IN OSTEOARTHRITIS **A.** _(left)_ The first signs of osteoarthritis in a joint are microscopic pits and fissures on the surface of cartilage, which are usually accompanied by mild inflammation. **B.** _(right)_ As the cartilage is worn completely through, the contours of the joint are changed and patches of exposed bone appear. **C.** _(left)_ The subsurface bone thickens and spurs (osteophytes) develop. Using the joint causes pain. **D.** _(right)_ In advanced stages of osteoarthritis, the space between bones may disappear and ligaments loosen, causing further joint instability. The irregular surface of bones can cause marked limitation of motion. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Signs and symptoms Osteoarthritis symptoms usually develop slowly and worsen over time. At first, many people notice pain and stiffness after a bout of strenuous activity or when first getting up in the morning. The morning stiffness associated with osteoarthritis usually passes in less than 30 minutes, a phenomenon called gelling. If you have osteoarthritis, you may experience: * Joint pain or tenderness during or after use, or following a period of inactivity * Joint discomfort before or during a change in the weather * Joint swelling and stiffness, particularly after use * Formation of bony lumps on the middle or end finger joints or at the base of the thumb * Loss of joint flexibility * Grating sensation in the joint Elastic structures called disks cushion the vertebrae in a normal spine, keeping the spine flexible. In osteoarthritis, disks may narrow and bone spurs form. Pain and stiffness may occur where bone surfaces rub together, and the spine becomes less flexible. Be aware that the normal wear and tear on your joints doesn't necessarily result in osteoarthritis. Also, realize that osteoarthritis isn't an inevitable part of aging. But, if you get the condition, the symptoms don't go away. Pain tends to increase over the years and, progressively, limits your activity. Osteoarthritis commonly occurs in the neck or back. The cartilage disks that cushion the vertebrae of your spine can wear down. When this happens, spaces between the bones narrow and bony outgrowths called spurs may form. When bone surfaces rub together, the affected areas of the vertebrae become inflamed, causing stiffness and pain. Gradually, your spine stiffens and loses flexibility. If several disks are involved, you may notice a loss of height. Spinal stenosis is a condition associated with osteoarthritis of the spine. Spinal stenosis occurs when degenerating disks and bone spurs bulge into the spinal canal and press on the spinal cord or on nerve roots where they exit the spine between the vertebrae. This is commonly referred to a pinched nerve You may feel pain in your neck, shoulders, arms, lower back or even legs. (Spinal stenosis is discussed in more detail later in this chapter.) Osteoarthritis also affects the weight-bearing joints of the hips, knees and feet. You may have pain that's chronic that you may feel whenever you stand, walk, get up from a chair or climb up stairs. Hip pain may flare whenever you're active and subside when you rest. Your knee may be stiff and swollen, and you may feel a grating or "catching" sensation as you move it. The joint sometimes makes a sound with use. X-ray image of advanced osteoarthritis of the spine. Note misaligned vertebrae and uneven spaces between individual vertebra. In the feet, the joint where the big toe attaches to the foot is the most frequent location of osteoarthritis. The joint gets larger with bony swelling and less flexible. You may find it uncomfortable to wear shoes and painful to walk. X-ray image of knees affected by osteoarthritis. Note the uneven spaces and actual points of contact between thighbone (femur) and shin bone (tibia) on the inside of the joints. In the hands, osteoarthritis tends to affect joints near the tip and middle of the fingers most often. The joint at the base of the thumb also is commonly affected. These joints may be painful or tender and show some redness or swelling, especially in early stages. Eventually, this discomfort lessens. Prominent bone spurs may form in affected finger joints. Growths in the joints near your finger tips are called Heberden's nodes, while growths in the middle finger joints are known as Bouchard's nodes. Osteoarthritis often affects joints on just one side of the body, especially early in its development. Gradually, joints on the opposite side of the body may become involved as well. Osteoarthritic pain in the early stages often tends to fade within a year, but it can return if you overuse an affected joint. Still, unless multiple joints are involved, the effects of osteoarthritis are likely to be mild. Keeping physically fit helps prevent problems. Diagnosis and treatment If you have joint pain and stiffness that may be from osteoarthritis, schedule an appointment with your doctor. A diagnosis of osteoarthritis is usually based on a careful physical examination and your medical history. Your doctor may ask for details about your symptoms, such as pain, swelling or stiffness. The nature of the joint pain and specific joints that are affected can help your doctor distinguish between different forms of arthritis. Your doctor may also want to know whether the symptoms started gradually or suddenly, how they've changed over time and how they're affected by certain types of activity. For example, mild morning stiffness is common in osteoarthritis and usually gets better after a few minutes of activity. In contrast, morning stiffness that lasts for hours is more likely to be a symptom of rheumatoid arthritis or another type of inflammatory disorder. Some people with osteoarthritis have bony lumps in the joints near the tips of the fingers (Heberden's nodes). Initially painful, the nodes are mostly a cosmetic concern once the pain subsides. This hand of a person with osteoarthritis shows how finger joints may become misaligned and lumpy over time. Your doctor may ask whether you have other symptoms, such as fever, fatigue or skin problems. It's important to alert your doctor to any events or changes that occurred just before your symptoms began and whether you have a family history of arthritis. During a physical exam, your doctor will check your joints for tenderness, swelling and redness. He or she will look for indications of bony outgrowths (bone spurs) along the sides of existing bones and listen for a crunching or grating sound (crepitation), which indicates irregularities on the joint cartilage surface.Your doctor may also move your joints through their range of motion to detect pain in certain positions and limitation of motion. Your doctor may recommend an X-ray to confirm the diagnosis, rule out other causes of pain and determine the extent of joint damage. Although soft tissue such as bone cartilage doesn't show up on X-ray images, a narrowing of the space between bones can indicate cartilage loss. Bone spurs may also be seen on X-rays of the affected joint. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides detailed images of bone and soft tissue, which can help determine exactly what's causing the pain. There's no blood test for osteoarthritis, but doctors sometimes request a blood sample to help rule out rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of arthritis. Keep in mind that the presence of osteoarthritis in a joint doesn't in itself indicate a serious problem. Many people have no symptoms nor disability from the condition. They don't even realize that they have osteoarthritis and experience little, if any, discomfort. While there's no known cure for osteoarthritis, you and your doctor can develop a treatment program that helps you reduce pain and preserve joint movement, as well as allow you to maintain a high quality of life. Your doctor may recommend an all-around approach that includes medications, physical exercise, and learning how to change certain behaviors. In some cases, surgical procedures may be necessary. These treatments have long-lasting benefits that can help you control the disease and live an active, independent life. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### ARTHRITIS AND THE WEATHER Do you ever feel like a human barometer? Many people with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions are sensitive to changes in the weather. When the temperature goes up or down or the barometric pressure shifts, their symptoms get worse. This phenomenon is common but not well understood. Whatever the cause, being sensitive to weather doesn't appear to influence the course of arthritis. If your symptoms are made worse by weather changes, you might want to temporarily increase your use of pain relievers. Another temperature-related condition that affects some people with arthritic disorders is called Raynaud's phenomenon. In response to cold temperatures (or strong emotions), blood vessel spasms in your hands and feet cause color changes in your skin. Your fingers or toes turn white or blue and then red. You may also feel tingling, numbness or pain in the affected areas. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Other aches and pains A number of musculoskeletal diseases are associated with arthritis — either by causing joint pain and stiffness or by occurring along with or being a result of the arthritis. The joint pain may stem from problems in the joint itself or from problems in nearby bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, nerves and other tissues. The symptoms often overlap, which can make diagnosis a challenge. Following are other common conditions associated with joint pain. Back pain Back pain is one of the most common maladies. Most people experience at least one bout of back pain at some point in their lives. Most back pain isn't long term — it lasts just a few days to a few weeks. The most common location for back pain is the lower back (lumbar region) because it bears the most body weight and stress. Back pain can have many causes, from poor posture to a cancerous growth. The most common cause is an injury to a muscle or ligament (strain), usually the result of exerting too much force on your back or overusing the back muscles in repetitious tasks. An injured muscle may "knot up" into a spasm. Other common causes of back pain include osteoarthritis, herniated (ruptured) disk, osteoporosis and fibromyalgia. Less common causes include spinal stenosis and ankylosing spondylitis. Other forms of arthritis can also cause back pain. Diagnosis and treatment Most back pain disappears with self-care. Although it may take a few weeks before the pain disappears, you should feel some improvement within the first 72 hours. If not, see your doctor. Also see your doctor if you are older than age 50, have a history of back pain or cancer, or your back pain: * Feels constant or intense, especially at night * Spreads down one or both legs * Causes weakness, numbness or tingling in one or both legs * Causes new bowel or bladder problems * Is associated with abdominal pain or throbbing * Is the result of a fall or blow to your back * Is accompanied by unexplained weight loss Your doctor will examine your back and assess your ability to sit, stand, walk and lift your legs. Diagnostic tests generally aren't needed to confirm the cause of back pain. If your doctor suspects a tumor, fracture, infection or other serious problem, he or she may order imaging tests, such as an X-ray, magnetic resonance image (MRI), computerized tomography (CT) scan or bone scan. An electromyography (EMG) test can help detect nerve compression caused by spinal stenosis. Many back problems respond well to home treatments such as taking anti-inflammatory medication and applying ice, heat or gentle massage. Studies show that most cases of back pain improve in a matter of weeks, regardless of the type of treatment you use. If your back pain hasn't resolved within four weeks, your doctor may suggest muscle relaxants, electrical stimulation or physical therapy. Although back pain is more common as you get older, it's not an inevitable part of aging. You can prevent many back problems by doing exercises that strengthen the muscles that support your back and practicing good posture and work habits that protect your back. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### QUESTIONS YOUR DOCTOR MAY ASK To diagnose any form of arthritis, a doctor relies heavily on your description of signs and symptoms and other relevant information. It's a good idea to make a list of your signs and symptoms and when and where they occur. Keeping a pain record or diary for two weeks can help your doctor make a diagnosis. Keep track of the intensity of your pain, how long it lasts, what it feels like and whether anything makes it better or worse. Following are some questions you may be asked about your signs and symptoms: * How many joints are affected? Which joints are painful? * Do the same joints on both sides of your body hurt at the same time, or is the pain just on one side? * Has the pain moved from one joint to another? * Did pain start in just one joint and then progress to include others? How quickly did this happen? * Did your symptoms start gradually or all at once? Have they gotten worse over time or stayed about the same? * Do you have stiffness in the morning or after a period of inactivity, such as when watching TV? How long does morning stiffness last? * What time of day is the pain most severe? * If you have pain in your hands, which joints hurt the most? * Have you had times of feeling weak and uncomfortable all over? Have you been unusually tired? * Does anything make your pain better or worse? * Does pain or difficulty moving interfere with your work, sleep or daily activities? * Do you have any other symptoms besides joint problems? * Does arthritis or rheumatic disease run in your family? * Before your symptoms first appeared, did you have a viral or bacterial illness, injury, vaccination or new medication? ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Spinal stenosis Spinal stenosis (stuh-NO-sis) is a narrowing of one or more areas in your spine. The narrowing puts pressure (compression) on the spinal cord and roots of the spinal nerves. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves and nerve cells that extends the full length of your spine. The cord is housed inside a canal within the bones comprising your spine (vertebrae). Smaller nerves branching off from the spinal cord form an intricate communication network between your brain and the rest of your body. The pressure caused by spinal stenosis can result in a wide range of problems, including pain, cramping or numbness in your legs, back, neck, shoulders or arms. Spinal stenosis typically affects adults older than age 50. Most often, the spinal narrowing results from osteoarthritis, but injuries, other diseases and even tumors can lead to the condition. If cartilage covering surfaces of the joints in your spine wears away, the disks between the vertebrae may become worn and the spaces between them may narrow. Bone spurs may develop. These changes can cause vertebrae and soft tissue to shift inward into the spinal canal (see image). Narrowing doesn't always cause spinal problems. But if the narrowed areas put pressure on the spinal cord or the base of the spinal nerves, you're likely to develop signs and symptoms. Inflammation may also play a role in the development of symptoms. Spinal stenosis may result when vertebrae become worn and narrowed by osteoarthritis. The narrowing can put pressure on your spinal cord, causing pain, numbness and tingling in your hips, buttocks and legs. Signs and symptoms Signs and symptoms often start gradually and then worsen. You may notice an ache in your buttocks, thigh and calf. Other symptoms include: * Pain that starts in your hip or buttocks and radiates downward along the path of the sciatic nerve, which extends down the back of each leg * Numbness, tingling or cramping of your legs * Difficulty standing or walking * Low back pain * Pain in the neck and shoulders * Loss of balance * Bowel and bladder problems The pain of spinal stenosis usually improves if you lean forward, crouch or sit down. You likely notice pain more when you walk downhill. This is different from leg pain that occurs as a result of poor circulation, which is usually worse when you walk uphill and improves when you stop walking. Diagnosis and treatment Spinal stenosis can be difficult to diagnose because leg pain is often the main symptom. In addition to a physical exam, you'll also likely undergo imaging tests, such as a spinal X-ray, MRI or CT scan. Many people with spinal stenosis find effective relief with pain relievers, rest, physical therapy, exercise and other conservative treatments. If you have intolerable pain that interferes with your ability to walk or do other activities, progressive weakness in your legs, or reduced control of your bladder or bowel, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure to relieve the pressure and maintain the strength and integrity of your spine. Bursitis Whether at work or play, if you overuse or put repeated stress on a joint, you may eventually develop bursitis — the painful inflammation of a bursa. A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac that cushions pressure points between the bones in your joints and the tendons and muscles around them. Cells lining the bursa produce a lubricant that eases friction. You have more than 150 bursae in your body, allowing your joints to function with ease. When one of the bursae becomes inflamed, movement or pressure in the joint area is painful. Bursitis most often affects your shoulders, elbows and hips. But you can also have bursitis in your knee, heel and even at the base of your big toe. The most common causes of bursitis are repetitive motions or positions that irritate the bursae around a joint. For example, if you spend a lot of time kneeling, the pressure of this position on the knee could cause inflammation in a bursa at the front of your kneecap. Swinging a golf club or throwing a ball repeatedly can affect a bursa in your elbow or shoulder. Bursitis may also result from overuse; stress; injury to a joint, tendon or ligament; infection or gout. Many times, the cause is unknown. Because bursae are near joints, people sometimes mistake bursitis pain for arthritis. Some forms of arthritis can lead to bursitis. Bursitis is the inflammation or irritation of a bursa, a sac-like structure that helps cushion a joint. Bursitis — shown here in the shoulder — may occur with various forms of arthritis. Signs and symptoms If you have bursitis, you may feel an ache or tenderness around a joint. The joint itself may be stiff and difficult to move, and the pain worsens with movement. If the inflamed bursa is near the skin's surface, the area may be red, swollen and warm to the touch. Bursitis around the hip doesn't cause visible swelling or skin redness because the bursae in that region are located beneath bulky muscles. You're likely to feel a dull, burning pain primarily over a portion of the thighbone called the greater trochanter, which is located just below the hip. Diagnosis and treatment Bursitis can often be diagnosed following a careful physical exam when your doctor can identify specific areas of tenderness. To help rule out other possible causes of the discomfort, you may have an X-ray, MRI or ultrasound. Bursitis pain usually goes away within a week or so of home treatment, including resting the affected area and applying ice to reduce swelling. Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation. To avoid having bursitis become a chronic problem, it's important to prevent flare-ups. Prevention includes protecting the joint, avoiding repetitive activities, and stretching and strengthening the affected area. Tendinitis Tendons are thick, fibrous cords that attach muscles to bones and other body structures. Tendinitis is traditionally defined as inflammation of the tendons, though in many cases the degree of inflammation may actually be small. With aging and stressful use, the tendons may become worn and frayed with partial or sometimes complete tears. The condition causes pain and tenderness just outside a joint — and over the involved tendon — most often around your shoulders, elbows and knees. Some common names for tendinitis are tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, pitcher's shoulder, swimmer's shoulder and jumper's knee. Pain may also occur in the groin area or above your heel, in the Achilles tendon. The most common causes of tendinitis are injury and overuse from work or play. Professional athletes and weekend warriors alike are susceptible. Tendinitis may develop along with rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory rheumatic diseases. The risk of developing tendinitis increases with age, as your muscles and tendons lose their elasticity. The pain of tendinitis is usually caused by inflammation or tiny tears in a tendon. Tendinitis may result from overuse, the wear and tear of aging, or arthritis. Signs and symptoms The location of tendinitis pain depends on which tendon is affected. And pain is usually worse during activities that use muscles attached to the tendon. For example, tennis elbow causes pain on the outside of your elbow as you rotate your forearm or grip an object. The pain of golfer's elbow occurs more on the inside of your elbow because a different tendon is affected. Diagnosis and treatment Tendinitis may not require a doctor's care. Treatment usually focuses on resting the tendon, applying ice to reduce swelling and taking pain relievers as needed. If an elbow or knee is involved, wrapping it with an elastic band may be helpful. An injection of a corticosteroid medication is sometimes helpful. Discomfort from tendinitis may disappear within a few weeks. If pain interferes with your normal activities or doesn't improve after two weeks, see your doctor. To help rule out other possible problems, you may have an X-ray, MRI or ultrasound. In older adults and those who continue to use the affected area, tendinitis often heals more slowly and may become chronic. The involved tendon may even tear or rupture. Because of their similar locations in the body, bursitis and tendinitis may occur together. Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia is a condition marked by widespread pain and stiffness accompanied by persistent issues with fatigue, sleep disturbances and mood. People with fibromyalgia often say they hurt all over or feel as if they always have the flu. Fibromyalgia differs from arthritis in that the pain is not caused by swelling or damage to the joints. Rather, pain originates in nearby tissues — the muscles, tendons and ligaments. And unlike arthritis, fibromyalgia doesn't cause inflammation, just pain. It's not tendinitis or bursitis. Fibromyalgia affects an estimated 5 million people in the United States, and over 80 percent of these individuals are women. Several factors may contribute to the development of fibromyalgia: * Altered neural pathways in the brain, leading to abnormal pain sensitivity * Abnormal increase in levels of certain chemicals in the brain that signal pain (neurotransmitters) * Sleep disturbances * Injury or infection * Stress or emotional trauma Signs and symptoms The main symptom of fibromyalgia is widespread, generalized musculoskeletal pain. The pain persists for at least three months. The pain may be a deep ache, a burning sensation or soreness. It may vary depending on the time of day, activity level, the weather, lack of sleep, and stress or anxiety. Most people feel some degree of muscle pain all the time. And the pain may be migratory, meaning the location can shift. One set of criteria for diagnosing fibromyalgia is abnormal pain sensitivity at specific areas of the body, such as the neck, back, arms, legs and chest. These areas are often tender — therefore, they're called tender points — and are painful when pressed. Fibromyalgia can also be diagnosed based on the presence of widespread pain, along with other symptoms associated with fibromyalgia that are present for a least three months. Sometimes people with fibromyalgia feel as if their joints are swollen, even though the joints aren't inflamed. Other common signs and symptoms include: * Chronic fatigue * Sleep problems, such as trouble falling asleep, waking up many times during the night, or waking up unrefreshed or exhausted * Stiffness * Headaches and facial or jaw pain * Digestive problems, such as abdominal pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhea * Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet * Depression, anxiety or mood changes * Sensitivity to weather and temperature changes * Sensitivity to odors, noises, bright lights and touch Diagnosis and treatment It's often difficult to diagnose fibromyalgia because the symptoms are similar to those of many other illnesses. And there's no laboratory test that can identify the symptoms as being caused specifically by fibromyalgia. Some people may have fibromyalgia along with a rheumatic condition, such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, which only adds to the challenge of an accurate diagnosis. Doctors generally diagnose fibromyalgia only after they've ruled out other conditions — which can be a lengthy process. Although fibromyalgia tends to be chronic, it isn't a progressive or life-threatening condition. It doesn't damage tissues, and with treatment you can manage its signs and symptoms. Treatment may include self-management strategies such as graded exercise — a regular exercise regime that starts slowly and builds up over time as your symptoms and your physical conditioning allow. Moderation and pacing keep your activities at an even level and prevent you from overdoing it. Stress reduction, relaxation techniques and cognitive behavior therapy also may be helpful. Medications that can sometimes be helpful for managing fibromyalgia symptoms include certain anti-convulsants, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, sleep aides and pain medications. For information on these medications, see Chapter 5. Osteoporosis Unlike osteoarthritis, which is caused by a breakdown of the cartilage lining the bones of a joint, osteoporosis is a bone-weakening disease. It's caused by the gradual loss of calcium and other vital minerals from bones over many years, making them thinner, weaker and more prone to break. While osteoarthritis causes stiffness and pain, osteoporosis is symptom-free at first. A bone fracture may be the first indication of this condition. Osteoporosis is common, affecting an estimated 9 million women and almost 3 million men in the United States. The risk increases with age. People older than age 50 are most likely to develop the disease. Your bones are living tissue and, throughout your life, they're continuously changing. Old or worn-out bone is broken down and absorbed, and new bone is made to replace it. By the time you reach your mid-30s, you gradually begin to lose bone strength as more bone tissue is being lost than is being replaced. Osteoporosis develops when enough bone has been lost that portions of your skeleton become more porous, brittle and weak. Your risk of developing osteoporosis depends in part on bone mass — how much bone tissue you developed during young adulthood — and how rapidly you lose it later. Low bone mass and poor bone quality (low density) set the stage for this condition. Slender, small-framed women have the greater risk of osteoporosis. A sudden drop in estrogen at menopause accelerates bone loss. Not getting enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet also speeds up the process. An eating disorder such as anorexia puts you at higher risk. Certain medications and diseases also can cause osteoporosis. Signs and symptoms Because bone loss occurs over many years with no signs or symptoms, osteoporosis is considered a silent disease. The pain caused by fractures of the vertebrae, hips, wrists or other bones may be the earliest indication. A compression fracture of the spine causes vertebrae to collapse and may lead to a loss of height and a stooped posture. Diagnosis and treatment You'll likely undergo diagnostic testing if you have risk factors for osteoporosis. Some of the risks are listed in "Who should be tested for osteoporosis?". The primary diagnostic tools are a bone density scan and a physical exam. Diagnostic tests are done to: * Confirm that you have osteoporosis * Determine the severity of your low bone density * Establish your baseline values for bone density * Identify chemical abnormalities that may predispose you to osteoporosis As osteoporosis causes bone to thin and become more porous, vertebrae of the spine may become compressed and fracture, resulting in loss of height and a forward curvature of the spine. A bone density test is about as close as your doctor may come to foretelling the future of your bone health. By studying the test results, he or she can determine if you have osteoporosis and give you a strong indication of your susceptibility to fracture. Bone density scans are generally simple, fast and painless. They use special X-rays or ultrasound technology to measure how much calcium and other minerals — collectively known as bone mineral content — are packed into your bones. The higher your mineral content, the denser the bone. The denser the bone, the stronger it is and the less likely it is to break. Bones of different densities will appear differently on an X-ray image. This image of the pelvis and spine shows areas of denser bone (lighter areas) and more porous bone (darker areas). The bone affected by osteoporosis is darker. Medications such as bisphosphonates are generally prescribed to treat osteoporosis. These drugs slow bone breakdown. A regular exercise program, especially weight-bearing exercise and strength training, is important to help maintain bone density It's important to be aware of your personal risk factors for osteoporosis. For example, if you smoke or drink alcohol in excess, you increase your risk of fractures. To keep bones healthy, it's essential to eat a calcium-rich diet with plenty of vitamin D to aid the absorption of calcium. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### WHO SHOULD BE TESTED FOR OSTEOPOROSIS? Ideally, adults considered at risk of osteoporosis will have a bone density test, also known as dual-energy x-ray absorptionometry (DXA). Early testing gives them more time to start preventive measures and allow the measures to work. It's also the first and best step toward receiving a diagnosis and being treated. Remember: If the development of osteoporosis can be slowed, then prevention is your goal. It's recommended that the following individuals have a bone density test: * Women age 65 and older and men age 70 and older. * Women and men age 50 to 69 at higher risk of osteoporosis, such as a having a family history of fractures, a slender, small frame, lost height, a drop in hormone levels, or being the recipient of a transplant. * Adults age 50 and older who've had a fragility fracture — when bone becomes so fragile that it breaks much more easily than expected. * Adults who have a medical condition associated with lower bone mass, such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes and hyperparathyroidism. * Adults who are taking or will soon take a medication associated with lower bone mass, such as corticosteroid drugs and thyroid hormones. * Anyone being treated for osteoporosis. Bone density testing is usually not a one-time thing. The frequency of retesting depends on your age and the factors that put you at risk. One to two years is the minimum amount of time for bone affected by osteoporosis to show a noticeable increase or decrease in density. Even if your bone density is normal at the initial test, plan to be retested in about five years. Bone density tests taken at intervals over several years can reveal the rate at which you may be losing bone. The rate of bone loss is a potent predictor of your fracture risk. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### **Chapter 3** # **Rheumatoid arthritis** Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition that causes painful aching and swelling in your joints and leaves you feeling tired and ill. While its exact cause isn't known, the disease appears to be triggered by an abnormal response from your body's immune system. The immune system is your body's primary defense against germs, such as bacteria or viruses, that make you sick. When the immune system identifies a threat, it activates special cells, proteins and chemicals that attempt to seek out and destroy the germs. Inflammation is a typical outcome of your immune system's battle with foreign invaders. Inflammation causes fever, redness, swelling, warmth and pain at the point of infection. In rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of inflammatory arthritis, something goes awry with your normal immune response. The immune system mistakenly identifies some of your body's own cells as foreign invaders. This triggers an uncontrolled attack on various tissues and organs. Chronic inflammation from these misplaced attacks may result in severe damage to parts of your body, such as your joints. Diseases in which the immune system turns against its own body are known as autoimmune disorders. There may be as many as 80 different autoimmune disorders. Research indicates that some people may be genetically predisposed to develop these diseases. In addition to rheumatoid arthritis, you can find out more about other forms of inflammatory arthritis in Chapter 4. ### Understanding the condition An estimated 1.3 million Americans have rheumatoid arthritis. A recent study indicates that, after years of relative decline, the overall number of new cases may be increasing, especially in women. Scientists are investigating why this is happening. In fact, rheumatoid arthritis is three times more common in women than in men. The disease occurs more frequently in older people, often beginning in middle age. But the disease can also affect children and young adults. In rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory and immune reactions cause the body's joints to swell, ache and throb. Pain, swelling and stiffness can make even the simplest of activities, such as opening a jar or taking a walk, difficult to manage. If the inflammation continues over a long period of time, damage may occur to the joint structure, causing deformity. The primary target of the immune system is a protective layer lining the joints called the synovial membrane (synovium). White blood cells – whose job it is to attack unwanted invaders – move from the bloodstream into the membrane. The blood cells release potent chemicals that cause the membrane to become inflamed. As inflammation develops, more immune cells enter the synovial tissues. These cells, along with proteins and other substances they release, cause the normally thin synovium to thicken. As a result, the body's joints become painful, tender and swollen. If joint inflammation persists, the result is often destruction of cartilage, bone and soft tissues in the joint. Ligaments, muscle and bone also are weakened. This weakening may lead to looseness in the joint and to its eventual destruction. As a result, the involved joints may gradually lose their alignment and shape. Researchers believe that rheumatoid arthritis begins damaging bones during the first year or two of onset, which makes early diagnosis and treatment extremely critical. In contrast to osteoarthritis, which affects primarily bones and cartilage, rheumatoid arthritis can target your whole body, including organs you might not expect to be affected, such as your heart, blood vessels, lungs and eyes. However, the disease most commonly affects your joints. Rheumatoid arthritis increases your risk of the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis, especially if you take corticosteroid medications to help treat the arthritis. Some research suggests that people with rheumatoid arthritis also have an increased risk of infections, heart disease and forms of cancer, such as lymphomas. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### JOINT CHANGES IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS A. _(left)_ The synovial membrane forms a protective capsule around a joint. Synovial fluid lubricates the joint. B. _(right)_ Inflammation causes the synovial fluid to thicken, forming a pannus. The joint becomes swollen and warm. C. _(left)_ Cells in the pannus release enzymes that destroy cartilage and bone. Space narrows between the bones of the joint as cartilage is eroded. D. _(right)_ Tendons and the joint capsule may become inflamed. The tendons shorten as it becomes too painful to move the joint. This results in fusion of the bones of the joint. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OSTEOARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS **Osteoarthritis** Affects 27 million U.S. adults Usually begins after age 40 and develops slowly May occur in a few joints on one or both sides of the body Usually causes minimal warmth and swelling, as well as brief morning stiffness (less than 20 minutes); joints may be hard and bony Can cause Heberden's nodes – bony growths in the end joints and the fingers Doesn't cause an overall feeling of sickness and fatigue Blood tests are negative for rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP antibodies; sed rate and CRP are normal **Rheumatoid arthritis** Affects 1.3 million U.S. adults Usually begins between ages 25 and 50 and may develop suddenly, within weeks or months Usually affects many joints on both sides of the body Typically affects only certain joints, most commonly those of the hips, hands, knees and lower back Affects many joints, especially small joints of the hands and feet, and the wrists, elbows and shoulders Causes warmth, swelling and prolonged morning stiffness, often lasting for hours Doesn't cause Heberden's nodes Often causes an overall feeling of sickness and fatigue and may lead to weight loss Blood tests are often positive for rheumatoid factor and anti-CCP antibodies; sed rate and CRP may be elevated ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Causes Scientists have searched for decades to discover the triggers that cause an immune system to turn against itself in rheumatoid arthritis, but they still don't know exactly why this happens. While rheumatoid arthritis itself is not inherited, having certain genes may make you more susceptible to the disease. How severe your symptoms are may also depend on specific genes. This doesn't mean that if you have certain genes you're guaranteed to get rheumatoid arthritis – you're just more likely to do so. Individuals who don't have these genes can also develop rheumatoid arthritis. Many researchers suspect that something in the environment, such as an infectious agent, triggers rheumatoid arthritis, particularly in people with a genetic makeup that makes them more susceptible to the disease. Despite extensive efforts to identify a specific agent – such as a virus or bacterium – none has yet been identified. Because women are more likely to get rheumatoid arthritis, researchers believe that reproductive hormones such as estrogen also may play a role in the process. However, a clear understanding of how hormones influence the disease is limited. Smoking also increases the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, and it may cause more serious forms of the disease. Whatever combination of genetics and environmental triggers that may occur, the end result is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks tissue in the joints of your body. Signs and symptoms Rheumatoid arthritis can affect you in different ways. One common pattern is to have periods of worsening signs and symptoms, called flares or flare-ups, alternating with periods when you feel better, called remissions. Some people develop a severe form of the disease that's almost continuously active and lasts for many years. For a few people, the signs and symptoms persist for a certain amount of time – from a few months to a couple of years – and then go away. The signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis vary in severity and may be persistent or come and go. Signs and symptoms include: * Pain in joints, especially the smaller joints of the hands and feet * Generalized aching or stiffness in joints and muscles, especially in the morning or after periods of rest * Warmth and swelling in affected joints * Loss of motion in affected joints * Weakness in muscles attached to affected joints * Fatigue, which can be severe during a disease flare * Low-grade fever * General sense of not feeling well * Weight loss * Deformity of the joints In contrast to the morning stiffness of osteoarthritis, which usually goes away quickly, morning stiffness associated with rheumatoid arthritis generally lasts more than an hour and may even extend for several hours. Stiffness can recur after periods of rest or inactivity. Rheumatoid arthritis usually causes problems in several joints at the same time. While any joint can be affected, most people experience initial symptoms of inflammation in their wrists, hands and feet. As the disease spreads to other parts of the body, the knees, shoulders, elbows, hips, jaw and neck may become affected as well. Usually both sides of the body experience symptoms at the same time, such as the knuckles of both hands. Rheumatoid arthritis often is more disabling than osteoarthritis. The affected joints are swollen, painful, tender and warm during the initial attack and during the flares that may follow. Swelling or deformity may limit flexibility in some joints. But even with a severe form of rheumatoid arthritis, you'll probably retain flexibility in many other joints. Small lumps, called rheumatoid nodules, may form under the skin over bony areas, such as your elbows, hands, knees, toes and the back of your scalp. These nodules, which are usually painless, range in size from that of a pea to that of a walnut. Many people with rheumatoid arthritis develop anemia, a decrease in the number of red blood cells. Less commonly, dry eyes and dry mouth occur. Some people with the disease also experience depression and anxiety. Very rarely, the disease may result in inflammation of the blood vessels (vasculitis), which can cause red dots to appear on the skin. More severe forms of vasculitis include skin ulcers and nerve damage. Other rare effects of rheumatoid arthritis include inflammation of the lining of the lungs (pleurisy) or of the lining surrounding the heart (pericarditis). Diagnosis It's challenging to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis in its early stages, especially in older people. No single test can confirm the diagnosis, and the signs and symptoms vary from one person to another. Even an experienced rheumatologist may find it difficult to determine whether a person has rheumatoid arthritis or another disease that causes similar signs and symptoms. Doctors use a variety of tools to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis and to rule out other conditions. Your medical history, including a description of your signs and symptoms and when and how they began, is an important starting point. For example, your doctor may want to know about the morning stiffness you experience and how long it lasts. A physical examination can also yield valuable information. Your doctor may examine your joints, skin, reflexes and muscle strength, looking for typical features of rheumatoid arthritis, such as joint swelling and tenderness, and limited motion or the misalignment of joints. The doctor may also evaluate your performance of certain physical functions to test factors such as your grip strength and walking time. Rheumatoid arthritis often leads to deformity in fingers. During flares, your hand may be painful and weak. Blood tests If you have signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, your doctor will likely order certain laboratory tests. Several different blood tests can provide useful clues. While no test offers proof positive that you have rheumatoid arthritis, the following tests, along with the physical exam, usually provide enough information for your doctor to establish a diagnosis. Complete blood count A complete blood count (CBC) measures different components of your blood to evaluate your overall health and assess a variety of symptoms. For example, a low red blood cell count (anemia) often is associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The white blood cell count is usually normal in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate Sometimes referred to as "sed rate," this test can reveal inflammatory activity in your body. When a sample of your blood is placed in a tall, thin tube, the test determines the rate at which red blood cells (erythrocytes) fall to the bottom of the tube. Cells that settle quickly may indicate the presence of inflammation, which is typical of active rheumatoid arthritis. Your sed rate tends to be normal with osteoarthritis. This test is easy and inexpensive. However, it may be less useful for older people because everyone's sedimentation rate increases with age, making it harder to determine a "normal" level. C-reactive protein When there's inflammation, your liver quickly manufactures higher amounts of C-reactive protein (CRP), which is released into your blood. A C-reactive protein test measures the level of this protein in your system. In people with rheumatoid arthritis, the CRP level is typically high. The CRP test is highly sensitive and generally measures small degrees of inflammation in active rheumatoid arthritis better than does the sed rate. But sometimes, even during active inflammation, the CRP isn't high. Researchers don't know why this is. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate and CRP tests are often used to help monitor the degree of inflammation at any given point. Rheumatoid factor This test identifies an antibody in your blood called rheumatoid factor. Antibodies are proteins made by your immune system that normally attach to foreign substances, such as germs, when they enter the body. With the protein, your body can deactivate and eliminate these substances. But rheumatoid factor is a type of antibody that targets your body's own proteins rather than those of the outside agent. Most people with rheumatoid arthritis have this abnormal antibody in their bloodstream, which typically isn't found in people with osteoarthritis. But rheumatoid factor doesn't appear to be a cause of arthritis symptoms. It's also present in some people with other diseases, so the antibody isn't specific to rheumatoid arthritis. Cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody The CCP test identifies citrulline antibodies in your blood. Like rheumatoid factor, citrulline antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system in response to a perceived threat from your own body – in this case from a protein component called citrulline. This test can be useful in diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis early in the disease process, since CCP antibodies are in the blood of half or more people with early rheumatoid arthritis. Many people who test negative for rheumatoid factor will have an elevated CCP. Eventually, most people with rheumatoid arthritis will have CCP antibodies. Imaging tests In addition to blood tests, your doctor may order X-rays to examine damage to affected joints. Collecting a sequence of X-rays from multiple visits over time can show the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. As the disease progresses, many people develop small holes (erosions) near the ends of the bones and a narrowing of the space around the joint from cartilage loss. Because it often takes several months of active inflammation before damage appears on an X-ray, your doctor may not order the test if your symptoms have just developed. A magnetic resonance image (MRI) may be more useful in detecting rheumatoid arthritis because it detects early inflammation and cartilage damage not be seen on an X-ray. An X-ray image of two knees affected by rheumatoid arthritis. The cartilage covering the joint surfaces has been extensively eroded, but more severely on one side of each joint. Treatment Although there's no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, doctors believe there's great value in treating the condition as early as possible in its course. They see an open window of opportunity at the disease's onset to take action before irreparable damage occurs to the joints. As a result, treatment strategies in recent years have shifted to earlier use of powerful prescription medications, such as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), which can modify the disease rather than simply treat its symptoms. The medications inhibit an overactive immune system, giving you better control of the disease. Your doctor may also ask you to use other medications in combination to control inflammation and prevent joint damage. In addition to medications, a variety of other treatments may be used, including exercise and physical therapy, joint protection and self-care. In some cases, surgery may be necessary. With proper treatment, many people with rheumatoid arthritis can avoid the most severe, disabling consequences of the disease. You can learn more about specific treatments in later chapters of this book. ### A chronic disease When you're first diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, it's impossible to predict how severe your condition may become. It may remain mild, or it may progressively worsen. For most people, the disease is chronic, although the severity of its symptoms tends to vary at different times. Painful flares may regularly alternate with periods of relative remission. If the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are fairly persistent for four or five years, the condition is more likely to pose a long-term challenge. Your doctor will likely need to monitor the disease with regular tests and periodic examinations of your joints. After 10 to 20 years of coping with rheumatoid arthritis, the symptoms of inflammation, especially joint swelling, may finally stabilize. However, joint deformities and some pain may remain. Diagnosis and vigorous treatment at the earliest stages of the disease may help you avoid persistent pain and permanent joint damage. The degree to which rheumatoid arthritis affects daily life depends in part on how well you cope with the disease, but many people are able to live long, productive lives. ### Juvenile idiopathic arthritis Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), also called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), refers to chronic conditions that cause joint inflammation in children age 16 and younger. The word idiopathic means the cause is unknown – and the exact cause of JIA is unclear. But, like adult rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that seems to involve both genetic and environmental factors. Nearly 300,000 children in the United States have some form of juvenile arthritis. It's one of the most common chronic childhood illnesses. Only a small number of children with arthritis still continue to have it as adults. JIA is divided into distinct subtypes based on features of the disease. The subtypes include: * Oligoarthritis (pauciarthritis). This is the most common form of JIA, affecting four or fewer joints – typically the larger joints such as the knees and ankles. Often only one knee is affected. Girls are more likely to have this form of arthritis than are boys. Most commonly, oligoarthritis occurs in children before the age of 4. The disease may subside over time. But older children with oligoarthritis often develop an extended disease that involves multiple joints and lasts into adulthood. * Polyarthritis. Poly means many, and this form of arthritis affects five or more joints – typically small joints, such as those in the hands and feet. It often affects the same joint on both sides of the body, such as both wrists. Polyarthritis can begin at any age and affects girls more often than boys. Some children with polyarthritis will have classic features of adult rheumatoid arthritis, including a positive rheumatoid factor (RF). * Systemic arthritis. Systemic JIA can affect many areas of the body, not just the joints. The disease often begins with a fever and rash that come and go. Joint symptoms may not show up until months or even years after the onset of fever. * Other subtypes. Enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) includes a group of diseases involving the joints of the back and pelvis. Enthesitis refers to inflammation at the site where a ligament or tendon attaches to a bone (enthesis). ERA is most common in boys older than age 8 and involves a strong genetic component. Another type of juvenile arthritis is psoriatic arthritis. Children with this subtype have both arthritis and psoriasis, a skin disease that can cause a red, flaky rash. Psoriatic arthritis and ERA are the least common forms of JIA. Signs and symptoms Signs and symptoms of JIA vary from one child to another. They can fluctuate from day to day and even throughout the same day. They may include: * Joint swelling, with stiffness and achy pain. Children may not complain of joint pain or swelling. Rather, you may notice them limping, being less active than usual or reluctant to use an arm or leg. You may notice a difficulty in the way your child crawls, walks, jumps, colors, ties shoes, eats, or holds a cup or spoon. Discomfort may be more pronounced in the morning or after a nap. * Fever and rash. These are characteristic signs of systemic arthritis. The fever and rash may appear and disappear quickly. Children with systemic arthritis may also have swollen lymph nodes. * Eye inflammation. Eye inflammation occurs with several subtypes of JIA, most commonly with oligoarthritis. Signs and symptoms often don't develop but may include eye pain, redness and increased pain when looking at light. Routine eye examinations are recommended because eye inflammation may result in blindness. Like other forms of arthritis, JIA includes times when symptoms are present (flares) and times when symptoms disappear (remissions). Diagnosis and treatment The diagnosis of JIA is based on a medical history and physical examination. Blood tests that can help pinpoint the type of arthritis and clarify a diagnosis include: * Erythrocyte sedimentation (sed) rate and C-reactive protein (CRP). As with adult rheumatoid arthritis, an elevated sed rate or CRP can indicate the presence of inflammation. This test may be used to determine how severe the inflammation is and to rule out other conditions. * Anti-nuclear antibodies. These are proteins produced by the immune system among people with certain autoimmune diseases, including arthritis. Anti-nuclear antibodies are present in about 40 percent of children with juvenile arthritis. In addition to lab tests, X-rays may be taken to exclude conditions such as fractures, tumors, infections and birth defects. X-rays may also be used following diagnosis to monitor bone development and possible joint damage. Additional blood tests may be taken to look for infections and malignancies. Your child's doctor may also remove some fluid from your child's swollen joint to help relieve pain and to identify the cause of the arthritis. Treatment for JIA depends on the type of arthritis your child has and on his or her symptoms. For all children, treatment focuses on maintaining a normal level of physical and social activity. To accomplish this, doctors may prescribe a combination of strategies that help relieve pain and swelling, maintain joint movement and strength, and prevent complications. The program may include medications, exercise, eye care, dental care and good nutrition. In addition to relieving pain and swelling, medications are used to slow progress of the disease and to assist normal bone development. Initial treatment often includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Joint injections with corticosteroids also may be used. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologic agents may come later. Parents can help children with JIA by encouraging physical activity, normal routines and positive outlooks. Family members must also be alert to helping children cope with the emotional aspects of having a chronic disease. ### **Chapter 4** # **Other inflammatory disorders** In addition to osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, more than 100 other conditions are considered forms of arthritis. Many are uncommon. However, doctors regularly recognize new arthritic syndromes and new subtypes of existing ones. Some forms are mild and resolve quickly with treatment. Others are widespread throughout the body, affecting multiple organs and blood vessels. The signs and symptoms can vary considerably, even among people with the same type of arthritis. At the same time, the signs and symptoms of different forms often overlap, making the diagnosis of a specific condition challenging. As with rheumatoid arthritis, genetic factors play a role in other forms of arthritis. Some genes have been identified that are associated with particular types of arthritis. But even if you inherit a tendency to develop arthritis, other factors are involved in triggering the disease. Some other forms of arthritis are discussed in this chapter. ### Gout Gout is a painful form of arthritis that's been recognized since ancient times. It causes sudden, severe attacks of pain, tenderness, redness, warmth and swelling in some joints. It usually affects one joint at a time – typically the large joint of the big toe. But it also can occur in your feet, ankles, knees, hands and wrists. Fortunately, gout is treatable, and there are ways to reduce the risk that it will recur. The prevalence of gout has been increasing over the last few decades, now affecting more than 8 million Americans. Although men are more likely than women to get gout, women become more susceptible to it after going through menopause. Gout is caused by an excessive level of uric acid in your bloodstream. Normally, uric acid – a waste product – dissolves in blood and is filtered through the kidneys. From there, it enters into your urine and is excreted from your body. But sometimes your body produces too much uric acid, or, more commonly, your kidneys don't filter it adequately. When uric acid builds up in your blood, it can form microscopic urate crystals in a joint or surrounding tissue. The crystals are sharp and needle-like. This sets off an intense inflammatory reaction. Gout occurs when you have an excessive amount of uric acid in your system. Tiny crystals form in the joints, commonly in your feet, and can cause intense pain, inflammation and redness. Signs and symptoms Gout attacks usually happen suddenly, often at night. You may go to bed feeling fine, but then wake up in the middle of the night feeling like your big toe is on fire, with severe pain and swelling. The affected joint may be red or purple, hot, and extremely tender. The pain typically lasts five to 10 days, then disappears completely. You may have a period with no symptoms at all, followed by a painful episode. An episode of gout can be triggered by drinking too much alcohol, eating too much of certain kinds of foods, surgery, severe illness or joint injury. If gout isn't treated, it may lead to persistent swelling, stiffness and pain in one or more joints after a number of years. The uric acid crystals may build up into large deposits called tophi (TOE-fie), which look like lumps beneath the skin around the joints. Diagnosis and treatment Gout is diagnosed by identifying uric acid crystals in fluid that's removed from an inflamed joint (aspiration). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) help relieve the pain and inflammation of a gout attack. Colchicine (Colcrys) also may be used to treat symptoms or to prevent another attack from happening. Once an acute attack is under control, your doctor may prescribe a drug to reduce the risk of future episodes. Preventive medications include allopurinol (Zyloprim, Aloprim), febuxostat (Uloric) and probenecid. They help keep the level of uric acid within a normal range. If your gout cannot be controlled or if the uric acid level does not normalize with these medications, pegloticase (Krystexxa) may be recommended. You may also need to watch your diet by avoiding too much protein from animal sources, limiting alcohol and drinking plenty of water. ### Pseudogout Pseudogout (SOO-doe-gout), also known as acute calcium pyrophosphate crystal arthritis, occurs when crystals of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) build up in the lining of a joint (synovium), setting off an episode of pain and swelling. Although the symptoms are similar to those of gout, pseudogout is caused by a different type of crystal. These two forms of arthritis also tend to develop in different joints. Gout most often affects the big toe, while pseudogout is more likely to form in your knee, wrist or ankle. Anyone can get pseudogout, but it occurs most often in adults in their 60s or older. The disease can occur with no obvious cause or during recovery from acute illness or surgery. Genetic factors may play a role. Joint injury, osteoarthritis, hyperparathyroidism, underactive thyroid or excess storage of iron also can contribute. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### PSEUDOGOUT AND GOUT: WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? **Disease** | **Cause** | **Signs and symptoms** | **Who does it affect?** | **Treatment** ---|---|---|---|--- **Pseudogout** | Deposits of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals in joints | Pain and swelling, usually in large joints such as the knee | Typically older adults | NSAIDs, steroids, colchicine **Gout** | Deposits of uric acid crystals in joints | Pain and swelling, usually in a joint such as the big toe | Typically older men | NSAIDs, steroids, colchicine, allopurinol, febuxostat, probenecid, pegloticase ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Signs and symptoms Attacks of pseudogout can occur abruptly, causing severe pain, swelling and warmth in the affected joint. Usually just a single joint is involved, most commonly the knee or wrist. Diagnosis and treatment Like gout, pseudogout can be diagnosed by examining a sample of fluid from the synovium of an affected joint to see whether CPPD crystals are present. An X-ray can reveal evidence of joint damage, along with crystal deposits in the joint cartilage, known as chondrocalcinosis. Treatment can reduce pain and inflammation but may not rid your joint of the CPPD crystals. Medications include NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) and indomethacin (Indocin). Another option, especially for a large joint such as the knee, may be a corticosteroid injection. Your doctor may relieve pain and pressure by suctioning out (aspirating) the joint fluid. To prevent further attacks, low doses of colchicine or NSAIDs may be effective. ### Spondyloarthritis The word spondyloarthritis (spon-duh-lo-ahr-THRI-tis) refers to a group of autoimmune disorders that cause inflammation in the joints joining the spine with the pelvis (sacroiliac joints), where tendons and ligaments attach to bones (entheses), and in joints of the lower extremities and toes. Often, the arthritis affects only one side of the body. Diseases in this group include ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and arthritis associated with inflammatory bowel disease. People lacking the distinctive symptoms of one of these four conditions are classified as having "undifferentiated" spondyloarthritis. Like other forms of arthritis, spondyloarthritis appears to stem from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Signs and symptoms People with spondyloarthritis often have inflammatory back pain that improves with exercise, doesn't improve with rest and causes pain at night. Often, the back pain starts before age 40 and gradually worsens. Inflammation of the knees or ankles may occur, but any joint can be involved. Swelling of the fingers or toes may cause very mild pain or tenderness. Other signs and symptoms of spondyloarthritis include eye inflammation with a painful red eye that's light sensitive and bowel inflammation. Diagnosis and treatment Your doctor will base a diagnosis on your symptoms and a physical examination. An X-ray, computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance image (MRI) may help. For example, an X-ray of your foot may show changes typical of this condition. Blood tests can help rule out other forms of arthritis. You may be tested for the HLA-B27 gene, which is a gene associated with several forms of spondyloarthritis. Physical therapy and exercise, including stretching and range-of-motion exercises, can help maintain flexibility in joints and good posture. Several types of medications may be used to control inflammation. These include NSAIDs, corticosteroids, DMARDs and biologic agents, discussed in Chapter 5. Ankylosing spondylitis Ankylosing spondylitis (ang-kuh-LOE-sing spon-duh-LI-tis) is a chronic disease that primarily causes inflammation in the sacroiliac joints and vertebrae of your spine. It may also affect locations where tendons and ligaments attach to bones (entheses), the joints of your hips, shoulders, knees and feet, the joints between your ribs and spine, and in your eyes, heart and lungs. Ankylosing spondylitis is more common in men than in women and typically begins in early adulthood. Many people with this condition carry a gene called HLA-B27. Having this gene doesn't mean you'll get the disease – in fact, most people with the gene never get ankylosing spondylitis. There's often a family history with this condition, and other genes likely play a role. Signs and symptoms Many people with ankylosing spondylitis have mild forms that involve only a small area, while others have more severe forms that lead to physical deformities and other complications. Early signs and symptoms often include pain and stiffness in your lower back and hips, or a dull aching deep in your buttocks. The pain may come and go at first and is often worse in the morning and after periods of inactivity. Loss of flexibility in the lower spine is an early sign of ankylosing spondylitis. Over time, the pain and stiffness may progress up your spine and to other joints, such as the shoulders. Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic condition. As inflammation persists, new bone forms as part of the healing process. The vertebrae may grow or fuse together, forming bony outgrowths and becoming stiff and inflexible. Fusion can also stiffen your rib cage, restricting lung capacity and function. Many people with ankylosing spondylitis experience eye inflammation (uveitis) and bowel inflammation. In advanced stages, signs and symptoms may include chronic stooping, fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss. Diagnosis and treatment Early diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis can be difficult if your symptoms are mild, since you may attribute them to more common back problems. If a doctor suspects ankylosing spondylitis, he or she may order X-rays to check for changes in your joints and bones, though the characteristic effects of the disease may not be evident early on. If X-rays are negative, your doctor may request an MRI or CT scan of the sacroiliac joints and lower spine. Blood tests to check for an elevated sedimentation rate and for the HLA-B27 gene may help confirm the diagnosis. Many people with ankylosing spondylitis are able to lead normal, active lives. Effective treatment can decrease pain and may help prevent complications and physical deformities. Stretching and breathing exercises, proper posture, and physical therapy are key elements of a therapeutic program. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs help relieve pain and inflammation, and medications that block tumor necrosis factor (TNF) are very effective in improving signs and symptoms and quality of life.For more information, see Chapter 5. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### ARTHRITIS AND INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE An estimated 1.4 million Americans have Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, the two common forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that cause chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. As many as 25 percent of people with IBD also experience enteropathic arthritis. Some researchers believe this form of arthritis may result from an immune response to intestinal bacteria in the inflamed bowel. Because people often experience pain and swelling in multiple joints, especially the knees and ankles, as well as stiffness in the spine, the condition is considered a form of spondyloarthritis. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Reactive arthritis Reactive arthritis is when an inflammatory condition occurs as a reaction to an infection elsewhere in your body. Many different types of infectious organisms can trigger the joint inflammation. Reactive arthritis was formerly known as Reiter's syndrome. What's considered the classic form of reactive arthritis is caused by a bacterial infection in the intestines, genitals or urinary tract. The intestinal form is caused by foodborne infections from salmonella, campylobacter, shigella or yersinia. Chlamydia, a sexually transmitted infection, can cause the genital form. Overall, men between the ages of 20 and 40 are most likely to develop reactive arthritis. Having a bacterial infection does not mean you'll get arthritis. Reactive arthritis is thought to occur in people who are genetically predisposed to it – many people with the condition carry the HLA-B27 gene. Having this gene also doesn't guarantee that you'll get reactive arthritis when you experience an infection. Signs and symptoms Reactive arthritis typically involves pain and swelling in the knees, ankles, feet and hips. Other joints, such as wrists and fingers, are affected less often. Inflammation of the tendons (tendinitis) or at places where tendons attach to bones (enthesitis) is common. This often results in pain at the heel or back of the ankle (Achilles tendinitis). There may be pain in the lower back and buttocks. Although joint symptoms are a defining feature of reactive arthritis, the condition can also cause inflammation in your eyes, skin and the tube that carries urine from your bladder (urethra). This can lead to eye conditions, skin rashes, increased frequency of urination and a burning sensation during urination. Signs and symptoms generally start days to weeks after exposure to a triggering infection. Pain and discomfort may come and go over a period of several weeks or months. In some people, signs and symptoms subside within a few days, and most people recover within a year. Other people redevelop signs and symptoms after their initial condition disappears. Diagnosis and treatment Reactive arthritis can go undetected for some time because signs and symptoms may be mild. Your doctor may perform tests to see if you have any of the infections associated with reactive arthritis. Blood tests, such as the sed rate, rheumatoid factor and anti-nuclear antibodies tests, can help determine what type of arthritis you have. You may be tested for the HLA-B27 gene. Treatment may include antibiotics to eliminate an active bacterial infection. Your doctor may prescribe NSAIDs and corticosteroid medications to relieve joint pain and inflammation. DMARDs such as sulfasalazine and methotrexate, or drugs that inhibit a protein called tumor necrosis factor also may be prescribed. For more information, see Chapter 5. Psoriatic arthritis Among the approximately 7.5 million Americans who have the skin disease psoriasis, between 10 and 30 percent develop a chronic, inflammatory arthritis known as psoriatic (sor-e-AT-ik) arthritis. In addition to the red patches of scaly skin that's typical of psoriasis, people with psoriatic arthritis have swollen, painful joints, especially in their fingers and toes. They may also develop inflammatory eye conditions. Psoriatic arthritis affects men and women equally. Most people with the condition have psoriasis long before they develop arthritic symptoms. Psoriasis typically develops in adults in their 20s or 30s, while psoriatic arthritis may show up 20 years later. Children also can get psoriatic arthritis, usually between ages 9 and 12. Both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune conditions. Most people with psoriatic arthritis have a close relative with the disease, and researchers have identified certain gene mutations that may be associated with it. Among people with a genetic predisposition for psoriatic arthritis, something in the environment, such as a viral or bacterial infection or physical trauma, may trigger the disease. Signs and symptoms Psoriasis is a skin condition marked by a buildup of rough, dry, dead cells that form thick scales. These patches (plaques) of thick, red skin often appear on your elbows, knees, scalp or the lower part of your spine. Your fingernails may become pitted and discolored and separate from the nail beds. Arthritic symptoms include pain, redness, swelling and reduced motion in your joints, especially the small joints of your fingers and toes. The joints in your spine and your sacroiliac joints may also be affected. Morning stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes is common, as is stiffness following periods of inactivity. Different types of psoriatic arthritis cause varying symptoms. For example, in a mild type called asymmetric arthritis, inflammation of the tendons in your fingers and toes can cause them to swell up like small sausages. In a rare form called spondylitis, inflammation in the spine makes movement painful and difficult. Psoriasis most commonly develops on the elbows, knees, trunk and scalp. Dry, red patches of skin are covered with silvery scales. Affected joints may become swollen and stiff. Diagnosis and treatment To be diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, you have to have symptoms of both psoriasis and arthritis. Diagnosis can be tricky because in adults, skin problems and joint problems rarely begin at the same time. Your doctor may order blood tests to check your sed rate and for rheumatoid factor to rule out rheumatoid arthritis. X-rays may show changes in the joints that develop in psoriatic arthritis but not in other arthritic conditions. For most people with psoriatic arthritis, the condition becomes a nuisance rather than a significant problem. If you have a mild form of the disease, your doctor may recommend NSAIDs. If these medications don't control inflammation, you may be treated with other drugs, such as DMARDs or biologic agents. For more information, see Chapter 5. Various treatments, including oral medications, ointments and creams, and ultraviolet light or sunlight (phototherapy) are used for skin symptoms. ### Sjogren's syndrome Mild decreases in saliva and tear production are normal with aging. If you have Sjogren's (SHOW-grins) syndrome, your saliva glands and tear glands become inflamed, which markedly interferes with the flow of moisture. The result is a dry mouth and a sandy, gritty feeling in your eyes. Sjogren's syndrome is an autoimmune condition that may occur by itself or along with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma or polymyositis. In Sjogren's syndrome, the main targets of an immune system attack are the mucous membranes and glands that produce moisture, primarily in your eyes and mouth. The disease may also cause vaginal dryness in women and problems in the muscles, joints, lungs, kidneys and stomach. Sjogren's syndrome may affect as many as 4 million Americans. The disease is much more likely to occur in women than in men – and usually diagnosed in people older than age 40. Researchers believe that many factors, including genes, contribute to the development of Sjogren's syndrome. Signs and symptoms The classic symptoms are dry mouth and dry eyes. Your eyes may feel as if foreign bodies, such as dirt specks, are lodged in them, and you may have difficulty swallowing or chewing. Other signs and symptoms include: * Dental cavities * Prolonged fatigue * Persistent dry cough or hoarseness caused by dry nose, throat and lungs * Joint pain, swelling and stiffness * Mucus-like strands in the eyes, especially in the morning * Enlarged salivary glands behind your jaw and in front of your ears * Skin rashes, including purple spots * Shortness of breath * Change in sense of taste * Nausea, stomach pain or indigestion * Vaginal dryness * Raynaud's phenomenon (numbness, pain or skin color changes brought on by cold or stress) Diagnosis and treatment Your doctor may compile a history of your signs and symptoms and do a physical examination, including an eye exam to measure the dryness of your eyes. He or she may also order blood tests and a lip biopsy, in which a tissue sample containing small salivary glands is removed for analysis. To determine if inflammation is damaging your salivary glands, you may have a special X-ray called a sialogram. Most people with Sjogren's syndrome can ease many symptoms with a self-care plan that includes using artificial tears, eyedrops and moisturizers, avoiding dry environments, sucking sugarless candy and drinking plenty of fluids. It's important that your doctor is able to review any medications you take to make sure they aren't contributing to your symptoms. To relieve pain and inflammation, your doctor may prescribe NSAIDs or corticosteroids. Pilocarpine (Salagen) is a prescription medication for dry eyes and dry mouth, and cevimeline (Evoxac) can relieve dry mouth symptoms. Some people whose joint pain and inflammation aren't relieved by NSAIDs may benefit from a DMARD medication such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil). Your ophthalmologist may recommend sealing the tear ducts with a plug to prevent tear drainage from your eyes. Cyclosporine (Restasis) eyedrops may be prescribed. ### Systemic lupus erythematosus Systemic lupus erythematosus (er-uh-thee-muh-TO-sus), often called lupus or SLE, is a chronic inflammatory disease that can affect many parts of your body, including your skin, joints, kidneys, blood cells, heart and lungs. The most common symptoms include arthritis and skin rashes. Episodes of lupus tend to come and go throughout your life, and they may make you feel tired and achy. Nine out of 10 people with lupus are women. It's most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 45. But it can occur at any age and in either sex. The disease is most common in African American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American women. Lupus is an autoimmune disorder. Sometimes lupus and related conditions, such as scleroderma, polymyositis and dermatomyositis, are considered connective tissue diseases. Signs and symptoms No two cases of lupus are exactly alike. Symptoms may come on suddenly or develop slowly. They may be mild or severe, and there may be times when there are no signs or symptoms. Fatigue, often severe and prolonged, is the most common symptom of lupus, affecting almost everyone who has the disease. You may feel tired even when no other symptoms are present. Arthritis symptoms, including joint pain, stiffness and swelling, especially in your fingers, hands, wrists and knees, are also very common and may be the earliest indications of the disease. Other signs and symptoms include: * Fever * Weight loss * Butterfly-shaped rash across the bridge of your nose and cheeks, or scaly, disk-shaped rash on your face, neck or chest * Sensitivity to sunlight * Raynaud's phenomenon (see later this chapter) * Mouth or nose ulcers (painless sores) * Chest pain or cough * Hair loss * Swollen glands * Swelling in your legs or around your eyes Diagnosis and treatment If your doctor suspects lupus based on your symptoms, the diagnosis may be confirmed with blood tests. One of these is a test for anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), which are proteins produced by the immune system and found in the blood of nearly all people with lupus. However, a positive ANA indicates that you have a very active immune system but not necessarily that you have lupus. People with other autoimmune diseases as well as some healthy individuals also may test positive. Your doctor may advise further testing for antibodies that are more specific to lupus to confirm the diagnosis. In addition to ordering blood tests, your doctor may evaluate how well your kidney, liver, lungs and heart are functioning. A diagnosis of lupus can seem scary, since in the past the disease was often considered fatal. But the majority of people with lupus today can expect to live a normal life span. Your treatment plan will depend on your symptoms and how severe they are. Most treatments aim to reduce inflammation, control joint pain and fatigue, and avoid complications. Medications used to control inflammation include NSAIDs, the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), corticosteroids, and immunosuppressants such as mycophenolate (Cellcept), cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan), azathioprine (Imuran) and belimumab (Benlysta). These medications are discussed in Chapter 5. More aggressive therapies may be needed for severe symptoms. ### Scleroderma Scleroderma (skleer-oh-DUR-muh) means "hard skin." The term refers to a group of rare, progressive disorders that cause hardening and tightening of your skin and connective tissues. Like other connective tissue diseases, scleroderma is an autoimmune condition. It occurs when your body overproduces and accumulates too much collagen, a fibrous protein that makes up connective tissues, including your skin. Researchers aren't sure what causes this abnormal production of collagen. The disease is more common in women than in men and typically affects middle-aged adults. It can run in families but most of the time occurs without any genetic tendencies. Signs and symptoms Signs and symptoms of scleroderma vary, depending on which form of the disease you have. Skin abnormalities, such as hardening and thickening, are a common feature. Scleroderma usually begins with your hands and face becoming puffy. You may have a few patches of skin on your hands, arms or face that begin getting thicker and harder. Other areas of skin may be involved later. In some cases, the disease can affect your blood vessels and internal organs. Your skin may lose its elasticity and become shiny as it stretches across underlying bone. Other symptoms may include stiffness or pain in your joints, curling of your fingers, sores over joints and shortness of breath. Digestive problems may develop if the esophagus or intestines become involved. People with scleroderma often experience Raynaud's phenomenon, an exaggerated response to cold temperatures or emotional distress. Small blood vessels in your hands constrict, causing color changes in the skin of the areas affected – typically from a white to blue to red coloration. In some instances the color changes are not distinct. In Reynaud's phenomenon, blood flow to the fingers is reduced when muscle in the artery walls contracts. Skin coloration typically changes from white to blue to red. Diagnosis and treatment Early on, scleroderma can resemble rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, making diagnosis challenging. Your doctor likely will review your symptoms and medical history and check your skin for thickened and hardened areas. He or she may also look for changes in your joints and tendons. Other tests may include blood tests and a small tissue sample (biopsy) of affected skin for laboratory analysis. There's no treatment to stop the overproduction of collagen that occurs in scleroderma, but your doctor may recommend treatments to control your symptoms. For skin problems, topical treatments such as moisturizers or a corticosteroid cream may be used. Other skin treatments may include light therapy, laser surgery and oral medications. Several types of medications, including calcium channel blockers, alpha blockers and low-dose aspirin, can help with circulation problems and in keeping the blood vessels dilated. To control joint pain, stiffness and inflammation, your doctor may prescribe NSAIDs and DMARDs. Because scleroderma can take a toll on your self-esteem, a support group or counseling may be helpful. ### Polymyositis and dermatomyositis These two rare conditions are forms of myositis, a disease that causes inflammation within muscle tissues. Polymyositis (pol-e-my-o-SY-tis) can cause inflammation and weakness of virtually all of your muscles. When a skin rash accompanies the muscle inflammation, the disorder is called dermatomyositis (dur-muh-toe-my-uh-SY-tis). Adults between the ages of 30 and 60 are most likely to have these disorders. Dermatomyositis can also affect children, usually between the ages of 5 and 15. Both disorders are more common in women than in men, and in blacks than in whites. The cause of either disease isn't known, but they're both thought to be auto immune disorders. Signs and symptoms Muscle weakness is the most common symptom of both disorders. Usually, the weakness begins gradually and gets worse over a period of months. It typically affects muscles on both sides of your body, particularly the muscles closest to the trunk, such as those in the hips, thighs, shoulders, upper arms and neck. You may also have pain and swelling in your small joints. Weakness can make it hard to do things such as comb hair, put on clothes, climb stairs, and get in and out of a bathtub, bed, chair or car. Weakness in the throat muscles can make swallowing difficult. Lung problems also may develop. Dermatomyositis causes several types of rashes, including violet or dusky red patches of skin on the face, knuckles, elbows, knees or ankles. Rashes may also appear on the eyelids, or on the upper back and neck and along the sides of the arms. Diagnosis and treatment Polymyositis and dermatomyositis can be difficult to diagnose. A variety of tests may be required, and your doctor may need to see you several times before pinpointing the diagnosis. A physical exam will be done to check skin and test muscle strength. Blood tests are used to check for elevated levels of certain muscle enzymes, which can indicate muscle damage. Other tests that may be performed include electromyography, which measures the electrical activity in your muscles, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which can show areas of muscle inflammation. Your doctor may do a biopsy of muscle tissue to determine the amount and type of damage. There's no cure for either condition, but treatment can improve muscle strength and function. Treatment usually begins with a high dose of a corticosteroid medication to suppress your immune system. After the first month or so, the dosage is gradually lowered as signs and symptoms improve. If a steroid medication doesn't improve symptoms, your doctor may recommend an immunosuppressant drug such as azathioprine or methotrexate. Intravenous immunoglobulin is used with dermatomyositis, and rituximab also has been shown to be effective. Antimalarial medications, such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), can be used to treat the skin rash of dermatomyositis, but they are not helpful in treating muscle inflammation. Exercise and physical therapy also are helpful. People with dermatomyositis should protect themselves from sunlight exposure by using sunscreen, wearing a hat and avoiding the sun during the middle of the day. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### INFECTIOUS ARTHRITIS In addition to the bacteria that can cause reactive arthritis, other types of microorganisms can trigger arthritic symptoms. For example, if you're bitten by a tick carrying the Borrelia burgdorferi organism, you may get Lyme disease. As the infection spreads from the site of the bite, a red or pink oval or disk-shaped rash may appear on the skin. This is followed by fever, chills, sore throat, fatigue and nausea. If the infection is not attended to, the organisms may spread to other parts of the body. Weeks later, stiffness, sharp pain and swelling may occur in your joints. The pain may affect one joint for a few days, then disappear and reappear in another joint. Left untreated, Lyme disease can result in chronic joint inflammation (Lyme arthritis), particularly in your knee. Other organs, such as your heart or brain, may be affected as well. Less commonly, your joints may become directly infected by a germ entering your bloodstream. If, for example, a boil releases staphylococcal bacteria into your blood, these bacteria can spread to a knee or other joint. A sexually transmitted infection such as gonorrhea can spread via the genital tract. The infection causes the characteristic inflammatory reaction – swelling, redness, heat and pain. The pain is usually intense and sudden. If untreated, bacterial joint infections often rapidly cause damage to the joint. In addition to bacteria, several viruses, including hepatitis B and C, German measles (rubella), mumps, human parvovirus B19, Epstein-Barr and HIV, also can cause arthritis symptoms. Viral arthritis tends to affect several joints on both sides of your body. Joint pain may come on suddenly and may be accompanied by a rash. This type of arthritis usually doesn't last long. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Rheumatic fever Rheumatic fever is an inflammatory disease that begins with a streptoccocal (strep) throat infection. It can spread to many parts of your body, including your joints, heart, brain and skin. Scarlet fever also is caused by an infection from a certain strain of streptococcal germs. Symptoms of rheumatic fever can occur about two to four weeks after an untreated infection. But most cases of strep throat, even those that aren't treated, don't lead to rheumatic fever. Anyone can get rheumatic fever, but it primarily affects children between ages 5 and 15. The disease remains common in many developing countries, but it's occurred far less frequently in the United States since the beginning of the 20th century. There have been a few outbreaks since the late 1980s. Sometimes rheumatic fever causes heart valve damage and heart failure. This is known as rheumatic heart disease, and it may not be discovered until years later. Treatments can reduce tissue damage and lessen symptoms. Signs and symptoms A strep infection may cause sore throat, red, swollen tonsils, fever, headache and muscle aches. Sometimes, the infection causes no symptoms. Signs and symptoms of rheumatic fever usually begin two to four weeks after infection and include: * Fever * Fatigue * Joint pain, most commonly in the knees, elbows, wrists and ankles * Joint swelling, redness or warmth * Chest pain and shortness of breath * Areas of pink rash with clear centers * Abdominal pain * Pea-sized lumps under your skin, usually over bony areas * Uncontrollable, jerky movements of your limbs and face or more subtle movement difficulties, such as problems with handwriting * Emotional disturbances, such as crying or restlessness The condition usually affects several joints in quick succession, each for a short time. Pain seems to move from one joint to another. Diagnosis and treatment Diagnosis typically includes a physical examination, listening for abnormal heart rhythms, simple movement tests, and blood samples to test for evidence of recent strep infection. Other blood tests also may be done, as well as an electrocardiogram (ECG) of the heart, which checks for abnormal heartbeats. You may be given penicillin or another antibiotic to kill the strep bacteria. To control fever, joint pain and inflammation, your doctor may prescribe aspirin, an NSAID or a steroid medication. Sedatives and tranquilizers can help control jerky movements. ### Vasculitis Vasculitis is the inflammation of your blood vessels – your veins, arteries and capillaries. There are many types of vasculitis, and most are quite rare. Two of the more common types are described on the next two pages. Giant cell arteritis If you develop new headaches, your temples are tender or painful, and you're more than 50 years old, you may have giant cell arteritis (ahr-tuh-RY-tis). This is an inflammation in the lining of your arteries, the blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to the rest of your body. Giant cell arteritis may also be associated with symptoms of arthritis – pain and stiffness in your neck, arms or hips. Although giant cell arteritis can affect arteries in your neck, upper body and arms, it occurs most often in the arteries of your head and especially in your temples. For this reason, the disorder is also known as temporal arteritis or cranial arteritis. Older adults are at greatest risk of giant cell arteritis. On average, it occurs at age 70. Women are more likely than men to get this disease. People who have another inflammatory disease called polymyalgia rheumatica also are at greater risk of getting giant cell arteritis. (See more about polymyalgia rheumatica.) As with other autoimmune disorders, the vascular inflammation in giant cell arteritits stems from an abnormal immune response. Exactly what causes this isn't known, but researchers believe that both genetic factors and aging play a role, along with an unknown factor triggering the onset. Signs and symptoms Giant cell arteritis frequently causes headache, weight loss, fever and fatigue. Most people with the condition develop a new, severe headache. Other signs and symptoms include: * Sudden, painless loss of vision in one or both eyes that can be permanent, or double vision * Tender, thickened artery in the temple * Scalp tenderness * Jaw pain when chewing (claudication) * Throat or tongue pain * Pain and stiffness in shoulders, neck, arms or hips – usually worse in the morning and improves with activity Left untreated, narrowed or blocked arteries can lead to permanent blindness, a stroke or an aneurysm. Diagnosis and treatment To diagnose the condition, your doctor may order blood tests, including ones for sed rate and C-reactive protein. These test results are usually highly elevated. An X-ray of your large arteries (arteriogram) may be needed if signs and symptoms suggest that arteries in the arms and neck are affected. To confirm the diagnosis, a small tissue sample (biopsy) may be taken of a temple artery. If you have giant cell arteritis, the sample usually shows signs of inflammation and large cells (giant cells) which give the disease its name. Treatment of GCA consists of high doses of a corticosteroid drug. Because GCA can cause vision loss, immediate treatment is necessary. Your doctor may start this medication even before a biopsy confirms the diagnosis. You may need to continue taking steroid medications for one to two years or longer. After the first month, the dosage may be gradually reduced to the lowest dose needed to control inflammation. In addition to corticosteroids, your doctor may recommend that you take a low dose of aspirin each day to reduce the risk of complications. Giant cell arteritis often involves the arteries of the scalp and head, especially those over the temple. Polyarteritis nodosa Polyarteritis nodosa (pol-e-ahr-tuh-RI-tis no-DOH-suh) is another type of vasculitis. Although less common than giant cell arteritis, polyarteritis nodosa is a serious, sometimes fatal disorder that involves inflammation of many arteries, especially small and medium-sized ones. Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) can affect many locations of the body. The skin, intestines, kidneys, nerves and heart are at greatest risk. The inflammation may cause blockage of the arteries, reducing blood supply to affected areas. Polyarteritis nodosa can affect people of any age, including children, but middle-aged men are most likely to develop it. The causes of PAN are unknown, though some cases are caused by the hepatitis B and hepatitis C viruses. Signs and symptoms Symptoms of PAN include fever, muscle pain or weakness, weight loss, fatigue, and joint aches and pains. You may have tingling, numbness or pain in your hands, arms, feet and legs. Skin problems, such as rashes or sores, are common. Many people with PAN have high blood pressure. If the intestines are involved, you may have abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Diagnosis and treatment If symptoms suggest that you may have PAN, your doctor may request a biopsy of tissue affected by arteritis, such as skin, muscle or a nerve. The biopsy can show the changes in small or medium-sized arteries that occur with the disease. Your doctor may also order an X-ray of your abdominal or other blood vessels (angiogram). Blood tests may also be useful – the sed rate is usually elevated in PAN. Left untreated, polyarteritis nodosa is often fatal. With early diagnosis and proper treatment, however, the disease can be controlled. Many people with PAN lead normal lives. Treatment includes high doses of a corticosteroid drug, such as prednisone in combination with an immunosuppressant drug such as cyclophosphamide, which slows down immune system activity. For more information, see Chapter 5. ### Polymyalgia rheumatica Polymyalgia rheumatica (pol-e-my-AL-juh rue-MAT-ih-kuh) is an inflammatory disorder that's related to and may coexist with giant cell arteritis. But polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a more common condition. The name of this condition comes from the Greek words that mean "pain in many muscles." It causes widespread muscle aches and joint stiffness, especially in your neck, shoulders, thighs and hips. Inflammation may develop elsewhere in your body as well. Just what triggers PMR isn't known, but aging and genetic and environmental factors probably play a role. PMR affects older adults almost exclusively – the average age at onset is 70. Women are more likely than men to develop PMR, and people of Northern European and Scandinavian descent are at higher risk. Signs and symptoms PMR is characterized by pain and stiffness in the muscles of your shoulders, neck, upper arms, lower back, thighs and hips. Stiffness is usually worse in the morning or after sitting or lying down for long periods. A slight fever, fatigue and unexplained weight loss also may occur. Symptoms may come on abruptly or gradually. People with the condition may go to bed feeling fine, only to awaken in pain the next morning. Others may develop a gradual worsening of aches, stiffness and fatigue over weeks or longer. People with PMR may have giant cell arteritis either before or after having PMR. The two disorders can also occur at the same time. Diagnosis and treatment If your symptoms suggest the possibility of polymyalgia rheumatica, your doctor may order blood tests. Sed rate and C-reactive protein are usually elevated in people with PMR, while rheumatoid factor usually isn't present. Aspirin and NSAIDs such as ibuprofen can be effective for mild symptoms. The usual treatment, however, is a low, daily dose of a corticosteroid drug, which generally provides immediate and complete relief from symptoms. PMR usually goes away after a year or two. ### Moving forward Even though these inflammatory disorders are chronic diseases, you may be able to avoid their most severe consequences and lead an active, productive life. Both professional care and self-care are essential elements. By following a carefully planned, individualized treatment program outlined by your doctor and other health care professionals, many people find that they can reduce the impact of these diseases. Diet, exercise and knowing when to stop and rest are all elements in this approach to successfully man aging your condition. # **PART 2** # **Treating arthritis** ### **Chapter 5** # **Medications for arthritis** Just as there's a wide range of symptoms among people with different kinds of arthritis, a broad array of medications is available to help control these symptoms. It's important that you work with your doctor to find the best drug treatments for you. Medications can help relieve pain, make joint movement easier and prevent further damage from inflammation. Some medications can be purchased over-the-counter at convenience stores while others are powerful drugs that can only be obtained with a doctor's prescription. Some medications can be used to treat several kinds of arthritis, while others are used for a single type of arthritis. Medications may help you feel better and allow you to lead a more active life. Like all drugs, though, arthritis medications can cause side effects, ranging from dry mouth to upset stomach to increased risk of infection, heart attack or stroke. The benefits of a particular drug must be weighed against its side effects. You and your doctor can discuss these risks in relation to your needs and circumstances. For most people with arthritis, medications play a central role in their treatment plans, which also may include nondrug therapies and lifestyle changes. In the past, rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of the disease were considered disabling and difficult to manage. New medications and combinations of treatments have made arthritis a treatable disease and greatly improved the overall well-being and outlook for many people. Because there are so many different types of medications to treat arthritis, this chapter will refer to medications by their generic names for ease of reading. For the list of brand names, information on how a drug is given, and a summary of the benefits and risks for each, see the medication guide. ### Different treatment strategies The treatment plan you and your doctor decide on will depend in large part on the type of arthritis you have and the severity of your symptoms. Your level of pain, how much your symptoms affect your daily life, and your personal preferences about medications and other therapies are other important factors. Treating osteoarthritis If you have osteoarthritis, your main treatment goals are to manage the pain and inflammation and to improve joint function. Part of your treatment plan will include a healthy balance of exercise and rest — exercise to strengthen your joints and the muscles that support them, and rest to prevent the worsening of pain and inflammation. If you're overweight, your doctor also may recommend weight loss to reduce stress on your joints. Oral medications may play a role in your treatment plan, particularly for pain relief. For mild to moderate pain, the pain reliever acetaminophen is often a first choice. Topical pain relievers in the form of creams, gels and ointments also can be rubbed onto painful joints. For moderate to severe pain, and if you have signs of inflammation, you might take one of many medications that fall under the category of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Some people with joints that are still painful in spite of using pain relievers may benefit from injections of medications directly into the affected joints. These medications may include corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid derivatives, which contain a substance similar to natural joint fluid. For pain that isn't controlled by other therapies, your doctor may recommend a short-term course of narcotic drugs, which are potent pain relievers. Their big drawback, of course, is that they can lead to dependency if used regularly over long periods of time. If your symptoms are persistently severe, your doctor may refer you to an orthopedic surgeon for consultation on possible surgical therapies. (For more on surgical options, see Chapter 6.) Treating rheumatoid arthritis Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis has changed over the years. Doctors used to start out with mild pain relievers and then progress to more powerful drugs if symptoms worsened — similar to the way osteoarthritis is treated. However, studies show that most of the damage from rheumatoid arthritis occurs in the first few years after the onset of disease. Eventually, the active inflammation tapers off but damage to the joints remains, resulting in long-term pain and stiffness. Based on this knowledge, doctors have revised their standard treatment plan. The current approach is to treat rheumatoid arthritis immediately with the most effective medications available. Quick action stalls the inflammatory process in early stages of the disease before serious damage can occur to the joint. This approach helps prevent or reduce the severity of potentially lifelong symptoms. The first choice of drugs is a group of medications called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or DMARDs (DEE-mards). These synthetically produced drugs work by slowing down or suppressing your immune system, which has been hijacked by the disease to massively increase the amount of inflammation in your joints. Early intervention with DMARDs for rheumatoid arthritis can also improve longevity and quality of life. In more severe cases, combinations of DMARDs, or DMARDs and other drugs, may be necessary to control the disease. If the initial approach isn't working to curb inflammation, your doctor may recommend additional drugs to bring disease activity down to a level that can be managed long term. If you've had rheumatoid arthritis for a long time, your doctor may focus less on disrupting the inflammatory process, which is likely to be less active at this point, and more on relieving pain and other symptoms. ### Common drug classes Following is a list of common medications, according to class, that your doctor may prescribe to treat arthritis. Pain relievers When arthritis produces joint pain, you naturally want quick relief. Pain relievers can help. Some are available over-the-counter (OTC), while others will need to be prescribed by your doctor. A note of caution about pain relievers: These drugs can have serious side effects, including the potential for you to become dependent on some of them. Your body can also develop a tolerance to some pain relievers, so the longer you take them, the higher the dose you need to produce the same effect. In addition, by masking pain, these drugs may fool you into thinking that you can be more active than you should be, increasing the risk of additional damage or injury. The pain relievers often used to treat arthritis include: Acetaminophen Acetaminophen is a familiar over-the-counter pain reliever, used to treat common headaches, muscle aches, toothaches and sore throats. Because the drug has a limited effect on inflammation, it's appropriate for arthritis that causes pain but little inflammation — as is often the case in osteoarthritis — and for people who are unable to take NSAIDs (see following entry). Many people with arthritis find that acetaminophen can ease their discomfort as effectively as an NSAID can. If you have mild pain from osteoarthritis, your doctor may recommend acetaminophen as the first choice for pain relief. It's inexpensive and usually doesn't cause side effects, as long as you don't take more than the recommended dose. High doses of acetaminophen taken over a long period of time can lead to liver problems, especially if you consume alcohol daily or take other medicines containing acetaminophen. Some research indicates that acetaminophen may increase your risk of heart problems, especially if you already have high blood pressure or other risk factors for heart disease. If you do, talk to your doctor about possible alternatives to acetaminophen. NSAIDs If you have moderate to severe osteoarthritis and taking acetaminophen isn't enough to relieve pain, or you have osteoarthritis with inflammation, your doctor may recommend a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). These medications are effective pain relievers that also help ease inflammation, unlike acetaminophen. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, NSAIDs are valuable because of their ability to reduce joint pain, stiffness and swelling caused by inflammation. Despite minor differences between different types of NSAIDs, they all work against inflammation in a similar way. NSAIDs inhibit an enzyme called cyclooxygenase (COX), which is responsible for the production of prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are hormone-like chemicals that help send pain messages to your brain and are key to the inflammation process. If you have early, mild rheumatoid arthritis and no gastrointestinal or heart problems, your doctor may recommend starting treatment with an NSAID to help get the inflammation under control. In general, a larger dose of an NSAID is required to reduce inflammation than is needed to relieve pain. If you have osteoarthritis, you may be able to take a smaller dose, because inflammation typically isn't severe and the pain comes and goes. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you may need a larger dose to control inflammation. For rheumatoid arthritis, NSAIDs are often used in combination with powerful medications, such as DMARDs. There are many different NSAIDs, ranging from over-the-counter medicines to drugs available only with a prescription. Because every person with arthritis is different, the best choice of an NSAID varies. What works for you may not work for a friend and vice versa. Often your doctor will start you with a low-dose, nonprescription NSAID such as ibuprofen or naproxen. If the drug doesn't provide adequate relief, you may need to switch to another type of NSAID. NSAIDs can cause stomach upset, gastrointestinal bleeding, cardiovascular problems, and liver and kidney damage. Older people are at highest risk of complications. Because of the risk of side effects, your doctor will prescribe the lowest effective dose of an NSAID for the shortest time possible, or only as needed. A subset of NSAIDs works by inhibiting only one type of the cyclooxygenase enzyme (COX-2). COX-2 inhibitors relieve joint pain just as well as other NSAIDs yet cause fewer ulcers and less gastrointestinal bleeding. However, COX-2 inhibitors may increase your risk of heart attack or stroke, especially when used in high doses or for long periods in people with existing heart disease. The drugs may be preferable if you have ulcers or gastrointestinal bleeding and a low risk of cardiovascular disease. Based on your overall health — including your gastrointestinal and heart health — your doctor can help you determine which type of NSAID might provide the most benefits with the least risks. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### REDUCE YOUR RISK OF STOMACH PROBLEMS FROM NSAIDS Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can make life easier by helping control the pain and inflammation of arthritis. Unfortunately, they can also give you an upset stomach or even an ulcer. Gastrointestinal bleeding is a potentially serious side effect of NSAIDs. In addition to suppressing prostaglandins associated with inflammation and pain, NSAIDs decrease production of a chemical that protects your stomach lining. This allows stomach acid to erode the lining and cause bleeding and ulcers. Because bleeding and ulcers in the stomach can occur with no warning, it's important to get regular checkups. If you're taking NSAIDs regularly, your blood counts and liver enzymes should be checked periodically. Your doctor may also suggest that you take a medication, such as a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), to decrease some of the gastrointestinal side effects. PPIs are drugs that reduce the amount of stomach acid. If you regularly take traditional NSAIDs, here are steps that may help you minimize the risk of stomach problems: * Take NSAIDs with food and water or milk. * Avoid alcohol, since this increases the risk of gastric bleeding. * Take the lowest possible dose you can to reduce symptoms. * Take your medication later in the day if possible. If you take an NSAID once a day, doing so in the afternoon or evening may be easier on your stomach. * Don't take more NSAIDs than prescribed or more often than prescribed. * Don't take other NSAIDs or medications containing NSAIDs, prescription or nonprescription, at the same time. * Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other medications you take that may interact with NSAIDs and increase your risk of stomach problems. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Tramadol If acetaminophen or NSAIDs don't completely relieve your pain, your doctor may recommend a medication called tramadol. This medication can be used alone or along with acetaminophen or an NSAID. Studies show that taking tramadol can provide relief similar to a narcotic such as codeine. Tramadol may not make you as sleepy as codeine, though it may increase the possibility of headaches. Taking tramadol may also allow you to take a lower dose of an NSAID and achieve the same level of pain control. If you don't want to or are unable to take an NSAID, tramadol may provide similar relief. Narcotics Narcotics are powerful pain relievers that block pain signals traveling to the brain. But because these drugs can be addictive, they're prescribed mainly for a short term and for intense pain. When other methods for controlling pain have failed, and the benefits of a narcotic outweigh its risks, some doctors may prescribe this medication to treat severe arthritis pain, being careful to monitor for possible dependency. Topical pain relievers Topical pain medications are absorbed through your skin. The most common varieties are creams or gels that you rub onto the skin over your painful joints. Some types come in the form of a spray or a patch that sticks to your skin. Because the ingredients are absorbed through the skin, side effects of topical preparations are fewer compared with medications taken by mouth and absorbed through your bloodstream. Among adults older than age of 75 with osteoarthritis of the hands or knees, the American College of Rheumatology recommends topical NSAIDs instead of oral NSAIDs. The active ingredients in over-the-counter topical pain medications may include: * Capsaicin. Capsaicin (kap-SAY-ih-sin) creams inhibit a chemical that's important for sending pain messages. Capsaicin comes from chili peppers. For some people, the creams work well to relieve joint pain. But others dislike the burning or stinging sensation that can occur when they apply the drug. With continued use, the burning and stinging often go away. * Salicylates. Salicylates (suh-LIS-uh-lates) contain the pain-relieving substance found in aspirin. Although these creams are used by people with arthritis, they have not been studied specifically for their ability to relieve arthritis symptoms. * Menthol. Menthol produces a sensation of hot or cold that may temporarily override your ability to feel arthritis pain. As with salicylate-based topicals, menthol-based preparations haven't been rigorously studied in a specific context of arthritis. * NSAIDs. Some studies indicate that NSAID creams and gels may work as well as their oral counterparts. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a prescription gel containing the NSAID diclofenac to treat osteo-arthritis in the hands, wrists, elbows, feet, ankles or knees. A topical patch containing diclofenac also is available. * Lidocaine. In some situations, doctors may prescribe lidocaine patches for joint pain. The patches are approved in the U.S. to treat a painful complication of shingles, but the doctor may also prescribe them for other forms of pain such as arthritis pain. This is called an off-label use. The lidocaine patches are placed on your skin over the painful joint for 12 hours at a time. The medication numbs the area. When using topical pain relievers, be careful not to rub or touch your eyes until you've washed your hands thoroughly. Don't use these pain relievers on broken or irritated skin or in combination with a heating pad, bandage, wrap or dressing. If you're allergic to aspirin or are taking an anticoagulant blood thinner, check with your doctor before using topical medications that contain salicylates. Corticosteroids Corticosteroids are another group of medications used to fight inflammation caused by arthritis. Also called steroids or glucocorticoids, corticosteroids are artificial versions of a hormone called cortisol. They work by blocking your body's production of prostaglandins and by suppressing the immune system. Corticosteroids fight inflammation effectively and quickly. They ease symptoms of stiffness, pain and fatigue, and they reduce swelling, helping protect your joints and other affected areas. In the short term, corticosteroids can make you feel dramatically better. Corticosteroids can be used in several ways. If you have only one or two inflamed joints, your doctor may inject the medication directly into the affected joints. Relief can last for several months, and injections can be repeated in the future, although usually no more than two to four times a year. Corticosteroids can be taken by mouth, offering widespread relief of inflammation due to rheumatoid arthritis, usually in a matter of days. However, taken in high doses over long periods of time, the drugs can produce side effects, including mood changes, weight gain, muscle weakness, loss of bone density, diabetes, cataracts, increased risk of infection and high blood pressure. As a result, oral corticosteroids are generally reserved for treating acute symptoms or flare-ups. In rheumatoid arthritis, they may be used to tide you over while you wait for other medications, such as a DMARD, to become fully effective. If the DMARD helps you, the corticosteroid can be slowly decreased and then discontinued. Alternatively, your doctor may prescribe a low-dose corticosteroid and DMARD together for an indefinite period, especially if the DMARD doesn't work as hoped. Hyaluronic acid derivatives Hyaluronic acid (hyaluronate) is a natural substance found in normal joint fluid. It helps form a "microlayer" of lubrication between bones as they move within a joint. If you have osteoarthritis, natural hyaluronic acid molecules in your joints are altered and their lubricating effect is reduced. This can result in more rapid wearing down of the joints. Injecting a compound containing hyaluronic acid into an affected knee joint can help restore more normal joint lubrication. It may improve mobility and reduce pain, although there's not much evidence that it slows disease progress. Injections may be recommended for people with osteoarthritis who don't get relief from other medications, exercise or physical therapy. Hyaluronic acid is given in a series of one to five injections. Relief may last up to six months or longer. If the first series of shots provides pain relief, a second round may be given. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) If you have rheumatoid arthritis, your doctor will likely recommend that you take one or more DMARDs — sooner rather than later — to slow or stop the inflammatory process underlying the disease. DMARDs work by suppressing your immune system, which is operating in overdrive around your joints. Aggressive use of DMARDs as early as possible may help save your joints and other tissue from permanent damage. DMARDs are also used to treat other inflammatory rheumatic diseases, including juvenile arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus. DMARDs act slowly — they take several weeks or months to begin working. For this reason, your doctor may prescribe another medication to ease your symptoms and control inflammation until the DMARD takes effect. Some people take a single DMARD, while others take a combination of them, depending on the severity of their symptoms and how active the disease is. Studies have shown that, in certain situations, a combination of disease-modifying drugs provides more benefits than taking just one of them — with no added side effects. Often three DMARDs are combined. You might hear your doctor refer to this as "combination therapy." Because DMARDs can inhibit your immune system and interfere with certain organ functions, such as your liver, lungs or kidneys, while you take these drugs, your doctor will monitor you for any signs of infection or disruption of organ function. This is usually done through basic tests, such as blood and urine tests. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### GENERIC VS. BRAND NAME Many drugs used to treat arthritis are available as both branded and generic medications. What's the difference? A drug that's discovered or developed in a laboratory begins with a generic name selected by experts and governmental agencies. The company that developed the drug typically takes it to market with a brand name and sells it exclusively for a fixed period. When the patent rights on the drug expire, any other drug company can manufacture and sell the drug under its generic name or another brand name. In any case, the Food and Drug Administration still must approve the new versions before they can be sold. Generic versions are available for many drugs on the market. For consumers, that's good news because generics often cost considerably less than their brand-name counterparts. Generic drugs have the same active ingredients, strength and method as the brand-name versions. They also carry the same risks and benefits. Your doctor or pharmacist can determine whether you should use a brand-name medication or a generic version, based on your medical needs, the particular drug and its availability. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Methotrexate Methotrexate is one of the first DMARDs doctors turn to when treating established rheumatoid arthritis. It was originally used to treat cancer, but in lower doses it may be used to treat rheumatic diseases. The drug relieves painful and swollen joints and prevents further joint damage at all stages of the disease. Side effects are typically manageable and its cost is relatively inexpensive. Methotrexate is often combined with other drugs, such as another DMARD. Using methotrexate as the cornerstone of combination therapy often results in better control of rheumatoid arthritis than can be achieved with methotrexate alone, with no increased side effects from combining medicines. Methotrexate can be taken by mouth or by injection, typically as a single dose once a week. If taking it by mouth bothers your stomach too much, you might fare better with an injection. Taking regular doses of folic acid also can help minimize nausea and gastrointestinal discomfort that may accompany the medication. Liver damage is a rare but potential side effect of taking methotrexate. Before prescribing the drug, your doctor will likely have you tested for hepatitis B and C to make sure there's no existing liver inflammation present. While taking the drug, it's important to limit alcohol consumption to avoid increasing your risk of liver injury. Drugs such as methotrexate can also reduce the infection-fighting potency of your white blood cells, making you more vulnerable to infection. They may lower the number of platelets in your blood, so you bruise or bleed more easily. They can also lower your red blood cells, causing fatigue. Lung damage is another rare side effect. At the low doses used for rheumatoid arthritis, these side effects are unlikely. But call your doctor immediately if you develop a fever or shortness of breath. Also tell your doctor if you experience unexplained bruising, fatigue or any other side effects. If your doctor prescribes methotrexate, you'll need to have your blood tested regularly to help ensure that the drug doesn't produce unwanted changes in your liver and bone marrow. Visits with your doctor can help address any side effects in a timely manner. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### DRUG INTERACTIONS Many people use more than one medication. Unfortunately, the action of one drug can be altered by the action of another, either decreasing or increasing the desired effect or producing a potentially dangerous reaction. Even vitamins and herbal supplements can sometimes cause serious interactions with other drugs. When taking medications for arthritis, be sure to tell your doctor about every drug you use, including nonprescription medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements and alternative remedies. Bring all current medications with you to a doctor visit. That way, the proper dosages can be determined for both prescription and nonprescription drugs you take. Your doctor or pharmacist can create a medicine calendar for you. This way, you can take the drugs you need to take, but minimize the chance of harmful interactions. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Leflunomide If you need an alternative to methotrexate, your doctor may recommend leflunomide, an immunosuppressant that reduces pain, stiffness, inflammation and swelling. It may also slow or halt joint damage associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Similar to other immunosuppressants, leflunomide inhibits certain substances — in this case, a type of enzyme — produced by your immune system. It can be used alone or in combination with methotrexate to increase the benefits of DMARD therapy. Leflunomide may cause a range of side effects, including nausea, diarrhea, skin rash, upset stomach, weight loss and hair loss. As with methotrexate, it can also increase your risk of liver damage and infection, so most of the same precautions apply. You'll undergo regular blood tests to monitor your red and white blood cell counts and platelet counts. Your doctor will test your liver function before you begin taking the medication and will conduct regular tests from then on. If you already have a liver condition, you may not be able to take leflunomide. If you develop liver problems while taking the drug, your doctor may change the dosage or stop the medication altogether. Minimizing your alcohol intake can help reduce your risk of liver damage. Avoid leflunomide if you're pregnant, breast-feeding or hoping to become pregnant. It can harm the developing fetus and may cause serious side effects in nursing infants. (If you're hoping to become a father, your doctor may recommend avoiding the drug as well.) Because this medication stays in your body for a long time, it can take many months to completely eliminate it from your system. If necessary, your doctor can prescribe a drug called cholestyramine to speed up the elimination of leflunomide from your body. Sulfasalazine If your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are mild to moderate, your doctor may recommend sulfasalazine, a drug that's also known for treating inflammatory bowel disease. Research suggests that sulfasalazine may be more effective than the medication hydroxychloroquine at treating active inflammation. It's also useful in combination therapy. Your doctor will likely order periodic blood tests to monitor the effect of the drug on your blood cells. Side effects are uncommon. Some people have stomach discomfort, which usually is eliminated by reducing the dose or by taking delayed-action tablets. If you're allergic to sulfa or aspirin, sulfasalazine probably isn't for you since it's derived from these ingredients and could cause an allergic reaction, such as skin rash, wheezing, itching or fever. Hydroxychloroquine Originally a treatment for malaria, hydroxychloroquine also has been found to be effective for rheumatoid arthritis — although how it works to reduce joint damage isn't clear. If you have early, mild rheumatoid arthritis, your doctor may recommend starting out with hydroxchloroquine, reserving more potent DMARDs, such as methotrexate and leflunomide, for later if your symptoms get worse. Hydroxychloroquine is a common choice for use in combination with other DMARDs or in combination with corticosteroids, reducing the amount of steroids you need to take. It has few side effects, but at high doses it may increase risk of damage to parts of your eye, such as the retina. Although the dose prescribed for rheumatic diseases isn't that high, your doctor will probably want you to have an eye exam before starting the medication and regularly thereafter, just to be sure. Hydroxychloroquine is used to treat lupus and other rheumatic diseases, as well. Minocycline Minocycline is an antibiotic that also works to inhibit the production of inflammatory cells that play a role in rheumatoid arthritis. Although it isn't approved by the FDA for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, minocycline is sometimes used off label for early or mild arthritis. It's generally safe but not as potent as other DMARDs. Minocycline can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, including nausea and diarrhea. It can make your skin sensitive to sunlight or make it turn a grayish color with long-term use. Rarely, it may lead to liver damage. Other DMARDs The following drugs also may be used to treat rheumatic conditions. They're generally used less frequently or as secondary choices when first-choice options are unavailable: * Gold compounds. Gold-based drugs (derived from gold salts, not the metal) have anti-inflammatory effects and may slow joint damage, especially when used in early stages of the disease. But they aren't as effective as other drugs, and they have numerous side effects, including a decline in red and white blood cells and platelets, nausea, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Close doctor supervision is necessary. * Azathioprine. Azathioprine is used most commonly to protect a transplanted kidney or heart from being attacked and rejected by the body's immune system. The drug holds white blood cells in check and can restrain the autoimmune effects associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Of course, that also means your body's ability to fight off infection is weakened. Similar to other DMARDs, use of azathioprine may make it possible to reduce the dose of corticosteroid medication needed to treat rheumatoid arthritis. * Cyclosporine. Like azathioprine, cyclosporine is used in people who have organ transplants to prevent rejection of the new organ. The drug also suppresses some cells that play roles in the inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Cyclosporine may be an option for individuals who don't respond to more widely used DMARDs. It's more effective in combination with other DMARDs than by itself. Long-term use of this medication is associated with kidney disease and high blood pressure. * Cyclophosphamide. For severe rheumatoid arthritis that extends to other tissues, especially if causes blood vessel inflammation, the cancer drug cyclophosphamide may be an option. Cyclophosphamide is sometimes used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma and other rheumatic diseases. This potent medication kills lymphocytes involved in an autoimmune disease response. Unfortunately, the drug can't tell the difference between cells that are part of the disease process and cells that are performing normal functions. Given the potential for serious side effects, including hypertension and kidney problems, your doctor will monitor you closely while you're taking the medication. You'll have blood tests at regular intervals. Notify your doctor if you experience bleeding, bruising or fatigue. Biologic DMARDs Biologic DMARDs, also referred to as biologic agents or simply biologics, are a fairly new class of medications. Like conventional DMARDs, they can relieve pain and stiffness and protect joints from damage by slowing or halting the inflammatory process. They differ from conventional DMARDs in that they're derived from living sources, such as cell cultures, while conventional DMARDs are made by way of a chemical process. Biologic DMARDs are designed to work against specific targets. Some interfere with the action of immune substances called cytokines. Cytokines mobilize immune cells that fight off a perceived threat, such as an infection or injury. With an autoimmune disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, where healthy cells are wrongly perceived as threatening, cytokines contribute to the inflammatory reaction. The largest group of biologics available works against a cytokine called tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Other cytokine targets include interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Some biologics disrupt the activation of T cells, responsible for coordinating other immune forces into action. Still others work to deplete B cells, which produce antibodies that perpetuate the immune reaction. A new biologic interferes with the enzyme Janus kinase, which contributes to inflammation. Biologics are often used along with conventional DMARDs such as methotrexate. Some biologic agents are approved for the treatment of other inflammatory diseases, such as psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and inflammatory bowel disease. Biologics are either injected under the skin, which can be done at home, or into a vein, which is usually done at a doctor's office, or they can be taken by mouth. Because biologics can weaken your body's ability to fight infection, your doctor will want to make sure you don't already have an underlying infection, such as tuberculosis or pneumonia, and that you're not at an increased risk of infection because of another illness. Existing infections should be treated before you receive a DMARD, since the medication can make the infection worse. It's very important that you're up to date with vaccinations. Experts generally recommend against combining two or more biologic DMARDs because of the increased risk of serious infection. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### BIOLOGIC AGENTS AND INFECTIONS Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a key player in your body's immune system response. When bacteria, viruses and other invaders are discovered, white blood cells produce excess amounts of TNF-alpha, which mobilizes the cells to engage and destroy the invaders. This temporarily causes inflammation. Normally, after the infection is cleared up, your body stops making excess TNF-alpha. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, production doesn't decrease. As TNF-alpha builds up, more white blood cells collect in an area, causing inflammation, pain and tissue damage. TNF inhibitor medications work by blocking the action of TNF-alpha, thereby reducing inflammation. Because of how they work, biologic agents also limit your ability to fight infections. In general, though, this risk isn't greater than that of some nonbiologic medications. Most people who develop a serious infection while taking a biologic agent are also taking other medications that suppress the immune system, such as methotrexate or a corticosteroid. The risk of serious infection also increases if you take a TNF inhibitor at the same time you're taking the interleukin-1 inhibitor anakinra. Before prescribing a biologic agent, your doctor may ask about any current or recurring infections you may have and may test you for tuberculosis and fungal infections. If you do develop an infection while taking a biologic agent, you may need to stop the treatment until the infection has been successfully treated. It's not clear whether TNF inhibitors can increase the risk of cancers such as lymphoma — people with rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk of lymphoma even if they're not being treated with TNF inhibitors. So far research hasn't shown a clear link between these drugs and an increased risk of cancer, but long-term studies are needed. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ TNF inhibitors TNF inhibitors appear to be as effective as the DMARD medication methotrexate in treating rheumatoid arthritis. For rheumatoid arthritis that doesn't respond well to either methotrexate or a TNF inhibitor, a combination of the two drugs may be more effective than using either drug alone. When injected into the body, TNF-blocking agents such as infliximab, adalimumab, certolizumab and golimumab attach to circulating TNF-alpha molecules and neutralize their biologic activity before they can set off an immune reaction. Etanercept is known as a soluble cytokine receptor. It's similar in structure to receptor proteins located on cell surfaces. The receptor's job is to bind to circulating TNF molecules and usher them into the cells. By competing with natural receptors, etanercept keeps TNF-alpha from entering. Because TNF inhibitors can weaken the immune system, your risk of infection is increased, especially if you're also taking methotrexate or corticosteroids. Your doctor will monitor you for signs of infection. Let your doctor know if you have symptoms of infection, such as a fever or feeling generally unwell. Some people have developed symptoms of disorders such as lupus or multiple sclerosis while taking TNF inhibitors. An increased risk of lymphoma and abnormal cell growth has been reported, but experts aren't sure whether this from the TNF inhibitor or a complication of rheumatoid arthritis. If you have congestive heart failure, your doctor may recommend against TNF inhibitors because they can worsen your heart function. Interleukin-1 inhibitor Anakinra is a biologic that binds with cell receptors normally reserved for the cytokine interleukin-1. By taking the immune protein's spot on the receptor, anakinra disrupts its activity. Anakinra generally isn't as effective as TNF inhibitors for treating rheumatoid arthritis, but it may be helpful with other autoimmune inflammatory conditions. Interleukin-6 inhibitor The cytokine interleukin-6 is capable of activating T cells, B cells and other immune cells. The medication tocilizumab works in a similar way to anakinra by blocking interleukin-6 from binding to cell receptors. Tocilizumab is approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis and may also be used for other forms of arthritis. Other biologics Rather than targeting cytokines, these biologics disrupt the function or numbers of other immune system cells, such as T and B cell lymphocytes. * Abatacept. Abatacept inhibits the action of T cells and is generally used in people with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis that hasn't responded to other drugs. It can slow damage to joints and improve physical function. Abatacept shouldn't be taken with TNF inhibitors. Caution is advised if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. * Rituximab. Rituximab is a genetically engineered protein that binds to B cells, causing them to self-destruct. B cells play an important role in sustaining the inflammation that's characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis. * Tofacitinib. Tofacitinib is not really a biologic but rather a "small molecule" that inhibits the action of the enzyme Janus kinase, which is important in activating the immune system. Tofacitinib is approved for treating moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis that hasn't responded well to methotrexate. ### Arthritis medication guide Following is a list of the medications that are often prescribed for arthritis, along with common brand names and important benefits, risks and precautions to consider when you're using the drug. Always keep all members of your health care team, including doctors, specialists, pharmacists and dentists, informed about all medications, vitamins and supplements you're taking so that they can be alert to any potential drug interactions that may harm you. This is especially important if you take medicine for more than one chronic condition, such as arthritis and diabetes or high blood pressure. If you're experiencing bothersome side effects, let your doctor know promptly. An alternate medication may work better for you. Children and older adults are especially vulnerable to medication side effects and should be monitored closely. Keep all medications out of the reach of children. This medication guide is in no way exhaustive. Some brand names may be discontinued even while new ones arise. All drugs have risks as well as benefits and may affect individuals in different ways. If you have questions about any medication you're taking or considering taking, don't hesitate to consult your doctor or pharmacist. It's much better to be safe than sorry. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) Generic | Brand ---|--- Choline magnesium trisalicylate | Diclofenac | Cataflam, Voltaren, others Diclofenac and misoprostol | Arthrotec Ibuprofen | Advil, Motrin IB, others Indomethacin | Indocin Ketoprofen | Meloxicam | Mobic Naproxen | Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, others Piroxicam | Feldene Sulindac | Clinoril Tolmetin sodium | **How they're usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * Provide mild to moderate pain relief * Ease inflammation and joint stiffness **Risks:** * Upset stomach, abdominal pain, nausea * Heartburn, ulcers * Skin reactions * Headache, dizziness, tiredness * Constipation or diarrhea * Kidney problems **Precautions:** * Use them with caution or consider alternate therapies if you have ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, asthma or a cardiovascular disease. Talk to your doctor first. * Don't take two or more different NSAIDs at the same time. * Talk to your doctor about NSAID use in children, including nonprescription brands. * Risks, especially kidney and stomach problems, are increased if you're older than age 65. * NSAID use with blood-thinning medications increases bleeding risk. Aspirin Generic | Brand ---|--- Aspirin | Anacin, Bayer, Bufferin, others **How it's usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * Provide mild to moderate pain relief * Ease inflammation and joint stiffness **Risks:** * Upset stomach, abdominal pain, heartburn, ulcers * Ringing in the ears and hearing loss * Internal bleeding **Precautions:** * Inform the surgeon or dentist before any surgery or dental work. * Consult your doctor before giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Aspirin use in children has been linked to Reye's syndrome. * Avoid aspirin during pregnancy unless prescribed by your doctor. Acetaminophen Generic | Brand ---|--- Acetaminophen | Tylenol, others **How it's usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * First choice for mild pain relief * Works fast **Risks:** * High doses can lead to liver damage, especially if the medicine is consumed with alcohol or other medications. **Precautions:** * It may increase your risk of bleeding if taken with a blood thinner, such as warfarin. * Check the labels of all other medications you take to see if they contain acetaminophen. COX-2 inhibitors Generic | Brand ---|--- Celecoxib | Celebrex **How it's usually given:** * By mouth Benefits: * Provides mild to moderate pain relief * Eases inflammation **Risks:** * Stomach upset, nausea, abdominal pain * Diarrhea * Headache * Kidney problems **Precautions:** * Use alternate therapies if you have a history of or a high risk of cardiovascular disease. * Use it with caution if you have asthma (in case your asthma is sensitive to aspirin). * Although it's associated with less frequent gastrointestinal side effects compared with traditional NSAIDs, stomach ulcers and bleeding can occur. Tramadol Generic | Brand ---|--- Tramadol | Conzip, Rybix ODT, Ultram, others Tramadol with acetaminophen | Ultracet **How they're usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * Provide moderate to severe pain relief * May cause less drowsiness than narcotics **Risks:** * Nausea, stomach pain * Constipation or diarrhea * Lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness **Precautions:** * The medication has potential for abuse or dependency when used for extended periods. * Avoid taking it with alcohol (including medicines containing alcohol). * This medication can increase your risk of seizures. * Serotonin syndrome may occur when using this medication with other medications (antidepressants, certain migraine drugs). Let your doctor know immediately if you experience agitation, hallucinations, irregular heartbeat or lack of coordination. * Withdrawal symptoms can occur if the medication is stopped abruptly. * This medication may increase suicidal thoughts. Narcotics Generic | Brand ---|--- Acetaminophen with codeine | Tylenol No. 3 and 4, Tylenol with Codeine Elixir Oxycodone | Oxycontin, Roxicodone Oxycodone with acetaminophen | Percocet, Roxicet, others Hydrocodone with acetaminophen | Vicodin, others Meperidine | Demerol **How they're usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * Provide moderate to severe pain relief * Work well for pain that hasn't responded to other therapies **Risks:** * Lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness * Constipation * Stomach upset, nausea **Precautions:** * Breaking, chewing or crushing narcotics that end in ER (extended release), SR (slow release) or CR (controlled release) can lead to rapid and potentially fatal absorption of the drug. * Avoid taking narcotics with alcohol (including medicines containing alcohol). * You can develop a tolerance to the medication, requiring larger doses to achieve the same amount of pain relief. * These medications have they potential for abuse or dependency when used for extended periods. * Withdrawal symptoms can occur if the medication is stopped abruptly. Topical pain relievers Generic | Brand ---|--- Capsaicin | Capsin, Zostrix, others Salicylates | Aspercreme, others Menthol | Salonpas, Bengay, others Diclofenac | Voltaren, Pennsaid, others Lidocaine | Lidoderm **How they're usually given::** * Topically, to your skin **Benefits:** * Provide local pain relief **Risks:** * Itching * Stinging or burning sensation * Rash **Precautions:** * Avoid rubbing or touching your eyes after using the medication until you've thoroughly washed your hands. * Don't rub the medication on broken or irritated skin. * Check with your doctor before using topical medications that contain salicylates if you're allergic to aspirin or are taking a blood thinner. * Don't cover the medication with a bandage or wrap or use it in combination with a heating pad. Corticosteroids Generic | Brand ---|--- Betamethasone | Celestone Dexamethasone | Methylprednisolone | Depo-Medrol, Medrol, Solu-Medrol Prednisone | Prednisolone | Prelone, others Triamcinolone | Kenalog **How they're usually given:** * By mouth, by injection into affected joint, or intravenously **Benefits:** * Provide fast relief for severe pain * Ease inflammation * Relieve flare-ups and sudden worsening of symptoms **Risks:** * Nausea * Difficulty sleeping (insomnia) * Increased appetite * Anxiety and irritability * Changes in mood * Swelling of the hands, legs and feet * Changes in vision * Increased blood sugars or blood pressure * Weight gain * Osteoporosis **Precautions:** * Avoid live virus vaccines while taking corticosteroids. * Corticosteroids may increase your risk of infections. Wash your hands frequently and avoid people who are ill. * These medications should not be discontinued abruptly if used for an extended period. Hyaluronic acid Generic | Brand ---|--- Hyaluronic acid | **How it's usually given:** * Injection into the affected joint **Benefits:** * Usually used for osteoarthritis of the knee * Good for one or two persistently painful joints * Provides long-lasting relief **Risks:** * Temporary increase in inflammation, redness, warmth at the injection site * Mild bruising **Precautions:** * Use these medications with caution if you're allergic to eggs. * Avoid strenuous or prolonged activity for 48 hours after receiving an injection. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) All of these drugs work to slow or stop the inflammatory process that's characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis and other rheumatic diseases, such as psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus and forms of juvenile arthritis. By halting the disease process, DMARDs help prevent further damage to your joints. Methotrexate Generic | Brand ---|--- Methotrexate | Rheumatrex, Trexall **How it's usually given:** * By mouth or injection **Benefits:** * The first choice in rheumatoid arthritis drug therapy **Risks:** * Upset stomach or nausea * Loss of appetite * Mouth sores * Serious infections * Blood cell deficiencies, resulting in bleeding and bruising more easily than normal, fatigue or weakness **Precautions:** * Methotrexate isn't recommended if you're pregnant, as it can harm the baby. If you hope to become pregnant, discuss potential alternatives with your doctor. * Methotrexate may not be right for you if you have an existing infection, blood disorder, kidney, liver or lung disease, history of lymphoma, peptic ulcer, or ulcerative colitis. * While taking this medication, you'll be monitored regularly for changes in your blood cell counts and kidney and liver functions. * If you experience any reaction to the drug, contact your doctor right away. * Avoid consumption of alcohol. * Discuss immunization with your doctor. Leflunomide Generic | Brand ---|--- Leflunomide | Arava **How it's usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * May be a possible alternative to methotrexate * May be combined with methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis that's hard to treat **Risks:** * Diarrhea * Nausea * Rash * Hair loss * Hypertension **Precautions:** * It's important to avoid pregnancy while on this medication and during the time the drug is being eliminated from your body. * Leflunomide isn't recommended if you already have a liver disorder, as the medication can make it worse. * Screening for infections such as tuberculosis and hepatitis B and C are recommended before starting the medication. * While taking this medication, you'll be monitored regularly for changes in your blood cell counts and kidney and liver functions. * If necessary, elimination of the drug from your body can be sped up by taking the drug cholestyramine. Without this procedure, it may take up to two years to clear the drug from your system. * Use of live virus vaccines during treatment isn't recommended. Sulfasalazine Generic | Brand ---|--- Sulfasalazine | Sulfazine, others **How it's usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * Effective for early, mild rheumatoid arthritis **Risks:** * Upset stomach * Headache * Rash * Nausea, vomiting or loss of appetite **Precautions:** * Tell your doctor if you experience sore throat, fever, paleness, easy bruising, or a yellowish cast to the eyes or skin, as this may indicate a serious blood disorder. * Caution is recommended if a serious blood disorder or liver or kidney disease. * Urine or skin may change in color to mild yellowish orange. Hydroxychloroquine Generic | Brand ---|--- Hydroxychloroquine | Plaquenil **How it's usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * Effective for early, mild rheumatoid arthritis and lupus **Risks:** * Upset stomach, nausea * Rash * Dizziness * Headache * Vision changes **Precautions:** * Before starting the medication, you may have an initial eye exam and then have regular eye exams while on the medication to monitor for vision changes. * Caution is recommended when liver disease or alcoholism is present. Minocycline Generic | Brand ---|--- Minocycline | Minocin, Solodyn, others **How it's usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * May be helpful for early, mild rheumatoid arthritis * May be used as an aid in reducing the dose of corticosteroids needed **Risks:** * Nausea * Diarrhea * Skin rash, sensitivity to light * Dizziness * Headache * Lightheadedness **Precautions:** * Minocycline isn't recommended if you're pregnant, as it can cause fetal harm, including tooth damage and discoloration during tooth development. * Minocycline can reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives. Talk to your doctor about your contraceptive options. Gold compounds Generic | Brand ---|--- Auranofin | Ridaura **How it's usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * A secondary option to treat rheumatoid arthritis with potent anti-inflammatory effects **Risks:** * Nausea, upset stomach * Diarrhea * Itching * Rash **Precautions:** * Auranofin isn't recommended if you're pregnant, as it can harm the baby. If you hope to become pregnant, discuss potential alternatives with your doctor. * Auranofin may not be right for you if you have kidney or liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, skin rash, or bone marrow deficiencies. * Contact your doctor promptly if you experience signs or symptoms of a toxic reaction, indicated by blood in the urine, itching, mouth sores or persistent diarrhea. * Easy bruising or bleeding may occur due to a low blood platelet count. Azathioprine Generic | Brand ---|--- Azathioprine | Azasan, Imuran **How it's usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * A secondary option in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis * Holds white blood cells in check and can restrain the autoimmune effects that are part of rheumatoid arthritis **Risks:** * Nausea and vomiting * Loss of appetite **Precautions:** * Avoid taking azathioprine if you also take the gout drugs allopurinol (Zyloprim) or febuxostat (Uloric). The combination in your body adds to the toxic effect and, if used, requires special dosing and close supervision. * Bleeding or unusual bruising may occur due to blood cell deficiencies. * Because of increased risk of infection, wash your hands regularly and avoid people who are ill. * Check with your doctor before receiving any vaccinations. Cyclosporine Generic | Brand ---|--- Cyclosporine | Gengraf, Neoral **How it's usually given:** * By mouth Benefits * Cyclosporine decreases the action of your body's immune system. By interrupting the immune process, it reduces inflammation and slows damage to your joints. **Risks:** * Acne * Upset stomach * Kidney problems * High blood pressure * Increased hair growth * Headache **Precautions:** * Cyclosporine isn't recommended if you have abnormal kidney function, uncontrolled high blood pressure or any type of cancer. * When the drug is combined with methotrexate, regular monitoring is recommended to check for changes in your blood cell count and liver function. * Don't take this drug with grapefruit, grapefruit juice or St. John's wort, which can affect the way your body absorbs the drug. * Use of live virus vaccines during treatment isn't recommended. * The medication can increase your risk of lymphoma and other cancers. * Because of increased risk of infection, wash your hands regularly and avoid people who are ill. Biologic agents Biologic agents are recommended for early, severe rheumatoid arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis that's been present for more than six months and hasn't responded to methotrexate or combination therapy. Biologics can also be combined with DMARDs, NSAIDs or corticosteroids. If you have an active infection, your doctor will want to treat that before starting you on a biologic agent. All people taking these medications should have tuberculosis testing for latent disease. TNF inhibitors Generic | Brand ---|--- Adalimumab | Humira Certolizumab | Cimzia Golimumab | Simponi Etanercept | Enbrel Infliximab | Remicade **How they're usually given:** * Injection **Benefits:** * Target TNF-alpha, an immune substance that plays a major role in the chronic inflammatory cascade that characterizes rheumatoid arthritis **Risks:** * Mild reaction at injection site (redness, pain, itching, swelling or bruising) * Headache * Abdominal pain * Upper respiratory tract infection **Precautions:** * Prior to receiving a TNF inhibitor, you'll be screened for tuberculosis and hepatitis B and C. If necessary, the infection will be treated before you start therapy. * Your doctor will monitor you closely for signs of infection while you're taking a TNF inhibitor. If you have a fever, feel generally unwell, or experience unexplained weight loss, excessive sweating, coughing or difficulty breathing, call your doctor right away. * Vaccination with live virus vaccines isn't recommended while you're on a TNF inhibitor. * TNF inhibitors may not be appropriate if you have chronic or recurring infections or you have a history of heart failure or seizures. * These medications may increase your risk of lymphoma or other cancers. * The medications may increase your risk of new or worsening heart failure. * Some people may develop new or worsening psoriasis. * The medications may damage protective coating that surrounds nerve fibers in the brain and spinal cord. * Biologics can affect certain blood cells, so let your doctor know if you experience bleeding, bruising, fatigue or weakness more easily than normal. Interleukin-1 inhibitor Generic | Brand ---|--- Anakinra | Kineret **How it's usually given:** * Injection **Benefits:** * Helps stall the disease process by targeting interleukin-1, another key player in the inflammatory cascade **Risks:** * Local reaction at injection site * Diarrhea * Flu-like reactions **Precautions:** * Your doctor will monitor your white blood cell count while you're on anakinra. * The medication can increase your risk of serious infections, including tuberculosis and bacterial, viral and fungal infections. * Contact your doctor if you have a fever, feel generally unwell, or experience unexplained weight loss, excessive sweating, coughing or difficulty breathing, as these could be signs of an infection. * Vaccination with live virus vaccines isn't recommended while you're on this medicine. Interleukin-6 inhibitor Generic | Brand ---|--- Tocilizumab | Actemra **How it's usually given:** * Injection **Benefits:** * Targets interleukin-6, disrupting the inflammatory process * An option for individuals who don't respond to other medications **Risks:** * Common cold symptoms * Serious infections, including tuberculosis, bacterial sepsis and fungal infections * Reactivation of dormant tuberculosis * Allergic reaction, possibly severe (anaphylaxis) * Tearing of the intestinal wall (bowel perforation), primarily if you have diverticulitis * High cholesterol * Blood cell deficiencies, resulting in bleeding and bruising more easily than normal, fatigue or weakness **Precautions:** * Prior to receiving tocilizumab, you'll be screened for tuberculosis and hepatitis B and C. If necessary, the infection will be treated before you start therapy. * Your doctor will monitor you closely for signs of infection while you're taking a tocilizumab. If you have a fever, feel generally unwell, or experience unexplained weight loss, excessive sweating, coughing or difficulty breathing, call your doctor right away. * While taking this medication, you'll be monitored regularly for changes in your blood cell counts and liver function. * Vaccination with live virus vaccines isn't recommended while you're on this medicine. * Tocilizumab isn't recommended if you have liver problems. Abatacept Generic | Brand ---|--- Abatacept | Orencia **How it's usually given:** * Injection **Benefits:** * Inhibits activation of T cells, blocking the perpetuation of inflammation * Usually reserved for severe rheumatoid arthritis that hasn't responded to other therapy **Risks:** * Headache and nausea * Increased risk of infection, including tuberculosis, bacterial sepsis and fungal infections **Precautions:** * Prior to receiving abatacept, you'll be screened for tuberculosis and hepatitis B and C. * If you have a fever, feel generally unwell, or experience unexplained weight loss, excessive sweating, coughing or difficulty breathing, call your doctor right away, as these could be signs of an infection. * Vaccination with live virus vaccines isn't recommended while you're on this medicine. Rituximab Generic | Brand ---|--- Rituximab | Rituxan **How it's usually given:** * Injection **Benefits:** * Targets and destroys immune system B cells * Is usually reserved for severe disease that hasn't responded to other treatment * Can be used in combination with methotrexate **Risks:** * Local reaction at injection site * Symptoms of upper respiratory infection * Urinary tract infection **Precautions:** * Prior to receiving rituximab, you'll be screened for tuberculosis and hepatitis B and C. * The medication can cause side effects for 24 hours after receiving the infusion. To minimize its side effects, your doctor may give you a dose of a corticosteroids, acetaminophen or antihistamines. * Vaccination with live virus vaccines isn't recommended while you're on this medicine or four weeks prior to its start. * Women shouldn't become pregnant during or for 12 months after taking this medication. Tofacitinib Generic | Brand ---|--- Tofacitinib | Xeljanz **How it's usually given:** * By mouth **Benefits:** * Inhibits the activation of Janus kinase (JAK), a protein kinase that contributes to inflammation * Used in adults who have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis that hasn't responded well to methotrexate **Risks:** * Upper respiratory tract infections * Headache * Diarrhea * Nasopharyngeal inflammation * Increased risk of serious infection * Increased risk of lymphomas and other cancers * Can increase cholesterol **Precautions:** * It can be used in combination with methotrexate or other nonbiologic DMARDS, but it shouldn't be used in combination with biologic DMARDs or strong immunosuppressive drugs, such as azathioprine or cyclosporine. * You need to be tested for latent tuberculosis infection. If you test positive, the infection should be treated before you begin tofacitinib therapy. Even if you test negative, you should be monitored for active tuberculosis while undergoing therapy. * While taking this medication, you'll be monitored regularly for changes in your blood cell counts, liver enzymes and blood cholesterol levels. ### **Chapter 6** # **Surgical treatments** If joint pain from arthritis persists despite your best efforts to stop it, then your doctor may recommend surgery to ease your symptoms and help you to reach a more active and fulfilling life. The primary goals of using surgery to treat arthritis are to relieve chronic pain, slow or prevent cartilage damage, correct the joint's mobility and stability, and restore as much function to the joint as possible. Some people choose surgery when they can no longer tolerate the pain and when other therapies they've tried, such as medications, exercise and weight loss, don't seem to help. Other people require surgery because arthritis interferes with their ability to work, maintain a home, pursue a career or participate in family life. Deciding to go with joint surgery involves careful consideration and planning with your doctor. There are many different surgical procedures, and each procedure offers benefits and risks in different combinations. It's important to understand the potential outcomes of surgery before deciding which may be the best option for you. It's also important to be aware of any physical limitations that surgery may impose on the joint – for example, if you choose to go with a certain procedure, do you lose some flexibility or are some movements restricted? The strength of the bones, tendons and ligaments supporting your joints, your age, your weight, and your ability to participate in rehabilitation can all affect the outcome of surgery. ### Common types of joint surgery Different types of surgical procedures are used to treat the joints affected by arthritis and make them more functional. A surgeon will recommend certain procedures in order to address your specific needs. Depending on your age and overall health, your form of arthritis, and your specific joint problems, one or more of the following procedures may be recommended. Debridement Surgeons use this procedure to remove loose fragments of bone, cartilage or synovium that cause joint pain, most often in the knees. The surgeon makes a small incision and inserts an arthroscope – a thin fiber-optic tube through which the surgeon views the joint via a tiny camera and can suction out the fragments. The surgeon may employ other surgical instruments inserted through additional incisions. Debridement is often helpful to people in early stages of osteoarthritis. The loose fragments can create the sensation of your knee joint "catching" or "locking up." While removing the loose pieces won't reverse the arthritis, the procedure may help the joint move more smoothly. Synovectomy The purpose of synovectomy (sin-o-VEK-tuh-me) is to remove some of the synovial tissue lining an inflamed joint, especially from rheumatoid arthritis. Removing this tissue can reduce pain and swelling and delay or possibly prevent cartilage and bone destruction. Although it may provide pain relief, synovectomy is not a cure. Inflammation may recur, as the synovium grows back following the procedure. Synovectomy is routinely performed on fingers, wrists and knees, before significant cartilage erosion or deformity occurs. Some specialists also perform synovectomy on the elbow. Synovectomy can be done arthroscopically or as open surgery. Cartilage transplantation In cartilage transplantation, a small sample of cells is removed from the cartilage of a healthy joint, cultivated in a laboratory, and inserted into a damaged joint along with a solution that will continue to stimulate cartilage growth. Physicians are using this procedure to treat only small areas of damaged cartilage. Transplantation for more extensive areas of damage, such as that typically seen in arthritis, has not yet been successful. Identifying substances that may stimulate healthy cartilage growth (cartilage growth factors) may help advance this technique. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### SELECTING A SURGEON If your decision is to have surgery, your primary care doctor or rheumatologist can help refer you to an orthopedic surgeon. Orthopedic surgeons perform operations involving joints, muscles and bones. Typically, you want someone with extensive experience in joint procedures. It's important to have confidence in the orthopedic surgeon you choose. Board-certified surgeons have met extensive requirements for training and experience. Some complete additional training and focus their practice on the treatment of specific joints. An experienced orthopedic surgeon should be able to answer questions about the options available to you, the risks and benefits associated with each, and what to expect during your recovery. Questions you may ask the surgeon include: * How often have you performed this kind of surgery in the past? * What are short-term and long-term risks associated with this surgery? * What type of implants do you recommend for this surgery? * What kind of anesthesia will be used and what are the risks? * Should I expect a lot of pain, and what measures can I use to relieve it? * How long is the recovery process and what is involved? * What outcome should I expect after this surgery? Given the potential risks and costs associated with surgery, seeking a second opinion before proceeding may be a sensible option. Either you or your doctor can initiate the process of getting a second opinion. Don't be afraid to ask about it. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Osteotomy During this procedure, surgeons cut and reposition bones near a damaged joint to help correct deformities caused by arthritis. These adjustments also help slow cartilage damage by distributing your body weight more evenly across the joint. Osteotomy (os-tee-OT-uh-me) is most commonly used to correct curvature or bowing in the lower leg bones caused by osteoarthritis around the knee joint. Resection Surgeons sometimes remove all or part of a damaged bone when diseased joints make movement painful. Resection is frequently used in the feet to make walking easier and in the wrists and hands to reduce pain. It's less commonly used in larger joints such as hips or knees. Joint replacement When arthritis severely damages a joint, your doctor may recommend replacing it with synthetic compounds in a surgical procedure called replacement arthroplasty (AHR-throe-plas-tee), also called total joint replacement. For the procedure, the surgeon removes certain parts of the damaged joint and replaces them with a high-density plastic, metal alloy or ceramic device called a prosthesis or implant. Most of the major ligaments and tendons are left in place and rebalanced so that the joint straightens and bends well, and is stable from side to side and front to back. The hip and the knee are the most commonly replaced joints, but implants can also replace damaged bone and cartilage in other joints. In some cases, the surgeon may choose to preserve most of the joint and replace only the most damaged part. For example, the surgeon may reshape the femur head in a hip joint to accept a metal cap (similar to crowning a tooth) but leave the rest of the joint in place. Joint resurfacing may help prevent or delay the need for a total joint replacement, although there's still a risk that the resurfaced joint may break or fracture at a later time. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### ANATOMY OF AN ARTIFICIAL JOINT When the gradual deterioration of a joint occurs due to arthritis, implanting an artificial joint can help to eliminate pain and restore near-normal function. The implants are also called prostheses. Artificial joints are made of various metals, ceramics or plastic-like materials called polymers. Surgeons choose the implants best suited to your needs from a wide selection of sizes, shapes and construction. At some medical centers, physicians may use computers to custom design the implant. Traditionally, surgeons have secured joint implants to bones with a special cement. This method generally works well, but sometimes, the cement may eventually crack years later, causing the implant to loosen. If loosening occurs, you may need additional procedures to reattach or replace the implant. Uncemented prostheses are used more commonly now, especially in hip surgery. These implants have a porous surface into which the bone grows and attaches itself, which may improve durability. But uncemented implants may also loosen. Rarely, the bone fails to attach itself to the implant and the implant becomes fixed with scar tissue. Over time, artificial joints create debris from friction and wear. The tiny particles can cause inflammation that destroys bone in the joint and may ultimately contribute to loosening of the implant. Typically, you'll be asked to schedule regular follow-ups every few years to monitor your joint's condition. The components of an artificial hip implant, shown assembled (left) and apart (right). The implant on the right is cementless, with a surface on the long stem to which bone attaches itself. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Joint fusion Also called arthrodesis (ahr-throe-DEE-sis), joint fusion is used most often to reduce pain and improve stability in the spine, wrist, ankle, and joints of the fingers and toes. During this procedure, surgeons remove a thin layer of tissue from the ends of two bones and bind them together, often using pins, rods or plates. Fresh bone cells then grow at the juncture, fusing the two bones. Once healed, the fused joint can bear weight but has no flexibility. Because it eliminates joint mobility, joint fusion is typically used when total joint replacement isn't possible. Tendon and ligament adjustment Surgeons can repair tendon tears to reduce pain, restore function and, in some cases, prevent tendon rupture. Procedures to tighten or loosen tendons and ligaments are sometimes recommended to decrease pain, increase joint mobility or prepare a joint for total joint replacement. Surgeons also perform procedures to relieve pressure on nerves located near damaged joints. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### YOUR BODY'S JOINTS Your body has several distinct types of joints, which enables you to perform a variety of essential functions: Fixed. These joints don't allow movement between bones. They absorb shock to help prevent the bones from breaking while also protecting the underlying tissue. Fixed joints between the bony plates of your skull, for example, protect the sensitive brain tissue underneath. Hinge. Similar in function to the hinge in a doorway, a hinge joint allows forward and backward movement (although there is slight motion in other directions). Your elbows, fingers, knees and toes contain hinge joints. Pivot. These joints allow a rotating movement. The pivot joint in your neck allows your head to turn from side to side. Your elbow is equipped with both hinge and pivot joints. Ball and socket. In these joints, the large round end of one bone fits snugly into a cup-shaped cavity of another bone. This allows movement in almost every direction, making swinging and rotation movements possible. Good examples of ball-and-socket joints are your shoulders and hips. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Choosing the right procedure Because all joints vary greatly in size, shape, design and function, surgeons must accommodate these many differences and tailor your treatment accordingly. This section explores how surgeons select procedures like the ones described in the previous section to help relieve your arthritis symptoms in specific joints. Hands and wrists The ability to grasp a spoon, turn a doorknob or button a shirt is something you may take for granted until arthritis starts affecting your hands or wrists. It's no secret that arthritis pain can make these movements difficult, if not nearly impossible. Like all joint operations, the primary goals of hand or wrist procedures are to improve function and reduce pain. Although some procedures can improve the appearance of finger joints deformed by arthritis, surgery is rarely recommended for cosmetic reasons alone – unless it has a profoundly detrimental effect on your self-image and social interactions. Tendon and ligament adjustments. Sometimes, rheumatoid arthritis causes tears in the tendons of the hand and wrist, and an operation is performed to repair the damage and prevent rupture of these tendons. Other surgical procedures help tighten or loosen tendons and ligaments in the hand and wrist to decrease pain and increase your mobility and grip strength. Synovectomy or resection. Removing inflamed tissue or damaged bone may help reduce pain in the wrists and fingers caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Joint fusion. If you have severely damaged finger or wrist joints, fusing the joints together may relieve pain and improve stability. But fusing wrist joints also reduces movements with your hand. Joint replacement. Hand and wrist joint replacements are performed less often than are hip and knee replacements, partly because the joints are small, close to the skin, and require precise repair of ligaments and tendons. The hand is a complex structure with many moving parts. Because other surgical procedures, such as joint fusion and tendon adjustment, produce generally favorable results, many surgeons reserve replacement for only the most severely damaged hand and wrist joints. Some surgeons reserve knuckle replacement for older adults who tend to use their hands less, allowing the artificial knuckles to last longer. If you have joint replacement surgery on a hand or wrist, your hand will be placed in a splint for two to three weeks while the soft tissues heal. After that, you'll undergo physical therapy to retrain the tissues. Post-surgical therapy is essential because there's so much soft tissue reconstruction involved in wrist or finger joint replacement. The illustration at right shows an artificial implant in the knuckle of the index finger. The implant can reduce pain and restore motion in the knuckle joint, and improve overall function of the hand. Elbows If medications and daily exercise aren't providing enough relief from arthritis pain in your elbow, you may consider other options. Several surgical procedures can reduce pain and increase the range of motion in your elbow. Possibilities range from arthroscopic procedures that require small incisions and short recovery times to complete surgical replacement of your elbow joint. Elbow surgery is generally performed in one of two ways. Open surgery refers to the more traditional method – working on the joint through an incision in the arm. Open surgery on the elbow is widely available, and surgeons have been doing it for years. The other option is arthroscopic surgery. It offers the advantages of decreased risk of infection and less postoperative scarring. But the procedure requires special expertise because your surgeon is moving a tiny camera and surgical tools within your elbow. If the joint has deteriorated from arthritis, arthroscopic elbow surgery may not be an option. And because this is a relatively specialized procedure, it may not be available at all medical centers. The specific surgical procedure that's right for you will depend on several factors, including the type of arthritis you have – osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis – and the condition of your elbow joint. Synovectomy or resection. Removing inflamed tissue and, sometimes, damaged bone is usually the first choice of surgery for people in the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis. The procedure can help increase your elbow's range of motion and relieve pain. You and your doctor may consider synovectomy if you've tried medication and therapy for at least six months and you still have severe elbow pain. The procedure can be either open or arthroscopic. Because arthroscopy uses high-powered optics and small surgical instruments, and it allows your surgeon to access more of the joint, arthroscopic synovectomy is typically more thorough than the open option. The synovium in your joints eventually grows back, which means that elbow pain could return. But a synovectomy can delay the need for more-invasive surgical treatments, such as elbow replacement. Plus, medications can prevent the synovium from becoming inflamed again. Total elbow replacement may be recommended if arthritis has severely damaged cartilage and bone (see inset). The components of the artificial joint are anchored with the help of long stems inserted into the humerus and ulna bones. Some implants permit movement in only one plane (hinge joint) while others permit rotation of the forearm (hinge and pivot joints), similar to a normal joint. Debridement. For osteoarthritis, removing loose fragments is usually the first choice of surgery after medications and physical therapy fail to bring pain relief. Debridement can be performed either open or arthroscopically. A more thorough form of debridement, known as osteocapsular arthroplasty, involves removing bone spurs, loose bone and cartilage, as well as performing a synovectomy and recontouring bones that have deteriorated due to arthritis. Although osteocapsular arthroplasty can be an extremely successful procedure, it's also relatively new and difficult to perform – reasons why the surgery still isn't widely available. Interposition arthroplasty. For this open-surgery procedure, your surgeon removes bone spurs or loose fragments from the elbow joint. He or she then dislocates your elbow and stitches a piece of skin tissue or tendon – usually taken from elsewhere in your body or from a donor – in place between the bones that make up the elbow joint. This tissue resurfaces the joint, keeping your bones from rubbing together and thereby reducing pain. This procedure is typically offered to younger or very active adults with severe arthritis of the elbow as a way to increase functionality and delay total joint replacement. Having total joint replacement carries limitations on activities and the amount of weight you can lift, which may seriously hamper some active people. Pain relief and range of motion after interposition arthroplasty can be unpredictable, and joint instability after surgery is a significant risk. Undergoing the procedure doesn't preclude you from having replacement surgery later. Joint replacement. If you have intolerable pain that doesn't respond to medication and your daily activities are limited by arthritis, you might be considered for total elbow arthroplasty, or total elbow replacement. Replacing the entire joint is usually reserved for people with advanced arthritis that hasn't responded to nonsurgical treatments and less aggressive surgical options. It's generally done in adults age 60 and older, and isn't recommended for younger people unless other types of surgery have failed. Replacing the diseased bone and tissue with an artificial joint, which functions similar to a hinge, can relieve pain and restore range of motion. During the procedure, your surgeon makes an incision in the backside of the elbow and moves muscles and nerves out of the way. He or she then removes diseased parts of the bones, reshapes the remaining bones and places the prosthetic joint in place. Elbow implants are typically secured with a combination of cement and bone regrowth into certain uncemented parts of the implant. As with any surgery, elbow replacement carries the risk of infection and bleeding. Also, mechanical problems with the new elbow joint, such as loosening or breakage, are more likely to occur than in other joints because of the tremendous stress that the elbow typically undergoes with use. Damage to the nerves in your elbow is also possible as a result of the operation. While elbow replacement can increase range of motion and reduce pain, your use of the new joint is subject to limitations. After surgery, you shouldn't lift more than 1 or 2 pounds regularly, and lifting up to 10 pounds can only be done occasionally. Heavier lifting could damage the new joint or the bones holding it in place. These restrictions remain for the life of your new joint. Shoulders Doctors typically start out recommending daily exercise and medications to treat arthritis of the shoulder. However, if pain and movement restriction persist after you've tried these options, it may be time to consider surgery. Joint replacement is the most common surgical procedure for shoulder arthritis, but other procedures may be considered. Synovectomy. If you have rheumatoid arthritis and the bones in your shoulder joint aren't damaged, a synovectomy might be all that's needed to restore motion and reduce pain. A synovectomy can be done as either open or arthroscopic surgery. While it's true that the synovium can grow back and become inflamed again, medications can usually prevent that from happening. Among people with rheumatoid arthritis of the shoulder who undergo the procedure, most will have pain-free motion in the joint. Joint fusion. When bone or cartilage damage in your shoulder is extensive, more aggressive surgery may be needed. Joint fusion can reduce pain and offer long-term stability, but because the fusion immobilizes your joint, the procedure significantly reduces your ability to use the shoulder. Joint fusion is less common today than it once was. You may be a candidate for this procedure if damage from arthritis makes it impossible for the muscles and tendons in your shoulder to hold an artificial joint securely in place or an infection of the shoulder joint has caused loss of cartilage. Debridement. Osteocapsular arthroplasty is another surgical option for shoulder arthritis. During this arthroscopic procedure, your surgeon removes bone spurs and reshapes and smoothes the joint surfaces of the shoulder. This makes it easier for the bones in your shoulder to move without friction and pain. In total shoulder replacement (left), the ball component of the artificial joint is anchored to the humerus with the help of a long stem that's inserted into the bone, while the socket component is fixed to the shoulder blade. In this way, the implant replicates the structure and function of your natural shoulder joint. The implant design is reversed in reverse shoulder replacement (right). The ball component is fixed to the shoulder blade, and the socket component is attached to the humerus. Joint replacement. Total shoulder replacement (arthroplasty) is the most common type of shoulder surgery for arthritis. It can increase the range of motion in your shoulder, making it easier to move your arm. It also improves strength and reduces pain in your shoulder. During total shoulder replacement, your surgeon removes damaged parts of the bones that make up your shoulder joint, including the ball-shaped top of your upper arm bone (humerus) and the socket (glenoid cavity) of your shoulder blade. The surgeon replaces them with an artificial joint consisting of a metal ball and plastic socket. Your surgeon might also clean up the area around the joint by removing bone spurs (osteophytes) and inflamed synovium. A longer rehabilitation period is necessary with shoulder replacement than with other types of joint replacement. Learning to use your new joint and recovering its strength may take months, while regaining full function may take up to a year. You need to diligently follow a prescribed set of exercises beginning the first day after surgery. Not sticking to the exercise regimen can lead to stiffness or instability in, and dissatisfaction with, your new shoulder joint. Shoulder replacement surgery is fairly safe and predictable, and most people are satisfied with their new shoulder joints. As with any surgery, though, you face the risk of infection and bleeding, and complications can arise. A small number of artificial joints will eventually need to be replaced. The prostheses can loosen, requiring refitting. Sometimes, the shoulder becomes weak and unstable, which may require revision surgery. Hemiarthroplasty. If the ball-shaped top of your humerus is damaged but the socket-shaped glenoid cavity of your shoulder blade is still in good shape, your surgeon may recommend a version of total joint replacement called hemiarthroplasty. In this procedure, only the ball is replaced. The socket remains, although your surgeon may smooth it out. The procedure may also be considered if you have a tear in the muscles and tendons that support your shoulder (rotator cuff) in addition to arthritis. A rotator cuff tear may make it difficult for your shoulder muscles to firmly hold a prosthetic socket in place, which would undermine the durability of a total shoulder replacement. If you're younger and want to use your shoulder more vigorously than is possible with total joint replacement, your surgeon may recommend resurfacing hemiarthroplasty, which affixes a synthetic surface cap to the ball part of the joint. This procedure provides pain relief – although perhaps with less predictable results than with a total replacement – and avoids years of wear and tear on an artificial joint. The possibility of a total shoulder replacement remains open for a later time. Reverse shoulder arthroplasty. As its name implies, reverse shoulder arthroplasty is a turnabout from the typical shoulder implant. A reverse prosthesis is placed so that the ball portion is attached to the shoulder blade and the socket portion is attached to the upper arm bone. This procedure is most appropriate for people with significant shoulder problems, for example, having shoulder arthritis along with extensive tears of muscles and tendons in the rotator cuff, or having a failed previous shoulder joint replacement and a weak rotator cuff. The reverse technique compensates for a lack of rotator cuff support by shifting your shoulder's pulling leverage to another muscle of the shoulder. This allows you to lift your arm again with relative ease. There's some concern about whether reverse shoulder arthroplasty, which is relatively new, will develop unexpected mechanical problems or loosen over time. But early results so far have been very promising. Hips The daily demands that are placed on your hips to bear weight, walk, climb stairs, bend and twist make them the hardest working joints in your body. When weight loss, taking medications, limiting activity and using a cane fail to provide relief, your doctor may recommend hip surgery. Osteotomy. This surgery, used to adjust and realign the bones of your hip joint, is occasionally used to help reduce hip pain, particularly in younger people with arthritis. During this procedure, the surgeon changes the joint alignment by making a cut in the bone just below the joint to move healthier cartilage to the area that bears the greatest weight. This helps evenly distribute your body weight and, for some people, brings pain relief and improved function of the hip joint. In best-case scenarios, osteotomy may delay the need for total hip replacement for 10 to 20 years. Joint fusion. Fusing the bones of an arthritic hip joint is another surgical option. During this procedure, your surgeon joins the round upper end of your thighbone (femur) and the socket in your pelvic bone (acetabulum), eliminating all motion. Those best suited for this procedure are people who've had persistent infection in the hip or who are poor candidates for hip replacement because of a weak immune system. In the illustration above, severe osteoarthritis has destroyed cartilage and bone in the the left hip. In total hip replacement, the surgeon replaces the head or "ball" of the thighbone (femur) with an implant consisting of a metal ball attached to a metal stem that is inserted into the femur (see inset). A socket implant is attached to your pelvic bone. The components may be cemented or uncemented, often depending on your bone quality. See photograph of an artificial hip joint Joint replacement. Hip replacement surgery, or total hip arthroplasty, is by far the most successful surgical procedure for treating advanced arthritis of the hip. It's also one of the most common joint replacement surgeries, with more than 350,000 done annually in the United States. The implants for an artificial hip joint come in many shapes, styles and materials. Your surgeon decides which joint is best suited for you. The implants, which mimic the natural design of your hip, fit together and function like a normal joint. They are biocompatible – meaning they're designed to be accepted by your body – and made to resist corrosion, degradation and wear. Some artificial hip joints are held in place with bone cement. Others are uncemented and held in place by new bone growth into part of the prosthesis over time. No hard and fast rules dictate whether cemented or uncemented fixation should be used – it typically depends on bone quality. In general, uncemented fixation is used for people who have good bone quality. However, you may need to wait a few weeks for new bone growth to form before applying your full weight to the new joint. Cemented fixation is used for people with weakened health or poor bone quality. A cemented joint can usually withstand your full weight immediately after surgery. For older adults, it's not uncommon for a hybrid form of joint fixation, in which the socket is placed uncemented while the stem is cemented. During the procedure, your thighbone is separated from the socket on your pelvis. Working between the large hip muscles, your surgeon removes damaged bone and tissue and leaves healthy bone intact. Next, an artificial socket is pressed into place on the pelvis. The top end of the thighbone is hollowed out to allow insertion of the stem of the ball implant. The ball and the socket join to form a new hip joint. Before closing the incision, your surgeon checks the alignment and stability of the new joint. Hip replacement surgery is successful more than 90 percent of the time. You can expect to be pain-free for 15 to 20 years after the procedure. But don't expect to do things that you couldn't do before surgery. High-impact activities, such as running and playing basketball, may not be possible after a hip replacement. But in time, you may be able to swim, play golf, walk or ride a bike comfortably. Hip replacement surgery is generally safe, but complications may occur. Although some complications are serious, most can be treated successfully. On rare occasion, complications may include blood clots, dislocation, infection, fracture, loosening or breakage of the prosthesis, change in leg length or joint stiffening. Hip replacement used to be an option primarily for older adults. But improved technology has produced longer lasting artificial joints available for more active people, including young adults. However, active people face the possibility of more surgery to replace worn-out artificial joints if they don't reduce their activity following the initial procedure. Repeated surgery, also called revision surgery, is more difficult and often isn't as successful as the original procedure. A noteworthy change is the recent development of a less invasive surgical technique. Although the procedure is similar to traditional hip replacement, this surgery is performed with specially designed instruments inserted through one relatively small incision. The less invasive procedure isn't suitable for everyone. The surgery is more technically demanding than is the conventional procedure, and there can be the same complications, such as dislocated hips, bone fractures, and nerve and blood vessel injuries. Because the procedure is a relatively new one, there are a limited number of studies showing long-term outcomes. Some short-term studies have shown that people undergoing minimally invasive hip replacement may have an easier recovery and spend less time in the hospital. However, other short-term studies don't support these findings, and longer follow-up is needed to evaluate the technique. Resurfacing. In younger, more active people, some surgeons opt for a form of hip replacement that retains most of the ball of the hip joint, trimming only damaged portions and capping the ball with a smooth metal surface. The damaged socket on the pelvis is removed, just as with traditional hip replacement, and replaced with an artificial one. An advantage of resurfacing is that it allows for replacing the entire femoral head at a later time, if necessary. This may be easier than correcting a total hip replacement if dislocation or implant failure occurs. A potential risk of hip resurfacing is that the femoral neck – the area just below the ball of the hip joint – might eventually fracture, which requires full joint replacement. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### EASING THE PAIN AFTER SURGERY After joint replacement surgery, you may receive a local anesthetic to numb the nerves surrounding the painful joint. The nerve block is supplied through a catheter that is set up on the day of surgery and remains in place for the first two nights after surgery. It typically provides good pain relief. Some increase in pain is normal as the nerve block's effect gradually wears off. Another option is to inject a "cocktail" of pain-relieving medications into the joint and surrounding tissues at the time of surgery. Both techniques reduce or eliminate the side effects from narcotic pain medications normally used in such cases. They have also reduced recovery time after surgery. When the nerve block is stopped, you will be given oral pain medication, which is usually effective. The medication helps ease discomfort, but pain may not be completely relieved. You will do best taking the medication before pain becomes significant – inform your doctor sooner rather than later if pain is increasing. Express the level of pain you feel on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 equal to no pain and 10 equal to the worst pain imaginable. Also tell your doctor if you have any other discomfort or suspect the pain medication is causing nausea or other symptoms. Cold packs may be applied to help reduce swelling and discomfort around the incision. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Knees Surgery offers various options to relieve pain and restore mobility to an arthritic knee. Debridement. This minimally invasive procedure is frequently used to remove cartilage tears or loose tissue fragments from around the knee joint. This may be a good approach if you're young or middle-aged and the arthritis is a result of sports injuries. It's less effective for people with severe knee arthritis or who've had the disease for a long time. Synovectomy. Removing inflamed tissue from around the knee joint can decrease pain and swelling in people with rheumatoid arthritis if the cartilage isn't significantly damaged. Although it doesn't appear to slow the progress of arthritis, synovectomy may delay the need for total joint replacement in younger people. Because the knee is a relatively large joint, surgeons typically perform the procedure with arthroscopy. This allows the surgeon to view inside the joint and remove diseased tissue with small instruments. An arthroscopic procedure requires a much smaller incision than does a conventional operation, so recovery is usually quicker. In total knee replacement, a U-shaped component is attached to the end of the femur following the removal of diseased bone and cartilage. A T-shaped component is attached to the tibia with the shaft of the T firmly anchored in the bone. The platform of the T provides a resting place for the femoral component. A plastic spacer inserted between the two components functions as artificial cartilage by creating a smooth gliding surface. Some joints include another small component – a circular piece of plastic that attaches to your kneecap to replace damaged cartilage. Osteotomy. Doctors sometimes recommend osteotomy – the surgical realignment of bone – to slow cartilage damage in the knee and relieve pain. Trimming and repositioning the leg bones allows your body weight to be more evenly distributed across the knee joint, taking pressure off the arthritic area and moving it to more normal cartilage. It also corrects curvature or bowing in the lower leg bones caused by osteoarthritis. Surgeons typically recommend this procedure for younger, more active people with damage mostly on one side of the knee. Joint fusion. Permanently fusing the parts of the knee together is an option for people who aren't candidates for knee replacement surgery – perhaps because of age, activity level or weight, or if an artificial knee becomes infected and can't be saved. Although fusion limits knee motion, it allows your leg to bear weight without pain. Joint replacement. Knee replacement surgery, or total knee arthroplasty, can help relieve pain and restore function in severely diseased knee joints. More than 700,000 knee replacement surgeries are performed each year. Your doctor can choose from a wide variety of implant designs that take into account your age, size, activity level and overall health. Most replacement procedures attempt to replicate your knee's natural ability to roll and glide as it bends. Although most people who undergo knee replacement are between the ages of 50 and 80, surgeons occasionally replace the knees of people who are younger. The active lifestyles of younger people may cause greater wear on the artificial knee, requiring it to be replaced in the future. During the replacement surgery, your surgeon cuts away damaged bone and cartilage from the lower thighbone (femur), upper portion of lower leg bone (tibia) and kneecap. Your knee is kept in a bent position so that all surfaces of the joint are fully exposed. After making an incision, the muscles, kneecap and connective tissues are moved aside, and the damaged bone and cartilage are cut away. The ligaments are realigned to hold the joint together after the prosthesis is in place. Leg bones also may be realigned. Your surgeon smoothes the bones' rough edges and carefully measures the cut to ensure a good fit for your new prosthesis. The artificial joint is then put in place. Most implants are affixed with bone cement. Others are uncemented and held in place by new bone growth. Before closing the incision, the surgeon will bend and rotate the new joint, testing and balancing it to ensure proper function. Although you probably won't forget that you have an artificial knee – for example, your range of motion with a knee implant may never return to normal or you might hear clicking sounds when you walk – about 90 percent of people who have total knee replacement experience significant pain relief, improved mobility and better overall quality of life. During the first weeks after surgery, physical activity will typically include a graduated walking program – first indoors, then outdoors – and knee-strengthening exercises that you learn from a physical therapist. You may also be advised to slowly resume other normal household activities, including walking up and down stairs. Three to six weeks after surgery – depending on your doctor's assessment – you can typically resume most normal daily activities, such as shopping and light housekeeping. Driving is generally possible in four to six weeks if you can bend your knee far enough to sit in a car and you have enough muscle control to properly operate the brakes and accelerator. Being active after joint replacement is important for keeping your new artificial joint working smoothly. After recovery, you can enjoy a variety of low-impact activities, such as recreational walking, moderate hiking, swimming, golf, recreational biking and ballroom dancing. You'll probably need to avoid high-impact activities, because they may increase the risk of knee failure. Avoid vigorous walking, jogging, contact or jumping sports, high-impact aerobics, skiing, and tennis. Avoid repetitive lifting of objects exceeding 50 pounds. If arthritis has affected a part of your knee joint while leaving other parts undamaged, your surgeon may recommend a partial knee replacement. Partial knee replacement. If arthritis has affected one part of your knee, your doctor may suggest an implant to replace just the damaged part. This procedure is less extensive than total replacement and usually allows for faster recovery. A partial replacement may also feel more like your natural knee. To determine whether you're a candidate for the partial procedure, your surgeon must be certain that other parts of the joint are undamaged. Usually this can be determined by X-rays or MRI scans, but in some cases, your doctor may not make the decision until the time of surgery. Minimally invasive surgery. In recent years, some surgeons have offered a procedure using a smaller incision, which may reduce trauma to muscles and tendons and result in a faster recovery and less scarring. Some research suggests that overall limb alignment, an important factor in the longevity of the implant, may suffer when surgery is performed through smaller incisions. More research into the long-term effects is necessary to know whether the procedure is as safe and effective as the conventional procedure. Ankles and feet Like hips and knees, your ankles and feet are weight-bearing joints that help carry the weight of your body. Various procedures are used to relieve pain and restore stability to these joints. Bone resection in the feet – for example, the removal of bunions, bone spurs or other bony growths – can make walking and standing less painful. Debridement or osteotomy. The removal of cartilage and bony protrusions (debridement) and the surgical realignment of bone (osteotomy) can provide temporary relief from pain and delay the need for more extensive surgery, perhaps for several years. The procedure is most often performed arthroscopically but can be done as open surgery. Synovectomy. For people with rheumatoid arthritis in the front of the foot, removal of inflamed synovial tissue in early stages of the disease may provide pain relief before the cartilage becomes badly eroded. After the procedure, your doctor will likely recommend taking certain drugs that will help reduce inflammation in your foot (see Chapter 5 for more information). Joint fusion. If your symptoms are severe, the surgeon may recommend fusing the bones in your foot or ankle to improve stability and reduce pain, particularly if the condition has caused severe deformity. Joint fusion remains a standard treatment for arthritis of the ankle, although it can lead to changes in gait and may eventually cause arthritic changes in other joints of the foot. The procedure may be a good option if you're younger and wish to resume more-strenuous activities. Joint replacement. Ankle joint and foot joint replacements are still relatively recent and evolving procedures that aren't widely used, partly because they lack a strong record of success. The procedure is complex with risks of the implants loosening, infection and persistent pain after the procedure. Newer implant designs have reduced some of the problems but haven't eliminated them entirely. If the artificial joint fails, having good success with a different treatment remains a challenge. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### PLAN AHEAD FOR RECOVERY Expect your recovery from surgery to take some time. It may be several months before you can resume all of your normal activities. To make things easier on yourself, plan for your return home after surgery before you go to the hospital: * Expect to stay in the hospital immediately after surgery. Typically, people stay two nights after total hip or knee replacement surgery. * The best option after you've been discharged is to go directly home. Another option is to go to a loved one's home. Ask someone to accompany you as you leave the hospital. * Ask someone – family member, friend or neighbor – to assist you for the first seven to 14 days at home. Or you may arrange for a temporary caretaker from a home health care agency or a short stay at a step-down care facility during this time. You should not be alone for more than three or four hours at a time during this period. * Your caregiver must be able to help you with activities around the house, such as getting dressed, preparing meals and laundry. * Leave your home clean and orderly before you go to surgery so that you won't need to clean it during your recovery. * Move throw rugs, electric cords and clutter out of the way of traffic paths through your house. * If possible, rearrange your bedroom with extra space around the bed to allow room to get in and out while using a walker or crutches. If your bedroom is up or down a flight of stairs, have your bed temporarily moved to a room on the main level of your home. * Be sure to get instructions on how best to lie down and sit up in bed (see the illustration in chapter 10). * Consider installing safety bars or a secure handrail in your shower or bath and arrange for a toilet-seat riser with arms if you have a low toilet. Try using a stable bench or chair in your shower. * Make sure the handrails along your stairways are secure. * Rearrange your kitchen so that you can easily reach utensils, tableware and food items. Place them in convenient locations that require no bending, stretching or lifting. * Stock up on food supplies. Prepare some meals in advance and freeze them to use after you return home. * Set up one location as a "recovery center" where you'll spend most of your time. Make sure to have a sturdy armchair with a firm seat cushion and back – not a recliner. Gather the things you use often and place them within easy reach: television remote control, telephone, music player, laptop computer or tablet, books, tissues, medicine and a pitcher of water. * Ask your mail carrier to deliver to your door, if possible. * Request a visit from your clergy person or spiritual adviser while you recover, if you wish. * Consider placing a clean plastic trash bag on the car seat to make it easier to turn and adjust your body once you're seated in the vehicle. * If you're interested in getting assistance from a home health care agency or public health nurse while you recover from surgery, select and arrange for the assistance beforehand. Your doctor may be able to help you with referrals and in making the arrangements. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Things to know before surgery You and your surgeon will determine when you can be admitted to the hospital. It's good to arrange ahead of time for meals, housekeeping and other assistance that will help you cope with changes in your activity level during recovery (see "Plan ahead for recovery"). Before the procedure, your surgeon or doctor will review your medications with you and explain any changes that may need to occur before, during and after surgery. In reviewing your medication regimen, your doctor will take into account the risks and benefits posed by changing a drug in light of your particular situation. Many surgeons ask people to stop using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) up to a week before the procedure to minimize the risk of bleeding. Acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) can usually be substituted for pain control, if necessary. Previously, doctors often asked people to stop taking disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for rheumatoid arthritis, such as methotrexate, for fear that it might increase the risk of infection. But newer research suggests that in most cases, this isn't necessary and you can continue to take these medications throughout the duration of the procedure. If you have a high risk of infection – say, due to uncontrolled diabetes or serious lung or liver disease – or a weakened immune system, your doctors may recommend skipping a few doses of the DMARD before and after surgery. Some doctors still recommend stopping medications such as leflunomide, sulfasalazine and azathioprine for a brief time before surgery. Because of a lack of data on the safety of taking biologic agents over the time of your surgery, your doctor or surgeon may ask you to stop taking these medications at least one cycle before the procedure to minimize the risk of infection. Biologic agents inhibit the activity of substances such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Your doctor may want to balance the risk of excessive inflammatory response against the risk that, without taking your medications, you may experience a flare-up of the disease. If you do discontinue a medication, you can usually start again one or two weeks afterward. Potential risks and complications Your medical team will monitor you closely during and after surgery to reduce the chance of infection, blood clot in the lung, blood loss or heart attack. Other rare complications are nerve and blood vessel injury, joint dislocation, bone loss, and even death. * Infection. Over the long term, the location of an artificial joint implant remains susceptible to infection. Bacteria can travel through your bloodstream and infect the site many years after the procedure. Notify your doctor immediately if you notice such warning signs as a fever greater than 100 F, shaking chills, drainage, and increasing redness, tenderness, swelling and pain around the artificial joint. If you take a course of antibiotics and they fail to clear up the infection, you will usually need additional surgery to remove the infected joint and install a new joint. To reduce the risk of implant infection, your doctor may recommend antibiotics each time you have certain dental procedures, such as tooth extraction or periodontal work, urological procedures, and bowel surgery. Protect your skin, especially in the lower extremities, as cuts, scrapes and ulcers may be entry points for bacteria to enter your bloodstream. * Blood clots. Blood clots forming in a vein of the leg (deep vein thrombosis) or lung (pulmonary embolus) are a serious concern after surgery, so blood thinners are commonly taken, especially after hip and knee replacement, to help reduce the risk of developing them. During the hospital stay, you'll be encouraged to move your foot and ankle, which increases blood flow to your leg muscles and helps prevent swelling and blood clots. You may need to receive blood thinners and wear support hose or compression boots to further protect against swelling and clotting. * Blood loss. Joint procedures may require a blood transfusion. The vast majority of people who receive transfusions have no adverse reactions. The use of a person's own blood (autologous transfusion), while popular in the past, is now rarely used. Analysis of people who used their own blood versus donated blood shows no difference in terms of side effects or reactions. Additionally, other methods have become common that minimize the likelihood that you'll need a blood transfusion. These include medications during surgery and the use of blood collection devices during the procedure that infuse blood back to you. The method used will depend on the results of blood tests taken before your surgery and the anticipated blood loss. * Loosening of artificial joints. Implants may loosen, dislocate or wear out, but improved designs and surgical techniques have prolonged the life of replacement joints. Rarely, an implanted artificial hip joint dislocates with certain movements or an injury. Hospital stay The length of your hospital stay after surgery will depend on many factors, including the type of joint operation you've had, your age and overall health, and whether you experience any complications after surgery. After the procedure, the surgical care team will monitor your vital signs, alertness, and pain or comfort level and adjust your medications accordingly. Your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection and blood thinner (anticoagulant) medication to reduce the risk of developing blood clots. Procedures that use only small incisions and local anesthesia, such as arthroscopic debridement or synovectomy, frequently do not require an overnight stay in the hospital. Physical therapy begins almost immediately after most joint procedures. Even though you may require assistance at first, you can expect to be up and out of your hospital bed several times daily. A physical therapist will help you practice the best ways to dress, sit down in a chair, get out of bed, use the toilet and climb stairs. Remarkably, most people leave the hospital about two to three days after total joint replacement. Rehabilitation Exercise and rest may be opposite sides of the coin, but both are important elements of recovery from joint surgery. It's absolutely essential that you follow the activity guidelines established by your surgeon or physical therapist. If you don't do the exercises, you can end up with a stiff, painful joint. On the other hand, appropriate rest is important. If you have rheumatoid arthritis in other joints, putting excessive stress on them during the recovery period, while you're protecting the operated joint, may cause a flare-up. Physical therapists can help you learn the proper way to move and protect a new or altered joint. Exercise can improve joint motion, strengthen the muscles around your joint, reduce pain and improve mobility. You may need to learn how to use assistive devices such as a walker, cane or crutches to guard against falls or other injuries while the surgical site heals. Occupational therapists can help you become more independent in activities of daily living (such as getting dressed, preparing food, bathing) and instruct you in the use of assistive devices such as dressing aids, grab bars, raised toilet seats and bath benches. The goal of rehabilitation is for you to become as independent as possible in your care and daily activity. Depending on your age, physical condition and home situation, your surgeon may recommend a short stay in a skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation center to allow you to focus fully on recovery before returning home. Recovery at home Continuing to do the recommended exercises at home will help you recover more quickly. Your doctor and physical therapist can determine when you'll be able to resume favorite activities. And they can identify positions or movements to avoid that may damage your new joint. If your surgery involved a weight-bearing joint (any joint below your waist), you'll probably need to use a walker, cane or crutches for a time after returning home. If you have difficulty getting around, your doctor may recommend in-home visits by a physical or occupational therapist. Joint infection may still be a risk after you leave the hospital. Make sure to contact your doctor if you develop a fever, if your incision opens, or if you notice an increase of pain, tenderness, swelling, redness, warmth or drainage near the surgical site. Also watch for signs of circulation problems, such as increased swelling, pain or tenderness in your limbs. During the first few weeks at home, your physical activity program will typically include a graduated walking program, starting slowly and then building as you become more fit and accustomed to the artificial joint. You'll also continue the strengthening exercises that you learned from the physical therapist. You may be advised to slowly resume other normal household activities, including walking up and down stairs. Three to eight weeks after a joint replacement – depending on the procedure you had and on your doctor's assessment – you generally can resume most normal daily activities, such as shopping and light housekeeping. Driving is generally possible in four to eight weeks after hip or knee replacement if you can bend the knee far enough to sit in a car and you have enough muscle control to properly operate the brakes and accelerator. ### New lease on life Full recovery from a joint operation may take only a few weeks for certain tendon, ligament or cartilage procedures. Some types of joint fusion, osteotomy or joint replacements can require several months to a full year of recovery before your bones heal fully and you regain maximum strength, stability and mobility. Many people experience a reduction in pain and swelling, as well as easier movement, in just days after the procedure. Your age, overall physical health and commitment to rehabilitation can play a role in how quickly you recover. Follow-up visits with your doctor also are important. Although recovering from joint replacement takes time, the outcome gives many people a new lease on life. Many years after surgery, the vast majority of recipients of an artificial hip or knee are still able to move around comfortably. But even after successful joint replacement and dedicated rehabilitation and care, you may need to permanently avoid vigorous, high-impact activities. Nevertheless, an active, fulfilling future should lie ahead for you. ### **Chapter 7** # **Complementary and alternative treatments** Conventional medicine has much to offer in helping you manage your arthritis. But standard arthritis medicines can't "cure" arthritis and they may not completely control your symptoms. You may still experience good days and not-so-good days. In addition, some conventional arthritis treatments carry the risk of unwanted and potentially serious side effects, especially after long-term use. For these reasons and others, many people with arthritis turn to complementary and alternative medicine. In the most recent government-funded survey, almost 40 percent of all adults interviewed reported using some form of complementary or alternative medicine, including herbal products, meditation, chiropractic care, yoga and massage, among others. Not surprisingly, people tended to seek nontraditional medicine for conditions that conventional medicine hasn't been able to cure, including head and chest colds and anxiety. Pain is a powerful motivator in the hunt for new treatments that may provide relief. Musculoskeletal problems, such as back pain, neck pain, joint pain and arthritis, are among the top conditions for which people seek complementary and alternative treatments. In one survey of people with rheumatic disease, roughly two-thirds had tried some form of non-traditional medicine. This chapter will help you learn about complementary therapies that may enhance your current treatment plan. In this chapter, you'll find background information on various complementary treatments and tips on how to be a smart consumer of these therapies, as well as detailed information on specific treatments for arthritis. Use this information to have an informed discussion with your arthritis team about additional options for your care. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### WHAT'S IN A NAME? The terminology used to describe health care methods that fall outside of mainstream medicine has evolved over the last several decades. It may seem confusing to hear different terms for what seem like the same thing. In the early 1990s, many of these methods were labeled as unconventional or alternative. Later, they were referred to as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), an umbrella term that's still used today. It's a large umbrella encompassing a diverse range of systems, practices and products that aren't typically part of conventional practice. There's an important distinction to be made: * Complementary therapies are treatments used in conjunction with conventional medicine, such as using tai chi along with standard pain medication to relieve pain. * Alternative therapies are used in place of conventional medicine, for example, seeing a homeopath or naturopath instead of your regular doctor. Among the general public, this distinction isn't always clear. Many people use the term "alternative medicine" as a catchall phrase for all health practices that aren't typically part of mainstream medicine. Integrative medicine is another term you might hear. This describes a growing movement in many health care institutions – integrating complementary therapies with conventional medicine to treat the whole person, not just the disease. This is done by combining the best of today's high-tech tests and procedures with the best of non-traditional practice. This integrated approach can help alleviate stress, reduce pain and anxiety, maintain strength and flexibility, and promote a sense of well-being. Mayo Clinic has a Complementary and Integrative Medicine Program, which has been in place for more than a decade to assist in health and healing. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Choosing a complementary therapy One of the key differences between complementary therapies and conventional medicine is that conventional medicine, particularly in the United States, is designed around clinical trials that rigorously test the medicines on thousands of people. When a medicine or therapy is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, regulators are fairly certain that the drug is safe and effective for most people who meet the criteria for taking it and who take it as instructed. Many complementary therapies – such as massage therapy, herbal supplements and meditation – have been in use for a thousand years or more. But these therapies didn't originate in a lab or go through a study. They were discovered by trial and error and continue to be used because many people find them helpful. So scientists are playing catch-up in their efforts to test many of these therapies on a large scale to determine how they work and make sure they are truly safe and effective. Evidence is still emerging, so it's important to use common sense when considering the use of any nontraditional therapies. Discuss your options Many people who use complementary therapies often don't discuss the therapies with their doctor. They assume their doctor will either be indifferent to or opposed to the treatments. But not telling your doctor about all of the therapies you're using, traditional or nontraditional, could prove dangerous. For example, just because a complementary therapy is said to be "natural" doesn't automatically mean that it's safe to use. Some dietary supplements and herbs touted as being natural can interfere with the conventional medications you may be taking. When considering a complementary or alternative therapy, discuss the therapy with your doctor first. Many doctors recognize the value of complementary practices and can blend them into your treatment plan. Your doctor may not know enough about a particular therapy to endorse it, but he or she may be able to show you studies regarding the risks and benefits or provide you resources to help evaluate your options. Regardless of your doctor's opinion of complementary and alternative medicine, it's important that he or she knows what you're doing. That allows you to receive the best possible care and avoid dangerous interactions. Assess the risks and benefits Some complementary therapies pose little risk while offering wonderful benefits. For example, meditation or relaxed breathing is unlikely to cause harm. It's easy to learn, accessible for use at any time, and can help you to relax and reduce stress. On the flip side, buying an herbal supplement that's marketed by an obscure online source as an arthritis cure may pose multiple risks. Supplements are complex mixtures of compounds found in nature. While there are many reputable supplement manufacturers in the United States, dietary supplements in general are not regulated with the same strict oversight as are prescription medications. Your product may have varying or unknown amounts of the active ingredient. Even though stronger regulations have been in place in the United States since 2010, the history of herbal products reaching store shelves that are of poor or unreliable quality still cause many physicians (and consumers) to view dietary supplements skeptically. Any potential benefits may be offset by the risks. So think critically, and use reputable sources and providers. Evaluate treatment providers Choose a complementary therapy practitioner in the same way you would choose a new family doctor. Examine his or her qualifications and experience. Ask for a referral from a trusted health care professional or a friend or family member who has undergone the treatment you're considering. A number of universities and teaching hospitals now have integrative health programs that offer a holistic, evidence-based approach to health care. If you're evaluating a licensed practitioner, check with your local and state medical boards for information regarding his or her credentials and whether any complaints have been filed against the individual. You can also contact well-established professional organizations, such as the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, for the names of certified practitioners in your area. Keep in mind, though, that for many unconventional therapies, there are no licensure or certification standards. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### WHAT MAKES A GOOD STUDY? As you evaluate scientific studies on arthritis, you may wonder how the various types of clinical trials work. Randomized controlled trial. A randomized controlled trial is basic to most medical research that's designed to evaluate a new medication or other form of treatment. In this type of study, participants are usually divided into two groups. The first group receives the treatment being studied. The other group is the control group. They will receive standard treatment, no treatment or an inactive substance called a placebo. Participants are assigned to these groups on a random basis to help ensure all of the groups will be similar. Double-blind randomized controlled trial. In this type of trial neither the researchers nor the participants know who is receiving the active treatment and who is receiving the placebo. With this approach, the results are objective. Still, because of the great variability among different people, many doctors prefer to see the results of subsequent trials confirming the results of a particular study before considering the results to be conclusive. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Consider treatment cost Your health insurance may not cover the complementary treatment you're considering. Check with your insurance company. If you have to pay for the treatment out of pocket, find out how much it will cost. If possible, get it in writing before you start treatment. Keep your mind open and objective Regard complementary and alternative therapies objectively. Stay open to possibilities, but fully evaluate any treatment you're considering. ### Forms of complementary therapy Many different forms of complementary therapy are available that may ease your arthritis symptoms and help you cope with your condition. Individual therapies may work in different ways to improve your physical and emotional health and your quality of life. This section outlines five common types of complementary medicine. Within each form, specific therapy options are described, beginning with the most frequently used therapies and those that seem to have the most support from conventional practitioners. Mind-body medicine People have long believed that your state of mind can influence your physical body and your health. Recent studies using cutting-edge technology, such as functional MRI and brain PET scanning, have confirmed this. Mind-body techniques that promote relaxation can be helpful for people with arthritis. They can help ease tension, which may also help reduce pain and improve physical functioning. Mind-body techniques usually get the green light for use from doctors. You can learn to do most of these techniques yourself. Many are inexpensive or free. To get the full benefit, though, you need to practice them regularly. Yoga and tai chi Yoga and tai chi are efficient, low-impact activities that can help you maintain both physical fitness and mental clarity. With regular practice, you can gradually increase your strength and flexibility while also cultivating your mind, body and spirit to promote health and relaxation. Yoga is a combination of breathing exercises, physical postures, meditation and other techniques that originated in India more than 5,000 years ago. Many different styles of yoga are practiced. Hatha yoga is the form of yoga most commonly practiced in the United States. It involves different body postures held for various lengths of time and done in a sequence. Tai chi is a Chinese discipline of self-defense that dates back at least 2,000 years. The practice combines rhythmic movements, breathing techniques and focused attention. A self-paced series of postures are performed in a slow, graceful manner. Each body position flows into the next as one continuous movement. Yoga and tai chi may improve quality of life and relieve pain from osteoarthritis by improving your strength, flexibility and balance, and by helping you control your weight. Studies have shown that tai chi can improve range of motion in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Both yoga and tai chi promote relaxation and help reduce stress, which often goes hand in hand with chronic pain. Some postures may strain your lower back and joints, so be cautious and don't push to perform a pose that feels uncomfortable. Ideally, try to study yoga and tai chi with a teacher who knows about your health condition and can help make necessary adjustments. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### GET STARTED WITH RELAXATION TECHNIQUES You can master simple relaxation techniques with a little practice. Use this approach whenever you feel increasing stress, pain or muscle tension. Relaxed breathing. Stress or pain typically causes rapid, shallow breathing. This kind of breathing sustains other aspects of the body's stress response, such as a rapid heart rate and perspiration. If you can control your breathing, the spiraling effects of acute stress will automatically become less intense. Here's how you can stay in control in times of stress: * Inhale. With your mouth closed and your shoulders relaxed, inhale deeply by slowly pushing your stomach out as you count to six. Allow the air to fill your diaphragm. * Exhale. Release the air through your mouth as you slowly count to six. * Repeat. Complete the inhale-exhale cycle three to five times. Progressive muscle relaxation. The goal of progressive muscle relaxation is to reduce muscle tension. First, find a quiet place where you'll be free from interruption. Loosen tight clothing and remove your glasses or contacts if you'd like. Find a comfortable position – seated or lying down. Beginning with your feet and working up through your body to your neck and head, tense each muscle group for at least five seconds and then relax the muscles for up to 30 seconds. Repeat before moving to the next muscle group. Areas to concentrate on include your feet, legs, stomach, back, chest, hands, arms, shoulders, neck and face. Each session should last about 10 minutes. As you learn to relax, you'll become more aware of muscle tension and other physical sensations caused by stress. Knowing what the stress response feels like will help you make a conscious effort to switch to relaxation mode whenever you notice stress building. And remember, relaxation is a skill. As with any skill, you'll get better with practice. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Meditation Meditation techniques have been around for thousands of years and are practiced by people of every theological bent. They can help you enter into a deep, restful state that reduces your body's stress response. There are many different paths to meditation. In general, when you're meditating, you're concentrating fully on the present, and not on past concerns or future anxieties. You focus on your breathing or on a mantra – a simple sound or phrase repeated over and over. By suspending the flow of emotions and thoughts that normally fill your mind, during meditation you're able to achieve a deep mental calmness and state of relaxation. It may also help you control how you respond to challenging and stressful situations. Today, many people meditate for spiritual reasons, but meditation may have health benefits, too. Regular practice of meditation can slow your brain waves, elevate your mood, and decrease your muscle tension, blood pressure and heart rate. It can also lessen your body's response to the chemicals it produces when you're stressed by pain. There are different ways to concentrate and focus your mind. Meditation is often practiced on its own. Some people start with a simple technique of sitting quietly and paying attention to their breathing. Meditation can be joined with another therapy, such as yoga and tai chi. You can even meditate while walking or jogging. Spirituality Spirituality has many definitions, but its practice helps to give lives meaning. Spirituality isn't necessarily connected to a specific belief system or to religious worship. Instead, it arises from your connection to yourself and to others, your development of a personal value system, and your search for meaning in life. For many, spirituality takes the form of religious practice, prayer, meditation or belief in a higher power. For others, spirituality can be found in nature, music and art. People have turned to spirituality and prayer to help cope with illness and suffering for millennia. Many faith traditions include spoken and written prayers for members of their community who are sick. Scientific investigation of the effectiveness of prayer as a pathway to better health has just begun and the evidence is inconclusive. But if you find comfort, meaning and inspiration from prayer and other spiritual practices, you may be better able to cope with the effects of arthritis. Spirituality may energize your spirit, as well as your mind and body. It may bring you comfort and hope during difficult days. Biofeedback Biofeedback teaches you how to control certain involuntary responses in your body that can help you manage arthritis pain. During a biofeedback session, a trained therapist applies electrodes and electronic sensors to your body. The sensors monitor your physical response to stress – including your heart rate, breathing patterns, body temperature and muscle activity. The sensors then feed the information back to you via sound and visual cues. With this feedback, you can learn how to control your body's responses and enter into a relaxed state in which you better cope with arthritis pain. Once you learn how to control the responses in a clinical setting, you can learn to control them on your own at home, without the help of a therapist or technology. You can receive biofeedback treatments in physical therapy clinics, medical centers and hospitals. To find a qualified biofeedback therapist, contact the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance or ask your doctor or another medical practitioner with knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine for a referral. There are also self-directed, computer-guided biofeedback programs currently on the market that may help you learn basic breathing and meditation exercises for stress management. Guided imagery Imagery is a thought process that invokes the senses – you use it to see in your mind's eye. Guided imagery, also called visualization, has been used by different cultures throughout the ages as a healing tool. With guided imagery, you close your eyes to the outside world and create a soothing mental picture that helps your mind to promote healing. In your mind's eye, for example, you might see yourself lying on a beach on a warm summer day listening to gentle waves lapping on the shore. When you imagine the beach, your brain is activated almost as if you were actually experiencing the sand in your toes. The message your brain receives is relayed to other body systems that regulate functions such as your heart rate and blood pressure. Your relaxed state may help alleviate pain, fatigue and other symptoms, reducing your need for medications. Hypnosis Hypnosis is often portrayed humorously on TV and in films, but it can be an effective health treatment for some people. Hypnosis induces a state of deep relaxation that enhances your concentration and makes you more open to the power of suggestion. For instance, you may be more open to a suggestion to relax, and you become less responsive to external stimuli. You can use hypnosis to help manage pain – or at least to shift your attention away from it. Several studies have found that hypnosis can be useful in pain management, although they haven't really looked at its use specific to arthritis. Scientists don't understand exactly how hypnosis works. It appears to alter brain wave patterns in much the same way that other relaxation techniques do, influencing nerve impulses, hormones and chemicals affecting how the brain communicates with your body. Research indicates that some adults are more susceptible to hypnotism than are others. Since it poses little risk of side effects, it may be worth a try if you're dealing with chronic pain. Aromatherapy This ancient form of healing uses essential oils (extracts or essences) from flowers, herbs and trees to promote health and beauty. Practitioners believe these oils help treat various symptoms, including arthritis pain and inflammation, when massaged into the skin or inhaled. Used more widely in Europe than in the United States, aromatherapy treatments are found in stores that sell natural health products. While many modern medications have come from plant extracts, more study is needed to determine whether any medicinal benefits are associated with the plant oils used in aromatherapy. Limited scientific research has been carried out on the use of aromatherapy for arthritis. Herbs and other dietary supplements Herbs and dietary supplements are the broadest category of complementary and alternative therapies. This category encompasses a wide range of ingredients found in nature, including herbs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, animal extracts and enzymes. Herbs and dietary supplements are the most commonly used form of complementary medicine in the United States. Almost 20 percent of adults report using some natural product. Herbal treatments have been in use for thousands of years. Many of today's conventional medicines – including digoxin, which is used for congestive heart failure, and quinine, used for malaria, were once considered folk medicines. And scientists continue to discover new medicines derived from plants and herbs. Many herbal preparations are marketed today as alternative pain relievers and inflammation fighters for both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Efforts are under way among some researchers to help carve a niche for such treatments in the fight against arthritis pain and other symptoms. But it's difficult to apply traditional scientific research to dietary supplements. Many products are complex mixtures of natural ingredients that often can't be tested in the same manner as conventional medications, in which one compound is tested for one disease. Different brands of the same herb may contain varying amounts of the active ingredient. In addition, research hasn't established guidelines regarding dosages and side effects to get best results. So it's important to talk to your doctor before taking any herb or dietary supplement. Glucosamine and chondroitin Glucosamine and chondroitin are natural compounds found in cartilage – the tough, pliable tissue that cushions joints. Glucosamine supplements are made from the outer skeletons of shellfish. Chondroitin supplements are made from sources such as shark cartilage. The two compounds are often used in combination. Use of these supplements to treat osteoarthritis has exploded, with sales reaching nearly $1 billion annually. At the same time, here have been dozens of clinical trials to evaluate glucosamine for osteoarthritis – most often for osteoarthritis of the knee. Unfortunately, these studies have yielded mixed results. In 2008, the National Institutes of Health released the results of a two-year Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), in which glucosamine and chondroitin were used to treat more than 1,500 people with osteoarthritis of the knee. Results suggested that glucosamine sulfate, in combination with chondroitin, was effective in a small group of people with moderate to severe knee pain. But results were inconclusive regarding overall pain relief. However, earlier studies and more recent studies have concluded that glucosamine reduces joint pain and tenderness from osteoarthritis as effectively as do conventional medications. Glucosamine and chondroitin haven't been well studied for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. In general, glucosamine and chondroitin produce fewer side effects than do nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Glucosamine may cause mild gastrointestinal effects such as heartburn, nausea, diarrhea and constipation. If you're allergic to shellfish, don't take glucosamine until you talk to your doctor. If you have osteoarthritis and want to try glucosamine, consider giving it a three- to six-month trial. Try keeping track of your pain levels and side effects to see if the treatment is working for you. Glucosamine takes up to eight weeks before it becomes most effective. Some doctors recommend starting glucosamine and an NSAID at the same time, then discontinuing the NSAID once the glucosamine begins to work. Gamma-linolenic acid Gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) is an omega-6 fatty acid. It's necessary for good health, but it isn't produced in the body. Your body obtains GLA from the breakdown of certain foods during digestion. GLA supplements are typically made from the seeds of the borage plant, black currant plant and evening primrose. Once in your body, GLA is converted into compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. There's some evidence that it may moderately reduce pain, joint tenderness and morning stiffness from rheumatoid arthritis. Borage seed oil is available in liquid or capsule form, as are oils made from black currant seeds and the evening primrose plant. These oils may cause mild gastrointestinal side effects. SAMe S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe) is a dietary supplement that has gained attention as a treatment for osteoarthritis. It's a synthetic version of a compound that occurs naturally in human tissues and organs. Pronounced "sam-E," this dietary supplement is thought to repair, stimulate growth and increase the thickness of cartilage. In Europe, SAMe is available as a prescription medication for arthritis and depression. SAMe has been studied in a number of clinical trials. It appears to relieve pain from osteoarthritis as effectively as NSAIDs with fewer side effects. And it can improve flexibility in the knees, hips, neck, lower back and fingers. You may need to take SAMe for up to two months before you experience significant relief from symptoms. Side effects can include vomiting, diarrhea, gas, headache and nausea. SAMe can negatively interact with antidepressant medications, including tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Using SAMe in combination with one of these drugs can cause serotonin syndrome, marked by agitation, tremors, anxiety, shivering and other symptoms. Use of tramadol (Ultram) with SAMe also increases the risk of serotonin syndrome. There are a few drawbacks to this product, including its high price. SAMe may also cause mania in people with bipolar affective disorder. Fish oil Cold-water fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, sardine and trout are high in polyunsaturated fats called omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids play an important role in many body functions and can help reduce inflammation. Eating at least two servings of fish a week has many health benefits. (For more information see Chapter 12.) For people with arthritis, taking a supplement of the oil derived from fatty fish may also be helpful. Fish oils are high in two specific fatty acids– eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) – that play a role in the anti-inflammatory process. Fish oil has been shown to improve pain, tender joints, morning stiffness and other symptoms in people with rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, fish oil supplements may protect against hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), heart attack and stroke – conditions for which people with rheumatoid arthritis are at increased risk. Fish oil supplements may also allow some people with rheumatoid arthritis to reduce their use of NSAIDs. Studies haven't found a benefit of using fish oil to relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis. Fish oil is sold as a supplement in liquid, capsule or pill form. Research suggests that at least 2.7 grams a day is needed to relieve symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Most people can safely take this amount without any adverse effects, other than a fishy aftertaste. Be aware that taking more than the recommended amount can increase your risk of bleeding and may lower your immune system response. Vitamins Vitamin C, vitamin E and beta carotene – all common nutrients containing antioxidants – have been studied as possible treatments of arthritis because they may help prevent cell damage that leads to joint pain and further progression of the disease. It seems clear that increasing these nutrients in your diet – by eating more dark-skinned fruits and vegetables – is a good idea. (For more information, see Chapter 12.) Should you take supplements as well? More studies are needed to answer this question. Some research indicates that vitamin C may lower the risk of osteoarthritis progression. Results of studies evaluating the effectiveness of vitamin E supplements for osteoarthritis pain have been mixed. Taking vitamin D may also be helpful. Although this vitamin is best known for its bone-protecting properties, some research indicates that it may help prevent rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, and it may slow the progression of osteoarthritis. Vitamin B-3 is made up of niacin and niacinamide. Preliminary studies suggest that niacinamide – found in meat, fish, milk, eggs, green vegetables and cereals – may be useful in the treatment of osteoarthritis. But more research is needed before a recommendation can be made about taking vitamin B-3 supplements. Ginger extract Ginger is an aromatic spice from Asia. The product you often buy in the grocery store is the underground stem of the plant. It's also available as a powder, tablet, extract, tincture and oil. A few small studies found that ginger modestly reduced pain associated with arthritis. Researchers speculate that compounds contained in ginger may have anti-inflammatory effects. More research is needed. In low doses, ginger causes few side effects. Higher doses can cause an increased risk of bleeding and bruising. It may increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding from NSAIDs or corticosteroids, and it may interact with anti-platelet medications. Cat's claw Cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is made from a woody vine from the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. Its name comes from hooked thorns that run along the vine's surface. The herb is available in tablet or capsule form and is sold as tea. Cat's claw inhibits two inflammation-triggering substances – a prostaglandin and a substance known as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). For osteoarthritis, the supplement may relieve knee pain. For rheumatoid arthritis, it may have a modest effect on reducing joint pain and swelling. Further research is needed to establish the benefits and risks of cat's claw. Side effects may include headache, dizziness and vomiting. The supplement may lower your blood pressure, so if you take other blood pressure lowering (antihypertensive) drugs, talk to your doctor before taking cat's claw. Devil's claw Devil's claw (Harpagophytum procumbens) is widely marketed as a remedy for osteoarthritis. It has been used extensively in Europe and has a growing body of scientific evidence attesting to its ability to reduce arthritis pain. The plant may have some anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant properties. Studies have shown that it reduces pain from osteoarthritis, especially hip and knee pain. In one study, people taking devil's claw were able to take less pain medication. Unfortunately, devil's claw has no known benefit for rheumatoid arthritis. Side effects appear to be minimal, but may include mild diarrhea, flatulence and an increased risk of bleeding and bruising. Devil's claw may exacerbate the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding from NSAIDs or corticosteroids. Other supplements There are other supplements on the market today that may have a therapeutic effect on pain and other symptoms of arthritis. But more studies are needed to confirm the possible benefits and risks of these products. * Selenium. Some studies suggest that selenium, a trace mineral with antioxidant properties, may decrease joint pain and inflammation. Other research, however, has failed to show a benefit. More research is needed to confirm the results. * Avocado and soybean oil. Evidence suggests that avocado-soybean unsaponifiables (ASU) is an effective treatment for osteoarthritis. In addition to reducing knee and hip pain, ASU may slow structural damage to the hip joint, inhibit cartilage breakdown and promote repair. * Willow bark. Willow bark contains salicin, an ingredient that's chemically similar to the active ingredient in aspirin. Small studies of willow bark for treating osteoarthritis demonstrated possible pain-relieving qualities. * Bovine cartilage. Cartilage derived from cow tissue is thought to have anti-inflammatory effects, and some researchers think it can spur growth of new cartilage in people with osteoarthritis. Injections of bovine cartilage given under the skin seem to help ease symptoms of both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. * Curcumin. Curcumin is the yellow pigment in the Indian spice tumeric. Studies suggest that its anti-inflammatory qualities may be beneficial in the treatment of osteoarthritis. * Capsaicin. This topical cream made from chili peppers is widely used for pain relief. The product is generally considered safe for use but can cause unpleasant effects such as a burning sensation on the skin. * Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). This supplement is used for a variety of conditions, such as arthritis, chronic pain, osteoporosis and gastrointestinal problems, but there's little research to show its long-term benefits and risks. Energy therapies Energy therapies center on the belief that illness results from a blockage or disturbance of the free flow of energy through your body. According to this theory, re-balancing your energy fields can restore health and allow healing to occur. Of all the energy-based therapies, the most well-known and well-studied is acupuncture. Acupuncture Originating in China more than 2,500 years ago, acupuncture is one of the oldest forms of medicine in the world. The system is based on a belief that the body contains a vital life energy that runs along pathways within the body. Imbalances in energy flow are thought to cause illness. The energy pathways, called meridians, are accessible at approximately 400 different locations, or points, on the body. Practitioners of acupuncture attempt to rebalance your energy flow by inserting extremely fine needles into these points in various combinations. During a typical acupuncture session, the practitioner inserts disposable, sterilized stainless steel needles into the skin. He or she may manipulate the needles manually or by electrical stimulation or heat. A typical acupuncture visit may last from 15 to 60 minutes. Therapy usually involves a series of weekly or biweekly treatments. It's common to have multiple treatments, which can become expensive if the procedure isn't covered by your insurance. Scientists don't fully understand how or why acupuncture works. It's possible that it may work, in part, by stimulating your body's painkilling chemicals, called endorphins. Regardless, when performed properly by a trained practitioner, it has proved to be safe and effective for various pain-related conditions, including low back pain, headaches and fibromyalgia. In a study conducted on acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee, participants were randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments: acupuncture, sham acupuncture and a self-help program. People receiving acupuncture saw a significant decrease in pain and improvement in function compared with the other groups. Researchers suggest that acupuncture can complement to standard care for knee osteoarthritis. Other studies on the use of acupuncture for arthritis have varied in quality, but most have shown some benefit. Acupuncture may be particularly appealing to people who can't tolerate side effects from long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as well as those with moderate to severe pain who don't want or can't undergo surgery. Hands-on therapies Also called manual therapies, this popular group of treatments involves the movement or manipulation of one or more parts of the body. These therapies may relax the tissues surrounding joints, improving blood circulation and joint mobility. Massage You might think of a massage as a luxury limited to exotic spas and upscale health clubs. But massage can be an excellent way to ease arthritis pain and stiffness. During a massage, a therapist uses his or her fingertips, hands and fists to knead, stroke and manipulate your body's soft tissues – skin, muscles and tendons. Several versions of massage exist, and they're performed in settings such as health clubs, salons and massage studios. Massage can help loosen tight muscles, relieve muscle tension, improve flexibility and reduce stress. Studies show that it can temporarily relieve pain. However, if you have painful, swollen joints from rheumatoid arthritis, massaging the area directly may worsen your pain. Any pain that's more than just a momentary discomfort could indicate that something is wrong. If you begin to feel uncomfortable, speak up. Alternative medical and healing systems These complete medical systems are distinct from traditional Western medicine. They typically emphasize the whole person – mind, body and spirit – in treating and preventing disease. The systems are based on customs that may date back thousands of years. Traditional Asian, American Indian, African, Tibetan and South American practices fall into this category. These approaches are based on beliefs in the powerful connection between mind and body, and that the body has the power to heal itself. A characteristic of the alternative systems is that treatments are individualized. No two people with similar symptoms receive the same treatment – for example, each person may receive different types or amounts of herbs. Ayurveda Ayurveda is an alternative medical system that dates back 5,000 years to ancient India. The aim of ayurvedic medicine is to promote health rather than fight disease by emphasizing harmony in body, mind and spirit. Treatment may include fasting, breathing exercises, massage, herbs, meditation and yoga. Few scientific studies have examined the use of ayurveda in treating arthritis. What research has been done has focused on the use of herbal medicine and not other aspects of ayurveda. Some studies have shown a possible benefit of various herbal mixtures for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Ayurvedic herbs may help reduce pain and stiffness, but better designed research is needed to confirm these preliminary findings. Homeopathy Homeopathy was developed in Germany in the late 18th century, and today is practiced around the globe. Homeopathy is based on two principles – the law of similars and the law of infinitesimals. The law of similars maintains that a disease can be cured with a substance that produces similar symptoms in healthy people. According to the law of infinitesimals, the substances used to treat disease are most effective when they're highly diluted to the point where none of the original substance remains. Most homeopathic treatments are highly diluted preparations of natural substances, such as plants and minerals. Some research has attempted to learn how homeopathic medicines might work. Because the preparations are so diluted of their active ingredients, most scientists remain skeptical about their effectiveness. A few studies have looked at the use of homeopathy for arthritis. Some have indicated that homeopathic treatments may be more effective than a placebo in reducing pain and inflammation, but the poor quality of the studies cast doubt on those conclusions. Because homeopathic medicine mainly involves diluted substances, the risk to your health is likely to be minimal. A greater concern may be the time and money you spend on something that may not work, while forgoing proven conventional treatment. Other therapies Many other forms of complementary and alternative medicine have been marketed for the treatment of arthritis. Among the most popular forms are: * Copper bracelets. For decades, some people have worn copper bracelets to ease arthritis pain. They theorize that small amounts of the copper pass through your skin and neutralize free radicals – toxic molecules that damage cells. Wearing copper jewelry is probably harmless, but most doctors find little to support its use as a therapy for arthritis. * Gold rings. In a small study of rheumatoid arthritis, participants wearing a gold ring on one hand lacked deterioration in the joint nearest the ring, compared to the same joint on the other hand. Rheumatoid arthritis typically affects the same joint on both sides of the body. However, other research has contradicted this finding. Larger studies are needed. * Magnetic therapy. Many people wear magnets believing they can help reduce arthritis pain. It's important to know the distinction between the static magnets set into bracelets, wraps, shoe inserts and mattress pad covers, and electromagnets, which may have potential for treating some bone fractures and certain types of depression. A few studies have looked at electromagnets for treating osteoarthritis, but their use is still considered experimental. ### Evaluating complementary therapies It's easy to become frustrated by the limitations of conventional medicine on treating arthritis. What's the point of using it if it's not going to cure you, right? You may believe that trying an unproven treatment is better than doing nothing at all. In fact, you may encounter wonderful opportunities to improve your health with complementary or alternative therapies. Unfortunately, their practice also attracts a few unscrupulous or fraudulent practitioners and businesses who are ready to prey on people desperate for a cure at any cost. So, it's important to protect yourself. If you opt for a complementary or alternative approach, you need to separate the help from the hype. Evaluating effectiveness and safety can be difficult because many therapies haven't been studied as extensively as mainstream medicine has. Conventional medicine practiced by most doctors is grounded in scientific method, which relies on experimentation and established research practices. Before a new therapy is widely accepted, scientists typically publish study results in established journals that are reviewed by experts who aren't associated with the study or sale of the product. Throughout the process, researchers attempt to identify the health benefits and risks of the therapy. They also try to distinguish effective treatments from ineffective ones that are enhanced by the placebo effect. This phenomenon causes someone to feel better simply because he or she is receiving treatment of any kind, whether it's a sugar pill or a real medication. The cyclic nature of rheumatoid arthritis can make it difficult to gauge the effectiveness of a given treatment. Because flares and remissions can occur spontaneously and for no clear reason, you may be tempted to credit symptom relief to whatever treatment you recently tried. This type of "coincidental cure" can be misleading and make a treatment appear more effective than it actually is. The symptoms in osteoarthritis may also vary for reasons that are unclear. Changes may occur after a joint is used more strenuously than usual, or there may be no recognizable cause. All of these normal variations make it difficult to determine whether any therapy, be it conventional or complementary, is actually working. Realizing this, it's important to evaluate a therapy as best as you can before you try it. Be an informed consumer. Here are some guidelines: * Gather information. Find out what's known about the safety and effectiveness of any complementary or alternative therapy that you're considering. Check scientific studies to determine the advantages and disadvantages, risks, side effects, expected results and length of treatment. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a division of the National Institutes of Health, is an excellent resource that is easily accessible and updated regularly. * Consider the source. When looking for facts, rely on reputable sources, such as well-known medical schools or health care institutions, government agencies, and professional associations or organizations, such as the Arthritis Foundation. * Use the Internet wisely. When using the Internet for research, look for a site featuring an editorial board or medical advisory board involved with developing its information. Check the dates posted on the site. Outdated information can be wrong and potentially dangerous. Look for a site that regularly reviews and updates its information. * Know when to be suspicious. Think twice about any product or practitioner that promises cures, makes claims that sound too good to be true or encourages you to give up conventional treatments. Be wary of terms such as quick cure, miracle cure, new discovery or secret formula. If a cure for arthritis or another disease had been discovered, it would be widely reported and prescribed. Also be suspicious of claims that a product cures a wide range of unrelated diseases, for example, cancer, arthritis and AIDS. In general, when it comes to using a non-traditional practice, try to steer a middle course between uncritical acceptance and outright rejection of the therapy. Stay open to various treatments but evaluate them carefully. The list of what's considered complementary or alternative is ever changing, as new approaches to health care emerge and what were once fringe therapies become part of mainstream practice. Indeed, many hospitals, doctors and health insurers are integrating a variety of non-traditional treatments into their services – with good reason. Talk to your doctor about the best natural therapies and your treatment plan. If he or she is uncomfortable with these practices, ask for a referral to a pharmacist or specialist who can help. ### **Chapter 8** # **Promising trends in diagnosis and treatment** At this moment, it's safe to say that no one is on the brink of discovering a cure for arthritis – but it's not from the lack of trying. Scientists continue to look for ways to ease wear and tear on joints and the breakdown of protective cartilage. They're also searching for the means to correct an overreactive immune system capable of triggering a damaging inflammatory response in the body's joints. The main goals of treatment for arthritis are to reduce signs and symptoms of the disease and improve your quality of life. And the good news is that there's a lot of progress to report on these objectives. Scientists now have a clearer picture of what triggers the signs and symptoms and causes them to persist. As a result, treatment goals are moving beyond pain relief and joint preservation to actual prevention and even to a reversal of joint damage and the restoration of normal cartilage. Recent research advances have led to a better understanding of the complex interactions between certain cells that can lead to inflammation. The cells in your body communicate with one another using chemical messengers called cytokines (SI-toe-kines). Blocking certain cytokines that trigger inflammation and increasing other cytokines that suppress inflammation may lead to new approaches in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Researchers have developed therapies that directly target these cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Other treatments under investigation focus on specific enzymes and cells that play roles in your immune system response, such as T and B cells. Targeting cytokines that contribute to the breakdown of cartilage, as well as using growth factors to promote healthy cartilage cells in your joints, will likely become part of the conventional strategy for treating osteoarthritis. In the area of surgery, procedures have been developed to repair damaged cartilage. Researchers are also exploring how gene therapy and stem cell technology might be able to restore healthy cartilage to arthritic joints. In addition to new treatments aimed at stopping the disease process and restoring healthy cartilage in your joints, improvements in diagnostic tools and procedures can help doctors diagnose arthritis earlier – possibly before serious joint damage occurs. This chapter presents an overview of some of the most promising new trends in the fight against arthritis. ### Improvements in diagnosis Early diagnosis of arthritis can help prevent or lessen symptoms by allowing treatment to begin before bone and cartilage tissue is destroyed. For example, joint damage from rheumatoid arthritis often happens within the first two years of onset. Unfortunately, early diagnosis of the disease has traditionally been difficult because X-rays don't show the initial damage that is so characteristic of the disease. Imaging One way diagnosis may be improved is by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to check for cartilage loss and structural changes in your joints. MRI creates high-quality images of bones and soft tissues, providing an accurate view of the joint. Unlike an X-ray, MRI can detect inflammation of the synovial tissue that lines the joint as well as inflammation of bone marrow, which tends to precede structural damage. Ultrasound, though not as sensitive as MRI, can also be used to detect inflammation and bone damage. Also, ultrasound can be used on multiple joints at the same time. Both imaging techniques allow doctors to more accurately diagnose joint problems, evaluate the progress of arthritis and track your response to treatment. Biomarkers Another promising diagnostic tool for arthritis is biological markers (biomarkers) – substances in your body that can be measured, often from blood or urine samples, for clues about the existence and severity of disease. In the future, such tests may help diagnose arthritis and your response to treatment. Biomarker test results can help the doctor assess your risk of developing arthritis or reveal changes in your joints that indicate the early signs of disease. For example, high levels of cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies in a blood sample may indicate the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis. Certain chemicals are produced in your body as cartilage breaks down. These chemicals show promise as osteoarthritis biomarkers. Scientists also are exploring combinations of biomarkers, hoping to discover arthritis in its early stages. This approach may work better than tracking a single biomarker. In rheumatoid arthritis, certain biomarker combinations have also been reported useful in assessing disease activity. Inherited characteristics also may serve as biomarkers. Scientists are trying to identify which genes or variations of genes are involved in making a person more vulnerable to arthritis. For example, a genetic sequence called shared epitope (SE) has been linked to a greater susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis. Identifying people with the SE variation may bring about closer monitoring, earlier identification and more effective treatment of the disease. Investigators also are looking for genetic variations that influence how you respond to a particular drug. Knowing which genetic variation you possess can help your doctor personalize your treatment regimen and recommend the most effective medications. ### Medications Researchers are searching for new medications that can more effectively prevent inflammation and joint damage, including therapies for some patients who don't respond well to available drugs. Researchers are also attempting to develop medications with less serious side effects than those of some drugs commonly in use. In this regard, the introduction of biologic agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis marked a major advance. These drugs inhibit the cytokines interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), as well as certain cells and enzymes. Biologic therapy can reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, limit joint damage and improve joint function. Other cytokine inhibitors and new biologic agents are in development. By contrast, using biologic agents to promote or replace the cytokines that have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body also may become available. Novel strategies may involve gene therapy to prompt the body to produce these beneficial cytokines and change the chemical balance to slow down the inflammatory process. Other types of drugs, including antibiotics and estrogen, are being investigated for treating arthritis. Another area of research is a vaccine to prevent arthritis from ever developing. The use of new drugs in combination with current medications may allow for greater control of rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of the disease. The number of potential drug combinations increases each time a new drug is approved. See Chapter 5 for information on established medications. LOX/COX inhibitors A class of drugs called LOX/COX inhibitors are forms of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and COX-2 inhibitors. A LOX/COX inhibitor blocks the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme that plays a role in joint inflammation. But the drug also blocks function of the lipoxygenase (LOX) enzyme, which results in less pain and inflammation and less risk of gastrointestinal side effects. Licofelone is a LOX/COX inhibitor that's currently in development. Preliminary studies show that this medication is at least as effective as the NSAID naproxen for treating osteoarthritis, with fewer side effects. Licofelone may also slow progression of the disease. Unlike a traditional NSAID, licofelone may not significantly increase your risk of stomach ulcers when taken with low-dose aspirin. Researchers also believe that licofelone may not increase your risk of cardiovascular problems – a serious concern associated with the discontinued COX-2 inhibitors Vioxx and Bextra. Studies on licofelone for the treatment of osteoarthritis are ongoing. Clinical trials for newer types of COX-2 inhibitors, such as lumiracoxib and etoricoxib, are under way. But because Vioxx, Bextra and other COX-2s have been pulled from the market due to safety concerns, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking a careful approach and awaiting additional data before approving these new drugs. A related class of drugs called cyclooxygenase inhibiting nitric oxide donators may improve gastrointestinal safety and provide the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of NSAIDs. Nerve growth factor inhibitors Increased levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) in inflamed tissue is associated with increased pain. A study is under way to examine whether the NGF-inhibitor tanezumab reduces knee pain from osteoarthritis. Although the outcome looks promising, there is concern regarding some adverse effects that could limit its clinical use. Biologic response modifiers Biologic response modifiers target parts of your immune system that may trigger inflammation. Several TNF-alpha inhibitors, an interleukin-1 inhibitor, an interleukin-6 inhibitor and a Janus kinase inhibitor have been approved for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. New TNF inhibitors are in various stages of development. Other biologic agents being investigated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis target cells involved in the inflammatory response. * Tacrolimus. Tacrolimus is an immunosuppressant that blocks the inflammation-promoting action of T cells. It's approved for people who've had liver or kidney transplants, keeping their immune systems from attacking the new organs. Tacrolimus may help people with rheumatoid arthritis who aren't benefiting from DMARD therapy. * Ocrelizumab. Ocrelizumab is a lab-produced antibody that mimics your natural immune response and blocks the activity of B cells, which help maintain inflammation. Preliminary studies suggest that the drug may be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis, but studies on its effects and safety are ongoing. * Kinase inhibitors. Special proteins called kinases can be involved in cartilage and bone destruction from arthritis. Drugs that block the activity of these proteins are under development, including ones that inhibit spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) and Janus kinase (JAK). Tofacitinib, a JAK inhibitor, recently received FDA approval for treating rheumatoid arthritis. Studies are currently under way to evaluate other JAK and SYK inhibitors. * Anti-interleukin-17 blockers. Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is a cytokine that stimulates cells to produce more cytokines, increasing inflammation. A preliminary trial of the anti-IL-17 blocker secukinumab has shown some benefits for rheumatoid arthritis, but the drug may be more promising for other types of inflammatory arthritis. Trials are currently underway for secukinumab in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis. * Other drugs. Drugs that target other immune cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, also are being investigated for their possible role in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### THE PROMISE OF CHEMOKINES The first biologic agents approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis were medications blocking cytokines – messenger proteins between cells that play key roles in the development of joint inflammation and degeneration. Now researchers are looking at particular types of cytokines, called chemokines, as the next possible step in arthritis therapy. Chemokines are produced by a variety of cells as part of the inflammatory response. Chemokines signal T cells, B cells and other immune system cells to collect at the site of inflammation, such as a joint. In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune response grows out of control as chemokines recruit more and more fighter cells to the affected joint. There are many different types of chemokines and chemokine receptors, offering scientists many possible targets for interrupting the inflammatory process. Studies of chemokine-blocking agents in animals have been promising, although so far success in humans has been modest. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Antibiotics Antibiotics are powerful medications customarily used to fight infections caused by bacteria. Scientists continue to explore the possibility that some form of infection may be the catalyst that triggers the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. And research indicates that antibiotics also can suppress enzymes and other proteins that are known to cause inflammation in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Minocycline, a tetracycline antibiotic, may provide some relief from joint swelling, stiffness and pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis, especially in its early stages. Doxycycline is in the same family of antibiotics as minocycline and may have similar anti-inflammatory effects. Researchers are exploring whether an antibiotic drug, either alone or in combination with DMARDs, can slow or prevent joint damage. To date, the use of antibiotics in this regard has been inconclusive or disappointing. Cholesterol-lowering drugs Certain statin medications such as atorvastatin – widely used to lower blood cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease – also may have anti-inflammatory properties that could be an effective treatment for various arthritic conditions. In the first clinical trial to study the effect of statins on reducing inflammation in people with rheumatoid arthritis, the participants who took atorvastatin had fewer swollen joints compared with participants who received a placebo. However, it's not clear whether the specific results of this study are important in relation to rheumatoid arthritis. In fact, recent evidence suggests that the use of statins may even increase your risk of rheumatoid arthritis. At this point, doctors continue to recommend statins only to manage cholesterol and coronary artery problems. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### A DIFFERENT MEANS OF ATTACK Could controlling blood vessel growth in your body be a key to treating rheumatoid arthritis? The answer is, perhaps. Angiogenesis (an-jee-o-JEN-uh-sis) is the term used to describe blood vessel growth. Researchers are trying to understand and better control this complex process. Most recent study has focused on cancer. Tumors can't grow to life-threatening size unless they're adequately nourished by blood. Therefore, they produce substances called angiogenic factors that promote the growth of tiny blood vessels. In rheumatoid arthritis, the abnormal growth of blood vessels contributes to joint damage. By developing medications that control blood vessel growth, this damage may be avoided or minimized. In the future, you may hear about anti-angiogenesis as a strategy for treating cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and eye diseases such as glaucoma and retinitis pigmentosa. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Topical medications Researchers have tried various therapeutic approaches in trying to retain the clear benefits of traditional NSAIDs for pain relief while avoiding the gastrointestinal problems that often accompany the use of these drugs, such as heartburn, abdominal pain and ulcers. One solution may be to put the drugs into a cream or lotion that can be applied directly to your skin. There are two prescription-strength topical NSAIDs currently approved for treating arthritis: diclofenac and ketoprofen. Both can help ease pain and stiffness and improve function in people with osteoarthritis of the knee. However, a review of multiple studies has found that treating osteoarthritis with topical NSAIDs typically helps only for the first two weeks. After that time, the effect may be lost. Another approach under investigation involves the use of a transdermal patch containing the topical pain reliever lidocaine. Results from a preliminary study involving people with osteoarthritis of the knee showed that placing the patch over an affected knee provided a level of pain relief comparable to that of taking the NSAID celecoxib. More study is needed to determine the safety and effectiveness of this approach. Capsaicin, derived from chili peppers, is known for its pain-relieving properties. In gel form, it may be possible to treat mild to moderate pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### LEECHES FOR PAIN RELIEF? It sounds positively medieval, but modern scientists are exploring the ancient practice of using leeches for treatment. In a number of "leech therapy" studies for osteoarthritis, researchers have found that applying leeches to an affected knee can relieve pain, stiffness and other symptoms for at least three months, and possibly longer. The treatment was considered safe and well tolerated, but more studies are required to confirm preliminary findings. It's unclear how the therapy works, but perhaps some anti-inflammatory substance released from leech saliva has pain-relieving effects. Researchers hope their efforts may lead to the discovery of a new pain reliever without the need for a leech bite. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Hormonal and osteoporosis drugs Because osteoarthritis becomes more prevalent in women after menopause, when estrogen levels in the female body dwindle, doctors have long suspected that estrogen depletion may play a role in development of the disease. Although researchers don't know how estrogen may protect a joint, they suspect that it modifies factors that are involved in the natural buildup and breakdown of bone and cartilage. Women who use oral contraceptives, which contain estrogen, have a lower risk of rheumatoid arthritis compared with women who don't use them. In older women, using hormone therapy to supplement declining levels of estrogen has been in practice for years to help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Hormone therapy may offer some protection against osteoarthritis in large joints, such as the hip. Research indicates that women with knee osteoarthritis who take estrogen have fewer bone abnormalities. However, research hasn't demonstrated the same kind of protection against rheumatoid arthritis. Long-term use of hormone therapy is associated with serious health risks. For that reason, consult with your doctor about the risks and benefits and whether it's appropriate for you. Alendronate is a drug for osteoporosis that may have a beneficial effect on osteoarthritis. In one study, postmenopausal women who took the drug reported less knee pain and structural damage from osteoarthritis. Preventive vaccines A certain type of white blood cell, called a T cell, is involved in triggering an immune system response that eventually leads to joint damage and destruction. Researchers are studying whether a vaccine may be able to suppress the activity of T cells and prevent or treat rheumatoid arthritis. T-cell vaccines have been tested on animals with various immune disorders. But the specific ways in which T cells function (or malfunction) in people with rheumatoid arthritis are not clearly understood. In addition, the vaccines that produce antibodies to block damaging actions are in the very early stages of development. ### Gene therapy Genes are the part of your chromosomes that determine your height, eye color, hair color and other characteristics. Researchers have identified some genes that may make people more susceptible to arthritis. In fact, a number of different genes appear to be involved, and genetic susceptibility is just one of many factors that may be responsible for an autoimmune disease such as arthritis. Researchers are still finding out how common these genetic defects are and whether they can be prevented. Once a problem gene can be identified, researchers hope to develop tests that determine who's at risk of arthritis. Testing of this kind may encourage people to make changes in their behavior that minimize their risks. It may also prompt them to seek medical treatment much earlier – early diagnosis and treatment are critical to preventing permanent joint damage. For some kinds of diseases, gene therapy means replacing a defective gene with a healthy gene or inserting genetic information into the defective gene to make it healthy. Gene therapy may also mean adding something that blocks the action of a harmful gene or promotes the action of a helpful gene. For treating arthritis, a primary goal is to stimulate genes that direct cells to manufacture substances that help reduce inflammation of the joint lining, prevent breakdown of cartilage or stimulate growth of new cartilage cells. Two approaches may be used. In "ex vivo" gene therapy, your own cells are removed, a gene sequence is inserted into them, and the cells are returned to your body. "In vivo" gene therapy uses a vector, such as a virus that's been altered so that it doesn't cause disease, to introduce the genes into your body. Much of this research is in its early stages. Although scientists have identified helpful genes, they have yet to determine the best method for delivering their benefits to your body's cells. Interest has involved transferring genes that help preserve cartilage into the synovial joint linings affected by osteoarthritis. More study is necessary to determine whether these efforts will result in viable treatment options. ### Surgery Joint replacement surgery has improved with better implants that last longer and loosen less often. Minimally invasive procedures are available, but whether they provide the same safety and efficacy as conventional surgery requires further study. Computer-assisted surgery may lead to better results in the future. Improved techniques have allowed surgeons to more effectively treat problem joints, including the ability to remove inflamed synovial tissue (synovectomy). Researchers are also gaining a better understanding of how the body repairs damaged cartilage. Several methods to repair cartilage defects are being investigated. In a technique called autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), cartilage cells are removed from one of your healthy joints, grown in a laboratory and then inserted into a damaged joint, along with a solution that stimulates cartilage growth. The results are promising, with long-term improvement in joint function and decreased pain and swelling from osteoarthritis. Individuals who are able to return to normal activities within two years are generally able to continue these activities over the long term. ACI typically has been used to repair small areas of damaged cartilage in the knee. More recently, the technique has also been applied to problems in the ankle, shoulder, elbow, hip and wrist. In addition, surgeons are using ACI to repair larger areas of damage. It remains to be seen whether the progression of osteoarthritis can be prevented in people who've had ACI and if this form of cartilage transplantation will prove cost-effective in the long run. Autologous osteochondral transplantation is a procedure somewhat similar to ACI. It involves removing plugs of bone with cartilage attached from healthy, nonweight-bearing areas of the damaged joint or from the same joint on the opposite side of the body. The plugs are inserted into prepared holes in the damaged area of the joint. Initial research into other forms of cartilage transplantation is under way. A procedure called periosteal transplantation shows promise. The periosteum is a protective membrane lining the outer surface of your bones except at the joints. The membrane is responsible for making your cartilage cells before birth. In this transplantation procedure, surgeons insert healthy periosteal cells into a damaged joint. When successful, the transplanted cells start to regenerate smooth cartilage and heal the damaged joint surface. This technique may be appropriate for younger people, since the ability of the periosteum to generate cartilage cells declines with age. Among the available methods for surgically repairing damaged cartilage, none to date has been able to consistently reproduce normal cartilage. No technique stands out as the optimal method. More research is needed to compare different methods and determine which produces the best long-term results. ### Future horizons Because of a need for better treatments for arthritis, scientists continue to investigate different avenues of potential promise. Tissue engineering is a growing field that unites cell biologists, engineers and surgeons. Tissue engineering seeks to move beyond the current means of cartilage repair to the generation of new cartilage. Researchers hope to implant cartilage cells on a "scaffold," a matrix or gel that promotes the growth of new tissue. The use of stem cells, gene therapy and cartilage growth factors (which stimulate healthy cartilage growth) may also play a role. Stem cells are cells that give rise to other types of cells, such as bone, cartilage, muscle and immune system cells. For example, stem cells taken from adult bone marrow can develop into cartilage cells. Some researchers are trying to manipulate adult stem cells from bone marrow to turn into healthy cartilage tissue as a way of regenerating damaged cartilage. This research is in early stages, and scientists face a number of hurdles before stem cell therapy becomes practical. Ultimately, arthritis treatment may involve an approach that combines advances in tissue engineering, gene therapy and improved medications. Treatment plans will be based on an individual's genetic background, risk factors and medical history. ### **Chapter 9** # **Tips on pain control** Sharp. Throbbing. Nagging. Stiff. Burning. Achy. Agonizing. There has to be at least 50 million different descriptions of arthritis pain – one for each person who has arthritis. If you're like most people with arthritis, you know that no matter how you describe the sensation, pain keeps you from doing the things you would like to do today. The pain won't go away – you just have to deal with it. Pain is influenced by many factors, including your activity level, your physical condition, the amount of swelling in your joints, your tolerance of pain and your state of mind. Your approach to treating pain may be as individualistic as the symptoms that you're experiencing. The use of medications to reduce inflammation and relieve pain is a major element of most treatment plans (see Chapter 5). Some approaches focus on building a lifestyle that minimizes pain. You can learn correct posture and body mechanics and use special devices that help with daily tasks (see Chapter 10). You can also work at strengthening your muscles, tendons and ligaments to stabilize your damaged joints (see Chapter 11). Losing weight may lessen the stress on joints (see Chapter 12). Building a positive attitude that helps keep pain in perspective can be valuable (see Chapter 13). In many ways, this entire book is about the defining characteristic of arthritis – pain. There are many ways to understand it and to deal with it. This chapter will focus on common approaches to pain management. The first section explains simple treatments for acute pain. Many of these can be performed at home. The second section discusses professional treatment of pain other than with medications. ### Treating acute pain Acute arthritis pain comes on quickly and lasts a short time but completely disrupts your day. It's severe pain that prevents you, right now, from working in the kitchen, typing on a keyboard, or bending over to pull up your socks. You can use either cold or heat to help relieve pain, but it may be a matter of trial and error to find which temperature works best. Before using cold or heat, make sure your skin is dry and free of cuts and sores. When applying either, use a towel to protect the skin from direct contact, especially in areas where bone is close to the skin surface. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### HOT AND COLD PACKS Perhaps the safest, most convenient commercially available product for applying either heat or cold to an affected joint is the inexpensive, reusable gel-filled pack found in most pharmacies. You typically heat the pack in hot water or a microwave oven or chill the pack in a freezer. The heat or cold dissipates as the pack is used, so it's generally safe to apply it for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. You can also use it to treat minor muscle sprains and strains and minor tendinitis. Be sure to follow the product manufacturer's instructions. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Cold Cold is especially good for pain caused by arthritis flare-ups, as well as overuse injuries. Cold has a numbing effect on the painful area, dulling the sensation. It decreases muscle spasms and may reduce swelling and inflammation. Applying cold is typically recommended in the initial days of a flare-up. Don't use cold if you have poor circulation or numbness in your skin. Ice packs You can pick up instant ice packs at many drugstores, department stores and pharmacies. They're simple to use – squeezing the pack will activate its contents. Before using an ice pack, apply a thin layer of mineral oil to your skin at the painful joint. Place a damp towel over the mineral oil. Finally, put the ice pack on the damp towel and cover it with several dry towels for insulation. You may apply cold several times a day, but for no more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Regularly check that skin color is normal where you apply the cold. A loss of color may indicate the onset of frostbite. Stop immediately if this happens. Helpful hint: To make your own ice pack, combine 1⁄3 cup of rubbing alcohol with 2⁄3 cup of water. Seal the mixture inside a freezer bag. Put this bag inside another freezer bag, seal it and chill the pack in a freezer. It's ready to use when the contents are slushy. You can easily refreeze the contents after use. A bag of frozen vegetables, such as corn or peas, also can work. Ice massage This method also applies cold to your skin. Wrap an ice cube or small ice block in cloth and hold it comfortably in your hand. Use a circular motion to move the ice in and around your painful joint for five to seven minutes. Apply mild pressure and remember to keep the ice moving when it's in direct contact with your skin. Remember to watch for color changes in your skin. If you notice your skin losing its underlying natural tone, stop immediately. If your skin becomes numb during the massage, stop the treatment. Helpful hint: Make an ice block by freezing water in a paper cup. Peel back part of the cup to expose enough ice for a massage. Wrap the sides of the cup in a towel to protect your hands. Heat Heat helps relax muscles and soothes painful joints. It also encourages blood flow to the affected area. Heat is especially good for easing stiffness and getting muscles limber. If you have poor circulation or numbness in the area, don't apply heat – you won't know if you're getting burned. Don't apply heat after acute trauma or over an area that is swollen because it could increase the swelling and pain even more. Hot packs and heating pads Apply layers of towels over the painful area. Lay a hot pack on top of the towels. Cover the pack with layers of towels for insulation. Add or remove towels above or below to vary the heat. You may add extra layers over spots where bones project close to the skin. Apply the heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Check your skin every 15 minutes. If you see red and white blotches, stop treatment immediately. Your skin has been heated enough. Continued heating could cause a burn or blister. To protect your skin from burning, don't lie on a hot pack or heating pad or apply pressure during treatment. Helpful hint: Make your own heat pack by placing a wet washcloth in a freezer bag and heating it in the microwave for one minute. Wrap the hot pack in a towel and place it near the affected joint. You can also fill a cotton tube sock with rice or another grain (other than popcorn), knot the open end, and warm it in the microwave. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### DESCRIBING PAIN It's not hard to recognize pain when you experience it. It's more difficult to describe what you're feeling to your doctor. And yet, the details you provide at a medical visit may be extremely valuable in diagnosing and treating a condition, such as arthritis, or in helping you manage its symptoms. In fact, it's hard to be objective when you're describing pain – it's a personal expression influenced, in part, on your physical and emotional health and your mood, all of which may change from day to day. Pain tolerance varies greatly, and the pain that you may try to brush off as "nothing" one day may feel unbearable on another day. Your health care provider may use a numerical rating scale, which allows you to verbally rate pain on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 representing no pain and 10 representing the worst pain imaginable. When talking to your doctor, the following factors also may help you describe your symptoms better: * Where is the pain located? Does it remain in that place or does it tend to spread to other areas? * When and how did the pain start? Were you doing any activities at the time that you normally don't do? Did you have any illness before the pain started? * Is the pain continuous or intermittent? If intermittent, how long does the discomfort last? * Does the pain feel mild, moderate or severe? * What is the quality of the pain? For example, does it feel throbbing, dull, sharp or burning? * Are there associated symptoms? For example, is there weakness, headache, or numbness and tingling along with pain? * Does the pain change when you do certain activities or movements? Does it affect your ability to perform simple tasks? * Does the pain keep you from sleeping or does it awaken you from sleep? * Have you tried anything to manage the pain? ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Heat lamps Warm a painful joint using an infrared heat lamp with a reflector heat bulb, or clamp lamps or incubator lights equipped with low-cost incandescent bulbs. Incandescent lights release most of their energy as heat, significantly increasing blood circulation in the affected area. Position the heat source approximately 18 to 20 inches from your skin. Then apply the heat for 20 to 30 minutes. You can decrease the intensity of the heat by moving the lamp farther away. Direct the lamp at the skin from the side rather than from above. Helpful hint: As with hot packs or heating pads, use an alarm clock or timer, or ask someone to wake you if you think you might fall asleep. Baths, showers and hot tubs One of the easiest, most effective ways to apply heat to a painful joint is to take a 15-minute hot shower or bath. A standard bathtub can be just as effective as a hot tub. In a very warm bath or shower, remember to use extra caution – and the grab bars – when entering or leaving the stall. You could become lightheaded or even faint, causing a fall. Helpful hint: Sticking clothes in the dryer for a few minutes before dressing can help erase morning stiffness. Or turn on the electric blanket for a few minutes before getting out of bed. Contrast baths Contrast baths are helpful to many people with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis of the hands and feet. Alternating between warm and cold water may provide more relief than a hot or cold bath alone. Start with two large pans. Fill one pan with warm water (approximately 97 to 104 F) and the other one with cool water (approximately 55 to 61 F). Place your joint in the warm water first for 10 minutes and then in the cold water for one minute. Cycle back to the warm water for four minutes and then to the cold for one minute. Repeat this process for half an hour. Always end with your hands or feet in the warm water. If pans aren't handy, twin sinks work just as well. Helpful hint: Because you're immersing your skin directly into the baths, use water that is warm, not hot, and cool, not icy. ### Professional help for pain Various health care professionals may bring a broad range of experience and expertise to your pain management team: a family physician, rheumatologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, physiatrist, psychiatrist, psychologist and perhaps even a specialist of integrative medicine, such as an acupuncturist. These professionals may use different methods and techniques to help you manage pain. Devices to control pain Orthotics is a medical specialty dealing with supportive devices for the body. The devices may control the function of a joint, assist or restrict its movement, and reduce pressure on the joint. Products ranging from insoles to splints to braces can be used to help relieve arthritis pain. Foot orthotics Loss of foot or ankle support due to the deterioration of a joint, most commonly in rheumatoid arthritis, can lead to strain on the associated knee or hip. Foot orthotic devices, including heel cups, arch supports and molded boots, can help stabilize arthritic joints, thus reducing stress on other joints and helping relieve pain. Shoe insoles Special insoles placed inside your shoes may provide pain relief due to osteoarthritis of the knee. The doctor may recommend a lateral-wedge insole or a medial-wedge insole, depending on how it alters knee function. When using insoles, it's important to wear appropriate footwear with cushioning that properly supports your weight-bearing joints and your back. Knee braces Braces are used on the lower limbs to decrease weight-bearing pressure and provide stability. Knee braces are helpful to some individuals with osteoarthritis. They may help reduce pain and increase knee mobility. Therapies to control pain Professionals may prescribe the following to help you reduce or manage pain. Physical exercise Exercise is perhaps your best defense against pain. A physical therapist may work with you to develop an exercise program that maximizes your range of motion and strengthens the muscles around your painful joints. Exercise is discussed in more detail in Chapter 11. Massage Massage can improve blood circulation, help you relax, and reduce pain and swelling. Some therapists are specially trained in massage techniques for people with arthritis. During massage, heed the warnings of pain. If you're giving yourself a massage or a family member is doing so, remember to stop the moment it starts to hurt. If the joint itself is swollen or painful, avoid massaging it and instead massage adjacent muscles. Try warming or cooling the area before massage. When giving a massage, use a lotion or massage oil to help your hands glide smoothly over the skin. Helpful hint: If you're using massage oil or lotion on the affected area, wash it off before heat treatment to avoid burns. Specialized heat treatments Unlike more simplified home heat treatments, a physical therapist may use specialized techniques or equipment to provide pain relief. One of these treatments may involve soaking sore joints, particularly hands, in a warm paraffin bath. With instruction from the therapist, you may be able to use warm paraffin at home. For deeper penetration, the therapist may use ultrasound or shortwave diathermy, which applies an electromagnetic current at higher frequencies to generate heat. This procedure requires careful monitoring because it may worsen some forms of arthritis. Steroid injections Steroid medications are prescribed to reduce pain and inflammation in joints. Your doctor may occasionally inject a cortisone drug directly into an acutely inflamed joint – for example, a hip, knee or ankle – to ease discomfort. Because frequent steroid injections can accelerate joint damage, your doctor may limit injections to no more than two or three times in a year. Nerve block Your doctor may use an anesthetic injection to deaden the nerves in a targeted area of your body that's painful, interrupting pain signals to the brain. Although the relief is only temporary, treatment provides a welcome respite from chronic arthritic pain. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) This therapy is used to treat targeted areas of your body that are painful. Electrodes placed on your skin near the painful areas deliver mild, painless electric pulses to nearby nerve pathways. The strength of the pulses may be adjusted as needed to control pain. It's not exactly clear how TENS works. The stimulation may trigger a release of endorphins – chemicals in your body with painkilling effects similar to morphine. TENS treatment may also block the nerve pathways, which are carrying pain messages to your brain. TENS generally works best for acute pain from a pinched nerve but may be less successful for treating chronic pain – although some people with chronic pain do benefit from it. Most often, TENS is used in combination with exercise and other pain treatments. Similar to TENS, a treatment called percutaneous electronic nerve stimulation (PENS) delivers electric pulses to the nerve pathways. But instead of delivering the current through electrodes, PENS uses needles that penetrate your skin to just below the surface. These needles are very thin, like those used in acupuncture. Most people feel some sensation, but not pain, when the needles are inserted. Complementary and alternative treatments A full discussion of various complementary and alternative treatments used for treating arthritis pain can be found in Chapter 7. Behavioral approaches to control pain Positive thinking can be vital to coping with chronic pain. Being positive doesn't mean you're trying to ignore the hurt. It means that you approach your condition in a positive, productive manner, looking for ways to make the best happen, not the worst. However, you may reach a point at which you need extra support to cope with arthritis symptoms. That's when professionals may be able to help you. Cognitive behavioral therapy With cognitive behavioral therapy, you work with a counselor in a structured way to become more aware of inaccurate or negative thinking. The therapy allows you to view challenging situations clearly and respond to them in more-effective ways. The goals for treating arthritis will likely include identifying and modifying your negative reactions to pain. And you'll learn how to change behavior in ways that helps you better manage life despite the pain. Cognitive behavioral therapy is generally focused on specific problems, using a goal-oriented approach. It requires you to be more aware of your thoughts, emotions and beliefs about your condition. It also helps you recognize habits in everyday life that may be contributing to the problem. Related treatments In addition to behavioral approaches to managing pain, you may learn other ways to build support. Biofeedback. Your body has automatic, involuntary reactions to stress and pain: changes in muscle tension, skin temperature, blood pressure and heart rate. The goals of biofeedback are to teach you to recognize these reactions and learn to modify them. During a session with a therapist, you're attached to monitors that track your physiologic systems – heart, respiration, muscle tension, skin temperature and brain activity. The therapist, with the help of this output, can teach you to control involuntary reactions that trigger the stress symptoms. Relaxation training. You can learn to relax your body and mind with a variety of techniques, including progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing, guided imagery and meditation. Some of these techniques are described in greater detail in Chapter 7. With the help of an instructor, you can learn how to take short breaks, whenever you're feeling overwhelmed by stress or pain, to concentrate and relax. Eventually, you learn to relax on your own, without taking cues from someone else. The ideal location for relaxation is a quiet room where you can rest comfortably on the floor or in a reclining chair or bed. You should feel at ease, not cramped or confined. You may enjoy audiovisual resources to help you focus, for example, playing a soft recording of ocean waves or forest sounds. Soft lighting that's easy on the eyes is often preferable. The goal of a relaxation strategy is to reduce tension buildup in your body. You can employ the strategy throughout the day, whenever you feel stress or pain building up. In this way, you may prevent the tension from getting worse and successfully complete activities in your daily life. Chronic pain centers If arthritis pain is severe, your doctor may recommend visiting a chronic pain center. In this setting, you may undergo outpatient treatment from a team of pain specialists. The program may last from several days to several weeks. The center may be useful if you're not getting any respite from chronic pain and the pain treatments you're using, such as medications, injections and surgery, don't seem to affect it. An interdisciplinary approach to pain relief at these centers is essential because it's unlikely that any one technique will work on controlling pain. The professionals can help treat pain and associated conditions such as depression. They may also help you deal with potential consequences of arthritis, such as family disruption and loss of income. # **PART 3** # **Living with arthritis** ### **Chapter 10** # **Protecting your joints** You wouldn't deliberately drive your car into a pothole at 55 miles an hour. Doing so could damage your car and shorten its useful life. Neither would you intentionally injure one of your joints, such as an ankle, knee or elbow. If you have arthritis, the joint may be stiff and painful already, and injury would limit it even more. The goal of this chapter is to help you preserve your joints and protect them from harm. Chronic inflammation is responsible for much of the permanent damage, and there are steps you can take to reduce it. Medications are very important but not your only recourse. Joint protection starts with your posture — the positions that you hold your body in when you're standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture means that whether stationary or in motion, you're putting the least amount of strain on your bones and supporting muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It means there's less wear on your joint surfaces. If you have poor posture — for example, you sit with your shoulders rolled into a slouch — that means your joints are not correctly aligned. Supporting muscles and ligaments work harder at keeping you upright and balanced. This effort causes extra wear on your joints, which may lead to arthritis and associated symptoms such as fatigue. Good posture evenly distributes the weight of your body and maintains the natural curvature of your spine. Staying in one position should feel almost effortless. See the illustrations later in this chapter for good standing and sitting posture. If you're trying to improve your posture, it may feel a little stiff at the beginning. Don't worry! Keep practicing good posture and it will soon start feeling natural. ### Basics of joint protection The following principles can help preserve your joints and protect them from damage. Use proper body mechanics Body mechanics are the actions you take in order to function in daily life. These movements include lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, and getting out of a chair or bed, as well as using tools for jobs such as vacuuming, shoveling and raking. The mechanics for some of these actions are illustrated later in this chapter. Using good body mechanics follows the principles for good posture. Correct movements allow you to work efficiently, conserve energy, maintain balance and reduce stress on your joints. Incorrect body mechanics produce pain and muscle strain and increase the wear on your joints. Whatever the task, use the largest joint possible to accomplish it. That means if you can use your elbows rather than fingers and wrists to do a job, do so — or, if it turns out that you can use your shoulders rather than elbows, adjust your mechanics accordingly. The proper way to lift and carry something cradled in your arms is by allowing your hips and knees to do most of the work, with the object tucked close to your body. Avoid placing constant or excessive pressure on your joints. For example, break the habit of resting your chin on the knuckles of your hand. Use a briefcase with a shoulder strap to avoid carrying heavy objects with your hands. Avoid remaining in the same position for long periods of time. For example, if you're driving a car or seated at a desk, take frequent breaks to move around and flex your joints. To preserve the joints in your fingers and hands, avoid tasks that require tight grasping, pinching or gripping. Assistive devices that help with these tasks are described later in the chapter. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### TRIM EXTRA POUNDS If you weigh more than what is a healthy weight for you, you have lots of company. Most Americans fall into this category. Being seriously overweight has significant implications for your health and for your joints. If you're overweight, you're more likely to develop osteoarthritis of the knee. Those extra pounds can speed the breakdown of cartilage in the joint. Other arthritic joints, including the back, hips, ankles, big toes and hands, can also be damaged by extra weight. Of course, many factors may contribute to the development of arthritis. One is heredity. Another is joint injury. There's also the wear and tear on a joint over time. Being overweight can accelerate the process. Losing even a few pounds — for example, a 5 to 10 percent weight loss — can reduce your chances for knee pain and disability. Good nutrition and proper exercise are keys to weight control. For more detail on exercise and nutrition, see Chapters 11 and 12. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Get active Reducing arthritis pain does not mean avoiding activity. In fact, regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to protect your joints. Although you may wonder if exertion will only increase your risk of pain and injury, exercise can actually extend the life and usefulness of your joints. Exercise can strengthen the muscles surrounding your arthritic joints, providing much needed support. It increases joint flexibility and range of motion. And it reduces fatigue, boosts energy levels and helps you lose weight, thereby reducing the load on your joints. The following tips can help you get more active. If you're not accustomed to physical activity, check with your doctor first. He or she can advise you and may refer you to an occupational therapist or physical therapist. Warm up and cool down Before any exercise, warm up joints and muscles with a heating pad or hot pack, with massage, or by gently walking in place for a few minutes. A warm bath or shower also may help. Hot packs, applied for 20 minutes, should feel warm and soothing but not hot. Because heat may increase swelling and pain, don't apply it to an already warm, swollen joint. After exercise, you may apply cold to the affected joints for 10 to 15 minutes. Start slowly To maintain mobility without damaging your joints, it's important to move each joint through its full pain-free range of motion — a joint's ability to move in certain directions. Your pain-free range may vary from day to day. Gently stretch the muscles of affected joints at least once a day, perhaps in the morning when you get up. You may also stretch before you exercise and at the end of your exercise routine. If you have time and energy for only limited stretching, save it for after your routine. Always warm up before stretching, and take care not to overdo it, especially if you have rheumatoid arthritis. Slow and gentle stretching loosens your muscles and increases a stiff joint's range of motion. Sudden jerking or bouncing may be harmful to your joints, so aim for slow, fluid motions. Step it up gradually Start exercising at a comfortable level. That might be no more than a walk to the end of your driveway and back. If that's all you can do at the moment, start with that. Once you're reasonably comfortable, increase the distance that you walk a little at a time. Try exercising at different times of the day. Find a time when you feel the least amount of pain and stiffness. Know your limits Factor the kind of exercise you do and how hard you do it in relation to the state of your arthritic condition. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, consider the amount of wear and tear the activity may have on affected joints. Nonweight-bearing activities, such as swimming or riding a stationary bike, are probably best. If the affected joint is not painful and a particular activity is not causing pain during or after the exercise, it's probably OK to proceed. If the activity causes pain, stop and consider an alternative exercise. For example, if riding an upright stationary bike seems to aggravate hip pain, try using a recumbent stationary bike. If you have osteoarthritis of the hip or knee and the bones and cartilage of the affected joint aren't too worn down, then a low-impact activity such as walking might be what you need. However, if the bones and cartilage of the joint are significantly worn down, walking may cause even more damage. Nonweight-bearing activity may be a better choice. Setting up a personal exercise program to suit your needs is discussed in more detail in Chapter 11. Organize and prioritize Planning your daily schedule is a good way to reduce strain on your joints. Start by prioritizing tasks. Get the important jobs done before you tire or overwork yourself. Recognize which tasks require the most effort. You may need assistance for those. You can also plan your workspace. Adjust the height of a desk and chair to levels where you can sit comfortably and aren't required to stretch or strain. Keep frequently used tools and supplies within arm's length to minimize getting up and down or reaching. If you're on your feet a lot, make sure you're wearing well-fitting shoes that provide firm support. Use long-handled versions of tools, such as a dustpan or garden trowel, for tasks that involve bending and stooping. Move bags, boxes and equipment on wheeled carts or baskets whenever possible. Respect pain Learn to tell the difference between the general discomfort you feel from arthritis and the pain that comes from overusing a joint, such as from exercising too much or too hard. Adjust your level of activity or work method to avoid excessive pain. You're more likely to damage a joint when it's painful and swollen. Don't over exercise tender, injured or badly inflamed joints. Pain is considered excessive if it alters your breathing pattern — you find that you're holding your breath or breathing more rapidly than normal. Excessive pain is pain from which you can't be distracted or that doesn't subside when you stop the activity. If pain increases, lasts more than an hour or two after the activity, or comes on more quickly day after day, chances are you're doing too much activity or doing inappropriate exercise. Get your rest This concept may seem confusing: On one hand, you're being told to be active. On the other hand, you're supposed to take frequent rest breaks. In fact, it's a delicate balance to keep. At times, you'll need rest to restore your energy. At other times, you'll need exercise to maintain strength and stay reasonably flexible. There are two forms of rest: joint rest and whole-body rest. It's important that you ensure both. Joint rest. Using a joint affected by arthritis helps keep it healthy. Even so, the joint can easily become fatigued, swollen or painful after periods of heavy exertion. When the muscles around a joint feel tired, that's usually a signal to sit down and rest. If a joint is injured or badly inflamed, it will need recovery time. It may need to be kept stationary (immobilized) with splints. As the inflammation dies down, the splints can be removed and the joint gradually mobilized again. Whole-body rest. If you have arthritis, especially rheumatoid arthritis, a well-rested body is an important goal to reach every day. Rheumatoid arthritis makes you especially vulnerable to fatigue. Joint pain can cause you to lose sleep or prevent you from sleeping well. The pain may cause you to change positions frequently to take weight off the affected joints. Fatigue associated with arthritis is a deep-down exhaustion. It can make virtually everything you do seem like too great an effort, leaving you feeling almost helpless. When you're exhausted, you may not feel like doing much. But if you don't engage in enough physical activity, your muscles only get weaker, and you'll find it even more difficult to get started with physical activity. Alternatively, you may tend to keep going until a job is done, regardless of discomfort — whether walking to the corner or finishing the laundry. That strategy may not be the best either. When you exercise too strenuously without breaks, you can strain muscles and joints and risk injury. The key is to get rest before you become too tired. Pace yourself. Don't work through those tired periods. If you experience a surge of joint inflammation (flare), you'll need to schedule more time to rest your joints. Divide any exercise or work activity into short segments with frequent breaks. Plan 10 minutes of rest for every hour during periods of physical exertion. On the surface, that approach may sound disruptive, but it works. From time to time during each day, find a comfortable position and relax for a while. An easy chair, couch, bed or reclined seat in your parked car are all potential options. You don't need to sleep, but you do need to give your body a break. When it's bedtime, go to bed. Avoid the temptations of watching TV or reading. A good night's sleep gives your joints the rest they need. It can also help restore your energy and enable you to deal more effectively with pain. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, set a goal of eight or nine hours of sleep each night. If you have trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor about it promptly. When sleep disturbances are treated, fatigue usually improves. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### Be kind to your joints An important rule of joint protection is simply avoiding situations that aggravate your condition — increasing inflammation and wear on your joints. But how do you put that advice into practice? Try these tips: * When writing, use good posture and lighting. Relax your hand often and stretch your neck often. Use a pen with a wider barrel or special grip. Nylon-tip or rolling-ball pens require less pressure than pencils and ballpoint pens. * Install lever-type handles instead of knobs on the doors in your home. * Use a utility cart to transport heavy items and to avoid extra trips when moving lawn supplies or groceries and doing other household tasks. * When traveling, use luggage with built-in wheels. * During an activity, sit instead of stand whenever possible. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Assistive devices for daily tasks Observing the basic principles of joint protection can help extend the life of your joints. But even if you're doing your best to reduce wear and tear, these measures may be insufficient. That's when you may look for help from assistive devices — tools and technology that have been adapted to help you perform daily tasks. For example, your painful knee may need a brace to support it — that's a form of assistive device. Or you may opt for using a cane to help you walk. If your hands are affected by arthritis, special grips may be added to a toothbrush handle or pen that allow you to hold them securely. How do you know what kind of assistive device to look for, when to get it or how to use it? That's typically the result of an in-depth evaluation process by your team of care providers, which may include your doctor, physical therapist, occupational therapist and many other specialists. They will evaluate your condition in relation to how well you're able to function in daily life and match a specific device to your individual needs and skills. The team also provides specialized training in the care and use of a device. And they provide follow-up, evaluating how successfully the device helps you and making adjustments as your condition changes. People sometimes avoid assistive devices, refusing to believe they need any help or thinking that the use of special tools is a form of surrender. Some people imagine that using an assistive device such as a cane will make them look old or lead to a loss of function. In reality, assistive devices allow you to be more independent and, in so doing, play an important role in the self-management of your arthritis. Think about it this way: Few people think twice about getting into a car to drive across town. But the car, in reality, is an assistive device. It makes it easier for you to get from one place to another quickly and comfortably. Assistive devices are simply a means to an end. They make it easier and safer for you to perform many everyday activities, such as opening a stubborn jar or taking a shower, without making your condition worse. Medical supply houses and catalogs and many pharmacies offer a wide variety of assistive devices that are practical and affordable. Sometimes, a little creativity is all you need. For example, you can use plastic foam tubing — the kind used to insulate plumbing — to make sleeves that fit on all kinds of hand-held tools and utensils, making them easier to grasp. The foam insulation also reduces vibration. Here are tips on selecting and using some of the many assistive devices available to you. Hand-held aids If you have arthritis in your hands, avoid making a tight fist or tightly pinching an object. Most pencils and pens, for example, have thin handles that force you to grasp them tightly. This position puts painful stress on the joints of your fingers, thumb and wrist. A less physically stressful position is one in which your fingers and thumb aren't as clenched. So, look for implements that have a wide-diameter grip. Grooming and personal hygiene If you have limited range of motion, you may opt for long-handled brushes and combs. Bathing aids such as long-handled sponges and brushes can help you reach all parts of your body with less effort and pain. Use an electric toothbrush or one with a specially designed handle. Try mirrors with foam rubber handles for an easier grasp. Bath benches, grab bars and toilet seat risers provide greater ease, safety and independence with personal hygiene. Getting dressed If you have trouble reaching to your feet, look for a shoehorn with an extension handle or a stocking aid that allows you to pull on hosiery without bending forward. Use special tools that help you grip buttons and zippers securely. Attach elasticized fabric fasteners in place of buttons on cuffs, or sew the buttons with elasticized thread that stretches as you slip your hand through the sleeve. Select wraparound skirts or stretch trousers if a limited range of motion makes dressing a challenge. Use clip-on neckties for convenience, or with a regular necktie, leave the knot tied and slip the tie over your head. A buttonhook helps you grasp and fasten buttons on your clothes without tightly pinching with your fingers. In the kitchen Organize your work area. Make sure the items you use often are within easy reach. Store frequently used cookware and utensils in cabinets at hip-to-shoulder height. Seldom-used items may be stored in less convenient spots. A single-lever sink faucet can make the numerous tasks you perform at the sink less taxing on your finger joints. Operating an electric can opener puts less stress on your joints than a manual opener. Use a jar opener that can be securely mounted under a kitchen cabinet or countertop. If you have a hard time opening a refrigerator door with your hand, try looping a strap through the door handle. Pass your arm through the strap to pull the door open. An electric knife can ease routine slicing and trimming tasks. Work on a cutting board with tiny raised spikes that hold food firmly in place as you cut it. If you use a nonelectric knife, buy one that's L shaped with a wide-diameter vertical handle. Grasp the knife like a dagger and cut with a sawing motion without applying much pressure. In the grocery store, select prepared foods that don't require slicing and dicing. Chopped nuts, for example, cost a little more but save you time and effort. Doing housework For cleaning, use a long-handled mop, dustpan and broom. Work with long, smooth strokes. Use a rocking motion while working with long-handled tools. Shift body weight onto the front foot when making a forward stroke. Then shift weight to the rear foot when making a backward stroke. Fill a bucket only half-full to help avoid heavy lifting. Wash windows with a firm sponge that allows you to hold it with an open hand. Kneel close to the side of the bathtub, maintaining a balanced posture, and use a long-handled brush to scrub the other side. Store cleaning supplies on each floor and within easy reach so you don't transport them everywhere. Do laundry on a regular basis to avoid having heavy loads accumulate. Place a table of correct work height near the washer for sorting and folding clothes. If you have a front-loading washer or dryer, place it on blocks for easier access. Protect your back by avoiding unnecessary bending or stooping. In the shop For some tasks, there's no alternative to using a manual tool, which may require gripping, pushing or lifting. But often, there's a power alternative that puts less stress on your joints than a manual tool does. For example, a power nail driver or screwdriver may be easier on your joints. Where appropriate, look for lighter weight versions of tools, which will also reduce stress on your joints. An L-shaped knife allows your hand and wrist to stay in a more neutral position, avoiding the pinch grip that you have to use with traditional knives. ### Assistive devices for mobility Devices such as braces, canes and walkers help you move about safely and maintain your balance, both inside the house and outdoors. They offer you a more independent lifestyle and allow you to accomplish many tasks that you would otherwise require assistance for. At the same time, these devices provide extra support, stability and protection for painful joints. Using a brace If you have osteoarthritis in a knee, wearing a brace can provide pain relief. It may also help correct any slight misalignment of the joint that could be contributing to your condition. The pain symptoms often improve in many cases of mild to moderate osteoarthritis. The brace wraps around the joint, helping to relieve pressure on the affected parts and reduce pain and swelling. Any brace, especially a knee brace, should fit properly. It's important to work with your team of care providers to get a good fit. Depending on the type of brace, it may offer a long-term solution to the problem of pain. Using a cane When properly adjusted to your height and grip, a cane greatly improves your balance and mobility. A poorly fitted cane, by contrast, throws you off balance, makes you less stable on your feet and increases your arthritis symptoms. It's a common mistake to choose a cane that's too long. This pushes one side of your body up, putting extra strain on your shoulder joints and arm muscles. On the other hand, a cane that's too short causes you to lean forward, putting extra pressure on your wrist. Select the right style When buying a cane, don't base your decision on looks alone. A distinctive cane may add fashionable flair, but there are more important factors to consider. For example, a lightweight cane is less of a burden than a heavy one. If you have severe arthritis in your hand, a cane with a platform attachment at the top may be more stable. Consider length To determine the proper length of a cane, stand erect with your shoes on. Hold your arms at your sides. The length should equal the distance from the crease in your wrist to the floor. When you hold your cane while standing, your elbow should bend at a comfortable angle, about 20 to 30 degrees. If you walk in different shoes that have heels of varying heights, make sure you have an adjustable cane. Nonadjustable canes can only be cut one time to fit. Get a good grip Choosing a grip is generally a matter of personal preference. A good grip relieves unnecessary stress on your joints, while numbness or pain in your hand or fingers may signal a poor fit. A handle with a large diameter is generally easier to hold for extended periods. Make sure your fingers and thumb don't overlap when you grip the handle. If you have trouble grasping with your fingers, ask your doctor or physical therapist for advice. The traditional candy-cane-style grip may not be the best choice because it doesn't center your weight over the staff. Instead, consider one with a swan-neck grip or with a grip that straddles the pole part of the cane. Check the tip The end of your cane should have a supple rubber tip that grips the floor. The tip provides traction and safety while you use the cane. Check the tip regularly — maybe about once a month. Replace the tip before it wears down and becomes smooth. **Fitting a cane** It's important that a cane fits properly. With the cane in your hand, the bend in your elbow should be about a 20- to 30-degree angle. Learn proper technique Hold your cane with the hand opposite your weaker leg. Stand tall and look ahead, not down at the floor. Pick up and move your cane in unison with the weaker leg. Keep the cane in place as you move the stronger leg forward. Put as much weight on your cane as necessary to make walking comfortable, stable and smooth. Don't place the cane too far ahead of you. Be careful when walking on uneven ground or on ice or other wet, slippery surfaces. **Walking with a cane** If you have a disability affecting one of your legs, grip the cane in the hand opposite the affected leg. Move the cane in unison with your affected leg. When going up stairs, remember "up with the strong" and lead with your stronger leg. Then pick up and move the cane at the same time you move your weaker leg up to the step. When going down stairs, it's "down with the weak." Pick up and move the cane at the same time you move your weaker leg down the step. Then bring your stronger leg down to the step. When using stairs in either direction, use your free hand to hold the handrail if there is one. If you're receiving Medicare, the program will share the cost of a cane. But your doctor has to write a prescription for the cane, indicating that it is "needed for walking." Most health insurance companies also provide coverage. Once you've obtained a cane that fits and you've used it for a while, decide if the assistive device is a help or hindrance. If you've fully recovered from joint replacement surgery, retire your cane — relearn to walk without it. **For good standing posture:** * Hold your chest high, keeping your shoulders back and relaxed. * Gently pull your belly button toward your spine. Hold the position while breathing normally and looking straight ahead. * Keep your feet parallel, with your weight evenly balanced on both feet. * Keep your knees straight — not bent or in a locked position. **For good sitting posture:** * Rest both feet flat on the floor, keeping your knees level with your hips. * Sit with your back pressed firmly against the chair. If necessary, support your lower back with a small cushion or rolled towel. * Keep your upper back and neck comfortably straight, tucking your chin in slightly. * Keep your shoulders relaxed — not elevated, rounded or pulled backward. **To properly lie down in bed:** * Start by sitting on the bed so that your head will hit the pillow when you lie down. * Using your arms for support, slowly lower yourself onto the bed while bringing your legs up to a side-lying position. * When sitting up from a lying position, first bend your knees and then roll to your side. Slide your feet over the edge of the bed as you use your arms to push your body up to a sitting position. **To properly lift objects:** * Keep your back straight and your feet apart, as in the standing position. * Lower your body to get close to the object. Bend from your hips and knees. Do not bend at the waist. * Hold the object by putting your hands around it, keeping it close to your body. * Keeping your knees bent and your back straight, lift the object using your arm and leg muscles. Do not use your back muscles. * If the object is too heavy, ask for help. **To properly push and pull objects:** * Keep your feet apart, as in the standing position. * Keep your back straight. * Lower your body to get close to the object. Bend from your hips and knees. Do not bend at the waist. * Use the weight of your body to help move the object. * If the object you're moving is too heavy, ask for help. **To properly use long-handled tools:** * Maintain a balanced posture with your back straight. * Use a rocking motion, shifting your body weight from your front foot to your rear foot. * Move your arms and legs rather than your back. * Use long smooth strokes rather than short choppy motions. **Holding a book** There are incorrect and correct ways to hold a book. A pinching grip (left) can strain your finger joints and cause pain. Instead, rest the book comfortably on your palms to ease pain (right). **Getting up from a chair** When rising from a seated to a standing position, slide forward in the chair, but don't move your feet forward. Keeping your feet slightly apart, use your legs to stand up. If possible, push up on the arms of the chair with your palms as you rise. **Devices that support and protect your joints** Hand-held devices can help you perform many simple tasks. Large-barrel implements such as pens (upper left), toothbrushes (upper right) and eating utensils can reduce the stress on your finger and thumb joints. Squeezing a doorknob can be hard on finger joints. A lever attachment (lower left) makes it easier to open the door. A special turning tool (lower right) features a collection of collapsible metal pins that mold around objects such as oven knobs and keys. **Helpful kitchen tools** Kitchen tools, such as vegetable peelers, can be purchased with wider handles (upper left). A cutting board equipped with nail pegs and a raised ledge helps secure food during meal preparation, reducing the amount of force you need to hold food while chopping (upper right). When faced with a stubborn jar lid or bottle cap, different types of opening devices can reduce the amount of stress placed on your hand joints (lower left). Spring-loaded scissors open automatically, reducing joint strain in your fingers and thumb (lower right). ### **Chapter 11** # **Being active** Your joints are stiff, swollen and achy. Sometimes it hurts when you stand, get up from a chair or climb stairs. Won't exercise just aggravate these symptoms and make you feel worse? In fact, it's just the opposite. The idea that you should rest your joints when you have arthritis is outdated. Today, it's clear that movement is good medicine for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Physical activity is not only safe but also can reduce pain and stiffness while improving your overall health, mood, and quality of life. In addition, physical activity can help fend off the natural loss of joint strength and range of motion that comes with arthritis. Being active helps you perform everyday tasks and maintain your independence. There's no reason not to be as physically active as your abilities and symptoms allow – ideally exercising at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. If that's far more activity than you're used to, you're not alone. Many people with arthritis don't meet this benchmark. In fact, in studies that recorded physical activity among people with arthritis, around half the participants logged no moderate or vigorous activities that lasted 10 minutes or more in an entire week's time. The best plan for arthritis includes aerobic activity, as well as muscle-strengthening exercises and flexibility exercises. If you're already doing some of these things, that's great! Use the tips in this chapter to build up your current activity level, whatever it may be. ### Benefits of exercise Being active has benefits for everyone. It improves sleep, concentration, energy and mood. Regular exercise can also help control blood pressure and cholesterol and may reduce your risk of many conditions, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and depression. There are additional benefits for arthritis. Regular physical activity can: Relieve pain and stiffness and increase energy. Regular exercise can triumph over two of the most common problems of arthritis – pain and lack of energy. Studies show that moderate-intensity aerobic and muscle-strengthening exercises can reduce pain and morning stiffness. Exercise improves your balance and boosts your endurance. It may also reduce inflammation. Protect bones and joints. Within a relatively short period of time, regular exercise can strengthen the muscles surrounding your joints. This helps stabilize weakened joints and increases flexibility. Stronger muscles may even help compensate for cartilage loss and can improve your range of motion. Over the long term, exercise can help slow bone loss that leads to osteoporosis – a condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle and susceptible to fractures. Physical activity helps you maintain bone density and offset bone loss that happens naturally as you age. Exercise also helps improve your posture and balance. Control your weight. Combined with healthy food choices, regular exercise can help you control your weight. A healthy weight has many health benefits, and it's important for your joints. Excess weight adds stress to weight-bearing joints, which can aggravate pain, stiffness and inflammation. Reduce or delay disability. Regular exercise is a source of strength and agility that can improve your ability to do everyday activities, such as carrying grocery bags and getting out of your car. Better function helps maintain your independence and quality of life. Exercise may improve some of the workplace limitations that go hand in hand with arthritis. In one study of people with arthritis in the workplace, participants in a six-week walking program saw significant improvements in many aspects of their jobs. They reported less trouble concentrating, crouching or bending, working in awkward positions, moving objects, and standing for long periods of time. You don't have to expend hours of hard work and sweat to get these health benefits. Any activity is better than no activity. And the more active you can be, the more it can help you. ### Getting started If you haven't been active for a while, starting an exercise program may be a challenge. You may feel some pain and stiffness at the beginning. You may be worried about hurting yourself. You may not have much confidence. Luckily, you don't need a lot of equipment and you don't have to log a lot of hours at the gym, if that's not your thing. Your health care team can help design a simple program that caters to your needs, interests and capabilities. Be patient with yourself. Your first few exercise outings may not be easy, but try to stick with it. For many people with arthritis, it takes six to eight weeks to establish a routine and to see the health benefits. With the following guidelines, you'll be on your way. Talk to your doctor Before you begin or change an exercise routine, discuss your plans with your doctor. Your doctor can recommend specific exercises and precautions based on your abilities and symptoms. Your doctor may also suggest that you meet with a physical therapist or an occupational therapist. These professionals are trained to help people find ways to move effectively. A therapist who has been successful working with people who have arthritis may be very helpful. He or she can show you how to modify exercises to make them work better for you. Gather your equipment Choose activities that are fun for you, and select appropriate equipment. If you're planning to exercise on land (as opposed to in the pool), the most important piece of equipment is a comfortable, supportive pair of athletic shoes that are appropriate for the exercise you do. Look for shoes with plenty of room in the toe box, especially if you have joint deformities, such as bunions or hammertoes. Then check the sole. You want a thick, supportive sole for shock absorption. Some people with arthritis get a better fit with shoe inserts. Be sure to replace shoes before wear causes foot pain – approximately every 500 miles. Depending on what activities you enjoy, you may also benefit from specialized equipment, for example, a recumbent bike or special handles for golf clubs. You don't need to spend a lot of money on fancy equipment, though. Walking is free, and it's one of the best exercises for arthritis. Exercise at the best time of day Generally speaking, exercise whenever it's best for you. Try to loosen up with exercises first thing in the morning. Avoid exercising right after you eat. Also, keep in mind that exercising at least five to six hours before bedtime may help you sleep better and feel less stiff in the morning. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### INCREASING YOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL Start with less intense activity and get accustomed to it before attempting more intense exercise. To build up, increase your exercise in this order. Frequency. The number of days you exercise a week. Duration. The length of each activity session. Intensity. How hard you're working. When you're ready, interval training is a good way to add intensity to your workout. This technique involves alternating short bursts of higher intensity activity with periods of lower intensity activity. For example, you might alternate walking at a leisurely pace for a few minutes with walking fast. If you're a swimmer, try alternating a couple fast laps with a couple slow laps. Start with just one or two higher intensity intervals a session, lasting only 30 seconds. Gradually build up to three to five higher intensity intervals a session on nonconsecutive days. You can also gradually increase the length of the higher intensity intervals to one to two minutes each. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Start slow and focus on mechanics Some people with arthritis are glad if they can take a step or two. Maybe you can easily walk several miles. Start wherever you are and build up gradually. Your goals will be different from those of someone else with arthritis. If you haven't been physically active for a while, begin with five or 10 minutes of walking at a time. As you become more fit, increase the frequency, duration and intensity of your walks. Build slowly and gradually, allowing enough time for your body to adjust to each new level before adding more. Because of your arthritis, it may take you three or four weeks to adjust. Keep your goals manageable. Perhaps you can only walk a minute each day at first. But if you add a minute each week, you'll be walking nearly an hour each day after a year. Remember that body mechanics and positioning during exercise are very important. Poor positioning or body mechanics can make joints more painful or cause swelling. Some positions may be stressful to certain joints. Your doctor or physical therapist can show you how to adapt standard exercises so that they are comfortable for you. Modify, modify, modify Arthritis symptoms will tend to vary from day to day. On some days, you'll feel great – as if you could keep walking or swimming forever. On other days, you may feel like ditching your regular workout because you feel more pain and stiffness and have less energy due to fatigue. On those tough days, try to modify your activity and stay as active as possible. It can be difficult to resume your routine after days of inactivity. So it's better to modify your plans rather than skip them entirely. For example: * If you don't feel like your usual 30-minute walk, try to accumulate 30 minutes of walking in shorter stints throughout the day. * If it's painful to walk on a hard surface, try riding a bicycle or walking in a swimming pool. * If you omit your walk, you can still do your flexibility exercises. * Remember, any activity is better than no activity. Know when to slow down It's important to listen to your body carefully when you have arthritis. You'll learn by trial and error how much exercise is too much. Pay attention to how you feel before and after each session. Do you feel the same or better? How about two hours – or two days – later? It's normal to feel some new aches and pains in your joints and surrounding muscles during and after exercise, especially during the first four to six weeks of starting a new exercise program. However, if you have increased pain in the joints affected by arthritis or you experience new pain that lasts for two hours or more after you exercise, you may need to slow down a little and adjust your routine. You can start by taking care of your acute symptoms. That may involve a little rest and taking an over-the-counter pain reliever as needed. The next time you exercise, break the activity into smaller segments or reduce the intensity or number of repetitions. Also think about your mechanics. Are you performing an activity in a way that aggravates your condition? To minimize pain, make sure you're using good equipment and good posture. Try changing your activity to lower the impact on your joints. Be sure to do a proper warm-up and cool-down every time you exercise. You can warm up your muscles with a warm shower or bath, heat packs, or massage before exercising. Just don't apply heat to an already inflamed joint. At the end of each session, finish with slow, easy movements. After exercise, it may help to apply either heat or cold to affected joints for 10 to 15 minutes. If you're not regularly taking an anti-inflammatory medication and if heat and cold don't relieve your pain, you can try taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen about one hour before exercise to limit swelling and reduce pain. Just avoid mixing medications, and avoid overmedicating, because you may mask pain that warns you to stop. If you are already treating arthritis pain with daily medications and can't exercise without pain, you may need the help of a physical therapist. He or she can help develop an exercise plan that is best for you. If exercise brings on a sharp cramp or muscle pain, gently rub and stretch the muscle until the pain subsides. Don't exercise joints that are tender, injured or severely inflamed. Most people with arthritis can exercise safely. You don't have to give up on exercise at the first sign of discomfort. Adjust your routine and backtrack, as necessary. But stay focused on your goal of regular activity. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR Introduce new activities gradually and heed warning signs. Call your doctor if you experience: * Pain that is sharp, stabbing or constant * Pain that causes you to limp * Pain that persists for a few days, despite rest, medication, or hot or cold packs * Joints that are extremely swollen, red or "hot" Seek emergency medical attention if you experience: * Chest pain * Severe shortness of breath * Faintness or dizziness * Nausea * Discoloration in your arms or legs ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Your weekly workout To get relief from your symptoms and maintain strength and range of motion in your affected joints, you'll need to develop a well-rounded exercise program. Your starting point may be nothing more than a walk around the block, but eventually, you should try to include the following components in your weekly routine: Aerobic exercise At least 30 minutes on most days (150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week) Strength training and balance exercises At least three days a week, taking care not to work the same muscle group two days in a row Flexibility exercises 15 minutes every day Even if you can't always meet these activity goals, it's important to be as active as you can. And it's OK if you have to change your activity levels from week to week, depending on your arthritis symptoms. Aerobic exercise When you're doing aerobic activity, you're repeatedly moving large muscles in your arms, legs and hips. You breathe faster and more deeply, which maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. Your heart beats faster, which increases blood flow to your muscles. For the greatest health benefits, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity for most adults. Aim for this goal if your arthritis allows. If not, be as active as you can. Regular aerobic activity provides both short-term and long-term benefits for arthritis. It can reduce pain and joint tenderness, while improving aerobic capacity and mobility. Aerobic activity is also important for burning calories and controlling your weight. Studies investigating the benefits of various types of aerobic activity, such as walking, running, cycling, aquatics and aerobic dance, have declared no clear winner for arthritis symptoms, so choose the activities that you like best. Focus on joint-friendly activities that don't twist or pound your joints. Some people with arthritis are able to tolerate high-impact activities, such as jogging, basketball, tennis or aerobics class. But these activities may aggravate your symptoms. If you're just getting started, stick with activities that are easy on the joints, such as walking, bicycling, water exercise or dancing. Using elliptical machines and stationary bikes may also be good choices, if they're available. Whatever activity you choose, always allow time to warm up with gentle range-of-motion exercises. Begin with a slow, steady rhythm. Don't jerk or bounce. Maintain good posture while you exercise. As comfortably as you can, work up to a pace that gets your heart pumping a little harder and makes your breathing a little faster – but still allows you to carry on a conversation. During the final five to 10 minutes of each session, slow down and let your muscles and heart rate return to normal. To meet the recommended aerobic activity goals, be creative about how and when to exercise. Walk on a treadmill or use an exercise bike while watching TV. Take a family walk a short time after dinner. Schedule exercise into your work day as you would an important appointment. Although sustained, continuous exercise may provide the greatest benefit, you don't need to do all of your exercise at one time. Break activity into smaller sessions, if you need to. As mentioned earlier in this chapter, begin any aerobic exercise program gradually, slowly increasing the intensity and length of your workouts. Try to build up to at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity five or more days a week, adding a minute or two at a time over a period of days or weeks. If you're comfortable with your level of activity and want an additional challenge, gradually increase to 45 or 60 minutes five days a week. This level of activity provides additional health benefits. Use an exercise journal to track your progress. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### MIX AND MATCH FOR BETTER HEALTH Try to be active for at least 30 minutes on most days. Even three separate 10-minute bursts of activity can add up to a lot of calories burned. **Activity** | **Calories burned in 10 minutes of activity*** ---|--- Ballroom dancing, slow | 37 Bicycling (more than 10 mph, leisure) | 49 Bowling | 37 Fishing | 43 Gardening | 46 Golfing (carrying clubs) | 52 Light housework, such as sweeping | 28 Swimming laps, slow crawl | 71 Swimming, treading water | 43 Walking (more than 2 mph, strolling ) | 24 Walking for exercise, brisk pace | 52 Yoga | 30 *Calories are based on a 160-pound person. If you weigh less than 160 pounds, you need to spend more time to burn the same number of calories. If you weigh more than 160 pounds, calories burned would be somewhat more. Adapted from Ainsworth BE, et al. "2011 compendium of physical activities: A second update of codes and MET values." _Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise_. 2011;43:1575. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Strength training and balance exercises Another component of your program is to do muscle-strengthening or balance exercises at least three days a week. Always warm up first, with five to 10 minutes of stretching or gentle aerobic exercise. Be sure not to work the same group of muscles two days in a row. Rest each muscle group – quadriceps, biceps, hamstrings – for one full day in between strengthening exercises. Choose a mix of activities that build strength and balance. Some activities – such as yoga and squats – are good for both. Other activities are more targeted at one area of fitness than at another. Strength training exercises. As muscles become stronger, they provide better joint support. Strong muscles can also take some of the pressure off painful joints and contribute to better overall joint function. People with arthritis who do regular strength training exercises report less pain and stiffness and a better quality of life. Strength training is often done with free weights or weight machines. But strength training can also be done in your living room, using inexpensive, lightweight resistance tubing – or even canned goods from your pantry! You can even use your own body weight for resistance. Isometric exercises, which involve no movement, can be especially beneficial for people with arthritis. Talk to your health care team about the strength training exercises that are best suited for your joints and symptoms. Balance exercises. Tai chi, yoga, Pilates, backward walking, side stepping and standing on one foot are good examples of balance exercises. These activities can improve your posture, balance, sense of joint position, core strength and coordination. Some also provide stress relief and relaxation. Balance exercises are particularly important if you are worried about falling or are at risk of falling because of your age, medical history or arthritis symptoms. If you have knee arthritis, the condition may cause muscle weakness that can increase your risk of falling. Many group classes include some balance exercises. Or you can do balance exercises at home while brushing your teeth! For example, you can do the hip exercise later in this chapter at your bathroom counter. Dentists often recommend brushing for two minutes – if you brush two or three times a day, that can add up to six minutes of balance exercises every day. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### EVERY MOVE COUNTS Take advantage of opportunities to get up and move around throughout the day – normal daily activities add up. You get health benefits from carrying out the trash, cleaning, shopping, vacuuming, making the bed and mowing the lawn. But consider these activities a supplement to, not a substitute for, your regular exercises. And don't forget to balance these tasks with rest. You can boost your exercise total by increasing physical activity in your routine daily tasks. Park your car farther away from your destination and walk a little farther. Or walk your dog farther than around the block. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Flexibility exercises Flexibility exercises are at the core of a good exercise program for arthritis. These stretching and range-of-motion exercises counteract the stiffness that arthritis causes in your major joints and spine. Performing these exercises daily can help maintain or improve your flexibility in the affected joints and surrounding muscles. In turn, this helps reduce your risk of injuries and improve normal joint function, which makes daily activities and other forms of exercise easier. Pick a regular time to do flexibility exercises at least once a day – for some people, doing them in the evening reduces morning stiffness the next day. You'll need five to 10 repetitions of each flexibility exercise once or twice a day to maintain range of motion and flexibility. If you're trying to increase range of motion and flexibility in a joint that has lost motion or is tight, you may need more repetitions or more daily sessions. Talk to your doctor or physical therapist if you need help. ### Exercise guide Your health care team can help identify the best set of exercises for your arthritis. You may benefit from some of the exercises illustrated on the following pages. Exercises for strength and balance The following strength training exercises are commonly recommended for people with arthritis. Some of these exercises also promote balance. **Squats** _(left)_ Stand with a sturdy chair behind you. Hold on to a counter for support. Breathe out as you squat down as far as you can comfortably go, keeping knees in line with your toes. Hold the position for five seconds. Inhale as you return to standing. Relax and repeat. As you build strength, hold the squat for longer or squat down farther. **Sit-to-stand** _(right)_ Sit in a sturdy chair with arms. Keeping your spine straight, raise yourself up off the chair without using your arms or hands to assist you. Keep your knees over your toes during the motion. Relax and repeat. If your legs are weak, you may need to push your body up using your arms or hands to assist you. Skip this exercise if it causes pain to your hands, wrists and elbows. **Biceps strengthening** _(left)_ Sit in a sturdy chair with a length of resistance tubing (left-hand illustration). Grasp one end of the tubing in each hand and place your hands on your knees, with palms up and arms straight. Pull upward with one arm, as shown. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat with the other arm. **Triceps strengthening** _(right)_ Grasp one end of the resistance tubing in each hand and hold both hands at shoulder height, with thumbs up and elbows bent (right-hand illustration). Straighten one arm toward your knee, keeping your elbow at your side. Slowly return to starting position and repeat with the other arm. **Toe lift** _(left)_ Stand with your feet as wide as your hips (left-hand illustration). Hold onto a counter for support. Keeping your heels firmly planted, lift your toes as high as you can. Lower your toes and repeat. **Heel lift** _(right)_ Stand with your feet as wide as your hips (right-hand illustration). Hold onto a counter for support. Keeping your toes firmly planted, lift your heels as high as you can. Lower your heels and repeat. Exercises for flexibility The exercises illustrated on the following pages are a sample of the many different stretches you can do to improve flexibility and range of motion in your painful joints. With advice from your doctor or physical or occupational therapist, include stretches in your regular exercise routine that address your specific needs. **Neck stretch** Tilt your chin forward and down to your chest (upper left). Next, tilt your ear toward one shoulder and then the other, without raising your shoulders (upper right). Finally, turn your face to the left, keeping your neck, shoulders and spine straight, and then turn your face to the right (lower illustration). **Overhead arm raise** _(left)_ Stand with your arms straight out at chest height. Gently raise your arms over your head. Lower them back to the starting position. Relax and repeat. **Overhead side raise** _(right)_ Stand with your arms out to the side at chest height, palms facing forward. Gently raise your arms over your head. Lower them back to the starting position. Relax and repeat. **Behind-the-back stretch** _(left)_ Grasp one wrist behind your back. Gently pull your arm up until you feel a stretch in your shoulders. Relax and repeat. Switch arms. **Shoulder-blade squeeze** _(right)_ Raise your hands behind your head. Pinch your shoulder blades together by moving your elbows back. Hold briefly. Relax and repeat. Hand exercises Arthritis is a cause of pain and deformity in the many small joints of your hands and fingers. Exercise can help maintain their strength, flexibility and range of motion. Following are five hand exercises you can practice daily. **Knuckle bend** Hold your hand and fingers straight and close together. Bend the end and middle joints of your fingers. Keep your knuckles straight. Slowly return your hand to the starting position. Repeat multiple times then switch hands. **Thumb stretch** Hold your hand in a relaxed position with fingers straight. Bend your thumb across your palm, touching the tip to the base of your small finger. If you can't make your thumb touch, stretch it as far as you can. Return thumb to the starting position. Repeat and switch hands. **Thumb stabilization** Hold your hand and fingers straight and close together. Gently curve your fingers into a C shape. Slowly return your hand to the starting position. Repeat and switch hands. **Closed fist** Hold your fingers straight and close together with your wrist and hand resting on a tabletop. Close your fingers into a gentle fist, wrapping your thumb around the outside of your fingers. Don't squeeze. Slowly return your hand to the starting position. Repeat and switch hands. **Fingertip touch** Hold your fingers straight and close together. Slowly form an O shape by touching your thumb to your index finger. Then follow with your middle, ring and small fingers. Repeat this exercise and switch hands. **Finger walk** Rest your hand on a tabletop with your palm facing down. Move your thumb away from your hand. Beginning with your index finger, move it up and toward your thumb. Follow with your middle, ring and small fingers one at a time. Repeat and switch hands. **Forearm twist** Hold your forearm out with your palm up. Slowly rotate your forearm, turning your thumb up and over. Rotate back to the starting position. Relax and repeat. Switch arms. **Wrist stretch** Hold your wrist out away from your body with your thumb pointing toward the ceiling. Bend your wrist so that your palm is facing you. Hold briefly. Then bend your wrist so your palm is facing away from you. Hold briefly. Repeat and switch wrists. **Cat stretch** Get on your hands and knees. Arch your back away from the floor and then let it sag toward the floor. Focus on your mid- to lower back where the motion should be taking place. Don't arch your head backward too far. Relax and repeat. If you have hand or wrist arthritis, you may not be able to tolerate this position. **Lower back stretches** Lie on your back, with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Keeping your lower back on the floor, lift your right knee and hug it toward your chest, using your hands (left). Hold this position for a few deep breaths. Repeat with the left knee. Then hug both knees (right). If knee pain is aggravated by this exercise, place your hands behind the knee joints when pulling your knees toward your chest. **Lumbar rotation** Lie on your back, with knees bent and feet on the floor. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows out. Gently roll your knees to the left, all the way to the floor if you can. Hold this position for a few deep breaths. Return to the starting position. Then roll to the right. Repeat. **Pelvic tilt** Lie on a firm, flat surface with your knees bent. Place your hands across your chest. The natural curves of the spine in your neck and lower back may not be touching the underlying surface. Tighten your abdominal muscles to flatten the small of your back against the surface (lower left). Release tension in your abdominal muscles to arch the small of your back (lower right). Slowly return to the starting position. **Knee bend** Stand with your feet as wide as your hips. You may hold on to a counter for support. Slowly bend one knee, bringing your heel up toward your buttocks, and hold for a few seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other knee. To help improve balance, stand in place for progressively longer periods of time with your knee bent. **Hip swing** Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. You may hold on to a counter for support. Slowly swing one foot off the floor to the side, as far as you can, and hold. Keep your spine neutral and do not allow it to bend, twist or rotate during the hip-swing motion. Return to starting position and repeat with the other foot. To work on balance, remove one hand from the counter. **Standing march** Stand between a counter and a sturdy chair. Hold on to the counter and chair for support, if needed. Keep your spine straight and slowly march in place, lifting your feet as high as you can. **Ankle rotations** Sit or lie down with your legs out in front of you and your heels on the floor. Bring the toes of one foot toward you, then push them away from you (left). Move your toes to one side and then to the other side (center). Move your foot in a circle in one direction, then the other direction (right). Repeat with the other foot. ### Tailoring your program Your health care team can provide you with activity guidelines and recommendations, based on the type of arthritis you have, the severity of your symptoms and your health goals. Make sure you understand their recommendations and restrictions. Then, work within these parameters to choose workouts that you enjoy and that are convenient for you. You'll be more likely to stay motivated if you figure out what it takes to get you moving. What interests you? What's fun? The following options are good choices for exercising with arthritis. Combine them to create a well-rounded exercise plan that meets all of your activity goals. Group exercise programs Some people enjoy participating with others in exercise programs and classes designed for people with arthritis. Group programs may be a good fit for you if you're feeling hesitant to take charge of your own activity plan or would feel safer getting started under the guidance of a trained instructor. You'll also like these programs if you find support and comfort in working out with people who have similar symptoms and challenges as you do. Groups can be a great source of motivation and new friendships. On the other hand, socializing and sharing experiences may not be your cup of tea. It's perfectly fine if you prefer to swim in solitude. Consider your personality and social comfort level before signing up for a group class. Many communities offer a range of classes and activities tailored for people with arthritis, including special walking events, regular walking programs, tai chi, aquatic classes and more. Group exercise programs naturally vary – some meet once a week and others convene more often. Some programs focus on aerobic exercise, while others combine a mix of activities. Figure out how group exercise fits your weekly exercise goals, and plan other activities accordingly. Your doctor or physical therapist can provide information about options in your area. Walking If you can walk comfortably, then a walking program is your best bet for a starter aerobic exercise. It's an excellent activity for overall conditioning. It improves cardiovascular health and bone density. Walking also helps your muscles and joints get nourishment. It leads to improved flexibility, strength and balance, which helps keep stumbles from becoming falls. Walking is inexpensive and it's also convenient – it can be done almost anywhere and anytime. At first, walk only as far or as fast as you feel comfortable doing. Plan a route that's close by and accessible. Being able to step out your door to start your walk is both convenient and motivating. Use stores, downtown areas or public spaces as destinations. Or see if a local shopping mall caters to walkers. Many large malls allow walkers in the early morning hours before retail stores open their doors. This may be a good fit for you when it's too hot, too cold, rainy or icy outside. Choose a walking route that's varied. Make it interesting, but don't involve too many stops, turns and busy intersections. You'll benefit most from a sustained, steady stride. Note where there are uneven sidewalks, inclines, loose gravel or dirt paths. Make personal safety a priority. Walk in the daytime or in well-lighted areas. Carry a cellphone or whistle with you. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### FINDING A GROUP PROGRAM The Arthritis Foundation has developed four group exercise programs for people with arthritis, including walking, tai chi and warm-water aquatic exercise. These programs are offered in communities across the country. Programs are led by Arthritis Foundation certified instructors and can be modified to meet your needs. For more information or to find a program in your area, see www.arthritis.org/programs.php. Many kinds of exercise instruction are available on DVD. If there isn't an instructional class available in your community – or it doesn't work with your schedule – you can purchase a DVD and exercise from the comfort of your own living room. You can also join the Arthritis Foundation's online community called Let's Move Together. You can visit their website at lmt.arthritis.org/index.php. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Tai chi The ancient Chinese martial art of tai chi (TIE-CHEE) was developed more than 1,000 years ago. Today, people continue to use this exercise to relax and strengthen muscles and joints and reduce tension. Tai chi combines slow, deliberate circular movements and postures with deep, regular breathing that can increase circulation, relax the mind and body, and ease chronic pain. Studies show that this practice may be particularly helpful for osteoarthritis of the knee. When learned correctly and practiced regularly, tai chi is an excellent source of balance and flexibility exercises. But it will take a commitment of time and effort. You can use DVDs or online videos to learn tai chi or look for classes in your area. Local health clubs, recreational departments and martial arts centers may offer tai chi classes. Some are designed specifically for people with arthritis. Water exercise If pain and stiffness make it difficult for you to exercise, a warm-water exercise program may do wonders for you. These programs typically take place in pools heated to between 83 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit. The buoyancy of the water reduces the weight that your joints, bones and muscles have to bear. And the soothing warmth relaxes your muscles, which may decrease muscle spasms and tightness. Combined, these factors decrease joint pain while building strength, range of motion and aerobic fitness – all in one class. Many health clinics, gyms and local swimming pools offer aquatic exercise classes. You don't have to be a good swimmer to participate. Once you're comfortable exercising in the water, you can ease your way into land-based activities. Sports and other activities If you enjoy sports and are comfortable doing them, don't let arthritis slow you down. Discuss your sports interests with your health care team. You might enjoy swimming, biking, cross-country skiing, golfing or tennis. With good judgment and a little creativity, you can make many favorite athletic activities work for you. Just remember to modify the activities as needed. Ask your health care team for assistance. Take golf, for example. Try playing nine holes of golf instead of 18. Use a golf cart, instead of walking. Play in a scramble tournament on a team, which means you're not hitting every ball yourself. If you have hand or finger arthritis, try using molded golf grips on your clubs – they provide cushion and surface tack for an easier grip and help absorb the impact of hitting a golf ball. Working different athletic activities into your workout (cross-training) is a good way to keep exercise boredom at bay. Cross-training may also reduce your chances of injuring or overusing one specific muscle or joint. ### Staying motivated When you have arthritis, regular exercise isn't about having bigger biceps or enduring more miles. It's an essential therapy for minimizing stiffness and pain, maintaining or improving your range of motion, and building muscle strength around affected joints. These are important accomplishments! Motivation is the ignition switch that starts your motor running to exercise. And the key to motivation is that it has to be personal. The reasons that help you stay active day after day and week after week should be your reasons and not someone else's. How do you discover your inner motivation? Start by asking yourself a simple question: "What can exercise do for me?" You may need exercise to help relieve your symptoms, such as pain and fatigue – that's the most common motivation. Perhaps there are specific tasks that you want to continue doing, for example, being able to raise your arms above your shoulders in order to brush your hair or grasp buttons when putting on a shirt. Maybe you're interested in maintaining a high quality of life for as long as you can, for example, to continue living independently at home. Maybe the idea of living with a chronic disease has scared you a little bit. Use that emotion to your advantage – fear is a great motivator. The point: There are no wrong reasons for going out to exercise, as long as they are your reasons. The best motivation comes from within you, and without that internal drive, any long-term goal will be difficult to achieve. Be sure to note any changes that may occur in your symptoms or in your physical capabilities while you're active. And celebrate success when you reach your goals – even the minor ones. Of course, there will be days when you feel frustrated, discouraged or unenthusiastic. Here are tips for sticking with your activity goals: Use realistic strategies. Set measurable activity goals at the beginning of each week, such as walking for 30 minutes on five days or attending your first water aerobics class. Review your progress at the end of the week. Did you achieve your goals? If so, congratulate yourself and set new goals for the following week. If not, ask yourself if the goals you set were achievable. Then, set more realistic goals for the following week. Find an exercise buddy. Knowing that someone is expecting you to show up in the park or at the gym is a powerful incentive to get moving. Working out with a friend, co-worker or family member can bring a new level of motivation to your workouts. Enlist your family's support. You'll need your family's help to make time to exercise and to provide support on the days when you're feeling sluggish. Ideally, you'll be able to do things together, too. Plan family outings that include swimming or walking. Reward achievements. Reward yourself for small accomplishments. Treat yourself to a massage, an hour to yourself, or a new music or movie download. Enjoy the outdoors. If you love fresh air and nature, go outside and be active. Check out different parks for walking or biking. Finally, always have plan B to fall back on. The normal ebb and flow of arthritis symptoms can put a kink in your best-laid exercise plans. If you scheduled a tennis lesson for Wednesday morning or a bike ride for Friday afternoon, you may feel defeated if symptoms flare during these times and you can't stick with your commitments. Flare-ups can also get in the way as you try to increase your level of physical activity. Every time you take two steps forward, it may seem that your symptoms push you two steps back. This is an undeniable challenge that you'll likely face. It's how you respond to the challenge that makes all the difference. For long-term success, you may need several strategies at the ready to solve problems as they arise. To do that, it helps to plan ahead. Try to identify the barriers that are most likely to stop you from exercise: Your work schedule is unpredictable, you struggle with motivation, you don't like to exercise alone, or you worry about injury. Once you've identified the most common barriers, try to come up with specific solutions that may remove or change them. Maybe you can carve out an extra period of time for exercise each week, in case your regular schedule suddenly fills up. Or maybe you can keep an easy exercise video to follow at home during times when you're not feeling well. Come up with your own solutions to potential roadblocks. The benefits of physical activity are worth it. ### **Chapter 12** # **Eating a healthy diet** What did you eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner today? Just as important, what did you eat between breakfast, lunch and dinner? The food choices you make can have a significant effect on your overall health and well-being, especially if you have arthritis. To feel healthy, it's important to eat well. That doesn't simply mean counting calories or adding up grams of fat. And it doesn't mean you have to forgo french fries and chocolate chip cookies. Rather, your focus is on choosing healthy foods most of the time. Strive for a flavorful, balanced diet based on plant foods. It's your best bet for fighting inflammation, increasing your energy and controlling your weight – all of which can contribute to reducing your symptoms of arthritis. ### Diet and arthritis A healthy diet can increase your energy, brighten your mood, improve your job performance, and reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. It's also beneficial for arthritis. A healthy, plant-based diet, emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean proteins, can help: * Minimize arthritis symptoms and medication side effects. Fruits, vegetables and foods made from whole grains contain beneficial vitamins, minerals, fibers and health-enhancing compounds called phytochemicals. These healthy compounds are associated with reducing inflammation, which can be a primary cause of pain and discomfort. Fruits and vegetables are also naturally low in calories and sodium and high in potassium, so they're a good choice if you're coping with side effects of arthritis medications, such as fluid retention and weight gain. * Support bone strength. You're at increased risk of developing osteoporosis if you have a type of inflammatory arthritis or connective tissue disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, or if you take corticosteroid medications. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet, through low-fat dairy products, may help slow bone loss and reduce your risk of fractures. * Maintain or attain a healthy weight. Plant foods are relatively low in calories, so a plant-based diet can help with weight control. Maintaining a healthy weight is good for your overall health, but it's especially important when you have arthritis. That's because excess weight adds stress to your weight-bearing joints, especially your knees, which can aggravate pain, stiffness and inflammation. You'll learn more about these three benefits as you read this chapter. And you'll learn how to use the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid to help you make smart food choices to help to control your arthritis. There's more detailed information about the pyramid later in this chapter, but the basic idea is simple: Use the triangular shape of the pyramid to help you select healthy foods. Eat most of your food from the food groups at the base of the pyramid and less from the groups at the top. It's best to see your doctor before you begin any healthy-weight plan. ### Reducing arthritis symptoms For people with arthritis, the old saying "You are what you eat" tends to ring true. Many people with rheumatoid arthritis believe the food they eat plays a role in the severity of pain and other symptoms they experience. Up to 50 percent have tried changing their diets to relieve their symptoms. Scientists and physicians have long suspected a connection between nutrition and arthritis, too. Early research dating back to the late 1920s looked for food allergies among people with arthritis. Today, emerging research seems to indicate a direct link between diet and inflammation. Although the exact mechanism at this time is unclear, researchers believe that some foods may offer protection against inflammation, while other foods may trigger or exacerbate the inflammation process. A great deal of study is now focused on determining particular foods that fall on either side of the inflammation equation. Although these studies are still under way, you can use the following theories to fuel your eating choices. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### Testing your symptoms Arthritis symptoms vary from day to day, so it can be difficult to determine if particular foods are affecting how you feel. In general, red meats, processed sugary foods and fried foods tend to be associated with inflammation. For a small number of people with arthritis, it's possible that sensitivities to certain foods – even foods considered healthy, such as dairy products or nightshade vegetables including potatoes and eggplants – may trigger or worsen symptoms. If you believe that a particular food increases arthritis symptoms, you may consider a test: Drop the item from your diet for a short time, and then resume using it again. Note whether the change affects your symptoms. However, don't omit whole food groups or a large number of foods without first consulting a registered dietitian or your doctor. Without proper guidance, you could become deficient in nutrients that are important to maintaining good health. This, in turn, could affect your arthritis symptoms. Be skeptical of any diet that eliminates an entire group of foods or stresses only a few foods while eliminating others. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Protection against inflammation Research shows that some fats and certain nutrients or compounds found in foods may reduce the pain, inflammation and joint tenderness caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Foods considered to be the most beneficial are part of an overall healthy diet, so there's no reason to wait for conclusive studies before eating more of these foods. To help reduce inflammation and pain, eat foods that contain these substances: * Omega-3 fats. Prepare more meals with cold-water fish, such as tuna, salmon, mackerel and herring, which are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Walnuts, pecans, ground flaxseed and soy foods (tofu, edamame, soy-based milk, yogurt or cheese) also are good sources of omega-3s. These inflammation-fighting unsaturated fats seem to modify the inflammatory process and may play a role in regulating pain. Although extra-virgin olive oil doesn't contain omega-3s, it's been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties, too. For information on omega-3 supplements, see Chapter 7. * Antioxidants. In general, colorful vegetables and fruits have the highest levels of antioxidants. They include spinach, kale, beets, blueberries and cranberries. Other foods that are rich in antioxidants include beans, nuts, green tea, red wine, dark chocolate, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric powder. A recent study indicated that drinking cherry juice, blended with apple juice to decrease tartness, significantly improved knee arthritis pain and decreased inflammation. Antioxidants are dietary substances that appear to slow oxidation – a natural process associated with inflammatory arthritis that leads to cell and tissue damage. There are many tasty options for getting your share of antioxidants, which include vitamins C and E, carotene, lycopene and flavonoids. It should be noted, however, that supplements containing these compounds don't seem to have a similar effect. Special diets In addition to studying specific nutrients, scientists are also investigating whether certain diets can reduce the severity of rheumatoid arthritis. Some research suggests that following a vegetarian diet may be beneficial. In a small study, the benefits of a very low-fat, vegan diet were noticeable after just four weeks. Researchers are beginning to explore whether a gluten-free diet may help reduce symptom severity. In a small study focused on heart disease, researchers learned that some participants with rheumatoid arthritis who followed a strict gluten-free, vegan diet for at least nine months experienced a tenfold reduction in symptoms when compared with those following a balanced diet that was non-vegan and containing gluten. However, more study is still needed. Studies looking at the Mediterranean diet – which contains less red meat, healthy oils, and more vegetables, fruits, whole grains and nuts – suggest the diet may protect against inflammation and improve physical functioning. This diet has been found to be overall very healthy and protective against heart disease. Work with your doctor or a registered dietitian as you make the switch to a special diet or eliminate certain foods from your diet – to ensure that you're getting all of the nutrients you need. ### The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid The Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid is built on the underlying principle of energy density – the amount of energy (calories) in a given amount (volume) of food. Foods that form the base of the pyramid, such as fruits and vegetables, are low in energy density. They have few calories in a relatively large amount of food. In contrast, foods at the top of the pyramid are high in energy density. They have a lot of calories in a relatively small amount. The pyramid helps you focus on foods that provide a lot of volume and nutrients, without a lot of calories and unhealthy fats. As a result, you'll eat and feel full while losing or maintaining weight. Plus you reap the benefits of the nutrient-rich foods that make up the bulk of the pyramid. **MAYO CLINIC HEALTHY WEIGHT PYRAMID** **See your doctor before you begin any healthy weight plan** Here's a closer look at the six food groups that make up the pyramid: Vegetables and fruits Vegetables and fruits share many attributes. In fact, some foods that are commonly called vegetables – such as tomatoes and cucumbers – are technically fruits. Vegetables and fruits offer a wide array of flavors, textures and colors, as well as many disease-fighting nutrients. Most vegetables and fruits are low in energy density because they are high in water and fiber, which provide no calories. You can improve your diet simply by eating more vegetables and fruits in place of higher calorie foods. Vegetables. Vegetables include roots and tubers, such as carrots, radishes and beets, members of the cabbage family, and salad greens, such as lettuce and spinach. Other plant foods, such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers, are included in this group, although technically they're fruits. One serving of vegetables contains about 25 calories. Vegetables contain no cholesterol and they're naturally low in fat and high in dietary fiber. In addition, they're low in sodium and high in essential minerals such as potassium and magnesium. This makes them a good choice to help offset fluid retention or weight gain from arthritis medications. Another benefit of vegetables is that many of them are great sources of inflammation-fighting antioxidants. In general, the more colorful the vegetable is, the higher its antioxidant levels. Good examples include red bell peppers, beets, tomatoes, carrots and dark leafy green vegetables, including kale and spinach. Don't forget broccoli and Brussels sprouts. Fresh vegetables are best, but frozen vegetables are good, too. Most canned vegetables are high in sodium because sodium is used as a preservative in the canning process. If you use canned vegetables, look for labels that indicate that no salt has been added, or rinse the vegetables before using them. Fruits. Any food that contains seeds surrounded by an edible layer is generally considered a fruit. As with vegetables, you want to eat a variety of colorful ones. Delicious options include strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apples, oranges, peaches, plums, grapes, melons, mangos and papayas. Fruits generally have a sweet or sweet-tart taste, and they're often eaten for snacks or as a dessert. Like vegetables, fruits are great sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals and other phytochemicals. And the colorful varieties of fruits tend to have the most antioxidants. Fresh fruit is best, but frozen fruits with no added sugar and fruits canned in water or their own juice are also excellent. Because of processing, fruit juice and dried fruits, such as raisins or dehydrated bananas, can be a concentrated source of calories. Therefore, you want to eat them sparingly. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates are your body's main energy source, and they make up a wide range of foods. Most carbohydrates are plant based. They include grain products, such as bread, cereals, rice and pasta. Carbohydrates also include certain starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn. Which kind of carbs should you eat? Think of all the carbohydrate-containing foods placed in a straight line. At one end is whole wheat, oats and brown rice. In the middle you'll find white flour, white rice, potatoes and pasta. And at the other end are highly processed products such as cookies, candies and soft drinks. The foods in this lineup incorporate all three kinds of carbohydrates: fiber, starch and sugar. It's not hard to identify the healthy and less healthy sections – less refined whole grains on one end, highly refined sugar on the other end. The health benefits of many items in the middle aren't as clear. The nutrient value of foods such as rice, pasta, bread and potatoes vary and can shift depending on how they're processed and served. Consider, for example, white and whole-grain breads. Both products begin as nutrient-rich grains, typically wheat. With white bread, however, the grain's bran and germ are removed, taking away many natural vitamins and almost all of the fiber. That's why it's best to choose whole-grain breads, because most of the vitamins and fiber are retained. The same goes for whole-grain pastas and cereals as well as brown rice. Similarly, the edible skins often removed from potatoes and sweet potatoes are full of nutrients and fiber. When choosing carbohydrates, the key term to look for on labels is whole. Generally, the less refined a carbohydrate food, the better it is for you. Whole grains are particularly important if you have diabetes or you take corticosteroid medications, because they can help slow increases in blood sugar. Better blood sugar management may also be a factor in reducing inflammation, which can help improve arthritis symptoms. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### TIPS FOR USING THE PYRAMID Although it may seem difficult at first to adapt to a new healthy-eating plan, it will become part of your routine with time and practice. Here are tips to make this new approach work for you: * Plan by the week. It's more efficient and less stressful to plan menus for an entire week rather than figuring out what you're going to eat one day at a time – or at the very minute you step into the kitchen to start preparing a meal. * Focus on the produce. If you're a meat-and-potatoes eater, the pyramid's focus on fruits and vegetables may be a challenge. Try filling the biggest part of your plate with vegetables at dinnertime, while moving the meat to the side. Snack on vegetables and fruits that require little preparation, such as baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, bananas and grapes. Or try making your regular soups, pastas and casseroles with less meat or no meat. Try adding extra vegetables, beans or other legumes instead. * Make pleasure a priority. You may have to cut back on some of your favorite foods to lose weight and curb inflammation. But you don't have to sacrifice your enjoyment of eating. Be sure to include the flavors, colors and textures you enjoy at every meal. * Adapt menus to the season. Use the freshest foods available for your meals – asparagus, peas and cherries in the late spring, tomatoes, corn and peaches in the late summer. Recently harvested produce is often available at local farmers markets. And produce is generally cheapest when it's in season. * Look for shortcuts. As you adapt to a new way of eating, make it as simple as possible. Buy pre-cut vegetables and fruits, precooked meats, shredded low-fat cheeses and packaged salads, as well as frozen vegetables and fruits. * Don't forget convenience. You don't have to cook every meal from scratch. Keep convenience foods, such as a favorite frozen entrée or a side dish, on hand for those days when there's little time to fix meals. Just be selective about what you choose. Read the nutrition labels carefully. * Be flexible. Every food you eat doesn't have to be an excellent source of nutrition. It's OK to eat high-fat, high-calorie, inflammation-amplifying foods on occasion – sometimes it may be your only option. Your main goal is to choose foods that promote good health most of the time. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Protein and dairy Protein is essential to human life. Your skin, bones, muscles and internal organs are made up of protein, and it's present in your blood, too. Protein is often associated with foods of animal origin, but it's also found in plants. Choose proteins from animal products wisely. All meats, including chicken and fish, contain cholesterol. And many cuts of meat, as well as poultry products with the skin on, can be too high in saturated fat. Red meat has been associated with inflammation. So it's best to eat red meat less frequently and only in small portions (about 3 ounces). If you're used to eating a lot of meat, the key is to fill up on healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits and whole grains. You also get protein, as well as calcium, from low-fat dairy products. Low-fat versions of dairy items have the same nutritional value as whole-milk dairy products, but with less fat and calories. Good foods to consume include low-fat milk and yogurt. Make sure they're vitamin D fortified. Vitamin D works with calcium to protect your bones, which is especially important when you have arthritis. Legumes, which include beans, peas and lentils, also are good sources of protein. Legumes are typically low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are high in protein, folate, potassium, iron and magnesium. They're a great substitute for meat in soups and stews. And they may help reduce inflammation. Finally, fish and shellfish are good sources of protein, and some also contain omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s can help lower triglycerides. Triglycerides are fat particles in blood that can raise your risk of heart disease. Omega-3s may also improve the function of your immune system, help regulate your blood pressure and reduce inflammation and arthritis pain. Research suggests that most people would benefit from eating at least two servings of fish a week. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### RECOMMENDED DAILY INTAKE OF CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D FOR MEN AND WOMEN **Age (years)** | **Recommended calcium intake (mg/day)** | **Upper limit of calcium (mg/day)** | **Recommended vitamin D intake (IU/day)** | **Upper limit of vitamin D (IU/day)** ---|---|---|---|--- 19 to 50 | 1,000 | 2,500 | 600 | 4,000 51 to 70 | 1,000 (men) 1,200 (women) | 2,000 (both men and women) | 600 | 4,000 71 and older | 1,200 | 2,000 | 800 | 4,000 Source: Institute of Medicine, 2010 Some postmenopausal women need a higher amount of calcium or vitamin D, depending on osteoporosis risk. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Fats Fats are essential to the life and function of your body's cells. Along with providing reserves of stored energy, fats help maintain cell structure and they play a role in immune system functioning and the regulation of many body processes, including some processes associated with inflammation. In short, you need some fat in your diet. The key is not to get too much. In regard to fat in your diet, you want the right quantity and quality. The fat group near the top of the Healthy Weight Pyramid addresses only those fats that are typically added to daily meals, not the fat within other foods. These added fats include cooking oils, spreads and salad dressings, as well as avocados, olives, seeds and nuts. There are several different kinds of fat in the food you eat. In terms of their healthfulness, not all fats are equal. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are the best choices. Look for products with little or no saturated fats, and avoid trans fats. Just remember that all fats are high in calories – even the healthiest ones. So use them sparingly. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### WHAT'S A SINGLE SERVING? **Vegetables (25 calories/serving)** **1 cup cut-up vegetables = 1 baseball** **2 cups raw, leafy greens = 2 baseballs** **Fruits (60 calories/serving)** **¾ cup sliced fruit = Tennis ball** **1 small apple or medium orange = Tennis ball** **Carbohydrates (70 calories/serving)** **½ cup whole-grain pasta or cereal = Hockey puck** **½ small whole-grain bagel = Hockey puck** **1 slice whole-grain bread = Hockey puck** **Protein and dairy (110 calories/serving)** **2½ ounces chicken or 3 ounces fish = Deck of cards** **1½ ounces lean beef = ½ deck of cards** **Fats (45 calories/serving)** **2 ounces low-fat hard cheese = 4 dice** **1½ teaspoons peanut butter = 2 dice** **1 teaspoon margarine or butter = 1 die** ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Monounsaturated fat. It's found in olive oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil and canola oil, as well as most nuts and avocados. This type of fat helps reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and helps clear arteries by maintaining high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. In addition, extra-virgin olive oil contains antioxidants, and canola and flaxseed oils and some nuts contain omega-3 fatty acids – which may help reduce inflammation. Polyunsaturated fats. These fats are found in plant-based oils such as safflower, corn, sunflower and soybean oils. Cold-water fish, such as salmon, provide a heart-healthy form of this fat – known as omega-3. Saturated fats. Saturated fats are found in animal-based foods, such as meats, poultry, lard, egg yolks and whole-fat dairy products, including butter and cheese. They're also in coconut, palm and other tropical oils, which are used in many coffee lighteners, snack crackers, baked goods and other processed foods. Saturated fat is the main dietary culprit in raising blood cholesterol and narrowing the heart's coronary arteries. These types of fats are also associated with inflammation. Trans fats. Another name for this type of fat is partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Trans fats are found in hardened vegetable fats, such as stick margarine and vegetable shortening, and in foods made with them, including many cookies, crackers and cakes, as well as candies, snack foods and deep-fried foods. This type of fat raises "bad" (LDL) cholesterol levels and lowers "good" (HDL) cholesterol levels, along with other harmful effects. Like saturated fats, trans fats also seem to be associated with inflammation. Sweets Foods in the sweets group include sugar-sweetened beverages, such as regular sodas and fruit drinks, as well as candies, cakes, cookies, pies, doughnuts and other desserts. And don't forget the table sugar you add to cereal, fruit and beverages. Sweets are a high source of calories, mostly from sugar and fat, and are high in energy density. At the same time they offer little in terms of nutrition. In addition, sweets can cause spikes in blood sugar, which isn't good if you also struggle with high blood sugar levels as a side effect of taking corticosteroid medications. You don't have to forgo sweets, but be smart about your selections and portion sizes. The pyramid recommends limiting sweets to 75 calories a day. When possible, select more-healthy desserts, such as a small amount of dark chocolate or low-fat frozen yogurt. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### 10 WAYS TO SPOT A BOGUS 'ARTHRITIS DIET' There is no quick-fix diet or magic diet pill for arthritis pain. Approach any product, pill or expensive diet plan with a healthy dose of criticism. Steer clear of diets that promote: 1. Rapid weight loss 2. Permanent weight loss without an ongoing maintenance program 3. No need for exercise 4. Unlimited quantities of your favorite foods 5. Strict, rigid restrictions on entire food groups 6. Lists of "good" and "bad" foods 7. Lists of "right" and "wrong" combinations 8. "One-size-fits-all" recommendations that ignore differences among individuals or groups 9. Claims that sound too good to be true 10. Simplistic conclusions drawn from a complex study or clinical trial ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### How to get more calcium If your arthritis keeps you from being active and getting regular exercise, you may be at an increased risk of osteoporosis – a condition that causes bones to become weak and brittle and susceptible to fractures. Inactivity can lead to the loss of calcium in your bones. You're also at increased risk of developing osteoporosis if you have a type of inflammatory arthritis or connective tissue disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, or if you take corticosteroid medications. Most fractures from osteoporosis occur in the hip, spine or ribs, but the disease can affect any bone in your body. Getting enough calcium in your diet may help slow bone loss and reduce your risk of osteoporosis. In addition to calcium, you also need adequate vitamin D because the vitamin helps your bones absorb calcium. You get vitamin D in a variety of ways – from foods containing the vitamin and from sunlight. Your body makes vitamin D when sunlight converts a chemical in your skin into a usable form of the nutrient. Still, you may need a vitamin D supplement if you don't get enough calcium and vitamin D in food or you live in cloudy environments or rarely go outside. How much calcium and vitamin D you need depends on your age and sex. (See the chart earlier this chapter.) The best way to get these nutrients is with a balanced diet, but many people fail to do so. If you frequently miss the mark, check with your doctor or registered dietitian to see if you should take a calcium or vitamin D supplement to meet the minimum daily recommendations. Regular weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, and strength training also can help keep your bones strong. The greater the demands you place on your bones, the stronger and denser they become. In some instances medications may also be necessary to prevent osteoporosis, especially in people who require long-term steroid medications to treat their arthritis (see Chapter 5). ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### GOUT AND DIET Gout is a complex form of arthritis, characterized by sudden, severe attacks of pain, redness and tenderness in your joints. It occurs when there's too much uric acid in your blood, a condition called hyperuricemia. Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines. Purines are substances made naturally in your body. They're also found in certain foods, such as organ meats, anchovies, herring, asparagus and mushrooms. Normally, uric acid dissolves in your blood and passes through your kidneys into your urine. But sometimes your body either produces too much uric acid or your kidneys excrete too little uric acid. Try these diet tips to prevent gout attacks and to reduce the risk of other chronic conditions associated with gout, such as heart disease: * Limit red meats. Red meats (beef, pork, lamb) can increase the level of uric acid in your blood. Organ meats (liver, brain and kidney) are particularly high in purines. Because all meat, including poultry, contains purines, limit meat to 4 to 6 ounces daily. To get protein in your diet, eat low-fat dairy products, nuts, dried beans and peas. They're excellent sources of protein, fiber and nutrients and minerals. * Fish and seafood. Although fish and seafood are heart healthy, both have been linked to higher uric acid levels and gout. In view of this, moderation is recommended. Eating fish and seafood twice weekly and keeping serving sizes no larger than 4 ounces is sensible. You can also get the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish from plant foods, such as soy foods, walnuts, pecans and ground flaxseed. * Cut back on fat. Saturated fat reduces the body's ability to eliminate uric acid. High-fat meals also contribute to obesity, which is linked to gout. * Reduce or avoid alcohol. Alcohol interferes with the elimination of uric acid from your body. Drinking beer, in particular, has been linked to gout attacks. If you're a male and you consume alcohol, have no more than one to two drinks a day. If you're a female, have no more than one alcoholic drink a day. A drink is defined as 12 ounces of beer, 4 ounces of wine or 1 ounce of 100-proof spirits. * Drink plenty of fluids, particularly water. Fluids help remove uric acid from your body. Aim for eight to 16 8-ounce glasses a day. There's also some evidence that drinking coffee in moderation is associated with decreased gout risk. Avoid sugary drinks high in calories. * Limit or avoid foods or beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. Fructose is the only carbohydrate known to increase uric acid. It is best to avoid beverages sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, such as soft drinks or juice drinks. * Eat low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Some studies have shown these foods can help reduce the risk of gout. * Lose weight if you're overweight. Weight loss helps lessen the load on weight-bearing joints such as your knees and ankles, and it may also decrease uric acid levels. But avoid rapid-weight-loss diets, which could increase uric acid levels in your blood. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Benefits of a healthy weight Research has shown that being overweight or obese increases your risk of osteoarthritis of the knee. Being overweight or obese also tends to worsen the signs and symptoms of arthritis. Excess weight adds stress to your weight-bearing joints, especially your knees, aggravating pain, stiffness and inflammation. These effects aren't limited to the lower body, either. Being obese can even cause pain in the neck and hands. As a result, it's important to lose weight if you're overweight. It's just as important to avoid weight gain. In one study, normal-weight people who became overweight between the ages of 20 and 50 were two to three times more likely to need knee surgery for arthritis than were people who maintained a normal weight throughout these middle years. The good news is that if you have osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis and you're carrying extra weight, shedding some of those excess pounds can reduce the stress on your back, hips, knees and feet – all places where you may develop arthritis pain. In fact, weight loss has been shown to improve symptoms and reduce the need for knee surgery, no matter how much structural damage has occurred in the knee. A loss of 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight may: * Decrease pain * Provide a sense of control * Increase mobility * Increase ability to exercise * Increase energy level * Improve balance All of these benefits, in turn, help decrease fatigue, prevent falls and improve your self-image. Weight loss is especially important if you and your doctor are considering joint surgery, because excess weight can make surgery more difficult and risky. In fact, some surgeons insist that their overweight patients lose weight before they undergo elective operations. Weight-control basics The formula for weight control is clear-cut: If you consume fewer calories than you burn through physical activity, you'll lose weight. If your calorie consumption is greater than your energy needs, you'll gain weight, which can worsen arthritis pain. An effective diet to control weight may require you to reduce the number of calories you consume, but it shouldn't be at the cost of good health, taste and practicality. The diet you choose should be simple, inexpensive, enjoyable and satisfying. Otherwise, how will you ever stick with your eating plan? Adding regular moderate physical activity is also important. Even with arthritis, there are many physical activities to choose from that can help burn calories and increase muscle mass. Normal daily activities such as cleaning, shopping and doing laundry help burn calories, too. In addition, strength training can counteract muscle loss due to aging. You don't have to lift heavy free weights to reap the benefits of strength training. You can exercise your muscles with resistance bands or by using the weight of your own body, as in pushups, lunges and standing squats. The more active you are, the easier it is to maintain and even increase your muscle mass and keep a healthy weight. (See Chapter 11 for more information on exercise.) On days when you're not feeling well, try to stay active with lower intensity activities. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### A RISK OF BEING UNDERWEIGHT Being overweight can worsen the symptoms of arthritis, but for people with rheumatoid arthritis there's also a risk in being too thin. In a study conducted at Mayo Clinic, researchers found that people with rheumatoid arthritis who had a low body mass index (BMI) were three times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than were individuals without rheumatoid arthritis who had a normal weight. It's likely that people with the most severe forms of rheumatoid arthritis have an active and extensive inflammatory response, which can be associated with weight loss. For these individuals, the best course of action may be finding a doctor who will pay close attention to cardiovascular disease prevention and care. If your BMI is normal or low, it's also important to be careful as you make healthy changes to your diet or eliminate foods that seem to trigger your symptoms. Sometimes, these changes can result in unexpected weight loss. Talk to your doctor or dietitian if you lose weight without trying. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### What's your BMI? Body mass index (BMI) is a tool for indicating your weight status. For most people, BMI is a reasonably accurate measure of body composition and indicator of whether they're at a healthy or unhealthy weight. To determine your BMI, find your height in the left column. Follow that row across to the weight nearest yours. Look at the top of that column for your approximate BMI. For example, if you're 5'8" tall and weigh 164 pounds, you have a BMI of 25, which is slightly overweight. | Normal | Overweight | Obese ---|---|---|--- BMI | 19 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 | 50 Height | Weight in pounds **4'10"** | 91 | 115 | 119 | 124 | 129 | 134 | 138 | 143 | 167 | 191 | 215 | 239 **4'11** " | 94 | 119 | 124 | 128 | 133 | 138 | 143 | 148 | 173 | 198 | 222 | 247 **5'0"** | 97 | 123 | 128 | 133 | 138 | 143 | 148 | 153 | 179 | 204 | 230 | 255 **5'1"** | 100 | 127 | 132 | 137 | 143 | 148 | 153 | 158 | 185 | 211 | 238 | 264 **5'2"** | 104 | 131 | 136 | 142 | 147 | 153 | 158 | 164 | 191 | 218 | 246 | 273 **5'3"** | 107 | 135 | 141 | 146 | 152 | 158 | 163 | 169 | 197 | 225 | 254 | 282 **5'4"** | 110 | 140 | 145 | 151 | 157 | 163 | 169 | 174 | 204 | 232 | 262 | 291 **5'5"** | 114 | 144 | 150 | 156 | 162 | 168 | 174 | 180 | 210 | 240 | 270 | 300 **5'6"** | 118 | 148 | 155 | 161 | 167 | 173 | 179 | 186 | 216 | 247 | 278 | 309 **5'7"** | 121 | 153 | 159 | 166 | 172 | 178 | 185 | 191 | 223 | 255 | 287 | 319 **5'8"** | 125 | 158 | 164 | 171 | 177 | 184 | 190 | 197 | 230 | 262 | 295 | 328 **5'9"** | 128 | 162 | 169 | 176 | 182 | 189 | 196 | 203 | 236 | 270 | 304 | 338 **5'10"** | 132 | 167 | 174 | 181 | 188 | 195 | 202 | 209 | 243 | 278 | 313 | 348 **5'11"** | 136 | 172 | 179 | 186 | 193 | 200 | 208 | 215 | 250 | 286 | 322 | 358 **6'0"** | 140 | 177 | 184 | 191 | 199 | 206 | 213 | 221 | 258 | 294 | 331 | 368 **6'1"** | 144 | 182 | 189 | 197 | 204 | 212 | 219 | 227 | 265 | 302 | 340 | 378 **6'2"** | 148 | 186 | 194 | 202 | 210 | 218 | 225 | 233 | 272 | 311 | 350 | 389 **6'3"** | 152 | 192 | 200 | 208 | 216 | 224 | 232 | 240 | 279 | 319 | 359 | 399 **6'4"** | 156 | 197 | 205 | 213 | 221 | 230 | 238 | 246 | 287 | 328 | 369 | 410 Source: National Institutes of Health, 1998 *Asians with a BMI of 23 or higher may have an increased risk of health problems. Whatever your BMI, you will benefit from a discussion about your weight and overall fitness with your doctor. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Guide for weight loss Before starting a weight-loss plan, it's important to work with your doctor. However, you can use the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid as your guide to making smart eating choices. The pyramid ensures that you're getting a nutritionally balanced diet that includes foods that may help reduce inflammation but, at the same time, don't contain a lot of calories and unhealthy fat. It's a great plan for lifelong healthy eating. You may have noticed that each food group in the Mayo Clinic Healthy Weight Pyramid comes with a recommended range of servings. How many servings you should eat depends on a variety of factors, including your weight, activity level and sex. If you're trying to lose weight, you'll want to aim for servings in the lower range for each food group rather than in the higher range. It's important, however, that you eat at least the minimum daily servings for each food group to maintain good health. You can ask your doctor or dietitian for help with serving numbers. It's also important to remember that a serving is not the same thing as a portion. A serving is an exact amount of food defined by common measurements, such as cups, ounces and tablespoons. And that amount equals a certain number of calories for each food group. A portion is the amount of food put on your plate. And, with the trend toward supersizing, all-you-can-eat buffets and oversized plates at restaurants, the "portion" you eat often contains several servings. Luckily, you don't need to memorize a list of food serving sizes or carry measuring cups with you to meals. As the table on What's a single serving? shows, you can use common visual cues to estimate servings and reach a healthy weight. Appetite control Long-term use of some arthritis drugs may increase your appetite, making it more difficult to keep your weight under control. Eat slowly and stretch mealtimes to a minimum of 20 to 30 minutes to allow your natural appetite-control mechanism to work. Increasing the amount of high-fiber foods in your diet can help you feel full more quickly. To get more fiber, try whole-grain breads instead of white bread, fresh fruit instead of juice, and raw vegetables and fruits in place of salty snacks. These tips may also help you appease an overactive appetite: * Eat breakfast. It is the most important meal of your day. Make breakfast a high-fiber cereal, whole-grain bread and fresh fruit. Then, you may feel less tempted to eat fatty, sugary snacks in the morning. Starting the day with a good breakfast can also set you up for eating a more balanced lunch. * Be sure you're hungry. Are you eating because you're stressed or bored? On those occasions, substitute reading, being active or calling a friend in place of eating. * Eat slowly. Savor the flavor and texture of individual foods to boost your satisfaction. Remember, it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to receive a signal that you're full. Make sure your meals last at least this long. * Ride out the urge. Cravings generally pass within minutes, maybe even seconds. Busy yourself with an activity unrelated to food until the desire to eat passes. * Start small. If you feel you always need to finish what's in front of you, start with half the amount of food on your plate that you normally eat. You may find a smaller amount is still enough. To make less food seem like more, serve your main course on a salad or dessert plate. * Enjoy a treat now and then. Keep tempting treats out of the house, so you don't overindulge. But allow for an occasional ice cream cone or small piece of apple pie when you're out. ### Strategies for success Whether you're trying to lose weight or eat more healthfully to improve arthritic symptoms, the following strategies may help. Healthy eating isn't just about adding up calories and eating servings of salmon and kale. It's about organization, planning and practicality – at restaurants, in the grocery store and in your own kitchen. Make a menu You'll be more likely to stick with a healthy diet if you have a plan. Having the right ingredients on hand, healthy meals come together from scratch almost as fast as they do with processed, higher calorie convenience foods. Try planning your meals one week at a time. Consider your calendar as you plan. If you're invited to a friend's house for dinner on Saturday, then cross that meal off your list. If you're volunteering on Wednesday evening and that will delay dinner, pencil in leftovers or an extra-quick meal that won't take much time and energy to prepare. Make sure your plan also includes healthy breakfast, lunch and snack options, too. Menu planning may take a little getting used to. But it's one of your best defenses against unplanned, unhealthy eating – such as grabbing chips or cookies when you need a break at work or arrive home hungry. Planning also helps you get a healthy meal on the table when your energy is low or you're in pain. * Plan for leftovers. Make a double batch of chili, so it stretches over two dinners instead of one. Prepare two lasagnas and freeze one for later. Or roast a chicken and turn the leftover meat into a stir-fry later in the week. No matter how you do it, preparing for two meals at once is always a timesaver. * Cook ahead. Make Tuesday night's stew during the lazy hours of Sunday afternoon. Prep vegetables in the morning, so they're ready to use at dinnertime. Prepare a simple balsamic vinaigrette while you're talking on the phone. You may find many occasions when you can do small tasks in advance, making cooking less daunting later on. * Look for shortcuts. When you go to the grocery store, purchase pre-cut fruits and vegetables, meats cut for stir-fries, and other items that save you time in the kitchen. They may cost a little more, but they're worth it when you're not feeling well. Even prepared foods from the grocery store are less expensive than are take-out or restaurant foods of similar nutritional value. * Keep a list of menu ideas. Make a file of recipes that include few ingredients and take 20 minutes or less to make. Refer to the list as you plan weekly menus, or pull it out when an unexpected event disrupts your day and you can't stick to your original meal plan. * Include family members. Ask family members what they'd like to eat that's different and healthy. If they can choose, they may be more willing to assist and experiment along with you. Create a kitchen that really cooks When you have arthritis, the time you have for meal preparation and the amount of effort you're able to manage can be major factors in deciding what foods you serve. Help yourself by making your kitchen efficient and easy to use. Tools for organization. Arrange your kitchen so the most common or important things that you use are within easy reach. Make use of energy-saving storage devices such as Lazy Susans and pegboards. Buy easy-to-open containers to keep food and equipment handy. If you have the space, employ a small, wheeled cart for tasks that involve moving supplies from one place to another. For example, use the cart to gather ingredients from the refrigerator and pantry or while setting the table. Arrange one complete place setting at a time and work your way around the table. You can also use the cart to clear the table and carry items to the sink for clean up. Lightening your workload. Be aware of where you place utensils as you cook, so that you can save steps and motions. Use a small electric food processor to chop and dice foods and grate cheese. Try rinsing dirty cooking utensils and equipment immediately after use so that cleanup will be easier later on. Here are a few other tips for cooking with ease: * Use utensils with fat handles that are easy to grip (see Helpful kitchen tools). * Keep your knives sharpened for easy cutting. * Slide heavy objects along the counter rather than lifting them. * Serve hot items from the stove directly on the plates rather than lifting heavy pots and pans. * Cook and serve in the same dish whenever possible. * Use a slotted spoon to remove vegetables from water instead of lifting the kettle and pouring the contents into a colander. * Place a nonslip pad or wet cloth under a mixing bowl to help hold it stationary without gripping. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### ADDING NUTRITION TO CONVENIENCE FOODS It's OK to eat convenience foods, such as frozen entrees or side dishes, on busy days. Just be selective about what you choose. Look for items that are low in fat and calories and that aren't loaded with sodium. Then, give them a nutritional boost: * Add fresh peppers, grated carrots, mushrooms and onions to prepared spaghetti sauce to increase fiber, nutrients and flavor. * Top frozen pizza with fresh tomatoes or thinly sliced peppers before heating. Or add a handful of arugula and a drizzle of olive oil or lemon juice after heating. * When preparing packaged whole grain (brown) rice, toss in vegetables (peas, broccoli, corn) or fruit (raisins, apple, apricots). * Serve fresh fruits and vegetables as side dishes when eating convenience foods, such as frozen microwave dinners. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Tips for eating out Don't let the large portions, unfamiliar menus and tempting desserts at restaurants derail your commitment to healthy eating. You can dine out and still stay true to your dietary goals. * Choose restaurants carefully. Look for places that offer lots of variety, where you can find a low-fat, healthy meal that's high on taste. Restaurants that prepare the food you order from start to finish are more likely to accommodate special requests. Many restaurants post menus on their websites (and some include nutritional information), so you can look for healthy options and decide what to order beforehand. * Keep hunger under control. Don't skip meals on days you're eating out. If you enter a restaurant ravenous, you're more prone to order too much food. In fact, you may want to have a light snack of vegetables or fruit an hour or so before the meal to avoid overeating. * Look for plant-based options. Many restaurants have special listings for healthy eating. However, foods in the diet or light section still may have far more calories and fat than you think. Look for items that contain little or no fat, small amounts of meat, poultry or fish, and lots of vegetables and low-fat carbohydrates, for example, a baked potato, brown rice or a slice of whole-grain bread. * Order wisely. If you can't find a healthy dinner item, order a la carte. Make a meal out of a broth-based (not creamed) soup or a salad and one appetizer – choose something that's broiled, baked or steamed, not fried. Also consider sharing the meal with a companion or asking for a take-home box to come with your food, so you can immediately remove half to take home for another time. * Speak up. Ask your server to clarify unfamiliar terms or explain how a dish is prepared. Request smaller portions and substitutions, such as fresh fruit for french fries. Ask whether items can be broiled instead of fried. * Cut out the condiments. Taste your food before instinctively adding salt, butter, sauces and dressing. Well-prepared food often needs only minimal enhancement. Ask for sauces or dressing on the side. Dab your fork in the sauce before using it to pick up your food. This allows you to enjoy the sauce but limits the amount. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### RESTAURANT PORTION CONTROL At the beginning of your meal, ask for a take-home container and put half the meal into the container right away. You save half the calories and fat, and you get a meal to take home that you don't have to prepare later on. **Food** | **Original portion** | **Approximate original calories and fat (grams)** | **Approximate calories and fat (grams) saved by eating ½ portion** ---|---|---|--- Butter | 1 tbsp. | 100/10 | 50/5 Salad dressing (regular) | 1 ladle (4 tbsp.) | About 240/20 (depending on type) | About 120/10 (depending on type) Tartar sauce | 4 tbsp. | 160/10 | 80/5 Roasted chicken breast (with skin) | 7 oz. | 390/20 | 195/10 Sirloin steak | 12 oz. | 1,120/90 | 560/45 Prime rib | 12 oz. | 1,440/120 | 720/60 Fish fillet (breaded and batter fried) | 8 oz. | 530/30 | 265/15 Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 25. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. <http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl>. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### A word about food and drug interactions You may have heard that certain foods you eat can alter the effectiveness of some medications. On the flip side, some arthritis medications can interfere with how well your body uses certain nutrients. So you may need higher than usual amounts of some vitamins or minerals to help make up for their reduced effectiveness. Make sure you understand how your medication should be taken. Some of the drugs used to treat arthritis are most effective if you take them on an empty stomach. Others should be taken with food to prevent stomach irritation. Carefully follow the instructions from your health care team. Two of the most common side effects of arthritis medications are heartburn and stomach upset, often described as a gnawing pain or empty feeling in the stomach. These symptoms can be caused by the food or the medication or a combination of both. To help prevent the symptoms, sit upright for at least 15 to 30 minutes after eating meals or taking medications. Try to avoid eating for at least one hour before bedtime. Limit foods that tend to trigger reactions, such as alcohol, caffeine, cola, spicy foods, fried foods and ground-black and red cayenne pepper. Be sure to discuss your medications with your doctor. Learn whether you need to avoid any foods because of medications, if you have any need to take supplements, and the most effective way to take the medication. In the end, it's important that your medications and your healthy-eating plan are working together. Both play an important role in helping you live well with arthritis. ### **Chapter 13** # **Your mind and your health** Your mind is a collection of thoughts, feelings, beliefs and emotions – the infrastructure that processes and supports the continuous flow of information through your brain. It's a subtle yet powerful tool guiding your conduct in daily life. The health and vitality of your mind is extraordinarily important to maintaining your physical health and allowing you to live a balanced, satisfying life. Thoughts and feelings you have about yourself and your place in life can powerfully influence your perception of and ability to cope with a condition such as arthritis. How well you're able to manage the condition may be based on whether you're an optimist or pessimist, whether you feel confident or insecure about yourself, and whether or not you feel in control of your life. Put simply, positive or optimistic thoughts can have health-enhancing benefits. Negative or pessimistic thoughts can intensify stress and pain. In general, optimists are convinced they can change and make things work out. They tend to react to adversity by taking action. Having a positive attitude may buffer you from stress, and you face life's difficulties with a greater sense of hope. The mind-body connection works in various ways. For example, if you believe your life is under control, you tend to take better care of yourself – such as eating right, exercising and getting enough rest – than if you think nothing you do matters. Feelings of helplessness, meanwhile, may weaken your immune system by inhibiting the response of certain cells to invading bacteria, viruses and tumor cells. Pessimistic people also may isolate themselves from the proven, health-enhancing benefits of companionship, love and support from family and friends. For arthritis in particular, how well you manage the condition depends at least as much on your own actions as on the skill of your health care team. If you believe you can manage arthritis – if you believe you can handle pain and fatigue – then you're more likely to use medical resources more effectively than are people with no faith in their coping skills. Between two people with the same level of physical impairment, the one with better coping skills is likely to experience less pain and have less difficulty functioning. It has taken years for researchers to prove what children's stories may have taught you long ago. If, like Chicken Little, you're convinced that the sky is falling, you may be subjecting your body to unwanted stress and feelings of helplessness, making day-to-day existence more difficult. But if, like the Little Engine That Could, you believe in yourself and your abilities, you can learn how to manage arthritis and live a full and satisfying life despite your condition. ### Your body and stress For years, scientists have closely studied the complex interactions involving emotions, stress and disease and the body's immune system and nervous system. It's the job of your immune system to maintain your health and facilitate healing by warding off invaders, such as bacteria and viruses, and abnormal cells. Your nervous system provides communication links between organs that are part of your immune system, such as the spleen, lymph nodes and thymus. The nervous system also regulates hormones – body chemicals that control the immune response. Stress can have a powerful impact on these functions. When you're under stress, your brain triggers the release of hormones as your body gears up to face the challenge. You know the feeling when you're scared or excited. Your heart beats faster, your breathing speeds up, and your muscles tense. These physiological reactions can be a positive thing, giving you an energy boost that's necessary to pass a test, give a speech or perform onstage. They can also "rev up" your immune system, preparing your body to heal injury or fight infection. There's a downside to this process. Research shows that when stress is ongoing, or chronic, the continuous release of hormones begins to suppress your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness. If you're older or already have an illness, you become more prone to stress-related changes. With a chronic condition such as arthritis, stress makes it harder to manage your symptoms. One of the most negative effects of stress is worsening pain resulting from muscle tension and fatigue. The pain, in turn, reduces your stamina, causes feelings of helplessness, and intensifies anger, anxiety and frustration. As a result, you may become depressed and feel more and more helpless. Stress is a part of life that can't be avoided. While you can control many stressful occurrences, you can't control all of them. Events such as accidents or illness occur. Even positive events in your life, such as a job promotion or wedding, may cause you stress. For most of us, minor stressors are more common than major ones. Research indicates that these minor events can have a significant impact on how you feel day to day. Stress can also be generated from within – it's often your reaction to an event that determines the amount of stress you experience. This reinforces the stress cycle of pain, reduced coping abilities and depression. Heed the warning signs The first step in breaking the stress cycle is learning to recognize when you're under stress. People experience stress differently in varying combinations of physical symptoms, emotional changes and behavioral changes. Physical effects of stress may include: * Headache * Chest pain * Heart pounding * High blood pressure * Shortness of breath * Muscle aches or pain * Clenched jaws * Teeth grinding * Tight, dry throat * Indigestion * Constipation or diarrhea * Stomach cramping or bloating * Increased perspiration, often causing cold, sweaty hands * Fatigue * Insomnia * Weight gain or loss * Diminished sex drive * Skin problems, such as hives Emotional effects of stress may include: * Anxiety * Restlessness * Worrying * Irritability * Depression * Sadness * Anger * Mood swings * Feelings of insecurity * Lack of concentration * Confusion * Forgetfulness * Resentment * Assigning blame to others * Guilt * Pessimism Behavioral effects of stress may include: * Overeating or loss of appetite * Poor anger management * Increased use of alcohol and drugs * Increased smoking * Withdrawal or isolation * Crying spells * Changes in close relationships * Job dissatisfaction * Decreased productivity * Burnout If you undergo any of these changes, try to determine if they may be caused by something other than stress, possibly with the help of your doctor or psychologist. If your symptoms appear to be stress related, try to figure out what's triggering them. Obviously, situations such as divorce or a death in the family are major stressors. But what about the day-to-day occurrences that rev up your stress reactors? Take note of the things that make your heart beat faster and neck muscles tighter. Is it arguing with a co-worker, sitting in rush-hour traffic, juggling too many commitments, or maybe all of these? Keeping a diary for a few weeks can give you a better handle on what sets your nerves on edge. If you can identify your symptoms and what triggers them, you may be able to better control stress, either by avoiding the triggers, changing the circumstances, if possible, or altering your reaction to the events. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### DEPRESSION AND ARTHRITIS Depression is more than just feeling down or blue. It's a biochemical imbalance of the brain, causing certain symptoms that, if extreme, can be life threatening. When you have arthritis, it's not unusual for you to become depressed. Depression leads to many emotional and physical problems. Symptoms may include persistent sadness, irritability, anxiety, loss of interest or pleasure in life, neglect of personal care, changes in eating or sleeping habits, persistent fatigue, loss of energy and feelings of worthlessness or guilt. Symptoms of depression tend to magnify the pain and discomfort of arthritis. Please see a medical professional if you feel you are depressed. The condition usually requires long-term treatment involving medication and psychological counseling. If you're reluctant to seek treatment for depression, consider this: It may help reduce pain. Research has found that for older adults with both arthritis and depression, taking antidepressant medications or attending therapy sessions reduced the symptoms of both conditions. The individuals also reported better joint function and overall health. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Focus on the positive OK, so you have arthritis. That's no reason to think of yourself as hopeless, alone and unhealthy. Remember, you have choices. Taking care of yourself, by eating well, exercising and getting enough rest, can go a long way toward making you feel better and staying active. But what if you believe you're not in control of your situation? Chances are your thoughts are working against you. Self-talk is rapid-fire or automatic thoughts that pass through your brain constantly, although you may not be aware of it. If you pause for a moment and listen to what's going through your mind, you might be surprised how negative your self-talk can be. For example, you start a walking program and instead of focusing on the benefits the activity brings, you chide yourself for being out of shape. Or before you give a presentation at work, you tell yourself, "I'm lousy at this," or "They're just waiting for me to say something stupid." Negative self-talk may underlie some (or most) of the stress you're feeling. Cognitive behavioral therapy may help you transform that self-talk from negative to positive. It can be an effective tool for anyone wishing to learn how to better manage stressful life situations such as arthritis. To use cognitive behavioral therapy, you'll work with a counselor (psychotherapist), who will help you become more aware of your inaccurate or negative way of thinking. Therapy allows you to view challenging situations clearly and respond to them in a more effective manner. Therapy is generally focused on specific problems – for example, the struggles you may be having with mobility or your worry about the appearance of a deformed finger joint – using a goal-oriented approach. Sessions help you to: * Identify the difficult situations * Become aware of your thoughts, emotions and beliefs about these situations * Identify the negative or inaccurate thoughts you have * Challenge your negative or inaccurate thinking Your therapist will encourage you to consider whether your view of a situation is based on actual fact or based on your inaccurate perception of what's going on. This can be difficult if you have long-standing ways of thinking about your life and yourself. With practice, your ability to develop positive thinking and behavior will become a habit and won't take as much effort. Instead of thinking, "I'll never be able to do anything I enjoy," you can tell yourself, "I'll take good care of myself so I can still do many things" or "I may have to slow down, but I don't have to give up." By changing your outlook, you'll find more constructive ways to cope with arthritis. ### Reduce stress In addition to redirecting negative thoughts, there are other strategies for managing stress. You may talk about your problems with others, listen to soothing music or take a short evening walk. Most of the time you may do pretty well in getting through life's crises as they arise. But at other times you may need a little extra help. The following tips may help you better manage stress: * Try to be more tolerant. Learn to be more accepting of yourself and of situations over which you have no control. A starting point is the recognition that you'll always experience a certain amount of stress – and that is normal. * Plan your day. Having a plan may help you feel more in control of your life. Keep a schedule of daily activities so that you're not faced with conflicts or last-minute dashes to get to appointments on time. * Get organized. De-clutter living and work spaces so that you don't have to spend time and energy searching for misplaced items. * Manage your time. Often, stress is a result of too much to do and too little time. Setting priorities and practicing simple time management skills may go a long way toward depressurizing your day. * Take occasional breaks. Periodically during the day, take time to relax, stretch or walk. * Get adequate sleep, stay physically active and eat well. A healthy body promotes good mental health. Sleep reinvigorates you. Physical activity burns off stress-related tension. And a balanced diet provides energy to handle daily stress. * Discuss your concerns. Talking with a family member or friend may help to relieve stress and cast events in a different light. * Get away. Take a break from your normal routine. Benefit from a change of scenery or a different pace of life. * Enjoy a good laugh. It's healthy to spend time with people who have a positive outlook, take themselves lightly or have a sense of humor. Laughter helps reduce or relieve tension. If self-help measures don't reduce stress, help from a counselor, psychiatrist, psychologist or clergyperson may be what you need. Many people mistakenly believe that seeking outside help is a sign of weakness. But it takes strength to realize that you need help and good judgment to seek it. ### Learn to relax Relaxation helps reduce the muscle tension that can increase pain. If you need help relaxing, there are several relaxation techniques you might try. Finding one that works for you helps decrease pain and increase your comfort level. Relaxation techniques typically need to be learned, which means following some direction initially and then practicing them regularly later on. Yoga, tai chi and other techniques involving defined postures and repetitive movements can help you relax. Prayer and meditation, especially when kept simple, familiar and repetitive, also may help. These quiet, reflective exercises can help reverse the mental arousal from stress. Regular practice also may reduce stress by changing your priorities or thought patterns. They can be another powerful means of shifting thoughts from negative to positive. Following are several relaxation techniques (and these are by no means all of them). If you wish to try one, there are many instructional products on the market that may help you. Pick a quiet time and place where you won't be disturbed. Practice regularly, preferably daily, for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes. And try to be patient – it may take several weeks to get the hang of it and start to see some benefit. Meditation This ancient practice has been called an altered state of consciousness and a unique state of relaxation. There are almost as many ways to meditate as there are people who meditate. The basic premise of meditation is to sit quietly and focus on the rhythm of your breathing or on a simple word or phrase repeated over and over. When distracting thoughts arise – and they will – you simply notice them and let them go, always returning to your focus. With meditation, you enter a deeply restful state that reduces your body's stress response. There are different types of meditation, including mindful meditation, relaxation response and transcendental meditation. All forms work similarly. By meditating often, you can learn to relax your breathing, slow brain waves, and decrease muscle tension and your heart rate. Like other relaxation techniques, meditation can help lessen your response to the chemicals that your body produces when you're stressed, such as adrenaline. Too much adrenaline on a regular basis can be harmful. Guided imagery With this practice, also known as visualization, you enter a relaxed state brought on by meditation or self-hypnosis. In this state, you employ all your senses to imagine a setting that helps alleviate the physical symptoms of stress. Studies of guided imagery suggest that when you imagine something, the same parts of your brain are stimulated as when you actually experience it. When you visualize a calming environment, your brain receives messages of relaxation that are passed on to your autonomic nervous and endocrine systems, which regulate key functions such as heart rate and blood pressure. Progressive muscle relaxation This relaxation technique works on the theory that to learn how to relax your muscles, you must first know how they feel when they're tensed. Therefore, progressive relaxation is a series of exercises that takes you through each of the major muscle groups from head to toe – tensing and releasing tension as you go. Along the way, you focus on how the relaxed muscles feel compared with the tense muscles. A similar technique to progressive muscle relaxation is called body scanning. You systematically focus on each muscle group, noting any tension and then letting it go without tensing the muscles. Instead of physically tensing and relaxing muscles, you focus on the sensations in each part of your body. Self-hypnosis Self-hypnosis is an induced state of relaxation that enhances your focus and helps make you more open to act on suggestions given to you – or that you give to yourself – when you're in a hypnotic state. Self-hypnosis alters brain wave patterns in much the same way as other relaxation techniques. This stress-relieving result may be why it works to ease pain and stress and alter behavior. Massage therapy Massage therapy involves the manipulation of soft tissues of your body. There are several forms of massage, which includes the traditional kneading and rubbing of Swedish massage and the application of pressure at specific points of the body, which characterizes acupressure (shiatsu) massage. Massage can reduce your heart rate, increase blood circulation, relax muscles, improve range of motion and increase production of endorphins, which can help relieve pain. Massage is effective at relieving stress, depression and anxiety. It can also decrease the perception of pain and has been shown to reduce arthritis pain. The environment in which you receive massage is important. A warm, quiet area, free from distracting noise or interruption, can help relieve muscle tension. Low-volume sound or music also relaxes muscles. Your massage therapist may use a mineral oil to reduce friction, contributing to smooth, effective massage strokes. Keep a journal Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help you blow off steam, increase self-awareness, solve problems and put things in perspective. By writing regularly, you can also create a record of your symptoms, see patterns in their occurrence, gain a better understanding of your disease, and find ways to communicate better with your doctors and others about your condition. You may also be able to determine whether medications are affecting your mood or whether your arthritis flares when you're under stress. According to the Arthritis Foundation, people with chronic illnesses who record their feelings often report fewer symptoms, fewer doctor visits, fewer days off work and improved moods. ### Seek support Having friends and loved ones to talk to, especially when you're facing the pain and fatigue that arthritis brings, can help you feel less alone and overwhelmed, and more able to cope with your condition. Having people who care about you also makes you more likely to take better care of yourself. In addition, having support may help improve your physical functioning and lower your level of psychological distress. Receiving daily doses of friendliness and understanding from others may improve your psychological well-being. And having social companionship – being asked to join in – appears to be beneficial both physically and psychologically. Support groups may offer similar benefits as individual support, with one possible advantage: In a group of relative strangers, you may feel more comfortable expressing your deepest fears and daily concerns without worry of scaring or burdening your loved ones. Depending on the nature of the group, you can deal with difficult problems, change your perspective, share ideas and experiences, and learn how others cope with the same challenges. To get the most benefit from a support group, it helps to be willing to share your thoughts and feelings and to be interested in learning about the experiences of others. To find a group, talk to your doctor, your local Arthritis Foundation chapter or others you know who have arthritis. If you're not comfortable in a group setting but feel the need to express your feelings about arthritis or need help learning meditation or self-hypnosis, you might consider individual counseling. Talk to your doctor about recommended therapists. ### Intimacy and arthritis Sexuality is a natural, healthy part of living, and part of your identity as a man or woman. When the chronic pain of arthritis invades your life, the pleasures of sexuality often disappear. You may be concerned that sexual intercourse will cause physical pain, especially if you have arthritis in your back or hip. You may be worried that your partner finds you less attractive because of pain or swollen joints. Or you may have simply lost interest in sex as a result of the symptoms. It doesn't have to be this way. You can have a healthy and satisfying sexual relationship, even with arthritis. The key is honest communication. It also helps to be creative and willing to change. No matter what your health condition, it's important not to lose sight of your sexuality. Here are strategies for enhancing your sex life and achieving greater satisfaction: * Communicate openly. Talk with your partner about how you feel, what you want or need from the relationship, and how to be intimate in a way that's pleasurable to both of you. If you have unspoken fears regarding sexual contact, tell your partner about them. Talking openly together can ease your concerns. * Rekindle your romance. Go on a date, plan a picnic, send flowers or just spend extra time together. Set the stage for sexual intimacy with dinner by candlelight or holding hands during an evening stroll. * Prepare your body. Do gentle range-of-motion exercises for a few minutes before having sex. This may help prevent pain and stiffness. A warm bath or shower with your partner also may help relax your muscles and prepare you for intimacy. Consider taking a pain medication or muscle relaxant before sex – but first talk with your doctor about which type of drug and what dose is right for you. * Expand your definition of intimacy. For many people with arthritis, it's the act of intercourse that causes the most problems. Alternatives that might be more comfortable and fulfilling include cuddling, fondling, sensual massage, masturbation, oral sex or use of a vibrator. * Experiment to make intercourse more comfortable. Instead of a conventional posture that may be painful, try a different position, for example, lying side by side, kneeling or sitting. Many good books are available that describe different ways to have intercourse. * Change your routine. Many people have higher pain levels in the evening. If this is true for you, try being intimate in the morning – when you're refreshed from a good night's sleep and may have the most energy. If you continue to have sexual problems, talk with your doctor. Describe when and how your sexual desire or performance has been affected by arthritis. Pain and fatigue can reduce your libido, but many medications, including glucocorticoids and anti-depressants, also can reduce sexual drive. Your doctor may be able to change your medication, change the dosage or recommend other strategies to enhance your sex life. One important note: If you suspect a medication may be affecting sexual performance, don't stop taking it without first consulting your doctor. In all partnerships, it takes effort to maintain what is good and to correct what isn't. Be willing to make that effort. A healthy sexual relationship can positively affect all aspects of your life, including your physical health, self-esteem and productivity. Remind yourself that problems can also be opportunities. In your efforts to become more intimate, you may discover something about your partner that you otherwise might have missed. The relationship you recover may be even better than the one you had before you developed arthritis. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### LEARNING TO HELP YOURSELF The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program teaches people with different chronic conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease and arthritis, how to take better care of themselves, tackle problems such as pain and fatigue, and use medications wisely. Two trained leaders facilitate the small-group workshops, which typically meet once a week for 2½ hours over a six-week period. Often, one or both leaders are non-health care professionals and have some form of chronic disease. These self-management workshops take place in communities across the nation. You can locate the nearest workshop by visiting the National Council on Aging (NCOA) website at this address: www.ncoa.org/improve-health/center-for-healthy-aging/chronic-disease-1.html. The Arthritis Foundation sponsors fitness programs designed to help you reduce pain and increase strength and flexibility. Certified instructors lead separate group classes for walking, tai chi, aquatics and low-impact exercise. You can locate a program by visiting the Arthritis Foundation website at this address: www.arthritis.org/chaptermap.php. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Simplify your life We live in an era of multitasking – doing (or trying to do) several things at once. Yet many people seem to long for a simpler, slower paced, more meaningful life. That may not mean quitting your job and moving to the country, but arthritis may force you to slow down and focus on single tasks. You may need to allow more time for rest and self-care. You can pay more attention to the things in your life that give you satisfaction and pleasure. Here are suggestions for simplifying your life: * Reassess success. Living a fast-paced, competitive lifestyle is exciting at times, but it may not always be the right choice for you. You may make more money and have a better golf score or higher profile in your community, but is it worth the added stress? Making better use of your time and adding more meaning to your life may require giving up some grand objectives. But is your job eating up too many hours of your day? Think about having more time – even if it means less money and prestige. * Accept things you can't change. Maybe you can't do all of the things that you did before you had arthritis. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, the wax-and-wane nature of your disease might make it difficult to plan ahead, and you may be too tired to pursue every interest. Don't fight it. Decide what's important. Give top priority to those things you must do and you want to do. For the rest, delegate them, drop them or ask for help. * Take a breath. When you're stressed, your breathing is rapid and shallow. Relaxed breathing is slow and deep. By slowing your breathing to six or fewer breaths a minute, you can decrease the stress response and force your body into a relaxed state. Practicing relaxed breathing for at least 15 minutes a day may even help you control conditions such as high blood pressure. Here's one way to practice deep breathing: Inhale slowly to a count of four, then exhale slowly to a count of four. Do this whenever you're under pressure – when you're waiting in line or working on a deadline. Let the ringtone from your phone or pager signal you to breathe deeply before you answer it. * Learn to say no. You can't do everything, especially when you have arthritis. The next time someone asks for help, think before you say yes. Do you have the time? Are you already overcommitted? Is this a project you really want to work on? Are you feeling overwhelmed or worn-out? Some people have a hard time saying no because it makes them feel like failures, unable to live up to their own high standards. They force themselves into doing things much as they would have before having arthritis, which leads to exhaustion and fatigue. There's no need to feel guilty – it's OK to say no. Cognitive behavioral therapy is an excellent way to learn how to accept your condition without feeling like you've somehow failed. Besides, you won't be much use to anyone if you're tired and running on empty. * Own less, clean less. Unless it's edible, just about everything you bring into your house requires time - and energy-consuming maintenance. Perhaps you once enjoyed your figurine collection, but now you view it as a dust collection. Apply the "pleasure principle" to your possessions. Do they really make you happy? Consider getting rid of anything that doesn't significantly add to your life. If you haven't used it in a year, maybe you should put it in storage or give it away. And avoid buying things you don't need. ### Get your rest Throughout this chapter, you've read about simple steps you can take to reduce stress and gain control over arthritis. Certainly not the least of these steps is getting adequate rest. You're living in a society that pushes a busy lifestyle at the expense of rest, and often values achievement over health and quality of life. For some, it's a source of pride not to get much sleep. When should you get rest? Whenever you're tired. Arthritis, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, makes you more prone to fatigue. This condition makes it imperative that you listen to your body and give it what it needs, especially when it comes to rest. Know your limits. Your energy is like money. Let's say you have $10 to spend each day, and you can choose how you want to spend it – but you may not use tomorrow's money today, or tomorrow will be a very bad day. Learning to budget your resources is an important part of having a chronic disease. If you need to rest in a comfortable chair or nap during the day to reserve your energy, do so. Be sure to get a good night's sleep. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sleep deprivation has become a national public health epidemic. Chronic sleep deprivation impairs your attentiveness, coordination and reaction time. It also increases your risks of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and depression. Sleep as many hours as you need, not as many as you think you should have. There are no prizes awarded for getting by on only four hours a night, and you could aggravate your arthritis by not sleeping enough. Most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. You can tell if you're getting quality sleep if you can awaken in the morning without an alarm clock and feel refreshed, alert, and able to carry out daily activities without being tired or dozing off. One caveat: It's possible to sleep too much. If you're depressed, you might seek refuge in sleep. Midday naps are fine as long as they don't affect your sleep at night. Try to avoid napping after 3 p.m. And keep naps relatively short – generally about 10 to 30 minutes. It may be that all you need to do is sit down and take a break from activity. Find a comfortable chair and rest without falling asleep. It's OK to be a little tired. And be sure to intersperse rest periods with periods of exercise and other activity. ### Stay in control Self-efficacy is a term that describes your ability to take action and achieve goals. It's based on the beliefs that you can have control over things that affect your life and that you have confidence to succeed in particular situations. Research shows that self-efficacy is the best predictor of success in health outcomes, including how well you cope with arthritis. A strong sense of self-efficacy means that you can look at the challenges of living with arthritis as tasks you take control of. It means that you remain committed to achieving these goals and have the ability to bounce back from setbacks. At this moment, you may be feeling overwhelmed by your symptoms or just don't have confidence that you can change things for the better. You can increase your self-efficacy in small steps. Developing a more positive outlook, learning a technique to help you relax or including short rest breaks during periods of activity to prevent fatigue – these are all steps that can increase your self-efficacy. Use the power of your thoughts, feelings and beliefs about your illness and your life to help manage arthritis. ### **Chapter 14** # **Traveling with arthritis** Travel can be stressful even when you're healthy. But if you have arthritis, the thought of activities such as carrying luggage, changing planes or walking long distances can be enough to give you second thoughts about taking a trip. Just because you have arthritis doesn't mean that you're stuck with a life of immobility. In fact, today it's easier to travel with a disability than ever before. Laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Air Carrier Access Act have prompted the travel industry, including airlines, hotels and cruise ships, to make travel more accommodating for people with special needs. In addition, both new and established companies have recognized the growing market for travel clients with mildly to severely limited abilities. The operators have developed special tours, vacation packages and activities for people with arthritis. ### Planning a trip Where in the world do you want to go? Maybe you dream of visiting the Louvre in Paris or hiking the Appalachian Trail in Virginia. Or maybe your employer just needs you to solve a problem in Cleveland. The key to any successful trip starts with planning. With the right preparations, the world is yours to explore. Naturally, you must be honest about your capabilities. Rock climbing might not be the best choice for you, but a mountaintop helicopter excursion might be an alternative. White-water rafting could be extremely painful with a neck condition, but a week in a riverside cabin might let you appreciate the water without discomfort. Choose a vacation that has flexibility. Consider how you'll spend the day if your companions take on more strenuous activities or extensive sightseeing. Remember, frequent rest periods may be the most important ingredient of a satisfying trip. Pre-trip research is important. It gives you a better idea of where you want to go. Request information directly from locations you want to visit – they're happy to oblige. Search for tour companies that offer vacations that appeal to you. Read travel guides and websites, including those geared toward people with disabilities. Talking with people who've taken similar trips helps you know what you can expect when you arrive. Also get your doctor's advice when planning a trip. He or she may have good insight into how much you can handle and how you accomplish your travel goals. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### SHOULD YOU BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE? Without some form of travel insurance, hotels and airlines may refund your money if you become ill and can't make the trip or have to go home early. But it's probably best to purchase trip cancellation insurance if you think there's a chance you'll be unable to travel. Such policies are generally available from your travel agent or tour operator. If you need to make a refund request, be sure to send a doctor's statement with the request. Be aware that charter cancellation insurance may not pay if you cancel because of a pre-existing condition. Review your medical insurance coverage before you travel. Policies sometimes include costs of a medical illness while you're away from home, including travel back home if you become seriously ill, but many plans don't include this coverage. Some policies exclude pre-existing conditions, so be certain to read the fine print. AAA, formerly known as the American Automobile Association, offers low-cost trip insurance that's available even to nonmembers. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Getting professional help Many people rely on travel agents and tour operators. In most cases, agents don't charge for their services, and these professionals can save you time and money. Tour operators generally combine several travel components, such as airline tickets, hotels and ground transportation, into one package that's usually less expensive than what you would pay if you put them together yourself. The fees of tour operators are usually included in these expenses. To select a travel agent, start by asking friends and relatives for referrals. You can also call agencies and ask about their experience in arranging trips for travelers with physical limitations. Choose an agent with whom you're comfortable discussing your needs, and make sure he or she is willing to spend the time required to arrange for them. Treat your agent as a travel partner who wants to continue working with you after the basic decisions have been made about your destination. ### Booking a hotel Where you sleep at night can make or break your trip, so keep your physical needs in mind when choosing lodging. Many hotel chains publish free directories that describe special accommodations, but be sure to specify what you'll require well in advance of your travel date. Always get written confirmation of any guaranteed arrangements. There are many questions you might ask about your lodging. For example, find out how close you'll be to other destinations, such as the convention center, restaurant or beach. Ask where the elevators are located in relation to your room, whether the bathrooms have handrails, whether the doors and faucets have levers instead of hard-to-grasp knobs, and whether the hotel has a shuttle that can be used by someone with physical limitations. You might also ask if the hotel has porters to help carry your luggage and how you can arrange taxicab service if you're going to need it. You may want to inquire about handicapped parking, fire exits and access ramps. If you'll be there awhile, you may want to check on the availability of laundry and other services at the hotel. In many cases, hotels are equipped to offer a range of special amenities and services, such as tours in accessible vans, heating pads for those unexpected flare-ups or in-house spas with whirlpools. It pays to ask as many questions as possible before you book. You're not limited to the major hotel chains either. An increasing number of bed-and-breakfasts, inns and other forms of lodging now host travelers with disabilities. Most bed-and-breakfast guides include designations to indicate accessible rooms. ### What to take Pack light – that's good advice for all travelers, but especially for people with arthritis. This means you need to plan carefully so you can take as little as possible but still have whatever clothing you need, plus the important items that make your arthritis more manageable. Don't forget to bring any aids you use daily, such as a raised toilet seat, long-handled reacher, special pillow or heating pad. If you have electrical appliances and are traveling to a foreign country, you may need to pack a plug or voltage adapter. Use lightweight luggage that's easy to transport. Check to see if porters and taxicabs will be available at your destinations. Ask the porters and drivers to carry your luggage whenever possible. At the airport, check your bags at the curb. Be sure to carry small bills for tipping the people who assist you. Check the climate of your destination to decide what type of clothing is most appropriate. Garments that can be layered allow you to adapt easily to weather changes. In most cases, loose clothing that permits full freedom of movement is best. Sunscreen, sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat and comfortable shoes also are essential. When packing medications, take a supply that's more than enough for your trip. Carry them in original containers. It's best to transport medicines in carry-on luggage, in case you're separated from the bags you've checked – although some travelers pack a duplicate supply in their luggage. If you need medications kept cool, most attendants will gladly store them in a refrigerator for you, although you may prefer carrying them separately in a vacuum flask or insulated container. Along with your medications, bring copies of your prescriptions, contact information for your doctor, a summary of your medical history and a complete list of all the drugs you're currently taking. It's a good idea to leave copies of this information at home with a friend or relative in case your doctor is unavailable. You also might consider wearing a medical alert bracelet or necklace if you have other medical problems in addition to arthritis. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### PACKING YOUR BAGS * Pack as few items as possible. Lay out the essentials in front of you. Choose articles of clothing that are easy to layer or combine with other items. Remove any duplicates or extras unless absolutely required. * Travel with lightweight luggage that has sturdy wheels, telescoping handles and cross-body straps. Attach identification tags to all luggage. * Airlines often allow one carry-on bag and one personal item, such as a purse, small backpack, personal computer or briefcase, in the passenger compartment. Size matters – the smaller your baggage, the easier it will be to hoist into an overhead bin and the less likely it is to be checked at the gate. * Liquids, gels and aerosols are permitted in 3-ounce containers, placed in quart-size, clear plastic, zip-top bags. One bag is allowed per traveler. * Prescription medications and medical supplies will not count against your carry-on allowance, but if they exceed 3 ounces or cannot fit into a zip-top plastic bag, you'll need to declare them to a security officer. * Check with your airline or travel agent regarding the checked baggage policy, including the number of pieces you may bring and size and weight limitations. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ ### Mode of transportation Important steps you will want to take to ensure an enjoyable trip will depend on the form of transportation you use. The good news is that over the years travel companies have become more accommodating to people with disabilities, including arthritis. Traveling by air After passage of the Air Carrier Access Act, the Department of Transportation developed regulations outlawing discrimination against disabled travelers by clearly stating the responsibilities of travelers, carriers, airport operators and contractors. For people with arthritis, the rules mean more time for boarding, accessible terminal parking and accessible restrooms, among other things. Still, you must do your part. When you make airline reservations, state your special needs, such as seating or storage capacity for oversized arthritis aids. Allow extra time to get through the airport, request an airport wheelchair or other terminal transport if you need it, and check your luggage through to your final destination. Security at all airports in the United States with scheduled airline service requires that passengers go through a pre-boarding screening process. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has suggestions for people with disabilities and medical conditions to help make the screening process go smoothly. Those suggestions include: * If you need assistance moving through the airport, contact your airline. The airline can provide someone to assist you through the terminal and screening line. * If you require a companion or assistant to accompany you through the security checkpoint and to the boarding gate, request a gate pass for your companion from the airline. Do this before reaching the security checkpoint. * The limit of one carry-on and one personal item doesn't apply to the medical supplies, equipment, mobility aids or assistive devices that you may require. * Pack your medications and medical documentation in a separate bag to help speed the inspection process. Make sure the medication container isn't too densely filled and that it's clearly labeled. * You may present any medical documentation about your condition to the screener. Such material isn't required, and having it won't exempt you from the screening process. * Tell the screener about any special equipment or devices that you're using or about any devices located in or on your body. * Make sure that all your carry-on items, equipment, mobility aids and assistive devices have identification tags attached. * Items such as wheelchairs, scooters, crutches, canes, walkers, prosthetic devices, braces and orthopedic shoes are permitted through the security checkpoint. * If your prosthetic device requires tools for removal, the TSA recommends bringing them along should you need to remove the prosthesis for any reason. * If you have a medical device either inside or outside your body, check with your doctor to learn if it's safe to pass through a metal detector or to be hand wanded. If your doctor says it's unsafe, request a pat-down inspection from the screener. * If a personal search is required, you may request a private area for screening. (You may request a private area at any time during the screening process). * Ask the screener for assistance if you need help as you proceed through the screening, including walking through the metal detector. Certain times of the day are less congested at airports, making the process easier to negotiate. People who make airline reservations also may recommend less crowded flights. If you must change planes, find out whether you need to change terminals. If so, ask whether a shuttle between terminals is accessible to you. If not, ask for suggestions on how to reach your destination. Traveling by train Trains generally provide a good transportation option for people with disabilities. Throughout Europe, rail travel is relatively easy and accessible, with many trains accommodating disabled travelers on international routes. In the United States, Amtrak offers special assistance for disabled passengers and their travel companions. When making Amtrak reservations online or via telephone, you can request an accessible seat or room and space to store a mobility device. Have written documentation of your disability ready at the ticket counter and when boarding the train. This may include a letter from your doctor or membership card from a disability organization. Most train stations have personnel to provide baggage assistance and to help get passengers from the station entrance onto the train. Amtrak suggests that you make requests for assistance when you make your reservations. Amtrak can supply you with a wheelchair. If you have your own, it must be a "common" wheelchair, not exceeding 30 inches wide, 48 inches long, 2 inches in clearance and weighing no more than 600 pounds occupied, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Traveling by bus Many bus lines can provide assistance with boarding and getting off of vehicles, transfers, and the stowage and retrieval of luggage and mobility devices. Most bus aisles, however, aren't wide enough for wheelchairs. If you use a wheelchair or have trouble using stairs, make the arrangements for assistance with customer service. Try to make your request at least 48 hours before your departure. Because bus travel is often slower, you may want to schedule trips in midweek when fewer people travel. In addition, avoid trips with many transfers. Take along a pillow and snacks. Keep medications and bottled water with you. Traveling by car When you travel by car, you'll enjoy more freedom than with other forms of transportation. You can stop whenever you want, you'll have more room to stretch out, and you can take along anything that will fit in your vehicle. There are ways to make the trip even more enjoyable. Be sure to stop as often as feasible, getting out to stretch and move around. Keep medications, snacks, maps, an emergency kit and first-aid supplies in the car. Good communication is a key element to ensuring your comfort and safety. Make sure your cellular phone is charged before starting out. Consider equipping your vehicle with a GPS navigational system. Make hotel reservations in advance, or stop early enough to find a place to stay. Don't let yourself become overtired before finding lodging for the night. When renting a car, ask for amenities that will make driving more comfortable, such as hand controls, a transfer board if you use a wheelchair, swivel seats, a padded or built-up steering wheel, or a spinner knob on the steering wheel that allows easier turning. To get a car with special features, you generally need to reserve your vehicle 48 hours in advance. Traveling by ship You may find travel onboard a cruise ship particularly relaxing. A number of design changes have been made to U.S. ships in recent years, such as the widening of passageways, doorways and elevators, and the addition of accessible staterooms for wheelchair travelers. Special meals and exercise plans may be available, too. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that cruise ships must follow federal law that bars discrimination against disabled people. The Supreme Court left it to lower courts to decide exactly what changes would have to be adopted by foreign ships when they operate in U.S. waters. So be sure to check before booking to make sure the cruise you're planning will have the accommodations you need. Before booking with a particular cruise line, ask questions about the ship's design and accessibility. Try to book a cabin close to your primary destinations onboard, but you'll need to decide if that means proximity to restaurants, meeting rooms, pools or sundecks – it's difficult to arrange having all of them close by. If you anticipate difficulty with embarking or disembarking the ship, choose a cruise that has fewer stops, or plan to stay on board soaking up the ship's ambience while your companions go ashore. Choices abound these days in cruises geared for the leisurely traveler, and many shore excursions now accommodate those with an unhurried pace. Most ships employ doctors, but their pharmacies are usually limited. You'll want to take along more than enough medication to get you through the trip. ### Touring overseas Whether you're touring Australia or Italy, Venezuela or Singapore, arthritis should not prevent you from having an enjoyable, stimulating adventure. Start planning your trip at the U.S. State Department's Office of Overseas Citizens Services at www.travel.state.gov. Whether you need to see a doctor before travel will depend on your general health and on your destination. If you're visiting a developing country, you should plan to consult your doctor or a travel medicine clinic. This consultation should take place at least four to eight weeks before the journey to ensure that any necessary medications can be prescribed and that vaccinations have had time to take effect. Services at travel medicine clinics vary widely. Some offer vaccinations and general information. Others offer comprehensive overviews of the health hazards along your itinerary, with detailed advice on how to stay well. The clinics are typically affiliated with medical centers or universities. Check the directory at the International Society of Travel Medicine website: www.istm.org. In addition, the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travellers offers a free information packet detailing its services, which include free climate and sanitation information and advice on international disease and immunization requirements. You can learn more about this organization at www.iamat.org. Travel Assistance International, a travel organization, provides 24-hour medical referrals to travelers more than 100 miles from home. You can learn about this travel agency, at www.travelassistanceinternational.com. Although health care has improved in many world destinations, be sure you're carrying ample medications on overseas trips and pace yourself so that you won't need a doctor to attend to a routine flare-up or other short-term medical condition. No matter where you're headed, take all reasonable precautions to ensure your safety, health and well-being. Then relax and have fun. You can travel – and travel well – with arthritis. ### **Chapter 15** # **On the job with arthritis** Having arthritis is no reason to put a career on hold or start planning early retirement. Focusing on what you can do instead of what you can't do may help you discover an inner strength you never thought you had, and come up with creative solutions to the demands you face at work. Your success in the workplace depends greatly on having a positive attitude, the confidence to work toward your goals, and the will to get on with life and not dwell on every obstacle that appears in your path. One of initial challenges you may face on the job will be deciding whether or not to inform your boss and co-workers about having arthritis. Many people are reluctant to do this – and there may be good reason. In some cases, this knowledge may raise questions in your employer's mind about whether you're physically able to do the job. Some supervisors consider arthritis to be just aches and pains and may wonder whether you're using the disease as an excuse for special treatment. And in some situations, unspoken discrimination shows up as denied opportunities, such as promotions you deserve but don't get. For reasons such as these, many experts recommend that you say nothing about the disease if you can answer no to both of the following questions: * Is your arthritis obvious? * Do you need special accommodations or resources to do your job? If you answer yes to either question, it's usually best to inform your employer and co-workers that you have arthritis. Otherwise, they may come to believe that you aren't doing your share of the work – and may resent you for it. Silence may also have consequences for you. If you decide to say nothing, you'll also probably ignore your body's warning signs and push yourself beyond your limits to maintain the secrecy. This will only make matters worse by increasing the pain and fatigue so common to arthritis. If you decide that you need to tell your boss about your condition, schedule a meeting with care. Pick a time when distractions and job pressures for both of you are lower than usual. Be prepared to give a short course about the disease. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you might explain that when pain flares up or fatigue sets in, these are signs that your affected joints need rest and repair. At this meeting, have suggestions prepared for changes that will help you do your job better. You'll need to research this. Discuss work responsibilities with your doctor or occupational therapist. They may have ideas to help you perform certain tasks more easily, perhaps with the aid of assistive devices – even as simple as putting armrests on your chair. They can also recommend exercises to increase your dexterity and range of motion for repeated movements you'll do during the workday. ### Know your rights The Americans with Disabilities Act was passed by Congress in 1990. It's the most extensive bill of rights for people with disabilities that has ever been signed into law. This law bans discrimination against people with disabilities and requires companies of 15 or more employees to make reasonable changes to help individuals do their jobs. In fact, a wise employer who values your experience will be willing to provide the tools necessary for you to do your job well. Among the possible accommodations that could be considered reasonable are the following: * Providing or modifying equipment to help you do certain tasks, such as a wheeled cart to carry supplies, a headphone instead of a hand-held receiver or a chair with good back support. The cost of some assistive devices may qualify your employer for tax benefits. * Installing a ramp if you have difficulty with stairs. If special equipment is required, the employer can't make you pay for it. An exception would be if the changes place undue hardship on the employer, but what constitutes undue hardship will be judged on a case-by-case basis. * Adapting office furniture to suit your needs, for example, adjusting the height of your desk or providing a chair that ensures proper positioning. * Allowing break periods for rest. * Changing work responsibilities, eliminating tasks you have difficulty performing that aren't essential to your job. If you believe that your employer treats you unfairly and is unwilling to make reasonable changes to help you do your job, you can file a formal complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). You can order free publications about the Americans with Disabilities Act and anti-discrimination legislation at the EEOC website: www1.eeoc.gov. The state where you live (or work) also may have laws protecting you from discrimination. If you have questions about your legal rights, talk with a lawyer who specializes in employment law. ### Protect your joints Finding ways to reduce activities that irritate, inflame or damage your joints can help keep you off disability and in the workforce. Here are some ideas: * Arrange your work area to reduce the amount of lifting, walking or movement that may be painful. * Find the most comfortable positions, sitting or standing, for doing work. * If you perform repetitive motions, such as typing or assembly work, rest the affected joints every 20 to 30 minutes by stopping the activity and stretching your muscles. In fact, even if you don't perform repetitive motions, try to take a short break every half-hour or hour to change positions, stretch and relax. * If a task is always painful, search for other ways to do it. Occupational therapists specialize in solving such problems. Or ask a co-worker for help in exchange for your assistance with something else. * Use special tools or assistive devices that reduce the strain on your joints: electric staplers, dictation services, chair-leg extensions (to make it easier to get up), and enlarged grips for pencils and pens. * Don't be afraid to ask for help, if you need it. Exercise Maintaining muscle strength around your joints helps keep the joints stable and functional. Your doctor and physical therapist can design an exercise program that allows you to strengthen the joints that you use most often in your job. Some of the exercises can be simple and inconspicuous enough that you can do them during your lunch break or in momentary rest breaks. For example, if you work a lot with your hands, take a few seconds to bend your fingers, wrists and elbows as far as you can, then stretch them back out. Relax Job stress can aggravate arthritic pain, which, in turn, intensifies job stress. You can break the cycle by learning relaxation techniques. The following are a few ideas: * Let your mind wander to recall a happy memory. * Look out a window and enjoy a pleasant scene. * Listen to a recording of relaxing sounds, such as gentle rain. * Take a short walk or sit outside. * Lie down or sit quietly for a few minutes. Conserve energy You can help avoid the fatigue caused by arthritis by pacing yourself. Do the most important projects of the day during your time of peak energy. For example, if you know that you're a morning person, spend the morning doing the work that requires the most energy. Vary your schedule by alternating more-difficult tasks with easier ones. If possible, take a rest break of about 10 minutes every few hours. ### Commute wisely For some people with arthritis, the trip to work can be a painful, exhausting gantlet of obstacles: driving in heavy traffic, riding in a vehicle that isn't equipped for people with restricted movement, walking from a distant parking ramp, and then up a flight of stairs to your office or workstation. Each of these factors can cause arthritic pain to flare up and sap your energy before the workday even begins. These ideas may help getting to work easier: * Share rides with a co-worker. Pay for the service or take turns driving. * Use public transportation. It's usually slower but less exhausting than driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires accessible public transit vehicles be available to individuals with disabilities. * If you must drive, install equipment that minimizes the discomfort: a backrest, special mirrors, steering wheel modifications. Some automakers give you rebates if you install this equipment in new cars. They may also provide a list of local companies who do the installation. * If you have trouble walking, ask your employer for a parking space near the building entrance. * You can get a parking permit for the disabled from your state transportation department. You'll need to present a letter from your doctor to get it. The permit allows you to use parking spaces reserved for the handicapped. * If you have difficulty with stairs, you may ask for a ramp leading into the building. You may also request a work space closer to the entrance. * If you can manage stairs with handrails, inquire if existing stairs with handrails are close to your work area or if some could be installed. Often times, the addition can be just as beneficial to the general public and enhance public safety. ### Be friends with your computer Working at a keyboard for many hours can worsen the pain and fatigue of arthritis. If you work for most of the day at a computer, consider these tips for having better posture and position: * As you sit in your chair, lean back slightly so that your lower back is firmly supported by the backrest. Keep your feet flat on the floor, with your knees bent at about 90 degrees. If you don't have firm back support, request a chair that allows you to adjust the backrest to different heights and angles. * Move close to the keyboard, so you aren't reaching for it. The keyboard should be about 3 to 6 inches from your lap. Both keyboard and monitor should be directly in front of you. The top of the screen should be at eye level. * A padded bar between the keyboard and your lap can provide wrist support. While typing, your wrists should be straight, with your forearms parallel to the floor. Wrist braces can help keep your wrists in the proper position. Chairs with armrests offer support for the forearms. If your wrists are unsupported and usually bent as you type, you can develop carpal tunnel syndrome, which produces pain or numbness in your hands. * Learning the proper technique for typing may be much easier on the joints than the hunt-and-peck method, which tends to put more pressure on individual joints. * If typing is too difficult, use a mouse as much as possible. Another option is voice activation software, in which the computer types words as you speak them. * Take short breaks from the computer to stretch your legs, arms and fingers. Don't forget to give your eyes a break by focusing on an object at a distance. ### Keep an open mind Despite all that you and your employer do to accommodate for your arthritis, the nature of your job or progression of your condition may require you to cut back on the number of hours you work or to find another line of work. If your job requires heavy physical labor, such as construction, your doctor may refer you to an occupational therapist or to a vocational rehabilitation agency. These specialists can help you build strength and determine how much weight you can safely lift. If physical restrictions are such that there's no work you can satisfactorily do at your company, the vocational rehabilitation agency can help you find other employment. Sometimes, employees in these circumstances transition to a related profession or industry. A former construction worker, for example, may join a firm that sells equipment to the construction industry. ### Job interview tips Although employers aren't allowed to ask if you have a disability, they may ask if you're able to perform specific job functions. A sample interview question might be: "Do you have any physical limitations that would hinder your performance of the job you're applying for?" Such questions can put you in an awkward situation if you think you'll actually need some kind of assistance in doing the work. Some career counselors advise that you shouldn't disclose that you have arthritis. They suggest that doing so could eliminate you as a candidate with no chance to discuss the matter. For this reason, you should respond to the question with no, under the presumption that the employer will provide the legally required reasonable accommodations if it becomes necessary. Another possible response, if you're not sure how arthritis will affect your job performance, is to write "will discuss" on the application. If your arthritis will be obvious at the interview, consider hinting about it during the interview setup (most likely in a phone conversation). But do so only after you make the interview appointment, and only if the person you're talking to is the one who will be interviewing you. Possible hint: "I sometimes have trouble with stairs. Do you have an elevator?" Hints like this may help reduce surprise, making it easier for the interviewer to concentrate on your needs. Perhaps the most popular interview question is, "Tell me about yourself." As friendly as it may seem, this open-ended question is more than a pleasant icebreaker to conversation. It has the potential to be the most dangerous question of the day for you – or the most beneficial. Law prohibits employers from basing their hiring decisions on age, sex, race, religion, health or nonfelony arrests. They aren't supposed to ask, "How's your health?" But by describing yourself in response to their open question, you may reveal more than you intend. If you're prepared ahead of time, you can answer the question honestly and, at the same time, avoid revealing your condition – unless you want to do so. During the interview, summarize the assets you would bring to the job, for example, education, certification or previous employment experience. Relate your personal strengths to the kinds of tasks you may be required to do. For example, that you're organized and thorough, or good under pressure, or an excellent team member. You could add that your experience, desire to excel and eagerness to accept new challenges has led you to apply for the job. If your condition will be obvious at the interview, you may want to refer to it briefly. But don't shift the focus to your limitations. Remain focused on your strengths. Talk about the adjustments you've made that allow you to stay productive at work. For example, you can say something like this: "I understand that you're legally prohibited from asking about my arthritis, except for questions about how I would perform specific tasks required for the job. I'd be happy to answer any questions because I'm certain I can do the work." If your arthritis isn't obvious at the interview but will require job accommodations, you face a tough dilemma that has no easy solution. Should you say nothing until you receive a job offer? If so, you can be certain that you won't be ruled out of employment because of a disability. At the same time, the employer might feel misled. And this could generate hard feelings and a shaky start to your new job. An alternate approach would be to tell the employer about your arthritis, especially if you're aware of aspects of the job in which you'll need some accommodation soon. If you decide this is the best solution for you, mention that the accommodations are usually inexpensive and well worth the investment. When you have a positive outlook and make thoughtful preparations, you have every right to be hopeful about your future in the workplace. ### **Chapter 16** # **Where to get more help** You can find a lot of health information on the Internet. The key is making sure that you're getting your information from reliable sources. Here are some professional organizations you can depend on for quality information on arthritis: Arthritis Foundation The Arthritis Foundation is an excellent resource for knowledge and support. This national organization works mainly through state and regional chapters. It provides self-help materials and can lead you to support groups, classes and doctors who are experienced in working with people who have your condition. To learn more about the organization, order informational brochures or contact your local chapter, subscribe to Arthritis Today magazine, or visit www.arthritis.org. You can call the Arthritis Foundation at 800-283-7800. The mailing address is Arthritis Foundation, P.O. Box 7669, Atlanta, GA 30357-0669. Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic has numerous health information resources. In addition to the advice in this book, you can visit our website at www.MayoClinic.org to receive additional information on many health conditions, including arthritis. Department of Health and Human Services Visit the organization's website at www.healthfinder.gov and search under arthritis or related conditions. You will find links to the websites of a variety of clearinghouses, databases, support groups and government agencies. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases This organization, also known as NIAMS, is part of the National Institutes of Health. You will find its website at www.niams.nih.gov. The phone number for NIAMS is 877-226-4267. National Institute on Aging Go4Life, from the National Institute on Aging, provides information and resources to help you incorporate exercise and physical activity into your daily life. It's geared toward people age 50 and older. Visit the organization's website at go4life.nia.nih.gov. The phone number is 800-222-2225. American College of Rheumatology The American College of Rheumatology, at www.rheumatology.org, is a professional organization for health care professionals interested in advancing rheumatology. The website contains some information for the lay public. Your local library Another way to learn more about your condition is to become familiar with the resources available at your public library. Today's technology makes libraries a source of information from around the world. Ask the reference librarian about the best way to search for the information you need — for example, the latest update on clinical trials or product reviews before you purchase equipment. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### BUYER BEWARE People young and old are continually attracted to the claims of fraudulent medical products and devices, spending billions of dollars annually for these treatments. At best, the drugs, devices and lifestyle changes are worthless. At worst, they may lead to physical harm and even death. Medical quackery succeeds because people want a quick cure for their medical problems. That's why you need to be careful. Medications, even vitamins, that are harmless when taken in moderate amounts can be dangerous if they're taken in large doses. Watch out for promotions that describe medical treatments with superlatives ("It's the greatest!") or with adjectives such as secret, proven, miracle, foreign, breakthrough and overnight. Also be wary of glowing testimonials. People planning to carry out fraud often claim they're fighting against a conspiracy of established physicians who are unwilling to acknowledge new treatments. They claim their products provide a complete cure without side effects. And they often exert pressure, claiming this "limited offer" is only available for a short time. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Using the Internet The Internet and various forms of social media offer a seemingly endless supply of medical information. Some of it is very good advice, but some of it is downright bad. Don't believe everything that you find. The online environment has a way of making all health information appear of equal quality. Stick to reliable sources. Carefully read reports and check if their sources come from respected publications, organizations or medical professionals. If something you find seems questionable or conflicts with conventional wisdom, you have the right to be skeptical. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ #### ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATIONS **American Occupational Therapy Association** 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200 Bethesda, MD 20814 301-652-2682 www.aota.org **American Physical Therapy Association** 1111 N. Fairfax St. Alexandria, VA 22314 800-999-2782 www.apta.org **Job Accommodation Network** Office of Disability Employment Policy, Department of Labor 800-526-7234 askjan.org **National Rehabilitation Information Center** 8400 Corporate Drive, Suite 500 Landover, MD 20785 800-346-2742 www.naric.com **Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)** Department of Labor 200 Constitution Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20210 866-487-2365 www.dol.gov/odep Legal issues **Americans with Disabilities Act** 800-514-0301 www.ada.gov **Department of Justice** Civil Rights Division 950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20530 202-514-2000 www.usdoj.gov/crt **Equal Employment Opportunity Commission** 800-669-3362 www1.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/index.cfm ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈

On elementary OS? Hit the button to get Transporter. Transporter by Bleak Grey is pure magic. Based on a technology called Magic Wormhole (yes, really), it makes sharing a file across the room or across the globe stupid easy. This is seriously my new favorite app. Meet Bleak Grey Before we dive into Transporter, let’s meet Bleak Grey and hear his development story. While Bleak Grey’s not his real name—he wishes to remain anonymous—Bleak is willing to share a little about himself and his interests: he’s a linguistics student who dabbles in photography, drawing, and learning German. He also aspires to learn to play the violin, and ponders about releasing a game some day (please, I’d love to see more games in AppCenter!). Bleak started developing apps for elementary OS due to his drive of trying new things, and his falling in love with the community. One day I found out about elementary OS. It was beautiful, fast, and easy to use, so I decided to install it on my laptop. In fact, I liked it so much I wanted to be a part of this community. When I realized AppCenter could use some native apps from developers, I decided to write an app. So he did. Getting into Development He had never developed for Linux before, so he was truly trying something new! He followed the elementary Developer Guide, Googled for help, and spent the next couple of weeks building Transporter. There were some ups and downs (I mean the “aaaaagh” commits), but I think it’s relatable to the programming as a whole. I feel like the entire experience with elementary was so enjoyable it makes me want more. He spent the next week getting it packaged up, built, and tested in AppCenter Dashboard. After figuring out the Debian packaging, it was smooth sailing. The publishing process is smooth and really simple. You connect your GitHub account, release a version and submit it to AppCenter. Honestly, I was shocked at how easy it was. The time gap between writing and publishing Transporter was so short it’s amazing. The Result: Transporter So how did Bleak do? Like I mentioned at the start, really well: this is my new favorite app! Let’s take a closer look.

Investigators at scene of home invasion turned deadly in Bohemia. (Dec. 14, 2009) (Credit: James Carbone) A Brentwood man -- looking to rob a drug dealer -- was the gunman in the 2009 fatal shooting of a Bohemia man in the victim's home, a federal prosecutor said Friday. Rhamaad Spann, 30, was one of two masked men who went to the Sycamore Street home of Steven Privitera on Dec. 14, 2009, to rob a marijuana dealer, prosecutors said. The dealer was also living there, according to Suffolk County... Content Preview This content is exclusive for Newsday digital access and home delivery subscribers and Optimum Online customers. A Brentwood man -- looking to rob a drug dealer -- was the gunman in the 2009 fatal shooting of a Bohemia man in the victim's home, a federal prosecutor said Friday. Rhamaad Spann, 30, was one of two masked men who went to the Sycamore Street home of Steven Privitera on Dec. 14, 2009, to rob a marijuana dealer, prosecutors said. The dealer was also living there, according to Suffolk County police. Spann, arrested Thursday by the FBI, appeared before Judge Leonard D. Wexler and entered a plea of not guilty. He was ordered held without bail and is scheduled to return to court Nov. 4. Two others -- Elizabeth Baylock and John Moglia -- were charged under an earlier indictment; Spann was charged under a superseding indictment. The grand jury superseding indictment charges them with robbery conspiracy, attempted robbery, discharging a firearm during crimes of violence and causing the death of Privitera through the use of a firearm. Boeckmann told the court the violent act was a home invasion of a marijuana dealer and that the victim, who lived in the upstairs portion of the home, was shot and killed when he came down to intercede. Boeckmann also noted Spann's criminal history, which includes a gun conviction and a robbery youthful offender adjudication. A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office did not immediately have ages or places of residence for either Baylock or Moglia. Both of them also pleaded not guilty, according to Eric Russo, courtroom deputy. Baylock and Moglia will be rearraigned under the superseding indictment at the Nov. 4 status conference. Suffolk police said after Privitera's shooting that two armed masked men went to his home to rob another person living there. The superseding indictment said the three defendants conspired to rob a marijuana trafficker "whose identity is known to the grand jury." The gunmen approached their victim, who was outside the home, shortly before 12:30 a.m. They demanded money and forced their target into the basement of the home, police said. Privitera responded to the commotion and was shot after a struggle, police said.

Delicious Agony Progressive Rock Radio (http://www.deliciousagony.com) is proud to present an evening with musician extraordinaire, Mike Keneally, on August 13th at 8:00 PM EST. We will be airing an interview with Mike about his fantastic new album, Wing Beat Fantastic. The show will also include music from the album and various selections from his amazing discography. You can learn more about Mike at his great website at http://www.keneally.com, which includes the recently announcedWing Beat Fantastic tour dates. The show will replay on August 15th at 11 AM EST and the interview will be archived on our website after the broadcast. You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot create polls in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum

OGBONO SOUPOgbono soup is a Nigerian dish made with ground ogbono seeds (wild African mango seeds)and has 2 method of cooking ogbono soup:1.The fried method2.The unfried method.FRIED METHODINGREDIENTS:Grinded ogbono,okro,pumpkin leave (ugu),meat,dried fish,crayfish,palm oil,onion,salt,kpomo,maggi,bitter leaf (optional),Locust bean (lru, ogiri) (optional).METHODBoil the meat, stock fish, dried fish, and kpomo in a large pot adding onion, salt and maggi.Dry pots on the fire add palm oil and heat a bit add little onion and the grinded ogbono and stir well to form a drawing paste.Add the water from the boil meat/fish, stir thoroughly, and cook for 5minutes to 10minutes.Add the meat/fish pepper, crayfish salt and maggi if necessary boil for 5minutes to 10minutes.Add the pumpkin leave, boil for 3minutes add bitter leaf allow of cook for 2-3minutes.Taste, and put out heat and serve.UNFRIED METHODINGREDIENTS:Grinded ogbono,okro,pumpkin leave (ugu),meat,dried fish,crayfish,palm oil,onion,salt,kpomo,maggi,bitter leaf (optional),Locust bean (lru, ogiri) (optional).METHODS:Boil your meat/fish with seasoningAdd grinded pepper and stir you can add water if the water is not enough. Bring to boil add more maggi and salt if necessary.In a separate bowl pour in your grinded ogbono add palm oil in measured quantities and stir with spoon.Place the bowl in the boiling ingredient; don’t allow the water to enter the bowl. When the ogbono will melt.Add it to the boiling ingredient and stir. Leave to cook for 8 minutes then add your pumpkin allow to cook for 3minutes.Taste and put out heat and serve.

The stars have ceased rotating and are covered in darkness. Famitsu and Dengeki PlayStation this week have first details on Compile Heart’s PS Vita dungeon RPG Death Under the Labyrinth. Due out this summer, the game will cost 7,344 yen for the standard version, 6,480 yen for the download version, and 9,504 yen for the limited edition. Death Under the Labyrinth takes place in a world where the stars in the sky have ceased rotating, covered up in a blanket of darkness. Estra, the female protagonist, bands together with the Guardians to conquer four towers that each have Protector Gods awaiting inside in an effort to wind back up the Celestial Screw that dictates the stars’ rotation. Players form parties of three characters and three guardians to take on dungeons. The robotic Guardians can be customized, with different configurations potentially affecting their overall strength to a profound degree. Five characters are introduced: Estra (voiced by Ayaka Ohashi) – The main heroine. (voiced by Ayaka Ohashi) – The main heroine. Flare (voiced by Sora Amamiya) – A prideful and belligerent girl. (voiced by Sora Amamiya) – A prideful and belligerent girl. Connie (voiced by Sora Tokui) – A naive and innocent girl. (voiced by Sora Tokui) – A naive and innocent girl. Maki (voiced by Mai Kadowaki) – A clear-headed, calm, cool, and collected honors student. Her exposure is “intense.” (voiced by Mai Kadowaki) – A clear-headed, calm, cool, and collected honors student. Her exposure is “intense.” Setia (voiced by Chinatsu Akasaki) – A shy bookworm whose umbrella is her trademark item. The game’s staff is as follows: Producers: Norihisa Kochiwa, Naoko Mizuno, and Makoto Kitano Director: Tomoki Tauchi (led Metal Max 3 and 4, development company unknown) Character Design: Ryoji Guardian Design: Hidetaka Tenjin Sound: Tenpei Sato and Satoshi Kadokura “As a dungeon RPG, we’re tailoring this to be top class in terms of difficulty,” director Tauchi told Dengeki PlayStation. “The battles are hard and the dungeons themselves have mysterious aspects to them that ratchet things up, too. In essence, you could say it’ll feel something not unlike something from a Metal Max game.” Thanks, Hachima Kikou and [email protected].

In vitro study of the anticoagulant effects of edoxaban and its effect on thrombin generation in comparison to fondaparinux. Edoxaban, an oral direct factor Xa (FXa) inhibitor, is in Phase III development for prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disorders. Fondaparinux is an approved indirect FXa inhibitor. This study compared the effects of edoxaban and fondaparinux on thrombin generation (TG) using the calibrated automated thrombogram (CAT). Secondary objectives included evaluation of edoxaban and inhibition of coagulation parameters (prothrombin time [PT], activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT]), anti-FXa activity and clotting times. Pooled citrated platelet-poor plasma from healthy subjects was spiked with edoxaban (0.02-3.65 μM) or fondaparinux (0.15-1.18 μM). Parameters of TG were calculated using Thrombinoscope software. PT ratios and aPTT were measured in the presence of different thromboplastin reagents. Exogenous anti-FXa was measured using Rotachrom HBPM (Stago) and a specific assay developed for direct FXa inhibitors (Hyphen BioMed). Edoxaban exhibited a 3-fold greater concentration-dependent effect than fondaparinux across TG parameters (except endogenous thrombin potential). Edoxaban also produced a concentration-dependent prolongation of PT ratio and aPTT. The magnitude of concentration-dependent increase was related to thromboplastin reagent. In contrast to edoxaban, fondaparinux was inactive on these clotting tests. Linear correlations were observed between plasma concentration of edoxaban and anti-FXa activity and results of clotting time assays. TG evaluation by the CAT method, coagulation tests, and anti-FXa and clotting assays demonstrated concentration-dependent effects of edoxaban. The PT and aPTT prolongation are reagent dependent; correction of PT ratio by international normalized ratio does not reduce variability in response. The greater effect of edoxaban vs. fondaparinux may be related to the broader activity of direct FXa inhibitors compared with indirect FXa inhibitors.

ATOM Award The ATOM Awards are a group of awards offered to Australian and New Zealand "professionals, educators and students", honouring achievements in the making of film, television, multimedia, and from 2007 multi-modal productions. The Awards were established in 1982 by the Australian Teachers of Media, "an independent, non-profit association to promote media education and screen literacy in primary, secondary and tertiary education and the broader community". Awards are now offered in 36 categories as of 2005, broken down into awards for students, tertiary students, educational resources, and general. There is also a teacher's award'. This Award is made at the discretion of the judges, and recognises the commitment, dedication and inspiration of a teacher or school, and which the judges can observe informing a body of student work as submitted in either the primary, secondary or tertiary categories of the ATOM Awards. The Teachers’ Award can neither be sought nor applied for, and is given solely at the judges’ discretion. The awards attract student filmmakers, educational films, and even professional industry practitioners. This makes it one of the only awards of its kind. Entries are open to Australian and New Zealand students and media industry professionals. 2007 ATOM Awards categories Schools Best Junior (K-8) Film Video Production. (includes music clips, short drama, documentaries, experimental) Best Junior (K-8) Multimedia Production Best Senior (9-12) Multimedia Production. (Multimedia production: combination of image, text, audio, video & interactivity) Best Secondary Animation (claymation, drawing, cell 2D & 3D) Best Secondary Documentary Images of Age Sub-category (open to Vic residents only)* Best Secondary Fiction Best Secondary Music Video Tertiary, A production made by a student or individual enrolled at a tertiary or TAFE institution at the time of the production Best Short Fiction Best Experimental Best Documentary Images of Age Sub-category (open to Vic residents only)* Best Animation Best Music Video Best Multimedia (includes web) Best Interactive Game General Best Short Fiction (50 minutes or less) Best Experimental Best Animation Best Music Video Best Children’s Television Series Best Multi-modal production† Best Documentary Short Form (30 minutes or less) Best Documentary General Images of Age Sub-category (open to Vic residents only)* Best Documentary Social & Political Issues Best Documentary Science, Technology & The Environment Best Documentary Human Story Best Multimedia (inc. installations and web) Best Interactive Game Educational/Vocational These category entries will be judged cross platform. Judges will be assessing best teaching/training practice, methodology, suitability to the audience, delivery and content. These entries may be websites, TV programs, videos, film, DVD, CD-ROMs or a convergence of the above, including installations. Best Primary Education Resource Best Secondary Education Resource Best Tertiary Education Resource Best Instructional/training Resource Best Multimedia Learning Reference (includes web) Best Multi-modal production† Best Indigenous Resource Notable past ATOM Award nominees and winners Hunt Angels Hunt Angels Productions ATOM Award winner 2006 The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello 2005 Academy Award nominee (Anthony Lucas, 3D Films) ATOM Award winner 2005Noah & Saskia (ACTF) ATOM Award winner 2005 Adam Elliot 2003 Academy Award winner ATOM Award winner 1998 Wildness (Big and Little Films in association with Film Australia) ATOM Award winner 2004The 20 Cent Quest ATOM Award winner 2003 A Wedding in Ramallah (Sherine Salama, Habibi Films) ATOM Award winner 2003Gulpilil – One Red Blood (Darlene Johnson, jotz Productions) Martha's New Coat (Rachel Ward, New Town Films) ATOM Award winner 2003Harry’s War (Richard Frankland, Golden Seahorse Productions) Tulip (Rachel Griffiths) ATOM Award Nominee 1999Wicked Science (Jonathan M Shiff Productions) ATOM Award winner 2004 Round the Twist (ACTF)FrontLine (Working Dog Productions) ATOM Award Winner 1998 See also List of television awards References External links ATOM Film, Television and Multimedia Awards ATOM Award website AFC NewsAndEvents Australian Film Commission description of the 2004 Awards, including finalists Australian Teachers of Media ATOM official website ATOM Awards Entry Form download ATOM Awards Call for entries here "ATOM's reach spreads" 2002 article in The Age newspaper Category:Australian film awards Category:Australian television awards Category:Video game awards Category:Awards established in 1982 Category:1982 establishments in Oceania

Q: C# 6 null conditional operator check for .Any()? In the example shown here (and on numerous other websites) with regards to the null-conditional operator, it states that int? first = customers?[0].Orders.Count(); can be used to get the count for the first customer. But this statement does not check for the existence of customers in the collection and can throw an index out of range exception. What should be the correct (preferably single-lined) statement that takes care of checking for the existence of elements? A: The null conditional operator is intended for conditionally accessing null but this isn't the issue you're having. You are trying to access an empty array. You can turn that into a case of accessing null with FirstOrDefault and use the operator on that: int? first = customers.FirstOrDefault()?.Orders.Count(); If the array isn't empty it will operate on the first item, and if it is empty FirstOrDefault will return null which will be handled by the null conditional operator. Edit: As w.b mentioned in the comments, if you're looking for another item than the first one you can use ElementAtOrDefault instead of FirstOrDefault

Organisational resilience following the Darfield earthquake of 2010. This paper presents the preliminary findings of a study on the resilience and recovery of organisations following the Darfield earthquake in New Zealand on 4 September 2010. Sampling included organisations proximal and distal to the fault trace, organisations located within central business districts, and organisations from seven diverse industry sectors. The research captured information on the challenges to, the impacts on, and the reflections of the organisations in the first months of recovery. Organisations in central business districts and in the hospitality sector were most likely to close, while organisations that had perishable stock and livestock were more heavily reliant on critical services. Staff well-being, cash flow, and customer loss were major concerns for organisations across all sectors. For all organisations, the most helpful factors in mitigating the effects of the earthquake were their relationship with staff members, the design and type of buildings, and critical service continuity or swift reinstatement of services.

#pragma once #include <stdint.h> uint64_t singleTextureVS[] = { 0xe0024c6700601a00, 0x100210a715c27d80, 0x100200e715c27d80, 0x100049e220802037, 0x100049e1200e003e, 0x1002416321802477, 0x100049e2200e003e, 0x100250e0218026b7, 0x100049e3200e003e, 0x10025121218020f7, 0x100049e0200e003e, 0x1002410181c27236, 0xe0025c6700001a00, 0x100049e020801037, 0x100208e701167c00, 0x1002580181c207f6, 0x10025d2335801037, 0x100049e220801037, 0x10020867019c4ec0, 0x100240a2219c3e84, 0x100049e320801037, 0x1002116701127cc0, 0xd00208e7029e1e80, 0x10025806210a0de3, 0x100049e220827006, 0x10024863211a03d6, 0x10124020278276ce, 0x100049e1201a7006, 0x10220027079e7240, 0x1002086701805f80, 0x10024c2035020d8f, 0x100049e1201a7006, 0x10024c2081c203f6, 0x10020c27151a7d80, 0x18020c2708067d80, 0x1a020c2708067d80, 0x1c020c2708067d80, 0x1e020c2708067d80, 0x10024c2195c27036, 0x10020c27159e7240, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureCS[] = { 0xe0024c6700301a00, 0x100200a715c27d80, 0x100210a715c27d80, 0x100049e1200a003e, 0x100049e020802037, 0x10024122210a023e, 0x100049e320802037, 0x100049e120802037, 0x10025060210a047e, 0x100240e2218020f7, 0x100049e3200a003e, 0x1002406281c276b6, 0x100049e020827032, 0x1002502321120c3a, 0x10024821210e0cfa, 0x1002112701800f80, 0x100248e221801e72, 0xe0025c6700001a00, 0x1002487081044cbf, 0x1002082701827180, 0x100258b481827780, 0x1002417081827392, 0x100049e320827016, 0x10020c2715167d80, 0x10024c20359e7004, 0xd0020867029e1e00, 0x100049c3209e7021, 0x100049e12080403e, 0x100049e2209c300f, 0x10124020279c349f, 0x1022402227160037, 0x100049e3209c3017, 0x10020c2715027d80, 0x10020c2701827780, 0x10020c27159c3fc0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlaneVS[] = { 0xe0024c6700601a00, 0x1002122715c27d80, 0x1002026715c27d80, 0x100049e02080803e, 0x100049e22080803e, 0x100049e120260037, 0x100242a321260077, 0x10025261212604fe, 0x100049e320808037, 0x100242222180867e, 0x100049e320260037, 0x100251e0218084f7, 0x100049e22026003e, 0x100251a1218080b7, 0x100049e32026003e, 0x10025160212602fe, 0x100049e220808037, 0x1002414281c27436, 0x100049e32080803e, 0x100049e220260037, 0x10025120218026be, 0x1002504181c09e36, 0x100049e320802037, 0x100049e02080203e, 0x100201a7019c5ec0, 0x10020127019c7e00, 0x100049e120802037, 0x100049e22080203e, 0x100049e32080203e, 0x100049e020802037, 0x100210e701227c40, 0x100200e7012a7c80, 0x100212e7019c4ec0, 0x100212a701167c00, 0x10020867010e0dc0, 0x100208e701801f80, 0x100049e020827031, 0x100049e220802037, 0x100241e121806eb3, 0x10020827019e7200, 0x100208e701803f80, 0x1002587481120ddb, 0x100049e220827031, 0x100202e7019e7080, 0x100049e0209e701c, 0xd0020867029e1e00, 0x10025802211e0de1, 0x100049e220827006, 0x10020867011a0dc0, 0x100049e3200a7016, 0x10124020278276ce, 0x100049e1200a7006, 0x100208a70180af80, 0x1022402227827256, 0xe0025c6700001a00, 0x100049e3200a7016, 0x10020c2715027d80, 0x10024c2081c207f6, 0x10020c27150a7d80, 0x18020c2708067d80, 0x1a020c2708067d80, 0x1c020c2708067d80, 0x1e020c2708067d80, 0x1002487095c27d80, 0x100248308180bf89, 0x100049e320827030, 0x10020c27012e7cc0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlaneCS[] = { 0xe0024c6700301a00, 0x100200a715c27d80, 0x100210a715c27d80, 0x100049e1200a003e, 0x100049e020802037, 0x10024122210a023e, 0x100049e320802037, 0x100049e120802037, 0x10025060210a047e, 0x100240e2218020f7, 0x100049e3200a003e, 0x1002406281c276b6, 0x100049e020827032, 0x1002502321120c3a, 0x10024821210e0cfa, 0x1002112701800f80, 0x100248e221801e72, 0xe0025c6700001a00, 0x1002487081044cbf, 0x1002082701827180, 0x100258b481827780, 0x1002417081827392, 0x100049e320827016, 0x10020c2715167d80, 0x10024c20359e7004, 0xd0020867029e1e00, 0x100049c3209e7021, 0x100049e12080403e, 0x100049e2209c300f, 0x10124020279c349f, 0x1022402227160037, 0x100049e3209c3017, 0x10020c2715027d80, 0x10020c2701827780, 0x10020c27159c3fc0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t multiTextureVS[] = { 0xe0024c6700801a00, 0x100210a715c27d80, 0x100200e715c27d80, 0x100049e020802037, 0x100049e3200e003e, 0x10024161218020f7, 0x100049e0200e003e, 0x100250e221802237, 0x100049e1200e003e, 0x1002512321802477, 0x100049e2200e003e, 0x1002410181c276b6, 0xe0025c6700001a00, 0x100049e220801037, 0x1002086701167c80, 0x1002588181c203f6, 0x10025d21358014b7, 0x100049e020801037, 0x100208e7019c4e40, 0x100240a0219c3e14, 0x100049e120801037, 0x1002116701127c40, 0xd0020867029e1e00, 0x10025886210a0de1, 0x100049e020827016, 0x100248e1211a07c6, 0x101240222782725e, 0x100049e3201a7016, 0x1022402087c276f6, 0x100208e701805f80, 0x10024c2235020d9f, 0x100049e3201a7016, 0x10024c2181c207f6, 0x10020c27151a7d80, 0x18020c2708067d80, 0x1a020c2708067d80, 0x1c020c2708067d80, 0x1e020c2708067d80, 0x100248b095c27d80, 0x100248f095c27d89, 0x10020c27159e7480, 0x10020c27159e76c0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t multiTextureCS[] = { 0xe0024c6700301a00, 0x100200a715c27d80, 0x100210a715c27d80, 0x100049e1200a003e, 0x100049e020802037, 0x10024122210a023e, 0x100049e320802037, 0x100049e120802037, 0x10025060210a047e, 0x100240e2218020f7, 0x100049e3200a003e, 0x1002406281c276b6, 0x100049e020827032, 0x1002502321120c3a, 0x10024821210e0cfa, 0x1002112701800f80, 0x100248e221801e72, 0xe0025c6700001a00, 0x1002487081044cbf, 0x1002082701827180, 0x100258b481827780, 0x1002417081827392, 0x100049e320827016, 0x10020c2715167d80, 0x10024c20359e7004, 0xd0020867029e1e00, 0x100049c3209e7021, 0x100049e12080403e, 0x100049e2209c300f, 0x10124020279c349f, 0x1022402227160037, 0x100049e3209c3017, 0x10020c2715027d80, 0x10020c2701827780, 0x10020c27159c3fc0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t multiTextureClippingPlaneVS[] = { 0xe0024c6700801a00, 0x1002122715c27d80, 0x1002026715c27d80, 0x100049e22080803e, 0x100049e02080803e, 0x100049e320260037, 0x100242a1212604f7, 0x100252632126007e, 0x100049e120808037, 0x10024220218082fe, 0x100049e120260037, 0x100251e221808077, 0x100049e02026003e, 0x100251a321808437, 0x100049e12026003e, 0x100251622126067e, 0x100049e020808037, 0x1002414281c270b6, 0x100049e12080803e, 0x100049e020260037, 0x100251222180223e, 0x1002504181c09eb6, 0x100049e120802037, 0x100049e22080203e, 0x100201a7019c5e40, 0x10020127019c7e80, 0x100049e320802037, 0x100049e02080203e, 0x100049e12080203e, 0x100049e220802037, 0x100210e701227cc0, 0x100200e7012a7c00, 0x100212e7019c4e40, 0x100212a701167c80, 0x100208e7010e0dc0, 0x1002086701801f80, 0x100049e220827033, 0x100049e020802037, 0x100241e321806e31, 0x100208a7019e7680, 0x1002086701803f80, 0x100258f481120dc9, 0x100049e020827033, 0x100202e7019e7400, 0x100049e2209e700c, 0xd00208e7029e1e80, 0x10025882211e0de3, 0x100049e020827016, 0x100208e7011a0dc0, 0x100049e1200a7006, 0x101240222782725e, 0x100049e3200a7016, 0x100208270180af80, 0x10224020278276c6, 0xe0025c6700001a00, 0x100049e1200a7006, 0x10020c2715027d80, 0x10024c2081c203f6, 0x10020c27150a7d80, 0x18020c2708067d80, 0x1a020c2708067d80, 0x1c020c2708067d80, 0x1e020c2708067d80, 0x10024c2195c27036, 0x10024c2295c27276, 0x100248f095c27d92, 0x100248b08180bf9b, 0x100049e120827032, 0x10020c27012e7c40, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t multiTextureClippingPlaneCS[] = { 0xe0024c6700301a00, 0x100200a715c27d80, 0x100210a715c27d80, 0x100049e1200a003e, 0x100049e020802037, 0x10024122210a023e, 0x100049e320802037, 0x100049e120802037, 0x10025060210a047e, 0x100240e2218020f7, 0x100049e3200a003e, 0x1002406281c276b6, 0x100049e020827032, 0x1002502321120c3a, 0x10024821210e0cfa, 0x1002112701800f80, 0x100248e221801e72, 0xe0025c6700001a00, 0x1002487081044cbf, 0x1002082701827180, 0x100258b481827780, 0x1002417081827392, 0x100049e320827016, 0x10020c2715167d80, 0x10024c20359e7004, 0xd0020867029e1e00, 0x100049c3209e7021, 0x100049e12080403e, 0x100049e2209c300f, 0x10124020279c349f, 0x1022402227160037, 0x100049e3209c3017, 0x10020c2715027d80, 0x10020c2701827780, 0x10020c27159c3fc0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, }; //====================================================================== //====================================================================== //====================================================================== //====================================================================== //====================================================================== //====================================================================== uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_BlendDisabled_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024021213e317e, 0x10025022213e337e, 0x10024063213e357e, 0x10025060213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e76c0, 0xa0020ae715827d80, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b62482324027933, 0x1d524863249c0938, 0x1f4248a324067931, 0x117049e3209c103a, 0x10020b27159cffc0, 0x10020ba7159e76c0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstZero_SrcDstColor_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024021213e317e, 0x10025022213e337e, 0x10024063213e357e, 0x10025060213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e76c0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b62482324027933, 0x1d524863249c0938, 0x1f4248a324067931, 0x117049e3209c103a, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10020b27159cffc0, 0x100059ee609e701c, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusSrcAlpha_SrcSrcAlpha_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024061213e317e, 0x10025062213e337e, 0x100240a3213e357e, 0x10025020213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e76c0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b62580024067933, 0x1d525840249c1938, 0x114059c0200a7031, 0x1f0049e2209c003c, 0x117059c0809e7012, 0x113049e3809e7012, 0x10024821770276f3, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10024b20759cffe0, 0x100059eec09e7008, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstOne_SrcDstColor_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024021213e317e, 0x10025022213e337e, 0x10024063213e357e, 0x10025060213e377e, 0x10024821213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e7000, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b62482324027933, 0x1d524863249c0938, 0x1f4248a324067931, 0x117049e3209c103a, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10024b23759cffdc, 0x100059eec09e701c, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstOne_SrcOne_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024021213e317e, 0x10025022213e337e, 0x10024063213e357e, 0x10025060213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e76c0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b62482324027933, 0x1d524863249c0938, 0x1f4248a324067931, 0x117049e3209c103a, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10020b27159cffc0, 0x100059eec09e701c, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusSrcAlpha_SrcSrcAlpha_DepthStencilDisabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x10024020213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e76c0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b624822249c093b, 0x1d52486224067930, 0x1f0049e320027034, 0x114049e2209c1039, 0x113049e0809e701b, 0x11724862979e701b, 0x100049e3609e7010, 0x800009e7009e7000, 0x100049e2609e7021, 0x100059eec09e701a, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_BlendDisabled_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x60020827019e7740, 0x100229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0xa0020ae715827d80, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b6248a1249c0939, 0x1d5248e124067932, 0x100229e715027d80, 0x1f424821249c193b, 0x117049e1200a7030, 0x10040b27159cffc0, 0x10040ba7159e7240, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_BlendDisabled_DepthStencilDisabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024021213e317e, 0x10025022213e337e, 0x10024063213e357e, 0x10025060213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e76c0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b62482324027933, 0x1d524863249c0938, 0x1f4248a324067931, 0x117049e3209c103a, 0x10020ba7159e76c0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_BlendDisabled_DepthStencilDisabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x60020827019e7740, 0x100229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b6248a1249c0939, 0x1d5248e124067932, 0x1f424821249c193b, 0x100229e715027d80, 0x117049e1200a7030, 0x10040ba7159e7240, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusSrcAlpha_SrcSrcAlpha_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x10024821213e317e, 0x100248a3213e337e, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024838819e7740, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x600229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100229e715027d80, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b6248a0249c0939, 0x1d5248e024067932, 0x1f0049e1200a7034, 0x114049e0209c103b, 0x113049e2809e7009, 0x117248e0979e7489, 0x100049e1609e7002, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10044b20759cffe3, 0x100049e2c09e7008, 0x10040ba7159e7480, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstOne_SrcOne_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x60020827019e7740, 0x100229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b6248a1249c0939, 0x1d5248e124067932, 0x1f424821249c193b, 0x100229e715027d80, 0x117049e1200a7030, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10044b20d59cffcc, 0x10040ba7159e7000, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusSrcAlpha_SrcSrcAlpha_DepthStencilDisabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x60020827019e7740, 0x100229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b6248a0249c0939, 0x1d5248e024067932, 0x114049e0209c103b, 0x1f0049e2200a7034, 0x117049e0809e7012, 0x113049e3809e7012, 0x10024821779e76c3, 0x100229e715027d80, 0x800009e7009e7000, 0x100049e0609e7020, 0x100049e1c09e7008, 0x10040ba7159e7240, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstSrcColor_SrcDstColor_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024021213e317e, 0x10025022213e337e, 0x10024063213e357e, 0x10025060213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e76c0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b62482324027933, 0x1d524863249c0938, 0x1f4248a324067931, 0x117049e3209c103a, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10024b20759cffdc, 0x100059eec09e7000, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstSrcColor_SrcDstColor_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x60020827019e7740, 0x100229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b6248a1249c0939, 0x1d5248e124067932, 0x1f424821249c193b, 0x117049e1200a7030, 0x100229e715027d80, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10044b21759cffcc, 0x100049e2c09e7009, 0x10040ba7159e7480, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t multiTextureMul_AlphaDisabled_BlendDisabled_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x100240e1213e317e, 0x100250e2213e337e, 0x10024123213e357e, 0x10025120213e377e, 0x10024821213e317e, 0x100248a3213e337e, 0x20024079819e7752, 0x10024e20353e303e, 0x10020027019e7140, 0x100213a7040e7d80, 0x10021e6715027d80, 0x60021e2715067d80, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x100200a7159e7900, 0xa0020ae715827d80, 0x180049c02008e03e, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b624882249c0939, 0x1a0049e12008303e, 0x100213a704127d80, 0x1d5248c2249e790a, 0x1c0049e22008e03e, 0x1f424802249e7913, 0x1e0049e32008403e, 0x117049c2209e7018, 0x10020b27159cffc0, 0x10020ba7159c2fc0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t multiTextureMulClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_BlendDisabled_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x100250e1213e317e, 0x10024122213e337e, 0x10025123213e357e, 0x10024160213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x100253b984127d92, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0x10024060213e377e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0xd00200e7159c0fc0, 0x200208a7019e7340, 0x100229e7049e7480, 0xd00800e7159dffc0, 0x10021e67159c0fc0, 0x60021e2715067d80, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x100200a7159e7900, 0x100229e7150e7d80, 0xa80059c02008303e, 0x190258eb84827936, 0x1b62480224027933, 0x1a0049e32008e03e, 0x1d524842249e7918, 0x1c0049e02008403e, 0x100213a704167d80, 0x1f424882249e7901, 0x1e0049e12008e03e, 0x117049c2209e700a, 0x10040b27159cffc0, 0x10040ba7159c2fc0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstZero_SrcDstColor_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x60020827019e7740, 0x100229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b6248a1249c0939, 0x1d5248e124067932, 0x1f424821249c193b, 0x100229e715027d80, 0x117049e1200a7030, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10044b20759cffcc, 0x10040ba7159e7000, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstSrcAlpha_SrcDstColor_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024061213e317e, 0x10025062213e337e, 0x100240a3213e357e, 0x10025020213e377e, 0x10024821213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e7000, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b62580024067933, 0x1d525840249c1938, 0x114059c0200a7031, 0x1f0049e2209c003c, 0x117059c0809e7012, 0x113049e3809e7012, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10024b22759cffe3, 0x100049e160027034, 0x100059eec09e700a, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstSrcAlpha_SrcDstColor_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x10024821213e317e, 0x100248a3213e337e, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024838819e7740, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x600229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100229e715027d80, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b6248a0249c0939, 0x1d5248e024067932, 0x1f0049e1200a7034, 0x114049e0209c103b, 0x113049e2809e7009, 0x117049e0809e7009, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10044b23759cffe2, 0x100049e0609e7004, 0x100049e1c09e7003, 0x10040ba7159e7240, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusDstAlpha_SrcDstColor_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e76c0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b625800249c093b, 0x1d52584024067930, 0x1f425880249c1939, 0x117059c0200a7032, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x100248ac8e80f9bf, 0xd00208e7119c85c0, 0x100248e2750274f4, 0x1002082711827780, 0x10020827159e7600, 0x10020867179e7000, 0x100049e0609e7021, 0x100059eec09e7010, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusDstAlpha_SrcDstColor_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024061213e317e, 0x10025062213e337e, 0x100240a3213e357e, 0x100250a0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x60020827019e7740, 0x100229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b62488024067931, 0x1d5248c0249c193a, 0x1f424800240a7933, 0x117049c0209c2038, 0x100229e715027d80, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x100288ac8e80f9bf, 0xd0020867119c85c0, 0x100248e1759c047c, 0x100208a711827780, 0x10020827159e7680, 0x100208e7179e7000, 0x100049e0609e7023, 0x100049e0c09e7008, 0x10040ba7159e7000, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstOne_SrcDstColor_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x60020827019e7740, 0x100229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b6248a1249c0939, 0x1d5248e124067932, 0x1f424821249c193b, 0x117049e1200a7030, 0x100229e715027d80, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10044b21759cffcc, 0x100049e0c09e700c, 0x10040ba7159e7000, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstSrcAlpha_SrcOneMinusSrcAlpha_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024061213e317e, 0x10025062213e337e, 0x100240a3213e357e, 0x100250a0213e377e, 0x10024821213e317e, 0x100248a3213e337e, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024838819e7740, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x600229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100229e715027d80, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b62488024067931, 0x1d5248c0249c193a, 0x114049c0200a7033, 0x1f0049e2209c203c, 0x117049c0809e7012, 0x113049e1809e7012, 0x10020827179e7240, 0x100049e3609c0038, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10044b21759cffe1, 0x100049e2c09e7019, 0x10040ba7159e7480, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusSrcAlpha_SrcOne_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024061213e317e, 0x10025062213e337e, 0x100240a3213e357e, 0x100250a0213e377e, 0x10024821213e317e, 0x100248a3213e337e, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024838819e7740, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x600229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x100229e715027d80, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b62488024067931, 0x1d5248c0249c193a, 0x1f0049e2209c203c, 0x114049c0200a7033, 0x113049e0809e7012, 0x117248c0979e7012, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10044b21759cffe3, 0x100049e1c09c0039, 0x10040ba7159e7240, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusSrcColor_SrcZero_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x60020827019e7740, 0x100229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b6248a1249c0939, 0x1d5248e124067932, 0x1f424821249c193b, 0x117049e1200a7030, 0x100229e715027d80, 0x10020867179e7240, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10044b20759cffe1, 0x10040ba7159e7000, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusSrcColor_SrcOne_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024061213e317e, 0x10025062213e337e, 0x100240a3213e357e, 0x100250a0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0xd0021027159c0fc0, 0x60020827019e7740, 0x100229e7049e7000, 0xd0081027159dffc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b62588024067931, 0x1d5258c0249c193a, 0x1f425800240a7933, 0x117059c0209c2038, 0x100229e7159c0fc0, 0x100208a717027d80, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10044b21759cffe2, 0x100049e0c0027031, 0x10040ba7159e7000, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstSrcAlpha_SrcOneMinusSrcAlpha_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024061213e317e, 0x10025062213e337e, 0x100240a3213e357e, 0x10025020213e377e, 0x10024821213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e7000, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b62580024067933, 0x1d525840249c1938, 0x114059c0200a7031, 0x1f0049e3209c003c, 0x117059c0809e701b, 0x113049e1809e701b, 0x100208a7179e7240, 0x100049e360027032, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10024b22759cffe1, 0x100059eec09e701a, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusSrcAlpha_SrcOne_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024061213e317e, 0x10025062213e337e, 0x100240a3213e357e, 0x10025020213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e76c0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b62580024067933, 0x1d525840249c1938, 0x1f0049e3209c003c, 0x114059c0200a7031, 0x113049e2809e701b, 0x11725800979e749b, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10024b20759cffe0, 0x100059eec0027030, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusSrcColor_SrcZero_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10024021213e317e, 0x10025022213e337e, 0x10024063213e357e, 0x10025060213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e76c0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b62482324027933, 0x1d524863249c0938, 0x1f4248a324067931, 0x117049e3209c103a, 0x10020827179e76c0, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10020b27159cffc0, 0x100059ee609e7020, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaDisabled_DstOneMinusSrcColor_SrcOne_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[] = { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x100240a0213e377e, 0x10024821213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e7000, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b625800249c093b, 0x1d52584024067930, 0x1f425880249c1939, 0x117059c0200a7032, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x100248ec9700fdbf, 0x100049e1609e7023, 0x100059eec0027031, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTexture_AlphaGE80_BlendDisabled_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[]= { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025021213e317e, 0x10024062213e337e, 0x10025063213e357e, 0x10024020213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x600208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10021e27159e76c0, 0xd00208a7159c0fc0, 0xa0020ae715827d80, 0x190208e7049e7900, 0x1b624823249c093b, 0x1d52486324067930, 0x1f0049e020027034, 0xd00229e7029ef1c0, 0xd00808a7159dffc0, 0x114049e3209c1039, 0x100229e7159e7480, 0x117049e3809e7000, 0x10040b27159cffc0, 0x10040ba7159e76c0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t singleTextureClippingPlane_AlphaGE80_BlendDisabled_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[]= { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025061213e317e, 0x100240a2213e337e, 0x100250a3213e357e, 0x10024060213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x10024e23353e36fe, 0xd0020027159c0fc0, 0x60020827019e7740, 0x100229e7049e7000, 0xd0080027159dffc0, 0xd0020827159c0fc0, 0xa0020ae715827d80, 0x19020867049e7900, 0x1b624880249c1939, 0x1d5248c0240a7932, 0x1f0049e120067034, 0xd00208a7159c0fc0, 0xd00229e7029ef3c0, 0x1142488035002dbb, 0xd0080827159dffc0, 0x1172488095027c09, 0x100229e7159e7480, 0x10040b27159cffc0, 0x10040ba7159c0fc0, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t multiTextureAdd_AlphaDisabled_BlendDisabled_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[]= { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025121213e317e, 0x10024122213e337e, 0x100240e3213e357e, 0x100250e0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x20024e23353e36fe, 0x10025020213e377e, 0x10020027019e7140, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x10021e6715027d80, 0x10021e27159c0fc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x1d0059c2200e7034, 0x6b0049c120127034, 0x190059c1209c403c, 0x1f0049c2209c303c, 0xa0020ae715827d80, 0x1f020867049e7900, 0x1d7248e121082d39, 0x1b4248a1819c1f1b, 0x1952482181067d12, 0x116049e1809e7000, 0x10020b27159cffc0, 0x10020ba7159e7240, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t multiTextureAddClippingPlane_AlphaDisabled_BlendDisabled_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[]= { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025121213e317e, 0x10024122213e337e, 0x100240e3213e357e, 0x100250e0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x20024e23353e36fe, 0x10025020213e377e, 0x10020027019e7140, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x10021e6715027d80, 0x10021e27159c0fc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x1d0059c2200e7034, 0x6b0049c120127034, 0x190059c1209c403c, 0x1f0049c2209c303c, 0xa0020ae715827d80, 0x1f020867049e7900, 0x1d7248e121082d39, 0x1b4248a1819c1f1b, 0x1952482181067d12, 0x116049e1809e7000, 0x10020b27159cffc0, 0x10020ba7159e7240, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; uint64_t multiTextureAdd_AlphaDisabled_DstZero_SrcDstColor_DepthStencilEnabled_FS[]= { 0x100049e0203e303e, 0x10025121213e317e, 0x10024122213e337e, 0x100240e3213e357e, 0x100250e0213e377e, 0x100248e1213e317e, 0x100208a7019e7340, 0x10021e67159e7480, 0x20024e23353e36fe, 0x10025020213e377e, 0x10020027019e7140, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x10021e6715027d80, 0x10021e27159c0fc0, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x1d0059c2200e7034, 0x6b0049c120127034, 0x190059c1209c403c, 0x1f0049c2209c303c, 0xa00009e7009e7000, 0x1f020867049e7900, 0x1d7248e121082d39, 0x1b4248a1819c1f1b, 0x1952482181067d12, 0x116049e1809e7000, 0x80020ae715827d80, 0x10020b27159cffc0, 0x100059ee609e700c, 0x300009e7009e7000, 0x100009e7009e7000, 0x500009e7009e7000, }; 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Host Chris Wallace of “Fox News Sunday” spent most of his Sunday show on the subject of whether there is any evidence of Trump officials colluding with Russia to affect the 2016 presidential election. “On the Russian collusion, there’s a lot of smoke, no evidence,” said panelist Bob Woodward of Washington Post Watergate fame. But we do have substantial evidence of media collusion with the U.S. intelligence community. “Few understand the CIA and espionage culture as well as [David] Ignatius,” Woodward once said of his colleague, a foreign affairs columnist for the paper. These comments are significant. Ignatius is the Post journalist who received an illegal leak of classified information regarding Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn’s conversations with the Russian ambassador. The disclosure led to Flynn’s resignation as Trump’s national security adviser. The leak and its publication on January 12 were both illegal actions under the law. Attorney Larry Klayman of Freedom Watch tells Accuracy in Media that Ignatius is not alone. “What you see in these leaks—David Ignatius of The Washington Post and others—are the intelligence agencies being manipulated by the left to destroy the Trump presidency and everybody around him.” Ignatius openly boasts of his contacts in the intelligence community, especially the CIA. Woodward was a guest on the Sunday edition of “Fox News Sunday,” but was never asked about his colleague receiving illegal leaks of communications intelligence information. Instead, the major issue on the show was whether President Trump has made charges about wire-tapping his administration without proof. “NO EVIDENCE CITED FOR ‘WATERGATE’ PLOT” was one of the front-page headlines in the Post over President Trump’s charges that former President Obama was behind the wiretapping. The media were unanimous. “Trump’s baseless wiretap claim” was the headline over a CNN story. While Trump’s tweet alleging Obama’s personal role seemed like a stretch, some reported “facts” already in the media put some substance behind what the President was trying to convey in a few words and phrases. For example, the British Guardian reported on January 11: “The Guardian has learned that the FBI applied for a warrant from the foreign intelligence surveillance (FISA) court over the summer in order to monitor four members of the Trump team suspected of irregular contacts with Russian officials. The FISA court turned down the application asking FBI counter-intelligence investigators to narrow its focus. According to one report, the FBI was finally granted a warrant in October, but that has not been confirmed, and it is not clear whether any warrant led to a full investigation.” Regarding the alleged personal involvement of former President Obama, the left-wing publication The Intercept reported on January 13: “With only days until Donald Trump takes office, the Obama administration on Thursday announced new rules that will let the NSA share vast amounts of private data gathered without warrant, court orders or congressional authorization with 16 other agencies, including the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security.” The conservative Wall Street Journal reported: “Only days before the inauguration, President Obama also signed an executive order that allows the National Security Agency to share raw intercepts and data with the 16 other agencies in the intelligence community. NSA analysts used to filter out irrelevant information and minimize references to Americans. Now such material is being leaked anonymously.” The new rules and procedures, which were promulgated pursuant to a presidential executive order, were signed by Obama Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch on January 3 and reported under the innocuous New York Times headline, “N.S.A. Gets More Latitude to Share Intercepted Communications.” As the Journal suggests, what Obama’s administration did was to set the stage for the leaks through David Ignatius of the Post and others. You don’t have to be Bob Woodward to suspect something is going on here. “The people that report on national intelligence at all the networks, including Fox—and I love Fox News—are scared of taking on the intelligence agencies because their sources will be cut off and they won’t have a profession anymore,” Larry Klayman tells Accuracy in Media. Interestingly, the personal website of David Ignatius features a laudatory review of one of his books, The Director, about a fictional director of the CIA. This is the context in which Bob Woodward said of Ignatius, “Few understand the CIA and espionage culture as well as Ignatius.” Another reviewer, Philip Kerr, also of The Washington Post, says “I strongly suggest you read The Director. It makes Tom Clancy look like an episode of Get Smart.” “Get Smart” was the comedy show about a bumbling secret agent who had a phone in his shoe. Ignatius clearly understands the nature of the intelligence business and doesn’t joke around. But most of the media won’t raise the obvious question: who is Ignatius collaborating with and why? The answers suggest actual collusion and even criminal conduct. Woodward said on “Fox News Sunday” that “you’ve got to understand that as President Trump has this vast espionage establishment as his disposal, $50 billion a year plus, even in the CIA they call him the First Customer. So he can get the information he wants. He’s the only one in the government.” But is he really a customer? Or is he in this case a victim? If the intelligence community is trying to bring down a duly elected government of the United States, it is a story that must be told. Will the media tell this side of the story, or will they protect their anonymous sources and a $50 billion espionage establishment they collude with to make a living?

Roast Beef on the BBQ I love good roast beef. Before scrolling further, I have a disclaimer. I like it rare. I’ve been known to eat it blue rare. So, if the sight of rare beef offends you, close your browser now. Still reading? Great. I bought a prime rib roast at my favourite butcher shop, Master Meats. This one weighed in at almost 5 lbs. I like to do my roasts occasionally on the BBQ and today I also decided I wanted to publish the recipe. So here you go. Serve it with your favourite brown roux. Mine was simple. Separated the fat from the pan drippings, added enough oil to the fat to make 1/4 cup. Cooked that with 1/4 cup flour to form a paste. Added in the pan drippings and 1.5 cups of veggie stock using 1/2 a bouillon cube. Brought to a simmer. Then adjusted salt and pepper to taste. Four lbs and eleven ouncesSeasoned for the grillSmoking hotI love rare beef

Factors that affect primary school children's sustainable behavior in a resource dilemma. Acting ecologically sustainably and not exhausting natural resources is becoming more and more important. Sustainable behavior can be investigated within the conceptual frame of resource dilemmas, in which users share a common, slowly regenerating resource. A conflict emerges between maximizing one's own profit and maintaining the resource for all users. Although many studies have investigated adults' behavior in resource dilemmas, barely anything is known about how children deal with such situations and which factors affect their behavior. Due to their still developing cognitive and social skills as well as their self-control, they might act differently than adults. In the current study, 114 children aged 6 to 11 years played a fishing conflict game. We manipulated (a) whether children played alone or in groups, (b) whether withdrawal was limited or not, and (c) whether children were allowed to communicate within the groups or not. In addition, children's individual characteristics that were expected to be related to their sustainable behavior were assessed (i.e., delay of gratification, fairness concept, relatedness to nature, math grade, and age). Children's success in maintaining the resource strongly depended on the game context. Similar to adults, children acted more ecologically sustainably when they played alone, when the withdrawal was limited, and when communication was allowed. In addition, older children acted more sustainably than younger children. The results are discussed in the light of findings with adults and with regard to potential interventions that aim at enhancing children's sustainable behavior.

*t - 2 Let t(q) = -q + 364. Let k(s) = -s + 362. Determine 3*k(d) - 2*t(d). -d + 358 Let w(s) be the third derivative of -3*s**5/20 - s**4/8 - 5*s**3/6 - 2*s**2 + 56*s + 6. Let v(f) = -4*f**2 - f - 3. Calculate 5*v(p) - 2*w(p). -2*p**2 + p - 5 Suppose 2*p + 15*f + 10 = 10*f, 7*f = -5*p - 3. Let j(x) = 4*x**3 + 13*x + 2. Let c(s) = -9*s**3 - s**2 - 25*s - 5. Determine p*j(u) + 2*c(u). 2*u**3 - 2*u**2 + 15*u Let i(d) = 3*d**2 + d - 3. Let a(j) be the first derivative of 2*j**3/3 + j**2/2 - 4*j + 853. Calculate -3*a(w) + 4*i(w). 6*w**2 + w Let z(r) = -r**2 + r - 2. Let g(h) be the third derivative of -h**6/120 - h**5/20 + h**4/12 - 2*h**3/3 - 4960*h**2. Give 2*g(f) - 5*z(f). -2*f**3 - f**2 - f + 2 Suppose 56*b - 60*b + 44 = 0. Let h(u) = -3 + b - 7. Let f(i) = -3*i - 6. Let y(w) = -5*w - 9. Let x(d) = -8*f(d) + 5*y(d). What is 4*h(l) - x(l)? l + 1 Let j(m) = 18*m**2 + 2. Let l(r) = 7*r**2 + 13*r - 19. Let i(p) = -13*p**2 - 24*p + 35. Let g(u) = 6*i(u) + 11*l(u). Calculate -2*g(t) + j(t). 20*t**2 + 2*t Let n(g) = g - 1975. Let u(m) = m - 1989. What is -5*n(s) + 6*u(s)? s - 2059 Let t(r) = 3362*r**3 + 19*r + 4. Let f(v) = -5044*v**3 - 26*v - 6. Calculate -5*f(i) - 7*t(i). 1686*i**3 - 3*i + 2 Let x(z) be the first derivative of -55*z**3 + 12*z**2 - 3502. Let j(k) = -33*k**2 + 5*k. Calculate -24*j(q) + 5*x(q). -33*q**2 Suppose -28*t = -t + 6*t - 726. Let p(u) = 3*u**3 + 11. Let h(d) = -14. Let b(m) = 5. Let k(r) = 17*b(r) + 6*h(r). Give t*k(i) - 2*p(i). -6*i**3 Let u(l) = 40*l - 129*l + 1 - 3*l**2 - 6*l**2 + 41*l + 39*l. Suppose 2*o + 24 = -2*o. Let y(g) = -8*g**2 - 5*g + 3*g - 1 - 6*g + 2. What is o*u(t) + 7*y(t)? -2*t**2 - 2*t + 1 Let b(s) = -s**2 + 5217*s + 3. Let z(k) = -1747*k - 1. What is -2*b(y) - 7*z(y)? 2*y**2 + 1795*y + 1 Let r(v) = -504*v - 430. Let t(s) = 101*s + 93. Calculate -3*r(c) - 14*t(c). 98*c - 12 Let a(o) = 7*o**3 - 14*o**2 + 3*o - 4. Let z(r) = -r**3 + r**2 - r + 1. Suppose -11*h + 91991 = 92035. What is h*z(f) - a(f)? -3*f**3 + 10*f**2 + f Let m(a) = 110*a**3 - 6*a**2 + 7*a - 8. Let t(p) = 330*p**3 - 17*p**2 + 19*p - 22. Give 8*m(v) - 3*t(v). -110*v**3 + 3*v**2 - v + 2 Let o(x) = -1044*x**2 + 3*x - 6. Let s(q) = 3133*q**2 - 11*q + 19. Give 13*o(h) + 4*s(h). -1040*h**2 - 5*h - 2 Let b(m) = 4483*m - 68. Let q(p) = -44832*p + 714. Determine -21*b(r) - 2*q(r). -4479*r Let o(a) = -3*a + 3*a - 2794*a**2 + 2795*a**2. Let c(j) = -j**3 + 4*j**2. Let p(g) = 4*g + 45. Let s be p(-11). Calculate s*c(d) - 4*o(d). -d**3 Let r(q) = -18*q + 2. Let o(l) = -l. Let a = -11117 - -11115. What is a*o(d) + r(d)? -16*d + 2 Let i(t) = 5*t + 7. Let o(v) = 7*v + 11. Suppose -6*k = -42*k - 38*k + 592. Give k*i(z) - 5*o(z). 5*z + 1 Let k(v) be the second derivative of -v**3/2 - 2*v**2 - 16*v + 39. Let r = -18 + 11. Let n(p) = 4*p + 6. Calculate r*k(c) - 5*n(c). c - 2 Let b(g) = -g**2 - 8*g + 7. Let y(h) = 4*h**2 + 4*h - 9. Let j(z) = 9*z - 26*z**2 - 17 + 9*z**2 + 24*z**2. Let n(x) = 3*j(x) - 5*y(x). What is -4*b(r) - 5*n(r)? -r**2 - 3*r + 2 Let s = -130 + 131. Let w be -5 + (5/1 - s). Let z(h) = 6*h**3 + 3*h - 3. Let q(o) = -o**3 - o + 1. Determine w*z(j) - 3*q(j). -3*j**3 Let p(s) = -11*s**3 + 4477*s**2 - 17*s + 402. Let r(v) = -4*v**3 + 1493*v**2 - 6*v + 142. What is 6*p(a) - 17*r(a)? 2*a**3 + 1481*a**2 - 2 Let o(f) = 2*f**2. Let x(p) = -2*p**2 - p - 1. Let j be x(-1). Let d = -14612 + 14606. Let w(y) = -7*y**2. What is d*o(q) + j*w(q)? 2*q**2 Let b(w) = -80*w**2 - 2*w - 9. Let i(s) = 38*s**2 + s + 4. What is 4*b(p) + 7*i(p)? -54*p**2 - p - 8 Suppose -3*r + 36 - 24 = 0. Let l(b) = -b**2 + 6*b + 2. Let a(x) be the third derivative of x**5/60 - 5*x**4/24 - x**3/6 - 194*x**2. Calculate r*l(o) + 5*a(o). o**2 - o + 3 Let p(l) = -13*l**3 - 13*l**2 - 9*l + 37. Suppose -5*g - 67*g = 21*g + 837. Let k(m) = -3*m**3 - 3*m**2 - 2*m + 9. What is g*k(j) + 2*p(j)? j**3 + j**2 - 7 Let q(i) = 3*i**3 + 2*i**2 + i. Let h(f) = -17*f**3 - 11*f**2 - 4*f - 769. What is h(j) + 5*q(j)? -2*j**3 - j**2 + j - 769 Let h(c) = 15*c**2 - 7*c - 6. Let z(a) = -5*a**2 + 2*a + 2. Let l be -26*(-15)/(-30) - 40/(-2). Determine l*z(d) + 2*h(d). -5*d**2 + 2 Let j(h) = 7*h**2 - 7*h + 5. Let w(q) = q**3 - 7*q**2 - 1. Let y be w(7). Let u = y - -1. Let b(o) = o**2 + 65*o + u*o**2 + 1 - 66*o. Give 6*b(z) - j(z). -z**2 + z + 1 Let n(c) = 64*c**3 - 9*c**2 + 396. Let y(m) = 16*m**3 - 2*m**2 + 79. What is 3*n(l) - 14*y(l)? -32*l**3 + l**2 + 82 Let j(h) = -75*h**3 + 5*h + 3. Let o(g) = 226*g**3 - 17*g - 10. Determine -7*j(z) - 2*o(z). 73*z**3 - z - 1 Let k(i) = 5*i**3 - 16*i**2 - 6*i + 11. Let v(t) = -13*t**3 + 45*t**2 + 17*t - 34. What is -17*k(f) - 6*v(f)? -7*f**3 + 2*f**2 + 17 Let j(q) = -q**3 + 15*q**2 + 21*q - 9. Let b(h) = -7*h**2 - 10*h + 4. Give -13*b(k) - 6*j(k). 6*k**3 + k**2 + 4*k + 2 Let t(n) = -10*n - 2. Let a(q) = 220*q + 45. Let l be 30/((8 - -3)/(-33)). What is l*t(i) - 4*a(i)? 20*i Let r(p) = -4251*p - 2. Let q(n) = 8503*n + 5. Determine 2*q(z) + 5*r(z). -4249*z Let k(w) = -w**2 + 5. Let c(x) = 3*x**2 + x - 11. Let s(h) = 126*h + 507. Let v be s(-4). Determine v*c(p) + 7*k(p). 2*p**2 + 3*p + 2 Let p(b) be the first derivative of b**4/4 - 2*b**3/3 - b**2 - 14. Let f(c) = 4*c**3 - 7*c**2 - 7*c. Suppose -4*v - 48 = -32. What is v*f(t) + 14*p(t)? -2*t**3 Let j(z) = 27*z - 5. Let b(t) be the first derivative of 189*t**2/2 - 36*t + 835. Calculate 5*b(p) - 36*j(p). -27*p Let y(i) = 17*i - 198. Let r(h) = -15*h + 176. Let x(n) = 9*r(n) + 8*y(n). Let k(f) = 11*f**2 + 2*f - 2. Calculate -k(s) + 3*x(s). -11*s**2 + s + 2 Let z(i) = i**3 - 2*i**2 + 8*i - 175. Let p(v) = 10*v**3 - 21*v**2 + 81*v - 1750. Determine 2*p(a) - 21*z(a). -a**3 - 6*a + 175 Let v(a) = 6*a**2 - 12*a + 5. Let k(y) = -7*y**2 + 4*y - 4. Calculate 5*k(c) + 4*v(c). -11*c**2 - 28*c Let r(c) = -5*c + 24. Let p(h) = -20*h + 10*h + 8*h + 8. Let f be (-18)/243 + (8 - (-747)/243). Calculate f*p(u) - 4*r(u). -2*u - 8 Let n(f) = -9*f - 13. Suppose 0 = -23*w + 33*w + 30. Let x(m) = -6*m**3 + 2*m**2 - 2*m + 1. Let t be x(1). Let r(l) = 5*l + 7. Determine t*r(k) + w*n(k). 2*k + 4 Let g(n) = 90*n - 108. Let k(p) = -30*p + 42. Give 3*g(t) + 8*k(t). 30*t + 12 Let g(x) = -2*x. Let d(z) = 8*z + 1315. Calculate d(t) + 5*g(t). -2*t + 1315 Let c(t) = 15*t**3 - 2*t**2 - 36*t + 9. Let b(p) = -p**3 + 4*p - 1. Let f(n) = -10*b(n) - c(n). Let d(s) = -s**3 + s**2. What is -4*d(y) + f(y)? -y**3 - 2*y**2 - 4*y + 1 Suppose 0 = 5*m + 5*v, 48*v = 5*m + 45*v + 40. Let z(r) = -11*r**3 + 7*r**2 + 3*r - 7. Let q(x) = 7*x**3 - 5*x**2 - 2*x + 5. Give m*z(g) - 7*q(g). 6*g**3 - g Let m(x) = -17*x**2 - 2*x - 17. Let d(o) = -12*o**2 - 2*o - 12. Let h(f) = 7*d(f) - 5*m(f). Let t(l) = 2*l**2 - 9*l + 1. Calculate -5*h(b) + 2*t(b). -b**2 + 2*b - 3 Let y(q) = -27*q. Let i(n) = -14*n. Let f be 98/(-245) + 5236/(-10). Let d = f - -519. What is d*i(o) + 3*y(o)? -11*o Let q(m) be the first derivative of 9*m**2/2 + 3*m - 1627. Let x(b) = -b. Give q(y) + 2*x(y). 7*y + 3 Let j(c) = 11976*c. Let b(k) = 81*k. Give 6*b(l) + j(l). 12462*l Let h(d) = 23*d**2 - d. Let c(v) = -2508*v**2 - 66*v. Calculate 2*c(w) - 132*h(w). -8052*w**2 Let h(g) = -g + 10. Let x(z) = -461*z + 51. Calculate -5*h(v) + x(v). -456*v + 1 Let t(l) = -4*l. Let p(x) = 11*x - 196. What is -p(d) - 3*t(d)? d + 196 Let z(s) = -783*s**2 - 6*s + 2. Let d(y) = -2145420*y**2 - 16443*y + 5481. Let n(r) = 6*d(r) - 16443*z(r). Let o(m) = -25*m**2. Calculate -2*n(q) - 189*o(q). 27*q**2 Let h(y) = 5417*y - 2491*y - 2716*y. Let w(l) = -19*l. Determine 5*h(s) + 56*w(s). -14*s Let w(j) = -53*j**2 + 3*j - 14. Let z(x) = 114*x - 6253. Let q be z(55). Let k(i) = -18*i**2 + i - 5. What is q*k(f) - 6*w(f)? 12*f**2 - f - 1 Let a(s) = 15*s**2 + 91*s. Let u(k) = -k**2 + k. Give a(n) + 2*u(n). 13*n**2 + 93*n Let w(r) = -13*r - 128. Let l(s) = -34*s - 385. Determine 3*l(b) - 8*w(b). 2*b - 131 Let h(a) = 211*a + 219*a + 226*a + 1 - 878*a + 221*a. Let g(c) = -3*c**2 - 7*c - 7. What is -g(s) + 6*h(s)? 3*s**2 + s + 13 Let h(x) = 4*x**2 + 3*x + 2. Let i(t) = -362*t - 3255. Let g be i(-9). Let r(w) = -w**2 - 1. Determine g*r(v) + h(v). v**2 + 3*v - 1 Let v = -15701 - -15704. Let k(h) = 13*h + 5. Let d(t) = 7*t + 3. Calculate v*k(p) - 5*d(p). 4*p Let o(q) = q - 3. Let c(j) = 2*j - 8. Let d(x) = x**2. Let n(m) = -3*m**2 + 24*m + 83. Let p(l) =

Democratic governor of Montana and 2020 hopeful Steve Bullock joined MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell Tuesday to discuss reports that billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer has qualified for the upcoming presidential primary debate. "I'm working it every day and I have a ways to go," Bullock said about qualifying. "I think the DNC rules were well-intentioned, but what it really has done is allowed a billionaire to buy a spot on the debate stage. Tom Steyer just spent ten million dollars to get 130,000 donors. We're getting to the point where we're spending money online as opposed to actually talking to voters. The Republican Party all throughout 2015 had a 1% threshold. It is a rough day when Democrats are less inclusive than Republicans." "Grassroots support and elections are about people to talking to people," he said. "Not billionaires being able to spend a whole lot of money to buy Facebook ads, and that's what all the campaigns are starting to do. As well-intentioned as this might be, it is not too late for the DNC... to say, 'let's make sure that it is the early state voters who take a large field and winnow it down.'"

Blog Construction Equipment Market: Q3 Update Equipment makers report mixed Q3 results The third quarter saw mixed results from equipment makers with both gains and losses across the board. CNH and Manitowoc both reported increases in Q3 net sales of 5%1 while Kobelco2 and Volvo CE3 each saw sales drop from between 9% and 16.5% in the same period. Caterpillar also reported a +5% increase in net sales but lowered revenue estimates for the year to $66 billion from a range of $68-$70 billion citing weaker than expected global economic conditions.4 Most of the reported losses stemmed from exposure to the declining earthmoving market in China. Global demand for agriculture equipment remained solid. Lower demand for equipment in China The overall Chinese heavy equipment market has cooled with equipment makers Komatsu and Volvo CE now expecting demand to fall a further -25% to -40% year on year through December. Manufacturers expect the situation to improve slightly in 2013 with the overall Chinese equipment market declining no more than -5% and the potential for a gain not ruled out. Demand for excavators in particular is expected to stabilize somewhat in January and March with worst case scenarios predicting a -20% decline.3 Equipment rental rates up Rental rates for heavy equipment have risen +8.4% overall in the past 12 months according to the most recent July report from the Rouse Analytics Rental Metric Benchmark Service. July’s largest one-month gains in rental rates were seen in backhoes (+2.6%), scissor lifts (+1.6%), telescopic booms (+1.5%), and hi-reach forklifts (+1.5%). Smaller one-month gains of +0.6% were seen for both wheel loader and excavator rentals.5 This field{0} is required.{0} is invalid.{0} can only contain letters [a-z].{0} can only contain letters and numbers.{0} must be a number.{0} can only contain numbers [0-9].{0} must be a valid password.{0} must be a valid email address.{0} must be a valid URL.{0} must be a valid date of the format YYYY-MM-DD.{0} must be at least {1} characters.{0} must be no more than {1} characters.{0} must be between {1} and {2} characters.{0} must be greater than {1}.{0} must be less than {1}.{0} must be between {1} and {2}.{0} and {1} must match.{0} must be a valid postal code.{0} must be a valid zip code.{0} can only contain letters, numbers, dash (-) and dot (.){0} must be must be greater than 2 characters or be entered as "GD".{0} is an invalid phone number format. Examples of valid formats would be 000-0000 or 0000000.

Psychological harm and the case for alternatives Studies in countries around the world have consistently found high levels of psychiatric symptoms among imprisoned asylum seekers, both adults and children. Immigration detention is often trivialised in government discourse. In 2012, for example, Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney described Canada’s largest immigration detention centre as “basically a two-star hotel with a small fence around it” where “people have hotel rooms, with fresh cooked meals there every day”.[1] He also stated that in all immigration detention centres “conditions are entirely appropriate for families.” Yet, in Canada, as in many other countries, immigration detention centres are prisons in all but name. Detainees are under constant surveillance by cameras and uniformed guards, subject to repeated searches, in a facility with centrally controlled locked doors surrounded by fences topped with razor wire. Men and women are held in separate wings, with a special section for children detained with their mothers. There is no family section, so fathers are separated from their children, although they can see them daily. Personal effects are confiscated. Movement from one area to another within the centre is prohibited unless escorted by a guard. All aspects of daily life are controlled by rigid rules, and failure to respect rules may be punished by brief solitary confinement or withdrawal of privileges (such as visits). There are virtually no activities except watching television. Primary medical care is provided, but no mental health services. All detainees except pregnant women and minors are handcuffed during transportation. Detainees in need of hospital care are handcuffed, sometimes shackled, while in the public waiting room, and may be chained to the hospital bed. Additionally, close to 30% of detained asylum seekers and refused claimants are held in ordinary provincial jails or remand centres alongside the criminal population, primarily due to lack of space in dedicated immigration detention centres. Yet in Canada, fewer than 6% of these detainees are suspected of criminality or viewed as a security risk. Asylum seekers (i.e., people whose refugee claim has not yet been heard) and refused claimants are an almost entirely non-criminal and low-risk population. Imprisoning individuals who are not even suspected of criminality is a serious breach of their fundamental right to liberty and fair treatment – rights possessed by all human beings, not just citizens. Research on impacts on mental health My colleagues and I recently conducted a study on the impact of imprisonment on asylum seekers’ mental health with 122 adult asylum seekers held in Canadian immigration detention centres and a comparison group of 66 non-detained asylum seekers.[2] After a relatively short imprisonment (average 31 days), 32% of detained asylum seekers reported clinically significant levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms, compared to 18% of their non-detained peers. Depression levels were 50% higher among detained than non-detained participants, with 78% of detained asylum seekers reporting clinical levels of depressive symptoms compared to 52% of non-detained asylum seekers. These findings are in line with those reported by other researchers but are particularly striking because in this case detention was comparatively brief. Also, although conditions in Canadian immigration detention centres certainly could be considerably improved (e.g. with internet access, more activities, elimination of handcuffs), they are better than in many other countries. Nonetheless, imprisonment was a highly distressing experience for most of the detained asylum seekers interviewed in our study. Imprisonment inherently involves disempowerment and loss of agency – in other words, loss of the ability to make personal decisions, exercise control over one’s daily life and take actions to achieve desired goals. This loss of agency is one of the major predictors of depression as well as one of its core characteristics. Feeling powerless is also an important dimension of post-traumatic stress as traumatic events such as torture and rape typically involve inability to escape or retaliate. Regaining a sense of agency and mastery over one’s life is central to recovery from both depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Detained asylum seekers are deprived of liberty and agency not only by confinement but also by rigid rules, constant surveillance and the use of restraints. When immigration agents first decide to detain an asylum seeker, the latter is handcuffed and transported to the detention centre in a locked van. This is generally experienced as degrading and humiliating, and typically described as “being treated like a criminal”. At the detention centre there are multiple restrictions. For example, when a newly detained asylum seeker refused to get up at the compulsory 6am wake-up call, he was placed in 24-hour segregation for insubordination. Similarly, in one detention centre, men were not allowed to go back to their rooms during the day nor to take naps in the common room, with no recognition that many of them suffered from insomnia, often trauma-related, compounded by the disturbances of night rounds. This kind of tight control over the most minute details of daily life, normally reserved for dangerous criminals, is experienced as a loss of dignity and agency. More fundamentally, detained asylum seekers cannot take steps to achieve security and start rebuilding their lives. They can do little but wait and worry: wait for their identity papers to arrive, wait for their detention review hearing, wait for their immigration agent or lawyer to return their calls, worry that their detention will be prolonged, worry that they will be deported, worry about their families back home. Such conditions would be difficult for anybody but are particularly distressing for asylum seekers, most of whom have experienced violence and mistreatment in their country of origin. Asylum seekers are often amazingly resilient and able to recover even from severe trauma when placed in favourable conditions, including quick access to secure status, employment and basic services and rapid reunion with close family. On the other hand, stressors such as immigration detention can be the final straw that will tip the balance towards mental health problems. Certain people are particularly vulnerable, including children, pregnant women and persons who have experienced severe trauma such as torture or rape, but asylum seekers in general are a potentially vulnerable population because of high rates of exposure to traumatic events. They are in need of respect, support and fair treatment, not imprisonment. Book traversal links for Psychological harm and the case for alternatives Disclaimer Opinions in FMR do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors, the Refugee Studies Centre or the University of Oxford.CopyrightFMR is an Open Access publication. 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Re: The General Footy Thread I remember this forum before GU closed down where you could for a cup of coffee and a good natter about all things prog, John and Sasha. Meetings at tops of stairs/bar areas were organised and if you missed a night out, there was full blown chapter and verse to digest a few days later. It was a community with harmony and a (prog) togetherness, nowadays it is over flowing with scruffy gypos calling people strange names, washed up producers and Liverpool fans. Re: The General Footy Thread Big Fella wrote: I remember this forum before GU closed down where you could for a cup of coffee and a good natter about all things prog, John and Sasha. Meetings at tops of stairs/bar areas were organised and if you missed a night out, there was full blown chapter and verse to digest a few days later. It was a community with harmony and a (prog) togetherness, nowadays it is over flowing with scruffy gypos calling people strange names, washed up producers and Liverpool fans. Re: The General Footy Thread Big Fella wrote: I remember this forum before GU closed down where you could for a cup of coffee and a good natter about all things prog, John and Sasha. Meetings at tops of stairs/bar areas were organised and if you missed a night out, there was full blown chapter and verse to digest a few days later. It was a community with harmony and a (prog) togetherness, nowadays it is over flowing with scruffy gypos calling people strange names, washed up producers and Liverpool fans.

Prometheus Rising: The Barbed Penis Every major scientific discovery has the potential to benefit mankind, but more often than not fate punishes us for our discovery. Like Prometheus who stole fire from the gods, society ends up bound to a metaphorical rock where a giant metaphorical eagle pecks at our collective liver for all eternity. We have yet to see if the discovery of DNA and the science of genetic modification will play out as another Promethean tragedy, but this year a team of researchers at Stanford have made at least one breakthrough that is sure to only benefit mankind: they have discovered how to give us our barbed penises back. Slow down, Richard, you might say. Barbed penises? Give them back? That’s right reader, our smooth-headed penises are somewhat of an anomaly. Most other primates, and many other mammals, have many small spines made of keratin on the glans of their penis, much like a cat’s tongue (incidentally, cats have barbed penises, too; see below). Penis barbs displayed in (left) a magnified image of a marmoset penis, (right) a cat penis As reported in a paper by McLean et al. (2011) published in Nature, the researchers were able to identify precisely the sequence of DNA which is responsible for the barbs by looking for genetic codes present in chimps and macaques but absent in humans. So why did we lose our barbs? McLean et al. explain: “Simplified penile morphology tends to be associated with monogamous reproductive strategies in primates. Ablation of spines decreases tactile sensitivity and increases the duration of intromission, indicating their loss in the human lineage may be associated with the longer duration of copulation in our species relative to chimpanzees” To put it crudely, our lack of barbs allows us to increase the amount of “pumps” at the expense of what must be an exquisite sensitivity coupled with an intense sensory pleasure. Likely the most intense pleasure imaginable. The most exciting part of this research, which I alluded to earlier, is that they implanted the missing DNA into transgenic human foreskin cells and found that it was able to drive gene expression in the cells, indicating the genetic system that produces the barbs lies dormant in our genomes. Though it doesn’t indicate so in the paper, presumably the researchers are working on a way to reactivate this genetic system in human beings with some kind of gene serum or topical gene cream. Or maybe a psychoactive drug that can regress our mental state and externalize the experience, altering our penises back to a more ancient, perfect form; wait, no I’m thinking of Altered States. A cream would probably do. But barbs are just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Just imagine what else is lying dormant in our genetic code, waiting to be awakened, as least as regards our penises. It seems like through genetic engineering, we may someday be able to craft the penis of our dreams. Of course we must proceed with caution, and like Icarus, not fly too close to the sun…and like Prometheus, remember to be mindful of eagles. […] the first aim, such as in the echidna penis article, and we’ve touched on the third aim in the barbed penis article. But today I would like to explore second aim, by way of the African elephant and the strange […]

Beautiful Destinations founder Jeremy Jauncey Jeremy met with his fans in Fort Santiago Intramuros Beautiful faces visit beautiful destinations. From left: Sam Kolder, James Relf-Dyer, Jacob Briglin, Tom Jauncey and Jeremy Jauncey came to the Philippines to explore and promote some of the most beautiful places in the country Presscon Photos by Star SabroSo Many Filipinos online were recently busy “liking” and “sharing” stunning images and videos of some of the most captivating sites in the Philippines. The places featured are considered popular destinations known to us locals, but there is something about the social media content that made Pinoys extremely proud and inspired. It is perhaps because the travel photographs and short clips were documented by Scottish-Colombian Jeremy Jauncey and the rest of his Beautiful Destinations (@BeautifulDestinations) team. Jeremy, who’s been called the “world’s hottest traveler” more than once, was here in the country for a 10-day exploration and promotion of the Philippines’ beautiful spots.Beautiful Destinations is a popular Instagram account with 6.2 million followers to date, and it aims to showcase the most beautiful places in the world and inspire people to travel. The Department of Tourism (@tourismphl) partnered with Jeremy in a bid to tell the beautiful story of the Philippines through the perspective of a world famous traveler.• He will never travel without his roaming Wi-Fi, chargers, multivitamins, eye mask, ear plugs and headphones • His favorite travel companion is his brother Tom • Tokyo, New York, Santorini, Cape Town and the Philippines are currently the five most favorite places he has visited • His travel bucket list includes Iceland, Cuba, Canada and the rest of Southeast Asia • His best travel experience at the moment was his one-week sojourn in Santorini, Greece last summer • His worst travel experience was when he slipped, cut his foot open and got a bad infection that nearly resulted in getting his foot amputated while in Thailand • He considers New York his home and the place where he will settle downAt 31, Jeremy has been in many places and seen different breathtaking sights. In fact, he has been collecting passport stamps even before he can pack his own luggage. “I have a Colombian mother, was born in Venezuela and grew up in Scotland. Also, my father was a professional photographer, so I think traveling has always been in my blood,” relates the globe trekker. He then lived in New Zealand for a year and a half, an experience which he considered as “one of the best times in my life,” before moving to London to study and build his career. Currently, he is based in New York running his business Beautiful Destinations.The good-looking traveler-entrepreneur has already lived in high-profile countries, visited well-known destinations and saw one too many sceneries, but he says the things he witnessed and experienced in the Philippines were nothing like he has seen in other countries he’s been to.From May 12 to 22, Jeremy, together with his brother Tom and friends Jacob Briglin, James Relf-Dyer and Sam Kolder, explored some of the beautiful destinations in Bohol, Cebu, Palawan and Manila for the first time. “Nowhere is near as beautiful as the Philippines, which has the combination of mind-blowing sceneries and really amazing and passionate people who made us feel welcome during our stay,” enthuses Jeremy. But he wasn’t exactly surprised to see the stunning sights the Philippines has to offer; in fact, he expected to be awed, and the country didn’t fail him. “My very first encounter with the Philippines was from two and a half years ago when many Filipinos were posting photos using the Beautiful Destinations hashtag. I posted them on the page and they performed really well, so we knew even before we arrived that we will be excited to see this country,” he recounts.With a childhood spent on a farm, Jeremy has grown to become a fan of the kind of living that he did not have as a kid but dearly wanted. “I grew up in Scotland on a farm in the middle of nowhere. I went to a school that looks just like Hogwarts in the middle of a countryside, basically very different from an island. So I really became a sucker for beaches,” he shares. Thus, within the short 10 days of exploring the tropical wonders of the Philippines, one place really stood out for Jeremy: Palawan’s piece of heaven, El Nido.“El Nido is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been,” raves Jeremy. “And it’s not only because I am in the Philippines that I’m saying that, but that has been truly a memorable place.” He even looks forward to coming back to El Nido – and we can’t blame him.Having had the enviable opportunity to go to different places and be a traveling inspiration to many, Jeremy is aware of his duty to practice sustainable and responsible traveling. “Our whole business is about telling stories – we tell stories of the people, of the culture and of the nature of a country, so we make sure that we always try to be respectful and appreciative of all the beings that we meet,” shares Jeremy. However, many environment advocates were up in arms in Beautiful Destinations team’s trip to a province which is said to be exploiting the giant whale sharks for the sake of tourism. “I got a lot of comments from people that I found really informative when I posted that [picture on my Instagram account @jeremyjauncy],” admits Jeremy. “I learned so many environmental impact that tourism brought to the place and now what I hope for us is to raise awareness and focus on places that are more environmentally aware.” The bottom line, he says, is that when traveling, it is important to understand the balance of nature and not leave any mark that would damage it. When Jeremy and his team flew out of the country, all they left were footprints and breathtaking images and videos showcasing the beautiful destinations in the Philippines.

Tom Brown (satirist) Thomas Brown (1662 – 18 June 1704), also known as Tom Brown, was an English translator and writer of satire, largely forgotten today save for a four-line gibe he wrote concerning Dr John Fell. Brown was born at either Shifnal or Newport in Shropshire; he is identified with the Thomas Brown, son of William and Dorothy Brown, who was recorded christened on 1 January 1663 at Newport. His father, a farmer and tanner, died when Thomas was eight years old. He took advantage of the free schooling offered in the county during his day by attending Adams' Grammar School at Newport, afterward continuing his education at Christ Church, Oxford and there meeting the college's dean, Dr Fell. Fell was well known as a disciplinarian, and Brown throughout his life displayed a disdain for restrictions. The legend behind Brown's most recognised work is therefore plausible: it states that Brown got into trouble while at Oxford, and was threatened with expulsion, but that Dr Fell offered to spare Brown if he could translate an epigram from Martial (I, 32, 1): Non amo te, Sabidi, nec possum dicere quare; Hoc tantum possum dicere, non amo te. According to the story, Brown replied immediately: I do not love thee, Dr Fell, The reason why I cannot tell; But this I know, and know full well, I do not love thee, Dr Fell. Fell is said to have stayed Brown's dismissal from the college in admiration of this translation. However the story is of apocryphal provenance, and it is known that Brown left Christ Church without a degree, moving to Kingston upon Thames where he stayed three years as a schoolmaster, and later to London, where he took up residence on Aldersgate Street in the Grub Street district. Brown made a modest living from his writing in Latin, French and English, in addition to offering services of translation. He refrained however from ever attaching himself to a patron, and expressed contempt toward those who did so. He pursued a libertine lifestyle, and his satirical works gained him several enemies in their subjects. His best-known works, apart from the quatrain, are probably Amusements Serious and Comical, calculated for the Meridian of London (1700) and Letters from the Dead to the Living (1702), although his writings were quite prolific. Several works of the period whose author is unknown are suspected to be his. Toward the end of his life he began to regret the licentiousness with which he had lived it, and on his deathbed he secured from his publisher (one Sam Briscoe) a promise that any posthumously published works would be censored of "all prophane, undecent passages". The promise was promptly reneged upon. Many of Brown's works went unpublished until his death, and the publication date of many is in question, as is his stature as a writer. Contemporary opinion was mixed; Jonathan Swift spoke quite highly of Brown's work, and indeed parts of Gulliver's Travels and other of Swift's works may have been significantly influenced by Brown's writings. On the other hand, those whom Brown mercilessly lampooned during his lifetime understandably did nothing to further his good reputation after his demise. The 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica gives this verdict: "He was the author of a great variety of poems, letters, dialogues and lampoons, full of humour and erudition, but coarse and scurrilous. His writings have a certain value for the knowledge they display of low life in London." Presently the best description of Brown's legacy may be that of Joseph Addison, who accorded him the appellation "T-m Br-wn of facetious Memory". Brown was buried in the grounds of Westminster Abbey. References External links Tom Brown's Amusements Category:1662 births Category:1704 deaths Category:English satirists Category:People from Newport, Shropshire Category:Newport, Shropshire Category:People educated at Adams' Grammar School Category:Burials at Westminster Abbey

Study of human pyramidalis muscle in Indian subjects. The pyramidalis muscle has been studied in 31 human male cadavers of subjects from Uttar Pradesh (India). The measurements of the length and the breadth have been recorded. The asymmetry in size of the muscles, in the same individual, was found to be significant (p less than 0.05). In view of the available literature of this muscle a speculation could be ascertained regarding its regressive nature in the evolutionary history. Therefore electromyographic studies of this muscle are required to establish its present status in reference to functional utility of this muscle with the anatomy of the linea alba.

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of ascertaining the cause of memory consumption in a program, and a computer system and computer program for the same. Description of Related Art In order to tune up the performance of a program, a user may get an execution profile of memory consumption by this program. In this case, the user may often want to identify what in the program causes certain memory consumption. This is because if the cause can be identified, it will be easy for the user to focus on the limited part of the original program logic as the cause of the memory consumption in order to alter it for reducing the memory consumption that poses a performance problem. When the user employs a conventional execution profile technique using a profiler, for example, it is easy to trace down a method, which has come to create an object whose memory consumption would be problematic at a certain point during program execution, and source methods that called the method directly or indirectly, which end up with the root (very beginning) method call. For example, in the case of Java™, the user uses a profiler called hprof that comes with Java™ 2 SE 6.0 to record an object ID in a location where the object is created in the program and a method call stack up to the location. The record enables the user to get the ID of the object likely to be problematic and the call stack of methods up to the creation of the object. However, in the above conventional execution profile technique, the user cannot understand why the problematic object stays in the memory during program execution and how the object has become problematic. In other words, the user cannot derive, from the record, what caused the object to become problematic, at least partly because the user has registered the object in a table likely to continue to stay in the memory. In a technique disclosed in Japanese Application Publication No. 2008-134709, a request ID on an object created during processing the request to a server and a method call stack up to the creation are recorded. When there is an object staying in a memory as long as the request processing is completed, the object is suspected of causing a memory leak. The object is presented together with the method call stack recorded up to the creation of the object. Bond, M. D., McKinley, K. S., “Probabilistic Calling Context,” in Proceedings of OOPSLA 2007, the 22nd Annual ACM SIGPLAN Conference on Object-Oriented Programming, Systems, Languages, and Applications, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, pp. 97-112, Oct. 21-25, 2007 teaches a technique called probabilistic calling context (PCC). PCC is known as a technique for holding down the overhead at the time of execution profile acquisition to a small percentage. PCC aims at verifying that two calling contexts are identical with a high probability. In the conventional execution profile technique, the user cannot understand why the object whose memory consumption is problematic at a certain point during program execution stays in the memory during program execution and how the object has become problematic. Therefore, it is desired to have a method of holding information for identifying why the object has become problematic and presenting the information to the user.

633 S.E.2d 373 (2006) INSIGHT TECHNOLOGY, INC. v. FREIGHTCHECK, LLC et al. No. A06A0710. Court of Appeals of Georgia. June 20, 2006. *374 Bruce E. Mitchell, Clare Michaud, Mitchell & Associates, Gary Stokes, Lamberth, Cifelli, Stokes & Stout, P.A., Atlanta, for Appellant. *375 Morris, Manning & Martin, Alpharetta, Lawrence H. Kunin, Troutman Sanders, Laura D. Windsor, L. Matt Wilson, Dustin R. Thompson, John A. Lockett III, Atlanta, for appellees. ELLINGTON, Judge. Insight Technology, Inc. brought this action in the Superior Court of Gwinnett County against Darren Brewer, Patrick Hull, Get-Loaded.com, LLC, and FreightCheck, LLC. Insight asserted claims against these parties for breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of trade secrets, misappropriation of corporate opportunities, and fraud. Insight alleged that Brewer, who was Insight's president, and Hull secretly agreed to create FreightCheck to compete with Insight using Insight's own computer software and business practices. The trial court granted the motions for summary judgment filed by Hull, GetLoaded, and FreightCheck on all claims. The trial court granted Brewer's motion for summary judgment in part, reserving to the jury Insight's claims for breach of fiduciary duty, appropriation of corporate opportunities, punitive damages, and attorney fees. Insight appeals, contending jury issues remain on all of its claims, with the exception of its claim against Hull and GetLoaded for appropriation of corporate opportunities. For the reasons explained below, we conclude questions of material fact remain on Insight's claims against Hull, GetLoaded, and FreightCheck for procuring a breach of fiduciary duties, misappropriation of trade secrets, punitive damages, and attorney fees, and reverse the trial court's judgment in part. We affirm the remainder of the trial court's judgment. "On appeal from the grant of summary judgment [the appellate court] conducts a de novo review of the evidence to determine whether there is a genuine issue of material fact and whether the undisputed facts, viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, warrant judgment as a matter of law." (Citation and punctuation omitted.) Munroe v. Universal Health Svcs., 277 Ga. 861, 864-865(2), 596 S.E.2d 604 (2004). Viewed in the light most favorable to Insight, the record contains evidence of the following facts. In 1996, Gary Aliengena incorporated Insight in Delaware as an internet-based freight load matching service, or "load board." Under the name NetTrans, Insight's virtual load board allowed independent truckers or small trucking companies to search online for available hauling jobs that matched their equipment and availability. The load board derived its revenue from membership fees paid both by the trucking companies and by shipping brokers and others who posted specific hauling jobs on the website. Insight also derived revenue from paid advertising on its website. GetLoaded, which Hull formed in Virginia in 1999, operated a similar virtual load board and competed with Insight. When Aliengena created Insight, he hired Brewer to be the director of marketing. Aliengena and Brewer executed an employment agreement which required Brewer to hold in confidence Insight's trade secrets and confidential information. Despite the designated title in the employment agreement, however, Brewer was the president of Insight during his entire employment with the company. Brewer managed Insight's operations from an office in Norcross. In 1998, Aliengena decided to expand Insight's business into freight factoring. First under the name Quick Pay, and later under the name FactorLoads, Insight paid truckers immediately on hauling invoices and then, as an assignee, collected payment from the payors, either shippers or freight brokers. Because these assignments were "without recourse," Insight accepted the risk of nonpayment or slow payment. For this service, Insight charged truckers a percentage commission on the face amount of the invoices. For Insight's FactorLoads service, Brewer created a website, drafted forms, designed procedures, such as for evaluating the credit worthiness of particular shippers and brokers, and trained and supervised employees. In 2000, Brewer caused Insight to buy a commercially available website design program called ColdFusion and then enhanced the program with features useful in the factoring *376 business. Only Insight employees had access to the administrative section of the FactorLoads.com website through the use of passwords. In late 1999 or 2000, Brewer met Hull, GetLoaded's majority shareholder and "managing member." By this time, Brewer was a 20 percent shareholder in Insight. Brewer tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade Hull to accept an ad for Insight's FactorLoads service on the GetLoaded website. By late 2001, Brewer and Hull began to discuss starting a new internet factoring business together. Hull wanted to partner with Brewer because of Brewer's experience programming in the freight factoring industry. Hull incorporated a new company, FreightCheck, LLC, in Virginia. Hull also created a new company, Maverick Holdings, LLC, as the sole shareholder. Brewer created a new limited liability company, Extranet Commerce, LLC, as the sole shareholder. Hull's wholly owned company, Maverick, and Brewer's wholly owned company, Extranet, then each became 50 percent shareholders in FreightCheck. Hull provided FreightCheck's startup capital by borrowing $100,000 from GetLoaded and then lending that sum to FreightCheck. Declaring that GetLoaded was "financially interested" in FreightCheck, GetLoaded provided a guaranty of FreightCheck's obligations to an industry lender. Hull also provided a personal guaranty on some of FreightCheck's debts. FreightCheck launched its website and began operating its factoring business, in competition with Insight, on June 1, 2002. By this time, factoring represented about 98% of Insight's total revenue of $5.3 million. Brewer rented office space for FreightCheck in an office suite down the hall from Insight's office so it would be convenient for him to visit FreightCheck's office while still employed at Insight. In the month before FreightCheck became operational, Brewer paid Insight employee Patti Burroughs to train Jeannie Yu in using the FactorPlus software and to train Insight employee Kristina Gersema to use certain accounting software and procedures used in Insight's factoring business. In April 2002, Brewer offered Gersema a job as president of FreightCheck to commence on June 1, subject to Hull's approval. According to Gersema, Brewer told her that he and Hull wanted her to be president of Freight-Check so that Aliengena would not find out about Brewer's connection to the company. FreightCheck also hired Yu. Gersema and Yu signed confidentiality agreements acknowledging that FreightCheck's computer programs, methods, processes and formulas were trade secrets. The day it launched its business, Freight-Check's website used the customized software program Brewer developed while working for Insight, and the website was nearly identical to Insight's FactorLoads website. On its first day, FreightCheck's website even contained testimonials from "satisfied customers" which were identical to testimonials already appearing on FactorLoads.com. FreightCheck also used the same rate structure, forms, and business methods and processes Brewer developed at Insight. The parties presented conflicting evidence regarding whether Aliengena gave Brewer permission to start a new freight factoring company and to use Insight's forms, processes, methods, software and technology to compete with Insight. Over the next 21 months, while Brewer continued working as Insight's president and supervising its employees, he spent much of his time in the FreightCheck office, managing its operations and supervising its employees. Brewer informed Hull of almost every aspect of FreightCheck's daily operations and sought Hull's approval of decisions. In November 2003, Brewer filed for copyright protection of the customized application of ColdFusion under the name FactorPlus. Immediately thereafter, Brewer on behalf of Extranet licensed the FactorPlus software both to Insight and to FreightCheck. Aliengena, Insight's majority shareholder, was unaware of Brewer's relationship with Hull, his 50 percent ownership interest (through Extranet) in FreightCheck, or his role in FreightCheck's operations. On several occasions, Brewer told Gersema, Burroughs and other Insight employees not to tell Aliengena about his involvement in FreightCheck. Aliengena also did not know that Brewer had obtained copyright protection *377 for the FactorPlus software or that he had licensed it to both Insight and Freight-Check in November 2003. In early 2004, Aliengena and Brewer discussed Insight's revenues, which were "flat." Brewer urged Aliengena to sell Insight to GetLoaded. On February 6, 2004, Brewer, on behalf of Insight, and Hull, on behalf of GetLoaded, executed a bilateral nondisclosure agreement to give GetLoaded access to Insight's confidential and proprietary information. Trade secrets were defined to include, inter alia, source code, programs, and software. Then, on or about February 25, 2004, Burroughs informed Aliengena of Brewer's involvement in FreightCheck. On March 5, 2004, Hull, on behalf of GetLoaded, issued a letter of intent to Insight, offering to buy the company for $900,000, estimated to be 4.5 times earnings. Both Brewer and Hull actively concealed their ownership and participation in FreightCheck, and Freight-Check's relationship to GetLoaded. Having learned of these relationships from Burroughs, however, Aliengena fired Brewer, and Insight filed this lawsuit on March 17, 2004. After a hearing, the trial court denied Brewer's motion for summary judgment on Insight's claims for breach of fiduciary duty, appropriation of corporate opportunities, punitive damages, and attorney fees. The trial court granted Brewer's motion for summary judgment on Insight's claims for misappropriation of trade secrets, fraud, and conspiracy to breach fiduciary duty. The trial court granted the remaining appellees' motions for summary judgment on these claims as well as Insight's claims for aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, appropriation of corporate opportunities, punitive damages, and attorney fees.[1] With the exception of the grant of summary judgment in favor of Hull and GetLoaded on Insight's claim for appropriation of corporate opportunities, Insight appeals as to each of these claims and defendants. 1. Insight contends that Georgia law recognizes a claim for aiding and abetting a breach of fiduciary duty. Insight further contends that questions of material fact remain on its claim against Hull, GetLoaded, and FreightCheck for aiding and abetting a breach of fiduciary duty, and, therefore, the trial court erred in granting the motion for summary judgment filed by Hull, GetLoaded, and FreightCheck on Count 1 of the complaint. (a) The trial court concluded that Georgia has never recognized a claim for aiding and abetting a breach of fiduciary duty, citing Monroe v. Bd. of Regents etc. of Ga., 268 Ga.App. 659, 664-665(2), 602 S.E.2d 219 (2004). In opposing Insight's appeal, Hull, GetLoaded, and FreightCheck contend in addition that, even if Georgia law recognizes such a claim, they cannot be liable because they did not owe any duty to Insight which could form the basis of a tort. In Monroe, we declined to recognize a claim for "aiding and abetting a breach of fiduciary duty" on the record then before us. Id. at 665(2), 602 S.E.2d 219. Because the plaintiff in Monroe "failed to assert such a claim in either his original complaint or by later amendment," however, our holding did not (and could not) reach the issue of whether such a claim is allowable under Georgia law. Id. at 664(2), 602 S.E.2d 219. Furthermore, we are mindful that there is "no magic in mere nomenclature" in the designation of causes of action. Guth v. Walker, 92 Ga.App. 490, 494, 88 S.E.2d 821 (1955). We must look beyond the designation "aiding and abetting a breach of fiduciary duty" and determine whether Insight's complaint stated a claim which is allowable under Georgia law. Unlike in Monroe, we find that Insight's complaint put the appellees on notice that Insight was asserting a claim that Hull, Get-Loaded, and FreightCheck were joint tortfeasors who acted in concert with Brewer in his breach of fiduciary duty. We hold that Insight has stated a viable claim under OCGA § 51-12-30. That Code section provides: "In all cases, a person who maliciously procures an injury to be done to another, whether an actionable wrong or a breach of *378 contract, is a joint wrongdoer and may be subject to an action either alone or jointly with the person who actually committed the injury." (Emphasis supplied.) By its terms, OCGA § 51-12-30 is inclusive and not limited to particular torts or types of contracts. See Luke v. DuPree, 158 Ga. 590, 596(1), 124 S.E. 13 (1924) (maliciously inducing another to break any type of contract is actionable). Georgia courts have acknowledged a cause of action for procuring an injury or aiding and abetting in a wide array of civil cases, such as an employee's breach of an employment contract's requirement that he give a certain notice before terminating the contract,[2] a former employee's breach of a restrictive covenant in an employment contract,[3] an employer's breach of an employment contract, such as by wrongfully terminating an employee,[4] a client's discharge of his attorney and false repudiation of the attorney's authority to file a suit,[5] a partner's wrongful dissolution of a partnership,[6] a breach of a contract to exchange real property,[7] battery,[8] and trespass to land.[9] More to the point, we have explicitly acknowledged a cause of action for procuring a breach of fiduciary duty based on OCGA § 51-12-30. In Rome Indust. v. Jonsson, 202 Ga.App. 682, 684(1), 415 S.E.2d 651 (1992) the plaintiff corporation alleged that the defendants induced the corporation's president to breach his fiduciary duty to the corporation. We noted the black letter law "that corporate officers and directors occupy a fiduciary relationship to the corporation and its shareholders, and are held to the standard of utmost good faith and loyalty." (Citation and punctuation omitted.) Id. at 683(1), 415 S.E.2d 651. Because "[t]he fiduciary relationship between a corporation and its officer arises out of the contractual or employment relationship between the two parties," we determined that the claim fell within the category of claims for tortious interference with contractual rights and reversed the decision of the trial court granting summary judgment in favor of the defendants. Id. at 683-684(1), 415 S.E.2d 651.[10] As the Supreme Court of Georgia has explained, "[p]arties to a contract have a property right therein with which a third party cannot interfere without legal justification or privilege, and a party injured by another's wrongful interference may seek compensation in tort" under OCGA § 51-12-30. (Citation omitted.) Atlanta Market Center Mgmt. Co. v. McLane, 269 Ga. 604, 608(2), 503 S.E.2d 278 (1998). Such claims do not require proof that the defendant owed a direct contractual duty to the plaintiff. Rather, a claim for tortious interference with contractual relations requires proof that the defendant is a stranger to the contract with which the defendant allegedly interfered and to the business relationship giving rise to the contract. Pruitt Corp. v. Strahley, 270 Ga. 430, 510 S.E.2d 821 (1999); Atlanta Market Center Mgmt. Co. v. McLane, 269 Ga. at 608-610(2), *379 503 S.E.2d 278.[11] In summary, regardless of whether denominated "aiding and abetting a breach of fiduciary duty," "procuring a breach of fiduciary duty," or "tortious interference with a fiduciary relationship," Georgia law authorizes a plaintiff to recover upon proof of the following elements: (1) through improper action or wrongful conduct and without privilege, the defendant acted to procure[12] a breach of the primary wrongdoer's fiduciary duty to the plaintiff; (2) with knowledge that the primary wrongdoer owed the plaintiff a fiduciary duty, the defendant acted purposely and with malice and the intent to injure;[13] (3) the defendant's wrongful conduct procured a breach of the primary wrongdoer's fiduciary duty; and (4) the defendant's tortious conduct proximately caused damage to the plaintiff. See Atlanta Market Center Mgmt. Co. v. McLane, 269 Ga. at 608(2), 503 S.E.2d 278; Luke v. DuPree, 158 Ga. at 595-597(1), 124 S.E. 13; Continental Maritime Svcs. v. Maritime Bureau, Inc., 275 Ga.App. 533, 535-536(2), 621 S.E.2d 775 (2005); Rome Industries, Inc. v. Jonsson, 202 Ga.App. at 683-684(1), 415 S.E.2d 651; Arford v. Blalock, 199 Ga.App. 434, 440(13), 405 S.E.2d 698 (1991). (b) Turning to the issue of whether Insight has identified specific evidence giving rise to a triable issue,[14] we conclude that Insight adduced evidence from which a jury could infer that Hull, acting as an agent of both GetLoaded and FreightCheck, tortiously procured Brewer's breach of his fiduciary duty, damaging Insight. Accordingly, we reverse the trial court's order to the extent that it granted summary judgment in favor of Hull, GetLoaded, and FreightCheck on Count 1 of the complaint. Rome Indust. v. Jonsson, 202 Ga.App. at 683-684(1), 415 S.E.2d 651; Arford v. Blalock, 199 Ga.App. at 442(13), 405 S.E.2d 698. 2. Insight contends that Georgia law recognizes a claim for conspiracy to breach a fiduciary duty and that questions of material fact remain on Count 11 of the amended complaint alleging such a claim against Brewer, Hull, GetLoaded, and FreightCheck. We agree that Georgia law does recognize such a claim. See Luke v. DuPree, 158 Ga. at 595-596(1), 124 S.E. 13; Paul v. Destito, 250 Ga.App. 631, 637-638(3)(4), 550 S.E.2d 739 (2001); Rome Indus. v. Jonsson, 202 Ga.App. at 684(2), 415 S.E.2d 651. Nonetheless, the trial court properly granted summary judgment on Count 11 of the amended complaint because this count as set out is merely a duplication *380 of the breach of fiduciary duty claim set forth in Count 1. See Division 1, supra. Griffin v. Fowler, 260 Ga.App. 443, 446(1), 579 S.E.2d 848 (2003); Rome Indus. v. Jonsson, 202 Ga.App. at 684(2), 415 S.E.2d 651. 3. Insight contends questions of material fact remain regarding whether the FactorPlus software Brewer developed for Insight constituted a trade secret under Georgia law. As a result, Insight contends, the trial court erred in granting the appellees' motions for summary judgment on Count 2 of the complaint, misappropriation of trade secrets. The Georgia Trade Secrets Act of 1990, OCGA § 10-1-760 et seq., authorizes recovery of damages for misappropriation of information "which is not commonly known by or available to the public," which "[d]erives economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use," and which "[i]s the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy." OCGA §§ 10-1-761(4)(A), (B); 10-1-763. "Whether a particular type of information constitutes a trade secret is a question of fact." (Citations omitted.) Camp Creek Hospitality Inns, v. Sheraton Franchise Corp., 139 F.3d 1396, 1410-1411(IV) (11th Cir. 1998) Despite Aliengena's testimony that there was "probably nothing" Insight had which derived its competitive value from not being generally known and not being readily ascertainable by proper means, there was evidence from which a jury could find that the FactorPlus software Brewer developed for Insight satisfied the definition of a trade secret under the Act. Essex Group, Inc. v. Southwire Co., 269 Ga. 553, 554-557(1), 501 S.E.2d 501 (1998); Tronitec, Inc. v. Shealy, 249 Ga.App. 442, 449-450(7)(a, b, c), 547 S.E.2d 749 (2001), overruled on other grounds, Williams Gen. Corp. v. Stone, 279 Ga. 428, 431, 614 S.E.2d 758 (2005); Camp Creek Hospitality Inns, v. Sheraton Franchise Corp., 139 F.3d at 1410-1412 (IV).. Furthermore, there is evidence from which the jury could find that Brewer disclosed the trade secret in violation of the Act, and that Hull, GetLoaded, and Freight-Check knowingly acquired the trade secret through improper means. Accordingly, we reverse the trial court's order to the extent that it granted summary judgment in favor of the appellees on Count 2 of the complaint. Essex Group, Inc. v. Southwire Co., 269 Ga. at 557(1), 501 S.E.2d 501; Tronitec, Inc. v. Shealy, 249 Ga.App. at 449-450(7)(a, b, c), 547 S.E.2d 749; Camp Creek Hospitality Inns v. Sheraton Franchise Corp., 139 F.3d at 1410-1412(IV). 4. Insight contends Brewer acted as FreightCheck's agent when he "breached his fiduciary duties to [Insight] by, among other things, misappropriating the corporate opportunity that was [FreightCheck]." As a result, Insight contends, the trial court erred in granting FreightCheck's motion for summary judgment on Count 4, citing Smith v. Hawks, 182 Ga.App. 379, 355 S.E.2d 669 (1987). To the extent FreightCheck can be held liable for misappropriating itself as a corporate opportunity, this count is merely a restatement of the claim set forth against FreightCheck in the breach of fiduciary duty count. See Divisions 1 and 2, supra. We affirm the trial court's ruling as to Count 4. 5. Insight contends questions of material fact remain regarding whether the appellees committed fraud by "misrepresenting that [GetLoaded's] proposed purchase of [Insight] was to be an arms-length transaction with a good faith purchaser and disinterested seller." As a result, Insight contends, the trial court erred in granting the motion for summary judgment on Count 6 of the complaint. The tort of fraud has five elements: a false representation by a defendant, scienter, intention to induce the plaintiff to act or refrain from acting, justifiable reliance by plaintiff, and damage to plaintiff. For an action for fraud to survive a motion for summary judgment, there must be some evidence from which a jury could find each element of the tort. (Citation omitted.) Tharp v. Vesta Holdings I, LLC, 276 Ga.App. 901, 904-905(1)(d), 625 S.E.2d 46 (2005). It is undisputed that Aliengena learned about the circumstances of the creation of FreightCheck and the relationship *381 among the appellees before Hull sent the March 5, 2004 letter of intent offering to purchase Insight. While the purpose of the fraud was allegedly "to induce Aliengena to sell [Insight] at a depressed price," Aliengena did not rely on the appellees' misrepresentations and agree to the deal. In the absence of evidence of justifiable reliance, the appellees are entitled to judgment as a matter of law on Count 6 of the complaint. Tharp v. Vesta Holdings I, LLC, 276 Ga.App. at 904-905(1) The trial court's judgment in this regard is affirmed. 6. Insight contends questions of material fact remain regarding whether Hull, GetLoaded, and FreightCheck acted with malice such that Insight's claims against them for punitive damages and attorney fees should be submitted to a jury. As to Count 8, Insight's claim for punitive damages, "[p]unitive damages may be awarded only in such tort actions in which it is proven by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant's actions showed willful misconduct, malice, fraud, wantonness, oppression, or that entire want of care which would raise the presumption of conscious indifference to consequences." OCGA § 51-12-5.1(b). As discussed in Division 1, supra, Insight adduced evidence from which a jury could find Hull, GetLoaded, and FreightCheck, liable for procuring a breach of fiduciary duty. Because acting purposefully, with malice and the intent to injure, is an essential element of this tort, it follows that Hull, GetLoaded, and FreightCheck are not entitled to judgment as a matter of law on Counts 8. The trial court's judgment in this regard is reversed. As to Count 9, Insight's claim for attorney fees pursuant to OCGA § 13-6-11, "[i]t is well established as the law of this state that every intentional tort invokes a species of bad faith and entitles a person so wronged to recover the expenses of litigation including attorney fees. Moreover, bad faith is a question for the jury to be determined from consideration of the facts and circumstances in the case." (Citation and punctuation omitted.) Stargate Software Int. v. Rumph, 224 Ga.App. 873, 878(4), 482 S.E.2d 498 (1997). Because the intentional torts of procuring a breach of fiduciary duty and misappropriation of trade secrets remain for the jury's consideration, see Divisions 1 and 3, "the claim for attorney fees rooted in bad faith concerning those actions should have also been left for the jury. It was premature, and thus error, to grant summary judgment on this issue altogether." Id. Accordingly, the trial court's order in this regard is reversed. Judgment affirmed in part and reversed in part. JOHNSON, P.J., and MILLER, J., concur. NOTES [1] The trial court also granted summary judgment on Insight's claims for tortious interference with contract, unfair competition, and civil RICO; Insight did not appeal the trial court's ruling on these issues. [2] Witty v. McNeal Agency, Inc., 239 Ga.App. 554, 560-561(4), 521 S.E.2d 619 (1999). [3] Williams v. Rio Grande Fence Co., 221 Ga. 633, 635(2), 146 S.E.2d 630 (1966); Nat. Linen Svc. Corp. v. Clower, 179 Ga. 136, 146(6), 175 S.E. 460 (1934); Carroll Anesthesia Assoc. v. Anesthe-Care, Inc., 234 Ga.App. 646, 648-649(1), 507 S.E.2d 829 (1998). [4] Nottingham v. Wrigley, 221 Ga. 386, 389-391, 144 S.E.2d 749 (1965); Troy v. Interfinancial, Inc., 171 Ga.App. 763, 768-769(2), 320 S.E.2d 872 (1984); Sheppard v. Post, 142 Ga.App. 646, 648(4), 236 S.E.2d 680 (1977). [5] Studdard v. Evans, 108 Ga.App. 819, 822-824(2), 135 S.E.2d 60 (1964). [6] Arford v. Blalock, 199 Ga.App. 434, 440-442(13), 405 S.E.2d 698 (1991). [7] Luke v. DuPree, 158 Ga. at 596(1), 124 S.E. 13. [8] Joiner v. Lane, 235 Ga.App. 121, 122-124(1)(2)(d), 508 S.E.2d 203 (1998). [9] Melton v. Helms, 83 Ga.App. 71, 73-75(1), 62 S.E.2d 663 (1950). [10] See also Nager v. Lad'n Dad Slacks, 148 Ga. App. 401, 403-404(3), 251 S.E.2d 330 (1978) (finding a jury question on a claim for tortious interference with contractual relations under the predecessor to OCGA § 51-12-30 where there was evidence that the defendant tried to drive its competitor out of business by secretly soliciting and hiring away a substantial percentage of the plaintiff's key salesmen, using confidential information and by suggesting to the employees that the plaintiff company was incompetently run and insolvent). [11] See also Williams v. Svc. Corp. Intl., 218 Ga. App. 10, 459 S.E.2d 621 (1995) (implicitly recognizing a cause of action for aiding and abetting a breach of fiduciary duty); U3S Corp. of America v. Parker, 202 Ga.App. 374, 380(4), 414 S.E.2d 513 (1991) (accord). But see Matter of Munford, Inc., 98 F.3d 604, 613 (11th Cir.1996) (a cause of action for aiding and abetting a breach of fiduciary duty "would enlarge the fiduciary obligations beyond the scope of a confidential or special relationship"). [12] The word "procure" as . . . used [in OCGA § 51-12-30] does not require the lending of assistance in the actual perpetration of the wrong done by another; but if one, acting only through advice, counsel, persuasion, or command, succeeds in procuring any person to commit an actionable wrong, the procurer becomes liable for the injury, either single or jointly, with the actual perpetrator. (Citations and punctuation omitted.) Melton v. Helms, 83 Ga.App. at 73(1), 62 S.E.2d 663. [13] As we have held, [t]he act is malicious when the thing done is with the knowledge of plaintiff's rights, and with the intent to interfere therewith. The term "malicious" or "maliciously" means any unauthorized interference, or any interference without legal justification or excuse. Personal ill will or animosity is not essential. Persuading a person to break a contract for the indirect purpose of injuring the plaintiff or benefiting the defendant at the expense of the plaintiff is a malicious and actionable act if injury arises from it. (Citations and punctuation omitted.) Arford v. Blalock, 199 Ga.App. at 441(13), 405 S.E.2d 698. [14] On summary judgment, [a] defendant who will not bear the burden of proof at trial need only show an absence of evidence to support an essential element of the nonmoving party's case. If the moving party discharges this burden, the nonmoving party cannot rest on its pleadings, but rather must point to specific evidence giving rise to a triable issue. (Citations and punctuation omitted.) Latson v. Boaz, 278 Ga. 113, 113-114, 598 S.E.2d 485 (2004).

A key element of a typical ground cotton harvesting machine is its resilient endless belt carried by a ground engaging belt supporting wheel and a spaced belt supporting drum, the belt moving at an angle to the ground rolls across the ground to pick up and hold the cotton for a predetermined time and then release same. The belt is provided with a plurality of resilient cuts which may be in the form of notches extending across the outer surface of the belt. As the belt travels over the belt wheel, the notches open and then close and as they clear the wheel, the closing action grasp pieces or bolls of cotton and hold it until the belt passes over the rear belt drum where the opening of the notches causes the cotton carried by the belt to drop for transfer to a screw auger. A typical example of such apparatus is the Rood Cotton Harvester disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,670,584. The wheel assembly presently employed in such equipment for driving the resilient belt for collecting the cotton utilizes a mating male and female pair of wheel sections. The male wheel section has a cap screw welded to its center while the female wheel section has a jam nut welded to its center. When the wheel is assembled, the end of the cap screw is turned through the jam nut and then passed through a center hole in the female section wheel. The end of the screw is then welded to the edges of the center hole to secure the assembly. In the disassembly of the wheel assembly for repair purposes, it is necessary to drill out the welded hole, place one wheel section in a vise and using a vise grip, break away the remainder of the weld before the two wheel sections can be unscrewed from each other. Repairs can then be made, but on reassembly, another welding operation is required. Thus, the repair or rebuilding of the wheel assembly for the resilient belt drive of the known cotton picking equipment must be performed in a shop. Furthermore, the cap screw and jam nut may be destroyed in the drilling operation and always discarded when replacement of the wheel sections are required. Accordingly, repair operations are time consuming and expensive.

A very attractive, complex nose with a bright array of lemons and white peaches, as well as flinty and stony nuances. The palate delivers weight and freshness. Really attractive and lithe with a vibrant array of limes and young nectarines at the finish. Drink or hold. Rating: 94-94 Nick Stock, www.jamessuckling.com(Feb 2019) In Bond 75cl bottles (case of 6) £420.00 * This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site. Tasted with Véronique Drouhin at her London presentation of the vintage. This has good pure lines again. A nice clean scrub of pithy restraint and lovely fresh chalky minerality. The fruit has a waxier feel, with essence of lemon skin and then a riper, sweet line of juice in the middle. Still well-furled but you can sense the good, soft flesh just waiting below the surface. Good intensity. Drinking range: 2020 - 2026L&S(Nov 2018) The 2017 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Marquis de Laguiche wafts from the glass with a lovely bouquet of pretty orchard fruit, pastry cream, dried white flowers, honeycomb and a nutty framing of new wood. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, pure and satiny, with good depth and concentration at the core, tangy balancing acids and a beautifully defined finish. This is dependably among the finest whites in the Drouhin cellar, and this year's rendition is no exception. Rating: 92-94 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate(Jan 2019) Despite the size of their vineyard holding, not all Drouhin's wines come from their own domaine, but most of the other wines do come from long-term contracts, such as exists with the Marquis de Laguiche wines. In all but name these wines are 'Domaine' wines, and the vineyards are cared for and the wines vinified with exactly the same care. ORDERING VIA OUR WEBSITE: Click on the 'ORDER' button to add cases to your Wishlist order form. The Wishlist appears in both the sidebar and header (separately from the main basket). You can view and edit your Wishlist at any time before submitting the order form. Submit your Wishlist order form with your details and please indicate any special requirements in the notes, including whether you would like the wines duty paid. We will respond as quickly as possible with confirmation of your order and your invoice. Please note that certain wines are on very tight allocations and will first be offered to customers who buy across the range. If you have any queries, please email our primeurs team or speak to your usual L&S contact. ORDERING VIA EMAIL: Please feel free to email us your Wishlist at any time. This list can include wines listed as available on the website, as well as those marked 'To Be Advised'. We will reply as soon as possible with confirmation of what we can offer. STORAGE OPTIONS: Wines bought en primeur are scheduled to arrive in the UK over the course of the next eighteen months. If you do not wish to take home delivery, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our primeurs team for more information. While helpful, we do not require a firm commitment on delivery destination to process your primeur order at this stage. Our team will be in contact with you when your wines arrive in the UK to confirm the necessary delivery details. BURGUNDY EN PRIMEUR FAQ OFFER: All wines are offered subject to availability and final confirmation. PRICING: All prices are quoted IN BOND ex-VAT, by the case size stated. Please double check that the desired case size does match what is being offered as wines are variously listed in threes, sixes, dozens, halves and larger formats. DELIVERY - TIMING: This is a primeur offer so the wines are not yet physically available for delivery. They will be shipped to the UK over the next eighteen months. Generally wines are shipped to your nominated location once the whole order has landed in our London City Bond account. If you require wines to be delivered by a certain date, please advise us at the time of ordering. We do not anticipate any problems but please be aware that delays to delivery may occur should Britain's possible departure from the European Union result in additional border customs checks or other regulatory requirements. Any additional or unforeseen duties, tariffs, charges or other financial liabilities relating to 'Brexit' must be due to the customer and will be added to orders as required. DELIVERY - FEES: In bond delivery to an Elephant Storage account (for more information see 'Storage Options' opposite) is free of charge. Transfer of wines to any third party bond (i.e. not Elephant Storage) will incur an administration charge of £16.50 + VAT for all orders under £1,000. If you require wines duty paid, please indicate this in your Wishlist order form. A duty & VAT invoice will be raised once all the wines on your order are available for shipment. Once the relevant duty & VAT has been settled, we will ship the wines to your nominated address as per our normal duty paid Delivery Terms. PAYMENT: All orders will be invoiced for immediate payment by cheque, cash, debit card or cleared funds to our account. We regret that we cannot accept credit cards for primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days. AWARDS WE'VE WON FOLLOW US ON TWITTER ABOUT LEA & SANDEMAN Thirty years on and still totally independent UK wine merchants, our highly acclaimed wine list reflects our relentless globetrotting in search of wines that offer interest and quality at prices to please. Order online or visit our London shops.

Back in the spring, there was a gaggle of starting pitchers under consideration for the final spot in the Yankees rotation. Eventually, the lesser-known starter who wowed management got the chance. Jordan Montgomery has been a top-five rookie starter this year so far and, by all accounts, looks like a major leaguer. Now, the question has shifted. Now, we ask not “Will he pitch in the majors?” but “How good will he be?” Before the season began, I asked Eric Longenhagen about the pitcher, and based on when he’d seen him last, the ceiling seemed low: Eric Longenhagen, while appreciating the improvement in the slider, still thought that the pitcher “lacks a true swing-and-miss secondary.” I’m not sure “Montgomery’s command of a diverse pallet of junk should allow him to negotiate through big-league lineups multiple times” is a booming recommendation. Montgomery certainly has five pitches that he throws regularly, and three of those pitches are non-fastballs, which you could call junk. But are they any good? Let’s take a look at his arsenal through the lens of the movement, spin, and velocity data that has been shown to be relevant. Jordan Montgomery Pitch Percentiles Pitch Spin Movement Velocity Four-Seam 73 92 43 Curve 28 45 60 Slider 81 55 Sinker 11 50 Change 3 11 SOURCE: Baseball Prospectus / Statcast Movement and velocity percentiles based on research on changeups curveballs , and sliders linked here. Velocity percentiles limited to lefty starters this year. Movement for secondaries defined off of the four-seam fastball. A few things stand out here. Like, Montgomery is a fastball/breaking-ball guy, first of all. The sinker and the changeup aren’t good, even if they’re getting good results in a small sample. They can maybe work as “show-me” pitches, but they don’t measure up to other pitches in terms of velocity and movement. But he has his strengths, too. His fastball has tremendous ride, born of an over-the-top release, and though the velocity is middling, it has good spin and looks like an above-average pitch. The curve has ups and downs but looks about average on sum. Strangely, his newest pitch, the slider, looks like his best pitch, with plus drop compared to his rising fastball and good velocity to boot. So Montgomery throws five pitches. Two are below average, but he doesn’t throw them a ton. His curve is average, and his bread-and-butter pitches, the four-seam and slider, are above average to plus. You’d be tempted to call him an above-average, a mid-rotation guy, and call it quits — except that we lack some perspective on how these things come together. In order to gain at least some of that perspective, I thought it would be good to compare this four-seam/breaking-ball lefty to the best four-seam/breaking-ball lefty in the league using the same rubric. You might have heard of Clayton Kershaw. Clayton Kershaw Pitch Percentiles Pitch Spin Movement Velocity Four-Seam 73 99 71 Curve 34 98 4 Slider 24 96 Change 3 36 SOURCE: Baseball Prospectus / Statcast Movement and velocity percentiles based on research on changeups curveballs , and sliders linked here. Velocity percentiles limited to lefty starters this year. Movement for secondaries defined off of the four-seam fastball. The four-seam is better for Kershaw! The curve is better, though different. The change is just as bad! The slider is better for the Dodger, probably. Wait, just probably? Doesn’t Kershaw have one of the best sliders in the game? Not necessarily, it seems. He certainly did have one of the best sliders. Over the last year, though, something weird happened to it. It got harder and lost drop, and has lost many of the whiffs in the meantime, too, as Chad Moriyama so ably pointed out. Let’s go to the tape. Clayton Kershaw’s current slider: Jordan Montgomery’s current slider: I might take Montgomery’s. Blasphemy, maybe, but we know from the analysis here that the Yankee’s slider has more movement now (with above-average velocity), and that movement is slightly more important for whiffs than velocity for sliders. That’s okay, our world view need not collapse around us. It’s still true that Kershaw’s fastball and curve are superior. There’s also the big asterisk that hangs on every analysis of a pitcher ever: command. We don’t have a great number for command, but we are all pretty sure that Kershaw has the best command in the league. We think that Montgomery has good command! Look back on Longenhagen’s tepid early-season endorsement, and Montgomery’s walk and homer rates in the minor leagues, and most subjective appraisals, and you see mentions of good command. And if it bears out that Montgomery truly has that command, despite early-season walk-rate hiccups — based perhaps on becoming more comfortable with that good slider — then we’ve got quite a pitcher on our hands. After all, “not quite Clayton Kershaw” is an epithet most pitchers in baseball would gladly accept.

Promotion After being trained by the Hasiru Dala, an organisation working towards improving the lives of waste workers, Lakshmi is all set to become Bengaluru’s first woman garbage truck driver. Lakshmi is currently working at the Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences as part of its housekeeping staff. She will soon be driving a big truck transporting segregated waste. The mother of three children, who started off as a rag picker, says she always wanted to learn how to drive. “But I did not have the money to pay the fee to join a driving school. I accompanied my neighbour to Hasiru Dala. They helped me join a driving school in December. My driving licence came on December 31. It was my New Year gift,” she told The Hindu. Promotion Lakshmi was married at a very young age and her husband turned out to be an alcoholic. Her daughter Pratibha is a a school dropout Hasiru Dala has enrolled 15-year-old Pratibha in a tailoring course. Her sons – Dhanush (12) and Akash (10) – study in a residential school. Lakshmi is now training to drive a one-tonne truck and is awaiting a permit to drive a commercial vehicle. Hasiru Dala, which organises waste pickers and turn them into waste-management professionals, provides waste management services in the city. The waste workers in Bengaluru collect segregated waste and transport it to designated processing units. Like this story? Or have something to share? Write to us: [email protected], or connect with us on Facebook and Twitter (@thebetterindia).

Archive I sent a message to someone today using Gmail and received the following automated response: “Note: This Return Receipt only acknowledges that the message was displayed on the recipient’s computer. There is no guarantee that the recipient has read or understood the message contents.” Does Google need to add such a disclaimer? Have we become so accustomed to automated tools that common sense is no longer relevant? If that is the case and we take technology for granted in our daily lives, why don’t we put as much faith in our business solutions? Have you ever said “yes, I know you see it in the XYZ system, but that isn’t really true and accurate because …”? There are lots of reasons why this is the case, oftentimes it is simply because the accounting and project management systems, for example, don’t share information (i.e. lack of system integration). When this occurs, it also generally means that an individual must go into both systems to make sure that there is a manual reconciliation. That type of process works if your organization is very small or has few transactions; what happens when you have hundreds or thousands of transactions to account for? Data entry errors are frequently introduced into the process at this point. If data is manually entered or reconciled, how quickly is the latest financial information available? This is a case where automation, implemented correctly, would greatly improve your employee’s confidence in the data and your systems. Note that I said when implemented correctly – when rolling out a system integration, it is vital to link the correct data tables and fields, otherwise the first time an employee finds a discrepancy, you lose their trust and will have to fight to get it back, if that is even possible. Sure this is common sense; however, it isn’t standard practice. Is this because of some diabolical IT plan for your group to fail? Of course not, in fact, the complete opposite! That said, integrations are tricky and without support from both the business users and IT, the project is doomed to endless iterations and eroded confidence. To combat this, a few simple things can help – the two most important? Communicate – if folks feel like they know what is going on through regular milestone updates then they will be more likely to trust the decisions, process, and results Build a relationship with your end-users (aka employees) – when employees are involved in planning (think: representative sample), they rightly feel as though they had a voice in the changes being made and will have more faith in what is delivered, even if edits are needed along the way What have you experienced in your organizations? How have you succeeded; where have projects failed? Do your users have faith in your technology solutions?

RALEIGH, N.C. -- An immigrant who sought refuge from deportation in a North Carolina church for 11 months was detained Friday at a scheduled appointment with immigration officials, prompting more than a dozen supporters to block a law enforcement van and wind up under arrest themselves. Mexican national Samuel Oliver-Bruno, 47, was detained at a Raleigh-area immigration office, according to a U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement news release. The advocacy group Alerta Migratoria NC said in a statement that Oliver-Bruno went to have fingerprints taken so he could apply to stay in North Carolina with his wife and son. He has been living in CityWell United Methodist Church in Durham since late 2017 to avoid the reach of immigration officers, who generally avoid making arrests at churches and other sensitive locations. Samuel Oliver-Bruno glances back before preparing for interviews after the press conference held at CityWell United Methodist Church on Dec. 13, 2017. Casey Toth / AP ICE said Oliver-Bruno, who has lived in North Carolina for two decades, had no legal basis to be in the U.S. and had exhausted his "extensive" appeals. Oliver-Bruno pleaded guilty in 2014 to using false documents to try to re-enter the U.S. in Texas after a trip outside the country, according to court documents. Get Breaking News Delivered to Your Inbox Several dozen protesters came to the federal immigration office in Morrisville in hopes of dissuading authorities from arresting Oliver-Bruno. Alerta Migratoria said Oliver-Bruno was detained and put into a van after entering the office, and that supporters were arrested trying to block the van. A demonstrator is arrested after Samuel Oliver-Bruno, 47, an undocumented Mexican national, was arrested after arriving at an appointment with immigration officials, in Morrisville, N.C., Friday, Nov. 23, 2018. Travis Long/The News & Observer via AP The Morrisville Police Department issued a statement saying it was called to the scene because the crowd, though peaceful, refused to allow immigration officers to drive away with Oliver-Bruno. The department said it tried to de-escalate the situation, but demonstrators ignored two orders to disperse before arrests were made. Online booking records show at least 20 demonstrators were arrested at the immigration office on charges including failure to disperse and resisting officers. CBS affiliate WNCN-TV reports that those arrested included Ernesto Barriguete. "We did nothing else but singing and prayers, and singing and prayers, letting them know that we're in disagreement with what's going on," Barriguete said. Alerta Migratoria said Oliver-Bruno had filed an application with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services seeking to avoid deportation. The group's statement said he was asked to come in for a biometric screening as part of the application, and he was aware he had to "risk getting detained." Advocates say Oliver-Bruno's family had "recently faced threats" in his home state of Veracruz, Mexico, where drug cartels are active. They said he fears for his safety if he is deported. USCIS spokesman Pamela Wilson said the agency generally can't discuss individual applications for deportation deferment. WNCN reports that supporters of Oliver-Bruno said they plan to keep fighting for him and his family. "It feels like even more of an injustice like I've been released, and he's actually still in detention," Noah Rubin-Blose said.

High Point Market The High Point Market (formerly the International Home Furnishings Market and the Southern Furniture Market), held in High Point, North Carolina, is the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world, with over 10 million square feet (1 km²) by roughly 2000 exhibitors throughout about 180 buildings. The market holds two major shows each year, one in April and another in October, running one week in the Fall, and two weeks in the Spring. There are around 70,000-80,000 attendees from over 100 countries. The High Point Market Authority coordinates the exposition, whose showrooms have nearly completely filled what had been the historic downtown. A 2013 Duke University study, paid for by the High Point Market Authority, showed that the market contributed $5.4 billion to the area's economy. History The first formal Southern Furniture Market was held in High Point March 1–15, 1909. In 1921, the Southern Furniture Exposition Building opened for its first show June 20. Built in 19 months, the showroom cost approximately $1 million and held of exhibition space. Regular shows were held in January and July. With the exception of 1943, the market was put on hold from 1941 until the end of World War II. The $1 million 10-story Wrenn Wing was added to the Southern Furniture Exposition Building in 1950. The center's fourth expansion is connected to older parts of the building by glass walkways over Wrenn Street. During the 1950s, informal "in-between" markets began to emerge, hosting visitors in April and October. The main markets were still held in January and July. However, the size and scope of the mid-season marketing during April and October begin to surpass the January and July shows in the 1960s. In the 1970s, showrooms other than the Southern Furniture Exposition Building gained stature, both in size and importance. In 1980, organizers in Dallas made a bid to host the major national home furnishings market. In 1982, marking a complete transition, the January and July shows were discontinued, leaving the April and October shows. Also in 1982, Market Square opened in the renovated Tomlinson Chair complex. It is credited with starting the dramatic increase in showroom space that made High Point a major furniture exhibition center. The Southern Furniture Market was renamed the International Home Furnishings Market in 1989. High Point's largest showroom, the Southern Furniture Exposition Building, changed its name to the International Home Furnishings Center, or IHFC. With nearly of furniture showroom space already available around the city, a decade-long showroom building boom began. In the 1990s, a construction boom added an additional of showrooms to High Point. Showroom expansion continued in 2000, with the addition of new temporary exhibit spaces: The Suites at Market Square and Showplace. A year later, the 12th floor of the IHFC opened, giving the building of space, more than 14 times its original size. In 2001, organizers announced the formation of the High Point Market Authority, the official organizer of the Market. The next year, the Authority approached the N.C. General Assembly for the first time in its history seeking state support for the trade show, the largest event in the state of North Carolina. In 2003, the Market Authority began a massive shuttle service that today supports over 300,000 riders per year. The N.C. Department of Transportation set aside $900,000 for each of the next two years so the Authority could offer free shuttles to and from 100 hotels and the Piedmont Triad International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, and Raleigh-Durham International Airport. In 2005, a new transportation terminal, the Mendenhall Transportation Center, opened in downtown High Point to anchor the Market. In 2011, IHFC Acquisition Co. bought the IHFC for $275 million. Bassett Furniture Industries was that company's largest stockholder. SEC reports from Bassett showed a connection with The Related Cos., an investor in World Market Center. The Related Cos. was rumored to be part of a deal which would bring most of High Point's showroom space under one owner, and there were fears that the industry would move more activity to Las Vegas. At a press conference May 3, 2011, World Market Center CEO Bob Maricich and other officials of a new company announced the consolidation of what had been competing showroom facilities. International Market Centers (IMC), owned by Bain Capital and Oaktree Capital, with headquarters in both High Point and Las Vegas, bought the IHFC, Market Square and Showplace, representing about two-thirds of the city's showroom space. In a deal completed September 26, 2017, Blackstone Real Estate Partners, Blackstone Tactical Opportunities and Fireside Investments purchased IMC, which at the time owned 14 buildings with 6.7 million square feet in High Point. Today, the Market's 70,000-80,000 attendees include exhibitors, buyers, designers, and media in the furniture industry. Among the High Point Market attendees transacting business are widely known figures from other arenas who participate in the home furnishings industry, including Martha Stewart, Kathy Ireland, Alexander Julian, Jonathan Adler, Oscar de la Renta, Candice Olsen, Paula Deen, Charles Spencer, and Donald Trump. Furniture Cluster/Niche The High Point Market has been noted for being a significant part of the region's furniture "cluster," which was discussed by sociologist Richard Florida and initially by economist Michael Porter. The High Point Market has also been the focus of an extensive case study by urban sociologist John Joe Schlichtman. In this research, High Point's ability to capture the global furniture merchandising market is said to signal a new era in what is possible for small cities. Along these lines, he terms High Point a "Niche City", which is "a city that forges global centrality by creating an economic specialization in a specific segment of the global service economy." References External links Market Authority site Category:Trade shows in the United States Category:Buildings and structures in High Point, North Carolina Category:Buildings and structures in Guilford County, North Carolina

UNLV will honor victims and local heroes from Sunday's mass shooting in a tribute before Saturday's home football game against San Diego State that has been designated "Heroes Night," UNLV announced Tuesday. "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the victims and the families impacted by this senseless act of violence," athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois said in a statement. "While football is just a game, it can also serve as a rallying point of unity and allow all of us to recognize the incredible heroism displayed by so many this week. We are all extremely proud of our community's response over the last couple of days." Both Mountain West teams will wear helmet stickers in the shape of a red ribbon with the words "Las Vegas" on them. Tribute To Victims And Local Heroes Planned For Saturday's Football Game: https://t.co/k17SH3nMHc pic.twitter.com/5ZlK48YPqw — UNLV Athletics (@UNLVathletics) October 4, 2017 UNLV is three miles from the Mandalay Bay Hotel, where a gunman opened fire Sunday night on a country music concert, killing at least 59 people and wounding more than 500 others. Saturday's pregame ceremony will honor the victims and recognize representatives from first-responder organizations, medical personnel and other local heroes. The game will be shown nationally on ESPN2 with the kickoff set for 10:45 p.m. ET.

Microsoft recently released the ASP.NET MVC 4.0 beta and along with it, the brand spanking new ASP.NET Web API. Web API is an exciting new addition to the ASP.NET stack that provides a new, well-designed HTTP framework for creating REST and AJAX APIs... Hot on the heels of the groundbreaking release of ASP.NET MVC 1.0, the ASP.NET MVC team at Microsoft has already released the first Community Technology Preview (CTP) of version 2.I have already predicted that Microsoft’s MVC Framework will become th... In the first installment of this series, I explored a few of the new features in ASP.NET MVC 4, including the new default project templates, mobile templates, and display modes. Since that article, ASP.NET MVC 4 has been released to beta. For brevity... Microsoft released ASP.NET MCV 3 just over a year ago. If history is a good indicator of timing, we can expect the next ASP.NET MVC release in the not too distant future. As of this writing’s date, Microsoft has not announced a firm release date. You... Both ASP.NET MVC and the ADO.NET Entity Framework are both very popular topics right now in the developer community.Having spoken at various user group meeting and code camps it is very obvious to me what topics a lot of developers are interested in.... Getting friendly with HTML in ASP.NET MVC just got a whole lot easier.In this article, I’ll delve into the Spark View Engine, an alternate view engine for the ASP.NET MVC Framework. Spark’s main goal is to allow HTML to dominate the flow of view deve... ASP.NET has been Microsoft’s hallmark product for more than a dozen years. In vNext, it’s getting more readily adaptable to the way users—especially mobile users—interact with their data, and Rick shows us how to take advantage of these radical changes. A Single Page Application (SPA) is a different way of building HTML 5 applications from traditional Web page development. Instead of spreading the functionality of your Web applications across a collection of separate Web pages with hyperlinks betwee... Enable advanced skinning in your Web applications using an MVC pattern.MVC, or Model-View-Controller, is a design architecture that promotes separation among parts of an application, with particular focus on the presentation tier. The concept of MVC ... In this second installment of his new series on working within HTML and the Web API, Paul looks at the four standard HTTP verbs GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE. By creating a product information page with mock data, you’ll get a good idea of the power of these tools. The recently-released ASP.NET MVC Framework is a refreshing new way to develop your .NET Web applications.The framework is an implementation of the time-tested Model-View-Controller architectural pattern, and includes plenty of powerful paradigms all... The Entity Framework team at Microsoft has been making several improvements since the launch of v4 with Visual Studio. The biggest of these is the capability to use a Code First or Code Only development model. Previously, if you wanted to work with t... Building an API-based app doesn’t have to be daunting. Rick shows you how to use Angular 2.0 to build a small app that breaks out business logic, uses a repository class to consolidate data access code, and deals with complex relationships and data updates. New releases ASP.NET Core and .NET Core have come up with some interesting high-level architecture that you’ll want to read about. You’ll definitely want to play with these tools after Rick shows you some cool new tricks. As developers are just getting used to ASP.NET MVC 2 and Visual Studio 2010, Microsoft has already planned and released a preview of the next version of ASP.NET. What started out as “just another option” for ASP.NET developers has become the programm... Today, more and more websites need to identify who their users are. However, in most cases this involves providing authentication, which requires storing the users handle and password. An alternative to this is to allow a third party to authenticate ... Your ASP.NET MVC application needs reports. What do you do? In this article, I will demonstrate how simple it is to weave SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) into your ASP.NET MVC Applications.Your ASP.NET MVC application needs reports. What do you ... In the last issue, I introduced you to the basics of incorporating SQL Server Reporting Services into your ASP.NET MVC applications. In this issue, I’ll finish the series by illustrating how we can transfer data between the ASP.NET MVC context and th... The Razor syntax is much more than just a clean way to write ASP.NET MVC Views and WebMatrix web pages. In fact, with a working knowledge of the Razor API, you can leverage Razor templates in any application. The Razor API exposes a powerful library ... Continuing his series on Angular, Paul looks at logging as a reporting tool for debugging, warnings, errors, and other types of messages, as well as calling classes to log to the console, local storage, and Web API. When considering mobile development, you have a variety of techniques to choose from. In many cases, reactive rendering (using CSS media queries) provides a good solution. Additional mobile customization can be achieved by using ASP.NET MVC4 device d... It is often said that ASP.NET MVC was inspired by Rails. What better way to test that assertion than by writing the Nerd Dinner ASP.NET MVC application in Rails? In this article, I’ll take you through the steps I used to get Nerd Dinner up and runnin... Be aware that this is not going to be a classic how-to article that delves more or less deeply into some technical issue or feature. It is, instead, an article that aims at providing an overview of the options you have at present for architecting Web solutions. If you’re looking for a way to computerize your home or add voice controls to your apps, you’re interested in what’s happening with Amazon Echo. Chris introduces you to some basic programming skills for the device and points the way to greatness. Hot on the heels of the groundbreaking release of ASP.NET MVC CTP 1 in December of 2007, an open source project called MvcContrib came to life.MvcContrib has enjoyed tens of thousands of downloads since it started in December of 2007. In this article... The new view engine for ASP.NET MVC and WebMatrix combines simplicity and functionality to facilitate clean view development. In this article, I’ll dive into the Razor View Engine, the new default view engine for the ASP.NET MVC framework and WebMatr... Recently, Microsoft released the Visual Studio 2012.2 ASP.NET and Web Tools Refresh and the Visual Studio Update #2. In this article, I will highlight a few of the new and improved features that you will want to consider using right away. Before you ... This time around I’ll expand on these concepts and show you how you can use jQuery in combination with ASP.NET as an AJAX backend to retrieve data. I’ll also discuss how you can create ASP.NET controls and otherwise interact with jQuery content from ... What developer wants to spend hours manually writing Ajax pluming when the Ajax.NET framework does this for free? The Ajax.NET Framework presents a remarkably easy-to-use framework that will simplify Ajax development and allow developers to spend mor... Microsoft released the .NET Runtime 4.0 and with it comes a brand spanking new version of ASP.NET - version 4.0 - which provides an incremental set of improvements to an already powerful platform. .NET 4.0 is a full release of the .NET Framework, unl... Microsoft has added an abundance of new features and functionality to ASP.NET 4.5 and Visual Studio 2012. This article provides an overview of many of those new features and enhancements ranging from improved editors for HTML, CSS and JavaScript all ... Microsoft has added an abundance of new features and functionality to ASP.NET 4.5 and Visual Studio 2012. This article provides an overview of many of those new features and enhancements ranging from improved editors for HTML, CSS and JavaScript all ...

We care about your comfortable vacations! Akti-s offers breathtaking views of the wonderful crystal blue sea, the peaceful scenery of the wooded mountain and the impressive Mount Athos in the background. Enjoy the wonderful view from the circular terraces of the Akti-s over the Aegean Sea and the mountain landscape with the pine and olive trees. Relax and relish the amazing view of Mount Athos from the apartments on the first and second floor. All apartments are equipped with a separate double bedroom with an open kitchen/living room and a comfortable sofa which easily turns into a double bed for your kids! In the bedroom you will find an LCD Flat screen TV with more than 500 satellite channels from all over the world, a DVD-CD player for your entertainment, as well as an automatic air-conditioner and an impressive double bed made of oak wood and leather. automatic climate 24h hot water free wifi, in apartments & outdoors fully equipped kitchen double beds use of washing machine upon request pharmacy playpen (baby cot) available on request playground flat SAT TV cd/dvd player electric oven-kitchen refridgerator hair dryer furnished balcony / terrace outdoor shower free use of fully equipped BBQ free private parking Special offer: 24h free medical coverage for parents and children check in: 14.00 check out: 12.00 pets on request Make a Reservation Send us a message with your desired room type, arrival date and number of nights you'd like to reserve, and we'll contact you in no time.

Q: Fetch data from RSS and bind to a asp control I have to display weather details of a perticular city in a asp control as a widget. I hope i can get the weather details as rss feed data. Here how to bind this data to a asp control?. I need to show next 10 days weather details also. A: Try the below code. You can use your desired attributes. I used Date, Title, Description, Link internal class RssItem { public DateTime Date; public string Title; public string Description; public string Link; } XmlDocument xmlDoc = new XmlDocument(); private Collection<RssItem> feedItems = new Collection<RssItem>(); xmlDoc.Load("URL of the RSS Feeds"); ParseRssItems(xmlDoc); private void ParseRssItems(XmlDocument xmlDoc) { this.feedItems.Clear(); foreach (XmlNode node in xmlDoc.SelectNodes("rss/channel/item")) { RssItem item = new RssItem(); this.ParseDocElements(node, "title", ref item.Title); this.ParseDocElements(node, "description", ref item.Description); this.ParseDocElements(node, "link", ref item.Link); string date = null; this.ParseDocElements(node, "pubDate", ref date); DateTime.TryParse(date, out item.Date); this.feedItems.Add(item); } }

APARTHEID ISRAEL: A STATE FOR JEWS ONLY ''“We have passed this law to prevent any inclination or attempt to turn the State of Israel into a nation of all its citizens”'' Avi Dichter, Likud Member of Israel’s Knesset Israel’s Zionist project reached its logical outcome with the law passed in the Knesset July 19th, 2018 which formally establishes an exclusive Jewish state in Israel. From its inception, the Zionist movement foresaw a Jewish state built on all of the land of historic Palestine, cleansed of its indigenous Palestinian Arab population. While the Palestinians of Israel (approximately 20% of Israel’s population) still remain in Israel pending their eventual “transfer,” they are now without status for all intent and purpose. What observers have been saying about Israel for years is now official: Israel is an apartheid state. APARTHEID ISRAEL: A STATE FOR JEWS ONLY Montreal, July 23rd, 2018 ''“We have passed this law to prevent any inclination or attempt to turn the State of Israel into a nation of all its citizens”'' Avi Dichter, Likud Member of Israel’s Knesset Israel’s Zionist project reached its logical outcome with the law passed in the Knesset July 19th, 2018 which formally establishes an exclusive Jewish state in Israel. From its inception, the Zionist movement foresaw a Jewish state built on all of the land of historic Palestine, cleansed of its indigenous Palestinian Arab population. While the Palestinians of Israel (approximately 20% of Israel’s population) still remain in Israel pending their eventual “transfer,” they are now without status for all intent and purpose. What observers have been saying about Israel for years is now official: Israel is an apartheid state. This reflects the former U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry’s warning to Israel, that it would have to choose between being a democracy or a Jewish State. Israel has chosen the latter. The law establishes that Jewish localities constitute a priority of national interest and further proclaims that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. The law designates Israel as the national state of the Jewish people and stipulates that Israel’s self-determination is reserved exclusively for Jews. The law also makes Hebrew Israel’s only official language, whereas Arabic had always enjoyed an equal status with Hebrew within Israel previous to this law. The law could very well mean that Israel will begin to create localities reserved exclusively for Jews. This is already done in those areas managed by Israel’s Jewish National Fund which does not sell land to non-Jews. PAJU denounces Israel’s racist law and dismisses any notion of the Netanyahu apartheid regime’s claim as the national home of world Jewry. Recent surveys in the United States have clearly shown that Jews between the ages of 18 and 34 reject both Israel’s policies toward the Palestinians and its claim to speak on their behalf. They have come around to making the distinction between Judaism and Zionism. The same distance is gradually being drawn among young Jews in Canada and elsewhere. PAJU also denounces the sometimes overt, and at other times complicit support for Israel’s apartheid system on the part of numerous members of Canada’s political class and mainstream media. “This law marks the end of Israel’s hasbara (propaganda) program whereby blame for Israel’s crimes are heaped on the victimized Palestinian population,” stated Bruce Katz, co-president of PAJU. “ There’s no place to hide anymore, no place for Israel’s racist regime to hide, no room for the Justin Trudeaus, Stephen Harpers and Andrew Scheers of Canada to hide, no room for the complicit mainstream media to hide. You are either opposed to apartheid or you support it, whether explicitly or implicitly.” Chadi Marouf, PAJU co-president, declared: “No matter what Israel’s apartheid regime tries, no matter what segregationist laws it passes, Palestinians are on their own land. They have been there for centuries; they will remain on their land and will not disappear. All that has happened is that the mask which has partially covered Israel’s apartheid system has officially been removed. Israel will pay the political and economic cost for its institutionalized racism. It is entirely discredited as a political entity as are those politicians who continue to support Israel unconditionally. It makes them complicit racists. What is also made clear is the need for a change in Palestinian leadership. There can no longer be a collaborationist Palestinian political leadership whose objective is to ensure Israeli security in the occupied Palestinian West Bank. What is now necessary is the type of massive popular resistance organized by the Palestinian population in Gaza and now manifesting itself in the West Bank, this and the intensification of the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israel.” Bruce Katz added: “I call upon The Center for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) and the B’nai Brith to issue public statements denouncing Israel’s racist law which discriminates and formally racializes Israel’s non-Jewish population. These two organizations must denounce that law or face accusations that they implicitly favour it. Given their unconditional support for the Netanyahu regime up to now and their penchant for demonizing critics of Israeli policy, they are now on the carpet and have to state categorically what they are about.”

Other health diagnosing and treating practitioners and technical occupations 0.7%(16) 1.4%(16) 0.0%(0) Architects, surveyors, and cartographers 0.7%(15) 1.3%(15) 0.0%(0) Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers 0.7%(15) 0.0%(0) 1.4%(15) Law enforcement workers, including supervisors 0.7%(15) 1.2%(13) 0.2%(2) Other construction workers and helpers 0.6%(14) 1.2%(14) 0.0%(0) Plant and system operators 0.6%(13) 1.2%(13) 0.0%(0) Life, physical, and social science technicians 0.6%(12) 0.0%(0) 1.1%(12) Construction laborers 0.5%(11) 1.0%(11) 0.0%(0) Other transportation occupations 0.5%(11) 1.0%(11) 0.0%(0) Supervisors and other personal care and service workers, except child care workers 0.5%(10) 0.4%(5) 0.5%(5) Aircraft and traffic control occupations 0.4%(9) 0.8%(9) 0.0%(0) Religious workers 0.4%(8) 0.7%(8) 0.0%(0) Woodworkers 0.3%(6) 0.5%(6) 0.0%(0) Drafters, engineering, and mapping technicians 0.3%(6) 0.5%(6) 0.0%(0) Teachers, special education 0.3%(6) 0.0%(0) 0.6%(6) Art and design workers 0.3%(6) 0.0%(0) 0.6%(6) Physicians and surgeons 0.2%(5) 0.4%(5) 0.0%(0) Electricians 0.2%(5) 0.4%(5) 0.0%(0) Librarians, curators, and archivists 0.2%(5) 0.4%(5) 0.0%(0) Transportation, tourism, and lodging attendants 0.2%(5) 0.4%(5) 0.0%(0) Therapists 0.2%(5) 0.4%(5) 0.0%(0) Printing workers 0.2%(4) 0.0%(0) 0.4%(4) Financial managers 0.1%(3) 0.1%(1) 0.2%(2) Unemployment in Sidney Unemployment by race in 2013 Unemployment rate for White non-Hispanic residents 3.6%Males 2.7%Females Unemployment rate for Hispanic or Latino residents 25.0%Females Unemployment by race in 2000 Unemployment rate for White non-Hispanic residents 8.0%Males 5.5%Females Unemployment rate for Hispanic or Latino residents 19.6%Females Means of transportation to work Time Leaving Home To Go To Work in 2013 (%) 12:00 a.m. to 4:59 a.m.: Sidney: 6.7% (189) Montana: 3.9% (17,368) 5:00 a.m. to 5:29 a.m.: Sidney: 5.3% (148) Montana: 2.7% (12,044) 5:30 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.: Sidney: 2.3% (64) Montana: 4.0% (17,992) 6:00 a.m. to 6:29 a.m.: Sidney: 9.2% (260) Montana: 6.8% (30,214) 6:30 a.m. to 6:59 a.m.: Sidney: 9.7% (273) Montana: 9.2% (41,203) 7:00 a.m. to 7:29 a.m.: Sidney: 11.3% (318) Montana: 13.2% (58,872) 7:30 a.m. to 7:59 a.m.: Sidney: 25.0% (704) Montana: 22.1% (98,720) 8:00 a.m. to 8:29 a.m.: Sidney: 7.1% (198) Montana: 10.7% (47,944) 8:30 a.m. to 8:59 a.m.: Sidney: 2.5% (70) Montana: 6.1% (27,194) 9:00 a.m. to 9:59 a.m.: Sidney: 5.2% (146) Montana: 5.5% (24,556) 10:00 a.m. to 10:59 a.m.: Sidney: 2.0% (56) Montana: 2.5% (11,338) 12:00 p.m. to 3:59 p.m.: Sidney: 6.6% (186) Montana: 5.9% (26,200) 4:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.: Sidney: 8.5% (239) Montana: 6.2% (27,540) Time Leaving Home To Go To Work in 2000 (%) 12:00 a.m. to 4:59 a.m.: Sidney: 4.9% (105) Montana: 2.7% (11,262) 5:00 a.m. to 5:29 a.m.: Sidney: 1.8% (38) Montana: 1.8% (7,411) 5:30 a.m. to 5:59 a.m.: Sidney: 3.8% (81) Montana: 3.0% (12,480) 6:00 a.m. to 6:29 a.m.: Sidney: 7.9% (171) Montana: 5.1% (21,726) 6:30 a.m. to 6:59 a.m.: Sidney: 9.7% (208) Montana: 8.4% (35,518) 7:00 a.m. to 7:29 a.m.: Sidney: 15.5% (333) Montana: 13.3% (56,115) 7:30 a.m. to 7:59 a.m.: Sidney: 22.8% (490) Montana: 21.4% (90,201) 8:00 a.m. to 8:29 a.m.: Sidney: 9.4% (203) Montana: 11.7% (49,381) 8:30 a.m. to 8:59 a.m.: Sidney: 4.0% (86) Montana: 5.0% (20,912) 9:00 a.m. to 9:59 a.m.: Sidney: 2.6% (56) Montana: 5.3% (22,556) 10:00 a.m. to 10:59 a.m.: Sidney: 1.3% (28) Montana: 2.5% (10,541) 11:00 a.m. to 11:59 a.m.: Sidney: 1.3% (27) Montana: 1.2% (5,136) 12:00 p.m. to 3:59 p.m.: Sidney: 3.1% (67) Montana: 5.7% (24,245) 4:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.: Sidney: 7.4% (160) Montana: 6.6% (27,764) Time Leaving Home To Go To Work in 2013 (%) - Males 12:00 a.m. to 4:59 a.m. - Males: Sidney: 9.3% (158) Montana: 5.4% (12,537) 5:00 a.m. to 5:29 a.m. - Males: Sidney: 8.3% (142) Montana: 3.6% (8,435) 5:30 a.m. to 5:59 a.m. - Males: Sidney: 3.0% (51) Montana: 4.7% (10,828) 6:00 a.m. to 6:29 a.m. - Males: Sidney: 15.2% (259) Montana: 8.5% (19,699) 6:30 a.m. to 6:59 a.m. - Males: Sidney: 12.2% (209) Montana: 10.5% (24,421) 7:00 a.m. to 7:29 a.m. - Males: Sidney: 13.3% (226) Montana: 14.0% (32,455) 7:30 a.m. to 7:59 a.m. - Males: Sidney: 17.3% (296) Montana: 20.1% (46,742) 8:00 a.m. to 8:29 a.m. - Males: Sidney: 7.0% (120) Montana: 10.1% (23,547) 8:30 a.m. to 8:59 a.m. - Males: Sidney: 1.3% (22) Montana: 5.1% (11,773) 9:00 a.m. to 9:59 a.m. - Males: Sidney: 4.9% (84) Montana: 4.6% (10,619) 12:00 p.m. to 3:59 p.m. - Males: Sidney: 4.7% (79) Montana: 4.8% (11,258) 4:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. - Males: Sidney: 6.0% (101) Montana: 6.1% (14,153) Time Leaving Home To Go To Work in 2013 (%) - Females 12:00 a.m. to 4:59 a.m. - Females: Sidney: 2.9% (32) Montana: 2.3% (4,831) 5:00 a.m. to 5:29 a.m. - Females: Sidney: 1.1% (12) Montana: 1.7% (3,609) 5:30 a.m. to 5:59 a.m. - Females: Sidney: 1.1% (13) Montana: 3.3% (7,164) 6:30 a.m. to 6:59 a.m. - Females: Sidney: 5.3% (59) Montana: 7.8% (16,782) 7:00 a.m. to 7:29 a.m. - Females: Sidney: 7.9% (88) Montana: 12.3% (26,417) 7:30 a.m. to 7:59 a.m. - Females: Sidney: 36.9% (409) Montana: 24.2% (51,978) 8:00 a.m. to 8:29 a.m. - Females: Sidney: 7.1% (78) Montana: 11.4% (24,397) 8:30 a.m. to 8:59 a.m. - Females: Sidney: 4.3% (48) Montana: 7.2% (15,421) 9:00 a.m. to 9:59 a.m. - Females: Sidney: 5.6% (62) Montana: 6.5% (13,937) 10:00 a.m. to 10:59 a.m. - Females: Sidney: 5.6% (62) Montana: 3.5% (7,416) 12:00 p.m. to 3:59 p.m. - Females: Sidney: 9.7% (107) Montana: 7.0% (14,942) 4:00 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. - Females: Sidney: 12.5% (138) Montana: 6.2% (13,387) Travel time to work Percentage of workers working in this county: 96.1%Number of people working at home: 98 (4.6% of all workers)Daytime population change due to commuting: +403 (+8.4%)Workers who live and work in this city: 1,586 (73.7%) Travel time to work (in minutes) by means of transportation (%) Less than 30 minutes - other means: Sidney: 91.5% (1,879) Montana: 84.2% (330,573) 30 to 44 minutes - other means: Sidney: 3.1% (64) Montana: 8.9% (34,912) 45 to 59 minutes - other means: Sidney: 1.7% (35) Montana: 2.8% (11,167) 60 or more minutes - other means: Sidney: 3.7% (75) Montana: 4.0% (15,784) Travel time (in minutes) to work in 2013 (%) Working at home in 2013 - Sidney Working at home in 2013 - Montana Less than 5 minutes: Sidney: 12.3% (411) Montana: 7.5% (33,353) 5 to 9 minutes: Sidney: 37.8% (1,265) Montana: 19.8% (88,040) 10 to 14 minutes: Sidney: 17.2% (576) Montana: 21.7% (96,074) 15 to 19 minutes: Sidney: 10.4% (348) Montana: 18.3% (81,036) 20 to 24 minutes: Sidney: 6.3% (209) Montana: 11.4% (50,710) 25 to 29 minutes: Sidney: 2.4% (81) Montana: 4.0% (17,922) 30 to 34 minutes: Sidney: 3.0% (101) Montana: 7.7% (33,986) 35 to 39 minutes: Sidney: 1.0% (32) Montana: 0.9% (4,020) 40 to 44 minutes: Sidney: 1.2% (40) Montana: 1.6% (6,997) 45 to 59 minutes: Sidney: 2.2% (74) Montana: 3.2% (14,016) 60 to 89 minutes: Sidney: 2.5% (84) Montana: 2.3% (10,033) 90 or more minutes: Sidney: 3.2% (109) Montana: 1.7% (7,435) Travel time (in minutes) to work in 2000 (%) Working at home in 2000 - Sidney Working at home in 2000 - Montana Less than 5 minutes: Sidney: 17.9% (385) Montana: 7.8% (33,091) 5 to 9 minutes: Sidney: 48.9% (1,052) Montana: 20.5% (86,585) 10 to 14 minutes: Sidney: 15.3% (330) Montana: 20.8% (87,855) 15 to 19 minutes: Sidney: 3.7% (80) Montana: 16.3% (68,642) 20 to 24 minutes: Sidney: 1.3% (28) Montana: 10.3% (43,356) 25 to 29 minutes: Sidney: 0.2% (4) Montana: 2.9% (12,288) 30 to 34 minutes: Sidney: 1.8% (39) Montana: 6.4% (27,044) 35 to 39 minutes: Sidney: 0.6% (12) Montana: 0.9% (3,683) 40 to 44 minutes: Sidney: 0.6% (13) Montana: 1.1% (4,826) 45 to 59 minutes: Sidney: 1.6% (35) Montana: 2.7% (11,349) 60 to 89 minutes: Sidney: 1.8% (39) Montana: 2.1% (8,715) 90 or more minutes: Sidney: 1.7% (36) Montana: 1.9% (7,814) Travel time (in minutes) to work in 2013 (%) - Males Less than 5 minutes - Males: Sidney: 13.3% (234) Montana: 7.9% (18,312) 5 to 9 minutes - Males: Sidney: 35.8% (631) Montana: 18.8% (43,292) 10 to 14 minutes - Males: Sidney: 16.5% (291) Montana: 21.3% (49,114) 15 to 19 minutes - Males: Sidney: 8.0% (141) Montana: 18.0% (41,507) 20 to 24 minutes - Males: Sidney: 5.5% (98) Montana: 10.5% (24,184) 25 to 29 minutes - Males: Sidney: 2.2% (39) Montana: 3.8% (8,659) 30 to 34 minutes - Males: Sidney: 3.4% (60) Montana: 8.2% (18,815) 35 to 39 minutes - Males: Sidney: 0.3% (5) Montana: 1.1% (2,439) 40 to 44 minutes - Males: Sidney: 2.1% (37) Montana: 1.6% (3,697) 45 to 59 minutes - Males: Sidney: 2.7% (48) Montana: 3.5% (7,977) 60 to 89 minutes - Males: Sidney: 4.1% (73) Montana: 3.0% (6,994) 90 or more minutes - Males: Sidney: 6.5% (115) Montana: 2.5% (5,654) Travel time (in minutes) to work in 2013 (%) - Females Less than 5 minutes - Females: Sidney: 11.2% (177) Montana: 7.1% (15,041) 5 to 9 minutes - Females: Sidney: 40.1% (634) Montana: 21.0% (44,748) 10 to 14 minutes - Females: Sidney: 18.0% (285) Montana: 22.0% (46,960) 15 to 19 minutes - Females: Sidney: 13.1% (207) Montana: 18.6% (39,529) 20 to 24 minutes - Females: Sidney: 7.1% (112) Montana: 12.5% (26,526) 25 to 29 minutes - Females: Sidney: 2.7% (42) Montana: 4.3% (9,263) 30 to 34 minutes - Females: Sidney: 2.6% (40) Montana: 7.1% (15,171) 35 to 39 minutes - Females: Sidney: 1.6% (26) Montana: 0.7% (1,581) 40 to 44 minutes - Females: Sidney: 0.2% (3) Montana: 1.5% (3,300) 45 to 59 minutes - Females: Sidney: 1.7% (26) Montana: 2.8% (6,039) 60 to 89 minutes - Females: Sidney: 0.8% (13) Montana: 1.4% (3,039) Means of transportation to work Means of transportation to work in 2013 - Sidney Means of transportation to work in 2013 - Montana Drove car alone: Sidney: 83.6% (2,880) Montana: 75.2% (354,929) Carpooled: Sidney: 9.1% (312) Montana: 10.2% (48,207) Walked: Sidney: 3.7% (129) Montana: 5.3% (25,084) Other means: Sidney: 0.4% (15) Montana: 1.1% (5,194) Means of transportation to work in 2000 - Sidney Means of transportation to work in 2000 - Montana Drove car alone: Sidney: 79.6% (1,712) Montana: 73.9% (311,872) Carpooled: Sidney: 11.5% (248) Montana: 11.9% (50,192) Bicycle: Sidney: 1.1% (23) Montana: 1.0% (4,049) Walked: Sidney: 3.0% (65) Montana: 5.5% (23,336) Other means: Sidney: 0.2% (5) Montana: 0.6% (2,649) Means of transportation to work in 2013 - Sidney (Males) Means of transportation to work in 2013 - Montana (Males) Drove car alone - Males: Sidney: 78.1% (1,409) Montana: 73.5% (181,271) Carpooled - Males: Sidney: 12.0% (216) Montana: 9.8% (24,284) Walked - Males: Sidney: 6.3% (113) Montana: 5.9% (14,524) Other means - Males: Sidney: 0.9% (16) Montana: 1.5% (3,632) Means of transportation to work in 2013 - Sidney (Females) Means of transportation to work in 2013Travel time to work - Montana (Females)

The registration fee covers admission to all platform and poster sessions, exhibits, receptions, banquet and refreshment breaks. Registration materials will include the final program and a set of abstracts. Each full-program registrant will receive a set of the proceedings, which will be published by a press and mailed after the Conference. Payment can be made by American Express, MasterCard, or Visa. Cash, wire transfer and money orders are also accepted. Please contact us when you register. Checks should be drawn on a U.S. bank, payable in U.S. funds to "American Academy of Sciences" and referencing "Environmental Conference". The postal address is: Cancellations received by July 31, 2006, will be refunded. No refunds will be made after July 31, 2006, but paid no-shows will receive all registration materials and proceedings covered by their registration fees. Substitutions will be accepted at any time, preferably with advance notice. Because registration fees are the major source of funding for the Conference and a significant percentage of the registrants will make presentations, all presenting authors and session chairs are expected to register and pay the standard fees.

1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an isolation testing circuit and a testing circuit optimization method for executing an isolation test of a plurality of IPs incorporated into an LSI. 2. Description of the Related Art The number of IPs incorporated into the LSI becomes huge nowadays pursuant to the larger scale of the LSI. In order to check functions of incorporated IPs, the isolation testing circuit for leading input/output terminals of respective IPs to external terminal of the LSI must be inserted. Since the input/output terminals of respective IPs are connected to share the external terminal of the LSI, the external terminal of the LSI and respective IPs are connected via enormous wirings. In this case, the related art concerned with the IP test is disclosed in Patent Reference 1(JP-A-2001-267510), and so forth. FIG. 10 is a configurative view of LSI showing an isolation testing circuit configuration in the related art. In FIG. 10, a test input signal 1009 input from the external device via a test input terminal 1007 is connected to IP blocks 1001 to 1006 incorporated into the LSI via one wiring respectively. Also, test output signals 1017 to 1022 of respective IP blocks 1001 to 1006 are connected to a test output terminal 1015 via a test switching selector 1037 in such a manner that all wirings are converged into the test output terminal 1015. Such wirings are inserted as many as the number of the test input signals used in the isolation test. However, according to the method in the related art, a large number of wirings that are extended from the external terminal to respective IPs in a one-to-multiple fashion and wirings that are converged into one location must be inserted. As a result, problems such as a routing complexity, a signal rounding, etc. were caused in a layout design of LSI, so that a floor plan of LSI often failed and an increase of a chip size and a delay of a development term were brought about.

'use strict'; module.exports = function () { var isSafeInteger = Number.isSafeInteger; if (typeof isSafeInteger !== 'function') return false; return !isSafeInteger('23') && isSafeInteger(34232322323) && !isSafeInteger(9007199254740992); };

Q: Followers model in Rails In my app Users can follow each other. I have two tables: users and followers. users id name followers id user_id follower_id And two models: class User < ActiveRecord::Base has_many :followers belongs_to :follower end class Follower < ActiveRecord::Base belongs_to :user end What I want to do is list the followers for a user. e.g. <ul> <% @users.each do |user| %> <li><%= user.name %></li> <ul> <% user.followers.each do |follower| %> <li><%= follower.name %></li> <% end %> </ul> <% end %> </ul> However it doesn't look to be seeing the association... After updating my model as per Deep's suggestions I got it working... however I'm unable to query followers and following users. e.g. I have two methods in my UsersController: def user_followers @user = User.where(id: params[:id]).first @followers = @user.get_followers end def user_following @user = User.where(id: params[:id]).first @following = @user.get_following end and then in my User model I have: def get_followers Follower.where(follower_id: self.id) end def get_following Follower.where(user_id: self.id) end Which should be returning the followers for the user or who the user is following. The views look like so: <% @followers.each do |follower| %> <%= follower.user.name %> <% end %> <% @following.each do |following| %> <%= following.user.name %> <% end %> However it only returns the name of the user I'm supposed to be viewing. The Follower model now looks like: class Follower < ActiveRecord::Base belongs_to :user, foreign_key: 'follower_id', class_name: 'User' end A: The follower.name will not work because your follower model has no attribute named name. Also the association you have given is belongs_to :user which will fetch the user who has been followed. You need another association in the Follower model like: belongs_to :following_user, foreign_key: 'follower_id', class_name: 'User' And then in your view what you can do is: <%= follower.following_user.name %> This will fetch the user who has followed and from that object it will fetch the name attribute. Update: Don't remove the existing association you have. Means your model should look like: belongs_to :user belongs_to :following_user, foreign_key: 'follower_id', class_name: 'User' Now as discussed in comments user_id will consist of the user who is being followed and follower_id will consist of the user who is following. To fetch the followers of a user you have the association which will find the followers. Just like user.followers. And to fetch the name: <% user.followers.each do |follower| %> <li><%= follower.following_user.name %></li> <% end %> To find the followed users: def followed_users Follower.where(follower_id: id) end And to fetch the name: <% user.followed_users.each do |follower| %> <li><%= follower.user.name %></li> <% end %>

Genome-wide studies and the search for genes that affect complex disease ======================================================================== Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revolutionized the way that geneticists search for loci that affect human diseases and phenotypes \[[@B1]\]. The overall success of using high density chips to interrogate common variants for common disease is a matter of debate \[[@B2]\]; however, it is unarguable that many unexpected signals for disease have been identified and replicated in multiple studies, even if their biological implications still remain a mystery in most cases. GWAS signals typically only identify genomic regions of potential interest, because the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on any given chip are generally not functional SNP(s), but proxies, chosen to cover common variation in one or more populations. The sizes of these regions of interest are dependent on many variables, including the strength of the effect of any functional variant(s) and the patterns of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in the population(s) studied. This latter point has led many to argue that fine mapping of functional variation will best be done in populations that have, on average, lower LD, such as those of African descent (Figure [1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}) \[[@B3],[@B4]\]. This approach was recently used in a large study examining the genetics of body mass index (BMI) in African Americans \[[@B5]\]. ![**Differences of linkage disequilibrium structure.** HapMap based LD around SNP rs629301, near SORT1 (denoted by arrow), in **(a)** Europeans (CEU) and **(b)** West Africans (YRI) that associated with low density lipoprotein in both Europeans and African Americans. For this SNP, the region of linkage disequilibrium around it narrowed in the African population to 468 bp from approximately 16 kb in the European population, as indicated by red and yellow diamonds, providing a 30-fold reduction in the associating region. bp, base pair; kb, kilobase; LD, linkage disequilibrium; SNP, single nucleotide polymorphism. (From \[[@B4]\]).](gm506-1){#F1} Transferability of GWAS results for high BMI from European-descent to African-descent populations ================================================================================================= Analyses of BMI across diverse populations - or transferability of association results - is of particular interest in African American populations because they have disproportionately high BMI and obesity, and related diseases such as diabetes. In addition, transferable loci provide a compelling basis to conclude that the sites are real and of universal biological and clinical significance, even in the absence of functional data. Demonstrating association with other variants in the same region may also serve either to narrow a functional site(s) or to provide evidence for allelic heterogeneity. Thus, clearly, searching for BMI-associated variants in African American populations can provide extremely useful information to guide expensive and time-consuming functional studies that may lead to either universal or population-specific prevention and treatment regimens. Gong *et al.*\[[@B5]\] provide an excellent example of how to do this. Gong *et al.* examined transferability of genetic results using Metabochip \[[@B6],[@B7]\]. This platform, constructed from GWAS of primarily European-descent populations, comprises approximately 200,000 genetic markers that have effects on a number of metabolic diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes, or are promising in these and other studies. The authors first tested 21 genes known to associate with high BMI in people of European descent for a similar association in 30,000 African American individuals. They then performed exploratory meta-analyses (agnostic) on the remaining Metabochip SNPs to identify additional, and novel, markers associated with BMI in African American individuals. (Re)testing explicit hypotheses =============================== Unlike most GWAS studies that emphasize discovery and novelty over hypothesis testing, Gong *et al*. tailored their analysis to explicitly look for overlap with previous findings. Their results have provided compelling evidence that eight (*SEC16B*, *TMEM18*, *ETV5*, *GNPDA2*, *TFAP2B*, *BDNF*, *FTO*, *MC4R*) of the 21 loci associated with high BMI in populations of European descent are replicated in African American populations. Most of these loci contained more than one significant SNP; of the eight genes replicated, three identified the same SNP found in European individuals as the most significant in African American individuals (rs543874 in *SEC16B*, rs7647305 in *ETV5* and rs10938397 in *GNPDA2*). These results strongly suggest that the same functional variants, or the same part of each gene, are associated with BMI in both populations. Additionally, as expected, the sizes in kilobases of the BMI-associated regions were smaller in African American populations, except for *TFAP2B*. The reduction of associating regions by physical size in the other genes ranged from approximately 6% (*FTO*) to approximately 94% (*SEC16B*). These results clearly demonstrate that fine-mapping of specific genomic regions is better in African-descent populations due to their lower levels of LD. Lastly, an additional, independent SNP in *GNPDA2* (rs186117327) was associated with BMI in the African American population, revealing at least one example of allelic heterogeneity in this gene that was not detected in prior analyses. Therefore, analyses of populations with lower LD than European populations cannot only narrow the sizes of associating regions, but can help to differentiate between genetic signals within the same gene. Agnosticism in the Metabochip ============================= Gong *et al.* also performed an agnostic study of the remaining Metabochip SNPs. This identified two new genes significantly associated with BMI, *BRE* on chromosome 2 and *DHX34* on chromosome 19. Both met the threshold of 2.5 × 10^-7^, the Metabochip-wide significance threshold for approximately 200,000 tests. Two of the SNPs in *BRE* reached the normal GWAS threshold. Neither of these genes seemed to be affected by ancestry adjustment, but were clearly not associated in European population studies. For *BRE*, the failure to find association in European-descent populations was not surprising, as the associated SNPs in this gene all had minor allele frequencies \<0.001 in European populations but \>0.1 in African American populations. Clearly, even if the same alleles associate in Europeans functionally, they would never be detected statistically. Perhaps this serves as yet another explicit warning about limitations of statistical analyses of rare variants in association studies, especially in GWAS studies where rare variant associations cannot be readily detected. For *DHX34*, the *P*-value was not as small as for *BRE*, not reaching conventional GWAS threshold, and the authors argued for replication in this case. Another common SNP on chromosome 19 (rs3810291) was associated with BMI in a recent study of European-descent populations, but it was 300 kb from the *DHX34* signal and in low LD even in Europeans, indicating that these are independent signals \[[@B8]\]. Neither *BRE* nor *DHX34* appeared in the 1,500 most significantly associating genes in a recent and even larger meta-analysis of BMI in African-descent populations, published earlier this year \[[@B9]\]. This alone does not indicate that the results of Gong *et al.* are false positives, as real signals can certainly be below this arbitrary cutoff of the top 1,500 \[[@B10]\], but does raise some doubts about these findings that larger samples may or may not address. Making all *P*-values \<0.05 from GWASs publicly and readily available would be useful to assess the likelihood of association by consensus, if not by single arbitrary thresholds. Utility of cross-population analyses ==================================== The study described above \[[@B5]\] provides an excellent example of how genetic studies in low-LD, African-descent populations can inform the genetics of disease risk. Gong *et al.* discovered virtually all of the things that might have been expected using this approach. They showed that several - far more than expected by chance - gene regions associated with high BMI in both European- and African-descent analyses, providing very strong evidence that these loci are universal genetic risk factors. They used the low LD analyses to narrow most regions, which will make subsequent functional studies a little easier, and found at least one novel region within *GNPDA2* to be associated with BMI risk in African American individuals. They also showed how assessing differences between diverse populations with different risk allele frequencies can reveal new signals. This latter point extends beyond the issue of LD differences to a more generic one: rare allelic associations may be found by carefully evaluating populations with very different patterns of allele frequencies, that is, where the putative risk alleles are not rare. But, at its most basic, this study shows what is real with respect to BMI risk, and how complex disease genetic analyses can proceed more efficaciously when diverse study populations are examined. Abbreviations ============= BMI: Body mass index; GWAS: Genome-wide association study; kb: Kilobase; LD: Linkage disequilibrium; SNP: Single nucleotide polymorphism. Competing interests =================== The author declares that he has no competing interests.

Healthcare Cybersecurity Weekly Briefing 5-19-2017 Ransomware Makes Healthcare Wannacry “Healthcare organizations are particularly vulnerable to these attacks because awareness about email authentication is still quite low in the sector as a whole. In order to protect the nation’s healthcare infrastructure from future ransomware attacks, we encourage all security executives to ensure their organizations have proper email authentication at enforcement,” said ValiMail CEO Alexander Garcia-Tobar. “It only takes a click from one person to endanger an entire enterprise.”http://www.csoonline.com/article/3196827/data-breach/ransomware-makes-healthcare-wannacry.html U.S. Hospitals Not Immune to Crippling Cyber Attacks It is no secret health care providers are worried. One large hospital system in Boston took some drastic steps this weekend, disabling all attachments in e-mails—even though WannaCry can spread without any victim interaction, Fu says. “I would say we had dodged a bullet [compared with the U.K.], but I think the bullets are still coming and we know we are just as vulnerable,” he says, noting the malware could be further tweaked to cause future problems.https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-hospitals-not-immune-to-crippling-cyber-attacks/ Medical Systems Hacks Are Scary, but Medical Device Hacks Could be Even Worse Researchers in Belgium and the UK have demonstrated that it’s possible to transmit life-threatening (if not fatal) signals to implanted medical devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators, and insulin pumps. A catheter lab in a Virginia facility was temporarily closed when malware was discovered on the computers supporting cardiac surgery. In three other similar cases, malware capable of opening up “backdoor” access to a hospital’s IT network was found in software residing on X-ray, blood gas analyzer, and communications devices.https://hbr.org/2017/05/medical-systems-hacks-are-scary-but-medical-device-hacks-could-be-even-worse The Threat of Cyber-attacks and Data Breaches on Healthcare Institutions Data from healthcare institutions is particularly valuable because it contains sensitive personal information, such as social security numbers, date of birth, address details and medical histories. That data could in theory be sold to companies looking to carry out targeted advertising. However, in more worrying cases, the information obtained is held for ransom (usually by locking data and threatening to delete it) and a demand for payment (usually in untraceable bitcoins) is made. Interestingly, the amount of ransom sought is usually low in value as the success of this crime only works if the victim can afford to make the payment.http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=27dedcf6-c51c-4b8d-a3c8-c95cf182f586 Why Health Care is Especially Vulnerable to Ransomware Attacks It’s still too early to gauge the fallout from this digital delinquency. But the breach highlights a stark—and scary—reality about health IT: Outdated medical systems are woefully unprepared to deal with a new class of criminals willing to hold patients’ medical data, credit card numbers, and other personal information hostage barring a big payout. In fact, the FBI has issued several stark warnings about the unique and growing threat ransomware presents to health care companies specifically in the past few months.http://fortune.com/2017/05/15/ransomware-attack-healthcare/ Medical Devices Hit by Ransomware for the First Time in US Hospitals A source in the healthcare industry passed Forbes an image of an infected Bayer Medrad device in a U.S. hospital. The source did not say which specific hospital was affected, nor could they confirm what Bayer model was hacked. But it appears to be radiology equipment designed to help improve imaging. More specifically, it’s a device used for monitoring what’s known in the industry as a “power injector,” which helps deliver a “contrast agent” to a patient. Such agents consist of chemicals that improve the quality of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2017/05/17/wannacry-ransomware-hit-real-medical-devices/#4ad04f37425c Held Hostage by Ransomware? There is Insurance for That. According to Ben Myers, commercial lines producer with the Insurance Office of America, the standard “network extortion” coverage includes the cost of the ransom, experts to assist with removing the ransomware and the loss of income to your business in the event you are forced to cease operations during the attack. Additionally, as cyber insurance is a relatively new market, Mr. Myers advises that the varying insuring provisions can be purchased at a relatively low rate given the risk being assumed by the insurance company.http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=7485a536-089d-43d5-bf55-06ad72f23925 UK Working to Restore Hospital Systems After Cyberattack Britain’s National Cyber Security Center said Saturday that teams are working “round the clock” to restore hospital computer systems after a global cyberattack that hit dozens of countries forced British hospitals to cancel and delay treatment for patients. In Russia, where a wide array of systems came under attack, officials said services had been restored or the virus contained. The extortion attack, which locked up computers and held users’ files for ransom, was believed the biggest of its kind ever recorded, disrupting services from the U.S. to Russia, Spain and India.http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/05/13/uk-working-to-restore-hospital-systems-after-cyberattack.html Want more cybersecurity information? We may also occasionally send you information about Critical Informatics products and solutions; you can unsubscribe at anytime if desired.Leave this field empty if you're human: About Critical Informatics We are world-class information security professionals providing Managed Detection and Response services to help you be secure, compliant, and resilient against threats to the life safety, life-sustaining, and quality-of-life systems and services you provide to clients, customers, constituents, and communities.

When heated, an ingredient in some e-cigarette mixtures is transformed into a dangerous gas. A highly toxic gas produced by the breakdown of a particular e-cigarette additive might have a role in lung injuries affecting vape users. Since 2019, an epidemic of severe lung injuries has sent more than 2,800 vapers to hospital in the United States and caused 68 US deaths. Previous work has tentatively linked many of the cases to vitamin E acetate, an oily liquid added to the vaping mixture in certain e-cigarettes. But the definitive cause of the outbreak has not been found. Dan Wu and Donal O’Shea at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, analysed the chemical decomposition of vitamin E acetate when it is heated in a vaping device. Modelling, mass spectrometry and isolation of individual by-products showed that when exposed to high temperatures, vitamin E acetate can release the gas ketene, which the authors call “exceptionally toxic”. In animal studies, ketene has been shown to damage the lungs and impair the central nervous system. The results show that more attention should be paid to unexpected substances produced by heating e-cigarette ingredients, the authors say.

A widower and father of two has moved the Delhi High Court praying for a declaration that insurance business conducted by banks is illegal and unconstitutional and stressing that banking should be done by banking professionals while insurance business should be carried out by insurance professionals for healthy co-existence of both the institutions and in the best interest of the citizens. East Delhi resident Titus Abraham has moved Delhi High Court praying it to “quash the notification dated August 3, 2000 issued by the Ministry of Finance under section 6(1)(o) of the Banking Regulation Act 1949 specifying ‘insurance as a form of business in which it is lawful for a banking company to engage’, and all actions /orders/ circulars notifications issued by the respondents (Centre and the RBI) arising out of it as the same is ultravires”. The petition has been filed after Abraham’s wife took a loan from ICICI bank for purchasing a car and was forced to take an insurance policy from ICICI Lombard only to get the loan easily. However, the insurance claim was denied after his wife died of cancer. Abraham, through his advocates Wills Mathews and Ginesh P, in his petition raised the substantial question of law whether the August, 2000 notification is contrary to the mandate of Section 2C of the Insurance Act 1938 and amounts to excessive legislation, is opposed to public policy and will come under Section 16 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 on the ground of “undue influence” because of the fiduciary relationship existing between a bank and its customer. The petition impleads the Ministry Of Law And Justice, RBI, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company and ICICI bank. Narrating his ordeal, Abraham said on December 22, 2015, his wife Merline Titus purchased a car for a total value of Rs.7.20 lakh and the ICICI Bank insisted the petitioner’s wife to take Suraksha Insurance for the loan. Merline Titus remitted Rs. 4,32,390 by availing a vehicle loan from ICICI Bank Ltd. The loan was for tenure of 60 months with EMI of Rs. 9187. In October, 2016, while selling the policy, ICICI Bank and the insurance company did not even care to enquire about the insured’s physical fitness nor demanded any kind of medical certificate. In October, 2016, petitioner’s wife passed away leaving behind him and their two daughters. The insurance company rejected his claim on the ground of pre-existing illness. Abraham said he has stopped his business as he is taking care of his daughters after the death of his wife. At the time of giving loan, the bank officials insisted that she take a Loan Suraksha Insurance from their own group company ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd., as a precondition for sanctioning the loan. The petitioner was not interested in availing insurance policy but took the same under duress. As per respondent No. 6 bank’s direction, the petitioner’s wife have paid the premium of Rs.9,963.59 and signed all the papers they have given for. The loan Suraksha Policy was valid from 29th December 2015 to 8 December 2020 having coverage on major medical illness and death of the insured. The insurance adviser from the respondent Nos.5 and 6 informed the petitioner and his wife that in case of any major illness or death of the insured, there would be no need to pay any further EMI and the bank would compensate and pay all the outstanding loan amount and interest. The petition relies on a news article titled “Bank Now Sell More Insurance Policies Than Individual Agents” published in an English business daily on 22nd April 2016. He said after his wife passed away on 13th October 2016, while undergoing treatment for cancer, he requested the insurance company and the bank for sanction of the claim but the same was rejected. He even requested the bank to refund Rs 1.28 lakh paid after the death of his wife, the insurer, but in vain and now he is not in a position to pay EMIs. “The bank unduly influenced and compelled the petitioner’s wife to take the insurance coverage from the insurance company associated with them. The petitioner’s wife, being the needy to get the loan, was forced to sign the papers for Insurance. There is illegality and injustice in a banking company doing the insurance business or activities for promoting the insurance business,” said the petition. He also requested for a direction to the insurance company to credit the claim due and that the bank be directed not to take away the car his wife had taken.

The present invention relates to a breather arrangement associated with a cam case of an internal combustion engine and, more particularly, to a breather arrangement which ventilates a cam case and/or a crankcase while preventing blow-by gas from being emitted from the cam case and/or the crankcase to the atmosphere. In the automotive internal combustion engine, blow-by gas produced in a cam case and a crankcase is recirculated to an intake system so that it may be burned in combustion chambers and not be emitted to the atmosphere. The recirculation is usually implemented by a conduitwork which draws out blow-by gas produced in the crankcase by way of the cam case or draws it out directly from both the crankcase and the cam case. The prerequisite with such a conduitwork is that the blow-by gas be prevented from entraining engine oil out of the crankcase and cam case and causing it to be wastefully burned in the combustion chambers. This prerequisite has heretofore been fulfilled by arranging an oil separator at the or each blow-by gas outlet for separating engine oil from blow-by gas. Oil separators proposed in the past include a breather chamber which is furnished with several baffle plates, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication Nos. 57-32247 and 57-50486, for example. The problems with the prior art breather chamber schemes are that when applied to a cam case the breather chamber has to be defined in an upper portion of the cam case, and that the breather chamber cannot attain sufficient oil separation ability unless provided with a considerable capacity. These directly translate into an increase in the overall height of the engine so that where such an engine is used to power an automotive vehicle, the hood line of the vehicle need be undesirably raised.

Changes in peak torque arm-shoulder strength of high school baseball pitchers during the season. Pre- and postseason measurements of peak torque arm strength were made at 180 deg./sec. and 300 deg./sec. on both throwing and nonthrowing arms of five male high school varsity baseball pitchers. The major findings were significant losses in adduction strength in both throwing and nonthrowing shoulders at 180 deg./ sec. and internal rotation strength for both sides at both speeds. The primary implication from these preliminary findings is that significant losses of arm-shoulder strength may be associated with injuries to the pitching arm.

One of the best features in Windows Phone is WordFlow keyboard, which is really helpful for fast typing. However, now this feature is no longer an exclusive from Microsoft for Windows Phone users. Microsoft recently released Cortana app for iOS & Android. Now, the company is looking forward to launch Windows Phone’s WordFlow keyboard for iOS and other operating system soon. In an email to Windows Insiders from Microsoft said: Hello, Do you own an iPhone (5S or newer)? Do you think your native iOS keyboard could use improvement? Word Flow keyboard has long been one of the highly praised features on Windows Phone and was used to break the Guinness World Record for fastest texting. We are now working on extending this keyboard to other platforms, starting with iOS. Before publicly releasing this keyboard to the App Store, we’d love to give Insiders like you a preview. With your feedback, we’ll build a roadmap of improvements to the keyboard over time. If you’re interested in participating in this beta program, just send an email to [email protected] with subject line “I want in!” and we’ll be in touch! The Windows Insider and Word Flow teams It seems Microsoft is slowly donating all their exclusive features of Windows Phone to other mobile operating system in favour of money and criticising their own OS.

Q: Little 'o' / Big 'O' Definitions I understand, or at least think I understand, the nature of a function that is "little o": If $f$ is a function between Banach spaces E and F, then it is "little-o" if $$|x|\rightarrow 0 \implies \frac{|f(x)|}{|x|} \rightarrow 0$$ Thus the evaluation of $f$ at $x$ approaches $0$ faster than $x$ itself. I have read other posts on here, such as this one that give a different definition. Also, textbook authors don't seem to be in agreement either. For instance, in their advanced calculus text, Loomis and Sternberg declare a function to be "little o" if it satisfies essentially the definition I just gave but also add the condition that $f(0) = 0$. On the other hand, Marsden et. al. in "Manifolds, Tensor Analysis and Applications" define a "little o" function as any continuous function $f:E\rightarrow F$ such that $$ \lim_{x\rightarrow 0}\frac{f(x^k)}{|x|^k} = 0 $$ Is there any hope of reconciling these definitions? They seem to be saying approximately the same thing, but not quite. A: This is more of a long comment to the comment of Henning Makholm. The objective of the $o$ and $O$ notations is to compare growth (asymptotic behavior) of 2 functions $f$ and $g$. The function $g$ doesn't have to be $x$ or $x^k$. Defining $f(x) = \underset{x\to a}{o}(g(x))$ as saying $|f(x)|/|g(x)| \underset{x\to a}{\to} 0$ is also bad because it leads to writing nonsense when $g$ has zeros. A good definition would be $f(x) = \underset{x\to a}{o}(g(x))$ if there exists a nonnegative function $\varepsilon$ and a neighborhood $U$ of $a$ such that $\varepsilon(x) \underset{x\to a}{\to} 0$ and for every $x$ in $U\setminus\{a\}$, $|f(x)| = \varepsilon(x)|g(x)|$. Similarly $f(x) = \underset{x\to a}{O}(g(x))$ if there exists a nonnegative bounded function $\varepsilon$ and a neighborhood $U$ of $a$ such that for every $x$ in $U\setminus\{a\}$, $|f(x)| = \varepsilon(x)|g(x)|$.

Women's G tolerance. G tolerances of 102 women and 139 men subjected to Standard Medical Evaluation (Medeval) G Profiles were compared. Unpaired t-tests revealed no significant difference between the women and men in either relaxed or straining G tolerance. Covariance analysis controlling for differences in tolerance due to age, height, weight, and activity status revealed the women to have marginally lower tolerance; the analysis also identified height as a factor having a strong negative influence on G tolerance, and weight as having a positive influence. When the women were matched only by height to the men in the comparison group, the women's mean G tolerances were significantly lower than the men's. On Standard Training G Profiles 88% of 24 women and 80% of 213 men completed the runs, but this difference was not significant. G tolerances of 47 women were measured on the Medeval Profiles both during and between menses, but no significant differences related to menstruation were found. No important differences between women and men in signs or symptoms of G stress were observed, except for two instances of urinary stress incontinence in women during the Training Profiles. We conclude that women should not categorically be excluded from aircrew duties for reasons of G intolerance.

//======================================================================= // (c) Copyright Juergen Hunold 2008 // Use, modification and distribution is subject to the Boost Software // License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at // http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt) //======================================================================= #ifndef BOOST_DEPRECATED_INCLUDE_EDMONDS_KARP_MAX_FLOW_HPP #define BOOST_DEPRECATED_INCLUDE_EDMONDS_KARP_MAX_FLOW_HPP #if defined(_MSC_VER) || defined(__BORLANDC__) || defined(__DMC__) # pragma message ("Warning: This header is deprecated. Please use: boost/graph/edmonds_karp_max_flow.hpp") #elif defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__HP_aCC) || defined(__SUNPRO_CC) || defined(__IBMCPP__) # warning "This header is deprecated. Please use: boost/graph/edmonds_karp_max_flow.hpp" #endif #include <boost/graph/edmonds_karp_max_flow.hpp> #endif // BOOST_DEPRECATED_INCLUDE_EDMONDS_KARP_MAX_FLOW_HPP

Today’s Main Feature! Hello everyone!! Kahotan here! (@gsc_kahotan) Today I’m going to be taking a look at the highly requested… Nendoroid Kazuma! From the anime series “KONO SUBARASHII SEKAI NI SYUKUFUKU WO! 2” comes a long-awaited Nendoroid of the adventurer, Kazuma! He comes with three different face plates including a standard expression, a shouting expression with eyes that show he is going through a rather rough time as well as a more devious expression for when he makes use of dirty tricks. His green cape can be removed for a slightly different appearance, and other optional parts include his Chunchunmaru sword, magic effect parts to display him casting create water as well as the panties that he stole using the steal spell! He also comes with special hand parts to capture his more iconic poses allowing fans to recreate various poses from the series! Be sure to display him with the previously released characters from the series! ♪ “Farewell boring life! Hello fantasy world!” From the popular anime series “KONO SUBARASHII SEKAI NI SYUKUFUKU WO! 2” comes the long-awaited Nendoroid of the main character from the series – Kazuma!! Here he stands with his sword, Chunchunmaru as well as his lovely short cape! ★ There haven’t been any announcements before this, so I’m sure he will come as quite a surprise to everyone! (I did make a little sneak peek over the weekend! ♪) He also comes with some magical effect parts to cast “Create Water”! He comes with three different face plates! First up is the face plate above – a standard expression that can be used for all sorts of poses! His second expression is the shouting expression based on the scene where he was running away from a giant toad in a rather panicked state! ▲Works great when displayed with Nendoroid Aqua‘s crying expression! It can also be used as a more of a shocked expression! ▲ Displayed with Nendoroid Darkness and her tranced expression! ε-(o´ω｀o) Moving onto his third expression…! A very Kazuma-like mischievous expression! ( °д°) He even comes with the panties that he stole from Nendoroid Megumin using the “Steal” spell! ★ ▲ It’s hard to think of him as a main character when there are scenes like this! While he looks great alone, the Nendoroid obviously really shines when displayed with the other characters in the series! Be sure to pose him with the other KonoSuba characters and recreate both your favorite scenes from the series as well as all-original situations in Nendoroid size! ((´д`●))三((●´д`)) Last but not least, here is the collection altogether! … Nendoroid Yunyun was unfortunately not available for the photograph!! (/ω＼) She was off in development, as shes is due to be released in May 2018! Be sure to add the charming main character to your collection! Nendoroid Kazuma! He’ll be up for preorder from tomorrow! In addition, orders from the GOODSMILE ONLINE SHOP will also comes with a Folded Jersey as a bonus! ★ ▼Here is a close-up of just the jersey! ♪ Be sure to consider it when preordering! (｡･ω･)ﾉﾞ ⇒ GOODSMILE ONLINE SHOP ○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+ We are currently running a little survey over on the WonHobby site! ★ ⇒ http://whl4u.jp/en/survey.html Three lucky fans who complete this survey will receive one Nendoroid or figma of their choice as a prize! (っ’ω’)っ)) ○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+ Preorder Deadlines!! Preorders for many products at the GOODSMILE ONLINE SHOP are closing soon! Here are the products closing on the 18th of January 2018 (JST)! ⇒ MORE DETAILS Most Good Smile Company products are made to order, so if you want to be sure that you get your hands on them preordering is always the safest bet! Make sure you don’t miss out! (∩・∀・)∩ ○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+○+●+ Planning Team / Kahotan / Twitter ID：@gsc_kahotan English Updates: @gsc_kevin © 2017 暁なつめ・三嶋くろね／KADOKAWA／このすば2製作委員会

Gisteren vertelde sterrenkundig onderzoeker Marc van der Sluys in het NOS Radio 1 Journaal meer over de Perseïden: "Wat we zien is eigenlijk het afval van een komeet. Zo'n komeet is als het ware een vuile sneeuwbal, als die in de buurt van zon komt, gaat hij smelten en dat vuil laat hij achter." Dat vuil bestaat uit brokjes ter grootte van een zandkorrel tot een kiezelsteen die met een hoge snelheid in de atmosfeer van de Aarde terecht komen. Gloeiende lucht Dat we dit soort klein ruimtegruis toch kunnen zien, komt door hoge snelheid waarmee het de atmosfeer raakt. Van der Sluys: "200.000 kilometer per uur of soms nog wel meer. Daardoor komt er enorm veel energie vrij. De lucht wordt hierbij zo heet dat het een gloeiend spoortje nalaat en dat zien we in een fractie van een seconde. We noemen dat een vallende ster, maar in feite is het dus gloeiende lucht."

--- abstract: 'Dimensional restrictions in a theorem of Christ, Li, Tao, and Thiele on multilinear oscillatory integral forms can be relaxed.' address: | Michael Christ\ Department of Mathematics\ University of California\ Berkeley, CA 94720-3840, USA author: - Michael Christ date: 'May 27, 2010.' title: | Multilinear Oscillatory Integrals\ Via Reduction of Dimension --- \[theorem\][Proposition]{} \[theorem\][Conjecture]{} \[theorem\][Corollary]{} \[theorem\][Lemma]{} \[theorem\][Sublemma]{} \[theorem\][Observation]{} \[definition\][Notation]{} \[definition\][Remark]{} \[definition\][Question]{} \[definition\][Questions]{} \[definition\][Example]{} \[definition\][Problem]{} \[definition\][Exercise]{} [^1] Introduction ============ By a multilinear oscillatory integral we mean a complex scalar-valued multilinear form $(f_1,\cdots,f_{n})\mapsto I(P;f_1,\cdots,f_{n})$ defined by an integral expression $$I(P;f_1,\cdots,f_{n}) = \int_{\reals^m} e^{iP(x)}\prod_{j=1}^{n} f_j(\pi_j(x))\,dx.$$ This expression involves parameters $m,n,(\kappa_1,\cdots,\kappa_{n}),(\pi_1,\cdots,\pi_{n})$ where $m$ is the ambient dimension, $\pi_j:\reals^m\to\reals^{\kappa_j}$ are surjective linear transformations, and $1\le \kappa_j\le m-1$. Each function $f_j$ is assumed to belong to $L^\infty(\reals^{\kappa_j})$, and to have support in a specified compact set $B_j\subset\reals^{\kappa_j}$. Here $n\ge 2$, $m\ge 2$. The phase function $P$ will always be assumed to be a real-valued polynomial. In this note we continue the study, initiated in [@cltt], of inequalities of the form $$\label{lambdadecay} |I(\lambda P;f_1,\cdots,f_{n})|\le C(1+|\lambda|)^{-\rho}\prod_j{ \| f_j \|}_{L^\infty},$$ where $\lambda\in\reals$ is arbitrary, while $C,\rho\in\reals^+$ are constants which are permitted to depend on $P$ and on the supports of $\{f_j\}$. In the “linear” case $n=2$, there is an extensive literature concerning such inequalities, typically phrased in terms of $\prod_j{ \| f_j \|}_{L^{p_j}}$ for more general exponents $p_j$. See for instance [@stein] for an introduction. Much less is known concerning the multilinear case $n\ge 3$. A central notion, investigated in [@cltt] and [@sublevel], is that of nondegeneracy of the phase. A polynomial $P$ is said to be degenerate relative to $\{\pi_j\}$ if $P$ can be decomposed as $\sum_j Q_j\circ\pi_j$, for some polynomials $Q_j$. Various forms of this condition are equivalent; in particular, if $P$ has degree $D$, then $P$ admits a decomposition $P=\sum_j \pi_j^*(h_j)$ where $h_j$ are distributions on $\reals^{\kappa_j}$ and $\pi_j^*$ is the natural pull back operation, if and only if $P$ admits a decomposition $P=\sum_j Q_j\circ\pi_j$ where each $Q_j$ is a polynomial of degree $\le D$. $P$ is said to be nondegenerate, relative to $\{\pi_j\}$, if it is not degenerate. Whenever $\pi_j,\tilde\pi_j$ are surjective mappings with identical nullspaces and with ranges of equal dimensions, $\tilde\pi_j=L\circ\pi_j$ for some linear transformation $L$. Therefore nondegeneracy is a property only of the collection of subspaces $\scriptv_j=\kernel(\pi_j)$, rather than of the mappings $\pi_j$, so we may equivalently speak of nondegeneracy relative to a collection of subspaces $\{\scriptv_j\}$. Let $D\ge 1$ be a positive integer, and fix $\{\scriptv_j=\kernel(\pi_j)\}$. The vector space of all degenerate polynomials $P:\reals^m\to\reals$ of degree $\le D$ is a subspace $\scriptp_{\text{degen}}$ of the vector space $\scriptp(D)$ of all polynomials $P:\reals^m\to\reals$ of degree $\le D$. Denote the quotient space by $\scriptp(D)/\scriptp_{\text{degen}}$, by $[P]$ the equivalence class of $P$ in $\scriptp(D)/\scriptp_{\text{degen}}$, and by ${ \| \cdot \|}_{\text{ND}}$ some fixed choice of norm for the quotient space. A family of subspaces $\scriptv_j\subset\reals^m$ of codimensions $\kappa_j$ is said to have the [*uniform power decay*]{} property if for each degree $D$ there exists an exponent $\gamma>0$ such that for any linear mappings $\pi_j$ with nullspaces equal to $\scriptv_j$, and for any collection of bounded subsets $B_j\subset\reals^{\kappa_j}$, there exists $C<\infty$ such that whenever each $f_j$ is supported in $B_j$, $$\label{decaydef1} |I(P;f_1,\cdots,f_{n})|\le C{ \| P \|}_{\text{ND}}^{-\gamma} \prod_{j=1}^{n}{ \| f_j \|}_{L^\infty}.$$ Certain variations on this definition are also natural. One can consider only one-parameter families of polynomials $\{\lambda P_0: \lambda\in\reals\}$, where $P_0$ remains fixed. One might allow the exponent $\gamma$ to depend on the supports $B_j$; this would be a more natural hypothesis in an extension to nonpolynomial $C^\infty$ phases $P$. The case of polynomial phases $P$, with bounds which depend only on ${ \| P \|}_{\text{ND}}$, is fundamental, so we restrict to this case in this paper. For polynomial phases, the methods of [@cltt] and of this paper show that $\gamma$ can be taken to be independent of $\{B_j\}$. The uniform decay property is defined in the same way, with ${ \| P \|}_{\text{ND}}^{-\gamma}$ replaced by $\Theta({ \| P \|}_{\text{ND}})$ for some function satisfying $\Theta(R)\to 0$ as $R\to\infty$. Nondegeneracy is a necessary condition even for a yet weaker form of the decay property [@cltt]. No other necessary conditions are known to this author. In the nonsingular case in which the mapping $\reals^m\owns x\mapsto(\pi_j(x))_{j=1}^{n} \in\times_{j=1}^{n}\reals^{\kappa_j}$ is bijective, it has been shown by Phong and Stein that $P$ is nondegenerate relative to $\{\kernel(\pi_j)\}$ if and only if holds; in that case, nondegeneracy admits a simple characterization in terms of nonvanishing of some mixed partial derivative of $P$. The singular case, where this embedding is not bijective, is the object of our investigation. As is explained in [@sublevel], the singular situation only genuinely arises for $n\ge 3$. It was shown in [@cltt] that the uniform power decay property holds in two primary cases: firstly, when $\kappa_j=m-1$ for all $j$, and secondly, when $\kappa_j=1$ for all $j$ and $n<2m$, provided in this second case that $\{\kernel(\pi_j)\}$ is in general position. It was subsequently proved in [@sublevel] that certain uniform upper bounds for measures of sublevel sets, bounds which would be implied by the uniform decay property, are valid for all $\{\pi_j\}$, subject only to the hypothesis that it is possible to choose coordinates in $\reals^m$ and in all $\reals^{\kappa_j}$ in which all $\pi_j$ are represented by matrices with rational entries. In that result the rate of decay proved to hold was not of the form of a negative power of ${ \| P \|}_{\text{ND}}$, but merely some slowly decaying function; the proof relied on a strong form of Szemerédi’s theorem. This note extends the second result of [@cltt] to more general codimensions. \[thm:reduction\] If a finite family of subspaces $\{\scriptv_\alpha\}$ of $\reals^m$ of codimensions $\kappa_\alpha\in [1,m-1]$ is in general position and satisfies $$\label{newhypothesis} 2\max_\beta\kappa_\beta + \sum_{\alpha}\kappa_\alpha\le 2m,$$ then $\{\scriptv_\alpha\}$ has the uniform power decay property. The coefficient of $2$ in is unnatural, and the proof still applies in many cases with $2\max_\beta\kappa_\beta$ replaced by $\max_\beta\kappa_\beta$, or even a smaller quantity, but it seems difficult to formulate a simple general result. When all $\kappa_j=1$, the hypothesis reduces to $n\le 2m-2$, whereas the hypothesis $n\le 2m-1$ actually suffices by [@cltt]. It remains to define the notion of general position in this theorem. The following notation will be useful in that regard. Let $\whole$ be a real vector space of some dimension $m\ge 2$. For any index set $A$ and any $A$-tuple $(\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in A)\in [1,m-1]^A$, $G(\whole,A,(\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in A))$ denotes the manifold consisting of all $|A|$-tuples of linear subspaces of $\whole$ of codimensions $\kappa_\alpha$. An element of $G(\whole,A,(\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in A))$ will be called a snarl. We will sometimes set $A=\{1,2,\cdots,n\}$ and identify $\whole$ with $\reals^m$, and write $G(m,A,(\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in A))$, or instead $G(m,\kappa_j: 1\le j\le n)$, to simplify notation. $G(m,A,(\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in A))$ is a product of standard Grassmann manifolds $G(m,\kappa_\alpha)$, and thus carries a natural real analytic structure. A precise statement of Theorem \[thm:reduction\] is that whenever $m,(\kappa_\alpha)$ satisfy , there exists an analytic subvariety $X\subset G(m,A,(\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in A))$ of positive codimension, such that every snarl in the complement of $X$ has the uniform decay property. We will not describe $X$ explicitly, for to do so would be prohibitively complicated, but it is constructed in principle through a recursive procedure defined in the proof of the theorem. However, in the special case where every subspace $\scriptv_j$ has codimension one, an explicit definition of general position is given in Definition \[defn:specialgeneral\]. Whenever we speak of general position with all $\kappa_j=1$, it is understood that we refer to that explicit definition. The proof of Theorem \[thm:reduction\] proceeds by induction on the codimensions $\kappa_j$, which reduces the general case to the case where all codimensions equal one, already treated in [@cltt]. In a companion paper [@christdosilva], a limited class of special cases of Theorem \[thm:reduction\] is treated by a rather different method, which we believe to be of interest despite its currently more restricted scope. The symbols $C,c$ will denote constants in $(0,\infty)$, whose values are permitted to change from one occurrence to the next. They typically depend only on $m,n$, $\{\pi_j\}$, an upper bound for the degree of the polynomial phase $P$, and the supports $B_j$ of $f_j$. $\langle x\rangle$ is shorthand for $(1+|x|^2)^{1/2}$. The author thanks Diogo Oliveira e Silva for useful corrections and comments on the exposition. An Example ========== Heavy notation in the general discussion below obscures a straightforward idea, so we discuss here a simple example, in the hope of illuminating the proof. Consider $$\iint_{\reals^4} e^{iP(x_1,x_2,y_1,y_2)}f_0(x_1,y_1)f_1(x_2,y_2)f_2(x_1+x_2,y_1+y_2) \,dx_1\,dx_2\,dy_1\,dy_2.$$ Rewrite this as $$\iint\Big(\iint e^{iP(s,u,t,-t+v)}f_0(s,t)f_1(u,-t+v)f_2(s+u,v)\,ds\,dt\Big) \,du\,dv.$$ The inner integral can be rewritten as $$\iint f_0(s,t)\cdot e^{iQ_{u,v}(s,t)}F_{1,u,v}(t)F_{2,u,v}(s+t)\,ds\,dt = \Big\langle e^{iQ_{u,v}}(F_{1,u,v}\circ L_1)(F_{2,u,v}\circ L_2),\, \overline{f_0} \Big\rangle$$ where $F_{1,u,v}(t)=f_1(u,-t+v)$, $F_{2,u,v}$ has a similar expression in terms of $f_2$, $Q_{u,v}$ is a certain polynomial in $(s,t)$, $L_1(s,t)=t$, and $L_2(s,t)=s+t$. If the $4$-fold integral is not suitably small, then there exists $(u_0,v_0)$ for which this inner product is not suitably small. Therefore $f_0=f_0(s,t)$ has a nonnegligible inner product with a function of a special form, namely, a product of a function of $L_1(s,t)$, a function of $L_2(s,t)$, and a polynomial $q(s,t)$ whose degree does not exceed that of $P$. By an argument used in [@cltt] (see the derivation of below), it suffices to analyze the case where $f_0$ is [*equal*]{} to such a product. Substitute this product back into the original integral over $\reals^4$. Then $P$ is replaced by $\tilde P = P(x_1,x_2,y_1,y_2)+q(x_1,y_1)$. As a function of $(x_1,x_2,y_1,y_2)$, $q(x_1,y_1)$ is degenerate. Therefore $\tilde P$ belongs to the same equivalence class as $P$. The effect is a reduction to the case where $f_0(x_1,y_1)$ is replaced by a product of two factors, each of which depends only on the image of $(x_1,x_2,y_1,y_2)$ under a mapping $L_j$. The same reasoning can be applied to similarly reduce $f_1,f_2$. There results a multilinear form involving $6$ functions $g_\alpha(L_\alpha(x_1,x_2,y_1,y_2))$, where each $L_\alpha$ is a linear mapping from $\reals^4$ to $\reals^1$, rather than to the original $\reals^2$. The case of one-dimensional target spaces was treated in [@cltt]. In §\[section:resolution\] we will formalize the concept of a resolution of a snarl, a sequence of moves which, in the example just presented, transforms the given collection of three subspaces of codimension two into a collection of six subspaces of codimension 1. In §\[section:linearalgebra\] we will prove that any snarl in general position admits a resolution by a sequence of such moves. Finally, in §\[section:slicing\], we will carry out the analytic argument outlined in the preceding paragraphs to demonstrate that each move preserves the uniform power decay property. Resolution {#section:resolution} ========== A splitting of a snarl $(\whole,A,\{\scriptv_\alpha: \alpha\in A\})$ is a snarl $(\whole,B,\{\scriptw_\beta: \beta\in B\})$ with index set $B$ satisfying $|B|=|A|+1$, $|A\cap B|=|A|-1$, if $\alpha\in A\cap B$ then $\scriptw_\alpha=\scriptv_\alpha$, and if indices $\alpha_0,\beta',\beta''$ are specified so that $B\setminus A = \{\beta',\beta''\}$ and $A\setminus B=\{\alpha_0\}$, then $$\begin{gathered} \scriptw_{\beta'}\cap\scriptw_{\beta''}=\scriptv_{\alpha_0} \\ \codim(\scriptw_{\beta'}) + \codim(\scriptw_{\beta''}) = \codim(\scriptv_{\alpha_0}).\end{gathered}$$ Direct consequences of the definition are $$\begin{aligned} &\sum_{\alpha\in A}\codim(\scriptv_\alpha) = \sum_{\beta\in B}\codim(\scriptw_\beta). \\ &\max_\alpha\codim(\scriptv_\alpha)\ge \max_\beta\codim(\scriptw_\beta).\end{aligned}$$ Therefore if a snarl satisfies our main hypothesis , any splitting continues to satisfy that hypothesis. If $(\whole,A,\{\scriptv_\alpha: \alpha\in A\})$ is a snarl with index set $A$, then for any nonempty subset $A'\subset A$, $\scriptv_{A'}$ is defined to be $\cap_{\alpha\in A'} \scriptv_\alpha$. Let $(\whole,B,\{\scriptw_\beta: \beta\in B\})$ be a splitting of a snarl $(\whole,A,\{\scriptv_\alpha: \alpha\in A\})$. Let $\beta',\beta'',\alpha_0$ be the three distinguished indices which appear in the preceding definition. A splitting $(\whole,B,\{\scriptw_\beta: \beta\in B\})$ of a snarl $(\whole,A,\{\scriptv_\alpha: \alpha\in A\})$ is transverse if $A\setminus \{\alpha_0\}$ can be partitioned as the disjoint union of two nonempty sets $A',A''$ such that $$\begin{gathered} \dimension(\scriptw_{\beta'}\cap\scriptv_{A'})>0, \\ \dimension(\scriptw_{\beta''}\cap\scriptv_{A''})>0, \\ \whole = \scriptw_{\beta'} + \scriptw_{\beta''}, \\ \scriptw_{\beta'} + \scriptv_{\alpha_0} \text{ and } \scriptw_{\beta''} + \scriptv_{\alpha_0} \text{ are proper subspaces of } \whole. $$ In §\[section:slicing\] we will establish: \[prop:induction\] Suppose that the snarl $\snarl^\sharp$ is a transverse splitting of a snarl $\snarl$. If $\snarl^\sharp$ has the uniform power decay property, then so does $\snarl$. A chain of transverse splittings of a snarl $\snarl$ is a finite sequence of snarls $(\snarl_k)_{k=0}^N$ such that $\snarl_0=\snarl$, and $\snarl_{k+1}$ is a transverse splitting of $\snarl_k$ for each $k\in\{0,1,2,\cdots,N-1\}$. A snarl $(\whole,A,\{\scriptv_\alpha: \alpha\in A\})$ one-dimensional if for every $\alpha\in A$, $\scriptv_\alpha$ has codimension one. A resolution $(\snarl_k)_{k=0}^N$ of a snarl $\snarl$ is a chain of transverse splittings of $\snarl$ such that $\snarl_N$ is one-dimensional. $\snarl_N$ is called the terminal element of this resolution. \[defn:specialgeneral\] A one-dimensional snarl $(\whole,A,\{\scriptv_\alpha: \alpha\in A\})$ is said to be in general position if for any index set $A'\subset A$, $\{\scriptv_\alpha: \alpha\in A'\}$ spans a subspace of dimension $\min(|A'|, m)$. It was shown in Theorem 2.1 of [@cltt] that any one-dimensional snarl in $\reals^m$ with index set $A$ satisfying $|A|<2m$ has the uniform power decay property, provided that it is in general position in this sense. Combining that theorem with Proposition \[prop:induction\] gives: \[prop:resolutionsuffices\] Let $\snarl=(\whole,A,\{\scriptv_\alpha: \alpha\in A\})$ be a snarl satisfying $$\max_{\alpha\in A}\codim(\scriptv_\alpha) + \sum_{\alpha\in A}\codim(\scriptv_\alpha)\le 2\dimension(\whole).$$ Suppose that $\snarl$ admits a resolution with terminal element in general position. Then $\snarl$ has the uniform power decay property. There remains the question of the existence and abundance of snarls admitting resolutions with the desired properties. \[prop:abundance\] Fix $m>1$, a finite index set $A$, and $\{\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in A\}$ satisfying . There exists an analytic variety $X$ of positive codimension in $G(m,(\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in A))$, such that any snarl $Q\notin X$ admits a resolution with terminal element in general position. Propositions \[prop:resolutionsuffices\] and \[prop:abundance\] together establish our main theorem. By a straightforward induction, Proposition \[prop:abundance\] is a consequence of the following result. \[prop:atlast\] Let $m,n$ and an index set $A$ of cardinality $n$ be given. Let $\{\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in A\}$ satisfy . There exist an index set $B=(A\setminus\{\alpha_0\})\cup\{\beta',\beta''\}$ of cardinality $n+1$ and parameters $\{\kappa_{\beta'},\kappa_{\beta''}\}$ such that $\{\kappa_\beta: \beta\in B\}$ continues to satisfy , and such that for any analytic variety $Y\subset G(m,(\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in B))$ of positive codimension, there exists an analytic variety $X\subset G(m,(\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in A))$ of positive codimension such that any snarl in $G(m,(\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in A))\setminus X$ admits a transverse splitting belonging to $G(m,(\kappa_\alpha: \alpha\in B))\setminus Y$. A defect of our theory is that the variety $X$ in Proposition \[prop:abundance\] has been defined not explicitly, but only by a rather complicated recursive procedure. However, Proposition \[prop:resolutionsuffices\] can be applied directly to any snarl for which a resolution can be found. Proof of Proposition \[prop:atlast\] {#section:linearalgebra} ==================================== Identify $A$ with $\{0,1,\cdots,n-1\}$ in such a way that $\kappa_{0}=\max_j\kappa_j$. Partition the set of indices $\{1,2,\cdots,n-1\}$ into $2$ nonempty disjoint subsets, $S',S''$. Consider $$\begin{aligned} {2} &\scriptv_{S'}=\cap_{j\in S'}\scriptv_j \qquad\qquad && \scriptv_{S''}=\cap_{j\in S''}\scriptv_j \\ &\kappa_{S'}=\sum_{j\in S'}\kappa_j && \kappa_{S''}=\sum_{j\in S''}\kappa_j.\end{aligned}$$ Choose this partition so that $|\kappa_{S'}-\kappa_{S''}|\le\kappa_0$, which is possible because $\kappa_0\ge\kappa_j$ for all $j$. \[lemma:constructW\] Suppose that $\sum_{j=0}^{n-1}\kappa_j<2m$, and that $\max_j\kappa_j>1$. There exist integers $\kappa',\kappa''\in \{1,2,\cdots,\kappa_0-1\}$, depending only on $m$ and on $\{\kappa_j: 0\le j<n\}$ and satisfying $\kappa'+\kappa''=\kappa_0$, together with an analytic variety $X_0\subset G(m,\kappa_j: 0\le j<n)$ of positive codimension, such that whenever $(\scriptv_j:0\le j<n)\notin X_0$, there exist subspaces $W'\subset\scriptv_{S'}$ and $W''\subset\scriptv_{S''}$ of dimensions $\kappa',\kappa''$ respectively, which satisfy $$\begin{aligned} &W'\cap W''=\{0\} \\ &(W'+W'')\cap\scriptv_0=\{0\}.\end{aligned}$$ If $W',W''$ satisfy these conclusions, define $\scriptv_n=\scriptv_0+W''$ and $\scriptv_{n+1}=\scriptv_0+W'$. Then $(\scriptv_i: 1\le i\le n+1)$ is a transverse splitting of $(\scriptv_j: 0\le j<n)$. Suppose without loss of generality that $\kappa_{S'}\ge \kappa_{S''}$. Since $\kappa_{S'}\le \kappa_{S''}+\kappa_0$ and $\kappa_{S'}+\kappa_{S''}<2m-\kappa_0$, $2\kappa_{S'}\le \kappa_{S'}+(\kappa_{S''}+\kappa_0)<2m$. Therefore $\max(\kappa_{S'},\kappa_{S''})<m$. If $\{\scriptv_j\}$ is in general position, $$\begin{aligned} &\dimension(\scriptv_{S'}) =\max(0, m-\kappa_{S'}) =m-\kappa_{S'}\ge 1 \\ &\dimension(\scriptv_{S''})=\max(0,m-\kappa_{S''}) =m-\kappa_{S''}\ge 1\end{aligned}$$ and since $2m-\kappa_{S'}-\kappa_{S''}-\kappa_0\ge 0$ by , if $(\scriptv_j)$ is in general position then $$\label{tritransverse} \dimension\big(\scriptv_{S'} +\scriptv_{S''} +\scriptv_0\big) =\min\big(m,m-\kappa_{S'}+m-\kappa_{S''}+m-\kappa_0\big) =m.$$ Furthermore, since $\scriptv_0$ has positive codimension and $\scriptv_{S'},\scriptv_{S''}$ have positive dimensions, if $(\scriptv_i: 0\le i<n)$ is in general position, then neither of $\scriptv_{S'},\scriptv_{S''}$ is contained in $\scriptv_0$. Moreover, $\scriptv_0$ has codimension $\kappa_0\ge 2$. These facts, together with , ensure that there exist $\kappa',\kappa''\in[1,\kappa_0]$ satisfying $\kappa'+\kappa''=\kappa_0$, and subspaces $W'\subset\scriptv_{S'}$ and $W''\subset\scriptv_{S''}$ of dimensions $\kappa',\kappa''$ respectively, such that $W'\cap W''=\{0\}$ and $$\label{tridirectsum} W'+W''+\scriptv_0=\reals^m.$$ Since $$\dimension(W')+ \dimension(W'')+\dimension(\scriptv_0) = \kappa'+\kappa'' + (m-\kappa_0)=m,$$ is a direct sum decomposition. Fix such $\kappa',\kappa''$. Choose subspaces $U',U''\subset\reals^m$ of codimensions $m-\kappa_{S'}-\kappa'$ and $m-\kappa_{S''}-\kappa''$ respectively, which are transverse to one another. To an arbitrary $\snarl=(\scriptv_j: 0\le j<n)\in G(m,\kappa_j: 0\le j<n)$ associate $W'(\snarl)=U'\cap\scriptv_{S'}$ and $W''(\snarl) = U''\cap\scriptv_{S''}$. The set of all $\snarl$ for which they fail to do so, is an analytic variety $X_0$ of positive codimension. The hypothesis $\sum_{j=0}^{n-1}\kappa_j<2m$ is not sufficient to ensure that the splitting $(\scriptv_j: 1\le j\le n+1)$ lies in general position. Indeed, the sum of the dimensions of $\scriptv_n\cap\scriptv_{S'}$ and $\scriptv_{n+1}\cap\scriptv_{S''}$ is required by the above construction to be $\ge\kappa_0$. For $(\scriptv_i: 1\le i\le n+1)$ in general position, these two intersections will have dimensions equal to $m-\kappa_{S'}-\kappa_n, m-\kappa_{S''}-\kappa_{n+1} $, respectively. Thus the construction requires $2m-\kappa_{S'}-\kappa_{S''}-\kappa_n-\kappa_{n+1}\ge \kappa_0$. Since $\kappa_n+\kappa_{n+1}=\kappa_0$, this is equivalent to $2m-\sum_{j=0}^{n-1}\kappa_j\ge \kappa_0$, that is, to $\max_i\kappa_i+\sum_j\kappa_j\le 2m$. Let $(\kappa_j: 0\le j<n)$ satisfy $2\max_i\kappa_i+ \sum_{j}\kappa_j\le 2m$ and $\max_i\kappa_i>1$. There exist $\kappa_n,\kappa_{n+1}\in[1,\kappa_0-1]$ satisfying $\kappa_n+\kappa_{n+1}=\kappa_0$ with the following property. For any analytic subvariety $Y\subset G(m,\kappa_i: 1\le i\le n+1)$ of positive codimension, there exists an analytic subvariety $X\subset G(m,\kappa_j: 0\le j<n)$ of positive codimension, such that if $(\scriptv_j: 0\le j<n)\notin X$, then in the above construction, $W',W''$ can be chosen so that $(\scriptv_1,\cdots,\scriptv_{n-1},\scriptv_0+W',\scriptv_0+W'')\notin Y$. Choose $S',S''$ as above, so that $|\kappa_{S'}-\kappa_{S''}|\le \kappa_0$. Then $(m-\kappa_{S'})+(m-\kappa_{S''})\ge 3\kappa_0$ by and the choice $\kappa_0=\max_{j}\kappa_j$. Therefore $m-\kappa_{S'}$ and $m-\kappa_{S''}$ are both $\ge\kappa_0$; it is here that the full strength of is used. Consequently if $\kappa_n,\kappa_{n+1}\in[1,\kappa_0-1]$ are chosen to satisfy $\kappa_n+\kappa_{n+1}=\kappa_0$, then $$\begin{gathered} \label{eq:allof2} m-\kappa_{S'}-\kappa_n\ge\kappa_{n+1} \\ \label{eq:allof3} m-\kappa_{S''}-\kappa_{n+1}\ge\kappa_{n}.\end{gathered}$$ Consider any $\snarl^\sharp=(\scriptv_j: 1\le j\le n+1)\in G(m,n+1,\kappa_1,\cdots,\kappa_{n+1})$ in general position, where the precise meaning of general position remains to be specified. Define $\scriptv_0=\scriptv_n\cap\scriptv_{n+1}$. Then $\dimension(\scriptv_n\cap\scriptv_{n+1})=\max(0,m-\kappa_n-\kappa_{n+1})=m-\kappa_0$, so $\scriptv_0=\scriptv_n\cap\scriptv_{n+1}$ has codimension $\kappa_0$. Moreover, general position ensures that $$\begin{aligned} \dimension(\scriptv_{S'}\cap\scriptv_n)&=m-\kappa_{S'}-\kappa_n \\ \dimension(\scriptv_{S''}\cap\scriptv_{n+1})&=m-\kappa_{S''}-\kappa_{n+1}.\end{aligned}$$ Therefore if $\snarl^\sharp$ is in general position, $$\dimension(\scriptv_n\cap\scriptv_{S'}) +\dimension(\scriptv_{n+1}\cap\scriptv_{S''}) +\dimension(\scriptv_n\cap\scriptv_{n+1}) \ge \kappa_n+\kappa_{n+1}+(m-\kappa_0)=m.$$ Since the index sets $S',S'',\{n,n+1\}$ are pairwise disjoint, general position then implies that $ (\scriptv_n\cap\scriptv_{S'}) +(\scriptv_{n+1}\cap\scriptv_{S''}) +(\scriptv_n\cap\scriptv_{n+1})=\reals^m$. The two subspaces $\scriptv_n\cap\scriptv_{S'}$ and $\scriptv_0=\scriptv_n\cap\scriptv_{n+1}$ are contained in $\scriptv_n$ and have dimensions $m-\kappa_{S'}-\kappa_n$ and $m-\kappa_0$, respectively. If $\{\scriptv_j: j\in S'\}$ and $\scriptv_{n+1}$ are jointly in general position relative to $\scriptv_n$, these two subspaces will be transverse; their sum will have dimension equal to $$\begin{gathered} \max(m-\kappa_n, m-\kappa_{S'}-\kappa_n + m-\kappa_0) = 2m-\kappa_{S'}-\kappa_n-\kappa_0 \\ \ge m-\kappa_0+\kappa_{n+1} =\dimension(\scriptv_0)+\kappa_{n+1},\end{gathered}$$ using . Therefore there exists a subspace $W'\subset\scriptv_n\cap\scriptv_{S'}$ of dimension exactly $\kappa_{n+1}$, satisfying $\dimension(W'+\scriptv_0) = \dimension(W')+\dimension(\scriptv_0)$. Since $W',\scriptv_0$ are both contained in $\scriptv_n$ and the sum of their dimensions equals the dimension $\kappa_{n+1}+m-\kappa_0 =m-\kappa_n$ of $\scriptv_n$, their span equals $\scriptv_n$. For the same reasons, there exists a subspace $W''\subset\scriptv_{n+1}\cap\scriptv_{S''}$ of dimension $\kappa_{n}$ which is transverse to $\scriptv_0$, such that $W'',\scriptv_0$ together span $\scriptv_{n+1}$. Since the three index sets $S',S'',\{0\}$ are disjoint, general position implies that $W',W''$ can be chosen so that $W''$ is transverse to $W'+\scriptv_0$. Thus $(\scriptv_j: 1\le n\le n+1)$ is a transverse splitting of $(\scriptv_j: 0\le j<n)$. Let $(\kappa_j: 0\le j<n)$ satisfy , and choose $\kappa_n,\kappa_{n+1}$ as above. We have proved that there exists an analytic subvariety $Y_0\subset G(m,\kappa_j: 1\le j\le n+1)$ of positive codimension, such that for any $\snarl^\sharp\in G(m,\kappa_j: 1\le j\le n+1)\subset Y_0$, there exists at least one $\snarl\in G(m,\kappa_j: 0\le j<n)$ which admits at least one transverse splitting equal to $\snarl^\sharp$. Indeed, each mention of “general position” in the above discussion can be expressed as the condition that $\snarl^\sharp$ satisfies none of a finite set of analytic equations. The union of the varieties defined by each of these equations defines $Y_0$, which has positive codimension. Given any analytic subvariety $Y\subset G(m,\kappa_j: 1\le j\le n+1)$ of positive codimension, set $\tilde Y=Y\cup Y_0$ and let $X$ be the set of all $\snarl\in G(m,\kappa_j: 0\le j<n)$ for which the subspaces $W'(\snarl),W''(\snarl)$ defined in the proof of Lemma \[lemma:constructW\] either fail to define a transverse splitting of $\snarl$, or define a splitting which belongs to $\tilde Y$. Then $X$ is an analytic subvariety, for all restrictions encountered can be expressed as analytic equations for $(\scriptv_j: 0\le j<n)$ together with the subspaces $U',U''$ used to define the functionals $W'(\cdot),W''(\cdot)$ We have shown that there exists at least one $\snarl_0\in G(m,\kappa_j: 0\le j<n)$ which admits some transverse splitting $\snarl_0^\sharp\in G(m,\kappa_j: 1\le j\le n+1)\setminus\tilde Y$. The subspaces $U',U''$ may be chosen so that $W'(\snarl_0),W''(\snarl_0)$ define this splitting $\snarl_0^\sharp$. Then $X$ is nonempty, so $X$ has positive codimension. The inductive step {#section:slicing} ================== We now prove Proposition \[prop:induction\]. Let $W',W''$ and $\scriptv_n=\scriptv_0+W''$, $\kappa_n=\kappa''$, $\scriptv_{n+1}=\scriptv_0+W'$, and $\kappa_{n+1}=\kappa'$ be as in Lemma \[lemma:constructW\]. Set $W=W'+W''$, and $W^\star =\scriptv_0=\kernel(\pi_0)$. $W,W^\star$ are a pair of supplementary subspaces, so $\reals^m=W+W^\star$ may be identified with $W\times W^\star$. Thus an arbitrary element of $\reals^m$ can be expressed in a unique way as $x+y$ with $x\in W$ and $y\in W^\star$; $x+y$ will henceforth be identified with $(x,y)$. Define linear transformations $\tilde\pi_j:W\mapsto\reals^{\kappa_j}$ by $$\tilde\pi_j(x)=\pi_j(x,0).$$ For any $(x,y)$, $\pi_j(x,y) = \pi_j(x,0)+\pi_j(0,y)$, so $$f_j(\pi_j(x,y))=f_{j,y}(\tilde\pi_j(x))$$ where $$f_{j,y}(t) = f_j(t+\pi_j(0,y)).$$ We will use the equivalence, with the mappings $\pi_j$, sets $B_j$, and phase function $P$ fixed, between an [*a priori*]{} inequality of the form $$|I(P;f_0,\cdots,f_{n-1})|\le \scriptc\prod_{j=0}^{n-1}{ \| f_j \|}_\infty,$$ and the formally stronger inequality $$\label{L2inequality} |I(P;f_0,\cdots,f_{n-1})|\le \tilde\scriptc{ \| f_0 \|}_2\prod_{j=1}^{n-1}{ \| f_j \|}_\infty.$$ If the latter holds, then the former holds with $\scriptc\le C\tilde\scriptc$. If the former holds, then the latter follows with $\tilde\scriptc\le C\scriptc^{1/2}$, by interpolation with the trivial inequality $$|I(P;f_0,\cdots,f_{n-1})|\le \tilde C'{ \| f_0 \|}_1\prod_{j=1}^{n-1}{ \| f_j \|}_\infty.$$ Our argument is not phrased exclusively in terms of one inequality or the other, but uses their equivalence at each step of an induction. Our oscillatory integral may be written as $$I(P;f_0,\cdots,f_{n-1}) =\int_{E} I_y(P_y;f_{0,y},\cdots,f_{n-1,y})\,dy$$ for some bounded subset $E\subset W^\star$, where $$I_y(P_y;g_{0},\cdots,g_{n-1}) = \int e^{iP(x,y)}\prod_{j=0}^{n-1} g_j(\tilde\pi_j(x))\,dx.$$ Note that $$f_{0,y}(\tilde\pi_0(x)) = f_0(\pi_0(x,0)+\pi_0(0,y)) \equiv f_0(\pi_0(x,0)).$$ $x\mapsto\pi_0(x,0)$ is a linear isomorphism of $W$ with $\reals^{\kappa_0}$. Therefore by a linear change of variables in $\reals^{\kappa_0}$, we may arrange that $$\pi_0(x,0)\equiv x.$$ With this simplification, $$I_y(P_y;f_{0,y},\cdots,f_{n-1,y}) = \big\langle e^{iP(x,y)}\prod_{j=1}^{n-1} f_{j,y}(\tilde\pi_j(x)), \, \overline{f_{0}} \big\rangle,$$ where the inner product is taken with respect to $x$ for fixed $y$. Fix bounded sets $B_j\subset\reals^{\kappa_j}$, and consider only functions $f_j$ supported in $B_j$. Define $\Lambda=\Lambda(P,\{\pi_j\})$ to be the optimal constant in the inequality . Let $\{f_j: 1\le j\le n-1\}$ and $f_0$ be functions satisfying ${ \| f_j \|}_\infty\le 1$ for $j\ge 1$, and ${ \| f_0 \|}_2=1$, such that $$|I(P;f_0,\cdots,f_{n-1})|\ge \tfrac12 \Lambda{ \| f_0 \|}_2.$$ There exists $z$ such that $\big|\big \langle e^{iP(x,z)}\prod_{j=1}^{n-1} f_{j,z}(\tilde\pi_j(x)), \, \overline{f_0} \big\rangle\big|\ge c\Lambda$. Decompose $$f_0(x) = a e^{-iP(x,z)}\prod_{j=1}^{n-1} h_j(\tilde\pi_j(x)) +g_0(x)$$ where $$\begin{aligned} |a|&\le C{ \| f_0 \|}_2 \\ { \| g_0 \|}_{\lt(\reals^{\kappa_0})}^2&\le { \| f_0 \|}_2^2 - c\Lambda^2{ \| f_0 \|}_2^2\end{aligned}$$ and $h_j=\overline{f_{j,z}}$. Then $$\begin{gathered} I(P;f_0,\cdots,f_{n-1}) = I(P;f_1,\cdots,f_{n-1},g_0) \\ + a\iint e^{iP(x,y)} \prod_{j=1}^{n-1}f_j(\pi_j(x,y)) \cdot e^{-iP(x,z)} \prod_{k=1}^{n-1} h_j(\tilde\pi_j(x)) \,dx\,dy.\end{gathered}$$ The second term may be written as $$a \iint e^{iQ(x,y)} \prod_{j=1}^{n-1}f_j(\pi_j(x,y)) \cdot \prod_{k=1}^{n-1} h_k(\pi_k^\sharp(x,y)) \,dx\,dy$$ where $\pi_k^\sharp:\reals^m\to\reals^{\kappa_k}$ is defined by $$\pi_k^\sharp(x,y) = \tilde\pi_k(x) =\pi_k(x,0) = \pi_k(\pi_0(x,y),0) = \pi_k(\pi_0(x,0),0)$$ and $$Q(x,y) = P(x,y)-P(x,z).$$ Since $x=\pi_0(x,y)$, $(x,y)\mapsto P(x,z)$ is a polynomial function of $\pi_0(x,y)$. Therefore $[Q]=[P]$, where $[\cdot]$ denotes the equivalence class in the space of polynomials modulo those polynomials which are degenerate relative to $\{\pi_j: 0\le j\le n-1\}$. Now $$\begin{gathered} \iint e^{iQ(x,y)} \prod_{j=1}^{n-1}f_j(\pi_j(x,y)) \cdot \prod_{k=1}^{n-1} h_k(\pi_k^\sharp(x,y)) \,dx\,dy \\ = I\Big(Q;f_1,\cdots,f_{n-1},h_1,\cdots,h_{n-1}, \{\pi_j\}_{j=1}^{n-1},\{\pi^\sharp_k\}_{k=1}^{n-1}\Big).\end{gathered}$$ This is not what we are aiming for; for instance, this expression is $2n-2$–multilinear, while we are aiming for an $n+1$–multilinear form. Elements $(x,0)\in W$ may be decomposed as $(x,0)=(x',x'',0)$ where $(x',0,0)\in W'$ and $(0,x'',0)\in W''$. Thus $\pi_k^\sharp(x',x'',y)=\pi_k(x',x'',0)= \pi_k(x',0,0)+\pi_k(0,x'',0)$ depends only on $x''$ for $k\in S'$, and depends only on $x'$ for $k\in S''$; the nullspace of $\pi_k^\sharp$ contains $W''+\scriptv_0$ for each $k\in S'$. Therefore we may write $$\prod_{k\in S'}h_k(\pi_k^\sharp)(x',x'',y) = f_n\big(\pi_n(x',x'',y)\big)$$ where $\pi_n$ is a surjective linear mapping from $\reals^m$ to a Euclidean space of dimension $\kappa_n=\dimension(W'')$, the nullspace of $\pi_n$ equals $\scriptv_0+W''=\scriptv_n$, $$\pi_n(x',x'',y) = \pi_k^\sharp(x',x'',y) = \pi_k^\sharp(x',x'',0) = \pi_k^\sharp(0,x'',0),$$ and ${ \| f_n \|}_\infty \le\prod_{k\in S'}{ \| h_k \|}_\infty\le 1$; this can be done, albeit in an artificial way, even if the intersection of the nullspaces of all such $\pi_k^\sharp$ has dimension strictly greater than $m-\kappa_n$, by defining $f_n$ to be independent of one or more coordinates in $\pi_n(\reals^m)$ in a sufficiently large bounded set. Likewise $$\prod_{k\in S''}h_k(\pi_k^\sharp)(x',x'',y) = f_{n+1}\big(\pi_{n+1}(x',x'',y)\big)$$ where $\pi_{n+1}$ is a surjective linear mapping with nullspace $\scriptv_{n+1}$ from $\reals^m$ to a Euclidean space of dimension $\kappa_{n+1}=\dimension(W')$, and ${ \| f_{n+1} \|}_\infty\le 1$. With these definitions, $$\begin{gathered} \iint e^{iQ(x,y)} \prod_{j=1}^{n-1}f_j(\pi_j(x,y)) \cdot \prod_{k=1}^{n-1} h_k(\pi_k^\sharp(x)) \,dx\,dy = I\big(Q;f_1,\cdots,f_{n+1}, \{\pi_j\}_{j=1}^{n+1}\big).\end{gathered}$$ ${ \| f_j \|}_\infty\le 1$ for all $j\in\{1,2,\cdots,n+1\}$, and $f_i$ is supported in a bounded subset of $\reals^{\kappa_i}$ which depends only on $\{B_j: 0\le j\le n-1\}$, on $\{\pi_j: 0\le j\le n-1\}$, on the choices of $S',S''$, and on the choice of $W$. Now $Q$ is nondegenerate[^2] relative to $\{\pi_j\}_{j=1}^{n+1}$, because $Q$ is nondegenerate relative to $\{\pi_j\}_{j=0}^{n-1}$ and the projections $\pi_n,\pi_{n+1}$ both factor through $\pi_0$. The norm of $Q$ in the quotient space of polynomials modulo sums of polynomials $q\circ\pi_j$ with $1\le j\le n+1$ is at least as large as the norm of $P$ in the quotient space of polynomials modulo $q\circ\pi_j$ with $0\le j\le n-1$, up to a constant factor which depends only on choices of norms for these spaces. We are reasoning under the induction hypothesis that for any collection of bounded subsets $B_j\subset \reals^{\kappa_j}$, there exist $C<\infty$ and an exponent $\gamma>0$ such that for all continuous functions $f_j$ supported in $B_j$ respectively, $$\big| I\big(Q;f_1,\cdots,f_{n+1}, \{\pi_j\}_{j=1}^{n+1}\big)\big| \le C\langle { \| Q \|}_{\text{ND}} \rangle^{-\gamma} \prod_{j=1}^{n+1}{ \| f_j \|}_\infty \le C\langle { \| P \|}_{\text{ND}} \rangle^{-\gamma}.$$ $C,\gamma$ depend on $\{\pi_j: 1\le j\le n+1\}$ and on $\{B_j\}$, which in turn depend on $\{\pi_j: 0\le j\le n-1\}$ and on the designation of bounded subsets on which the functions $f_j$ are supported for all $j\in\{0,1,\cdots,n-1\}$. Therefore whenever $\{f_j\}$ are continuous functions supported in $B_j\subset\reals^{\kappa_j}$, satisfying ${ \| f_0 \|}_2=1$ and ${ \| f_j \|}_\infty\le 1$ for all $j\in\{1,2,\cdots,n-1\}$, $$\begin{aligned} |I(f_0,\cdots,f_{n-1},&\{\pi_j\}_{j=0}^{n-1})| \\ &\le |I(g_0,f_1,\cdots,f_{n-1},\{\pi_j\}_{j=0}^{n-1})| +C \big| I\big(Q;f_1,\cdots,f_{n+1}, \{\pi_j\}_{j=1}^{n+1}\big)\big| \\ &\le \Lambda{ \| g_0 \|}_2 + C\langle { \| P \|}_{\text{ND}} \rangle^{-\gamma} \\ &\le \Lambda { \| f_0 \|}_2(1-c\Lambda^2) + C\langle { \| P \|}_{\text{ND}} \rangle^{-\gamma} \\ &\le \Lambda (1-c\Lambda^2) + C\langle { \| P \|}_{\text{ND}} \rangle^{-\gamma}.\end{aligned}$$ By taking the supremum over all $f_0,\cdots,f_{n-1}$ which are supported in the sets $B_j$ and satisfy ${ \| f_0 \|}_2\le 1$ and ${ \| f_j \|}_\infty=1$ for all $j\ge 1$, we conclude that $$\Lambda\le \Lambda (1-c\Lambda^2) + C\langle { \| P \|}_{\text{ND}} \rangle^{-\gamma}.$$ Subtracting $\Lambda$ from both sides and rearranging yields $$\label{swallowingresult} \Lambda^3 \le C\langle { \| P \|}_{\text{ND}} \rangle^{-\gamma}.$$ This completes the proof of Proposition \[prop:induction\], hence of Theorem \[thm:reduction\]. [20]{} M. Christ, [*Bounds for multilinear sublevel sets via Szemerédi’s theorem*]{}, preprint. M. Christ, X. Li, C. Thiele, and T. Tao, [*On multilinear oscillatory integrals, nonsingular and singular*]{}, Duke Math. J. 130 (2005), no. 2, 321–351. M. Christ and D. Oliveira e Silva, [*On trilinear oscillatory integrals*]{}, preprint. E. M. Stein, [*Harmonic analysis: real-variable methods, orthogonality, and oscillatory integrals. With the assistance of Timothy S. Murphy*]{}. Princeton Mathematical Series, 43. Monographs in Harmonic Analysis, III. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 1993. [^1]: The author was supported in part by NSF grant DMS-0901569. [^2]: In fact, $Q$ is nondegenerate relative to $\{\pi_j\}_{j=1}^{n+1}$, if and only if $P$ is nondegenerate relative to $\{\pi_j\}_{j=0}^{n-1}$.

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3rd Carabiniers The 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1922 as part of a reduction in the army's cavalry by the amalgamation of the 3rd Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales's) and the Carabiniers (6th Dragoon Guards), to form the 3rd/6th Dragoon Guards. It was renamed the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) in 1928 and amalgamated with the Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons), forming the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) in 1971. History Inter-war The regiment was formed in 1922 as part of a reduction in the army's cavalry by the amalgamation of the 3rd Dragoon Guards (Prince of Wales's) and the Carabiniers (6th Dragoon Guards), to form the 3rd/6th Dragoon Guards. Both regiments were based in India at the time of their amalgamation; the newly formed regiment departed in 1925 for Britain. It regained its carabinier association in 1928, when it was renamed the 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards). The 3rd Carabiniers was posted to Sialkot in India in 1936 and began its mechanisation process, changing its horses for armoured vehicles, in 1938. Second World War When the war began in September 1939, the 3rd Carabiniers was still based in India. In 1941, a cadre from the regiment was used to form the 25th Dragoons, which saw service in Burma; it was disbanded in India in 1947. Now equipped with the M3 Lee medium tank, the regiment was sent to North-East India with the 254th Indian Tank Brigade in December 1943. It took part in the Battle of Imphal, which began in late March 1944 after the Japanese launched the U-Go offensive. On 20 March, around Tamu, six of the regiment's tanks clashed with six Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go tanks, destroying five of them and capturing the other. Later, in the battle to retake Nunshigum Ridge on 13 April, tanks from the regiment's 'B' Squadron supported the 1/17th Dogras in fierce fighting that dislodged the Japanese defenders. The 3rd Carabiniers, operating usually at squadron level or lower, took part in the successful advance deep into occupied Burma, taking part in (among others) an intense action at Kennedy Peak. Early 1945 saw the regiment engaged in fighting at Shwebo and Sagang; it took part in the capture of Ava and Mandalay in March, and later around the Irrawaddy River. Post-World War II After the war's official end in September, the regiment was based at Ahmednagar in India up until the British withdrawal. The regiment's departure came in January 1947, when it embarked aboard the Highland Princess at Bombay. The 3rd Carabiniers was posted to the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) in West Germany in March 1952. The regiment was based in Osnabrück, remaining there until May 1959. After that, it moved to Catterick, England, but its stay there was short, as it joined the Strategic Reserve at Tidworth in July 1960. In July 1961, the regiment deployed its 'C' Squadron to Kuwait as part of a British force charged with deterring Iraq from fulfilling its threats to annex it. A return to West Germany came the following year, when it joined the 20th Armoured Brigade in Detmold. Having been armed with tanks since the early 1950s, the regiment was re-roled to a reconnaissance unit in 1967, first operating the Ferret scout car. Deployments to the British military installations in Libya and Cyprus followed in 1968. A brief posting to Münster, West Germany took place in 1969 before moving to Herford, West Germany. On 2 July 1971, the regiment amalgamated with the Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons), forming the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys). Regimental museum The regimental collection is held in the Cheshire Military Museum at Chester Castle. Some items are also held by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum at Edinburgh Castle. Other information Anniversaries: Nunshigum (13 April) Alliances: The Windsor Regiment (RCAC) — Canada (1951–1971) Royal Natal Carbineers — South Africa (1922–1961) Associated Yeomanry: The Cheshire Yeomanry (Earl of Chester's) The East Riding Yeomanry Battle honours The 3rd Carabiniers possessed a total of 62 battle honours, of which 49 were inherited from its predecessor units and were earned prior to the regiment's formation in 1922. During the Second World War, the amalgamated regiment received 13 battle honours. The full list of battle honours held by the regiment are: Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Warburg, Beaumont, Willems, Talavera, Albuhera, Vittoria, Peninsula, Sevastopol, Delhi 1857, Abyssinia, Afghanistan 1879–80; Second Boer War: Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, South Africa 1899–1902; First World War: Retreat from Mons, Marne 1914, Aisne 1914, Messines 1914, Ypres 1914 '15, Arras 1917, Cambrai 1917 '18, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, France and Flanders 1914–18; Second World War: Imphal, Tamu Road, Nunshigum, Bishenpur, Kanglatongbi, Kennedy Peak, Shwebo, Sagaing, Mandalay, Ava, Irrawaddy River, Yenangyaung 1945, Burma 1944–45. Regimental Colonels Colonels of the Regiment were: 3rd/6th Dragoon Guards 1922: Maj-Gen. Sir Nevill Maskelyne Smyth, VC, KCB 1922: Maj-Gen. Henry Peregrine Leader, CB 1925–1929: F.M. Sir William Robert Robertson, Bt, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, DSO 3rd Carabiniers (Prince of Wales's Dragoon Guards) (1928) 1929–1946: Gen. Sir George Alexander Weir, KCB, CMG, DSO 1946–1957: Brig. William Thomas Gill, MC 1957–1966: Brig. Joseph Russell Fishbourne, CBE 1966–1971: Brig. William Charles Walker Sloan, CBE 1971: Regiment amalgamated with The Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons) to form the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) Notes References 3-03 Carabiniers Category:Military units and formations established in 1922 Carabiniers 003 Category:Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1971 R

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President Trump's critics are questioning the location of his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping – Trump’s stately Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Fla. CNN’s Jake Tapper mocked President Trump: “…a visit to his private Florida club, Mar-a-Lago. Awkward, perhaps, to suggest a round of golf with a man whose country you just accused of raping America.” Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told Politico about his thoughts on Mar-a-Lago: “I do know, in the past an ideal setting for real serious negotiations has been Camp David.” TRUMP, XI MEETING TO SET TONE FOR FUTURE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN US AND CHINA And, of course, Democrats have asked government watchdog groups to scrutinize Trump’s security and travel expenses for Mar-a-Lago. But experts who have dealt directly with the Chinese in White House negotiations in the past agree that Mar-a-Lago is a fine location for such a meeting. Dining al fresco there and playing golf at Trump National with the president earned Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe plenty of plaudits at home. Palm Beach County Commissioner Steve Abrams said the county was fortunate to have a nearby Japanese garden, which First Lady Melania Trump toured with Abe’s wife. Golf probably won’t be on the menu this time because the game is widely scorned by the ruling Chinese Communist Party. But Abrams says Trump could get lucky, again. TAIWAN: US RELATIONS WON'T BE HARMED BY TRUMP, CHINESE PRESIDENT MEETING “We happen to have a very fine festival taking place while the president of China is here, which we have brought to the attention of the White House,” said Abrams. Palm Beach County is hosting a Chinese Lantern Festival that has a “ping pong diplomacy” theme commemorating the Nixon administration's overtures to the country. “So it would be quite outstanding to see the two presidents take part,” Abrams said. The visit by President Xi was reportedly arranged at the urgent request of former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s contacts in China who worked with Jared Kushner, Trump’s senior adviser and son-in-law. “There simply has not been enough time to arrange a formal visit by Mr. Xi,” said J.J. Tkacik of the Alexandria, Va.-based International Assessment and Strategy Center. Tkacik said he cannot imagine a more appropriate venue to host the Chinese president. Mar-a-Lago, a National Historic Landmark, was designed in the 1920s to be a winter retreat for presidents and foreign dignitaries. “Washington, D.C., is too hectic, New York’s logistics and security too complicated, Camp David is too rustic,” he said. “Airports, hotels and logistics near Palm Beach are all world class.” That doesn’t mean issues won't arise, he said. “The Chinese underground will certainly work with overseas Chinese students in Florida’s and other Southern universities to organize welcome crowds and counter-demonstrations,” Tkacik said. Such protests have proved troublesome for past presidents. President George W. Bush was flogged in the American media when a member of the Falun Gong, outlawed in China, used her press credentials to access the White House South Lawn and heckled the Chinese president during a summit welcome ceremony in 2006. Less reported in the U.S., according to experts in China, is that President Bush is still more popular there than his successor. “Obama initially tried to build a cordial relationship with China, but soon launched ‘rebalancing’ with trade and military,” said Shen Dingli, of Shanghai’s Fudan University. Despite the limited time to prepare for such an important meeting, the pressure will be on, from the Chinese side and the U.S. media, to make the visit go flawlessly. “It typically takes a lot of negotiation on protocol, precedent, sequence and scope of topics, press coverage and visuals, who will participate, and ability to keep protesters out of audio and visual range,” said the Brooking Institute’s Kenneth Lieberthal, who served on President Clinton’s National Security Council. “President Xi wants to get a feel for a mercurial American leader and wants to do so before bad things happen. Nobody wants to see a meeting like this go badly.”

INTRODUCTION ============ There are five species of Schistosoma that cause human Schistosomiasis. These are the intestinal species: *Schistosoma mansoni, japonicum, mekongi and intercalatum*, and the urinary species: *Schistosoma haematobium*^[@R1]^. Infective cercariae released from infected freshwater snails initiate human infection through penetration of intact skin. Sexually mature worms then migrate to the venous system of the intestine (for the intestinal species) or urinary bladder (for the urinary species) where ova are deposited.^[@R1]^ About 200-300 million individuals are thought to be infected in the Caribbean, South America, Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. Schistosoma mansoni is endemic in the Middle East, Africa, Central and South America, while S. japonicum is common in the Philippines, Thailand and China. *Schistosoma intercalatum* is found mostly in Africa.^[@R2]^ Schistosomiasis is a serious disease. Intestinal disease is commonly produced by S. mansoni and japonicum. Viable ova of the organism in the colon produce inflammation, formation of granuloma, ulcers, haemorrhage and colonic fibrosis with subsequent long term sequelae.^[@R3]^ A colonic polyp represents a mass of tissue protruding into the colonic lumen. The two major groups of colonic polyps are, the neoplastic (benign and malignant) and the non-neoplastic (hyperplastic, Peutz-Jeghers and inflammatory). Although, majority of patients with colonic polyps are asymptomatic, some patients may present with occult or overt lower gastrointestinal bleeding, flatulence, diarrhea and constipation.^[@R4]^ Severe colitis arising from amoebic or bacterial dysentery, Crohn\'s disease and ulcerative colitis may produce inflammatory polyps.^[@R5],[@R6]^ Similar polyps which are made of eggs, adult worms and granulation tissue can also arise as a result of chronic schistosomiasis.^[@R7]^ Here, we present a case of a Nigerian with colonic polypoid masses which turned out to be Schistosomal mansoni infection. CASE PRESENTATION ================= The patient is a 29 year-old civil servant who presented with recurrent diarrhoea of 2 years duration. Stool is watery, mucoid but not bloody. The frequency is up to four times per day. There is associated tenesmus. No passage of undigested food particles. There is history of right lower abdominal pain and weight loss. No vomiting, anorexia or fever. Past medical history revealed previous blood transfusion and appendicectomy. Examination showed a chronically ill-looking man with finger clubbing and mild dehydration. His vital signs were within normal range Examination of the abdomen, chest and cardiovascular system was unremarkable. Digital rectal examination revealed polypoid masses in the rectum. The assessment was colonic polyps? type, the differential diagnoses were Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Colonic Polyposis. Results of investigations are as follows: ----------------------------------------- Electrolytes, Urea and Creatinine: Na^+^ - 135 mmol/ l, K^+^ - 3.9 mmol/l, Cl^-^ - 107 mmol/l, HCO~3~ - 20 mmol/l, Urea - 26 mg/dl, Cr - 1.2 mg/dl^3^. Full Blood Count: Packed Cell Volume - 34%, WBC - 6800/mm^3^ (Neutrophil-48%, Eosinophil- 1%, Basophil - 1%, Lymphocyte- 43%, Monocyte- 7%), Platelets - 319,000/mm^3^. ESR - 50 mm in the 1st hour (Westergren) HIV 1&2 - Negative. Colonoscopy - Multiple entangled pedunculated polypoid masses were seen in the rectum and sigmoid colon from which biopsies were taken (Figures [1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}&[2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}) Histology revealed mild chronic inflammation of the stroma of the colonic biopsy tissue with several structures reminiscent of sections of integument of a worm within the intestinal wall and a diagnosis of helminth-induced chronic inflammation of the rectosigmoid section of the intestine was made. (Figures [3](#F3){ref-type="fig"}) . Stool microscopy revealed ova of schistosoma mansoni with pus and red blood cells. Patient was placed on Praziquantel at a dose of 20 mg/kg every 8 hours for 24 hours. At follow up clinic thereafter, his symptoms had resolved. However, patient was lost to further follow up and so could not have a repeat colonoscopy done to document polyp regression. DISCUSSION ========== Human beings are mainly infected by S. mansoni which causes hepatic and intestinal schistosomiasis in South America, the Arabian Peninsula and Africa; S. japonicum also causes hepatosplenic and intestinal schistosomiasis in China, Indonesia and the Philippines.^[@R8]^ Although, S. mansoni can infect primates and rodents, human beings remain the main host.^[@R8]^ It is known that cercariae penetration of the skin can produce a temporary urticarial rash.^[@R9]^ This was not reported or observed in our patient. Although, this rash is thought to occur more commonly in tourists and migrants.^[@R9]^ This might explain its absence in our patient. Another explanation might be because our patient was seen in the chronic phase of the disease during which, the rash if present initially would have disappeared. Also, features of acute schistosomiasis (Katayama fever) which are fever, fatigue, malaise, non-productive cough, myalgia, eosinophilia were not observed in our patient. These symptoms are known to develop a few weeks to months after infection and subside 2 -10 weeks after.^[@R9],[@R10]^ Again, it is possible that all these symptoms were present in our patient at the onset of the disease, but were attributed to another common infection in our environment like malaria. It has been reported that, due to under-diagnosis or in-utero sensitization, Katayama fever resulting from *S. haematobium* or mansoni is not common in chronically exposed individuals.^[@R11]^ However, Katayama fever is believed to be common in travelers, tourists and individuals who are accidentally exposed to transmission.^[@R9],[@R12],[@R13]^ In chronic and established infection, which was what our patient presented with, the lesions are believed to be as a result of trapped schistosomal eggs in the tissues during migration.^[@R8]^ This process then provokes microulcerations, bleeding, granulomas and pseudopolyposis.^[@R14],[@R15]^ In intestinal schistosomiasis, most of the lesions are found in the rectum and large bowel. This is true of our patient, in whom the lesions were seen in the rectosigmoid region during colonoscopy. Patient with intestinal schistosomiasis present with chronic abdominal pain and discomfort, and diarrhoea with or without haematochezia.^[@R16],[@R17]^ The main symptom in our patient was recurrent diarrhoea without haematochezia. This seems to be the most common symptom in patients with intestinal schistosomiasis. In a population study, 3-55% of the infected individuals had diarrhoea, while 11-50% had bloody diarrhea.^[@R16],[@R18],[@R19]^ In a report of 46 cases of colonic schistosomiasis by Cao *et al*,^[@R20]^ diarrhoea was found in 67.3% of patients which made it the most common symptom in those patients as was the case in our patient. In another study by Rocha *et al*,^[@R21]^ diarrhoea was the most common symptom (56%) observed among 34 patients with schistosomiasis mansoni. However, in a study by Mohammed, *et al*^[@R22]^ among 216 patients with schistosoma mansoni infection, non-specific abdominal pain was the most common symptom observed (39%), with diarrhoea being the second most common symptom observed in 27% of their patients. It therefore shows that, diarrhoea is one of the major symptoms of colonic schistosomiasis. This should be borne in mind and considered as a possible differential diagnosis especially in endemic areas for schistosomiasis like Africa. In our patient, the colonoscopic finding of multiple polypoid masses was not suggestive of schistosomiasis until the histology report confirmed it. This emphasizes the importance of good pathology laboratory back up following endoscopic biopsies. Colonoscopic appearance in colonic schistosomiasis varies depending on the duration and stage of the disease. Cao J, *et al*^[@R20]^ observed that acute inflammation which include mucosa oedema with exudates, petechial haemorrhage, mucosa erythema and granularity with ulcers was common in the right colon, while chronic inflammation which include nodular lesions, polyps, intestinal stricture and mucosal pallor is usually seen in the left colon. This is true of our patient who was found to have multiple polypoid lesions in the rectosigmoid colon. In the study by Mohammed, *et al*,^[@R22]^ majority of the patients (55%) had normal colonoscopy, 42% had features of acute disease, while only 4% had polyps. It is possible that, majority of these patients presented in the early stage of their disease and so had no features of chronicity on colonoscopy, in contrast to our patient who presented with features of longstanding disease. In the diagnosis of schistosomiasis, the gold standard is microscopic examination of faeces for the eggs.^[@R23]^ This was the case with our patient in whom stool microscopy, based on the characteristics of the eggs, described the particular specie of the worm seen on histology. Although, stool examination is described as the gold standard, it is good to note that ova are passed frequently in the stool only in the early stages, but this becomes scanty and infrequent as the disease progresses into chronicity.^[@R24]^ So, not in all cases will the stool microscopy detect eggs. The resolution of the symptoms in our patient after receiving medical treatment could support the diagnosis of schistoso-miasis in this case. Although, documentation of colonic polyp regression would have been more convincing, but, this was not feasible in our patient since he was lost to further follow up. CONCLUSION ========== Colonic schistosomiasis could be considered as one of the differential diagnoses in a patient presenting with chronic diarrhoea and polypoid masses in the rectosigmoid colon, especially if other common causes of colonic polyps have been excluded. {#F1} {#F2} {#F3}

Posted by hobobilly on 4/18/2013 5:11:00 PM (view original):Really? Hm... Take a look at my second exhibition game in Tark, I feel like the bench players played waaaayyy to much or does the fact it was a blowout make the difference there? Check your end of game settings. You might have had the "when winning or when losing and game is out of reach..." setting checked which would give your backups more playing time in the event of a blowout. Posted by chapelhillne on 4/18/2013 11:44:00 PM (view original):I use Fairly Fresh all the time as well. It helps the younger players get more PT and develop faster, and it keeps the better players playing at their best when they are in the game. But look at my first game, my best player is only out there 20 some minutes.. I almost always set everyone to fairly fresh, because I want the best skills out of my players. I also usually run a ten-man rotation (or more) on most of my teams and recruit well enough I've got at least decent backups. If you're running slowdown and/or have a shorter bench, maybe you'd want to do something else though.