They put the door down carefully upon the stones, and all might see the poor drowned wretch--his glassy eyes, one half-open, staring right upwards to the sky. Owing to the position in which he had been found lying, his face was swollen and discoloured; besides, his skin was stained by the water in the brook, which had been used for dyeing purposes. The fore part of his head was bald; but the hair grew thin and long behind, and every separate lock was a conduit for water. Through all these disfigurements, Margaret recognised John Boucher. It seemed to her so sacrilegious to be peering into that poor distorted, agonised face, that, by a flash of instinct, she went forwards and softly covered the dead man's countenance with her handkerchief. The eyes that saw her do this followed her, as she turned away from her pious office, and were thus led to the place where Nicholas Higgins stood, like one rooted to the spot. The men spoke together, and then one of them came up to Higgins, who would have fain shrunk back into his house.
"Higgins, thou knowed him! Thou mun go tell the wife. Do it gently, man, but do it quick, for we canna leave him here long."

They put the door down carefully, and all might see the poor drowned wretch - his glassy eyes staring upwards to the sky. His face was swollen and discoloured; his skin was stained by the water in the brook, which had been used for dyeing purposes. Water trickled through his hair.
Through all these disfigurements, Margaret recognised John Boucher. It seemed to be so sacrilegious to be peering into that poor distorted face, that she instinctively went forwards and softly covered the dead man's countenance with her handkerchief. Nicholas Higgins stood rooted to the spot. The men spoke together, and then one of them came up to Higgins.
'Higgins, thou knowed him! Thou must go tell the wife. Do it gently, man, but do it quick, for we canna leave him here long.'
