Chapter 19 A Rally 
1: Mr. Smith’s Manner 
DO not know in what spirits my uncle got 
through the winter that followed his sister’s 
death. An outdoor man like he was may 
feel it a reminder of his infirmities to be 
obliged to sit all day by the fire. But with the 
return of summer he recovered for a little while 
—no, not the use of his limbs, but full enjoyment 
at least of his older memories. 
You see, he was now, for the first time in his 
life, a gentleman of leisure and could get away 
from home for more than a day; for he had no 
cows to feed and milk. Certainly, once before 
he had gone for a few days’ holiday to Horsham 
—TI cannot imagine when or how. Apart from 
that he had had no outings longer than ten or 
twelve hours, in all the years I had known him. 
It is not to be supposed that he felt this a griev- 
ance. Countrymen of his sort find their way 
so lovingly into the details, the inner charms, of 
their neighbourhood that they cannot understand 
why others ever want to go away. 
But at last my uncle, unable any longer to 
taste the joys familiar to him, and reduced to 
more common delights, was not at all unwilling 
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