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diff --git a/old/6824-h.htm.2021-01-26 b/old/6824-h.htm.2021-01-26 new file mode 100644 index 0000000..01e8db4 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/6824-h.htm.2021-01-26 @@ -0,0 +1,22512 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Mary Anerley, by R. D. BlacKmore + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mary Anerley, by R. D. Blackmore + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Mary Anerley + +Author: R. D. Blackmore + +Release Date: June 6, 2006 [EBook #6824] +Last Updated: March 6, 2018 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY ANERLEY *** + + + + +Produced by Don Lainson; David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h1> + MARY ANERLEY + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + by R. D. Blackmore <br /> <br /> 1880 + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <table summary=""> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER I -- HEADSTRONG AND HEADLONG</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER II -- SCARGATE HALL</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER III -- A DISAPPOINTING APPOINTMENT</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER IV -- DISQUIETUDE</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER V -- DECISION</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER VI -- ANERLEY FARM</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER VII -- A DANE IN THE DIKE</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER VIII -- CAPTAIN CARROWAY</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER IX -- ROBIN COCKSCROFT</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER X -- ROBIN LYTH</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER XI -- DR. UPANDOWN</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0012"> CHAPTER XII -- IN A LANE, NOT ALONE</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0013"> CHAPTER XIII -- GRUMBLING AND GROWLING</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0014"> CHAPTER XIV -- SERIOUS CHARGES</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0015"> CHAPTER XV -- CAUGHT AT LAST</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0016"> CHAPTER XVI -- DISCIPLINE ASSERTED</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0017"> CHAPTER XVII -- DELICATE INQUIRIES</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0018"> CHAPTER XVIII -- GOYLE BAY</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0019"> CHAPTER XIX -- A FARM TO LET</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0020"> CHAPTER XX -- AN OLD SOLDIER</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0021"> CHAPTER XXI -- JACK AND JILL GO DOWN THE GILL</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0022"> CHAPTER XXII -- YOUNG GILLY FLOWERS</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0023"> CHAPTER XXIII -- LOVE MILITANT</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0024"> CHAPTER XXIV -- LOVE PENITENT</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0025"> CHAPTER XXV -- DOWN AMONG THE DEAD WEEDS</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0026"> CHAPTER XXVI -- MEN OF SOLID TIMBER</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0027"> CHAPTER XXVII -- THE PROPER WAY TO ARGUE</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0028"> CHAPTER XXVIII -- FAREWELL, WIFE AND CHILDREN DEAR</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0029"> CHAPTER XXIX -- TACTICS OF DEFENSE</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0030"> CHAPTER XXX -- INLAND OPINION</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0031"> CHAPTER XXXI -- TACTICS OF ATTACK</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0032"> CHAPTER XXXII -- TACTICS OF ATTACK</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0033"> CHAPTER XXXIII -- BEARDED IN HIS DEN</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0034"> CHAPTER XXXIV -- THE DOVECOTE</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0035"> CHAPTER XXXV -- LITTLE CARROWAYS</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0036"> CHAPTER XXXVI -- MAIDS AND MERMAIDS</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0037"> CHAPTER XXXVII -- FACT, OR FACTOR</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0038"> CHAPTER XXXVIII -- THE DEMON OF THE AXE</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0039"> CHAPTER XXXIX -- BATTERY AND ASSUMPSIT</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0040"> CHAPTER XL -- STORMY GAP</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0041"> CHAPTER XLI -- BAT OF THE GILL</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0042"> CHAPTER XLII -- A CLEW OF BUTTONS</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0043"> CHAPTER XLIII -- A PLEASANT INTERVIEW</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0044"> CHAPTER XLIV -- THE WAY OF THE WORLD</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0045"> CHAPTER XLV -- THE THING IS JUST</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0046"> CHAPTER XLVI -- STUMPED OUT</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0047"> CHAPTER XLVII -- A TANGLE OF VEINS</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0048"> CHAPTER XLVIII -- SHORT SIGHS, AND LONG ONES</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0049"> CHAPTER XLIX -- A BOLD ANGLER</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0050"> CHAPTER L -- PRINCELY TREATMENT</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0051"> CHAPTER LI -- STAND AND DELIVER</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0052"> CHAPTER LII -- THE SCARFE</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0053"> CHAPTER LIII -- BUTS REBUTTED</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0054"> CHAPTER LIV -- TRUE LOVE</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0055"> CHAPTER LV -- </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0056"> CHAPTER LVI -- IN THE THICK OF IT</a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0057"> CHAPTER LVII -- MARY LYTH</a> + </p> + <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + CHAPTER I + </h2> + <h3> + HEADSTRONG AND HEADLONG + </h3> + <p> + Far from any house or hut, in the depth of dreary moor-land, a road, + unfenced and almost unformed, descends to a rapid river. The crossing is + called the “Seven Corpse Ford,” because a large party of farmers, riding + homeward from Middleton, banded together and perhaps well primed through + fear of a famous highwayman, came down to this place on a foggy evening, + after heavy rain-fall. One of the company set before them what the power + of the water was, but they laughed at him and spurred into it, and one + alone spurred out of it. Whether taken with fright, or with too much + courage, they laid hold of one another, and seven out of eight of them, + all large farmers, and thoroughly understanding land, came never upon it + alive again; and their bodies, being found upon the ridge that cast them + up, gave a dismal name to a place that never was merry in the best of + weather. + </p> + <p> + However, worse things than this had happened; and the country is not chary + of its living, though apt to be scared of its dead; and so the ford came + into use again, with a little attempt at improvement. For those farmers + being beyond recall, and their families hard to provide for, Richard + Yordas, of Scargate Hall, the chief owner of the neighborhood, set a long + heavy stone up on either brink, and stretched a strong chain between them, + not only to mark out the course of the shallow, whose shelf is askew to + the channel, but also that any one being washed away might fetch up, and + feel how to save himself. For the Tees is a violent water sometimes, and + the safest way to cross it is to go on till you come to a good stone + bridge. + </p> + <p> + Now forty years after that sad destruction of brave but not well-guided + men, and thirty years after the chain was fixed, that their sons might not + go after them, another thing happened at “Seven Corpse Ford,” worse than + the drowning of the farmers. Or, at any rate, it made more stir (which is + of wider spread than sorrow), because of the eminence of the man, and the + length and width of his property. Neither could any one at first believe + in so quiet an end to so turbulent a course. Nevertheless it came to pass, + as lightly as if he were a reed or a bubble of the river that belonged to + him. + </p> + <p> + It was upon a gentle evening, a few days after Michaelmas of 1777. No + flood was in the river then, and no fog on the moor-land, only the usual + course of time, keeping the silent company of stars. The young moon was + down, and the hover of the sky (in doubt of various lights) was gone, and + the equal spread of obscurity soothed the eyes of any reasonable man. + </p> + <p> + But the man who rode down to the river that night had little love of + reason. Headstrong chief of a headlong race, no will must depart a + hair's-breadth from his; and fifty years of arrogant port had stiffened a + neck too stiff at birth. Even now in the dim light his large square form + stood out against the sky like a cromlech, and his heavy arms swung like + gnarled boughs of oak, for a storm of wrath was moving him. In his youth + he had rebelled against his father; and now his own son was a rebel to + him. + </p> + <p> + “Good, my boy, good!” he said, within his grizzled beard, while his eyes + shone with fire, like the flints beneath his horse; “you have had your own + way, have you, then? But never shall you step upon an acre of your own, + and your timber shall be the gallows. Done, my boy, once and forever.” + </p> + <p> + Philip, the squire, the son of Richard, and father of Duncan Yordas, with + fierce satisfaction struck the bosom of his heavy Bradford riding-coat, + and the crackle of parchment replied to the blow, while with the other + hand he drew rein on the brink of the Tees sliding rapidly. + </p> + <p> + The water was dark with the twinkle of the stars, and wide with the vapor + of the valley, but Philip Yordas in the rage of triumph laughed and + spurred his reflecting horse. + </p> + <p> + “Fool!” he cried, without an oath—no Yordas ever used an oath except + in playful moments—“fool! what fear you? There hangs my respected + father's chain. Ah, he was something like a man! Had I ever dared to flout + him so, he would have hanged me with it.” + </p> + <p> + Wild with his wrong, he struck the rowel deep into the flank of his wading + horse, and in scorn of the depth drove him up the river. The shoulders of + the swimming horse broke the swirling water, as he panted and snorted + against it; and if Philip Yordas had drawn back at once, he might even now + have crossed safely. But the fury of his blood was up, the stronger the + torrent the fiercer his will, and the fight between passion and power went + on. The poor horse was fain to swerve back at last; but he struck him on + the head with a carbine, and shouted to the torrent: + </p> + <p> + “Drown me, if you can. My father used to say that I was never born to + drown. My own water drown me! That would be a little too much insolence.” + </p> + <p> + “Too much insolence” were his last words. The strength of the horse was + exhausted. The beat of his legs grew short and faint, the white of his + eyes rolled piteously, and the gurgle of his breath subsided. His heavy + head dropped under water, and his sodden crest rolled over, like sea-weed + where a wave breaks. The stream had him all at its mercy, and showed no + more than his savage master had, but swept him a wallowing lump away, and + over the reef of the crossing. With both feet locked in the twisted + stirrups, and right arm broken at the elbow, the rider was swung (like the + mast of a wreck) and flung with his head upon his father's chain. There he + was held by his great square chin—for the jar of his backbone + stunned him—and the weight of the swept-away horse broke the neck + which never had been known to bend. In the morning a peasant found him + there, not drowned but hanged, with eyes wide open, a swaying corpse upon + a creaking chain. So his father (though long in the grave) was his death, + as he often had promised to be to him; while he (with the habit of his + race) clutched fast with dead hand on dead bosom the instrument securing + the starvation of his son. + </p> + <p> + Of the Yordas family truly was it said that the will of God was nothing to + their will—as long as the latter lasted—and that every man of + them scorned all Testament, old or new, except his own. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER II + </h2> + <h3> + SCARGATE HALL + </h3> + <p> + Nearly twenty-four years had passed since Philip Yordas was carried to his + last (as well as his first) repose, and Scargate Hall had enjoyed some + rest from the turbulence of owners. For as soon as Duncan (Philip's son, + whose marriage had maddened his father) was clearly apprised by the late + squire's lawyer of his disinheritance, he collected his own little money + and his wife's, and set sail for India. His mother, a Scotchwoman of good + birth but evil fortunes, had left him something; and his bride (the + daughter of his father's greatest foe) was not altogether empty-handed. + His sisters were forbidden by the will to help him with a single penny; + and Philippa, the elder, declaring and believing that Duncan had killed + her father, strictly obeyed the injunction. But Eliza, being of a softer + kind, and herself then in love with Captain Carnaby, would gladly have + aided her only brother, but for his stern refusal. In such a case, a more + gentle nature than ever endowed a Yordas might have grown hardened and + bitter; and Duncan, being of true Yordas fibre (thickened and toughened + with slower Scotch sap), was not of the sort to be ousted lightly and grow + at the feet of his supplanters. + </p> + <p> + Therefore he cast himself on the winds, in search of fairer soil, and was + not heard of in his native land; and Scargate Hall and estates were held + by the sisters in joint tenancy, with remainder to the first son born of + whichever it might be of them. And this was so worded through the hurry of + their father to get some one established in the place of his own son. + </p> + <p> + But from paltry passions, turn away a little while to the things which + excite, but are not excited by them. + </p> + <p> + Scargate Hall stands, high and old, in the wildest and most rugged part of + the wild and rough North Riding. Many are the tales about it, in the few + and humble cots, scattered in the modest distance, mainly to look up at + it. In spring and summer, of the years that have any, the height and the + air are not only fine, but even fair and pleasant. So do the shadows and + the sunshine wander, elbowing into one another on the moor, and so does + the glance of smiling foliage soothe the austerity of crag and scaur. At + such time, also, the restless torrent (whose fury has driven content away + through many a short day and long night) is not in such desperate hurry to + bury its troubles in the breast of Tees, but spreads them in language that + sparkles to the sun, or even makes leisure to turn into corners of deep + browns tudy about the people on its banks—especially, perhaps, the + miller. + </p> + <p> + But never had this impetuous water more reason to stop and reflect upon + people of greater importance, who called it their own, than now when it + was at the lowest of itself, in August of the year 1801. + </p> + <p> + From time beyond date the race of Yordas had owned and inhabited this old + place. From them the river, and the river's valley, and the mountain of + its birth, took name, or else, perhaps, gave name to them; for the history + of the giant Yordas still remains to be written, and the materials are + scanty. His present descendants did not care an old song for his memory, + even if he ever had existence to produce it. Piety (whether in the Latin + sense or English) never had marked them for her own; their days were long + in the land, through a long inactivity of the Decalogue. + </p> + <p> + And yet in some manner this lawless race had been as a law to itself + throughout. From age to age came certain gifts and certain ways of + management, which saved the family life from falling out of rank and land + and lot. From deadly feuds, exhausting suits, and ruinous profusion, when + all appeared lost, there had always arisen a man of direct lineal stock to + retrieve the estates and reprieve the name. And what is still more + conducive to the longevity of families, no member had appeared as yet of a + power too large and an aim too lofty, whose eminence must be cut short + with axe, outlawry, and attainder. Therefore there ever had been a Yordas, + good or bad (and by his own showing more often of the latter kind), to + stand before heaven, and hold the land, and harass them that dwelt + thereon. But now at last the world seemed to be threatened with the + extinction of a fine old name. + </p> + <p> + When Squire Philip died in the river, as above recorded, his death, from + one point of view, was dry, since nobody shed a tear for him, unless it + was his child Eliza. Still, he was missed and lamented in speech, and even + in eloquent speeches, having been a very strong Justice of the Peace, as + well as the foremost of riotous gentlemen keeping the order of the county. + He stood above them in his firm resolve to have his own way always, and + his way was so crooked that the difficulty was to get out of it and let + him have it. And when he was dead, it was either too good or too bad to + believe in; and even after he was buried it was held that this might be + only another of his tricks. + </p> + <p> + But after his ghost had been seen repeatedly, sitting on the chain and + swearing, it began to be known that he was gone indeed, and the relief + afforded by his absence endeared him to sad memory. Moreover, his good + successors enhanced the relish of scandal about him by seeming themselves + to be always so dry, distant, and unimpeachable. Especially so did “My + Lady Philippa,” as the elder daughter was called by all the tenants and + dependents, though the family now held no title of honor. + </p> + <p> + Mistress Yordas, as she was more correctly styled by usage of the period, + was a maiden lady of fine presence, uncumbered as yet by weight of years, + and only dignified thereby. Stately, and straight, and substantial of + figure, firm but not coarse of feature, she had reached her forty-fifth + year without an ailment or a wrinkle. Her eyes were steadfast, clear, and + bright, well able to second her distinct calm voice, and handsome still, + though their deep blue had waned into a quiet, impenetrable gray; while + her broad clear forehead, straight nose, and red lips might well be + considered as comely as ever, at least by those who loved her. Of these, + however, there were not many; and she was content to have it so. + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carnaby, the younger sister, would not have been content to have it + so. Though not of the weak lot which is enfeoffed to popularity, she liked + to be regarded kindly, and would rather win a smile than exact a courtesy. + Continually it was said of her that she was no genuine Yordas, though + really she had all the pride and all the stubbornness of that race, + enlarged, perhaps, but little weakened, by severe afflictions. This lady + had lost a beloved husband, Colonel Carnaby, killed in battle; and after + that four children of the five she had been so proud of. And the waters of + affliction had not turned to bitterness in her soul. + </p> + <p> + Concerning the outward part—which matters more than the inward at + first hand—Mrs. Carnaby had no reason to complain of fortune. She + had started well as a very fine baby, and grown up well into a lovely + maiden, passing through wedlock into a sightly matron, gentle, fair, and + showing reason. For generations it had come to pass that those of the + Yordas race who deserved to be cut off for their doings out-of-doors were + followed by ladies of decorum, self-restraint, and regard for their + neighbor's landmark. And so it was now with these two ladies, the handsome + Philippa and the fair Eliza leading a peaceful and reputable life, and + carefully studying their rent-roll. + </p> + <p> + It was not, however, in the fitness of things that quiet should reign at + Scargate Hall for a quarter of a century; and one strong element of + disturbance grew already manifest. Under the will of Squire Philip the + heir-apparent was the one surviving child of Mrs. Carnaby. + </p> + <p> + If ever a mortal life was saved by dint of sleepless care, warm coddling, + and perpetual doctoring, it was the precious life of Master Lancelot + Yordas Carnaby. In him all the mischief of his race revived, without the + strong substance to carry it off. Though his parents were healthy and + vigorous, he was of weakly constitution, which would not have been half so + dangerous to him if his mind also had been weakly. But his mind (or at any + rate that rudiment thereof which appears in the shape of self-will even + before the teeth appear) was a piece of muscular contortion, tough as oak + and hard as iron. “Pet” was his name with his mother and his aunt; and his + enemies (being the rest of mankind) said that pet was his name and his + nature. + </p> + <p> + For this dear child could brook no denial, no slow submission to his + wishes; whatever he wanted must come in a moment, punctual as an echo. In + him re-appeared not the stubbornness only, but also the keen ingenuity of + Yordas in finding out the very thing that never should be done, and then + the unerring perception of the way in which it could be done most + noxiously. Yet any one looking at his eyes would think how tender and + bright must his nature be! “He favoreth his forebears; how can he help + it?” kind people exclaimed, when they knew him. And the servants of the + house excused themselves when condemned for putting up with him, “Yo know + not what 'a is, yo that talk so. He maun get 's own gait, lestwise yo wud + chok' un.” + </p> + <p> + Being too valuable to be choked, he got his own way always. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER III + </h2> + <h3> + A DISAPPOINTING APPOINTMENT + </h3> + <p> + For the sake of Pet Carnaby and of themselves, the ladies of the house + were disquieted now, in the first summer weather of a wet cold year, the + year of our Lord 1801. And their trouble arose as follows: + </p> + <p> + There had long been a question between the sisters and Sir Walter Carnaby, + brother of the late colonel, about an exchange of outlying land, which + would have to be ratified by “Pet” hereafter. Terms being settled and + agreement signed, the lawyers fell to at the linked sweetness of deducing + title. The abstract of the Yordas title was nearly as big as the parish + Bible, so in and out had their dealings been, and so intricate their + pugnacity. + </p> + <p> + Among the many other of the Yordas freaks was a fatuous and generally + fatal one. For the slightest miscarriage they discharged their lawyer, and + leaped into the office of a new one. Has any man moved in the affairs of + men, with a grain of common-sense or half a pennyweight of experience, + without being taught that an old tenter-hook sits easier to him than a new + one? And not only that, but in shifting his quarters he may leave some + truly fundamental thing behind. + </p> + <p> + Old Mr. Jellicorse, of Middleton in Teesdale, had won golden opinions + every where. He was an uncommonly honest lawyer, highly incapable of + almost any trick, and lofty in his view of things, when his side of them + was the legal one. He had a large collection of those interesting boxes + which are to a lawyer and his family better than caskets of silver and + gold; and especially were his shelves furnished with what might be called + the library of the Scargate title-deeds. He had been proud to take charge + of these nearly thirty years ago, and had married on the strength of them, + though warned by the rival from whom they were wrested that he must not + hope to keep them long. However, through the peaceful incumbency of + ladies, they remained in his office all those years. + </p> + <p> + This was the gentleman who had drawn and legally sped to its purport the + will of the lamented Squire Philip, who refused very clearly to leave it, + and took horse to flourish it at his rebellious son. Mr. Jellicorse had + done the utmost, as behooved him, against that rancorous testament; but + meeting with silence more savage than words, and a bow to depart, he had + yielded; and the squire stamped about the room until his job was finished. + </p> + <p> + A fact accomplished, whether good or bad, improves in character with every + revolution of this little world around the sun, that heavenly example of + subservience. And now Mr. Jellicorse was well convinced, as nothing had + occurred to disturb that will, and the life of the testator had been + sacrificed to it, and the devisees under it were his own good clients, and + some of his finest turns of words were in it, and the preparation, + execution, and attestation, in an hour and ten minutes of the office + clock, had never been equalled in Yorkshire before, and perhaps never + honestly in London—taking all these things into conscious or + unconscious balance, Mr. Jellicorse grew into the clear conviction that + “righteous and wise” were the words to be used whenever this will was + spoken of. + </p> + <p> + With pleasant remembrance of the starveling fees wherewith he used to + charge the public, ere ever his golden spurs were won, the prosperous + lawyer now began to run his eye through a duplicate of an abstract + furnished upon some little sale about forty years before. This would form + the basis of the abstract now to be furnished to Sir Walter Carnaby, with + little to be added but the will of Philip Yordas, and statement of facts + to be verified. Mr. Jellicorse was fat, but very active still; he liked + good living, but he liked to earn it, and could not sit down to his dinner + without feeling that he had helped the Lord to provide these mercies. He + carried a pencil on his chain, and liked to use it ere ever he began with + knife and fork. For the young men in the office, as he always said, knew + nothing. + </p> + <p> + The day was very bright and clear, and the sun shone through soft lilac + leaves on more important folios, while Mr. Jellicorse, with happy sniffs—for + his dinner was roasting in the distance—drew a single line here, or + a double line there, or a gable on the margin of the paper, to show his + head clerk what to cite, and in what letters, and what to omit, in the + abstract to be rendered. For the good solicitor had spent some time in the + chambers of a famous conveyancer in London, and prided himself upon + deducing title, directly, exhaustively, and yet tersely, in one word, + scientifically, and not as the mere quill-driver. The title to the + hereditaments, now to be given in exchange, went back for many + generations; but as the deeds were not to pass, Mr. Jellicorse, like an + honest man, drew a line across, and made a star at one quite old enough to + begin with, in which the little moorland farm in treaty now was specified. + With hum and ha of satisfaction he came down the records, as far as the + settlement made upon the marriage of Richard Yordas, of Scargate Hall, + Esquire, and Eleanor, the daughter of Sir Fursan de Roos. This document + created no entail, for strict settlements had never been the manner of the + race; but the property assured in trust, to satisfy the jointure, was then + declared subject to joint and surviving powers of appointment limited to + the issue of the marriage, with remainder to the uses of the will of the + aforesaid Richard Yordas, or, failing such will, to his right heirs + forever. + </p> + <p> + All this was usual enough, and Mr. Jellicorse heeded it little, having + never heard of any appointment, and knowing that Richard, the grandfather + of his clients, had died, as became a true Yordas, in a fit of fury with a + poor tenant, intestate, as well as unrepentant. The lawyer, being a + slightly pious man, afforded a little sigh to this remembrance, and lifted + his finger to turn the leaf, but the leaf stuck a moment, and the paper + being raised at the very best angle to the sun, he saw, or seemed to see, + a faint red line, just over against that appointment clause. And then the + yellow margin showed some faint red marks. + </p> + <p> + “Well, I never,” Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed—“certainly never saw these + marks before. Diana, where are my glasses?” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Jellicorse had been to see the potatoes on (for the new cook simply + made “kettlefuls of fish” of every thing put upon the fire), and now at + her husband's call she went to her work-box for his spectacles, which he + was not allowed to wear except on Sundays, for fear of injuring his + eyesight. Equipped with these, and drawing nearer to the window, the + lawyer gradually made out this: first a broad faint line of red, as if + some attorney, now a ghost, had cut his finger, and over against that in + small round hand the letters “v. b. c.” Mr. Jellicorse could swear that + they were “v. b. c.” + </p> + <p> + “Don't ask me to eat any dinner to-day,” he exclaimed, when his wife came + to fetch him. “Diana, I am occupied; go and eat it up without me.” + </p> + <p> + “Nonsense, James,” she answered, calmly; “you never get any clever + thoughts by starving.” + </p> + <p> + Moved by this reasoning, he submitted, fed his wife and children and own + good self, and then brought up a bottle of old Spanish wine to strengthen + the founts of discovery. Whose writing was that upon the broad marge of + verbosity? Why had it never been observed before? Above all, what was + meant by “v. b. c.”? + </p> + <p> + Unaided, he might have gone on forever, to the bottom of a butt of Xeres + wine; but finding the second glass better than the first, he called to + Mrs. Jellicorse, who was in the garden gathering striped roses, to come + and have a sip with him, and taste the yellow cherries. And when she came + promptly, with the flowers in her hand, and their youngest little daughter + making sly eyes at the fruit, bothered as he was, he could not help + smiling and saying, “Oh, Diana, what is 'v. b. c.'?” + </p> + <p> + “Very black currants, papa!” cried Emily, dancing a long bunch in the air. + </p> + <p> + “Hush, dear child, you are getting too forward,” said her mother, though + proud of her quickness. “James, how should I know what 'v. b. c.' is? But + I wish most heartily that you would rid me of my old enemy, box C. I want + to put a hanging press in that corner, instead of which you turn the very + passages into office.” + </p> + <p> + “Box C? I remember no box C.” + </p> + <p> + “You may not have noticed the letter C upon it, but the box you must know + as well as I do. It belongs to those proud Yordas people, who hold their + heads so high, forsooth, as if nobody but themselves belonged to a good + old county family! That makes me hate the box the more.” + </p> + <p> + “I will take it out of your way at once. I may want it. It should be with + the others. I know it as well as I know my snuff-box. It was Aberthaw who + put it in that corner; but I had forgotten that it was lettered. The + others are all numbered.” + </p> + <p> + Of course Mr. Jellicorse was not weak enough to make the partner of his + bosom the partner of his business; and much as she longed to know why he + had put an unusual question to her, she trusted to the future for + discovery of that point. She left him, and he with no undue haste—for + the business, after all, was not his own—began to follow out his + train of thought, in manner much as follows: + </p> + <p> + “This is that old Duncombe's writing—'Dunder-headed Duncombe,' as he + used to be called in his lifetime, but 'Long-headed Duncombe' afterward. + None but his wife knew whether he was a wise man, or a wiseacre. Perhaps + either, according to the treatment he received. Richard Yordas treated him + badly; that may have made him wiser. V. b. c. means 'vide box C,' unless I + am greatly mistaken. He wrote those letters as plainly and clearly as he + could against this power of appointment as recited here. But afterward, + with knife and pounce, he scraped them out, as now becomes plain with this + magnifying-glass; probably he did so when all these archives, as he used + to call them, were rudely ordered over to my predecessor. A nice bit of + revenge, if my suspicions are correct; and a pretty confusion will follow + it.” + </p> + <p> + The lawyer's suspicions proved too correct. He took that box to his + private room, and with some trouble unlocked it. A damp and musty smell + came forth, as when a man delves a potato-bury; and then appeared layers + of parchment yellow and brown, in and out with one another, according to + the curing of the sheep-skin, perhaps, or the age of the sheep when he + began to die; skins much older than any man's who handled them, and drier + than the brains of any lawyer. + </p> + <p> + “Anno Jacobi tertio, and Quadragesimo Elisabethae! How nice it sounds!” + Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed; “they ought all to go in, and be charged for. + People to be satisfied with sixty years' title! Why, bless the Lord, I am + sixty-eight myself, and could buy and sell the grammar school at eight + years old. It is no security, no security at all. What did the learned + Bacupiston say—'If a rogue only lives to be a hundred and eleven, he + may have been for ninety years disseized, and nobody alive to know it!'” + </p> + <p> + Older and older grew the documents as the lawyer's hand travelled + downward; any flaw or failure must have been healed by lapse of time long + and long ago; dust and grime and mildew thickened, ink became paler, and + contractions more contorted; it was rather an antiquary's business now + than a lawyer's to decipher them. + </p> + <p> + “What a fool I am!” the solicitor thought. “My cuffs will never wash white + again, and all I have found is a mare's-nest. However, I'll go to the + bottom now. There may be a gold seal—they used to put them in with + the deeds three hundred years ago. A charter of Edward the Fourth, I + declare! Ah, the Yordases were Yorkists—halloa! what is here? By the + Touchstone of Shepherd, I was right after all! Well done, Long-headed + Duncombe!” + </p> + <p> + From the very bottom of the box he took a parchment comparatively fresh + and new, indorsed “Appointment by Richard Yordas, Esquire, and Eleanor his + wife, of lands and heredits at Scargate and elsewhere in the county of + York, dated Nov. 15th, A.D. 1751.” Having glanced at the signatures and + seals, Mr. Jellicorse spread the document, which was of moderate compass, + and soon convinced himself that his work of the morning had been wholly + thrown away. No title could be shown to Whitestone Farm, nor even to + Scargate Hall itself, on the part of the present owners. + </p> + <p> + The appointment was by deed-poll, and strictly in accordance with the + powers of the settlement. Duly executed and attested, clearly though + clumsily expressed, and beyond all question genuine, it simply nullified + (as concerned the better half of the property) the will which had cost + Philip Yordas his life. For under this limitation Philip held a mere + life-interest, his father and mother giving all men to know by those + presents that they did thereby from and after the decease of their said + son Philip grant limit and appoint &c. all and singular the said lands + &c. to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten &c. &c. in tail + general, with remainder over, and final remainder to the right heirs of + the said Richard Yordas forever. From all which it followed that while + Duncan Yordas, or child, or other descendant of his, remained in the land + of the living, or even without that if he having learned it had been + enabled to bar the entail and then sell or devise the lands away, the + ladies in possession could show no title, except a possessory one, as yet + unhallowed by the lapse of time. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse was a very pleasant-looking man, also one who took a + pleasant view of other men and things; but he could not help pulling a + long and sad face as he thought of the puzzle before him. Duncan Yordas + had not been heard of among his own hills and valleys since 1778, when he + embarked for India. None of the family ever had cared to write or read + long letters, their correspondence (if any) was short, without being sweet + by any means. It might be a subject for prayer and hope that Duncan should + be gone to a better world, without leaving hostages to fortune here; but + sad it is to say that neither prayer nor hope produces any faith in the + counsel who prepares “requisitions upon title.” + </p> + <p> + On the other hand, inquiry as to Duncan's history since he left his native + land would be a delicate and expensive work, and perhaps even dangerous, + if he should hear of it, and inquire about the inquirers. For the last + thing to be done from a legal point of view—though the first of all + from a just one—was to apprise the rightful owner of his unexpected + position. Now Mr. Jellicorse was a just man; but his justice was due to + his clients first. + </p> + <p> + After a long brown study he reaped his crop of meditation thus: “It is a + ticklish job; and I will sleep three nights upon it.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IV + </h2> + <h3> + DISQUIETUDE + </h3> + <p> + The ladies of Scargate Hall were uneasy, although the weather was so fine, + upon this day of early August, in the year now current. It was a + remarkable fact, that in spite of the distance they slept asunder, which + could not be less than five-and-thirty yards, both had been visited by a + dream, which appeared to be quite the same dream until examined narrowly, + and being examined, grew more surprising in its points of difference. They + were much above paying any heed to dreams, though instructed by the + patriarchs to do so; and they seemed to be quite getting over the effects, + when the lesson and the punishment astonished them. + </p> + <p> + Lately it had been established (although many leading people went against + it, and threatened to prosecute the man for trespass) that here in these + quiet and reputable places, where no spy could be needed, a man should + come twice every week with letters, and in the name of the king be paid + for them. Such things were required in towns, perhaps, as corporations and + gutters were; but to bring them where people could mind their own + business, and charge them two groats for some fool who knew their names, + was like putting a tax upon their christening. So it was the hope of many, + as well as every one's belief, that the postman, being of Lancastrian + race, would very soon be bogged, or famished, or get lost in a fog, or + swept off by a flood, or go and break his own neck from a precipice. + </p> + <p> + The postman, however, was a wiry fellow, and as tough as any native, and + he rode a pony even tougher than himself, whose cradle was a marsh, and + whose mother a mountain, his first breath a fog, and his weaning meat + wire-grass, and his form a combination of sole-leather and corundum. He + wore no shoes for fear of not making sparks at night, to know the road by, + and although his bit had been a blacksmith's rasp, he would yield to it + only when it suited him. The postman, whose name was George King (which + confounded him with King George, in the money to pay), carried a sword and + blunderbuss, and would use them sooner than argue. + </p> + <p> + Now this man and horse had come slowly along, without meaning any + mischief, to deliver a large sealed packet, with sixteen pence to pay put + upon it, “to Mistress Philippa Yordas, etc., her own hands, and speed, + speed, speed;” which they carried out duly by stop, stop, stop, whensoever + they were hungry, or saw any thing to look at. None the less for that, + though with certainty much later, they arrived in good trim, by the middle + of the day, and ready for the comfort which they both deserved. + </p> + <p> + As yet it was not considered safe to trust any tidings of importance to + the post in such a world as this was; and even were it safe, it would be + bad manners from a man of business. Therefore Mr. Jellicorse had sealed up + little, except his respectful consideration and request to be allowed to + wait upon his honored clients, concerning a matter of great moment, upon + the afternoon of Thursday then next ensuing. And the post had gone so far, + to give good distance for the money, that the Thursday of the future came + to be that very day. + </p> + <p> + The present century opened with a chilly and dark year, following three + bad seasons of severity and scarcity. And in the northwest of Yorkshire, + though the summer was now so far advanced, there had been very little + sunshine. For the last day or two, the sun had labored to sweep up the + mist and cloud, and was beginning to prevail so far that the mists drew + their skirts up and retired into haze, while the clouds fell away to the + ring of the sky, and there lay down to abide their time. Wherefore it + happened that “Yordas House” (as the ancient building was in old time + called) had a clearer view than usual of the valley, and the river that + ran away, and the road that tried to run up to it. Now this was considered + a wonderful road, and in fair truth it was wonderful, withstanding all + efforts of even the Royal Mail pony to knock it to pieces. In its rapidity + down hill it surpassed altogether the river, which galloped along by the + side of it, and it stood out so boldly with stones of no shame that even + by moonlight nobody could lose it, until it abruptly lost itself. But it + never did that, until the house it came from was two miles away, and no + other to be seen; and so why should it go any further? + </p> + <p> + At the head of this road stood the old gray house, facing toward the south + of east, to claim whatever might come up the valley, sun, or storm, or + columned fog. In the days of the past it had claimed much more—goods, + and cattle, and tribute of the traffic going northward—as the + loop-holed quadrangle for impounded stock, and the deeply embrasured + tower, showed. At the back of the house rose a mountain spine, blocking + out the westering sun, but cut with one deep portal where a pass ran into + Westmoreland—the scaur-gate whence the house was named; and through + this gate of mountain often, when the day was waning, a bar of slanting + sunset entered, like a plume of golden dust, and hovered on a broad black + patch of weather-beaten fir-trees. The day was waning now, and every steep + ascent looked steeper, while down the valley light and shade made longer + cast of shuttle, and the margin of the west began to glow with a deep + wine-color, as the sun came down—the tinge of many mountains and the + distant sea—until the sun himself settled quietly into it, and there + grew richer and more ripe (as old bottled wine is fed by the crust), and + bowed his rubicund farewell, through the postern of the scaur-gate, to the + old Hall, and the valley, and the face of Mr. Jellicorse. + </p> + <p> + That gentleman's countenance did not, however, reply with its usual + brightness to the mellow salute of evening. Wearied and shaken by the + long, rough ride, and depressed by the heavy solitude, he hated and almost + feared the task which every step brought nearer. As the house rose higher + and higher against the red sky, and grew darker, and as the sullen roar of + blood-hounds (terrors of the neighborhood) roused the slow echoes of the + crags, the lawyer was almost fain to turn his horse's head, and face the + risks of wandering over the moor by night. But the hoisting of a flag, the + well-known token (confirmed by large letters on a rock) that strangers + might safely approach, inasmuch as the savage dogs were kennelled—this, + and the thought of such an entry for his day-book, kept Mr. Jellicorse + from ignominious flight. He was in for it now, and must carry it through. + </p> + <p> + In a deep embayed window of leaded glass Mistress Yordas and her widowed + sister sat for an hour, without many words, watching the zigzag of shale + and rock which formed their chief communication with the peopled world. + They did not care to improve their access, or increase their traffic; not + through cold morosity, or even proud indifference, but because they had + been so brought up, and so confirmed by circumstance. For the Yordas + blood, however hot and wild and savage in the gentlemen, was generally + calm and good, though steadfast, in the weaker vessels. For the main part, + however, a family takes it character more from the sword than the spindle; + and their sword hand had been like Esau's. + </p> + <p> + Little as they meddled with the doings of the world, of one thing at least + these stately Madams—as the baffled squires of the Riding called + them—were by no means heedless. They dressed themselves according to + their rank, or perhaps above it. Many a nobleman's wife in Yorkshire had + not such apparel; and even of those so richly gifted, few could have come + up to the purpose better. Nobody, unless of their own sex, thought of + their dresses when looking at them. + </p> + <p> + “He rides very badly,” Philippa said; “the people from the lowlands always + do. He may not have courage to go home tonight. But he ought to have + thought of that before.” + </p> + <p> + “Poor man! We must offer him a bed, of course,” Mrs. Carnaby answered; + “but he should have come earlier in the day. What shall we do with him, + when he has done his business?” + </p> + <p> + “It is not our place to amuse our lawyer. He might go and smoke in the + Justice-room, and then Welldrum could play bagatelle with him.” + </p> + <p> + “Philippa, you forget that the Jellicorses are of a good old county stock. + His wife is a stupid, pretentious thing; but we need not treat him as we + must treat her. And it may be as well to make much of him, perhaps, if + there really is any trouble coming.” + </p> + <p> + “You are thinking of Pet. By-the-bye, are you certain that Pet can not get + at Saracen? You know how he let him loose last Easter, when the flag was + flying, and the poor man has been in his bed ever since.” + </p> + <p> + “Jordas will see to that. He can be trusted to mind the dogs well, ever + since you fined him in a fortnight's wages. That was an excellent thought + of yours.” + </p> + <p> + Jordas might have been called the keeper, or the hind, or the henchman, or + the ranger, or the porter, or the bailiff, or the reeve, or some other of + some fifty names of office, in a place of more civilization, so many and + so various were his tasks. But here his professional name was the + “dogman;” and he held that office according to an ancient custom of the + Scargate race, whence also his surname (if such it were) arose. For of old + time and in outlandish parts a finer humanity prevailed, and a richer + practical wisdom upon certain questions. Irregular offsets of the stock, + instead of being cast upon the world as waifs and strays, were allowed a + place in the kitchen-garden or stable-yard, and flourished there without + disgrace, while useful and obedient. Thus for generations here the + legitimate son was Yordas, and took the house and manors; the illegitimate + became Jordas, and took to the gate, and the minding of the dogs, and any + other office of fidelity. + </p> + <p> + The present Jordas was, however, of less immediate kin to the owners, + being only the son of a former Jordas, and in the enjoyment of a Christian + name, which never was provided for a first-hand Jordas; and now as his + mistress looked out on the terrace, his burly figure came duly forth, and + his keen eyes ranged the walks and courts, in search of Master Lancelot, + who gave him more trouble in a day, sometimes, than all the dogs cost in a + twelvemonth. With a fine sense of mischief, this boy delighted to watch + the road for visitors, and then (if barbarously denied his proper + enjoyment and that of the dogs) he still had goodly devices of his own for + producing little tragedies. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse knew Jordas well, and felt some pity for him, because, if + his grandmother had been wiser, he might have been the master now; and the + lawyer, having much good feeling, liked not to make a groom of him. + Jordas, however, knew his place, and touched his hat respectfully, then + helped the solicitor to dismount, the which was sorely needed. + </p> + <p> + “You came not by the way of the ford, Sir?” the dogman asked, while + considering the leathers. “The water is down; you might have saved three + miles.” + </p> + <p> + “Better lose thirty than my life. Will any of your men, Master Jordas, + show me a room, where I may prepare to wait upon your ladies?” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse walked through the old arched gate of the reever's court, + and was shown to a room, where he unpacked his valise, and changed his + riding clothes, and refreshed himself. A jug of Scargate ale was brought + to him, and a bottle of foreign wine, with the cork drawn, lest he should + hesitate; also a cold pie, bread and butter, and a small case-bottle of + some liqueur. He was not hungry, for his wife had cared to victual him + well for the journey; but for fear of offense he ate a morsel, found it + good, and ate some more. Then after a sip or two of the liqueur, and a + glance or two at his black silk stockings, buckled shoes, and best + small-clothes, he felt himself fit to go before a duchess, as once upon a + time he had actually done, and expressed himself very well indeed, + according to the dialogue delivered whenever he told the story about it + every day. + </p> + <p> + Welldrum, the butler, was waiting for him—a man who had his own + ideas, and was going to be put upon by nobody. “If my father could only + come to life for one minute, he would spend it in kicking that man,” Mrs. + Carnaby had exclaimed, about him, after carefully shutting the door; but + he never showed airs before Miss Yordas. + </p> + <p> + “Come along, Sir,” Welldrum said, after one professional glance at the + tray, to ascertain his residue. “My ladies have been waiting this half + hour; and for sure, Sir, you looks wonderful! This way, Sir, and have a + care of them oak fagots. My ladies, Lawyer Jellicorse!” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER V + </h2> + <h3> + DECISION + </h3> + <p> + The sun was well down and away behind the great fell at the back of the + house, and the large and heavily furnished room was feebly lit by four wax + candles, and the glow of the west reflected as a gleam into eastern + windows. The lawyer was pleased to have it so, and to speak with a dimly + lighted face. The ladies looked beautiful; that was all that Mr. + Jellicorse could say, when cross-examined by his wife next day concerning + their lace and velvet. Whether they wore lace or net was almost more than + he could say, for he did not heed such trifles; but velvet was within his + knowledge (though not the color or the shape), because he thought it hot + for summer, until he remembered what the climate was. Really he could say + nothing more, except that they looked beautiful; and when Mrs. Jellicorse + jerked her head, he said that he only meant, of course, considering their + time of life. + </p> + <p> + The ladies saw his admiration, and felt that it was but natural. Mrs. + Carnaby came forward kindly, and offered him a nice warm hand; while the + elder sister was content to bow, and thank him for coming, and hope that + he was well. As yet it had not become proper for a gentleman, visiting + ladies, to yawn, and throw himself into the nearest chair, and cross his + legs, and dance one foot, and ask how much the toy-terrier cost. Mr. + Jellicorse made a fine series of bows, not without a scrape or two, which + showed his goodly calf; and after that he waited for the gracious + invitation to sit down. + </p> + <p> + “If I understood your letter clearly,” Mistress Yordas began, when these + little rites were duly accomplished, “you have something important to tell + us concerning our poor property here. A small property, Mr. Jellicorse, + compared with that of the Duke of Lunedale, but perhaps a little longer in + one family.” + </p> + <p> + “The duke is a new-fangled interloper,” replied hypocritical Jellicorse, + though no other duke was the husband of the duchess of whom he indited + daily; “properties of that sort come and go, and only tradesmen notice it. + Your estates have been longer in the seisin of one family, madam, than any + other in the Riding, or perhaps in Yorkshire.” + </p> + <p> + “We never seized them!” cried Mrs. Carnaby, being sensitive as to + ancestral thefts, through tales about cattle-lifting. “You must be aware + that they came to us by grant from the Crown, or even before there was any + Crown to grant them.” + </p> + <p> + “I beg your pardon for using a technical word, without explaining it. + Seisin is a legal word, which simply means possession, or rather the + bodily holding of a thing, and is used especially of corporeal + hereditaments. You ladies have seisin of this house and lands, although + you never seized them.” + </p> + <p> + “The last thing we would think of doing,” answered Mrs. Carnaby, who was + more impulsive than her sister, also less straightforward. “How often we + have wished that our poor lost brother had not been deprived of them! But + our father's will was sacred, and you told us we were helpless. We + struggled, as you know; but we could do nothing.” + </p> + <p> + “That is the question which brought me here,” the lawyer said, very + quietly, at the same time producing a small roll of parchment sealed in + cartridge paper. “Last week I discovered a document which I am forced to + submit to your judgment. Shall I read it to you, or tell its purport + briefly?” + </p> + <p> + “Whatever it may be, it can not in any way alter our conclusions. Our + conclusions have never varied, however deeply they may have grieved us. We + were bound to do justice to our dear father.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly, madam; and you did it. Also, as I know, you did it as kindly + as possible toward other relatives, and you only met with perversity. I + had the honor of preparing your respected father's will, a model of + clearness and precision, considering—considering the time afforded, + and other disturbing influences. I know for a fact that a copy was laid + before the finest draftsman in London, by—by those who were + displeased with it, and his words were: 'Beautiful! beautiful! Every word + of it holds water.' Now that, madam, can not be said of many; indeed, of + not one in—” + </p> + <p> + “Pardon me for interrupting you, but I have always understood you to + speak highly of it. And in such a case, what can be the matter?” + </p> + <p> + “The matter of all matters, madam, is that the testator should have + disposing power.” + </p> + <p> + “He could dispose of his own property as he was disposed, you mean.” + </p> + <p> + “You misapprehend me.” Mr. Jellicorse now was in his element, for he loved + to lecture—an absurdity just coming into vogue. “Indulge me one + moment. I take this silver dish, for instance; it is in my hands, I have + the use of it; but can I give it to either of you ladies?” + </p> + <p> + “Not very well, because it belongs to us already.” + </p> + <p> + “You misapprehend me. I can not give it because it is not mine to give.” + Mrs. Carnaby looked puzzled. + </p> + <p> + “Eliza, allow me,” said Mistress Yordas, in her stiffer manner, and now + for the first time interfering. “Mr. Jellicorse assures us that his + language is a model of clearness and precision; perhaps he will prove it + by telling us now, in plain words, what his meaning is.” + </p> + <p> + “What I mean, madam, is that your respected father could devise you a part + only of this property, because the rest was not his to devise. He only had + a life-interest in it.” + </p> + <p> + “His will, therefore, fails as to some part of the property? How much, and + what part, if you please?” + </p> + <p> + “The larger and better part of the estates, including this house and + grounds, and the home-farm.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carnaby started and began to speak; but her sister moved only to stop + her, and showed no signs of dismay or anger. + </p> + <p> + “For fear of putting too many questions at once,” she said, with a slight + bow and a smile, “let me beg you to explain, as shortly as possible, this + very surprising matter.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse watched her with some suspicion, because she called it so + surprising, yet showed so little surprise herself. For a moment he thought + that she must have heard of the document now in his hands; but he very + soon saw that it could not be so. It was only the ancient Yordas pride, + perversity, and stiffneckedness. And even Mrs. Carnaby, strengthened by + the strength of her sister, managed to look as if nothing more than a tale + of some tenant were pending. But this, or ten times this, availed not to + deceive Mr. Jellicorse. That gentleman, having seen much of the world, + whispered to himself that this was all “high jinks,” felt himself placed + on the stool of authority, and even ventured upon a pinch of snuff. This + was unwise, and cost him dear, for the ladies would not have been true to + their birth if they had not stored it against him. + </p> + <p> + He, however, with a friendly mind, and a tap now and then upon his + document, to give emphasis to his story, recounted the whole of it, and + set forth how much was come of it already, and how much it might lead to. + To Scargate Hall, and the better part of the property always enjoyed + therewith, Philippa Yordas and Eliza Carnaby had no claim whatever, except + on the score of possession, until it could be shown that their brother + Duncan was dead, without any heirs or assignment (which might have come to + pass through a son adult), and even so, his widow might come forward and + give trouble. Concerning all that, there was time enough to think; but + something must be done at once to cancel the bargain with Sir Walter + Carnaby, without letting his man of law get scent of the fatal defect in + title. And now that the ladies knew all, what did they say? + </p> + <p> + In answer to this, the ladies were inclined to put the whole blame upon + him, for not having managed matters better; and when he had shown that the + whole of it was done before he had any thing to do with it, they were + firmly convinced that he ought to have known it, and found a proper + remedy. And in the finished manner of well-born ladies they gave him to + know, without a strong expression, that such an atrocity was a black stain + on every legal son of Satan, living, dead, or still to issue from Gerizim. + </p> + <p> + “That can not affect the title now—I assure you, madam, that it can + not,” the unfortunate lawyer exclaimed at last; “and as for damages, poor + old Duncombe has left no representatives, even if an action would lie now, + which is simply out of the question. On my part no neglect can be shown, + and indeed for your knowledge of the present state of things, if humbly I + may say so, you are wholly indebted to my zeal.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, I heartily wish,” Mrs. Carnaby replied, “that your zeal had been + exhausted on your own affairs.” + </p> + <p> + “Eliza, Mr. Jellicorse has acted well, and we can not feel too much + obliged to him.” Miss Yordas, having humor of a sort, smiled faintly at + the double meaning of her own words, which was not intended. “Whatever is + right must be done, of course, according to the rule of our family. In + such a case it appears to me that mere niceties of laws, and quips and + quirks, are entirely subordinate to high sense of honor. The first + consideration must be thoroughly unselfish and pure justice.” + </p> + <p> + The lawyer looked at her with admiration. He was capable of large + sentiments. And yet a faint shadow of disappointment lingered in the + folios of his heart—there might have been such a very grand long + suit, upon which his grandson (to be born next month) might have been + enabled to settle for life, and bring up a legal family. Justice, however, + was justice, and more noble than even such prospects. So he bowed his + head, and took another pinch of snuff. + </p> + <p> + But Mrs. Carnaby (who had wept a little, in a place beyond the + candle-light) came back with a passionate flush in her eyes, and a + resolute bearing of her well-formed neck. + </p> + <p> + “Philippa, I am amazed at you,” she said, “Mr. Jellicorse, my share is + equal with my sister's, and more, because my son comes after me. Whatever + she may do, I will never yield a pin's point of my rights, and leave my + son a beggar. Philippa, would you make Pet a beggar? And his turtle in + bed, before the sun is on the window, and his sturgeon jelly when he gets + out of bed! There never was any one, by a good Providence, less sent into + the world to be a beggar.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carnaby, having discharged her meaning, began to be overcome by it. + She sat down, in fear of hysteria, but with her mind made up to stop it; + while the gallant Jellicorse was swept away by her eloquence, mixed with + professional views. But it came home to him, from experience with his + wife, that the less he said the wiser. But while he moved about, and + almost danced, in his strong desire to be useful, there was another who + sat quite still, and meant to have the final say. + </p> + <p> + “From some confusion of ideas, I suppose, or possibly through my own + fault,” Philippa Yordas said, with less contempt in her voice than in her + mind, “it seems that I can not make my meaning clear, even to my own + sister. I said that we first must do the right, and scorn all legal + subtleties. That we must maintain unselfish justice, and high sense of + honor. Can there be any doubt what these dictate? What sort of daughters + should we be if we basely betrayed our own father's will?” + </p> + <p> + “Excellent, madam,” the lawyer said; “that view of the case never struck + me. But there is a great deal in it.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Philippa, how noble you are!” her sister Eliza cried; and cried no + more, so far as tears go, for a long time afterward. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VI + </h2> + <h3> + ANERLEY FARM + </h3> + <p> + On the eastern coast of the same great county, at more than ninety miles + of distance for a homing pigeon, and some hundred and twenty for a + carriage from the Hall of Yordas, there was in those days, and there still + may be found, a property of no vast size—snug, however, and of good + repute—and called universally “Anerley Farm.” How long it has borne + that name it knows not, neither cares to moot the question; and there + lives no antiquary of enough antiquity to decide it. A place of smiling + hope, and comfort, and content with quietude; no memory of man about it + runneth to the contrary; while every ox, and horse, and sheep, and fowl, + and frisky porker, is full of warm domestic feeling and each homely + virtue. + </p> + <p> + For this land, like a happy country, has escaped, for years and years, the + affliction of much history. It has not felt the desolating tramp of lawyer + or land-agent, nor been bombarded by fine and recovery, lease and release, + bargain and sale, Doe and Roe and Geoffrey Styles, and the rest of the + pitiless shower of slugs, ending with a charge of Demons. Blows, and + blights, and plagues of that sort have not come to Anerley, nor any other + drain of nurture to exhaust the green of meadow and the gold of harvest. + Here stands the homestead, and here lies the meadow-land; there walk the + kine (having no call to run), and yonder the wheat in the hollow of the + hill, bowing to the silvery stroke of the wind, is touched with the + promise of increasing gold. + </p> + <p> + As good as the cattle and the crops themselves are the people that live + upon them; or at least, in a fair degree, they try to be so; though not of + course so harmless, or faithful, or peaceful, or charitable. But still, in + proportion, they may be called as good; and in fact they believe + themselves much better. And this from no conceit of any sort, beyond what + is indispensable; for nature not only enables but compels a man to look + down upon his betters. + </p> + <p> + From generation to generation, man, and beast, and house, and land, have + gone on in succession here, replacing, following, renewing, repairing and + being repaired, demanding and getting more support, with such judicious + give-and-take, and thoroughly good understanding, that now in the August + of this year, when Scargate Hall is full of care, and afraid to cart a + load of dung, Anerley farm is quite at ease, and in the very best of + heart, man, and horse, and land, and crops, and the cock that crows the + time of day. Nevertheless, no acre yet in Yorkshire, or in the whole wide + world, has ever been so farmed or fenced as to exclude the step of change. + </p> + <p> + From father to son the good lands had passed, without even a will to + disturb them, except at distant intervals; and the present owner was + Stephen Anerley, a thrifty and well-to-do Yorkshire farmer of the olden + type. Master Anerley was turned quite lately of his fifty-second year, and + hopeful (if so pleased the Lord) to turn a good many more years yet, as a + strong horse works his furrow. For he was strong and of a cheerful face, + ruddy, square, and steadfast, built up also with firm body to a wholesome + stature, and able to show the best man on the farm the way to swing a + pitchfork. Yet might he be seen, upon every Lord's day, as clean as a + new-shelled chestnut; neither at any time of the week was he dirtier than + need be. Happy alike in the place of his birth, his lot in life, and the + wisdom of the powers appointed over him, he looked up with a substantial + faith, yet a solid reserve of judgment, to the Church, the Justices of the + Peace, spiritual lords and temporal, and above all His Majesty George the + Third. Without any reserve of judgmemt which could not deal with such low + subjects, he looked down upon every Dissenter, every pork-dealer, and + every Frenchman. What he was brought up to, that he would abide by; and + the sin beyond repentance, to his mind, was the sin of the turncoat. + </p> + <p> + With all these hard-set lines of thought, or of doctrine (the scabbard of + thought, which saves its edge, and keeps it out of mischief), Stephen + Anerley was not hard, or stern, or narrow-hearted. Kind, and gentle, and + good to every one who knew “how to behave himself,” and dealing to every + man full justice—meted by his own measure—he was liable even + to generous acts, after being severe and having his own way. But if any + body ever got the better of him by lies, and not fair bettering, that man + had wiser not begin to laugh inside the Riding. Stephen Anerley was slow + but sure; not so very keen, perhaps, but grained with kerns of maxim'd + thought, to meet his uses as they came, and to make a rogue uneasy. To + move him from such thoughts was hard; but to move him from a spoken word + had never been found possible. + </p> + <p> + The wife of this solid man was solid and well fitted to him. In early + days, by her own account, she had possessed considerable elegance, and was + not devoid of it even now, whenever she received a visitor capable of + understanding it. But for home use that gift had been cut short, almost in + the honey-moon, by a total want of appreciation on the part of her + husband. And now, after five-and-twenty years of studying and entering + into him, she had fairly earned his firm belief that she was the wisest of + women. For she always agreed with him, when he wished it; and she knew + exactly when to contradict him, and that was before he had said a thing at + all, and while he was rolling it slowly in his mind, with a strong + tendency against it. In out-door matters she never meddled, without being + specially consulted by the master; but in-doors she governed with watchful + eyes, a firm hand, and a quiet tongue. + </p> + <p> + This good woman now was five-and-forty years of age, vigorous, clean, and + of a very pleasant look, with that richness of color which settles on fair + women when the fugitive beauty of blushing is past. When the work of the + morning was done, and the clock in the kitchen was only ten minutes from + twelve, and the dinner was fit for the dishing, then Mistress Anerley + remembered as a rule the necessity of looking to her own appearance. She + went up stairs, with a quarter of an hour to spare, but not to squander, + and she came down so neat that the farmer was obliged to be careful in + helping the gravy. For she always sat next to him, as she had done before + there came any children, and it seemed ever since to be the best place for + her to manage their plates and their manners as well. + </p> + <p> + Alas! that the kindest and wisest of women have one (if not twenty) blind + sides to them; and if any such weakness is pointed out, it is sure to have + come from their father. Mistress Anerley's weakness was almost conspicuous + to herself—she worshipped her eldest son, perhaps the least + worshipful of the family. + </p> + <p> + Willie Anerley was a fine young fellow, two inches taller than his father, + with delicate features, and curly black hair, and cheeks as bright as a + maiden's. He had soft blue eyes, and a rich clear voice, with a melancholy + way of saying things, as if he were above all this. And yet he looked not + like a fool; neither was he one altogether, when he began to think of + things. The worst of him was that he always wanted something new to go on + with. He never could be idle; and yet he never worked to the end which + crowns the task. In the early stage he would labor hard, be full of the + greatness of his aim, and demand every body's interest, exciting, also, + mighty hopes of what was safe to come of it. And even after that he + sometimes carried on with patience; but he had not perseverance. Once or + twice he had been on the very nick of accomplishing something, and had + driven home his nail; but then he let it spring back without clinching. + “Oh, any fool can do that!” he cried, and never stood to it, to do it + again, or to see that it came not undone. In a word, he stuck to nothing, + but swerved about, here, there, and every where. + </p> + <p> + His father, being of so different a cast, and knowing how often the wisest + of men must do what any fool can do, was bitterly vexed at the flighty + ways of Willie, and could do no more than hope, with a general contempt, + that when the boy grew older he might be a wiser fool. But Willie's dear + mother maintained, with great consistency, that such a perfect wonder + could never be expected to do any thing not wonderful. To this the farmer + used to listen with a grim, decorous smile; then grumbled, as soon as he + was out of hearing, and fell to and did the little jobs himself. + </p> + <p> + Sore jealousy of Willie, perhaps, and keen sense of injustice, as well as + high spirit and love of adventure, had driven the younger son, Jack, from + home, and launched him on a sea-faring life. With a stick and a bundle he + had departed from the ancestral fields and lanes, one summer morning about + three years since, when the cows were lowing for the milk pail, and a + royal cutter was cruising off the Head. For a twelvemonth nothing was + heard of him, until there came a letter beginning, “Dear and respected + parents,” and ending, “Your affectionate and dutiful son, Jack.” The body + of the letter was of three lines only, occupied entirely with kind + inquiries as to the welfare of every body, especially his pup, and his old + pony, and dear sister Mary. + </p> + <p> + Mary Anerley, the only daughter and the youngest child, well deserved the + best remembrance of the distant sailor, though Jack may have gone too far + in declaring (as he did till he came to his love-time) that the world + contained no other girl fit to hold a candle to her. No doubt it would + have been hard to find a girl more true and loving, more modest and + industrious; but hundreds and hundreds of better girls might be found + perhaps even in Yorkshire. + </p> + <p> + For this maiden had a strong will of her own, which makes against absolute + perfection; also she was troubled with a strenuous hate of injustice—which + is sure, in this world, to find cause for an outbreak—and too active + a desire to rush after what is right, instead of being well content to let + it come occasionally. And so firm could she be, when her mind was set, + that she would not take parables, or long experience, or even kindly + laughter, as a power to move her from the thing she meant. Her mother, + knowing better how the world goes on, promiscuously, and at leisure, and + how the right point slides away when stronger forces come to bear, was + very often vexed by the crotchets of the girl, and called her wayward, + headstrong, and sometimes nothing milder than “a saucy miss.” + </p> + <p> + This, however, was absurd, and Mary scarcely deigned to cry about it, but + went to her father, as she always did when any weight lay on her mind. + Nothing was said about any injustice, because that might lead to more of + it, as well as be (from a proper point of view) most indecorous. + Nevertheless, it was felt between them, when her pretty hair was shed upon + his noble waistcoat, that they two were in the right, and cared very + little who thought otherwise. + </p> + <p> + Now it was time to leave off this; for Mary (without heed almost of any + but her mother) had turned into a full-grown damsel, comely, sweet, and + graceful. She was tall enough never to look short, and short enough never + to seem too tall, even when her best feelings were outraged; and nobody, + looking at her face, could wish to do any thing but please her—so + kind was the gaze of her deep blue eyes, so pleasant the frankness of her + gentle forehead, so playful the readiness of rosy lips for a pretty answer + or a lovely smile. But if any could be found so callous and morose as not + to be charmed or nicely cheered by this, let him only take a longer look, + not rudely, but simply in a spirit of polite inquiry; and then would he + see, on the delicate rounding of each soft and dimpled cheek, a carmine + hard to match on palette, morning sky, or flower bed. + </p> + <p> + Lovely people ought to be at home in lovely places; and though this can + not be so always, as a general rule it is. At Anerley Farm the land was + equal to the stock it had to bear, whether of trees, or corn, or cattle, + hogs, or mushrooms, or mankind. The farm was not so large or rambling as + to tire the mind or foot, yet wide enough and full of change—rich + pasture, hazel copse, green valleys, fallows brown, and golden + breast-lands pillowing into nooks of fern, clumps of shade for horse or + heifer, and for rabbits sandy warren, furzy cleve for hare and partridge, + not without a little mere for willows and for wild-ducks. And the whole of + the land, with a general slope of liveliness and rejoicing, spread itself + well to the sun, with a strong inclination toward the morning, to catch + the cheery import of his voyage across the sea. + </p> + <p> + The pleasure of this situation was the more desirable because of all the + parts above it being bleak and dreary. Round the shoulders of the upland, + like the arch of a great arm-chair, ran a barren scraggy ridge, whereupon + no tree could stand upright, no cow be certain of her own tail, and + scarcely a crow breast the violent air by stooping ragged pinions, so + furious was the rush of wind when any power awoke the clouds; or + sometimes, when the air was jaded with continual conflict, a heavy + settlement of brackish cloud lay upon a waste of chalky flint. + </p> + <p> + By dint of persevering work there are many changes for the better now, + more shelter and more root-hold; but still it is a battle-ground of winds, + which rarely change their habits, for this is the chump of the spine of + the Wolds, which hulks up at last into Flamborough Head. + </p> + <p> + Flamborough Head, the furthest forefront of a bare and jagged coast, + stretches boldly off to eastward—a strong and rugged barrier. Away + to the north the land falls back, with coving bends, and some straight + lines of precipice and shingle, to which the German Ocean sweeps, seldom + free from sullen swell in the very best of weather. But to the southward + of the Head a different spirit seems to move upon the face of every thing. + For here is spread a peaceful bay, and plains of brighter sea more gently + furrowed by the wind, and cliffs that have no cause to be so steep, and + bathing-places, and scarcely freckled sands, where towns may lay their + drain-pipes undisturbed. In short, to have rounded that headland from the + north is as good as to turn the corner of a garden wall in March, and pass + from a buffeted back, and bare shivers, to a sunny front of hope all as + busy as a bee, with pears spurring forward into creamy buds of promise, + peach-trees already in a flush of tasselled pink, and the green lobe of + the apricot shedding the snowy bloom. + </p> + <p> + Below this point the gallant skipper of the British collier, slouching + with a heavy load of grime for London, or waddling back in ballast to his + native North, alike is delighted to discover storms ahead, and to cast his + tarry anchor into soft gray calm. For here shall he find the good shelter + of friends like-minded with himself, and of hospitable turn, having no + cause to hurry any more than he has, all too wise to command their own + ships; and here will they all jollify together while the sky holds a cloud + or the locker a drop. Nothing here can shake their ships, except a violent + east wind, against which they wet the other eye; lazy boats visit them + with comfort and delight, while white waves are leaping, in the offing; + they cherish their well-earned rest, and eat the lotus—or rather the + onion—and drink ambrosial grog; they lean upon the bulwarks, and + contemplate their shadows—the noblest possible employment for + mankind—and lo! if they care to lift their eyes, in the south shines + the quay of Bridlington, inland the long ridge of Priory stands high, and + westward in a nook, if they level well a clear glass (after holding on the + slope so many steamy ones), they may espy Anerley Farm, and sometimes Mary + Anerley herself. + </p> + <p> + For she, when the ripple of the tide is fresh, and the glance of the + summer morn glistening on the sands, also if a little rocky basin happens + to be fit for shrimping, and only some sleepy ships at anchor in the + distance look at her, fearless she—because all sailors are generally + down at breakfast—tucks up her skirt and gayly runs upon the + accustomed play-ground, with her pony left to wait for her. The pony is + old, while she is young (although she was born before him), and now he + belies his name, “Lord Keppel,” by starting at every soft glimmer of the + sea. Therefore now he is left to roam at his leisure above high-water + mark, poking his nose into black dry weed, probing the winnow casts of + yellow drift for oats, and snorting disappointment through a gritty dance + of sand-hoppers. + </p> + <p> + Mary has brought him down the old “Dane's Dike” for society rather than + service, and to strengthen his nerves with the dew of the salt, for the + sake of her Jack who loved him. He may do as he likes, as he always does. + If his conscience allows him to walk home, no one will think the less of + him. Having very little conscience at his time of life (after so much + contact with mankind), he considers convenience only. To go home would + suit him very well, but his crib would be empty till his young mistress + came; moreover, there is a little dog that plagues him when his door is + open; and in spite of old age, it is something to be free, and in spite of + all experience, to hope for something good. Therefore Lord Keppel is as + faithful as the rocks; he lifts his long heavy head, and gazes wistfully + at the anchored ships, and Mary is sure that the darling pines for his + absent master. + </p> + <p> + But she, with the multitudinous tingle of youth, runs away rejoicing. The + buoyant power and brilliance of the morning are upon her, and the air of + the bright sea lifts and spreads her, like a pillowy skate's egg. The + polish of the wet sand flickers like veneer of maple-wood at every quick + touch of her dancing feet. Her dancing feet are as light as nature and + high spirits made them, not only quit of spindle heels, but even free from + shoes and socks left high and dry on the shingle. And lighter even than + the dancing feet the merry heart is dancing, laughing at the shadows of + its own delight; while the radiance of blue eyes springs like a fount of + brighter heaven; and the sunny hair falls, flows, or floats, to provoke + the wind for playmate. + </p> + <p> + Such a pretty sight was good to see for innocence and largeness. So the + buoyancy of nature springs anew in those who have been weary, when they + see her brisk power inspiring the young, who never stand still to think of + her, but are up and away with her, where she will, at the breath of her + subtle encouragement. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VII + </h2> + <h3> + A DANE IN THE DIKE + </h3> + <p> + Now, whether spy-glass had been used by any watchful mariner, or whether + only blind chance willed it, sure it is that one fine morning Mary met + with somebody. And this was the more remarkable, when people came to think + of it, because it was only the night before that her mother had almost + said as much. + </p> + <p> + “Ye munna gaw doon to t' sea be yersell,” Mistress Anerley said to her + daughter; “happen ye mought be one too many.” + </p> + <p> + Master Anerley's wife had been at “boarding-school,” as far south as + Suffolk, and could speak the very best of Southern English (like her + daughter Mary) upon polite occasion. But family cares and farm-house life + had partly cured her of her education, and from troubles of distant speech + she had returned to the ease of her native dialect. + </p> + <p> + “And if I go not to the sea by myself,” asked Mary, with natural logic, + “why, who is there now to go with me?” She was thinking of her sadly + missed comrade, Jack. + </p> + <p> + “Happen some day, perhaps, one too many.” + </p> + <p> + The maiden was almost too innocent to blush; but her father took her part + as usual. + </p> + <p> + “The little lass sall gaw doon,” he said, “wheniver sha likes.” And so she + went down the next morning. + </p> + <p> + A thousand years ago the Dane's Dike must have been a very grand + intrenchment, and a thousand years ere that perhaps it was still grander; + for learned men say that it is a British work, wrought out before the + Danes had even learned to build a ship. Whatever, however, may be argued + about that, the wise and the witless do agree about one thing—the + stronghold inside it has been held by Danes, while severed by the Dike + from inland parts; and these Danes made a good colony of their own, and + left to their descendants distinct speech and manners, some traces of + which are existing even now. The Dike, extending from the rough North Sea + to the calmer waters of Bridlington Bay, is nothing more than a deep dry + trench, skillfully following the hollows of the ground, and cutting off + Flamborough Head and a solid cantle of high land from the rest of + Yorkshire. The corner, so intercepted, used to be and is still called + “Little Denmark;” and the in-dwellers feel a large contempt for all their + outer neighbors. And this is sad, because Anerley Farm lies wholly outside + of the Dike, which for a long crooked distance serves as its eastern + boundary. + </p> + <p> + Upon the morning of the self-same day that saw Mr. Jellicorse set forth + upon his return from Scargate Hall, armed with instructions to defy the + devil, and to keep his discovery quiet—upon a lovely August morning + of the first year of a new century, Mary Anerley, blithe and gay, came + riding down the grassy hollow of this ancient Dane's Dike. This was her + shortest way to the sea, and the tide would suit (if she could only catch + it) for a take of shrimps, and perhaps even prawns, in time for her + father's breakfast. And not to lose this, she arose right early, and + rousing Lord Keppel, set forth for the spot where she kept her net covered + with sea-weed. The sun, though up and brisk already upon sea and foreland, + had not found time to rout the shadows skulking in the dingles. But even + here, where sap of time had breached the turfy ramparts, the hover of the + dew-mist passed away, and the steady light was unfolded. + </p> + <p> + For the season was early August still, with beautiful weather come at + last; and the green world seemed to stand on tiptoe to make the + extraordinary acquaintance of the sun. Humble plants which had long lain + flat stood up with a sense of casting something off; and the damp heavy + trunks which had trickled for a twelvemonth, or been only sponged with + moss, were hailing the fresher light with keener lines and dove-colored + tints upon their smoother boles. Then, conquering the barrier of the + eastern land crest, rose the glorious sun himself, strewing before him + trees and crags in long steep shadows down the hill. Then the sloping + rays, through furze and brush-land, kindling the sparkles of the dew, + descended to the brink of the Dike, and scorning to halt at petty + obstacles, with a hundred golden hurdles bridged it wherever any opening + was. + </p> + <p> + Under this luminous span, or through it where the crossing gullies ran, + Mary Anerley rode at leisure, allowing her pony to choose his pace. That + privilege he had long secured, in right of age, wisdom, and remarkable + force of character. Considering his time of life, he looked well and + sleek, and almost sprightly; and so, without any reservation, did his + gentle and graceful rider. The maiden looked well in a place like that, as + indeed in almost any place; but now she especially set off the color of + things, and was set off by them. For instance, how could the silver of the + dew-cloud, and golden weft of sunrise, playing through the dapples of a + partly wooded glen, do better (in the matter of variety) than frame a + pretty moving figure in a pink checked frock, with a skirt of russet + murrey, and a bright brown hat? Not that the hat itself was bright, even + under the kiss of sunshine, simply having seen already too much of the + sun, but rather that its early lustre seemed to be revived by a sense of + the happy position it was in; the clustering hair and the bright eyes + beneath it answering the sunny dance of life and light. Many a handsomer + face, no doubt, more perfect, grand, and lofty, received—at least if + it was out of bed—the greeting of that morning sun; but scarcely any + prettier one, or kinder, or more pleasant, so gentle without being weak, + so good-tempered without looking void of all temper at all. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly the beauty of the time and place was broken by sharp angry sound. + Bang! bang! came the roar of muskets fired from the shore at the mouth of + the Dike, and echoing up the winding glen. At the first report the girl, + though startled, was not greatly frightened; for the sound was common + enough in the week when those most gallant volunteers entitled the + “Yorkshire Invincibles” came down for their annual practice of skilled + gunnery against the French. Their habit was to bring down a red cock, and + tether him against a chalky cliff, and then vie with one another in + shooting at him. The same cock had tested their skill for three summers, + but failed hitherto to attest it, preferring to return in a hamper to his + hens, with a story of moving adventures. + </p> + <p> + Mary had watched those Invincibles sometimes from a respectful distance, + and therefore felt sure (when she began to think) that she had not them to + thank for this little scare. For they always slept soundly in the first + watch of the morning; and even supposing they had jumped up with + nightmare, where was the jubilant crow of the cock? For the cock, being + almost as invincible as they were, never could deny himself the glory of a + crow when the bullet came into his neighborhood. He replied to every + volley with an elevated comb, and a flapping of his wings, and a clarion + peal, which rang along the foreshore ere the musket roar died out. But + before the girl had time to ponder what it was, or wherefore, round the + corner came somebody, running very swiftly. + </p> + <p> + In a moment Mary saw that this man had been shot at, and was making for + his life away; and to give him every chance she jerked her pony aside, and + called and beckoned; and without a word he flew to her. Words were beyond + him, till his breath should come back, and he seemed to have no time to + wait for that. He had outstripped the wind, and his own wind, by his + speed. + </p> + <p> + “Poor man!” cried Mary Anerley, “what a hurry you are in! But I suppose + you can not help it. Are they shooting at you?” + </p> + <p> + The runaway nodded, for he could not spare a breath, but was deeply + inhaling for another start, and could not even bow without hinderance. But + to show that he had manners, he took off his hat. Then he clapped it on + his head and set off again. + </p> + <p> + “Come back!” cried the maid; “I can show you a place. I can hide you from + your enemies forever.” + </p> + <p> + The young fellow stopped. He was come to that pitch of exhaustion in which + a man scarcely cares whether he is killed or dies. And his face showed not + a sign of fear. + </p> + <p> + “Look! That little hole—up there—by the fern. Up at once, and + this cloth over you!” + </p> + <p> + He snatched it, and was gone, like the darting lizard, up a little + puckering side issue of the Dike, at the very same instant that three + broad figures and a long one appeared at the lip of the mouth. The + quick-witted girl rode on to meet them, to give the poor fugitive time to + get into his hole and draw the brown skirt over him. The dazzle of the + sun, pouring over the crest, made the hollow a twinkling obscurity; and + the cloth was just in keeping with the dead stuff around. The three broad + men, with heavy fusils cocked, came up from the sea mouth of the Dike, + steadily panting, and running steadily with a long-enduring stride. Behind + them a tall bony man with a cutlass was swinging it high in the air, and + limping, and swearing with great velocity. + </p> + <p> + “Coast-riders,” thought Mary, “and he a free-trader! Four against one is + cowardice.” + </p> + <p> + “Halt!” cried the tall man, while the rest were running past her; “halt! + ground arms; never scare young ladies.” Then he flourished his hat, with a + grand bow to Mary. “Fair young Mistress Anerley, I fear we spoil your + ride. But his Majesty's duty must be done. Hats off, fellows, at the name + of your king! Mary, my dear, the most daring villain, the devil's own son, + has just run up here—scarcely two minutes—you must have seen + him. Wait a minute; tell no lies—excuse me, I mean fibs. Your father + is the right sort. He hates those scoundrels. In the name of his Majesty, + which way is he gone?” + </p> + <p> + “Was it—oh, was it a man, if you please? Captain Carroway, don't say + so.” + </p> + <p> + “A man? Is it likely that we shot at a woman? You are trifling. It will be + the worse for you. Forgive me—but we are in such a hurry. Whoa! + whoa! pony.” + </p> + <p> + “You always used to be so polite, Sir, that you quite surprise me. And + those guns look so dreadful! My father would be quite astonished to see me + not even allowed to go down to the sea, but hurried back here, as if the + French had landed.” + </p> + <p> + “How can I help it, if your pony runs away so?” For Mary all this time had + been cleverly contriving to increase and exaggerate her pony's fear, and + so brought the gunners for a long way up the Dike, without giving them any + time to spy at all about. She knew that this was wicked from a loyal point + of view; not a bit the less she did it. “What a troublesome little horse + it is!” she cried. “Oh, Captain Carroway, hold him just a moment. I will + jump down, and then you can jump up, and ride after all his Majesty's + enemies.” + </p> + <p> + “The Lord forbid! He slews all out of gear, like a carronade with rotten + lashings. If I boarded him, how could I get out of his way? No, no, my + dear, brace him up sharp, and bear clear.” + </p> + <p> + “But you wanted to know about some enemy, captain. An enemy as bad as my + poor Lord Keppel?” + </p> + <p> + “Mary, my dear, the very biggest villain! A hundred golden guineas on his + head, and half for you. Think of your father, my dear, and Sunday gowns. + And you must have a young man by-and-by, you know—such a beautiful + maid as you are. And you might get a leather purse, and give it to him. + Mary, on your duty, now?” + </p> + <p> + “Captain, you drive me so, what can I say? I can not bear the thought of + betraying any body.” + </p> + <p> + “Of course not, Mary dear; nobody asks you. He must be half a mile off by + this time. You could never hurt him now; and you can tell your father that + you have done your duty to the king.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, Captain Carroway, if you are quite sure that it is too late to + catch him, I can tell you all about him. But remember your word about the + fifty guineas.” + </p> + <p> + “Every farthing, every farthing, Mary, whatever my wife may say to it. + Quick! quick! Which way did he run, my dear?” + </p> + <p> + “He really did not seem to me to be running at all; he was too tired.” + </p> + <p> + “To be sure, to be sure, a worn-out fox! We have been two hours after him; + he could not run; no more can we. But which way did he go, I mean?” + </p> + <p> + “I will not say any thing for certain, Sir; even for fifty guineas. But he + may have come up here—mind, I say not that he did—and if so, + he might have set off again for Sewerby. Slowly, very slowly, because of + being tired. But perhaps, after all, he was not the man you mean.” + </p> + <p> + “Forward, double-quick! We are sure to have him!” shouted the lieutenant—for + his true rank was that—flourishing his cutlass again, and setting + off at a wonderful pace, considering his limp. “Five guineas every man + Jack of you. Thank you, young mistress—most heartily thank you. Dead + or alive, five guineas!” + </p> + <p> + With gun and sword in readiness, they all rushed off; but one of the + party, named John Cadman, shook his head and looked back with great + mistrust at Mary, having no better judgment of women than this, that he + never could believe even his own wife. And he knew that it was mainly by + the grace of womankind that so much contraband work was going on. + Nevertheless, it was out of his power to act upon his own low opinions + now. + </p> + <p> + The maiden, blushing deeply with the sense of her deceit, was informed by + her guilty conscience of that nasty man's suspicions, and therefore gave a + smack with her fern whip to Lord Keppel, impelling him to join, like a + loyal little horse, the pursuit of his Majesty's enemies. But no sooner + did she see all the men dispersed, and scouring the distance with trustful + ardor, than she turned her pony's head toward the sea again, and rode back + round the bend of the hollow. What would her mother say if she lost the + murrey skirt, which had cost six shillings at Bridlington fair? And ten + times that money might be lost much better than for her father to discover + how she lost it. For Master Stephen Anerley was a straight-backed man, and + took three weeks of training in the Land Defense Yeomanry, at periods not + more than a year apart, so that many people called him “Captain” now; and + the loss of his suppleness at knee and elbow had turned his mind largely + to politics, making him stiffly patriotic, and especially hot against all + free-traders putting bad bargains to his wife, at the cost of the king and + his revenue. If the bargain were a good one, that was no concern of his. + </p> + <p> + Not that Mary, however, could believe, or would even have such a bad mind + as to imagine, that any one, after being helped by her, would be mean + enough to run off with her property. And now she came to think of it, + there was something high and noble, she might almost say something + downright honest, in the face of that poor persecuted man. And in spite of + all his panting, how brave he must have been, what a runner, and how + clever, to escape from all those cowardly coast-riders shooting right and + left at him! Such a man steal that paltry skirt that her mother made such + a fuss about! She was much more likely to find it in her clothes-press + filled with golden guineas. + </p> + <p> + Before she was as certain as she wished to be of this (by reason of shrewd + nativity), and while she believed that the fugitive must have seized such + a chance and made good his escape toward North Sea or Flamborough, a quick + shadow glanced across the long shafts of the sun, and a bodily form sped + after it. To the middle of the Dike leaped a young man, smiling, and forth + from the gully which had saved his life. To look at him, nobody ever could + have guessed how fast he had fled, and how close he had lain hid. For he + stood there as clean and spruce and careless as even a sailor can be + wished to be. Limber yet stalwart, agile though substantial, and as quick + as a dart while as strong as a pike, he seemed cut out by nature for a + true blue-jacket; but condition had made him a smuggler, or, to put it + more gently, a free-trader. Britannia, being then at war with all the + world, and alone in the right (as usual), had need of such lads, and + produced them accordingly, and sometimes one too many. But Mary did not + understand these laws. + </p> + <p> + This made her look at him with great surprise, and almost doubt whether he + could be the man, until she saw her skirt neatly folded in his hand, and + then she said, “How do you do, Sir?” + </p> + <p> + The free-trader looked at her with equal surprise. He had been in such a + hurry, and his breath so short, and the chance of a fatal bullet after him + so sharp, that his mind had been astray from any sense of beauty, and of + every thing else except the safety of the body. But now he looked at Mary, + and his breath again went from him. + </p> + <p> + “You can run again now; I am sure of it,” said she; “and if you would like + to do any thing to please me, run as fast as possible.” + </p> + <p> + “What have I to run away from now?” he answered, in a deep sweet voice. “I + run from enemies, but not from friends.” + </p> + <p> + “That is very wise. But your enemies are still almost within call of you. + They will come back worse than ever when they find you are not there.” + </p> + <p> + “I am not afraid, fair lady, for I understand their ways. I have led them + a good many dances before this; though it would have been my last, without + your help. They will go on, all the morning, in the wrong direction, even + while they know it. Carroway is the most stubborn of men. He never turns + back; and the further he goes, the better his bad leg is. They will + scatter about, among the fields and hedges, and call one another like + partridges. And when they can not take another step, they will come back + to Anerley for breakfast.” + </p> + <p> + “I dare say they will; and we shall be glad to see them. My father is a + soldier, and his duty is to nourish and comfort the forces of the king.” + </p> + <p> + “Then you are young Mistress Anerley? I was sure of it before. There are + no two such. And you have saved my life. It is something to owe it so + fairly.” + </p> + <p> + The young sailor wanted to kiss Mary's hand; but not being used to any + gallantry, she held out her hand in the simplest manner to take back her + riding skirt; and he, though longing in his heart to keep it, for a token + or pretext for another meeting, found no excuse for doing so. And yet he + was not without some resource. + </p> + <p> + For the maiden was giving him a farewell smile, being quite content with + the good she had done, and the luck of recovering her property; and that + sense of right which in those days formed a part of every good young woman + said to her plainly that she must be off. And she felt how unkind it was + to keep him any longer in a place where the muzzle of a gun, with a man + behind it, might appear at any moment. But he, having plentiful breath + again, was at home with himself to spend it. + </p> + <p> + “Fair young lady,” he began, for he saw that Mary liked to be called a + lady, because it was a novelty, “owing more than I ever can pay you + already, may I ask a little more? Then it is that, on your way down to the + sea, you would just pick up (if you should chance to see it) the fellow + ring to this, and perhaps you will look at this to know it by. The one + that was shot away flew against a stone just on the left of the mouth of + the Dike, but I durst not stop to look for it, and I must not go back that + way now. It is more to me than a hatful of gold, though nobody else would + give a crown for it.” + </p> + <p> + “And they really shot away one of your ear-rings? Careless, cruel, + wasteful men! What could they have been thinking of?” + </p> + <p> + “They were thinking of getting what is called 'blood-money.' One hundred + pounds for Robin Lyth. Dead or alive—one hundred pounds.” + </p> + <p> + “It makes me shiver, with the sun upon me. Of course they must offer money + for—for people. For people who have killed other people, and bad + things—but to offer a hundred pounds for a free-trader, and fire + great guns at him to get it—I never should have thought it of + Captain Carroway.” + </p> + <p> + “Carroway only does his duty. I like him none the worse for it. Carroway + is a fool, of course. His life has been in my hands fifty times; but I + will never take it. He must be killed sooner or later, because he rushes + into every thing. But never will it be my doing.” + </p> + <p> + “Then are you the celebrated Robin Lyth—the new Robin Hood, as they + call him? The man who can do almost any thing?” + </p> + <p> + “Mistress Anerley, I am Robin Lyth; but, as you have seen, I can not do + much. I can not even search for my own earring.” + </p> + <p> + “I will search for it till I find it. They have shot at you too much. + Cowardly, cowardly people! Captain Lyth, where shall I put it, if I find + it?” + </p> + <p> + “If you could hide it for a week, and then—then tell me where to + find it, in the afternoon, toward four o'clock, in the lane toward Bempton + Cliffs. We are off tonight upon important business. We have been too + careless lately, from laughing at poor Carroway.” + </p> + <p> + “You are very careless now. You quite frighten me almost. The coast-riders + might come back at any moment. And what could you do then?” + </p> + <p> + “Run away gallantly, as I did before; with this little difference, that I + should be fresh, while they are as stiff as nut-cracks. They have missed + the best chance they ever had at me; it will make their temper very bad. + If they shot at me again, they could do no good. Crooked mood makes + crooked mode.” + </p> + <p> + “You forget that I should not see such things. You may like very much to + be shot at; but—but you should think of other people.” + </p> + <p> + “I shall think of you only—I mean of your great kindness, and your + promise to keep my ring for me. Of course you will tell nobody, Carroway + will have me like a tiger if you do. Farewell, young lady—for one + week farewell.” + </p> + <p> + With a wave of his hat he was gone, before Mary had time to retract her + promise; and she thought of her mother, as she rode on slowly to look for + the smuggler's trinket. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VIII + </h2> + <h3> + CAPTAIN CARROWAY + </h3> + <p> + Fame, that light-of-love trusted by so many, and never a wife till a widow—fame, + the fair daughter of fuss and caprice, may yet take the phantom of bold + Robin Lyth by the right hand, and lead it to a pedestal almost as lofty as + Robin Hood's, or she may let it vanish like a bat across Lethe—a + thing not bad enough for eminence. + </p> + <p> + However, at the date and in the part of the world now dealt with, this + great free-trader enjoyed the warm though possibly brief embrace of fame, + having no rival, and being highly respected by all who were unwarped by a + sense of duty. And blessed as he was with a lively nature, he proceeded + happily upon his path in life, notwithstanding a certain ticklish sense of + being shot at undesirably. This had befallen him now so often, without + producing any tangible effect, that a great many people, and especially + the shooters (convinced of the accuracy of their aim), went far to believe + that he possessed some charm against wholesome bullet and gunpowder. And + lately even a crooked sixpence dipped in holy water (which was still to be + had in Yorkshire) confirmed and doubled the faith of all good people, by + being declared upon oath to have passed clean through him, as was proved + by its being picked up quite clean. + </p> + <p> + This strong belief was of great use to him; for, like many other beliefs, + it went a very long way to prove itself. Steady left hands now grew shaky + in the level of the carbine, and firm forefingers trembled slightly upon + draught of trigger, and the chief result of a large discharge was a wale + upon the marksman's shoulder. Robin, though so clever and well practiced + in the world, was scarcely old enough yet to have learned the advantage of + misapprehension, which, if well handled by any man, helps him, in the + cunning of paltry things, better than a truer estimate. But without going + into that, he was pleased with the fancy of being invulnerable, which not + only doubled his courage, but trebled the discipline of his followers, and + secured him the respect of all tradesmen. However, the worst of all things + is that just when they are establishing themselves, and earning true faith + by continuance, out of pure opposition the direct contrary arises, and + begins to prove itself. And to Captain Lyth this had just happened in the + shot which carried off his left ear-ring. + </p> + <p> + Not that his body, or any fleshly member, could be said directly to have + parted with its charm, but that a warning and a diffidence arose from so + near a visitation. All genuine sailors are blessed with strong faith, as + they must be, by nature's compensation. Their bodies continually going up + and down upon perpetual fluxion, they never could live if their minds did + the same, like the minds of stationary landsmen. Therefore their minds are + of stanch immobility, to restore the due share of firm element. And not + only that, but these men have compressed (through generations of + circumstance), from small complications, simplicity. Being out in all + weathers, and rolling about so, how can they stand upon trifles? Solid + stays, and stanchions, and strong bulwarks are their need, and not a dance + of gnats in gossamer; hating all fogs, they blow not up with their own + breath misty mysteries, and gazing mainly at the sky and sea, believe + purely in God and the devil. In a word, these sailors have religion. + </p> + <p> + Some of their religion is not well pronounced, but declares itself in + overstrong expressions. However, it is in them, and at any moment waiting + opportunity of action—a shipwreck or a grape-shot; and the chaplain + has good hopes of them when the doctor has given them over. + </p> + <p> + Now one of their principal canons of faith, and the one best observed in + practice, is (or at any rate used to be) that a man is bound to wear + ear-rings. For these, as sure tradition shows, and no pious mariner would + dare to doubt, act as a whetstone in all weathers to the keen edge of the + eyes. Semble—as the lawyers say—that this idea was born of + great phonetic facts in the days when a seaman knew his duty better than + the way to spell it; and when, if his outlook were sharpened by a friendly + wring from the captain of the watch, he never dreamed of a police court. + </p> + <p> + But Robin Lyth had never cared to ask why he wore ear-rings. His nature + was not meditative. Enough for him that all the other men of Flamborough + did so; and enough for them that their fathers had done it. Whether his + own father had done so, was more than he could say, because he knew of no + such parent; and of that other necessity, a mother, he was equally + ignorant. His first appearance at Flamborough, though it made little stir + at the moment in a place of so many adventures, might still be considered + unusual, and in some little degree remarkable. So that Mistress Anerley + was not wrong when she pressed upon Lieutenant Carroway how unwise it + might be to shoot him, any more than Carroway himself was wrong in turning + in at Anerley gate for breakfast. + </p> + <p> + This he had not done without good cause of honest and loyal necessity. + Free-trading Robin had predicted well the course of his pursuers. Rushing + eagerly up the Dike, and over its brim, with their muskets, that gallant + force of revenue men steadily scoured the neighborhood; and the further + they went, the worse they fared. There was not a horse standing down by a + pool, with his stiff legs shut up into biped form, nor a cow staring + blandly across an old rail, nor a sheep with a pectoral cough behind a + hedge, nor a rabbit making rustle at the eyebrow of his hole, nor even a + moot, that might either be a man or hold a man inside it, whom or which + those active fellows did not circumvent and poke into. In none of these, + however, could they find the smallest breach of the strictest laws of the + revenue; until at last, having exhausted their bodies by great zeal both + of themselves and of mind, they braced them again to the duty of going, as + promptly as possible, to breakfast. + </p> + <p> + For a purpose of that kind few better places, perhaps, could be found than + this Anerley Farm, though not at the best of itself just now, because of + the denials of the season. It is a sad truth about the heyday of the year, + such as August is in Yorkshire—where they have no spring—that + just when a man would like his victuals to rise to the mark of the period, + to be simple yet varied, exhilarating yet substantial, the heat of the + summer day defrauds its increased length for feeding. For instance, to + cite a very trifling point—at least in some opinions—August + has banished that bright content and most devout resignation which ensue + the removal of a petted pig from this troublous world of grunt. The fat + pig rolls in wallowing rapture, defying his friends to make pork of him + yet, and hugs with complacence unpickleable hams. The partridge among the + pillared wheat, tenderly footing the way for his chicks, and teaching + little balls of down to hop, knows how sacred are their lives to others as + well as to himself; and the less paternal cock-pheasant scratches the + ridge of green-shouldered potatoes, without fear of keeping them company + at table. + </p> + <p> + But though the bright glory of the griddle remains in suspense for the + hoary mornings, and hooks that carried woodcocks once, and hope to do so + yet again, are primed with dust instead of lard, and the frying-pan hangs + on the cellar nail with a holiday gloss of raw mutton suet, yet is there + still some comfort left, yet dappled brawn, and bacon streaked, yet + golden-hearted eggs, and mushrooms quilted with pink satin, spiced beef + carded with pellucid fat, buckstone cake, and brown bread scented with the + ash of gorse bloom—of these, and more that pave the way into the + good-will of mankind, what lack have fine farm-houses? + </p> + <p> + And then, again, for the liquid duct, the softer and more sensitive, the + one that is never out of season, but perennially clear—here we have + advantage of the gentle time that mellows thirst. The long ride of the + summer sun makes men who are in feeling with him, and like him go up and + down, not forego the moral of his labor, which is work and rest. Work all + day, and light the rounded land with fruit and nurture, and rest at + evening, looking through bright fluid, as the sun goes down. + </p> + <p> + But times there are when sun and man, by stress of work, or clouds, or + light, or it may be some Process of the Equinox, make draughts upon the + untilted day, and solace themselves in the morning. For lack of dew the + sun draws lengthy sucks of cloud quite early, and men who have labored far + and dry, and scattered the rime of the night with dust, find themselves + ready about 8 A.M. for the golden encouragement of gentle ale. + </p> + <p> + The farm-house had an old porch of stone, with a bench of stone on either + side, and pointed windows trying to look out under brows of ivy; and this + porch led into the long low hall, where the breakfast was beginning. To + say what was on the table would be only waste of time, because it has all + been eaten so long ago; but the farmer was vexed because there were no + shrimps. Not that he cared half the clip of a whisker for all the shrimps + that ever bearded the sea, only that he liked to seem to love them, to + keep Mary at work for him. The flower of his flock, and of all the flocks + of the world of the universe to his mind, was his darling daughter Mary: + the strength of his love was upon her, and he liked to eat any thing of + her cooking. + </p> + <p> + His body was too firm to fidget; but his mind was out of its usual + comfort, because the pride of his heart, his Mary, seemed to be hiding + something from him. And with the justice to be expected from far clearer + minds than his, being vexed by one, he was ripe for the relief of snapping + at fifty others. Mary, who could read him, as a sailor reads his compass, + by the corner of one eye, awaited with good content the usual result—an + outbreak of words upon the indolent Willie, whenever that young farmer + should come down to breakfast, then a comforting glance from the mother at + her William, followed by a plate kept hot for him, and then a fine shake + of the master's shoulders, and a stamp of departure for business. But + instead of that, what came to pass was this. + </p> + <p> + In the first place, a mighty bark of dogs arose; as needs must be, when a + man does his duty toward the nobler animals; for sure it is that the dogs + will not fail of their part. Then an inferior noise of men, crying, “Good + dog! good dog!” and other fulsome flatteries, in the hope of avoiding any + tooth-mark on their legs; and after that a shaking down and settlement of + sounds, as if feet were brought into good order, and stopped. Then a tall + man, with a body full of corners, and a face of grim temper, stood in the + doorway. + </p> + <p> + “Well, well, captain, now!” cried Stephen Anerley, getting up after + waiting to be spoken to, “the breath of us all is hard to get, with doing + of our duty, Sir. Come ye in, and sit doon to table, and his Majesty's + forces along o' ye.” + </p> + <p> + “Cadman, Ellis, and Dick, be damned!” the lieutenant shouted out to them; + “you shall have all the victuals you want, by-and-by. Cross legs, and get + your winds up. Captain of the coast-defense, I am under your orders, in + your own house.” Carroway was starving, as only a man with long and active + jaws can starve; and now the appearance of the farmer's mouth, half full + of a kindly relish, made the emptiness of his own more bitter. But happen + what might, he resolved, as usual, to enforce strict discipline, to feed + himself first, and his men in proper order. + </p> + <p> + “Walk in gentlemen, all walk in,” Master Anerley shouted, as if all men + were alike, and coming to the door with a hospitable stride; “glad to see + all of ye, upon my soul I am. Ye've hit upon the right time for coming, + too; though there might 'a been more upon the table. Mary, run, that's a + dear, and fetch your grandfather's big Sabbath carver. Them peaky little + clams a'most puts out all my shoulder-blades, and wunna bite through a + twine of gristle. Plates for all the gentlemen, Winnie lass! Bill, go and + drah the black jarge full o' yell.” + </p> + <p> + The farmer knew well enough that Willie was not down yet; but this was his + manner of letting people see that he did not approve of such hours. + </p> + <p> + “My poor lad Willie,” said the mistress of the house, returning with a + courtesy the brave lieutenant's scrape, “I fear he hath the rheum again, + overheating of himself after sungate.” + </p> + <p> + “Ay, ay, I forgot. He hath to heat himself in bed again, with the sun upon + his coverlid. Mary lof, how many hours was ye up?” + </p> + <p> + “Your daughter, Sir,” answered the lieutenant, with a glance at the maiden + over the opal gleam of froth, which she had headed up for him—“your + daughter has been down the Dike before the sun was, and doing of her duty + by the king and by his revenue. Mistress Anerley, your good health! Master + Anerley, the like to you, and your daughter, and all of your good + household.” Before they had finished their thanks for this honor, the + quart pot was set down empty. “A very pretty brew, Sir—a pretty brew + indeed! Fall back, men! Have heed of discipline. A chalked line is what + they want, Sir. Mistress Anerley, your good health again. The air is now + thirsty in the mornings. If those fellows could be given a bench against + the wall—a bench against the wall is what they feel for with their + legs. It comes so natural to their—yes, yes, their legs, and the + crook of their heels, ma'am, from what they were brought up to sit upon. + And if you have any beer brewed for washing days, ma'am, that is what they + like, and the right thing for their bellies. Cadman, Ellis, and Dick + Hackerbody, sit down and be thankful.” + </p> + <p> + “But surely, Captain Carroway, you would never be happy to sit down + without them. Look at their small-clothes, the dust and the dirt! And + their mouths show what you might make of them.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, madam, yes; the very worst of them is that. They are always looking + out, here, there, and every where, for victuals everlasting. Let them wait + their proper time, and then they do it properly.” + </p> + <p> + “Their proper time is now, Sir. Winnie, fill their horns up. Mary, wait + you upon the officer. Captain Carroway, I will not have any body starve in + my house.” + </p> + <p> + “Madam, you are the lawgiver in your own house. Men of the coast-guard, + fall to upon your victuals.” + </p> + <p> + The lieutenant frowned horribly at his men, as much as to say, “Take no + advantage, but show your best manners;” and they touched their forelocks + with a pleasant grin, and began to feed rapidly; and verily their wives + would have said that it was high time for them. Feeding, as a duty, was + the order of the day, and discipline had no rank left. Good things + appeared and disappeared, with the speedy doom of all excellence. Mary, + and Winnie the maid, flitted in and out like carrier-pigeons. + </p> + <p> + “Now when the situation comes to this,” said the farmer at last, being + heartily pleased with the style of their feeding and laughing, “his + Majesty hath made an officer of me, though void of his own writing. + Mounted Fencibles, Filey Briggers, called in the foreign parts + 'Brigadiers.' Not that I stand upon sermonry about it, except in the + matter of his Majesty's health, as never is due without ardent spirits. + But my wife hath a right to her own way, and never yet I knowed her go + away from it.” + </p> + <p> + “Not so, by any means,” the mistress said, and said it so quietly that + some believed her; “I never was so much for that. Captain, you are a + married man. But reason is reason, in the middle of us all, and what else + should I say to my husband? Mary lass, Mary lof, wherever is your duty? + The captain hath the best pot empty!” + </p> + <p> + With a bright blush Mary sprang up to do her duty. In those days no girl + was ashamed to blush; and the bloodless cheek savored of small-pox. + </p> + <p> + “Hold up your head, my lof,” her father said aloud, with a smile of tidy + pride, and a pat upon her back; “no call to look at all ashamed, my dear. + To my mind, captain, though I may be wrong, however, but to my mind, this + little maid may stan' upright in the presence of downright any one.” + </p> + <p> + “There lies the very thing that never should be said. Captain, you have + seven children, or it may be eight of them justly. And the pride of life—Mary, + you be off!” + </p> + <p> + Mary was glad to run away, for she liked not to be among so many men. But + her father would not have her triumphed over. + </p> + <p> + “Speak for yourself, good wife,” he said. “I know what you have got + behind, as well as rooks know plough-tail. Captain, you never heard me say + that the lass were any booty, but the very same as God hath made her, and + thankful for straight legs and eyes. Howsoever, there might be + worse-favored maidens, without running out of the Riding.” + </p> + <p> + “You may ride all the way to the city of London,” the captain exclaimed, + with a clinch of his fist, “or even to Portsmouth, where my wife came + from, and never find a maid fit to hold a candle for Mary to curl her hair + by.” + </p> + <p> + The farmer was so pleased that he whispered something; but Carroway put + his hand before his mouth, and said, “Never, no, never in the morning!” + But in spite of that, Master Anerley felt in his pocket for a key, and + departed. + </p> + <p> + “Wicked, wicked, is the word I use,” protested Mrs. Anerley, “for all this + fribble about rooks and looks, and holding of candles, and curling of + hair. When I was Mary's age—oh dear! It may not be so for your + daughters, captain; but evil for mine was the day that invented those + proud swinging-glasses.” + </p> + <p> + “That you may pronounce, ma'am, and I will say Amen. Why, my eldest + daughter, in her tenth year now—” + </p> + <p> + “Come, Captain Carroway,” broke in the farmer, returning softly with a + square old bottle, “how goes the fighting with the Crappos now? Put your + legs up, and light your pipe, and tell us all the news.” + </p> + <p> + “Cadman, and Ellis, and Dick Hackerbody,” the lieutenant of the + coast-guard shouted, “you have fed well. Be off, men; no more neglect of + duty! Place an outpost at fork of the Sewerby road, and strictly observe + the enemy, while I hold a council of war with my brother officer, Captain + Anerley. Half a crown for you, if you catch the rogue, half a crown each, + and promotion of twopence. Attention, eyes right, make yourselves scarce! + Well, now the rogues are gone, let us make ourselves at home. Anerley, + your question is a dry one. A dry one; but this is uncommonly fine stuff! + How the devil has it slipped through our fingers? Never mind that, inter + amicos—Sir, I was at school at Shrewsbury—but as to the war, + Sir, the service is going to the devil, for the want of pure principle.” + </p> + <p> + The farmer nodded; and his looks declared that to some extent he felt it. + He had got the worst side of some bargains that week; but his wife had + another way of thinking. + </p> + <p> + “Why, Captain Carroway, whatever could be purer? When you were at sea, had + you ever a man of the downright principles of Nelson?” + </p> + <p> + “Nelson has done very well in his way; but he is a man who has risen too + fast, as other men rise too slowly. Nothing in him; no substance, madam; I + knew him as a youngster, and I could have tossed him on a marling-spike. + And instead of feeding well, Sir, he quite wore himself away. To my firm + knowledge, he would scarcely turn the scale upon a good Frenchman of half + of the peas. Every man should work his own way up, unless his father did + it for him. In my time we had fifty men as good, and made no fuss about + them.” + </p> + <p> + “And you not the last of them, captain, I dare say. Though I do love to + hear of the Lord's Lord Nelson, as the people call him. If ever a man + fought his own way up—” + </p> + <p> + “Madam, I know him, and respect him well. He would walk up to the devil, + with a sword between his teeth, and a boarder's pistol in each hand. + Madam, I leaped, in that condition, a depth of six fathoms and a half into + the starboard mizzen-chains of the French line-of-battle ship Peace and + Thunder.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Captain Carroway, how dreadful! What had you to lay hold with?” + </p> + <p> + “At such times a man must not lay hold. My business was to lay about; and + I did it to some purpose. This little slash, across my eyes struck fire, + and it does the same now by moonlight.” + </p> + <p> + One of the last men in the world to brag was Lieutenant Carroway. Nothing + but the great thirst of this morning, and strong necessity of quenching + it, could ever have led him to speak about himself, and remember his own + little exploits. But the farmer was pleased, and said, “Tell us some more, + Sir.” + </p> + <p> + “Mistress Anerley,” the captain answered, shutting up the scar, which he + was able to expand by means of a muscle of excitement, “you know that a + man should drop these subjects when he has got a large family. I have been + in the Army and the Navy, madam, and now I am in the Revenue; but my duty + is first to my own house.” + </p> + <p> + “Do take care, Sir; I beg you to be careful. Those free-traders now are + come to such a pitch that any day or night they may shoot you.” + </p> + <p> + “Not they, madam. No, they are not murderers. In a hand-to-hand conflict + they might do it, as I might do the same to them. This very morning my men + shot at the captain of all smugglers, Robin Lyth, of Flamborough, with a + hundred guineas upon his head. It was no wish of mine; but my breath was + short to stop them, and a man with a family like mine can never despise a + hundred guineas.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, Sophy,” said the farmer, thinking slowly, with a frown, “that must + have been the noise come in at window, when I were getting up this + morning. I said, 'Why, there's some poacher fellow popping at the conies!' + and out I went straight to the warren to see. Three gun-shots, or might 'a + been four. How many men was you shooting at?” + </p> + <p> + “The force under my command was in pursuit of one notorious criminal—that + well-known villain, Robin Lyth.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain, your duty is to do your duty. But without your own word for it, + I never would believe that you brought four gun muzzles down upon one + man.” + </p> + <p> + “The force under my command carried three guns only. It was not in their + power to shoot off four.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain, I never would have done it in your place. I call it no better + than unmanly. Now go you not for to stir yourself amiss. To look thunder + at me is what I laugh at. But many things are done in a hurry, Captain + Carroway, and I take it that this was one of them.” + </p> + <p> + “As to that, no! I will not have it. All was in thorough good order. I was + never so much as a cable's length behind, though the devil, some years + ago, split my heel up, like his own, Sir.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain, I see it, and I ask your pardon. Your men were out of reach of + hollering. At our time of life the wind dies quick, from want of blowing + oftener.” + </p> + <p> + “Stuff!” cried the captain. “Who was the freshest that came to your + hospitable door, Sir? I will foot it with any man for six leagues, but not + for half a mile, ma'am. I depart from nothing. I said, 'Fire!' and fire + they did, and they shall again. What do Volunteers know of the service?” + </p> + <p> + “Stephen, you shall not say a single other word;” Mistress Anerley stopped + her husband thus; “these matters are out of your line altogether; because + you have never taken any body's blood. The captain here is used to it, + like all the sons of Belial, brought up in the early portions of the Holy + Writ.” + </p> + <p> + Lieutenant Carroway's acquaintance with the Bible was not more extensive + than that of other officers, and comprised little more than the story of + Joseph, and that of David and Goliath; so he bowed to his hostess for her + comparison, while his gaunt and bristly countenance gave way to a pleasant + smile. For this officer of the British Crown had a face of strong + features, and upon it whatever he thought was told as plainly as the time + of day is told by the clock in the kitchen. At the same time, Master + Anerley was thinking that he might have said more than a host should say + concerning a matter which, after all, was no particular concern of his; + whereas it was his special place to be kind to any visitor. All this he + considered with a sound grave mind, and then stretched forth his right + hand to the officer. + </p> + <p> + Carroway, being a generous man, would not be outdone in apologies. So + these two strengthened their mutual esteem, without any fighting—which + generally is the quickest way of renewing respect—and Mistress + Anerley, having been a little frightened, took credit to herself for the + good words she had used. Then the farmer, who never drank cordials, + although he liked to see other people do it, set forth to see a man who + was come about a rick, and sundry other business. But Carroway, in spite + of all his boasts, was stiff, though he bravely denied that he could be; + and when the good housewife insisted on his stopping to listen to + something that was much upon her mind, and of great importance to the + revenue, he could not help owning that duty compelled him to smoke another + pipe, and hearken. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IX + </h2> + <h3> + ROBIN COCKSCROFT + </h3> + <p> + Nothing ever was allowed to stop Mrs. Anerley from seeing to the bedrooms. + She kept them airing for about three hours at this time of the sun-stitch—as + she called all the doings of the sun upon the sky—and then there was + pushing, and probing, and tossing, and pulling, and thumping, and kneading + of knuckles, till the rib of every feather was aching; and then (like + dough before the fire) every well-belabored tick was left to yeast itself + a while. Winnie, the maid, was as strong as a post, and wore them all out + in bed-making. Carroway heard the beginning of this noise, but none of it + meddled at all with his comfort; he lay back nicely in a happy fit of + chair, stretched his legs well upon a bench, and nodded, keeping slow time + with the breathings of his pipe, and drawing a vapory dream of ease. He + had fared many stony miles afoot that morning; and feet, legs, and body + were now less young than they used to be once upon a time. Looking up + sleepily, the captain had idea of a pretty young face hanging over him, + and a soft voice saying, “It was me who did it all,” which was very good + grammar in those days; “will you forgive me? But I could not help it, and + you must have been sorry to shoot him.” + </p> + <p> + “Shoot every body who attempts to land,” the weary man ordered, drowsily. + “Mattie, once more, you are not to dust my pistols.” + </p> + <p> + “I could not be happy without telling you the truth,” the soft voice + continued, “because I told you such a dreadful story. And now—Oh! + here comes mother!” + </p> + <p> + “What has come over you this morning, child? You do the most extraordinary + things, and now you can not let the captain rest. Go round and look for + eggs this very moment. You will want to be playing fine music next. Now, + captain, I am at your service, if you please, unless you feel too sleepy.” + </p> + <p> + “Mistress Anerley, I never felt more wide-awake in all my life. We of the + service must snatch a wink whenever we can, but with one eye open; and it + is not often that we see such charming sights.” + </p> + <p> + The farmer's wife having set the beds to “plump,” had stolen a look at the + glass, and put on her second-best Sunday cap, in honor of a real officer; + and she looked very nice indeed, especially when she received a + compliment. But she had seen too much of life to be disturbed thereby. + </p> + <p> + “Ah, Captain Carroway, what ways you have of getting on with simple + people, while you are laughing all the time at them! It comes of the + foreign war experience, going on so long that in the end we shall all be + foreigners. But one place there is that you never can conquer, nor + Boneypart himself, to my belief.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah, you mean Flamborough—Flamborough, yes! It is a nest of + cockatrices.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain, it is nothing of the sort. It is the most honest place in all + the world. A man may throw a guinea on the crossroads in the night, and + have it back from Dr. Upandown any time within seven years. You ought to + know by this time what they are, hard as it is to get among them.” + </p> + <p> + “I only know that they can shut their mouths; and the devil himself—I + beg your pardon, madam—Old Nick himself never could unscrew them.” + </p> + <p> + “You are right, Sir. I know their manner well. They are open as the sky + with one another, but close as the grave to all the world outside them, + and most of all to people of authority like you.” + </p> + <p> + “Mistress Anerley, you have just hit it. Not a word can I get out of them. + The name of the king—God bless him!—seems to have no weight + among them.” + </p> + <p> + “And you can not get at them, Sir, by any dint of money, or even by living + in the midst of them. The only way to do it is by kin of blood, or + marriage. And that is how I come to know more about them than almost any + body else outside. My master can scarcely win a word of them even, kind as + he is, and well-spoken; and neither might I, though my tongue was tenfold, + if it were not for Joan Cockscroft. But being Joan's cousin, I am like one + of themselves.” + </p> + <p> + “Cockscroft! Cockscroft? I have heard that name. Do they keep the + public-house there?” + </p> + <p> + The lieutenant was now on the scent of duty, and assumed his most knowing + air, the sole effect of which was to put every body upon guard against + him. For this was a man of no subtlety, but straightforward, downright, + and ready to believe; and his cleverest device was to seem to disbelieve. + </p> + <p> + “The Cockscrofts keep no public-house,” Mrs. Anerley answered, with a + little flush of pride. “Why, she was half-niece to my own grandmother, and + never was beer in the family. Not that it would have been wrong, if it + was. Captain, you are thinking of Widow Precious, licensed to the Cod with + the hook in his gills. I should have thought, Sir, that you might have + known a little more of your neighbors having fallen below the path of life + by reason of bad bank-tokens. Banking came up in her parts like + dog-madness, as it might have done here, if our farmers were the fools to + handle their cash with gloves on. And Joan became robbed by the fault of + her trustees, the very best bakers in Scarborough, though Robin never + married her for it, thank God! Still it was very sad, and scarcely bears + describing of, and pulled them in the crook of this world's swing to a + lower pitch than if they had robbed the folk that robbed and ruined them. + And Robin so was driven to the fish again, which he always had hankered + after. It must have been before you heard of this coast, captain, and + before the long war was so hard on us, that every body about these parts + was to double his bags by banking, and no man was right to pocket his own + guineas, for fear of his own wife feeling them. And bitterly such were + paid out for their cowardice and swindling of their own bosoms.” + </p> + <p> + “I have heard of it often, and it served them right. Master Anerley knew + where his money was safe, ma'am!” + </p> + <p> + “Neither Captain Robin Cockscroft nor his wife was in any way to blame,” + answered Mrs. Anerley. “I have framed my mind to tell you about them; and + I will do it truly, if I am not interrupted. Two hammers never yet drove a + nail straight, and I make a rule of silence when my betters wish to talk.” + </p> + <p> + “Madam, you remind me of my own wife. She asks me a question, and she will + not let me answer.” + </p> + <p> + “That is the only way I know of getting on. Mistress Carroway must + understand you, captain. I was at the point of telling you how my cousin + Joan was married, before her money went, and when she was really + good-looking. I was quite a child, and ran along the shore to see it. It + must have been in the high summer-time, with the weather fit for bathing, + and the sea as smooth as a duck-pond. And Captain Robin, being well-to-do, + and established with every thing except a wife, and pleased with the + pretty smile and quiet ways of Joan—for he never had heard of her + money, mind—put his oar into the sea and rowed from Flamborough all + the way to Filey Brigg, with thirty-five fishermen after him; for the + Flamborough people make a point of seeing one another through their + troubles. And Robin was known for the handsomest man and the uttermost + fisher of the landing, with three boats of his own, and good birth, and + long sea-lines. And there at once they found my cousin Joan, with her + trustees, come overland, four wagons and a cart in all of them; and after + they were married, they burned sea-weed, having no fear in those days of + invasions. And a merry day they made of it, and rowed back by the + moonshine. For every one liked and respected Captain Cockscroft on account + of his skill with the deep-sea lines, and the openness of his hands when + full—a wonderful quiet and harmless man, as the manner is of all + great fishermen. They had bacon for breakfast whenever they liked, and a + guinea to lend to any body in distress. + </p> + <p> + “Then suddenly one morning, when his hair was growing gray and his eyes + getting weary of the night work, so that he said his young Robin must grow + big enough to learn all the secrets of the fishes, while his father took a + spell in the blankets, suddenly there came to them a shocking piece of + news. All his wife's bit of money, and his own as well, which he had been + putting by from year to year, was lost in a new-fangled Bank, supposed as + faithful as the Bible. Joan was very nearly crazed about it; but Captain + Cockscroft never heaved a sigh, though they say it was nearly seven + hundred guineas. 'There are fish enough still in the sea,' he said; 'and + the Lord has spared our children. I will build a new boat, and not think + of feather-beds.' + </p> + <p> + “Captain Carroway, he did so, and every body knows what befell him. The + new boat, built with his own hands, was called the Mercy Robin, for his + only son and daughter, little Mercy and poor Robin. The boat is there as + bright as ever, scarlet within and white outside; but the name is painted + off, because the little dears are in their graves. Two nicer children were + never seen, clever, and sprightly, and good to learn; they never even took + a common bird's nest, I have heard, but loved all the little things the + Lord has made, as if with a foreknowledge of going early home to Him. + Their father came back very tired one morning, and went up the hill to his + breakfast, and the children got into the boat and pushed off, in imitation + of their daddy. It came on to blow, as it does down there, without a + single whiff of warning; and when Robin awoke for his middle-day meal, the + bodies of his little ones were lying on the table. And from that very day + Captain Cockscroft and his wife began to grow old very quickly. The boat + was recovered without much damage; and in it he sits by the hour on dry + land, whenever there is no one on the cliffs to see him, with his hands + upon his lap, and his eyes upon the place where his dear little children + used to sit. Because he has always taken whatever fell upon him gently; + and of course that makes it ever so much worse when he dwells upon the + things that come inside of him.” + </p> + <p> + “Madam, you make me feel quite sorry for him,” the lieutenant exclaimed, + as she began to cry, “If even one of my little ones was drowned, I declare + to you, I can not tell what I should be like. And to lose them all at + once, and as his own wife perhaps would say, because he was thinking of + his breakfast! And when he had been robbed, and the world all gone against + him! Madam, it is a long time, thank God, since I heard so sad a tale.” + </p> + <p> + “Now you would not, captain, I am sure you would not,” said Mistress + Anerley, getting up a smile, yet freshening his perception of a tear as + well—“you would never have the heart to destroy that poor old couple + by striking the last prop from under them. By the will of the Lord they + are broken down enough. They are quietly hobbling to their graves, and + would you be the man to come and knock them on their heads at once?” + </p> + <p> + “Mistress Anerley, have you ever heard that I am a brute and inhuman? + Madam, I have no less than seven children, and I hope to have fourteen.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope with all my heart you may. And you will deserve them all, for + promising so very kindly not to shoot poor Robin Lyth.” + </p> + <p> + “Robin Lyth! I never spoke of him, madam. He is outlawed, condemned, with + a fine reward upon him. We shot at him to-day; we shall shoot at him + again; and before very long we must hit him. Ma'am, it is my duty to the + king, the Constitution, the service I belong to, and the babes I have + begotten.” + </p> + <p> + “Blood-money poisons all innocent mouths, Sir, and breaks out for + generations. And for it you will have to take three lives—Robin's, + the captain's, and my dear old cousin Joan's.” + </p> + <p> + “Mistress Anerley, you deprive me of all satisfaction. It is just my luck, + when my duty was so plain, and would pay so well for doing of.” + </p> + <p> + “Listen now, captain. It is my opinion, and I am generally borne out by + the end, that instead of a hundred pounds for killing Robin Lyth, you may + get a thousand for preserving him alive. Do you know how he came upon this + coast, and how he has won his extraordinary name?” + </p> + <p> + “I have certainly heard rumors; scarcely any two alike. But I took no heed + of them. My duty was to catch him; and it mattered not a straw to me who + or what he was. But now I must really beg to know all about him, and what + makes you think such things of him. Why should that excellent old couple + hang upon him? and what can make him worth such a quantity of money? + Honestly, of course, I mean; honestly worth it, ma'am, without any + cheating of his Majesty.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain Carroway,” his hostess said, not without a little blush, as she + thought of the king and his revenue, “cheating of his Majesty is a thing + we leave for others. But if you wish to hear the story of that young man, + so far as known, which is not so even in Flamborough, you must please to + come on Sunday, Sir; for Sunday is the only day that I can spare for + clacking, as the common people say. I must be off now; I have fifty things + to see to. And on Sunday my master has his best things on, and loves no + better than to sit with his legs up, and a long clay pipe lying on him + down below his waist (or, to speak more correctly, where it used to be, as + he might, indeed, almost say the very same to me), and then not to speak a + word, but hear other folk tell stories, that might not have made such a + dinner as himself. And as for dinner, Sir, if you will do the honor to + dine with them that are no more than in the Volunteers, a saddle of good + mutton fit for the Body-Guards to ride upon, the men with the skins around + them all turned up, will be ready just at one o'clock, if the parson lets + us out.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear madam, I shall scarcely care to look at any slice of victuals + until one o'clock on Sunday, by reason of looking forward.” + </p> + <p> + After all, this was not such a gross exaggeration, Anerley Farm being + famous for its cheer; whereas the poor lieutenant, at the best of times, + had as much as he could do to make both ends meet; and his wife, though a + wonderful manager, could give him no better than coarse bread, and almost + coarser meat. + </p> + <p> + “And, Sir, if your good lady would oblige us also—” + </p> + <p> + “No, madam, no!” he cried, with vigorous decision, having found many + festive occasions spoiled by excess of loving vigilance; “we thank you + most truly; but I must say 'no.' She would jump at the chance; but a + husband must consider. You may have heard it mentioned that the Lord is + now considering about the production of an eighth little Carroway.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain, I have not, or I should not so have spoken. But with all my + heart I wish you joy.” + </p> + <p> + “I have pleasure, I assure you, in the prospect, Mistress Anerley. My + friends make wry faces, but I blow them away, 'Tush,' I say, 'tush, Sir; + at the rate we now are fighting, and exhausting all British material, + there can not be too many, Sir, of mettle such as mine!' What do you say + to that, madam?” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, I believe it is the Lord's own truth. And true it is also that our + country should do more to support the brave hearts that fight for it.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Anerley sighed, for she thought of her younger son, by his own + perversity launched into the thankless peril of fighting England's + battles. His death at any time might come home, if any kind person should + take the trouble even to send news of it; or he might lie at the bottom of + the sea unknown, even while they were talking. But Carroway buttoned up + his coat and marched, after a pleasant and kind farewell. In the course of + hard service he had seen much grief, and suffered plenty of bitterness, + and he knew that it is not the part of a man to multiply any of his + troubles but children. He went about his work, and he thought of all his + comforts, which need not have taken very long to count, but he added to + their score by not counting them, and by the self-same process diminished + that of troubles. And thus, upon the whole, he deserved his Sunday dinner, + and the tale of his hostess after it, not a word of which Mary was allowed + to hear, for some subtle reason of her mother's. But the farmer heard it + all, and kept interrupting so, when his noddings and the joggings of his + pipe allowed, or, perhaps one should say, compelled him, that merely for + the courtesy of saving common time it is better now to set it down without + them. Moreover, there are many things well worthy of production which she + did not produce, for reasons which are now no hinderance. And the foremost + of those reasons is that the lady did not know the things; the second that + she could not tell them clearly as a man might; and the third, and best of + all, that if she could, she would not do so. In which she certainly was + quite right; for it would have become her very badly, as the cousin of + Joan Cockscroft (half removed, and upon the mother's side), and therefore + kindly received at Flamborough, and admitted into the inner circle, and + allowed to buy fish at wholesale prices, if she had turned round upon all + these benefits, and described all the holes to be found in the place, for + the teaching of a revenue officer. + </p> + <p> + Still, it must be clearly understood that the nature of the people is + fishing. They never were known to encourage free-trading, but did their + very utmost to protect themselves; and if they had produced the very + noblest free-trader, born before the time of Mr. Cobden, neither the + credit nor the blame was theirs. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER X + </h2> + <h3> + ROBIN LYTH + </h3> + <p> + Half a league to the north of bold Flamborough Head the billows have + carved for themselves a little cove among cliffs which are rugged, but not + very high. This opening is something like the grain shoot of a mill, or a + screen for riddling gravel, so steep is the pitch of the ground, and so + narrow the shingly ledge at the bottom. And truly in bad weather and at + high tides there is no shingle ledge at all, but the crest of the wave + volleys up the incline, and the surf rushes on to the top of it. For the + cove, though sheltered from other quarters, receives the full brunt of + northeasterly gales, and offers no safe anchorage. But the hardy fishermen + make the most of its scant convenience, and gratefully call it “North + Landing,” albeit both wind and tide must be in good humor, or the only + thing sure of any landing is the sea. The long desolation of the sea rolls + in with a sound of melancholy, the gray fog droops its fold of drizzle in + the leaden-tinted troughs, the pent cliffs overhang the flapping of the + sail, and a few yards of pebble and of weed are all that a boat may come + home upon harmlessly. Yet here in the old time landed men who carved the + shape of England; and here even in these lesser days, are landed + uncommonly fine cod. + </p> + <p> + The difficulties of the feat are these: to get ashore soundly, and then to + make it good; and after that to clinch the exploit by getting on land, + which is yet a harder step. Because the steep of the ground, like a + staircase void of stairs, stands facing you, and the cliff upon either + side juts up close, to forbid any flanking movement, and the scanty scarp + denies fair start for a rush at the power of the hill front. Yet here must + the heavy boats beach themselves, and wallow and yaw in the shingly roar, + while their cargo and crew get out of them, their gunwales swinging from + side to side, in the manner of a porpoise rolling, and their stem and + stern going up and down like a pair of lads at seesaw. + </p> + <p> + But after these heavy boats have endured all that, they have not found + their rest yet without a crowning effort. Up that gravelly and gliddery + ascent, which changes every groove and run at every sudden shower, but + never grows any the softer—up that the heavy boats must make clamber + somehow, or not a single timber of their precious frames is safe. A big + rope from the capstan at the summit is made fast as soon as the tails of + the jackasses (laden with three cwt. of fish apiece) have wagged their + last flick at the brow of the steep; and then with “yo-heave-ho” above and + below, through the cliffs echoing over the dull sea, the groaning and + grinding of the stubborn tug begins. Each boat has her own special course + to travel up, and her own special berth of safety, and she knows every jag + that will gore her on the road, and every flint from which she will strike + fire. By dint of sheer sturdiness of arms, legs, and lungs, keeping true + time with the pant and the shout, steadily goes it with hoist and haul, + and cheerily undulates the melody of call that rallies them all with a + strong will together, until the steep bluff and the burden of the bulk by + masculine labor are conquered, and a long row of powerful pinnaces + displayed, as a mounted battery, against the fishful sea. With a view to + this clambering ruggedness of life, all of these boats receive from their + cradle a certain limber rake and accommodating curve, instead of a + straight pertinacity of keel, so that they may ride over all the scandals + of this arduous world. And happen what may to them, when they are at home, + and gallantly balanced on the brow line of the steep, they make a bright + show upon the dreariness of coast-land, hanging as they do above the + gullet of the deep. Painted outside with the brightest of scarlet, and + inside with the purest white, at a little way off they resemble gay + butterflies, preening their wings for a flight into the depth. + </p> + <p> + Here it must have been, and in the middle of all these, that the very + famous Robin Lyth—prophetically treating him, but free as yet of + fame or name, and simply unable to tell himself—shone in the doubt + of the early daylight (as a tidy-sized cod, if forgotten, might have + shone) upon the morning of St. Swithin, A.D. 1782. + </p> + <p> + The day and the date were remembered long by all the good people of + Flamborough, from the coming of the turn of a long bad luck and a bitter + time of starving. For the weather of the summer had been worse than usual—which + is no little thing to say—and the fish had expressed their opinion + of it by the eloquent silence of absence. Therefore, as the whole place + lives on fish, whether in the fishy or the fiscal form, goodly apparel was + becoming very rare, even upon high Sundays; and stomachs that might have + looked well beneath it, sank into unobtrusive grief. But it is a long lane + that has no turning; and turns are the essence of one very vital part. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly over the village had flown the news of a noble arrival of fish. + From the cross-roads, and the public-house, and the licensed head-quarters + of pepper and snuff, and the loop-hole where a sheep had been known to + hang, in times of better trade, but never could dream of hanging now; also + from the window of the man who had had a hundred heads (superior to his + own) shaken at him because he set up for making breeches in opposition to + the women, and showed a few patterns of what he could do if any man of + legs would trade with him—from all these head-centres of + intelligence, and others not so prominent but equally potent, into the + very smallest hole it went (like the thrill in a troublesome tooth) that + here was a chance come of feeding, a chance at last of feeding. For the + man on the cliff, the despairing watchman, weary of fastening his eyes + upon the sea, through constant fog and drizzle, at length had discovered + the well-known flicker, the glassy flaw, and the hovering of gulls, and + had run along Weighing Lane so fast, to tell his good news in the village, + that down he fell and broke his leg, exactly opposite the tailor's shop. + And this was on St. Swithin's Eve. + </p> + <p> + There was nothing to be done that night, of course, for mackerel must be + delicately worked; but long before the sun arose, all Flamborough, able to + put leg in front of leg, and some who could not yet do that, gathered + together where the land-hold was, above the incline for the launching of + the boats. Here was a medley, not of fisher-folk alone, and all their + bodily belongings, but also of the thousand things that have no soul, and + get kicked about and sworn at much because they can not answer. Rollers, + buoys, nets, kegs, swabs, fenders, blocks, buckets, kedges, corks, + buckie-pots, oars, poppies, tillers, sprits, gaffs, and every kind of gear + (more than Theocritus himself could tell) lay about, and rolled about, and + upset their own masters, here and there and everywhere, upon this half + acre of slip and stumble, at the top of the boat channel down to the sea, + and in the faint rivalry of three vague lights, all making darkness + visible. + </p> + <p> + For very ancient lanterns, with a gentle horny glimmer, and loop-holes of + large exaggeration at the top, were casting upon anything quite within + their reach a general idea of the crinkled tin that framed them, and a + shuffle of inconstant shadows, but refused to shed any light on friend or + stranger, or clear up suspicions, more than three yards off. In rivalry + with these appeared the pale disk of the moon, just setting over the + western highlands, and “drawing straws” through summer haze; while away in + the northeast over the sea, a slender irregular wisp of gray, so weak that + it seemed as if it were being blown away, betokened the intention of the + sun to restore clear ideas of number and of figure by-and-by. But little + did anybody heed such things; every one ran against everybody else, and + all was eagerness, haste, and bustle for the first great launch of the + Flamborough boats, all of which must be taken in order. + </p> + <p> + But when they laid hold of the boat No. 7, which used to be the Mercy + Robin, and were jerking the timber shores out, one of the men stooping + under her stern beheld something white and gleaming. He put his hand down + to it, and, lo! it was a child, in imminent peril of a deadly crush, as + the boat came heeling over. “Hold hard!” cried the man, not in time with + his voice, but in time with his sturdy shoulder, to delay the descent of + the counter. Then he stooped underneath, while they steadied the boat, and + drew forth a child in a white linen dress, heartily asleep and happy. + </p> + <p> + There was no time to think of any children now, even of a man's own fine + breed, and the boat was beginning much to chafe upon the rope, and thirty + or forty fine fellows were all waiting, loath to hurry Captain Robin + (because of the many things he had dearly lost), yet straining upon their + own hearts to stand still. And the captain could not find his wife, who + had slipped aside of the noisy scene, to have her own little cry, because + of the dance her children would have made if they had lived to see it. + </p> + <p> + There were plenty of other women running all about to help, and to talk, + and to give the best advice to their husbands and to one another; but most + of them naturally had their own babies, and if words came to action, quite + enough to do to nurse them. On this account, Cockscroft could do no + better, bound as he was to rush forth upon the sea, than lay the child + gently aside of the stir, and cover him with an old sail, and leave word + with an ancient woman for his wife when found. The little boy slept on + calmly still, in spite of all the din and uproar, the song and the shout, + the tramp of heavy feet, the creaking of capstans, and the thump of bulky + oars, and the crush of ponderous rollers. Away went these upon their + errand to the sea, and then came back the grating roar and plashy jerks of + launching, the plunging, and the gurgling, and the quiet murmur of cleft + waves. + </p> + <p> + That child slept on, in the warm good luck of having no boat keel launched + upon him, nor even a human heel of bulk as likely to prove fatal. And the + ancient woman fell asleep beside him, because at her time of life it was + unjust that she should be astir so early. And it happened that Mrs. + Cockscroft followed her troubled husband down the steep, having something + in her pocket for him, which she failed to fetch to hand. So everybody + went about its own business (according to the laws of nature), and the old + woman slept by the side of the child, without giving him a corner of her + scarlet shawl. + </p> + <p> + But when the day was broad and brave, and the spirit of the air was + vigorous, and every cliff had a color of its own, and a character to come + out with; and beautiful boats, upon a shining sea, flashed their oars, and + went up waves which clearly were the stairs of heaven; and never a woman, + come to watch her husband, could be sure how far he had carried his + obedience in the matter of keeping his hat and coat on; neither could + anybody say what next those very clever fishermen might be after—nobody + having a spy-glass—but only this being understood all round, that + hunger and salt were the victuals for the day, and the children must chew + the mouse-trap baits until their dads came home again; and yet in spite of + all this, with lightsome hearts (so hope outstrips the sun, and soars with + him behind her) and a strong will, up the hill they went, to do without + much breakfast, but prepare for a glorious supper. For mackerel are good + fish that do not strive to live forever, but seem glad to support the + human race. + </p> + <p> + Flamburians speak a rich burr of their own, broadly and handsomely + distinct from that of outer Yorkshire. The same sagacious contempt for all + hot haste and hurry (which people of impatient fibre are too apt to call + “a drawl”) may here be found, as in other Yorkshire, guiding and retarding + well that headlong instrument the tongue. Yet even here there is advantage + on the side of Flamborough—a longer resonance, a larger breadth, a + deeper power of melancholy, and a stronger turn up of the tail of + discourse, by some called the end of a sentence. Over and above all these + there dwell in “Little Denmark” many words foreign to the real + Yorkshireman. But, alas! these merits of their speech can not be embodied + in print without sad trouble, and result (if successful) still more + saddening. Therefore it is proposed to let them speak in our inferior + tongue, and to try to make them be not so very long about it. For when + they are left to themselves entirely, they have so much solid matter to + express, and they ripen it in their minds and throats with a process so + deliberate, that strangers might condemn them briefly, and be off without + hearing half of it. Whenever this happens to a Flamborough man, he + finishes what he proposed to say, and then says it all over again to the + wind. + </p> + <p> + When the “lavings” of the village (as the weaker part, unfit for sea, and + left behind, were politely called, being very old men, women, and small + children), full of conversation, came, upon their way back from the tide, + to the gravel brow now bare of boats, they could not help discovering + there the poor old woman that fell asleep because she ought to have been + in bed, and by her side a little boy, who seemed to have no bed at all. + The child lay above her in a tump of stubbly grass, where Robin Cockscroft + had laid him; he had tossed the old sail off, perhaps in a dream, and he + threatened to roll down upon the granny. The contrast between his young, + beautiful face, white raiment, and readiness to roll, and the ancient + woman's weary age (which it would be ungracious to describe), and scarlet + shawl which she could not spare, and satisfaction to lie still—as + the best thing left her now to do—this difference between them was + enough to take anybody's notice, facing the well-established sun. + </p> + <p> + “Nanny Pegler, get oop wi' ye!” cried a woman even older, but of tougher + constitution. “Shame on ye to lig aboot so. Be ye browt to bed this toime + o' loife?” + </p> + <p> + “A wonderful foine babby for sich an owd moother,” another proceeded with + the elegant joke; “and foine swaddles too, wi' solid gowd upon 'em!” + </p> + <p> + “Stan' ivery one o' ye oot o' the way,” cried ancient Nanny, now as + wide-awake as ever; “Master Robin Cockscroft gie ma t' bairn, an' nawbody + sall hev him but Joan Cockscroft.” + </p> + <p> + Joan Cockscroft, with a heavy heart, was lingering far behind the rest, + thinking of the many merry launches, when her smart young Robin would have + been in the boat with his father, and her pretty little Mercy clinging to + her hand upon the homeward road, and prattling of the fish to be caught + that day; and inasmuch as Joan had not been able to get face to face with + her husband on the beach, she had not yet heard of the stranger child. But + soon the women sent a little boy to fetch her, and she came among them, + wondering what it could be. For now a debate of some vigor was arising + upon a momentous and exciting point, though not so keen by a hundredth + part as it would have been twenty years afterward. For the eldest old + woman had pronounced her decision. + </p> + <p> + “Tell ye wat, ah dean't think bud wat yon bairn mud he a Frogman.” + </p> + <p> + This caused some panic and a general retreat; for though the immortal + Napoleon had scarcely finished changing his teeth as yet, a chronic + uneasiness about Crappos haunted that coast already, and they might have + sent this little boy to pave the way, being capable of almost everything. + </p> + <p> + “Frogman!” cried the old woman next to her by birth, and believed to have + higher parts, though not yet ripe. “Na, na; what Frogman here? Frogmen ha' + skinny shanks, and larks' heels, and holes down their bodies like + lamperns. No sign of no frog aboot yon bairn. As fair as a wench, and as + clean as a tyke. A' mought a'most been born to Flaambro'. And what gowd + ha' Crappos got, poor divils?” + </p> + <p> + This opened the gate for a clamor of discourse; for there surely could be + no denial of her words. And yet while her elder was alive and out of bed, + the habit of the village was to listen to her say, unless any man of equal + age arose to countervail it. But while they were thus divided, Mrs. + Cockscroft came, and they stood aside. For she had been kind to everybody + when her better chances were; and now in her trouble all were grieved + because she took it so to heart. Joan Cockscroft did not say a word, but + glanced at the child with some contempt. In spite of white linen and + yellow gold, what was he to her own dead Robin? + </p> + <p> + But suddenly this child, whatever he was, and vastly soever inferior, + opened his eyes and sent home their first glance to the very heart of Joan + Cockscroft. It was the exact look—or so she always said—of her + dead angel, when she denied him something, for the sake of his poor dear + stomach. With an outburst of tears, she flew straight to the little one, + snatched him in her arms, and tried to cover him with kisses. + </p> + <p> + The child, however, in a lordly manner, did not seem to like it. He drew + away his red lips, and gathered up his nose, and passion flew out of his + beautiful eyes, higher passion than that of any Cockscroft. And he tried + to say something which no one could make out. And women of high + consideration, looking on, were wicked enough to be pleased at this, and + say that he must be a young lord, and they had quite foreseen it. But Joan + knew what children are, and soothed him down so with delicate hands, and a + gentle look, and a subtle way of warming his cold places, that he very + soon began to cuddle into her, and smile. Then she turned round to the + other people, with both of his arms flung round her neck, and his cheek + laid on her shoulder, and she only said, “The Lord hath sent him.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XI + </h2> + <h3> + DR. UPANDOWN + </h3> + <p> + The practice of Flamborough was to listen fairly to anything that might be + said by any one truly of the native breed, and to receive it well into the + crust of the mind, and let it sink down slowly. But even after that, it + might not take root, unless it were fixed in its settlement by their two + great powers—the law, and the Lord. + </p> + <p> + They had many visitations from the Lord, as needs must be in such a very + stormy place; whereas of the law they heard much less; but still they were + even more afraid of that; for they never knew how much it might cost. + </p> + <p> + Balancing matters (as they did their fish, when the price was worth it, in + Weigh Lane), they came to the set conclusion that the law and the Lord + might not agree concerning the child cast among them by the latter. A + child or two had been thrown ashore before, and trouble once or twice had + come of it; and this child being cast, no one could say how, to such a + height above all other children, he was likely enough to bring a spell + upon their boats, if anything crooked to God's will were done; and even to + draw them to their last stocking, if anything offended the providence of + law. + </p> + <p> + In any other place it would have been a point of combat what to say and + what to do in such a case as this. But Flamborough was of all the wide + world happiest in possessing an authority to reconcile all doubts. The law + and the Lord—two powers supposed to be at variance always, and to + share the week between them in proportions fixed by lawyers—the holy + and unholy elements of man's brief existence, were combined in Flamborough + parish in the person of its magisterial rector. He was also believed to + excel in the arts of divination and medicine too, for he was a full Doctor + of Divinity. Before this gentleman must be laid, both for purse and + conscience' sake, the case of the child just come out of the fogs. + </p> + <p> + And true it was that all these powers were centred in one famous man, + known among the laity as “Parson Upandown.” For the Reverend Turner + Upround, to give him his proper name, was a doctor of divinity, a justice + of the peace, and the present rector of Flamborough. Of all his offices + and powers, there was not one that he overstrained; and all that knew him, + unless they were thorough-going rogues and vagabonds, loved him. Not that + he was such a soft-spoken man as many were, who thought more evil; but + because of his deeds and nature, which were of the kindest. He did his + utmost, on demand of duty, to sacrifice this nature to his stern position + as pastor and master of an up-hill parish, with many wrong things to be + kept under. But while he succeeded in the form now and then, he failed + continually in the substance. + </p> + <p> + This gentleman was not by any means a fool, unless a kind heart proves + folly. At Cambridge he had done very well, in the early days of the + tripos, and was chosen fellow and tutor of Gonville and Caius College. But + tiring of that dull round in his prime, he married, and took to a living; + and the living was one of the many upon which a perpetual faster can + barely live, unless he can go naked also, and keep naked children. Now the + parsons had not yet discovered the glorious merits of hard fasting, but + freely enjoyed, and with gratitude to God, the powers with which He had + blessed them. Happily Dr. Upround had a solid income of his own, and (like + a sound mathematician) he took a wife of terms coincident. So, without + being wealthy, they lived very well, and helped their poorer neighbors. + </p> + <p> + Such a man generally thrives in the thriving of his flock, and does not + harry them. He gives them spiritual food enough to support them without + daintiness, and he keeps the proper distinction between the Sunday and the + poorer days. He clangs no bell of reproach upon a Monday, when the squire + is leading the lady in to dinner, and the laborer sniffing at his supper + pot; and he lets the world play on a Saturday, while he works his own head + to find good ends for the morrow. Because he is a wise man who knows what + other men are, and how seldom they desire to be told the same thing more + than a hundred and four times in a year. Neither did his clerical skill + stop here; for Parson Upround thought twice about it before he said + anything to rub sore consciences, even when he had them at his mercy, and + silent before him, on a Sunday. He behaved like a gentleman in this + matter, where so much temptation lurks, looking always at the man whom he + did not mean to hit, so that the guilty one received it through him, and + felt himself better by comparison. In a word, this parson did his duty + well, and pleasantly for all his flock; and nothing imbittered him, unless + a man pretended to doctrine without holy orders. + </p> + <p> + For the doctor reasoned thus—and sound it sounds—if divinity + is a matter for Tom, Dick, or Harry, how can there be degrees in it? He + held a degree in it, and felt what it had cost; and not the parish only, + but even his own wife, was proud to have a doctor every Sunday. And his + wife took care that his rich red hood, kerseymere small-clothes, and black + silk stockings upon calves of dignity, were such that his congregation + scorned the surgeons all the way to Beverley. + </p> + <p> + Happy in a pleasant nature, kindly heart, and tranquil home, he was also + happy in those awards of life in which men are helpless. He was blessed + with a good wife and three good children, doing well, and vigorous and + hardy as the air and clime and cliffs. His wife was not quite of his own + age, but old enough to understand and follow him faithfully down the slope + of years. A wife with mind enough to know that a husband is not faultless, + and with heart enough to feel that if he were, she would not love him so. + And under her were comprised their children—two boys at school, and + a baby-girl at home. + </p> + <p> + So far, the rector of this parish was truly blessed and blessing. But in + every man's lot must be some crook, since this crooked world turned round. + In Parson Upround's lot the crook might seem a very small one; but he + found it almost too big for him. His dignity and peace of mind, large + good-will of ministry and strong Christian sense of magistracy, all were + sadly pricked and wounded by a very small thorn in the flesh of his + spirit. + </p> + <p> + Almost every honest man is the rightful owner of a nickname. When he was a + boy at school he could not do without one, and if the other boys valued + him, perhaps he had a dozen. And afterward, when there is less perception + of right and wrong and character, in the weaker time of manhood, he may + earn another, if the spirit is within him. + </p> + <p> + But woe is him if a nasty foe, or somebody trying to be one, annoyed for + the moment with him, yet meaning no more harm than pepper, smite him to + the quick, at venture, in his most retired and privy-conscienced hole. And + when this is done by a Nonconformist to a Doctor of Divinity, and the man + who does it owes some money to the man he does it to, can the latter + gentleman take a large and genial view of his critics. + </p> + <p> + This gross wrong and ungrateful outrage was inflicted thus. A leading + Methodist from Filey town, who owed the doctor half a guinea, came one + summer and set up his staff in the hollow of a limekiln, where he lived + upon fish for change of diet, and because he could get it for nothing. + This was a man of some eloquence, and his calling in life was cobbling, + and to encourage him therein, and keep him from theology, the rector not + only forgot his half guinea, but sent him three or four pairs of + riding-boots to mend, and let him charge his own price, which was strictly + heterodox. As a part of the bargain, this fellow came to church, and + behaved as well as could be hoped of a man who had received his money. He + sat by a pillar, and no more than crossed his legs at the worst thing that + disagreed with him. And it might have done him good, and made a decent + cobbler of him, if the parson had only held him when he got him on the + hook. But this is the very thing which all great preachers are too + benevolent to do. Dr. Upround looked at this sinner, who was getting into + a fright upon his own account, though not a bad preacher when he could + afford it; and the cobbler could no more look up to the doctor than when + he charged him a full crown beyond the contract. In his kindness for all + who seemed convinced of sin, the good preacher halted, and looked at Mr. + Jobbins with a soft, relaxing gaze. Jobbins appeared as if he would come + to church forever, and never cheat any sound clergyman again; whereupon + the generous divine omitted a whole page of menaces prepared for him, and + passed prematurely to the tender strain which always winds up a good + sermon. + </p> + <p> + Now what did Jobbins do in return for all this magnanimous mercy? Invited + to dine with the senior church-warden upon the strength of having been at + church, and to encourage him for another visit, and being asked, as soon + as ever decency permitted, what he thought of Parson Upround's doctrine, + between two crackles of young griskin (come straight from the rectory + pig-sty), he was grieved to express a stern opinion long remembered at + Flamborough: + </p> + <p> + “Ca' yo yon mon 'Dr. Uproond?' I ca' un 'Dr. Upandoon.'” + </p> + <p> + From that day forth the rector of the parish was known far and wide as + “Dr. Upandown,” even among those who loved him best. For the name well + described his benevolent practice of undoing any harsh thing he might have + said, sometimes by a smile, and very often with a shilling, or a basket of + spring cabbages. So that Mrs. Upround, when buttoning up his coat—which + he always forgot to do for himself—did it with the words, “My dear, + now scold no one; really it is becoming too expensive.” “Shall I abandon + duty,” he would answer, with some dignity, “while a shilling is sufficient + to enforce it?” + </p> + <p> + Dr. Upround's people had now found out that their minister and magistrate + discharged his duty toward his pillow, no less than to his pulpit. His + parish had acquired, through the work of generations, a habit of getting + up at night, and being all alive at cock-crow; and the rector (while very + new amongst them) tried to bow—or rather rise—to night-watch. + But a little of that exercise lasted him for long; and he liked to talk of + it afterward, but for the present was obliged to drop it. For he found + himself pale, when his wife made him see himself; and his hours of shaving + were so dreadful; and scarcely a bit of fair dinner could be got, with the + whole of the day thrown out so. In short, he settled it wisely that the + fishers of fish must yield to the habits of fish, which can not be + corrected; but the fishers of men (who can live without catching them) + need not be up to all their hours, but may take them reasonably. + </p> + <p> + His parishioners—who could do very well without him, as far as that + goes, all the week, and by no means wanted him among their boats—joyfully + left him to his own time of day, and no more worried him out of season + than he worried them so. It became a matter of right feeling with them not + to ring a big bell, which the rector had put up to challenge everybody's + spiritual need, until the stable clock behind the bell had struck ten and + finished gurgling. + </p> + <p> + For this reason, on St. Swithin's morn, in the said year 1782, the + grannies, wives, and babes of Flamborough, who had been to help the + launch, but could not pull the laboring oar, nor even hold the tiller, + spent the time till ten o'clock in seeing to their own affairs—the + most laudable of all pursuits for almost any woman. And then, with some + little dispute among them (the offspring of the merest accident), they + arrived in some force at the gate of Dr. Upround, and no woman liked to + pull the bell, and still less to let another woman do it for her. But an + old man came up who was quite deaf, and every one asked him to do it. + </p> + <p> + In spite of the scarcity of all good things, Mrs. Cockscroft had + thoroughly fed the little stranger, and washed him, and undressed him, and + set him up in her own bed, and wrapped him in her woollen shawl, because + he shivered sadly; and there he stared about with wondering eyes, and gave + great orders—so far as his new nurse could make out—but + speaking gibberish, as she said, and flying into a rage because it was out + of Christian knowledge. But he seemed to understand some English, although + he could only pronounce two words, both short, and in such conjunction + quite unlawful for any except the highest Spiritual Power. Mrs. + Cockscroft, being a pious woman, hoped that her ears were wrong, or else + that the words were foreign and meant no harm, though the child seemed to + take in much of what was said, and when asked his name, answered, + wrathfully, and as if everybody was bound to know, “Izunsabe! Izunsabe!” + </p> + <p> + But now, when brought before Dr. Upround, no child of the very best + English stock could look more calm and peaceful. He could walk well + enough, but liked better to be carried; and the kind woman who had so + taken him up was only too proud to carry him. Whatever the rector and + magistrate might say, her meaning was to keep this little one, with her + husband's good consent, which she was sure of getting. + </p> + <p> + “Set him down, ma'am,” the doctor said, when he had heard from half a + dozen good women all about him; “Mistress Cockscroft, put him on his legs, + and let me question him.” + </p> + <p> + But the child resisted this proceeding. With nature's inborn and just + loathing of examination, he spun upon his little heels, and swore with all + his might, at the same time throwing up his hands and twirling his thumbs + in a very odd and foreign way. + </p> + <p> + “What a shocking child!” cried Mrs. Upround, who was come to know all + about it. “Jane, run away with Miss Janetta.” + </p> + <p> + “The child is not to blame,” said the rector, “but only the people who + have brought him up. A prettier or more clever little head I have never + seen in all my life; and we studied such things at Cambridge. My fine + little fellow, shake hands with me.” + </p> + <p> + The boy broke off his vicious little dance, and looked up at this tall + gentleman with great surprise. His dark eyes dwelt upon the parson's + kindly face, with that power of inquiry which the very young possess, and + then he put both little hands into the gentleman's, and burst into a + torrent of the most heart-broken tears. + </p> + <p> + “Poor little man!” said the rector, very gently, taking him up in his arms + and patting the silky black curls, while great drops fell, and a nose was + rubbed on his shoulder; “it is early for you to begin bad times. Why, how + old are you, if you please?” + </p> + <p> + The little boy sat up on the kind man's arm, and poked a small + investigating finger into the ear that was next to him, and the locks just + beginning to be marked with gray; and then he said, “Sore,” and tossed his + chin up, evidently meaning, “Make your best of that.” And the women drew a + long breath, and nudged at one another. + </p> + <p> + “Well done! Four years old, my dear. You see that he understands English + well enough,” said the parson to his parishioners: “he will tell us all + about himself by-and-by, if we do not hurry him. You think him a French + child. I do not, though the name which he gives himself, 'Izunsabe,' has a + French aspect about it. Let me think. I will try him with a French + interrogation: 'Parlez-vous Francais, mon enfan?'” + </p> + <p> + Dr. Upround watched the effect of his words with outward calm, but an + inward flutter. For if this clever child should reply in French, the + doctor could never go on with it, but must stand there before his + congregation in a worse position than when he lost his place, as sometimes + happened, in a sermon. With wild temerity he had given vent to the only + French words within his knowledge; and he determined to follow them up + with Latin if the worst came to the worst. + </p> + <p> + But luckily no harm came of this, but, contrariwise, a lasting good. For + the child looked none the wiser, while the doctor's influence was + increased. + </p> + <p> + “Aha!” the good parson cried. “I was sure that he was no Frenchman. But we + must hear something about him very soon, for what you tell me is + impossible. If he had come from the sea, he must have been wet; it could + never be otherwise. Whereas, his linen clothes are dry, and even quite + lately fullered—ironed you might call it.” + </p> + <p> + “Please your worship,” cried Mrs. Cockscroft, who was growing wild with + jealousy, “I did up all his little things, hours and hours ere your hoose + was up.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah, you had night-work! To be sure! Were his clothes dry or wet when you + took them off?” + </p> + <p> + “Not to say dry, your worship; and yet not to say very wet. Betwixt and + between, like my good master's, when he cometh from a pour of rain, or a + heavy spray. And the color of the land was upon them here and there. And + the gold tags were sewn with something wonderful. My best pair of scissors + would not touch it. I was frightened to put them to the tub, your worship; + but they up and shone lovely like a tailor's buttons. My master hath found + him, Sir; and it lies with him to keep him. And the Lord hath taken away + our Bob.” + </p> + <p> + “It is true,” said Dr. Upround, gently, and placing the child in her arms + again, “the Almighty has chastened you very sadly. This child is not mine + to dispose of, nor yours; but if he will comfort you, keep him till we + hear of him. I will take down in writing the particulars of the case, when + Captain Robin has come home and had his rest—say, at this time + to-morrow, or later; and then you will sign them, and they shall be + published. For you know, Mrs. Cockscroft, however much you may be taken + with him, you must not turn kidnapper. Moreover, it is needful, as there + may have been some wreck (though none of you seem to have heard of any), + that this strange occurrence should be made known. Then, if nothing is + heard of it, you can keep him, and may the Lord bless him to you!” + </p> + <p> + Without any more ado, she kissed the child, and wanted to carry him + straight away, after courtesying to his worship; but all the other women + insisted on a smack of him, for pity's sake, and the pleasure of the gold, + and to confirm the settlement. And a settlement it was, for nothing came + of any publication of the case, such as in those days could be made + without great expense and exertion. + </p> + <p> + So the boy grew up, tall, brave, and comely, and full of the spirit of + adventure, as behooved a boy cast on the winds. So far as that goes, his + foster-parents would rather have found him more steady and less comely, + for if he was to step into their lost son's shoes, he might do it without + seeming to outshine him. But they got over that little jealousy in time, + when the boy began to be useful, and, so far as was possible, they kept + him under by quoting against him the character of Bob, bringing it back + from heaven of a much higher quality than ever it was upon the earth. In + vain did this living child aspire to such level; how can an earthly boy + compare with one who never did a wrong thing, as soon as he was dead? + </p> + <p> + Passing that difficult question, and forbearing to compare a boy with + angels, be he what he will, his first need (after that of victuals) is a + name whereby his fellow-boys may know him. Is he to be shouted at with, + “Come here, what's your name?” or is he to be called (as if in high + rebuke), “Boy?” And yet there are grown-up folk who do all this without + hesitation, failing to remember their own predicament at a by-gone period. + Boys are as useful, in their way, as any other order; and if they can be + said to do some mischief, they can not be said to do it negligently. It is + their privilege and duty to be truly active; and their Maker, having + spread a dull world before them, has provided them with gifts of play + while their joints are supple. + </p> + <p> + The present boy, having been born without a father or a mother (so far as + could yet be discovered), was driven to do what our ancestors must have + done when it was less needful. That is to say, to work his own name out by + some distinctive process. When the parson had clearly shown him not to be + a Frenchman, a large contumely spread itself about, by reason of his gold, + and eyes, and hair, and name (which might be meant for Isaak), that he was + sprung from a race more honored now than a hundred years ago. But the + women declared that it could not be; and the rector desiring to christen + him, because it might never have been done before, refused point-blank to + put any “Isaac” in, and was satisfied with “Robin” only, the name of the + man who had saved him. + </p> + <p> + The rector showed deep knowledge of his flock, which looked upon Jews as + the goats of the Kingdom; for any Jew must die for a world of generations + ere ever a Christian thinks much of him. But finding him not to be a Jew, + the other boys, instead of being satisfied, condemned him for a Dutchman. + </p> + <p> + Whatever he was, the boy throve well, and being so flouted by his + playmates, took to thoughts and habits and amusements of his own. In-door + life never suited him at all, nor too much of hard learning, although his + capacity was such that he took more advancement in an hour than the thick + heads of young Flamborough made in a whole leap-year of Sundays. For any + Flamburian boy was considered a “Brain Scholar,” and a “Head-Languager,” + when he could write down the parson's text, and chalk up a fish on the + weigh-board so that his father or mother could tell in three guesses what + manner of fish it was. And very few indeed had ever passed this trial. + </p> + <p> + For young Robin it was a very hard thing to be treated so by the other + boys. He could run, or jump, or throw a stone, or climb a rock with the + best of them; but all these things he must do by himself, simply because + he had no name. A feeble youth would have moped, but Robin only grew more + resolute. Alone he did what the other boys would scarcely in competition + dare. No crag was too steep for him, no cave too dangerous and + wave-beaten, no race of the tide so strong and swirling as to scare him of + his wits. He seemed to rejoice in danger, having very little else to + rejoice in; and he won for himself by nimble ways and rapid turns on land + and sea, the name of “Lithe,” or “Lyth,” and made it famous even far + inland. + </p> + <p> + For it may be supposed that his love of excitement, versatility, and + daring demanded a livelier outlet than the slow toil of deep-sea fishing. + To the most patient, persevering, and long-suffering of the arts, Robin + Lyth did not take kindly, although he was so handy with a boat. Old Robin + vainly strove to cast his angling mantle over him. The gifts of the youth + were brighter and higher; he showed an inborn fitness for the lofty + development of free trade. Eminent powers must force their way, as now + they were doing with Napoleon; and they did the same with Robin Lyth, + without exacting tithe in kind of all the foremost human race. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0012" id="link2HCH0012"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XII + </h2> + <h3> + IN A LANE, NOT ALONE + </h3> + <p> + Stephen Anerley's daughter was by no means of a crooked mind, but open as + the day in all things, unless any one mistrusted her, and showed it by + cross-questioning. When this was done, she resented it quickly by + concealing the very things which she would have told of her own accord; + and it so happened that the person to whom of all she should have been + most open, was the one most apt to check her by suspicious curiosity. And + now her mother already began to do this, as concerned the smuggler, + knowing from the revenue officer that Mary must have seen him. Mary, being + a truthful damsel, told no lies about it; but, on the other hand, she did + not rush forth with all the history, as she probably would have done if + left unexamined. And so she said nothing about the ear-ring, or the run + that was to come off that week, or the riding-skirt, or a host of little + things, including her promise to visit Bempton Lane. + </p> + <p> + On the other hand, she had a mind to tell her father, and take his opinion + about it all. But he was a little cross that evening, not with her, but + with the world at large; and that discouraged her; and then she thought + that being an officer of the king—as he liked to call himself + sometimes—he might feel bound to give information about the + impending process of free trade; which to her would be a breach of honor, + considering how she knew of it. + </p> + <p> + Upon the whole, she heartily wished that she never had seen that Robin + Lyth; and then she became ashamed of herself for indulging such a selfish + wish. For he might have been lying dead but for her; and then what would + become of the many poor people whose greatest comfort he was said to be? + And what good could arise from his destruction, if cruel people compassed + it? Free trade must be carried on, for the sake of everybody, including + Captain Carroway himself; and if an old and ugly man succeeded a young and + generous one as leader of the free-trade movement, all the women in the + country would put the blame on her. + </p> + <p> + Looking at these things loftily, and with a strong determination not to + think twice of what any one might say who did not understand the subject, + Mary was forced at last to the stern conclusion that she must keep her + promise. Not only because it was a promise—although that went a very + long way with her—but also because there seemed no other chance of + performing a positive duty. Simple honesty demanded that she should + restore to the owner a valuable, and beyond all doubt important, piece of + property. Two hours had she spent in looking for it, and deprived her dear + father of his breakfast shrimps; and was all this trouble to be thrown + away, and herself, perhaps, accused of theft, because her mother was so + short and sharp in wanting to know everything, and to turn it her own way? + </p> + <p> + The trinket, which she had found at last, seemed to be a very uncommon and + precious piece of jewelry; it was made of pure gold, minutely chased and + threaded with curious workmanship, in form like a melon, and bearing what + seemed to be characters of some foreign language: there might be a spell, + or even witchcraft, in it, and the sooner it was out of her keeping the + better. Nevertheless she took very good care of it, wrapping it in + lamb's-wool, and peeping at it many times a day, to be sure that it was + safe, until it made her think of the owner so much, and the many wonders + she had heard about him, that she grew quite angry with herself and it, + and locked it away, and then looked at it again. + </p> + <p> + As luck would have it, on the very day when Mary was to stroll down + Bempton Lane (not to meet any one, of course, but simply for the merest + chance of what might happen), her father had business at Driffield corn + market, which would keep him from home nearly all the day. When his + daughter heard of it she was much cast down; for she hoped that he might + have been looking about on the northern part of the farm, as he generally + was in the afternoon; and although he could not see Bempton Lane at all, + perhaps, without some newly acquired power of seeing round sharp corners, + still it would have been a comfort and a strong resource for conscience to + have felt that he was not so very far away. And this feeling of want made + his daughter resolve to have some one at any rate near her. If Jack had + only been at home, she need have sought no further, for he would have + entered into all her thoughts about it, and obeyed her orders beautifully. + But Willie was quite different, and hated any trouble, being spoiled so by + his mother and the maidens all around them. + </p> + <p> + However, in such a strait, what was there to do but to trust in Willie, + who was old enough, being five years in front of Mary, and then to try to + make him sensible? Willie Anerley had no idea that anybody—far less + his own sister—could take such a view of him. He knew himself to be, + and all would say the same of him, superior in his original gifts, and his + manner of making use of them, to the rest of the family put together. He + had spent a month in Glasgow, when the whole place was astir with the + ferment of many great inventions, and another month in Edinburgh, when + that noble city was aglow with the dawn of large ideas; also, he had + visited London, foremost of his family, and seen enough new things there + to fill all Yorkshire with surprise; and the result of such wide + experience was that he did not like hard work at all. Neither could he + even be content to accept and enjoy, without labor of his own, the many + good things provided for him. He was always trying to discover something + which never seemed to answer, and continually flying after something new, + of which he never got fast hold. In a word, he was spoiled, by nature + first, and then by circumstances, for the peaceful life of his ancestors, + and the unacknowledged blessings of a farmer. + </p> + <p> + “Willie dear, will you come with me?” Mary said to him that day, catching + him as he ran down stairs to air some inspiration. “Will you come with me + for just one hour? I wish you would; and I would be so thankful.” + </p> + <p> + “Child, it is quite impossible,” he answered, with a frown which set off + his delicate eyebrows and high but rather narrow forehead; “you always + want me at the very moment when I have the most important work in hand. + Any childish whim of yours matters more than hours and hours of hard + labor.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Willie, but you know how I try to help you, and all the patterns I + cut out last week! Do come for once, Willie; if you refuse, you will + never, never forgive yourself.” + </p> + <p> + Willie Anerley was as good-natured as any self-indulged youth can be; he + loved his sister in his way, and was indebted to her for getting out of a + great many little scrapes. He saw how much she was in earnest now, and + felt some desire to know what it was about. Moreover—which settled + the point—he was getting tired of sticking to one thing for a time + unusually long with him. But he would not throw away the chance of scoring + a huge debt of gratitude. + </p> + <p> + “Well, do what you like with me,” he answered, with a smile; “I never can + have my own way five minutes. It serves me quite right for being so + good-natured.” + </p> + <p> + Mary gave him a kiss, which must have been an object of ambition to + anybody else; but it only made him wipe his mouth; and presently the two + set forth upon the path toward Bempton. + </p> + <p> + Robin Lyth had chosen well his place for meeting Mary. The lane (of which + he knew every yard as well as he knew the rocks themselves) was deep and + winding, and fringed with bushes, so that an active and keen-eyed man + might leap into thicket almost before there was a fair chance of shooting + him. He knew well enough that he might trust Mary; but he never could be + sure that the bold “coast-riders,” despairing by this time of catching him + at sea, and longing for the weight of gold put upon his head, might not be + setting privy snares to catch him in his walks abroad. They had done so + when they pursued him up the Dike; and though he was inclined to doubt the + strict legality of that proceeding, he could not see his way to a fair + discussion of it, in case of their putting a bullet through him. And this + consideration made him careful. + </p> + <p> + The brother and sister went on well by the foot-path over the uplands of + the farm, and crossing the neck of the Flamburn peninsula, tripped away + merrily northward. The wheat looked healthy, and the barley also, and a + four-acre patch of potatoes smelled sweetly (for the breeze of them was + pleasant in their wholesome days), and Willie, having overworked his + brain, according to his own account of it, strode along loftily before his + sister, casting over his shoulder an eddy of some large ideas with which + he had been visited before she interrupted him. But as nothing ever came + of them, they need not here be stated. From a practical point of view, + however, as they both had to live upon the profits of the farm, it pleased + them to observe what a difference there was when they had surmounted the + chine and began to descend toward the north upon other people's land. Here + all was damp and cold and slow; and chalk looked slimy instead of being + clean; and shadowy places had an oozy cast; and trees (wherever they could + stand) were facing the east with wrinkled visage, and the west with wiry + beards. Willie (who had, among other great inventions, a scheme for + improvement of the climate) was reminded at once of all the things he + meant to do in that way; and making, as he always did, a great point of + getting observations first—a point whereon he stuck fast mainly—without + any time for delay he applied himself to a rapid study of the subject. He + found some things just like other things which he had seen in Scotland, + yet differing so as to prove, more clearly than even their resemblance + did, the value of his discovery. + </p> + <p> + “Look!” he cried; “can anything be clearer? The cause of all these evils + is not (as an ignorant person might suppose) the want of sunshine, or too + much wet, but an inadequate movement of the air—” + </p> + <p> + “Why, I thought it was always blowing up here. The very last time I came, + my bonnet strings were split.” + </p> + <p> + “You do not understand me; you never do. When I say inadequate, I mean, of + course, incorrect, inaccurate, unequable. Now the air is a fluid; you may + stare as you like, Mary, but the air has been proved to be a fluid. Very + well; no fluid in large bodies moves with an equal velocity throughout. + Part of it is rapid and part quite stagnant. The stagnant places of the + air produce this green scum, this mossy, unwholesome, and injurious stuff; + while the overrapid motion causes this iron appearance, this hard surface, + and general sterility. By the simplest of simple contrivances, I make this + evil its own remedy. An equable impulse given to the air produces an + adequate uniform flow, preventing stagnation in one place, and excessive + vehemence in another. And the beauty of it is that by my new invention I + make the air itself correct and regulate its own inequalities.” + </p> + <p> + “How clever you are, to be sure!” exclaimed Mary, wondering that her + father could not see it. “Oh, Willie, you will make your fortune by it! + However do you do it?” + </p> + <p> + “The simplicity of it is such that even you can understand it. All great + discoveries are simple. I fix in a prominent situation a large and + vertically revolving fan, of a light and vibrating substance. The movement + of the air causes this to rotate by the mere force of the impact. The + rotation and the vibration of the fan convert an irregular impulse into a + steady and equable undulation; and such is the elasticity of the fluid + called, in popular language, 'the air,' that for miles around the rotation + of this fan regulates the circulation, modifies extremes, annihilates + sterility, and makes it quite impossible for moss and green scum and all + this sour growth to live. Even you can see, Mary, how beautiful it is.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, that I can,” she answered, simply, as they turned the corner upon a + large windmill, with arms revolving merrily; “but, Willie dear, would not + Farmer Topping's mill, perpetually going as it is, answer the same + purpose? And yet the moss seems to be as thick as ever here, and the + ground as naked.” + </p> + <p> + “Tush!” cried Willie. “Stuff and nonsense! When will you girls understand? + Good-by! I will throw away no more time on you.” + </p> + <p> + Without stopping to finish his sentence he was off and out of sight both + of the mill and Mary, before the poor girl, who had not the least + intention of offending him, could even beg his pardon, or say how much she + wanted him; for she had not dared as yet to tell him what was the purpose + of her walk, his nature being such that no one, not even his own mother, + could tell what conclusion he might come to upon any practical question. + He might rush off at once to put the revenue men on the smuggler's track, + or he might stop his sister from going, or he might (in the absence of his + father) order a feast to be prepared, and fetch the outlaw to be his + guest. So Mary had resolved not to tell him until the last moment, when he + could do none of these things. + </p> + <p> + But now she must either go on all alone, or give up her purpose and break + her promise. After some hesitation she determined to go on, for the place + would scarcely seem so very lonely now with the windmill in view, which + would always remind her henceforth of her dear brother William. It was + perfectly certain that Captain Robert Lyth, whose fame for chivalry was + everywhere, and whose character was all in all to him with the ladies who + bought his silks and lace, would see her through all danger caused by + confidence in him; and really it was too bad of her to admit any paltry + misgivings. But reason as she might, her young conscience told her that + this was not the proper thing to do, and she made up her mind not to do it + again. Then she laughed at the notion of being ever even asked, and told + herself that she was too conceited; and to cut the matter short, went very + bravely down the hill. + </p> + <p> + The lane, which came winding from the beach up to the windmill, was as + pretty a lane as may anywhere be found in any other county than that of + Devon. With a Devonshire lane it could not presume to vie, having little + of the glorious garniture of fern, and nothing of the crystal brook that + leaps at every corner; no arches of tall ash, keyed with dog-rose, and not + much of honeysuckle, and a sight of other wants which people feel who have + lived in the plenitude of everything. But in spite of all that, the lane + was very fine for Yorkshire. + </p> + <p> + On the other hand, Mary had prettier ankles, and a more graceful and + lighter walk, than the Devonshire lanes, which like to echo something, for + the most part seem accustomed to; and the short dress of the time made + good such favorable facts when found. Nor was this all that could be said, + for the maiden (while her mother was so busy pickling cabbage, from which + she drove all intruders) had managed to forget what the day of the week + was, and had opened the drawer that should be locked up until Sunday. To + walk with such a handsome tall fellow as Willie compelled her to look like + something too, and without any thought of it she put her best hat on, and + a very pretty thing with some French name, and made of a delicate + peach-colored silk, which came down over her bosom, and tied in the + neatest of knots at the small of her back, which at that time of life was + very small. All these were the gifts of her dear uncle Popplewell, upon + the other side of Filey, who might have been married for forty years, but + nobody knew how long it was, because he had no children, and so he made + Mary his darling. And this ancient gentleman had leanings toward free + trade. + </p> + <p> + Whether these goods were French or not—which no decent person could + think of asking—no French damsel could have put them on better, or + shown a more pleasing appearance in them; for Mary's desire was to please + all people who meant no harm to her—as nobody could—and yet to + let them know that her object was only to do what was right, and to never + think of asking whether she looked this, that, or the other. Her mother, + as a matter of duty, told her how plain she was almost every day; but the + girl was not of that opinion; and when Mrs. Anerley finished her lecture + (as she did nine times in ten) by turning the glass to the wall, and + declaring that beauty was a snare skin-deep, with a frown of warning + instead of a smile of comfort, then Mary believed in her looking-glass + again, and had the smile of comfort on her own face. + </p> + <p> + However, she never thought of that just now, but only of how she could do + her duty, and have no trouble in her own mind with thinking, and satisfy + her father when she told him all, as she meant to do, when there could be + no harm done to any one; and this, as she heartily hoped, would be + to-morrow. And truly, if there did exist any vanity at all, it was not + confined to the sex in which it is so much more natural and comely. + </p> + <p> + For when a very active figure came to light suddenly, at a little elbow of + the lane, and with quick steps advanced toward Mary, she was lost in + surprise at the gayety, not to say grandeur, of its apparel. A broad hat, + looped at the side, and having a pointed black crown, with a scarlet + feather and a dove-colored brim, sat well upon the mass of crisp black + curls. A short blue jacket of the finest Flemish cloth, and set (not too + thickly) with embossed silver buttons, left properly open the strong brown + neck, while a shirt of pale blue silk, with a turned-down collar of fine + needle-work, fitted, without a wrinkle or a pucker, the broad and amply + rounded chest. Then a belt of brown leather, with an anchor clasp, and + empty loops for either fire-arm or steel, supported true sailor's trousers + of the purest white and the noblest man-of-war cut; and where these + widened at the instep shone a lovely pair of pumps, with buckles radiant + of best Bristol diamonds. The wearer of all these splendors smiled, and + seemed to become them as they became him. + </p> + <p> + “Well,” thought Mary, “how free trade must pay! What a pity that he is not + in the Royal Navy!” + </p> + <p> + With his usual quickness, and the self-esteem which added such lustre to + his character, the smuggler perceived what was passing in her mind, but he + was not rude enough to say so. + </p> + <p> + “Young lady,” he began—and Mary, with all her wisdom, could not help + being fond of that—“young lady, I was quite sure that you would keep + your word.” + </p> + <p> + “I never do anything else,” she answered, showing that she scarcely looked + at him. “I have found this for you, and then good-by.” + </p> + <p> + “Surely you will wait to hear my thanks, and to know what made me dare to + ask you, after all you had done for me already, to begin again for me. But + I am such an outcast that I never should have done it.” + </p> + <p> + “I never saw any one look more thoroughly unlike an outcast,” Mary said; + and then she was angry with herself for speaking, and glancing, and, worst + of all, for smiling, + </p> + <p> + “Ladies who live on land can never understand what we go through,” Robin + replied, in his softest voice, as rich as the murmur of the summer sea. + “When we expect great honors, we try to look a little tidy, as any one but + a common boor would do; and we laugh at ourselves for trying to look well, + after all the knocking about we get. Our time is short—we must make + the most of it.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, please not to talk in such a dreadful way,” said Mary. + </p> + <p> + “You remind me of my dear friend Dr. Upround—the very best man in + the whole world, I believe. He always says to me, 'Robin, Robin—'” + </p> + <p> + “What! is Dr. Upandown a friend of yours?” Mary exclaimed, in amazement, + and with a stoppage of the foot that was poised for quick departure. + </p> + <p> + “Dr. Upandown, as many people call him,” said the smuggler, with a tone of + condemnation, “is the best and dearest friend I have, next to Captain and + Mistress Cockscroft, who may have been heard of at Anerley Manor. Dr. + Upround is our magistrate and clergyman, and he lets people say what they + like against me, while he honors me with his friendship. I must not stay + long to thank you even, because I am going to the dear old doctor's for + supper at seven o'clock and a game of chess.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh dear! oh dear! And he is such a Justice! And yet they shot at you last + week! It makes me wonder when I hear such things.” + </p> + <p> + “Young lady, it makes everybody wonder. In my opinion there never could be + a more shameful murder than to shoot me; and yet but for you it would + surely have been done.” + </p> + <p> + “You must not dwell upon such things,” said Mary; “they may have a very + bad effect upon your mind. But good-by, Captain Lyth; I forgot that I was + robbing Dr. Upround of your society.” + </p> + <p> + “Shall I be so ungrateful as not to see you safe upon your own land after + all your trouble? My road to Flamborough lies that way. Surely you will + not refuse to hear what made me so anxious about this bauble, which now + will be worth ten times as much. I never saw it look so bright before.” + </p> + <p> + “It—it must be the sand has made it shine,” the maiden stammered, + with a fine bright blush; “it does the same to my shrimping net.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah, shrimping is a very fine pursuit! There is nothing I love better; + what pools I could show you, if I only might; pools where you may fill a + sack with large prawns in a single tide—pools known to nobody but + myself. When do you think of going shrimping next?” + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps next summer I may try again, if Captain Carroway will come with + me.” + </p> + <p> + “That is too unkind of you. How very harsh you are to me! I could hardly + have believed it after all that you have done. And you really do not care + to hear the story of this relic?” + </p> + <p> + “If I could stop, I should like it very much. But my brother, who came + with me, may perhaps be waiting for me.” Mary knew that this was not very + likely; still, it was just possible, for Willie's ill tempers seldom + lasted very long; and she wanted to let the smuggler know that she had not + come all alone to meet him. + </p> + <p> + “I shall not be two minutes,” Robin Lyth replied; “I have been forced to + learn short talking. May I tell you about this trinket?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, if you will only begin at once, and finish by the time we get to + that corner.” + </p> + <p> + “That is very short measure for a tale,” said Robin, though he liked her + all the better for such qualities; “however, I will try; only walk a + little slower. Nobody knows where I was born, any more than they know how + or why. Only when I came upon this coast as a very little boy, and without + knowing anything about it, they say that I had very wonderful buttons of + gold upon a linen dress, adorned with gold-lace, which I used to wear on + Sundays. Dr. Upround ordered them to keep those buttons, and was to have + had them in his own care; but before that, all of them were lost save two. + My parents, as I call them from their wonderful goodness, kinder than the + ones who have turned me on the world (unless themselves went out of it), + resolved to have my white coat done up grandly, when I grew too big for + it, and to lay it by in lavender; and knowing of a great man in the + gold-lace trade, as far away as Scarborough, they sent it by a + fishing-smack to him, with people whom they knew thoroughly. That was the + last of it ever known here. The man swore a manifest that he never saw it, + and threatened them with libel; and the smack was condemned, and all her + hands impressed, because of some trifle she happened to carry; and nobody + knows any more of it. But two of the buttons had fallen off, and good + mother had put them by, to give a last finish to the coat herself; and + when I grew up, and had to go to sea at night, they were turned into a + pair of ear-rings. There, now, Miss Anerley, I have not been long, and you + know all about it.” + </p> + <p> + “How very lonesome it must be for you,” said Mary, with a gentle gaze, + which, coming from such lovely eyes, went straight into his heart, “to + have no one belonging to you by right, and to seem to belong to nobody! I + am sure I can not tell whatever I should do without any father, or mother, + or uncle, or even a cousin to be certain of.” + </p> + <p> + “All the ladies seem to think that it is rather hard upon me,” Robin + answered, with an excellent effort at a sigh; “but I do my very best to + get on without them. And one thing that helps me most of all is when kind + ladies, who have good hearts, allow me to talk to them as if I had a + sister. This makes me forget what I am sometimes.” + </p> + <p> + “You never should try to forget what you are. Everybody in the world + speaks well of you. Even that cruel Lieutenant Carroway can not help + admiring you. And if you have taken to free trade, what else could you do, + when you had no friends, and even your coat was stolen?” + </p> + <p> + “High-minded people take that view of it, I know. But I do not pretend to + any such excuse. I took to free trade for the sake of my friends—to + support the old couple who have been so good to me.” + </p> + <p> + “That is better still; it shows such good principle. My uncle Popplewell + has studied the subject of what they call 'political economy,' and he says + that the country requires free trade, and the only way to get it is to go + on so that the government must give way at last. However, I need not + instruct you about that; and you must not stop any longer.” + </p> + <p> + “Miss Anerley, I will not encroach upon your kindness. You have said + things that I never shall forget. On the Continent I meet very many ladies + who tell me good things, and make me better; but not at all as you have + done. A minute of talk with you is worth an hour with anybody else. But I + fear that you laugh at me all the while, and are only too glad to be rid + of me. Good-by. May I kiss your hand? God bless you!” + </p> + <p> + Mary had no time to say a single word, or even to express her ideas by a + look, before Robin Lyth, with all his bright apparel, was “conspicuous by + his absence.” As a diving bird disappears from a gun, or a trout from a + shadow on his hover, or even a debtor from his creditor, so the great + free-trader had vanished into lightsome air, and left emptiness behind + him. + </p> + <p> + The young maid, having been prepared to yield him a few yards more of good + advice, if he held out for another corner, now could only say to herself + that she never had met such a wonderful man. So active, strong, and + astonishingly brave; so thoroughly acquainted with foreign lands, yet + superior to their ladies; so able to see all the meaning of good words, + and to value them when offered quietly; so sweet in his manner, and voice, + and looks; and with all his fame so unpretending, and—much as it + frightened her to think it—really seeming to be afraid of her. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0013" id="link2HCH0013"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIII + </h2> + <h3> + GRUMBLING AND GROWLING + </h3> + <p> + While these successful runs went on, and great authorities smiled at + seeing the little authorities set at naught, and men of the revenue smote + their breasts for not being born good smugglers, and the general public + was well pleased, and congratulated them cordially upon their + accomplishment of naught, one man there was whose noble spirit chafed and + knew no comfort. He strode up and down at Coast-guard Point, and communed + with himself, while Robin held sweet converse in the lane. + </p> + <p> + “Why was I born?” the sad Carroway cried; “why was I thoroughly educated + and trained in both services of the king, expected to rise, and beginning + to rise, till a vile bit of splinter stopped me, and then sent down to + this hole of a place to starve, and be laughed at, and baffled by a boy? + Another lucky run, and the revenue bamboozled, and the whole of us sent + upon a wild-goose chase! Every gapper-mouth zany grinning at me, and + scoundrels swearing that I get my share! And the only time I have had my + dinner with my knees crook'd, for at least a fortnight, was at Anerley + Farm on Sunday. I am not sure that even they wouldn't turn against me; I + am certain that pretty girl would. I've a great mind to throw it up—a + great mind to throw it up. It is hardly the work for a gentleman born, and + the grandson of a rear-admiral. Tinkers' and tailors' sons get the luck + now; and a man of good blood is put on the back shelf, behind the + blacking-bottles. A man who has battled for his country—” + </p> + <p> + “Charles, are you coming to your dinner, once more?” + </p> + <p> + “No, I am not. There's no dinner worth coming to. You and the children may + eat the rat pie. A man who has battled for his country, and bled till all + his veins were empty, and it took two men to hold him up, and yet waved + his Sword at the head of them—it is the downright contradiction of + the world in everything for him to poke about with pots and tubs, like a + pig in a brewery, grain-hunting.” + </p> + <p> + “Once more, Charles, there is next to nothing left. The children are + eating for their very lives. If you stay out there another minute, you + must take the consequence.” + </p> + <p> + “Alas, that I should have so much stomach, and so little to put into it! + My dear, put a little bit under a basin, if any of them has no appetite. I + wanted just to think a little.” + </p> + <p> + “Charles, they have all got tremendous appetites. It is the way the wind + is. You may think by-and-by, but if you want to eat, you must do it now, + or never.” + </p> + <p> + “'Never' never suits me in that matter,” the brave lieutenant answered. + “Matilda, put Geraldine to warm the pewter plate for me. Geraldine + darling, you can do it with your mouth full.” + </p> + <p> + The commander of the coast-guard turned abruptly from his long indignant + stride, and entered the cottage provided for him, and which he had peopled + so speedily. + </p> + <p> + Small as it was, it looked beautifully clean and neat, and everybody used + to wonder how Mrs. Carroway kept it so. But in spite of all her troubles + and many complaints, she was very proud of this little house, with its + healthful position and beautiful outlook over the bay of Bridlington. It + stood in a niche of the low soft cliff, where now the sea-parade extends + from the northern pier of Bridlington Quay; and when the roadstead between + that and the point was filled with a fleet of every kind of craft, or, + better still, when they all made sail at once—as happened when a + trusty breeze arose—the view was lively, and very pleasant, and full + of moving interest. Often one of his Majesty's cutters, Swordfish, + Kestrel, or Albatross, would swoop in with all sail set, and hover, while + the skipper came ashore to see the “Ancient Carroway,” as this vigilant + officer was called; and sometimes even a sloop of war, armed brigantine, + or light corvette, prowling for recruits, or cruising for their training, + would run in under the Head, and overhaul every wind-bound ship with a + very high hand. + </p> + <p> + “Ancient Carroway”—as old friends called him, and even young people + who had never seen him—was famous upon this coast now for nearly + three degrees of latitude. He had dwelled here long, and in highly good + content, hospitably treated by his neighbors, and himself more hospitable + than his wife could wish, until two troubles in his life arose, and from + year to year grew worse and worse. One of these troubles was the growth of + mouths in number and size, that required to be filled; and the other + trouble was the rampant growth of smuggling, and the glory of that upstart + Robin Lyth. Now let it be lawful to take that subject first. + </p> + <p> + Fair Robin, though not at all anxious for fame, but modestly willing to + decline it, had not been successful—though he worked so much by + night—in preserving sweet obscurity. His character was public, and + set on high by fortune, to be gazed at from wholly different points of + view. From their narrow and lime-eyed outlook the coast-guard beheld in + him the latest incarnation of Old Nick; yet they hated him only in an + abstract manner, and as men feel toward that evil one. Magistrates also, + and the large protective powers, were arrayed against him, yet happy to + abstain from laying hands, when their hands were their own, upon him. And + many of the farmers, who should have been his warmest friends and best + customers, were now so attached to their king and country, by bellicose + warmth and army contracts, that instead of a guinea for a four-gallon + anker, they would offer three crowns, or the exciseman. And not only + conscience, but short cash, after three bad harvests, constrained them. + </p> + <p> + Yet the staple of public opinion was sound, as it must be where women + predominate. The best of women could not see why they should not have + anything they wanted for less than it cost the maker. To gaze at a sister + woman better dressed at half the money was simply to abjure every lofty + principle. And to go to church with a counterfeit on, when the genuine + lace was in the next pew on a body of inferior standing, was a downright + outrage to the congregation, the rector, and all religion. A cold-blooded + creature, with no pin-money, might reconcile it with her principles, if + any she had, to stand up like a dowdy and allow a poor man to risk his + life by shot and storm and starvation, and then to deny him a word or a + look, because of his coming with the genuine thing at a quarter the price + fat tradesmen asked, who never stirred out of their shops when it rained, + for a thing that was a story and an imposition. Charity, duty, and common + honesty to their good husbands in these bad times compelled them to make + the very best of bargains; of which they got really more and more, as + those brave mariners themselves bore witness, because of the depression in + the free trade now and the glorious victories of England. Were they bound + to pay three times the genuine value, and then look a figure, and be + laughed at? + </p> + <p> + And as for Captain Carroway, let him scold, and threaten, and stride + about, and be jealous, because his wife dare not buy true things, poor + creature—although there were two stories also about that, and the + quantities of things that he got for nothing, whenever he was clever + enough to catch them, which scarcely ever happened, thank goodness! Let + Captain Carroway attend to his own business; unless he was much belied, he + had a wife who would keep him to it. Who was Captain Carroway to come down + here, without even being born in Yorkshire, and lay down the law, as if he + owned the manor? + </p> + <p> + Lieutenant Carroway had heard such questions, but disdained to answer + them. He knew who he was, and what his grandfather had been, and he never + cared a—short word—what sort of stuff long tongues might prate + of him. Barbarous broad-drawlers, murderers of his Majesty's English, + could they even pronounce the name of an officer highly distinguished for + many years in both of the royal services? That was his description, and + the Yorkshire yokels might go and read it—if read they could—in + the pages of authority. + </p> + <p> + Like the celebrated calf that sucked two cows, Carroway had drawn royal + pay, though in very small drains, upon either element, beginning with a + skeleton regiment, and then, when he became too hot for it, diving off + into a frigate as a recommended volunteer. Here he was more at home, + though he never ceased longing to be a general; and having the credit of + fighting well ashore, he was looked at with interest when he fought a + fight at sea. He fought it uncommonly well, and it was good, and so many + men fell that he picked up his commission, and got into a fifty-two-gun + ship. After several years of service, without promotion—for his + grandfather's name was worn out now, and the wars were not properly + constant—there came a very lively succession of fights, and Carroway + got into all of them, or at least into all the best of them. And he ought + to have gone up much faster than he did, and he must have done so but for + his long lean jaws, the which are the worst things that any man can have. + Not only because of their own consumption and slow length of leverage, but + mainly on account of the sadness they impart, and the timid recollection + of a hungry wolf, to the man who might have lifted up a fatter individual. + </p> + <p> + But in Rodney's great encounter with the Spanish fleet, Carroway showed + such a dauntless spirit, and received such a wound, that it was impossible + not to pay him some attention. His name was near the bottom of a very long + list, but it made a mark on some one's memory, depositing a chance of + coming up some day, when he should be reported hit again. And so good was + his luck that he soon was hit again, and a very bad hit it was; but still + he got over it without promotion, because that enterprise was one in which + nearly all our men ran away, and therefore required to be well pushed up + for the sake of the national honor. When such things happen, the few who + stay behind must be left behind in the Gazette as well. That wound, + therefore, seemed at first to go against him, but he bandaged it, and + plastered it, and hoped for better luck. And his third wound truly was a + blessed one, a slight one, and taken in the proper course of things, + without a slur upon any of his comrades. This set him up again with + advancement and appointment, and enabled him to marry and have children + seven. + </p> + <p> + The lieutenant was now about fifty years of age, gallant and lively as + ever, and resolute to attend to his duty and himself as well. His duty was + now along shore, in command of the Coast-guard of the East District; for + the loss of a good deal of one heel made it hard for him to step about as + he should do when afloat. The place suited him, and he was fond of it, + although he grumbled sometimes about his grandfather, and went on as if + his office was beneath him. He abused all his men, and all the good ones + liked him, and respected him for his clear English. And he enjoyed this + free exercise of language out-of-doors, because inside his threshold he + was on his P's and Q's. To call him “ugly Carroway,” as coarse people did, + because of a scar across his long bold nose, was petty and unjust, and + directly contradicted by his own and his wife's opinion. For nobody could + have brighter eyes, or a kindlier smile, and more open aspect in the + forepart of the week, while his Sunday shave retained its influence, so + far as its limited area went, for he kept a long beard always. By + Wednesday he certainly began to look grim, and on Saturday ferocious, + pending the advent of the Bridlington barber, who shaved all the Quay + every Sunday. But his mind was none the worse, and his daughters liked him + better when he rasped their young cheeks with his beard, and paid a penny. + For to his children he was a loving and tender-hearted father, puzzled at + their number, and sometimes perplexed at having to feed and clothe them, + yet happy to give them his last and go without, and even ready to welcome + more, if Heaven should be pleased to send them. + </p> + <p> + But Mrs. Carroway, most fidgety of women, and born of a well-shorn family, + was unhappy from the middle to the end of the week that she could not + scrub her husband's beard off. The lady's sense of human crime, and of + everything hateful in creation, expressed itself mainly in the word + “dirt.” Her rancor against that nobly tranquil and most natural of + elements inured itself into a downright passion. From babyhood she had + been notorious for kicking her little legs out at the least speck of dust + upon a tiny red shoe. Her father—a clergyman—heard so much of + this, and had so many children of a different stamp, that when he came to + christen her, at six months of age (which used to be considered quite an + early time of life), he put upon her the name of “Lauta,” to which she + thoroughly acted up; but people having ignorance of foreign tongues said + that he always meant “Matilda.” + </p> + <p> + Such was her nature, and it grew upon her; so that when a young and + gallant officer, tall and fresh, and as clean as a frigate, was captured + by her neat bright eyes, very clean run, and sharp cut-water, she began to + like to look at him. Before very long, his spruce trim ducks, careful + scrape of Brunswick-leather boots, clean pocket-handkerchiefs, and fine + specklessness, were making and keeping a well-swept path to the thoroughly + dusted store-room of her heart. How little she dreamed, in those virgin + days, that the future could ever contain a week when her Charles would + decline to shave more than once, and then have it done for him on a + Sunday! + </p> + <p> + She hesitated, for she had her thoughts—doubts she disdained to call + them—but still he forgot once to draw his boots sideways, after + having purged the toe and heel, across the bristle of her father's mat. + With the quick eye of love he perceived her frown, and the very next day + he conquered her. His scheme was unworthy, as it substituted corporate for + personal purity; still it succeeded, as unworthy schemes will do. On the + birthday of his sacred Majesty, Charles took Matilda to see his ship, the + 48-gun frigate Immaculate, commanded by a well-known martinet. Her spirit + fell within her, like the Queen of Sheba's, as she gazed, but trembled to + set down foot upon the trim order and the dazzling choring. She might have + survived the strict purity of all things, the deck lines whiter than + Parian marble, the bulwarks brighter than the cheek-piece of a grate, the + breeches of the guns like goodly gold, and not a whisker of a rope's end + curling the wrong way, if only she could have espied a swab, or a bucket, + or a flake of holy-stone, or any indicament of labor done. “Artis est + celare artem;” this art was unfathomable. + </p> + <p> + Matilda was fain to assure herself that the main part of this might be + superficial, like a dish-cover polished with the spots on, and she lost + her handkerchief on purpose to come back and try a little test-work of her + own. This was a piece of unstopped knotting in the panel of a hatchway, a + resinous hole that must catch and keep any speck of dust meandering on the + wayward will of wind. Her cambric came out as white as it went in! + </p> + <p> + She surrendered at discretion, and became the prize of Carroway. + </p> + <p> + Now people at Bridlington Quay declared that the lieutenant, though he + might have carried off a prize, was certainly not the prize-master; and + they even went so far as to say that “he could scarcely call his soul his + own.” The matter was no concern of theirs, neither were their conclusions + true. In little things the gallant officer, for the sake of discipline and + peace, submitted to due authority; and being so much from home, he left + all household matters to a firm control. In return for this, he was always + thought of first, and the best of everything was kept for him, and Mrs. + Carroway quoted him to others as a wonder, though she may not have done so + to himself. And so, upon the whole, they got on very well together. + </p> + <p> + Now on this day, when the lieutenant had exhausted a grumble of unusual + intensity, and the fair Geraldine (his eldest child) had obeyed him to the + letter, by keeping her mouth full while she warmed a plate for him, it was + not long before his usual luck befell the bold Carroway. Rap, rap, came a + knock at the side door of his cottage—a knock only too familiar; and + he heard the gruff voice of Cadman—“Can I see his honor + immediately?” + </p> + <p> + “No, you can not,” replied Mrs. Carroway. “One would think you were all in + a league to starve him. No sooner does he get half a mouthful—” + </p> + <p> + “Geraldine, put it on the hob, my dear, and a basin over it. Matilda, my + love, you know my maxim—'Duty first, dinner afterward.' Cadman, I + will come with you.” + </p> + <p> + The revenue officer took up his hat (which had less time now than his + dinner to get cold) and followed Cadman to the usual place for holding + privy councils. This was under the heel of the pier (which was then about + half as long as now) at a spot where the outer wall combed over, to break + the crest of the surges in the height of a heavy eastern gale. At neap + tides, and in moderate weather, this place was dry, with a fine salt + smell; and with nothing in front of it but the sea, and nothing behind it + but solid stone wall, any one would think that here must be commune + sacred, secret, and secluded from eavesdroppers. And yet it was not so, by + reason of a very simple reason. + </p> + <p> + Upon the roadway of the pier, and over against a mooring-post, where the + parapet and the pier itself made a needful turn toward the south, there + was an equally needful thing, a gully-hole with an iron trap to carry off + the rain that fell, or the spray that broke upon the fabric; and the + outlet of this gully was in the face of the masonry outside. Carroway, not + being gifted with a crooked mind, had never dreamed that this little gut + might conduct the pulses of the air, like the Tyrant's Ear, and that the + trap at the end might be a trap for him. Yet so it was; and by gently + raising the movable iron frame at the top, a well-disposed person might + hear every word that was spoken in the snug recess below. Cadman was well + aware of this little fact, but left his commander to find it out. + </p> + <p> + The officer, always thinly clad (both through the state of his wardrobe + and his dread of effeminate comfort), settled his bony shoulders against + the rough stonework, and his heels upon a groyne, and gave his subordinate + a nod, which meant, “Make no fuss, but out with it.” Cadman, a short + square fellow with crafty eyes, began to do so. + </p> + <p> + “Captain, I have hit it off at last. Hackerbody put me wrong last time, + through the wench he hath a hankering after. This time I got it, and no + mistake, as right as if the villain lay asleep 'twixt you and me, and told + us all about it with his tongue out; and a good thing for men of large + families like me.” + </p> + <p> + “All that I have heard such a number of times,” his commander answered, + crustily, “that I whistle, as we used to do in a dead calm, Cadman. An old + salt like you knows how little comes of that.” + </p> + <p> + “There I don't quite agree with your honor. I have known a hurricane come + from whistling. But this time there is no woman about it, and the penny + have come down straightforrard. New moon Tuesday next, and Monday we slips + first into that snug little cave. He hath a' had his last good run.” + </p> + <p> + “How much is coming this time, Cadman? I am sick and tired of those three + caves. It is all old woman's talk of caves, while they are running south, + upon the open beach.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain, it is a big venture—the biggest of all the summer, I do + believe. Two thousand pounds, if there is a penny, in it. The schooner, + and the lugger, and the ketch, all to once, of purpose to send us + scattering. But your honor knows what we be after most. No woman in it + this time, Sir. The murder has been of the women, all along. When there is + no woman, I can see my way. We have got the right pig by the ear this + time.” + </p> + <p> + “John Cadman, your manner of speech is rude. You forget that your + commanding officer has a wife and family, three-quarters of which are + female. You will give me your information without any rude observations as + to sex, of which you, as a married man, should be ashamed. A man and his + wife are one flesh, Cadman, and therefore you are a woman yourself, and + must labor not to disgrace yourself. Now don't look amazed, but consider + these things. If you had not been in a flurry, like a woman, you would not + have spoiled my dinner so. I will meet you at the outlook at six o'clock. + I have business on hand of importance.” + </p> + <p> + With these words Carroway hastened home, leaving Cadman to mutter his + wrath, and then to growl it, when his officer was out of ear-shot. + </p> + <p> + “Never a day, nor an hour a'most, without he insulteth of me. A woman, + indeed! Well, his wife may be a man, but what call hath he to speak of + mine so? John Cadman a woman, and one flesh with his wife! Pretty news + that would be for my missus!” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0014" id="link2HCH0014"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIV + </h2> + <h3> + SERIOUS CHARGES + </h3> + <p> + “Stephen, if it was anybody else, you would listen to me in a moment,” + said Mrs. Anerley to her lord, a few days after that little interview in + the Bempton Lane; “for instance, if it was poor Willie, how long would you + be in believing it? But because it is Mary, you say 'pooh! pooh!' And I + may as well talk to the old cracked churn.” + </p> + <p> + “First time of all my born days,” the farmer answered, with a pleasant + smile, “that ever I was resembled to a churn. But a man's wife ought to + know best about un.” + </p> + <p> + “Stephen, it is not the churn—I mean you; and you never should + attempt to ride off in that sort of way. I tell you Mary hath a mischief + on her mind; and you never ought to bring up old churns to me. As long as + I can carry almost anything in mind, I have been considered to be full of + common-sense. And what should I use it upon, Captain Anerley, without it + was my own daughter?” + </p> + <p> + The farmer was always conquered when she called him “Captain Anerley.” He + took it to point at him as a pretender, a coxcomb fond of titles, a + would-be officer who took good care to hold aloof from fighting. And he + knew in his heart that he loved to be called “Captain Anerley” by every + one who meant it. + </p> + <p> + “My dear,” he said, in a tone of submission, and with a look that grieved + her, “the knowledge of such things is with you. I can not enter into young + maids' minds, any more than command a company.” + </p> + <p> + “Stephen, you could do both, if you chose, better than ten of eleven who + do it. For, Stephen, you have a very tender mind, and are not at all like + a churn, my dear. That was my manner of speech, you ought to know, because + from my youngest days I had a crowd of imagination. You remember that, + Stephen, don't you?” + </p> + <p> + “I remember, Sophy, that in the old time you never resembled me to a + churn, let alone a cracked one. You used to christen me a pillar, and a + tree, and a rock, and a polished corner; but there, what's the odds, when + a man has done his duty? The names of him makes no difference.” + </p> + <p> + “'Twist you and me, my dear,” she said, “nothing can make any difference. + We know one another too well for that. You are all that I ever used to + call you, before I knew better about you, and when I used to dwell upon + your hair and your smile. You know what I used to say of them, now, + Stephen?” + </p> + <p> + “Most complimentary—highly complimentary! Another young woman + brought me word of it, and it made me stick firm when my mind was + doubtful.” + </p> + <p> + “And glad you ought to be that you did stick firm. And you have the Lord + to thank for it, as well as your own sense. But no time to talk of our old + times now. They are coming up again, with those younkers, I'm afraid. + Willie is like a Church; and Jack—no chance of him getting the + chance of it; but Mary, your darling of the lot, our Mary—her mind + is unsettled, and a worry coming over her; the same as with me when I saw + you first.” + </p> + <p> + “It is the Lord that directs those things,” the farmer answered, + steadfastly; “and Mary hath the sense of her mother, I believe. That it is + maketh me so fond on her. If the young maid hath taken a fancy, it will + pass, without a bit of substance to settle on. Why, how many fancies had + you, Sophy, before you had the good luck to clap eyes on me?” + </p> + <p> + “That is neither here nor there,” his wife replied, audaciously; “how many + times have you asked such questions, which are no concern of yours? You + could not expect me, before ever I saw you, not to have any eyes or ears. + I had plenty to say for myself; and I was not plain; and I acted + accordingly.” + </p> + <p> + Master Anerley thought about this, because he had heard it and thought of + it many times before. He hated to think about anything new, having never + known any good come of it; and his thoughts would rather flow than fly, + even in the fugitive brevity of youth. And now, in his settled way, his + practice was to tread thought deeper into thought, as a man in deep snow + keeps the track of his own boots, or as a child writes ink on pencil in + his earliest copy-books. “You acted according,” he said; “and Mary might + act according to you, mother.” + </p> + <p> + “How can you talk so, Stephen? That would be a different thing altogether. + Young girls are not a bit like what they used to be in my time. No + steadiness, no diligence, no duty to their parents. Gadding about is all + they think of, and light-headed chatter, and saucy ribbons.” + </p> + <p> + “May be so with some of them. But I never see none of that in Mary.” + </p> + <p> + “Mary is a good girl, and well brought up,” her mother could not help + admitting, “and fond of her home, and industrious. But for all that, she + must be looked after sharply. And who can look after a child like her + mother? I can tell you one thing, Master Stephen: your daughter Mary has + more will of her own than the rest of your family all put together, + including even your own good wife.” + </p> + <p> + “Prodigious!” cried the farmer, while he rubbed his hands and laughed—“prodigious, + and a man might say impossible. A young lass like Mary, such a coaxing + little poppet, as tender as a lambkin, and as soft as wool!” + </p> + <p> + “Flannel won't only run one way; no more won't Mary,” said her mother. “I + know her better a long sight than you do; and I say if ever Mary sets her + heart on any one, have him she will, be he cowboy, thief, or + chimney-sweep. So now you know what to expect, Master Anerley.” + </p> + <p> + Stephen Anerley never made light of his wife's opinions in those few cases + wherein they differed from his own. She agreed with him so generally that + in common fairness he thought very highly of her wisdom, and the present + subject was one upon which she had an especial right to be heard. + </p> + <p> + “Sophy,” he said, as he set up his coat to be off to a cutting of clover + on the hill—for no reaping would begin yet for another month—“the + things you have said shall abide in my mind. Only you be a-watching of the + little wench. Harry Tanfield is the man I would choose for her of all + others. But I never would force any husband on a lass; though stern would + I be to force a bad one off, or one in an unfit walk of life. No inkle in + your mind who it is, or wouldst have told me?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I may, or I may not. I never like to speak promiscuous. You have + the first right to know what I think. But I beg you to let me be a while. + Not even to you, Steve, would I say it, without more to go upon than there + is yet. I might do the lass a great wrong in my surmising; and then you + would visit my mistake on me, for she is the apple of your eye, no doubt.” + </p> + <p> + “There is never such another maid in all York County, nor in England, to + my thinking.” + </p> + <p> + “She is my daughter as well as yours, and I would be the last to make + cheap of her. I will not say another word until I know. But if I am right—which + the Lord forbid—we shall both be ashamed of her, Stephen.” + </p> + <p> + “The Lord forbid! The Lord forbid! Amen. I will not hear another word.” + The farmer snatched up his hat, and made off with a haste unusual for him, + while his wife sat down, and crossed her arms, and began to think rather + bitterly. For, without any dream of such a possibility, she was jealous + sometimes of her own child. Presently the farmer rushed back again, + triumphant with a new idea. His eyes were sparkling, and his step full of + spring, and a brisk smile shone upon his strong and ruddy face. + </p> + <p> + “What a pair of stupes we must be to go on so!” he cried, with a couple of + bright guineas in his hand. “Mary hath not had a new frock even, going on + now for a year and a half. Sophy, it is enough to turn a maid into + thinking of any sort of mischief. Take you these and make everything + right. I was saving them up for her birthday, but maybe another will turn + up by that. My dear, you take them, and never be afeared.” + </p> + <p> + “Stephen, you may leave them, if you like. I shall not be in any haste to + let them go. Either give them to the lass yourself, or leave it to me + purely. She shall not have a sixpence, unless it is deserved.” + </p> + <p> + “Of course I leave it in your hands, wife. I never come between you and + your children. But young folk go piping always after money now; and even + our Mary might be turning sad without it.” + </p> + <p> + He hastened off again, without hearing any more; for he knew that some + hours of strong labor were before him, and to meet them with a heavy heart + would be almost a new thing for him. Some time ago he had begun to hold + the plough of heaviness, through the difficult looseness of Willie's + staple, and the sudden maritime slope of Jack; yet he held on steadily + through all this, with the strength of homely courage. But if in the pride + of his heart, his Mary, he should find no better than a crooked furrow, + then truly the labor of his latter days would be the dull round of a mill + horse. + </p> + <p> + Now Mary, in total ignorance of that council held concerning her, and even + of her mother's bad suspicions, chanced to come in at the front porch door + soon after her father set off to his meadows by way of the back yard. + Having been hard at work among her flowers, she was come to get a cupful + of milk for herself, and the cheery content and general goodwill + encouraged by the gardener's gentle craft were smiling on her rosy lips + and sparkling in her eyes. Her dress was as plain as plain could be—a + lavender twill cut and fitted by herself—and there was not an + ornament about her that came from any other hand than Nature's. But simple + grace of movement and light elegance of figure, fair curves of gentle face + and loving kindness of expression, gladdened with the hope of youth—what + did these want with smart dresses, golden brooches, and two guineas? Her + mother almost thought of this when she called Mary into the little parlor. + And the two guineas lay upon the table. + </p> + <p> + “Mary, can you spare a little time to talk with me? You seem wonderfully + busy, as usual.” + </p> + <p> + “Mother, will you never make allowance for my flowers? They depend upon + the weather, and they must have things accordingly.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well; let them think about what they want next, while you sit down a + while and talk with me.” + </p> + <p> + The girl was vexed; for to listen to a lecture, already manifest in her + mother's eyes, was a far less agreeable job than gardening. And the + lecture would have done as well by candle-light, which seldom can be said + of any gardening. However, she took off her hat, and sat down, without the + least sign of impatience, and without any token of guilt, as her mother + saw, and yet stupidly proceeded just the same. + </p> + <p> + “Mary,” she began, with a gaze of stern discretion, which the girl met + steadfastly and pleasantly, “you know that I am your own mother, and bound + to look after you well, while you are so very young; for though you are + sensible some ways, Mary, in years and in experience what are you but a + child? Of the traps of the world and the wickedness of people you can have + no knowledge. You always think the best of everybody; which is a very + proper thing to do, and what I have always brought you up to, and never + would dream of discouraging. And with such examples as your father and + your mother, you must be perverse to do otherwise. Still, it is my duty to + warn you, Mary—and you are getting old enough to want it—that + the world is not made up of fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, and + good uncles. There are always bad folk who go prowling about like wolves + in—wolves in—what is it—” + </p> + <p> + “Sheep's clothing,” the maiden suggested, with a smile, and then dropped + her eyes maliciously. + </p> + <p> + “How dare you be pert, miss, correcting your own mother? Do I ever catch + you reading of your Bible? But you seem to know so much about it, perhaps + you have met some of them?” + </p> + <p> + “How can I tell, mother, when you won't tell me?” + </p> + <p> + “I tell you, indeed! It is your place to tell me, I think. And what is + more, I insist at once upon knowing all about it. What makes you go on in + the way that you are doing? Do you take me for a drumledore, you foolish + child? On Tuesday afternoon I saw you sewing with a double thread. Your + father had potato-eyes upon his plate on Sunday; and which way did I see + you trying to hang up a dish-cover? But that is nothing; fifty things you + go wandering about in; and always out, on some pretense, as if the roof + you were born under was not big enough for you. And then your eyes—I + have seen your eyes flash up, as if you were fighting; and the bosom of + your Sunday frock was loose in church two buttons; it was not hot at all + to speak of, and there was a wasp next pew. All these things make me + unhappy, Mary. My darling, tell me what it is.” + </p> + <p> + Mary listened with great amazement to this catalogue of crimes. At the + time of their commission she had never even thought of them, although she + was vexed with herself when she saw one eye—for in verity that was + all—of a potato upon her father's plate. Now she blushed when she + heard of the buttons of her frock—which was only done because of + tightness, and showed how long she must have worn it; but as to the double + thread, she was sure that nothing of that sort could have happened. + </p> + <p> + “Why, mother dear,” she said, quite softly, coming up in her coaxing way, + which nobody could resist, because it was true and gentle lovingness, “you + know a hundred times more than I do. I have never known of any of the sad + mistakes you speak of, except about the potato-eye, and then I had a + round-pointed knife. But I want to make no excuses, mother; and there is + nothing the matter with me. Tell me what you mean about the wolves.” + </p> + <p> + “My child,” said her mother, whose face she was kissing, while they both + went on with talking, “it is no good trying to get over me. Either you + have something on your mind, or you have not—which is it?” + </p> + <p> + “Mother, what can I have on my mind? I have never hurt any one, and never + mean to do it. Every one is kind to me, and everybody likes me, and of + course I like them all again. And I always have plenty to do, in and out, + as you take very good care, dear mother. My father loves me, and so do + you, a great deal more than I deserve, perhaps. I am happy in a Sunday + frock that wants more stuff to button; and I have only one trouble in all + the world. When I think of the other girls I see—” + </p> + <p> + “Never mind them, my dear. What is your one trouble?” + </p> + <p> + “Mother, as if you could help knowing! About my dear brother Jack, of + course. Jack was so wonderfully good to me! I would walk on my hands and + knees all the way to York to get a single glimpse of him.” + </p> + <p> + “You would never get as far as the rick-yard hedge. You children talk such + nonsense. Jack ran away of his own free-will, and out of downright + contrariness. He has repented of it only once, I dare say, and that has + been ever since he did it, and every time he thought of it. I wish he was + home again, with all my heart, for I can not bear to lose my children. And + Jack was as good a boy as need be, when he got everything his own way. + Mary, is that your only trouble? Stand where I can see you plainly, and + tell me every word the truth. Put your hair back from your eyes now, like + the catechism.” + </p> + <p> + “If I were saying fifty catechisms, what more could I do than speak the + truth?” Mary asked this with some little vexation, while she stood up + proudly before her mother, and clasped her hands behind her back. “I have + told you everything I know, except one little thing, which I am not sure + about.” + </p> + <p> + “What little thing, if you please? and how can you help being sure about + it, positive as you are about everything?” + </p> + <p> + “Mother, I mean that I have not been sure whether I ought to tell you; and + I meant to tell my father first, when there could be no mischief.” + </p> + <p> + “Mary, I can scarcely believe my ears. To tell your father before your + mother, and not even him until nothing could be done to stop it, which you + call 'mischief!' I insist upon knowing at once what it is. I have felt + that you were hiding something. How very unlike you, how unlike a child of + mine!” + </p> + <p> + “You need not disturb yourself, mother dear. It is nothing of any + importance to me, though to other people it might be. And that is the + reason why I kept it to myself.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, we shall come to something by-and-by! One would really think you were + older than your mother. Now, miss, if you please, let us judge of your + discretion. What is it that you have been hiding so long?” + </p> + <p> + Mary's face grew crimson now, but with anger rather than with shame; she + had never thought twice about Robin Lyth with anything warmer than pity, + but this was the very way to drive her into dwelling in a mischievous + manner upon him. + </p> + <p> + “What I have been hiding,” she said, most distinctly, and steadfastly + looking at her mother, “is only that I have had two talks with the great + free-trader Robin Lyth.” + </p> + <p> + “That arrant smuggler! That leader of all outlaws! You have been meeting + him on the sly!” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly not. But I met him once by chance; and then, as a matter of + business, I was forced to meet him again, dear mother.” + </p> + <p> + “These things are too much for me,” Mrs. Anerley said, decisively. “When + matters have come to such a pass, I must beg your dear father to see to + them.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well, mother; I would rather have it so. May I go now and make an + end of my gardening?” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly—as soon as you have made an end of me, as you must quite + have laid your plans to do. I have seen too much to be astonished any + more. But to think that a child of mine, my one and only daughter, who + looks as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, should be hand in glove + with the wickedest smuggler of the age, the rogue everybody shoots at—but + can not hit him, because he was born to be hanged—-the by-name, the + by-word, the by-blow, Robin Lyth!” Mrs. Anerley covered her face with both + hands. + </p> + <p> + “How would you like your own second cousin,” said Mary, plucking up her + spirit, “your own second cousin, Mistress Cockscroft, to hear you speak so + of the man that supports them at the risk of his life, every hour of it? + He may be doing wrong—it is not for me to say—but he does it + very well, and he does it nobly. And what did you show me in your drawer, + dear mother? And what did you wear when that very cruel man, Captain + Carroway, came here to dine on Sunday?” + </p> + <p> + “You wicked, undutiful child! Go away! I wish to have nothing more to say + to you.” + </p> + <p> + “No, I will not go away,” cried Mary, with her resolute spirit in her eyes + and brow; “when false and cruel charges are brought against me, I have the + right to speak, and I will use it. I am not hand in glove with Robin Lyth, + or any other Robin. I think a little more of myself than that. If I have + done any wrong, I will meet it, and be sorry, and submit to any + punishment. I ought to have told you before, perhaps; that is the worst + you can say of it. But I never attached much importance to it; and when a + man is hunted so, was I to join his enemies? I have only seen him twice: + the first time by purest accident, and the second time to give him back a + piece of his own property. And I took my brother with me; but he ran away, + as usual.” + </p> + <p> + “Of course, of course. Every one to blame but you, miss. However, we shall + see what your father has to say. You have very nearly taken all my breath + away; but I shall expect the whole sky to tumble in upon us if Captain + Anerley approves of Robin Lyth as a sweetheart for his daughter.” + </p> + <p> + “I never thought of Captain Lyth; and Captain Lyth never thought of me. + But I can tell you one thing, mother—if you wanted to make me think + of him, you could not do it better than by speaking so unjustly.” + </p> + <p> + “After that perhaps you will go back to your flowers. I have heard that + they grow very fine ones in Holland. Perhaps you have got some smuggled + tulips, my dear.” + </p> + <p> + Mary did not condescend to answer, but said to herself, as she went to + work again, “Tulips in August! That is like the rest of it. However, I am + not going to be put out, when I feel that I have not done a single bit of + harm.” And she tried to be happy with her flowers, but could not enter + into them as before. + </p> + <p> + Mistress Anerley was as good as her word, at the very first opportunity. + Her husband returned from the clover-stack tired and hungry, and angry + with a man who had taken too much beer, and ran at him with a pitchfork; + angry also with his own son Willie for not being anywhere in the way to + help. He did not complain; and his wife knew at once that he ought to have + done so, to obtain relief. She perceived that her own discourse about + their daughter was still on his mind, and would require working off before + any more was said about it. And she felt as sure as if she saw it that in + his severity against poor Willie—for not doing things that were + beneath him—her master would take Mary's folly as a joke, and fall + upon her brother, who was so much older, for not going on to protect and + guide her. So she kept till after supper-time her mouthful of bad tidings. + </p> + <p> + And when the farmer heard it all, as he did before going to sleep that + night, he had smoked three pipes of tobacco, and was calm; he had sipped + (for once in a way) a little Hollands, and was hopeful. And though he said + nothing about it, he felt that without any order of his, or so much as the + faintest desire to be told of it, neither of these petty comforts would + bear to be rudely examined of its duty. He hoped for the best, and he + believed the best, and if the king was cheated, why, his loyal subject was + the same, and the women were their masters. + </p> + <p> + “Have no fear, no fear,” he muttered back through the closing gate of + sleep; “Mary knows her business—business—” and he buzzed it + off into a snore. + </p> + <p> + In the morning, however, he took a stronger and more serious view of the + case, pronouncing that Mary was only a young lass, and no one could ever + tell about young lasses. And he quite fell into his wife's suggestion, + that the maid could be spared till harvest-time, of which (even with the + best of weather) there was little chance now for another six weeks, the + season being late and backward. So it was resolved between them both that + the girl should go on the following day for a visit to her uncle + Popplewell, some miles the other side of Filey. No invitation was + required; for Mr. and Mrs. Popplewell, a snug and comfortable pair, were + only too glad to have their niece, and had often wanted to have her + altogether; but the farmer would never hear of that. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0015" id="link2HCH0015"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XV + </h2> + <h3> + CAUGHT AT LAST + </h3> + <p> + While these little things were doing thus, the coast from the mouth of the + Tees to that of Humber, and even the inland parts, were in a great stir of + talk and work about events impending. It must not be thought that + Flamborough, although it was Robin's dwelling-place—so far as he had + any—was the principal scene of his operations, or the stronghold of + his enterprise. On the contrary, his liking was for quiet coves near + Scarborough, or even to the north of Whitby, when the wind and tide were + suitable. And for this there were many reasons which are not of any moment + now. + </p> + <p> + One of them showed fine feeling and much delicacy on his part. He knew + that Flamborough was a place of extraordinary honesty, where every one of + his buttons had been safe, and would have been so forever; and strictly as + he believed in the virtue of his own free importation, it was impossible + for him not to learn that certain people thought otherwise, or acted as if + they did so. From the troubles which such doubts might cause, he strove to + keep the natives free. + </p> + <p> + Flamburians scarcely understood this largeness of good-will to them. Their + instincts told them that free trade was every Briton's privilege; and they + had the finest set of donkeys on the coast for landing it. But none the + more did any of them care to make a movement toward it. They were + satisfied with their own old way—to cast the net their father cast, + and bait the hook as it was baited on their good grandfather's thumb. + </p> + <p> + Yet even Flamborough knew that now a mighty enterprise was in hand. It was + said, without any contradiction, that young Captain Robin had laid a wager + of one hundred guineas with the worshipful mayor of Scarborough and the + commandant of the castle, that before the new moon he would land on + Yorkshire coast, without firing pistol or drawing steel, free goods to the + value of two thousand pounds, and carry them inland safely. And + Flamborough believed that he would do it. + </p> + <p> + Dr. Upround's house stood well, as rectories generally contrive to do. No + place in Flamborough parish could hope to swindle the wind of its vested + right, or to embezzle much treasure of the sun, but the parsonage made a + good effort to do both, and sometimes for three days together got the + credit of succeeding. And the dwellers therein, who felt the edge of the + difference outside their own walls, not only said but thoroughly believed + that they lived in a little Goshen. + </p> + <p> + For the house was well settled in a wrinkle of the hill expanding + southward, and encouraging the noon. From the windows a pleasant glimpse + might be obtained of the broad and tranquil anchorage, peopled with white + or black, according as the sails went up or down; for the rectory stood to + the southward of the point, as the rest of Flamborough surely must have + stood, if built by any other race than armadillos. But to see all those + vessels, and be sure what they were doing, the proper place was a little + snug “gazebo,” chosen and made by the doctor himself, near the crest of + the gully he inhabited. + </p> + <p> + Here upon a genial summer day—when it came, as it sometimes dared to + do—was the finest little nook upon the Yorkshire coast for watching + what Virgil calls “the sail-winged sea.” Not that a man could see round + the Head, unless his own were gifted with very crooked eyes; but without + doing that (which would only have disturbed the tranquillity of his + prospect) there was plenty to engage him in the peaceful spread of + comparatively waveless waters. Here might he see long vessels rolling, not + with great misery, but just enough to make him feel happy in the firmness + of his bench, and little jolly-boats it was more jolly to be out of, and + faraway heads giving genial bobs, and sea-legs straddled in predicaments + desirable rather for study than for practice. All was highly picturesque + and nice, and charming for the critic who had never got to do it. + </p> + <p> + “Now, papa, you must come this very moment,” cried Miss Janetta Upround, + the daughter of the house, and indeed the only daughter, with a gush of + excitement, rushing into the study of this deeply read divine; “there is + something doing that I can not understand. You must bring up the spy-glass + at once and explain. I am sure that there is something very wrong.” + </p> + <p> + “In the parish, my dear?” the rector asked, with a feeble attempt at + malice, for he did not want to be disturbed just now, and for weeks he had + tried (with very poor success) to make Janetta useful; for she had no gift + in that way. + </p> + <p> + “No, not in the parish at all, papa, unless it runs out under water, as I + am certain it ought to do, and make every one of those ships pay tithe. If + the law was worth anything, they would have to do it. They get all the + good out of our situation, and they save whole thousands of pounds at a + time, and they never pay a penny, nor even hoist a flag, unless the day is + fine, and the flag wants drying. But come along, papa, now. I really can + not wait; and they will have done it all without us.” + </p> + <p> + “Janetta, take the glass and get the focus. I will come presently, + presently. In about two minutes—by the time that you are ready.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well, papa. It is very good of you. I see quite clearly what you + want to do; and I hope you will do it. But you promise not to play another + game now?” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, I will promise that with pleasure. Only do please be off about + your business.” + </p> + <p> + The rector was a most inveterate and insatiable chess-player. In the + household, rather than by it, he was, as a matter of lofty belief, + supposed to be deeply engaged with theology, or magisterial questions of + almost equal depth, or (to put it at the lowest) parochial affairs, the + while he was solidly and seriously engaged in getting up the sound defense + to some Continental gambit. And this, not only to satisfy himself upon + some point of theory, but from a nearer and dearer point of view—for + he never did like to be beaten. + </p> + <p> + At present he was laboring to discover the proper defense to a new and + slashing form of the Algaier gambit, by means of which Robin Lyth had won + every game in which he had the move, upon their last encounter. The great + free-trader, while a boy, had shown an especial aptitude for chess, and + even as a child he had seemed to know the men when first, by some + accident, he saw them. The rector being struck by this exception to the + ways of childhood—whose manner it is to take chess-men for + “dollies,” or roll them about like nine-pins—at once included in the + education of “Izunsabe,” which he took upon himself, a course of elemental + doctrine in the one true game. And the boy fought his way up at such a + pace that he jumped from odds of queen and rook to pawn and two moves in + less than two years. And now he could almost give odds to his tutor, + though he never presumed to offer them; and trading as he did with + enlightened merchants of large Continental sea-ports, who had plenty of + time on their hands and played well, he imported new openings of a dash + and freedom which swallowed the ground up under the feet of the + steady-going players, who had never seen a book upon their favorite + subject. Of course it was competent to all these to decline such fiery + onslaught; but chivalry and the true love of analysis (which without may + none play chess) compelled the acceptance of the challenge, even with a + trembling forecast of the taste of dust. + </p> + <p> + “Never mind,” said Dr. Upround, as he rose and stretched himself, a good + straight man of threescore years, with silver hair that shone like silk; + “it has not come to me yet; but it must, with a little more perseverance. + At Cambridge I beat everybody; and who is this uncircumcised—at + least, I beg his pardon, for I did myself baptize him—but who is + Robin Lyth, to mate his pastor and his master? All these gambits are like + a night attack. If once met properly and expelled, you are in the very + heart of the enemy's camp. He has left his own watch-fires to rush at + yours. The next game I play, I shall be sure to beat him.” + </p> + <p> + Fully convinced of this great truth, he took a strong oak staff and + hastened to obey his daughter. Miss Janetta Upround had not only learned + by nature, but also had been carefully taught by her parents, and by every + one, how to get her own way always, and to be thanked for taking it. But + she had such a happy nature, full of kindness and good-will, that other + people's wishes always seemed to flow into her own, instead of being swept + aside. Over her father her government was in no sort constitutional, nor + even a quiet despotism sweetened with liberal illusions, but as pure a + piece of autocracy as the Continent could itself contain, in the time of + this first Napoleon. + </p> + <p> + “Papa, what a time you have been, to be sure!” she exclaimed, as the + doctor came gradually up, probing his way in perfect leisure, and fragrant + still of that gambit; “one would think that your parish was on dry land + altogether, while the better half of it, as they call themselves—though + the women are in righteousness the better half a hundredfold—” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, do try to talk with some little sense of arithmetic, if no + other. A hundredfold the half would be the unit multiplied by fifty. Not + to mention that there can be no better half—” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, there can, papa, ever so many; and you may see one in mamma every + day. Now you put one eye to this glass, and the half is better than the + whole. With both, you see nothing; with one, you see better, fifty times + better, than with both before. Don't talk of arithmetic after that. It is + algebra now, and quod demonstrandum.” + </p> + <p> + “To reason with the less worthy gender is degeneration of reason. What + would they have said in the Senate-house, Janetta? However, I will obey + your orders. What am I to look at?” + </p> + <p> + “A tall and very extraordinary man, striking his arms out, thus and thus. + I never saw any one looking so excited; and he flourishes a long sword now + and again, as if he would like to cut everybody's head off. There he has + been going from ship to ship, for an hour or more, with a long white boat, + and a lot of men jumping after him. Every one seems to be scared of him, + and he stumps along the deck just as if he were on springs, and one spring + longer than the other. You see that heavy brig outside the rest, painted + with ten port-holes; well, she began to make sail and run away, but he + fired a gun—quite a real cannon—and she had to come back again + and drop her colors. Oh, is it some very great admiral, papa? Perhaps Lord + Nelson himself; I would go and be seasick for three days to see Lord Nelson. + Papa, it must be Lord Nelson.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, Lord Nelson is a little, short man, with a very brisk walk, and + one arm gone. Now let me see who this can be. Whereabout is he now, + Janetta?” + </p> + <p> + “Do you see that clumsy-looking schooner, papa, just behind a pilot-boat? + He is just in front of her foremast—making such a fuss—” + </p> + <p> + “What eyes you have got, my child! You see better without the glass than I + do with it.—Oh, now I have him! Why, I might have guessed. Of course + it is that very active man and vigilant officer Lieutenant Carroway.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain Carroway from Bridlington, papa? Why, what can he be doing with + such authority? I have often heard of him, but I thought he was only a + coast-guard.” + </p> + <p> + “He is, as you say, showing great authority, and, I fear, using very bad + language, for which he is quite celebrated. However, the telescope refuses + to repeat it, for which it is much to be commended. But every allowance + must be made for a man who has to deal with a wholly uncultivated race, + and not of natural piety, like ours.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, papa, I doubt if ours have too much, though you always make the + best of them. But let me look again, please; and do tell me what he can be + doing there.” + </p> + <p> + “You know that the revenue officers must take the law into their own hands + sometimes. There have lately been certain rumors of some contraband + proceedings on the Yorkshire coast. Not in Flamborough parish, of course, + and perhaps—probably, I may say—a long way off—-” + </p> + <p> + “Papa dear, will you never confess that free trade prevails and flourishes + greatly even under your own dear nose?” + </p> + <p> + “Facts do not warrant me in any such assertion. If the fact were so, it + must have been brought officially before me. I decline to listen to + uncharitable rumors. But however that matter may be, there are officers on + the spot to deal with it. My commission as a justice of the peace gives me + no cognizance of offenses—if such there are—upon the high + seas. Ah! you see something particular; my dear, what is it?” + </p> + <p> + “Captain Carroway has found something, or somebody, of great importance. + He has got a man by the collar, and he is absolutely dancing with delight. + Ah! there he goes, dragging him along the deck as if he were a cod-fish or + a conger. And now, I declare, he is lashing his arms and legs with a great + thick rope. Papa, is that legal, without even a warrant?” + </p> + <p> + “I can hardly say how far his powers may extend, and he is just the man to + extend them farther. I only hope not to be involved in the matter. + Maritime law is not my province.” + </p> + <p> + “But, papa, it is much within three miles of the shore, if that has got + anything to do with it. My goodness me! They are all coming here; I am + almost sure that they will apply to you. Yes, two boat-loads of people, + racing to get their oars out, and to be here first. Where are your + spectacles, dear papa? You had better go and get up the law before they + come. You will scarcely have time, they are coming so fast—a white + boat and a black boat. The prisoner is in the white boat, and the officer + has got him by the collar still. The men in the white boat will want to + commit him, and the men in the black boat are his friends, no doubt, + coming for a habeas corpus—” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, what nonsense you do talk! What has a simple justice of the + peace—” + </p> + <p> + “Never mind that, papa; my facts are sound—sounder than yours about + smuggling, I fear. But do hurry in, and get up the law. I will go and lock + both gates, to give you more time.” + </p> + <p> + “Do nothing of the kind, Janetta. A magistrate should be accessible + always; and how can I get up the law, without knowing what it is to be + about—or even a clerk to help me? And perhaps they are not coming + here at all. They may be only landing their prisoner.” + </p> + <p> + “If that were it, they would not be coming so, but rowing toward the + proper place, Bridlington Quay, where their station-house is. Papa, you + are in for it, and I am getting eager. May I come and hear all about it? I + should be a great support to you, you know. And they would tell the truth + so much better!” + </p> + <p> + “Janetta, what are you dreaming of? It may even be a case of secrecy.” + </p> + <p> + “Secrecy, papa, with two boat-loads of men and about thirty ships involved + in it! Oh, do let me hear all about it!” + </p> + <p> + “Whatever it may be, your presence is not required, and would be improper. + Unless I should happen to want a book; and in that case I might ring for + you.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, do, papa, do! No one else can ever find them. Promise me now that you + will want a book. If I am not there, there will be no justice done. I wish + you severely to reprimand, whatever the facts of the case may be, and even + to punish, if you can, that tall, lame, violent, ferocious man, for + dragging the poor fellow about like that, and cutting him with ropes, when + completely needless, and when he was quite at his mercy. It is my opinion + that the other man does not deserve one bit of it; and whatever the law + may be, papa, your duty is to strain it benevolently, and question every + syllable upon the stronger side.” + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps I had better resign, my dear, upon condition that you shall be + appointed in the stead of me. It might be a popular measure, and would + secure universal justice.” + </p> + <p> + “Papa, I would do justice to myself—which is a thing you never do. + But here, they are landing; and they hoist him out as if he were a sack, + or a thing without a joint. They could scarcely be harder with a man + compelled to be hanged to-morrow morning.” + </p> + <p> + “Condemned is what you mean, Janetta. You never will understand the use of + words. What a nice magistrate you would make!” + </p> + <p> + “There can be no more correct expression. Would any man be hanged if he + were not compelled? Papa, you say the most illegal things sometimes. Now + please to go in and get up your legal points. Let me go and meet those + people for you. I will keep them waiting till you are quite ready.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, you will go to your room, and try to learn a little patience. + You begin to be too pat with your own opinions, which in a young lady is + ungraceful. There, you need not cry, my darling, because your opinions are + always sensible, and I value them very highly; but still you must bear in + mind that you are but a girl.” + </p> + <p> + “And behave accordingly, as they say. Nobody can do more so. But though I + am only a girl, papa, can you put your hand upon a better one?” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly not, my dear; for going down hill, I can always depend on you.” + </p> + <p> + Suiting the action to the word, Dr. Upround, whose feet were a little + touched with gout, came down from his outlook to his kitchen-garden, and + thence through the shrubbery back to his own study, where, with a little + sigh, he put away his chess-men, and heartily hoped that it might not be + his favorite adversary who was coming before him to be sent to jail. For + although the good rector had a warm regard, and even affection, for Robin + Lyth, as a waif cast into his care, and then a pupil wonderfully apt + (which breeds love in the teacher), and after that a most gallant and + highly distinguished young parishioner—with all this it was a + difficulty for him to be ignorant that the law was adverse. More than once + he had striven hard to lead the youth into some better path of life, and + had even induced him to “follow the sea” for a short time in the merchant + service. But the force of nature and of circumstances had very soon + prevailed again, and Robin returned to his old pursuits with larger + experience, and seamanship improved. + </p> + <p> + A violent ringing at the gate bell, followed by equal urgency upon the + front door, apprised the kind magistrate of a sharp call on his faculties, + and perhaps a most unpleasant one. “The poor boy!” he said to himself—“poor + boy! From Carroway's excitement I greatly fear that it is indeed poor + Robin. How many a grand game have we had! His new variety of that fine + gambit scarcely beginning to be analyzed; and if I commit him to the + meeting next week, when shall we ever meet again? It will seem as if I did + it because he won three games; and I certainly was a little vexed with + him. However, I must be stern, stern, stern. Show them in, Betsy; I am + quite prepared.” + </p> + <p> + A noise, and a sound of strong language in the hall, and a dragging of + something on the oil-cloth, led up to the entry of a dozen rough men, + pushed on by at least another dozen. + </p> + <p> + “You will have the manners to take off your hats,” said the magistrate, + with all his dignity; “not from any undue deference to me, but common + respect to his Majesty.” + </p> + <p> + “Off with your covers, you sons of”—something, shouted a loud voice; + and then the lieutenant, with his blade still drawn, stood before them. + </p> + <p> + “Sheathe your sword, Sir,” said Dr. Upround, in a voice which amazed the + officer. + </p> + <p> + “I beg your Worship's pardon,” he began, with his grim face flushing + purple, but his sword laid where it should have been; “but if you knew + half of the worry I have had, you would not care to rebuke me. Cadman, + have you got him by the neck? Keep your knuckles into him, while I make my + deposition.” + </p> + <p> + “Cast that man free, I receive no depositions with a man half strangled + before me.” + </p> + <p> + The men of the coast-guard glanced at their commander, and receiving a + surly nod, obeyed. But the prisoner could not stand as yet; he gasped for + breath, and some one set him on a chair. + </p> + <p> + “Your Worship, this is a mere matter of form,” said Carroway, still + keeping eyes on his prey; “if I had my own way, I would not trouble you at + all, and I believe it to be quite needless. For this man is an outlaw + felon, and not entitled to any grace of law; but I must obey my orders.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly you must, Lieutenant Carroway, even though you are better + acquainted with the law. You are ready to be sworn? Take this book, and + follow me.” + </p> + <p> + This being done, the worthy magistrate prepared to write down what the + gallant officer might say, which, in brief, came to this, that having + orders to seize Robin Lyth wherever he might find him, and having sure + knowledge that said Robin was on board of a certain schooner vessel, the + Elizabeth, of Goole, the which he had laden with goods liable to duty, he, + Charles Carroway, had gently laid hands on him, and brought him to the + nearest justice of the peace, to obtain an order of commitment. + </p> + <p> + All this, at fifty times the length here given, Lieutenant Carroway + deposed on oath, while his Worship, for want of a clerk, set it down in + his own very neat handwriting. But several very coaly-looking men, who + could scarcely be taught to keep silence, observed that the magistrate + smiled once or twice; and this made them wait a bit, and wink at one + another. + </p> + <p> + “Very clear indeed, Lieutenant Carroway,” said Dr. Upround, with + spectacles on nose. “Good Sir, have the kindness to sign your deposition. + It may become my duty to commit the prisoner, upon identification. Of that + I must have evidence, confirmatory evidence. But first we will hear what + he has to say. Robin Lyth, stand forward.” + </p> + <p> + “Me no Robin Lyth, Sar; no Robin man or woman,” cried the captive, trying + very hard to stand; “me only a poor Francais, make liberty to what you + call—row, row, sweem, sweem, sail, sail, from la belle France; for + why, for why, there is no import to nobody.” + </p> + <p> + “Your Worship, he is always going on about imports,” Cadman said, + respectfully; “that is enough to show who he is.” + </p> + <p> + “You may trust me to know him,” cried Lieutenant Carroway. “My fine + fellow, no more of that stuff! He can pass himself off for any countryman + whatever. He knows all their jabber, Sir, better than his own. Put a cork + between his teeth, Hackerbody. I never did see such a noisy rogue. He is + Robin Lyth all over.” + </p> + <p> + “I'll be blest if he is, nor under nayther,” cried the biggest of the + coaly men; “this here froggy come out of a Chaise and Mary as had run up + from Dunkirk. I know Robin Lyth as well as our own figure-head. But what + good to try reason with that there revenue hofficer?” + </p> + <p> + At this, all his friends set a good laugh up, and wanted to give him a + cheer for such a speech; but that being hushed, they were satisfied with + condemning his organs of sight and their own quite fairly. + </p> + <p> + “Lieutenant Carroway,” his Worship said, amidst an impressive silence, “I + greatly fear that you have allowed zeal, my dear Sir, to outrun + discretion. Robin Lyth is a young, and in many ways highly respected, + parishioner of mine. He may have been guilty of casual breaches of the + laws concerning importation—laws which fluctuate from year to year, + and require deep knowledge of legislation both to observe and to + administer. I heartily trust that you may not suffer from having + discharged your duty in a manner most truly exemplary, if only the example + had been the right one. This gentleman is no more Robin Lyth than I am.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0016" id="link2HCH0016"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVI + </h2> + <h3> + DISCIPLINE ASSERTED + </h3> + <p> + As soon as his troublesome visitors were gone, the rector sat down in his + deep arm-chair, laid aside his spectacles, and began to think. His face, + while he thought, lost more and more of the calm and cheerful expression + which made it so pleasant a face to gaze upon; and he sighed, without + knowing it, at some dark ideas, and gave a little shake of his grand old + head. The revenue officer had called his favorite pupil and cleverest + parishioner “a felon outlaw;” and if that were so, Robin Lyth was no less + than a convicted criminal, and must not be admitted within his doors. + Formerly the regular penalty for illicit importation had been the + forfeiture of the goods when caught, and the smugglers (unless they made + resistance or carried fire-arms) were allowed to escape and retrieve their + bad luck, which they very soon contrived to do. And as yet, upon this part + of the coast, they had not been guilty of atrocious crimes, such as the + smugglers of Sussex and Hampshire—who must have been utter fiends—committed, + thereby raising all the land against them. Dr. Upround had heard of no + proclamation, exaction, or even capias issued against this young + free-trader; and he knew well enough that the worst offenders were not the + bold seamen who contracted for the run, nor the people of the coast who + were hired for the carriage, but the rich indwellers who provided all the + money, and received the lion's share of all the profits. And with these + the law never even tried to deal. However, the magistrate-parson resolved + that, in spite of all the interest of tutorship and chess-play, and even + all the influence of his wife and daughter (who were hearty admirers of + brave smuggling), he must either reform this young man, or compel him to + keep at a distance, which would be very sad. + </p> + <p> + Meanwhile the lieutenant had departed in a fury, which seemed to be + incapable of growing any worse. Never an oath did he utter all the way to + the landing where his boat was left; and his men, who knew how much that + meant, were afraid to do more than just wink at one another. Even the + sailors of the collier schooner forbore to jeer him, until he was afloat, + when they gave him three fine rounds of mock cheers, to which the poor + Frenchman contributed a shriek. For this man had been most inhospitably + treated, through his strange but undeniable likeness to a perfidious + Briton. + </p> + <p> + “Home!” cried the officer, glowering at those fellows, while his men held + their oars, and were ready to rush at them. “Home, with a will! Give way, + men!” And not another word he spoke, till they touched the steps at + Bridlington. Then he fixed stern eyes upon Cadman, who vainly strove to + meet them, and he said, “Come to me in one hour and a half.” Cadman + touched his hat without an answer, saw to the boat, and then went home + along the quay. + </p> + <p> + Carroway, though of a violent temper, especially when laughed at, was not + of that steadfast and sedentary wrath which chews the cud of grievances, + and feeds upon it in a shady place. He had a good wife—though a + little overclean—and seven fine-appetited children, who gave him the + greatest pleasure in providing victuals. Also, he had his pipe, and his + quiet corners, sacred to the atmosphere and the private thoughts of + Carroway. And here he would often be ambitious even now, perceiving no + good reason why he might not yet command a line-of-battle ship, and run up + his own flag, and nobly tread his own lofty quarter-deck. If so, he would + have Mrs. Carroway on board, and not only on the boards, but at them; so + that a challenge should be issued every day for any other ship in all the + service to display white so wholly spotless, and black so void of + streakiness. And while he was dwelling upon personal matters—which, + after all, concerned the nation most—he had tried very hard to + discover any reason (putting paltry luck aside) why Horatio Nelson should + be a Lord, and what was more to the purpose, an admiral, while Charles + Carroway (his old shipmate, and in every way superior, who could eat him + at a mouthful, if only he were good enough) should now be no more than a + 'long-shore lieutenant, and a Jonathan Wild of the revenue. However, as + for envying Nelson, the Lord knew that he would not give his little + Geraldine's worst frock for all the fellow's grand coat of arms, and + freedom in a snuff-box, and golden shields, and devices, this, that, and + the other, with Bona Robas to support them. + </p> + <p> + To this conclusion he was fairly come, after a good meal, and with the + second glass of the finest Jamaica pine-apple rum—which he drank + from pure principle, because it was not smuggled—steaming and + scenting the blue curls of his pipe, when his admirable wife came in to + say that on no account would she interrupt him. + </p> + <p> + “My dear, I am busy, and am very glad to hear it. Pish! where have I put + all those accounts?” + </p> + <p> + “Charles, you are not doing any accounts. When you have done your pipe and + glass, I wish to say a quiet word or two. I am sure that there is not a + woman in a thousand—” + </p> + <p> + “Matilda, I know it. Nor one in fifty thousand. You are very good at + figures: will you take this sheet away with you? Eight o'clock will be + quite time enough for it.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, I am always too pleased to do whatever I can to help you. But I + must talk to you now; really I must say a few words about something, tired + as you may be, Charles, and well deserving of a little good sleep, which + you never seem able to manage in bed. You told me, you know, that you + expected Cadman, that surly, dirty fellow, who delights to spoil my + stones, and would like nothing better than to take the pattern out of our + drawing-room Kidderminster. Now I have a reason for saying something. + Charles, will you listen to me once, just once?” + </p> + <p> + “I never do anything else,” said the husband, with justice, and meaning no + mischief. + </p> + <p> + “Ah! how very seldom you hear me talk; and when I do, I might just as well + address the winds! But for once, my dear, attend, I do implore you. That + surly, burly Cadman will be here directly, and I know that you are much + put out with him. Now I tell you he is dangerous, savagely dangerous; I + can see it in his unhealthy skin. Oh, Charles, where have you put down + your pipe? I cleaned that shelf this very morning! How little I thought + when I promised to be yours that you ever would knock out your ashes like + that! But do bear in mind, dear, whatever you do, if anything happened to + you, what ever would become of all of us? All your sweet children and your + faithful wife—I declare you have made two great rings with your + tumbler upon the new cover of the table.” + </p> + <p> + “Matilda, that has been done ever so long. But I am almost certain this + tumbler leaks.” + </p> + <p> + “So you always say; just as if I would allow it. You never will think of + simply wiping the rim every time you use it; when I put you a saucer for + your glass, you forget it; there never was such a man, I do believe. I + shall have to stop the rum and water altogether.” + </p> + <p> + “No, no, no. I'll do anything you like. I'll have a tumbler made with a + saucer to it—I'll buy a piece of oil-cloth the size of a + foretop-sail—I'll—” + </p> + <p> + “Charles, no nonsense, if you please: as if I were ever unreasonable! But + your quickness of temper is such that I dread what you may say to that + Cadman. Remember what opportunities he has, dear. He might shoot you in + the dark any night, my darling, and put it upon the smugglers. I entreat + you not to irritate the man, and make him your enemy. He is so spiteful; + and I should be in terror the whole night long.” + </p> + <p> + “Matilda, in the house you may command me as you please—even in my + own cuddy here. But as regards my duty, you know well that I permit no + interference. And I should have expected you to have more sense. A pretty + officer I should be if I were afraid of my own men! When a man is to + blame, I tell him so, in good round language, and shall do so now. This + man is greatly to blame, and I doubt whether to consider him a fool or a + rogue. If it were not that he has seven children, as we have, I would + discharge him this very night.” + </p> + <p> + “Charles, I am very sorry for his seven children, but our place is to + think of our own seven first. I beg you, I implore you, to discharge the + man; for he has not the courage to harm you, I believe, except with the + cowardly advantage he has got. Now promise me either to say nothing to + him, or to discharge him, and be done with him.” + </p> + <p> + “Matilda, of such things you know nothing; and I can not allow you to say + any more.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well, very well. I know my duty. I shall sit up and pray every dark + night you are out, and the whole place will go to the dogs, of course. Of + the smugglers I am not afraid one bit, nor of any honest fighting, such as + you are used to. But oh, my dear Charles, the very bravest man can do + nothing against base treachery.” + </p> + <p> + “To dream of such things shows a bad imagination,” Carroway answered, + sternly; but seeing his wife's eyes fill with tears, he took her hand + gently, and begged her pardon, and promised to be very careful, “I am the + last man to be rash,” he said, “after getting so many more kicks than + coppers. I never had a fellow under my command who would lift a finger to + harm me. And you must remember, my darling Tilly, that I command + Englishmen, not Lascars.” + </p> + <p> + With this she was forced to be content, to the best of her ability; and + Geraldine ran bouncing in from school to fill her father's pipe for him; + so that by the time John Cadman came, his commander had almost forgotten + the wrath created by the failure of the morning. But unluckily Cadman had + not forgotten the words and the look he received before his comrades. + </p> + <p> + “Here I am, Sir, to give an account of myself,” he said, in an insolent + tone, having taken much liquor to brace him for the meeting. “Is it your + pleasure to say out what you mean?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, but not here. You will follow me to the station.” The lieutenant + took his favorite staff, and set forth, while his wife, from the little + window, watched him with a very anxious gaze. She saw her husband stride + in front with the long rough gait she knew so well, and the swing of his + arms which always showed that his temper was not in its best condition; + and behind him Cadman slouched along, with his shoulders up and his red + hands clinched. And the poor wife sadly went back to work, for her life + was a truly anxious one. + </p> + <p> + The station, as it was rather grandly called, was a hut, about the size of + a four-post bed, upon the low cliff, undermined by the sea, and even then + threatened to be swept away. Here was a tall flag-staff for signals, and a + place for a beacon-light when needed, and a bench with a rest for a + spy-glass. In the hut itself were signal flags, and a few spare muskets, + and a keg of bullets, with maps and codes hung round the wall, and flint + and tinder, and a good many pipes, and odds and ends on ledges. Carroway + was very proud of this place, and kept the key strictly in his own pocket, + and very seldom allowed a man to pass through the narrow doorway. But he + liked to sit inside, and see them looking desirous to come in. + </p> + <p> + “Stand there, Cadman,” he said, as soon as he had settled himself in the + one hard chair; and the man, though thoroughly primed for revolt, obeyed + the old habit, and stood outside. + </p> + <p> + “Once more you have misled me, Cadman, and abused my confidence. More than + that, you have made me a common laughing-stock for scores of fools, and + even for a learned gentleman, magistrate of divinity. I was not content + with your information until you confirmed it by letters you produced from + men well known to you, as you said, and even from the inland trader who + had contracted for the venture. The schooner Elizabeth, of Goole, + disguised as a collier, was to bring to, with Robin Lyth on board of her, + and the goods in her hold under covering of coal, and to run the goods at + the South Flamborough landing this very night. I have searched the + Elizabeth from stem to stern, and the craft brought up alongside of her; + and all I have found is a wretched Frenchman, who skulked so that I made + sure of him, and not a blessed anker of foreign brandy, nor even a + forty-pound bag of tea. You had that packet of letters in your neck-tie. + Hand them to me this moment—” + </p> + <p> + “If your Honor has made up your mind to think that a sailor of the Royal + Navy—” + </p> + <p> + “Cadman, none of that! No lick-spittle lies to me; those letters, that I + may establish them! You shall have them back, if they are right. And I + will pay you a half crown for the loan.” + </p> + <p> + “If I was to leave they letters in your hand, I could never hold head up + in Burlington no more.” + </p> + <p> + “That is no concern of mine. Your duty is to hold up your head with me, + and those who find you in bread and butter.” + </p> + <p> + “Precious little butter I ever gets, and very little bread to speak of. + The folk that does the work gets nothing. Them that does nothing gets the + name and game.” + </p> + <p> + “Fellow, no reasoning, but obey me!” Carroway shouted, with his temper + rising. “Hand over those letters, or you leave the service.” + </p> + <p> + “How can I give away another man's property?” As he said these words, the + man folded his arms, as who should say, “That is all you get out of me.” + </p> + <p> + “Is that the way you speak to your commanding officer? Who owns those + letters, then, according to your ideas?” + </p> + <p> + “Butcher Hewson; and he says that you shall have them as soon as he sees + the money for his little bill.” + </p> + <p> + This was a trifle too much for Carroway. Up he jumped with surprising + speed, took one stride through the station door, and seizing Cadman by the + collar, shook him, wrung his ear with the left hand, which was like a pair + of pincers, and then with the other flung him backward as if he were an + empty bag. The fellow was too much amazed to strike, or close with him, or + even swear, but received the vehement impact without any stay behind him. + So that he staggered back, hat downward, and striking one heel on a stone, + fell over the brink of the shallow cliff to the sand below. + </p> + <p> + The lieutenant, who never had thought of this, was terribly scared, and + his wrath turned cold. For although the fall was of no great depth, and + the ground at the bottom so soft, if the poor man had struck it poll + foremost, as he fell, it was likely that his neck was broken. Without any + thought of his crippled heel, Carroway took the jump himself. + </p> + <p> + As soon as he recovered from the jar, which shook his stiff joints and + stiffer back, he ran to the coast-guardsman and raised him, and found him + very much inclined to swear. This was a good sign, and the officer was + thankful, and raised him in the gravelly sand, and kindly requested him to + have it out, and to thank the Lord as soon as he felt better. But Cadman, + although he very soon came round, abstained from every token of gratitude. + Falling with his mouth wide open in surprise, he had filled it with gravel + of inferior taste, as a tidy sewer pipe ran out just there, and at every + execration he discharged a little. + </p> + <p> + “What can be done with a fellow so ungrateful?” cried the lieutenant, + standing stiffly up again; “nothing but to let him come back to his + manners. Hark you, John Cadman, between your bad words, if a glass of hot + grog will restore your right wits, you can come up and have it, when your + clothes are brushed.” + </p> + <p> + With these words Carroway strode off to his cottage, without even deigning + to look back, for a minute had been enough to show him that no very + serious harm was done. + </p> + <p> + The other man did not stir until his officer was out of sight; and then he + arose and rubbed himself, but did not care to go for his rummer of hot + grog. + </p> + <p> + “I must work this off,” the lieutenant said, as soon as he had told his + wife, and received his scolding; “I can not sit down; I must do something. + My mind is becoming too much for me, I fear. Can you expect me to be + laughed at? I shall take a little sail in the boat; the wind suits, and I + have a particular reason. Expect me, my dear, when you see me.” + </p> + <p> + In half an hour the largest boat, which carried a brass swivel-gun in her + bows, was stretching gracefully across the bay, with her three white sails + flashing back the sunset. The lieutenant steered, and he had four men with + him, of whom Cadman was not one, that worthy being left at home to nurse + his bruises and his dudgeon. These four men now were quite marvellously + civil, having heard of their comrade's plight, and being pleased alike + with that and with their commander's prowess. For Cadman was by no means + popular among them, because, though his pay was the same as theirs, he + always tried to be looked up to; the while his manners were not + distinguished, and scarcely could be called polite, when a supper required + to be paid for. In derision of this, and of his desire for mastery, they + had taken to call him “Boatswain Jack,” or “John Boatswain,” and provoked + him by a subscription to present him with a pig-whistle. For these were + men who liked well enough to receive hard words from their betters who + were masters of their business, but saw neither virtue nor value in + submitting to superior airs from their equals. + </p> + <p> + The Royal George, as this boat was called, passed through the fleet of + quiet vessels, some of which trembled for a second visitation; but not + deigning to molest them, she stood on, and rounding Flamborough Head, + passed by the pillar rocks called King and Queen, and bore up for the + North Landing cove. Here sail was taken in, and oars were manned; and + Carroway ordered his men to pull in to the entrance of each of the + well-known caves. + </p> + <p> + To enter these, when any swell is running, requires great care and + experience; and the Royal George had too much beam to do it comfortably, + even in the best of weather. And now what the sailors call a “chopping + sea” had set in with the turn of the tide, although the wind was still + off-shore; so that even to lie to at the mouth made rather a ticklish job + of it. The men looked at one another, and did not like it, for a badly + handled oar would have cast them on the rocks, which are villainously hard + and jagged, and would stave in the toughest boat, like biscuit china. + However, they durst not say that they feared it; and by skill and + steadiness they examined all three caves quite enough to be certain that + no boat was in them. + </p> + <p> + The largest of the three, and perhaps the finest, was the one they first + came to, which already was beginning to be called the cave of Robin Lyth. + The dome is very high, and sheds down light when the gleam of the sea + strikes inward. From the gloomy mouth of it, as far as they could venture, + the lapping of the wavelets could be heard all round it, without a boat, + or even a balk of wood to break it. Then they tried echo, whose clear + answer hesitates where any soft material is; but the shout rang only of + hard rock and glassy water. To make assurance doubly sure, they lit a + blue-light, and sent it floating through the depths, while they held their + position with two boat-hooks and a fender. The cavern was lit up with a + very fine effect, but not a soul inside of it to animate the scene. And to + tell the truth, the bold invaders were by no means grieved at this; for if + there had been smugglers there, it would have been hard to tackle them. + </p> + <p> + Hauling off safely, which was worse than running in, they pulled across + the narrow cove, and rounding the little headland, examined the Church + Cave and the Dovecote likewise, and with a like result. Then heartily + tired, and well content with having done all that man could do, they set + sail again in the dusk of the night, and forged their way against a strong + ebb-tide toward the softer waters of Bridlington, and the warmer comfort + of their humble homes. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0017" id="link2HCH0017"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVII + </h2> + <h3> + DELICATE INQUIRIES + </h3> + <p> + A genuine summer day pays a visit nearly once in the season to + Flamborough; and when it does come, it has a wonderful effect. Often the + sun shines brightly there, and often the air broods hot with thunder; but + the sun owes his brightness to sweep of the wind, which sweeps away his + warmth as well; while, on the other hand, the thunder-clouds, like heavy + smoke capping the headland, may oppress the air with heat, but are not of + sweet summer's beauty. + </p> + <p> + For once, however, the fine day came, and the natives made haste to revile + it. Before it was three hours old they had found a hundred and fifty + faults with it. Most of the men truly wanted a good sleep, after being + lively all the night upon the waves, and the heat and the yellow light + came in upon their eyes, and set the flies buzzing all about them. And + even the women, who had slept out their time, and talked quietly, like the + clock ticking, were vexed with the sun, which kept their kettles from good + boiling, and wrote upon their faces the years of their life. But each made + allowance for her neighbor's appearance, on the strength of the troubles + she had been through. For the matter of that, the sun cared not the + selvage of a shadow what was thought of him, but went his bright way with + a scattering of clouds and a tossing of vapors anywhere. Upon the few + fishermen who gave up hope of sleep, and came to stand dazed in their + doorways, the glare of white walls and chalky stones, and dusty roads, + produced the same effect as if they had put on their fathers' goggles. + Therefore they yawned their way back to their room, and poked up the fire, + without which, at Flamborough, no hot weather would be half hot enough. + </p> + <p> + The children, however, were wide-awake, and so were the washer-women, + whose turn it had been to sleep last night for the labors of the morning. + These were plying hand and tongue in a little field by the three + cross-roads, where gaffers and gammers of by-gone time had set up troughs + of proven wood, and the bilge of a long storm-beaten boat, near a pool of + softish water. Stout brown arms were roped with curd, and wedding rings + looked slippery things, and thumb-nails bordered with inveterate black, + like broad beans ripe for planting, shone through a hubbub of snowy froth; + while sluicing and wringing and rinsing went on over the bubbled and + lathery turf; and every handy bush or stub, and every tump of wiry grass, + was sheeted with white, like a ship in full sail, and shining in the + sun-glare. + </p> + <p> + From time to time these active women glanced back at their cottages, to + see that the hearth was still alive, or at their little daughters + squatting under the low wall which kept them from the road, where they had + got all the babies to nurse, and their toes and other members to compare, + and dandelion chains to make. But from their washing ground the women + could not see the hill that brings to the bottom of the village the + crooked road from Sewerby. Down that hill came a horseman slowly, with + nobody to notice him, though himself on the watch for everybody; and there + in the bottom below the first cottage he allowed his horse to turn aside + and cool hot feet and leathery lips, in a brown pool spread by Providence + for the comfort of wayworn roadsters. + </p> + <p> + The horse looked as if he had labored far, while his rider was calmly + resting; for the cross-felled sutures of his flank were crusted with gray + perspiration, and the runnels of his shoulders were dabbled; and now it + behooved him to be careful how he sucked the earthy-flavored water, so as + to keep time with the heaving of his barrel. In a word, he was drinking as + if he would burst—as his hostler at home often told him—but + the clever old roadster knew better than that, and timing it well between + snorts and coughs, was tightening his girths with deep pleasure. + </p> + <p> + “Enough, my friend, is as good as a feast,” said his rider to him, gently, + yet strongly pulling up the far-stretched head, “and too much is worse + than a famine.” + </p> + <p> + The horse, though he did not belong to this gentleman, but was hired by + him only yesterday, had already discovered that, with him on his back, his + own judgment must lie dormant, so that he quietly whisked his tail and + glanced with regret at the waste of his drip, and then, with a roundabout + step, to prolong the pleasure of this little wade, sadly but steadily out + he walked, and, after the necessary shake, began his first invasion of the + village. His rider said nothing, but kept a sharp look-out. + </p> + <p> + Now this was Master Geoffrey Mordacks, of the ancient city of York, a + general factor and land agent. What a “general factor” is, or is not, none + but himself can pretend to say, even in these days of definition, and far + less in times when thought was loose; and perhaps Mr. Mordacks would + rather have it so. But any one who paid him well could trust him, + according to the ancient state of things. To look at him, nobody would + even dare to think that money could be a consideration to him, or the name + of it other than an insult. So lofty and steadfast his whole appearance + was, and he put back his shoulders so manfully. Upright, stiff, and well + appointed with a Roman nose, he rode with the seat of a soldier and the + decision of a tax-collector. From his long steel spurs to his hard coned + hat not a soft line was there, nor a feeble curve. Stern honesty and + strict purpose stamped every open piece of him so strictly that a man in a + hedge-row fostering devious principles, and resolved to try them, could do + no more than run away, and be thankful for the chance of it. + </p> + <p> + But in those rough and dangerous times, when thousands of people were + starving, the view of a pistol-butt went further than sternest aspect of + strong eyes. Geoffrey Mordacks well knew this, and did not neglect his + knowledge. The brown walnut stock of a heavy pistol shone above either + holster, and a cavalry sword in a leathern scabbard hung within easy reach + of hand. Altogether this gentleman seemed not one to be rashly attacked by + daylight. + </p> + <p> + No man had ever dreamed as yet of coming to this outlandish place for + pleasure of the prospect. So that when this lonely rider was descried from + the washing field over the low wall of the lane, the women made up their + minds at once that it must be a justice of the peace, or some great rider + of the Revenue, on his way to see Dr. Upandown, or at the least a high + constable concerned with some great sheep-stealing. Not that any such + crime was known in the village itself of Flamborough, which confined its + operations to the sea; but in the outer world of land that malady was rife + just now, and a Flamborough man, too fond of mutton, had farmed some sheep + on the downs, and lost them, which was considered a judgment on him for + willfully quitting ancestral ways. + </p> + <p> + But instead of turning at the corner where the rector was trying to grow + some trees, the stranger kept on along the rugged highway, and between the + straggling cottages, so that the women rinsed their arms, and turned round + to take a good look at him, over the brambles and furze, and the wall of + chalky flint and rubble. + </p> + <p> + “This is just what I wanted,” thought Geoffrey Mordacks: “skill makes + luck, and I am always lucky. Now, first of all, to recruit the inner man.” + </p> + <p> + At this time Mrs. Theophila Precious, generally called “Tapsy,” the widow + of a man who had been lost at sea, kept the “Cod with a Hook in his + Gills,” the only hostelry in Flamborough village, although there was + another toward the Landing. The cod had been painted from life—or + death—by a clever old fisherman who understood him, and he looked so + firm, and stiff, and hard, that a healthy man, with purse enough to tire + of butcher's-meat, might grow in appetite by gazing. Mr. Mordacks pulled + up, and fixed steadfast eyes upon this noble fish, the while a score of + sharp eyes from the green and white meadow were fixed steadfastly on him. + </p> + <p> + “How he shines with salt-water! How firm he looks, and his gills as bright + as a rose in June! I have never yet tasted a cod at first hand. It is + early in the day, but the air is hungry. My expenses are paid, and I mean + to live well, for a strong mind will be required. I will have a cut out of + that fish, to begin with.” + </p> + <p> + Inditing of this, and of matters even better, the rider turned into the + yard of the inn, where an old boat (as usual) stood for a horse-trough, + and sea-tubs served as buckets. Strong sunshine glared upon the oversaling + tiles, and white buckled walls, and cracky lintels; but nothing showed + life, except an old yellow cat, and a pair of house-martins, who had + scarcely time to breathe, such a number of little heads flipped out with a + white flap under the beak of each, demanding momentous victualling. At + these the yellow cat winked with dreamy joyfulness, well aware how fat + they would be when they came to tumble out. + </p> + <p> + “What a place of vile laziness!” grumbled Mr. Mordacks, as he got off his + horse, after vainly shouting “Hostler!” and led him to the byre, which did + duty for a stable. “York is a lazy hole enough, but the further you go + from it, the lazier they get. No energy, no movement, no ambition, + anywhere. What a country! what a people! I shall have to go back and + enlist the washer-women.” + </p> + <p> + A Yorkshireman might have answered this complaint, if he thought it + deserving of an answer, by requesting Master Mordacks not to be so + overquick, but to bide a wee bit longer before he made so sure of the vast + superiority of his own wit, for the long heads might prove better than the + sharp ones in the end of it. However, the general factor thought that he + could not have come to a better place to get all that he wanted out of + everybody. He put away his saddle, and the saddlebags and sword, in a + rough old sea-chest with a padlock to it, and having a sprinkle of chaff + at the bottom. Then he calmly took the key, as if the place were his, gave + his horse a rackful of long-cut grass, and presented himself, with a + lordly aspect, at the front door of the silent inn. Here he made noise + enough to stir the dead; and at the conclusion of a reasonable time, + during which she had finished a pleasant dream to the simmering of the + kitchen pot, the landlady showed herself in the distance, feeling for her + keys with one hand, and rubbing her eyes with the other. This was the + head-woman of the village, but seldom tyrannical, unless ill-treated, + Widow Precious, tall and square, and of no mean capacity. + </p> + <p> + “Young mon,” with a deep voice she said, “what is tha' deein' wi' aw that + clatter?” + </p> + <p> + “Alas, my dear madam, I am not a young man; and therefore time is more + precious to me. I have lived out half my allotted span, and shall never + complete it unless I get food.” + </p> + <p> + “T' life o' mon is aw a hoory,” replied Widow Precious, with slow truth. + “Young mon, what 'll ye hev?” + </p> + <p> + “Dinner, madam; dinner at the earliest moment. I have ridden far, and my + back is sore, and my substance is calling for renewal.” + </p> + <p> + “Ate, ate, ate, that's t' waa of aw menkins. Bud ye maa coom in, and crack + o' it.” + </p> + <p> + “Madam, you are most hospitable; and the place altogether seems to be of + that description. What a beautiful room! May I sit down? I perceive a fine + smell of most delicate soup. Ah, you know how to do things at + Flamborough.” + </p> + <p> + “Young mon, ye can ha' nune of yon potty. Yon's for mesell and t' + childer.” + </p> + <p> + “My excellent hostess, mistake me not. I do not aspire to such lofty + pot-luck. I simply referred to it as a proof of your admirable culinary + powers.” + </p> + <p> + “Yon's beeg words. What 'll ye hev te ate?” + </p> + <p> + “A fish like that upon your sign-post, madam, or at least the upper half + of him; and three dozen oysters just out of the sea, swimming in their own + juice, with lovely melted butter.” + </p> + <p> + “Young mon, hast tha gotten t' brass? Them 'at ates offens forgets t' + reck'nin'.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, madam, I have the needful in abundance. Ecce signum! Which is Latin, + madam, for the stamps of the king upon twenty guineas. One to be deposited + in your fair hand for a taste, for a sniff, madam, such as I had of your + pot.” + </p> + <p> + “Na, na. No tokkins till a' airned them. What ood your Warship be for + ating when a' boileth?” + </p> + <p> + The general factor, perceiving his way, was steadfast to the shoulder cut + of a decent cod; and though the full season was scarcely yet come, Mrs. + Precious knew where to find one. Oysters there were none, but she gave him + boiled limpets, and he thought it the manner of the place that made them + tough. After these things he had a duck of the noblest and best that live + anywhere in England. Such ducks were then, and perhaps are still, the most + remarkable residents of Flamborough. Not only because the air is fine, and + the puddles and the dabblings of extraordinary merit, and the wind fluffs + up their pretty feathers while alive, as the eloquent poulterer by-and-by + will do; but because they have really distinguished birth, and + adventurous, chivalrous, and bright blue Norman blood. To such purpose do + the gay young Vikings of the world of quack pour in (when the weather and + the time of year invite), equipped with red boots and plumes of purple + velvet, to enchant the coy lady ducks in soft water, and eclipse the + familiar and too legal drake. For a while they revel in the change of + scene, the luxury of unsalted mud and scarcely rippled water, and the + sweetness and culture of tame dilly-ducks, to whom their brilliant + bravery, as well as an air of romance and billowy peril, commends them too + seductively. The responsible sire of the pond is grieved, sinks his + unappreciated bill into his back, and vainly reflects upon the vanity of + love. + </p> + <p> + From a loftier point of view, however, this is a fine provision; and Mr. + Mordacks always took a lofty view of everything. + </p> + <p> + “A beautiful duck, ma'am; a very grand duck!” in his usual loud and + masterful tone, he exclaimed to Widow Precious. “I understand your + question now as to my ability to pay for him. Madam, he is worth a man's + last shilling. A goose is a smaller and a coarser bird. In what manner do + you get them?” + </p> + <p> + “They gets their own sells, wi' the will of the Lord. What will your + Warship be for ating, come after?” + </p> + <p> + “None of your puddings and pies, if you please, nor your excellent jellies + and custards. A red Dutch cheese, with a pat of fresh butter, and another + imperial pint of ale.” + </p> + <p> + “Now yon is what I call a man,” thought Mrs. Precious, having neither pie + nor pudding, as Master Mordacks was well aware; “aisy to please, and a' + knoweth what a' wants. A' mought 'a been born i' Flaambro. A' maa baide + for a week, if a' hath the tokkins.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Mordacks felt that he had made his footing; but he was not the man to + abide for a week where a day would suit his purpose. His rule was never to + beat about the bush when he could break through it, and he thought that he + saw his way to do so now. Having finished his meal, he set down his knife + with a bang, sat upright in the oaken chair, and gazed in a bold yet + pleasant manner at the sturdy hostess. + </p> + <p> + “You are wondering what has brought me here. That I will tell you in a + very few words. Whatever I do is straightforward, madam; and all the world + may know it. That has been my character throughout life; and in that + respect I differ from the great bulk of mankind. You Flamborough folk, + however, are much of the very same nature as I am. We ought to get on well + together. Times are very bad—very bad indeed. I could put a good + trifle of money in your way; but you tell the truth without it, which is + very, very noble. Yet people with a family have duties to discharge to + them, and must sacrifice their feelings to affection. Fifty guineas is a + tidy little figure, ma'am. With the famine growing in the land, no parent + should turn his honest back upon fifty guineas. And to get the gold, and + do good at the same time, is a very rare chance indeed.” + </p> + <p> + This speech was too much for Widow Precious to carry to her settled + judgment, and get verdict in a breath. She liked it, on the whole, but yet + there might be many things upon the other side; so she did what + Flamborough generally does, when desirous to consider things, as it + generally is. That is to say, she stood with her feet well apart, and her + arms akimbo, and her head thrown back to give the hinder part a rest, and + no sign of speculation in her eyes, although they certainly were not dull. + When these good people are in this frame of mind and body, it is hard to + say whether they look more wise or foolish. Mr. Mordacks, impatient as he + was, even after so fine a dinner, was not far from catching the infection + of slow thought, which spreads itself as pleasantly as that of slow + discourse. + </p> + <p> + “You are heeding me, madam; you have quick wits,” he said, without any + sarcasm, for she rescued the time from waste by affording a study of the + deepest wisdom; “you are wondering how the money is to come, and whether + it brings any risk with it. No, Mistress Precious, not a particle of risk. + A little honest speaking is the one thing needed.” + </p> + <p> + “The money cometh scores of times more freely fra wrong-doing.” + </p> + <p> + “Your observation, madam, shows a deep acquaintance with the human race. + Too often the money does come so; and thus it becomes mere mammon. On such + occasions we should wash our hands, and not forget the charities. But the + beauty of money, fairly come by, is that we can keep it all. To do good in + getting it, and do good with it, and to feel ourselves better in every + way, and our dear children happier—this is the true way of + considering the question. I saw some pretty little dears peeping in, and + wanted to give them a token or two, for I do love superior children. But + you called them away, madam. You are too stern.” + </p> + <p> + Widow Precious had plenty of sharp sense to tell her that her children + were by no means “pretty dears” to anybody but herself, and to herself + only when in a very soft state of mind; at other times they were but three + gew-mouthed lasses, and two looby loons with teeth enough for crunching up + the dripping-pan. + </p> + <p> + “Your Warship spaketh fair,” she said; “a'most too fair, I'm doubting. Wad + ye say what the maning is, and what name goeth pledge for the fafty poon, + Sir?” + </p> + <p> + “Mistress Precious, my meaning always is plainer than a pikestaff; and as + to pledges, the pledge is the hard cash down upon the nail, ma'am.” + </p> + <p> + “Bank-tokkins, mayhap, and I prummeese to paa, with the sign of the + Dragon, and a woman among sheeps.” + </p> + <p> + “Madam, a bag of solid gold that can be weighed and counted. Fifty new + guineas from the mint of King George, in a water-proof bag just fit to be + buried at the foot of a tree, or well under the thatch, or sewn up in the + sacking of your bedstead, ma'am. Ah, pretty dreams, what pretty dreams, + with a virtuous knowledge of having done the right! Shall we say it is a + bargain, ma'am, and wet it with a glass, at my expense, of the crystal + spring that comes under the sea?” + </p> + <p> + “Naw, Sir, naw!—not till I knaw what. I niver trafficks with the + divil, Sir. There wur a chap of Flaambro deed—” + </p> + <p> + “My good madam, I can not stop all day. I have far to ride before + night-fall. All that I want is simply this, and having gone so far, I must + tell you all, or make an enemy of you. I want to match this; and I have + reason to believe that it can be matched in Flamborough. Produce me the + fellow, and I pay you fifty guineas.” + </p> + <p> + With these words Mr. Mordacks took from an inner pocket a little pill-box, + and thence produced a globe, or rather an oblate spheroid, of bright gold, + rather larger than a musket-ball, but fluted or crenelled like a + poppy-head, and stamped or embossed with marks like letters. Widow + Precious looked down at it, as if to think what an extraordinary thing it + was, but truly to hide from the stranger her surprise at the sudden + recognition. For Robin Lyth was a foremost favorite of hers, and most + useful to her vocation; and neither fifty guineas nor five hundred should + lead her to do him an injury. At a glance she had known that this bead + must belong to the set from which Robin's ear-rings came; and perhaps it + was her conscience which helped her to suspect that a trap was being laid + for the free-trade hero. To recover herself, and have time to think, as + well as for closer discretion, she invited Master Mordacks to the choice + guest-chamber. + </p> + <p> + “Set ye doon, Sir, hereaboot,” she said, opening a solid door into the + inner room; “neaver gain no fear at aw o' crackin' o' the setties; fairm, + fairm anoo' they be, thoo sketterish o' their lukes, Sir. Set ye doon, + your Warship; fafty poons desarveth a good room, wi'oot ony lugs o' + anemees.” + </p> + <p> + “What a beautiful room!” exclaimed Mr. Mordacks; “and how it savors of the + place! I never should have thought of finding art and taste of such degree + in a little place like Flamborough. Why, madam, you must have inherited it + direct from the Danes themselves.” + </p> + <p> + “Naw, Sir, naw. I fetched it aw oop fra the breck of the say and the + cobbles. Book-folk tooneth naw heed o' what we do.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, it is worth a great deal of heed. Lovely patterns of sea-weed on + the floor—no carpet can compare with them; shelves of—I am + sure I don't know what—fished up from the deep, no doubt; and shells + innumerable, and stones that glitter, and fish like glass, and tufts like + lace, and birds with most wonderful things in their mouths: Mistress + Precious, you are too bad. The whole of it ought to go to London, where + they make collections!” + </p> + <p> + “Lor, Sir, how ye da be laffin' at me. But purty maa be said of 'em wi'out + ony lees.” + </p> + <p> + The landlady smiled as she set for him a chair, toward which he trod + gingerly, and picking every step, for his own sake as well as of the + garniture. For the black oak floor was so oiled and polished, to set off + the pattern of the sea-flowers on it (which really were laid with no mean + taste and no small sense of color), that for slippery boots there was some + peril. + </p> + <p> + “This is a sacred as well as beautiful place,” said Mr. Mordacks. “I may + finish my words with safety here. Madam, I commend your prudence as well + as your excellent skill and industry. I should like to bring my daughter + Arabella here: what a lesson she would gain for tapestry! But now, again, + for business. What do you say? Unless I am mistaken, you have some + knowledge of the matter depending on this bauble. You must not suppose + that I came to you at random. No, madam, no; I have heard far away of your + great intelligence, caution, and skill, and influence in this important + town. 'Mistress Precious is the Mayor of Flamborough,' was said to me only + last Saturday; 'if you would study the wise people there, hang up your hat + in her noble hostelry.' Madam, I have taken that advice, and heartily + rejoice at doing so. I am a man of few words, very few words—as you + must have seen already—but of the strictest straightforwardness in + deeds. And now again, what do you say, ma'am?” + </p> + <p> + “Your Warship hath left ma nowt to saa. Your Warship hath had the mooth aw + to yosell.” + </p> + <p> + “Now Mistress, Mistress Precious, truly that is a little too bad of you. + It is out of my power to help admiring things which are utterly beyond me + to describe, and a dinner of such cooking may enlarge the tongue, after + all the fine things it has been rolling in. But business is my motto, in + the fewest words that may be. You know what I want; you will keep it to + yourself, otherwise other people might demand the money. Through very + simple channels you will find out whether the fellow thing to this can be + found here or elsewhere; and if so, who has got it, and how it was come + by, and everything else that can be learned about it; and when you know + all, you just make a mark on this piece of paper, ready folded and + addressed; and then you will seal it, and give it to the man who calls for + the letters nearly twice a week. And when I get that, I come and eat + another duck, and have oysters with my cod-fish, which to-day we could not + have, except in the form of mussels, ma'am.” + </p> + <p> + “Naw, not a moosel—they was aw gude flithers.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, ma'am, they may have been unknown animals; but good they were, and + as fresh as the day. Now, you will remember that my desire is to do good. + I have nothing to do with the revenue, nor the magistrates, nor his + Majesty. I shall not even go to your parson, who is the chief authority, I + am told; for I wish this matter to be kept quiet, and beside the law + altogether. The whole credit of it shall belong to you, and a truly good + action you will have performed, and done a little good for your own good + self. As for this trinket, I do not leave it with you, but I leave you + this model in wax, ma'am, made by my daughter, who is very clever. From + this you can judge quite as well as from the other. If there are any more + of these things in Flamborough, as I have strong reason to believe, you + will know best where to find them, and I need not tell you that they are + almost certain to be in the possession of a woman. You know all the women, + and you skillfully inquire, without even letting them suspect it. Now I + shall just stretch my legs a little, and look at your noble prospect, and + in three hours' time a little more refreshment, and then, Mistress + Precious, you see the last of your obedient servant, until you demand from + him fifty gold guineas.” + </p> + <p> + After seeing to his horse again, he set forth for a stroll, in the course + of which he met with Dr. Upround and his daughter. The rector looked hard + at this distinguished stranger, as if he desired to know his name, and + expected to be accosted by him, while quick Miss Janetta glanced with + undisguised suspicion, and asked her father, so that Mr. Mordacks + overheard it, what business such a man could have, and what could he come + spying after, in their quiet parish? The general factor raised his hat, + and passed on with a tranquil smile, taking the crooked path which leads + along and around the cliffs, by way of the light-house, from the north to + the southern landing. The present light-house was not yet built, but an + old round tower, which still exists, had long been used as a signal + station, for semaphore by day, and at night for beacon, in the times of + war and tumult; and most people called it the “Monument.” This station was + now of very small importance, and sometimes did nothing for a year + together; but still it was very good and useful, because it enabled an + ancient tar, whose feet had been carried away by a cannon-ball, to draw a + little money once a month, and to think himself still a fine British + bulwark. + </p> + <p> + In the summer-time this hero always slung his hammock here, with plenty of + wind to rock him off to sleep, but in winter King Æolus himself could not + have borne it. “Monument Joe,” as almost everybody called him, was a queer + old character of days gone by. Sturdy and silent, but as honest as the + sun, he made his rounds as regularly as that great orb, and with equally + beneficent object. For twice a day he stumped to fetch his beer from Widow + Precious, and the third time to get his little pannikin of grog. And now + the time was growing for that last important duty, when a stranger stood + before him with a crown piece in his hand. + </p> + <p> + “Now don't get up, captain, don't disturb yourself,” said Mr. Mordacks, + graciously; “your country has claimed your activity, I see, and I hope it + makes amends to you. At the same time I know that it very seldom does. + Accept this little tribute from the admiration of a friend.” + </p> + <p> + Old Joe took the silver piece and rung it on his tin tobacco-box, then + stowed it inside, and said, “Gammon! What d'ye want of me?” + </p> + <p> + “Your manners, my good Sir, are scarcely on a par with your merits. I + bribe no man; it is the last thing I would ever dream of doing. But + whenever a question of memory arises, I have often observed a great + failure of that power without—without, if you will excuse the + expression, the administration of a little grease.” + </p> + <p> + “Smooggling? Aught about smooggling?” Old Joe shut his mouth sternly; for + he hated and scorned the coast-guards, whose wages were shamefully above + his own, and who had the impudence to order him for signals; while, on the + other hand, he found free trade a policy liberal, enlightening, and + inspiriting. + </p> + <p> + “No, captain, no; not a syllable of that. You have been in this place + about sixteen years. If you had only been here four years more, your + evidence would have settled all I want to know. No wreck can take place + here, of course, without your knowledge?” + </p> + <p> + “Dunno that. B'lieve one have. There's a twist of the tide here—but + what good to tell landlubbers?” + </p> + <p> + “You are right. I should never understand such things. But I find them + wonderfully interesting. You are not a native of this place, and knew + nothing of Flamborough before you came here?” + </p> + <p> + Monument Joe gave a grunt at this, and a long squirt of tobacco juice. + “And don't want,” he said. + </p> + <p> + “Of course, you are superior, in every way superior. You find these people + rough, and far inferior in manners. But either, my good friend, you will + re-open your tobacco-box, or else you will answer me a few short + questions, which trespass in no way upon your duty to the king, or to his + loyal smugglers.” + </p> + <p> + Old Joe looked up, with weather-beaten eyes, and saw that he had no fool + to deal with, in spite of all soft palaver. The intensity of Mr. + Mordacks's eyes made him blink, and mutter a bad word or two, but remain + pretty much at his service. And the last intention he could entertain was + that of restoring this fine crown piece. “Spake on, Sir,” he said; “and I + will spake accordin'.” + </p> + <p> + “Very good. I shall give you very little trouble. I wish to know whether + there was any wreck here, kept quiet perhaps, but still some ship lost, + about three or four years before you came to this station. It does not + matter what ship, any ship at all, which may have gone down without any + fuss at all. You know of none such? Very well. You were not here; and the + people of this place are wonderfully close. But a veteran of the Royal + Navy should know how to deal with them. Make your inquiries without + seeming to inquire. The question is altogether private, and can not in any + way bring you into trouble. Whereas, if you find out anything, you will be + a made man, and live like a gentleman. You hate the lawyers? All the + honest seamen do. I am not a lawyer, and my object is to fire a broadside + into them. Accept this guinea; and if it would suit you to have one every + week for the rest of your life, I will pledge you my word for it, paid in + advance, if you only find out for me one little fact, of which I have no + doubt whatever, that a merchant ship was cast away near this Head just + about nineteen years agone.” + </p> + <p> + That ancient sailor was accustomed to surprises; but this, as he said, + when he came to think of it, made a clean sweep of him, fore and aft. + Nevertheless, he had the presence of mind required for pocketing the + guinea, which was too good for his tobacco-box; and as one thing at a time + was quite enough upon his mind, he probed away slowly, to be sure there + was no hole. Then he got up from his squatting form, with the usual + activity of those who are supposed to have none left, and touched his + brown hat, standing cleverly. “What be I to do for all this?” he asked. + </p> + <p> + “Nothing more than what I have told you. To find out slowly, and without + saying why, in the way you sailors know how to do, whether such a thing + came to pass, as I suppose. You must not be stopped by the lies of + anybody. Of course they will deny it, if they got some of the wrecking; or + it is just possible that no one even heard of it; and yet there may be + some traces. Put two and two together, my good friend, as you have the + very best chance of doing; and soon you may put two to that in your + pocket, and twenty, and a hundred, and as much as you can hold.” + </p> + <p> + “When shall I see your good honor again, to score log-run, and come to a + reckoning?” + </p> + <p> + “Master Joseph, work a wary course. Your rating for life will depend upon + that. You may come to this address, if you have anything important. + Otherwise you shall soon hear of me again. Good-by.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0018" id="link2HCH0018"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XVIII + </h2> + <h3> + GOYLE BAY + </h3> + <p> + While all the world was at cross-purposes thus—Mr. Jellicorse uneasy + at some rumors he had heard; Captain Carroway splitting his poor heel with + indignation at the craftiness of free-traders; Farmer Anerley vexed at + being put upon by people, without any daughter to console him, or catch + shrimps; Master Mordacks pursuing a noble game, strictly above-board, as + usual; Robin Lyth troubled in his largest principles of revolt against + revenue by a nasty little pain that kept going to his heart, with an + emptiness there, as for another heart; and last, and perhaps of all most + important, the rector perpetually pining for his game of chess, and + utterly discontented with the frigid embraces of analysis—where was + the best, and most simple, and least selfish of the whole lot, Mary + Anerley? + </p> + <p> + Mary was in as good a place as even she was worthy of. A place not by any + means so snug and favored by nature as Anerley Farm, but pretty well + sheltered by large trees of a strong and hardy order. And the comfortable + ways of good old folk, who needed no labor to live by spread a happy + leisure and a gentle ease upon everything under their roof-tree. Here was + no necessity for getting up until the sun encouraged it; and the time for + going to bed depended upon the time of sleepiness. Old Johnny Popplewell, + as everybody called him, without any protest on his part, had made a good + pocket by the tanning business, and having no children to bring up to it, + and only his wife to depend upon him, had sold the good-will, the yard, + and the stock as soon as he had turned his sixtieth year. “I have worked + hard all my life,” he said, “and I mean to rest for the rest of it.” + </p> + <p> + At first he was heartily miserable, and wandered about with a vacant look, + having only himself to look after. And he tried to find a hole in his + bargain with the man who enjoyed all the smells he was accustomed to, and + might even be heard through a gap in the fence rating the men as old + Johnny used to do, at the same time of day, and for the same neglect, and + almost in the self-same words which the old owner used, but stronger. + Instead of being happy, Master Popplewell lost more flesh in a month than + he used to lay on in the most prosperous year; and he owed it to his wife, + no doubt, as generally happens, that he was not speedily gathered to the + bosom of the hospitable Simon of Joppa. For Mrs. Popplewell said, “Go + away; Johnny, go away from this village; smell new smells, and never see a + hide without a walking thing inside of it. Sea-weed smells almost as nice + as tan; though of course it is not so wholesome.” The tanner obeyed, and + bought a snug little place about ten miles from the old premises, which he + called, at the suggestion of the parson, “Byrsa Cottage.” + </p> + <p> + Here was Mary, as blithe as a lark, and as petted as a robin-redbreast, by + no means pining, or even hankering, for any other robin. She was not the + girl to give her heart before it was even asked for; and hitherto she had + regarded the smuggler with pity more than admiration. For in many points + she was like her father, whom she loved foremost of the world; and Master + Anerley was a law-abiding man, like every other true Englishman. Her uncle + Popplewell was also such, but exerted his principles less strictly. + Moreover, he was greatly under influence of wife, which happens more + freely to a man without children, the which are a source of contradiction. + And Mistress Popplewell was a most thorough and conscientious free-trader. + </p> + <p> + Now Mary was from childhood so accustomed to the sea, and the relish of + salt breezes, and the racy dance of little waves that crowd on one + another, and the tidal delivery of delightful rubbish, that to fail of + seeing the many works and plays and constant variance of her never + wearying or weary friend was more than she could long put up with. She + called upon Lord Keppel almost every day, having brought him from home for + the good of his health, to gird up his loins, or rather get his belly + girths on, and come along the sands with her, and dig into new places. But + he, though delighted for a while with Byrsa stable, and the social charms + of Master Popplewell's old cob, and a rick of fine tan-colored clover hay + and bean haulm, when the novelty of these delights was passed, he pined + for his home, and the split in his crib, and the knot of hard wood he had + polished with his neck, and even the little dog that snapped at him. He + did not care for retired people—as he said to the cob every evening—he + liked to see farm-work going on, or at any rate to hear all about it, and + to listen to horses who had worked hard, and could scarcely speak, for + chewing, about the great quantity they had turned of earth, and how they + had answered very bad words with a bow. In short, to put it in the mildest + terms, Lord Keppel was giving himself great airs, unworthy of his age, + ungrateful to a degree, and ungraceful, as the cob said repeatedly; + considering how he was fed, and bedded, and not a thing left undone for + him. But his arrogance soon had to pay its own costs. + </p> + <p> + For, away to the right of Byrsa Cottage, as you look down the hollow of + the ground toward the sea, a ridge of high scrubby land runs up to a + forefront of bold cliff, indented with a dark and narrow bay. “Goyle Bay,” + as it is called, or sometimes “Basin Bay,” is a lonely and rugged place, + and even dangerous for unwary visitors. For at low spring tides a deep + hollow is left dry, rather more than a quarter of a mile across, strewn + with kelp and oozy stones, among which may often be found pretty shells, + weeds richly tinted and of subtle workmanship, stars, and flowers, and + love-knots of the sea, and sometimes carnelians and crystals. But anybody + making a collection here should be able to keep one eye upward and one + down, or else in his pocket to have two things—a good watch and a + trusty tide-table. + </p> + <p> + John and Deborah Popplewell were accustomed to water in small supplies, + such as that of a well, or a road-side pond, or their own old noble + tan-pits; but to understand the sea it was too late in life, though it + pleased them, and gave them fine appetites now to go down when it was + perfectly calm, and a sailor assured them that the tide was mild. But even + at such seasons they preferred to keep their distance, and called out + frequently to one another. They looked upon their niece, from all she told + them, as a creature almost amphibious; but still they were often uneasy + about her, and would gladly have kept her well inland. She, however, + laughed at any such idea; and their discipline was to let her have her own + way. But now a thing happened which proved forever how much better old + heads are than young ones. + </p> + <p> + For Mary, being tired of the quiet places, and the strands where she knew + every pebble, resolved to explore Goyle Bay at last, and she chose the + worst possible time for it. The weather had been very fine and gentle, and + the sea delightfully plausible, without a wave—tide after tide—bigger + than the furrow of a two-horse plough; and the maid began to believe at + last that there never were any storms just here. She had heard of the + pretty things in Goyle Bay, which was difficult of access from the land, + but she resolved to take opportunity of tide, and thus circumvent the + position; she would rather have done it afoot, but her uncle and aunt made + a point of her riding to the shore, regarding the pony as a safe + companion, and sure refuge from the waves. And so, upon the morning of St. + Michael, she compelled Lord Keppel, with an adverse mind, to turn a + headland they had never turned before. + </p> + <p> + The tide was far out and ebbing still, but the wind had shifted, and was + blowing from the east rather stiffly, and with increasing force. Mary knew + that the strong equinoctial tides were running at their height; but she + had timed her visit carefully, as she thought, with no less than an hour + and a half to spare. And even without any thought of tide, she was bound + to be back in less time than that, for her uncle had been most particular + to warn her to be home without fail at one o'clock, when the sacred goose, + to which he always paid his duties, would be on the table. And if anything + marred his serenity of mind, it was to have dinner kept waiting. + </p> + <p> + Without any misgivings, she rode into Basin Bay, keeping within the black + barrier of rocks, outside of which wet sands were shining. She saw that + these rocks, like the bar of a river, crossed the inlet of the cove; but + she had not been told of their peculiar frame and upshot, which made them + so treacherous a rampart. At the mouth of the bay they formed a level + crescent, as even as a set of good teeth, against the sea, with a slope of + sand running up to their outer front, but a deep and long pit inside of + them. This pit drained itself very nearly dry when the sea went away from + it, through some stony tubes which only worked one way, by the closure of + their mouths when the tide returned; so that the volume of the deep + sometimes, with tide and wind behind it, leaped over the brim into the + pit, with tenfold the roar, a thousandfold the power, and scarcely less + than the speed, of a lion. + </p> + <p> + Mary Anerley thought what a lovely place it was, so deep and secluded from + anybody's sight, and full of bright wet colors. Her pony refused, with his + usual wisdom, to be dragged to the bottom of the hole, but she made him + come further down than he thought just, and pegged him by the bridle + there. He looked at her sadly, and with half a mind to expostulate more + forcibly, but getting no glimpse of the sea where he stood, he thought it + as well to put up with it; and presently he snorted out a tribe of little + creatures, which puzzled him and took up his attention. + </p> + <p> + Meanwhile Mary was not only puzzled, but delighted beyond description. She + never yet had come upon such treasures of the sea, and she scarcely knew + what to lay hands upon first. She wanted the weeds of such wonderful + forms, and colors yet more exquisite, and she wanted the shells of such + delicate fabric that fairies must have made them, and a thousand other + little things that had no names; and then she seemed most of all to want + the pebbles. For the light came through them in stripes and patterns, and + many of them looked like downright jewels. She had brought a great bag of + strong canvas, luckily, and with both hands she set to to fill it. + </p> + <p> + So busy was the girl with the vast delight of sanguine acquisition—this + for her father, and that for her mother, and so much for everybody she + could think of—that time had no time to be counted at all, but flew + by with feathers unheeded. The mutter of the sea became a roar, and the + breeze waxed into a heavy gale, and spray began to sputter through the air + like suds; but Mary saw the rampart of the rocks before her, and thought + that she could easily get back around the point. And her taste began + continually to grow more choice, so that she spent as much time in + discarding the rubbish which at first she had prized so highly as she did + in collecting the real rarities, which she was learning to distinguish. + But unluckily the sea made no allowance for all this. + </p> + <p> + For just as Mary, with her bag quite full, was stooping with a long + stretch to get something more—a thing that perhaps was the very best + of all, and therefore had got into a corner—there fell upon her back + quite a solid lump of wave, as a horse gets the bottom of the bucket cast + at him. This made her look up, not a minute too soon; and even then she + was not at all aware of danger, but took it for a notice to be moving. And + she thought more of shaking that saltwater from her dress than of running + away from the rest of it. + </p> + <p> + But as soon as she began to look about in earnest, sweeping back her + salted hair, she saw enough of peril to turn pale the roses and strike + away the smile upon her very busy face. She was standing several yards + below the level of the sea, and great surges were hurrying to swallow her. + The hollow of the rocks received the first billow with a thump and a + slush, and a rush of pointed hillocks in a fury to find their way back + again, which failing, they spread into a long white pool, taking Mary + above her pretty ankles. “Don't you think to frighten me,” said Mary; “I + know all your ways, and I mean to take my time.” + </p> + <p> + But even before she had finished her words, a great black wall (doubled + over at the top with whiteness, that seemed to race along it like a + fringe) hung above the rampart, and leaped over, casting at Mary such a + volley that she fell. This quenched her last audacity, although she was + not hurt; and jumping up nimbly, she made all haste through the rising + water toward her pony. But as she would not forsake her bag, and the rocks + became more and more slippery, towering higher and higher surges crashed + in over the barrier, and swelled the yeasty turmoil which began to fill + the basin; while a scurry of foam flew like pellets from the rampart, + blinding even the very best young eyes. + </p> + <p> + Mary began to lose some of her presence of mind and familiar approval of + the sea. She could swim pretty well, from her frequent bathing; but + swimming would be of little service here, if once the great rollers came + over the bar, which they threatened to do every moment. And when at length + she fought her way to the poor old pony, her danger and distress were + multiplied. Lord Keppel was in a state of abject fear; despair was + knocking at his fine old heart; he was up to his knees in the loathsome + brine already, and being so twisted up by his own exertions that to budge + another inch was beyond him, he did what a horse is apt to do in such + condition—he consoled himself with fatalism. He meant to expire; but + before he did so he determined to make his mistress feel what she had + done. Therefore, with a sad nudge of white old nose, he drew her attention + to his last expression, sighed as plainly as a man could sigh, and fixed + upon her meek eyes, telling volumes. + </p> + <p> + “I know, I know that it is all my fault,” cried Mary, with the brine + almost smothering her tears, as she flung her arms around his neck; “but I + never will do it again, my darling. And I never will run away and let you + drown. Oh, if I only had a knife! I can not even cast your bridle off; the + tongue has stuck fast, and my hands are cramped. But, Keppel, I will stay, + and be drowned with you.” + </p> + <p> + This resolve was quite unworthy of Mary's common-sense; for how could her + being drowned with Keppel help him? However, the mere conception showed a + spirit of lofty order; though the body might object to be ordered under. + Without any thought of all that, she stood, resolute, tearful, and + thoroughly wet through, while she hunted in her pocket for a penknife. + </p> + <p> + The nature of all knives is, not to be found; and Mary's knife was loyal + to its kind. Then she tugged at her pony, and pulled out his bit, and + labored again at the obstinate strap; but nothing could be done with it. + Keppel must be drowned, and he did not seem to care, but to think that the + object of his birth was that. If the stupid little fellow would have only + stepped forward, the hands of his mistress, though cramped and benumbed, + might perhaps have unbuckled his stiff and sodden reins, or even undone + their tangle; on the other hand, if he would have jerked with all his + might, something or other must have given way; but stir he would not from + one fatuous position, which kept all his head-gear on the strain, but + could not snap it. Mary even struck him with her heavy bag of stones, to + make him do something; but he only looked reproachful. + </p> + <p> + “Was there ever such a stupid?” the poor girl cried, with the water rising + almost to her waist, and the inner waves beginning to dash over her, while + the outer billows threatened to rush in and crush them both. “But I will + not abuse you any more, poor Keppel. What will dear father say? Oh, what + will he think of it?” + </p> + <p> + Then she burst into a fit of sobs, and leaned against the pony, to support + her from a rushing wave which took her breath away, and she thought that + she would never try to look up any more, but shut her eyes to all the rest + of it. But suddenly she heard a loud shout and a splash, and found herself + caught up and carried like an infant. + </p> + <p> + “Lie still. Never mind the pony: what is he? I will go for him afterward. + You first, you first of all the world, my Mary.” + </p> + <p> + She tried to speak, but not a word would come; and that was all the + better. She was carried quick as might be through a whirl of tossing + waters, and gently laid upon a pile of kelp; and then Robin Lyth said, + “You are quite safe here, for at least another hour. I will go and get + your pony.” + </p> + <p> + “No, no; you will be knocked to pieces,” she cried; for the pony, in the + drift and scud, could scarcely be seen but for his helpless struggles. But + the young man was half way toward him while she spoke, and she knelt upon + the kelp, and clasped her hands. + </p> + <p> + Now Robin was at home in a matter such as this. He had landed many kegs in + a sea as strong or stronger, and he knew how to deal with the horses in a + surf. There still was a break of almost a fathom in the level of the inner + and the outer waves, for the basin was so large that it could not fill at + once; and so long as this lasted, every roller must comb over at the + entrance, and mainly spend itself. “At least five minutes to spare,” he + shouted back, “and there is no such thing as any danger.” But the girl did + not believe him. + </p> + <p> + Rapidly and skillfully he made his way, meeting the larger waves sideways, + and rising at their onset; until he was obliged to swim at last where the + little horse was swimming desperately. The leather, still jammed in some + crevice at the bottom, was jerking his poor chin downward; his eyes were + screwed up like a new-born kitten's, and his dainty nose looked like a + jelly-fish. He thought how sad it was that he should ever die like this, + after all the good works of his life—the people he had carried, and + the chaise that he had drawn, and all his kindness to mankind. Then he + turned his head away to receive the stroke of grace, which the next wave + would administer. + </p> + <p> + No! He was free. He could turn his honest tail on the sea, which he always + had detested so; he could toss up his nose and blow the filthy salt out, + and sputter back his scorn, while he made off for his life. So intent was + he on this that he never looked twice to make out who his benefactor was, + but gave him just a taste of his hind-foot on the elbow, in the scuffle of + his hurry to be round about and off. “Such is gratitude!” the smuggler + cried; but a clot of salt-water flipped into his mouth, and closed all + cynical outlet. Bearing up against the waves, he stowed his long knife + away, and then struck off for the shore with might and main. + </p> + <p> + Here Mary ran into the water to meet him, shivering as she was with fright + and cold, and stretched out both hands to him as he waded forth; and he + took them and clasped them, quite as if he needed help. Lord Keppel stood + afar off, recovering his breath, and scarcely dared to look askance at the + execrable sea. + </p> + <p> + “How cold you are!” Robin Lyth exclaimed. “You must not stay a moment. No + talking, if you please—though I love your voice so. You are not safe + yet. You can not get back round the point. See the waves dashing up + against it! You must climb the cliff, and that is no easy job for a lady, + in the best of weather. In a couple of hours the tide will be over the + whole of this beach a fathom deep. There is no boat nearer than Filey; and + a boat could scarcely live over that bar. You must climb the cliff, and + begin at once, before you get any colder.” + </p> + <p> + “Then is my poor pony to be drowned, after all? If he is, he had better + have been drowned at once.” + </p> + <p> + The smuggler looked at her with a smile, which meant, “Your gratitude is + about the same as his;” but he answered, to assure her, though by no means + sure himself: + </p> + <p> + “There is time enough for him; he shall not be drowned. But you must be + got out of danger first. When you are off my mind, I will fetch up pony. + Now you must follow me step by step, carefully and steadily. I would carry + you up if I could; but even a giant could scarcely do that, in a stiff + gale of wind, and with the crag so wet.” + </p> + <p> + Mary looked up with a shiver of dismay. She was brave and nimble + generally, but now so wet and cold, and the steep cliff looked so + slippery, that she said: “It is useless; I can never get up there. Captain + Lyth, save yourself, and leave me.” + </p> + <p> + “That would be a pretty thing to do!” he replied; “and where should I be + afterward? I am not at the end of my devices yet. I have got a very snug + little crane up there. It was here we ran our last lot, and beat the brave + lieutenant so. But unluckily I have no cave just here. None of my lads are + about here now, or we would make short work of it. But I could hoist you + very well, if you would let me.” + </p> + <p> + “I would never think of such a thing. To come up like a keg! Captain Lyth, + you must know that I never would be so disgraced.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I was afraid that you might take it so, though I can not see why it + should be any harm. We often hoist the last man so.” + </p> + <p> + “It is different with me,” said Mary. “It may be no harm; but I could not + have it.” + </p> + <p> + The free-trader looked at her bright eyes and color, and admired her + spirit, which his words had roused. + </p> + <p> + “I pray your forgiveness, Miss Anerley,” he said; “I meant no harm. I was + thinking of your life. But you look now as if you could do anything + almost.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, I am warm again. I have no fear. I will not go up like a keg, but + like myself. I can do it without help from anybody.” + </p> + <p> + “Only please to take care not to cut your little hands,” said Robin, as he + began the climb; for he saw that her spirit was up to do it. + </p> + <p> + “My hands are not little; and I will cut them if I choose. Please not even + to look back at me. I am not in the least afraid of anything.” + </p> + <p> + The cliff was not of the soft and friable stuff to be found at + Bridlington, but of hard and slippery sandstone, with bulky ribs + oversaling here and there, and threatening to cast the climber back. At + such spots nicks for the feet had been cut, or broken with a hammer, but + scarcely wider than a stirrup-iron, and far less inviting. To surmount + these was quite impossible except by a process of crawling; and Mary, with + her heart in her mouth, repented of her rash contempt for the crane sling. + Luckily the height was not very great, or, tired as she was, she must have + given way; for her bodily warmth had waned again in the strong wind + buffeting the cliff. Otherwise the wind had helped her greatly by keeping + her from swaying outward; but her courage began to fail at last, and very + near the top she called for help. A short piece of lanyard was thrown to + her at once, and Robin Lyth landed her on the bluff, panting, breathless, + and blushing again. + </p> + <p> + “Well done!” he cried, gazing as she turned her face away. “Young ladies + may teach even sailors to climb. Not every sailor could get up this cliff. + Now back to Master Popplewell's as fast as you can run, and your aunt will + know what to do with you.” + </p> + <p> + “You seem well acquainted with my family affairs,” said Mary, who could + not help smiling. “Pray how did you even know where I am staying?” + </p> + <p> + “Little birds tell me everything, especially about the best, and most + gentle, and beautiful of all birds.” + </p> + <p> + The maiden was inclined to be vexed; but remembering how much he had done, + and how little gratitude she had shown, she forgave him, and asked him to + come to the cottage. + </p> + <p> + “I will bring up the little horse. Have no fear,” he replied. “I will not + come up at all unless I bring him. But it may take two or three hours.” + </p> + <p> + With no more than a wave of his hat, he set off, as if the coast-riders + were after him, by the path along the cliffs toward Filey, for he knew + that Lord Keppel must be hoisted by the crane, and he could not manage it + without another man, and the tide would wait for none of them. Upon the + next headland he found one of his men, for the smugglers maintained a much + sharper look-out than did the forces of his Majesty, because they were + paid much better; and returning, they managed to strap Lord Keppel, and + hoist him like a big bale of contraband goods. For their crane had been + left in a brambled hole, and they very soon rigged it out again. The + little horse kicked pretty freely in the air, not perceiving his own + welfare; but a cross-beam and pulley kept him well out from the cliff, and + they swung him in over handsomely, and landed him well up on the sward + within the brink. Then they gave him three cheers for his great adventure, + which he scarcely seemed to appreciate. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0019" id="link2HCH0019"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIX + </h2> + <h3> + A FARM TO LET + </h3> + <p> + That storm on the festival of St. Michael broke up the short summer + weather of the north. A wet and tempestuous month set in, and the harvest, + in all but the very best places, lay flat on the ground, without scythe or + sickle. The men of the Riding were not disturbed by this, as farmers would + have been in Suffolk; for these were quite used to walk over their crops, + without much occasion to lift their feet. They always expected their corn + to be laid, and would have been afraid of it if it stood upright. Even at + Anerley Farm this salam of the wheat was expected in bad seasons; and it + suited the reapers of the neighborhood, who scarcely knew what to make of + knees unbent, and upright discipline of stiff-cravated ranks. + </p> + <p> + In the northwest corner of the county, where the rocky land was mantled so + frequently with cloud, and the prevalence of western winds bore sway, an + upright harvest was a thing to talk of, as the legend of a century, + credible because it scarcely could have been imagined. And this year it + would have been hard to imagine any more prostrate and lowly position than + that of every kind of crop. The bright weather of August and attentions of + the sun, and gentle surprise of rich dews in the morning, together with + abundance of moisture underneath, had made things look as they scarcely + ever looked—clean, and straight, and elegant. But none of them had + found time to form the dry and solid substance, without which neither man + nor his staff of life can stand against adversity. + </p> + <p> + “My Lady Philippa,” as the tenants called her, came out one day to see how + things looked, and whether the tenants were likely to pay their Michaelmas + rents at Christmas. Her sister, Mrs. Carnaby, felt like interest in the + question, but hated long walks, being weaker and less active, and + therefore rode a quiet pony. Very little wheat was grown on their estates, + both soil and climate declining it; but the barley crop was of more + importance, and flourished pretty well upon the southern slopes. The land, + as a rule, was poor and shallow, and nourished more grouse than + partridges; but here and there valleys of soft shelter and fair soil + relieved the eye and comforted the pocket of the owner. These little bits + of Goshen formed the heart of every farm; though oftentimes the homestead + was, as if by some perversity, set up in bleak and barren spots, outside + of comfort's elbow. + </p> + <p> + The ladies marched on, without much heed of any other point than one—would + the barley crop do well? They had many tenants who trusted chiefly to + that, and to the rough hill oats, and wool, to make up in coin what part + of their rent they were not allowed to pay in kind. For as yet machinery + and reeking factories had not besmirched the country-side. + </p> + <p> + “How much further do you mean to go, Philippa?” asked Mrs. Carnaby, + although she was not travelling by virtue of her own legs. “For my part, I + think we have gone too far already.” + </p> + <p> + “Your ambition is always to turn back. You may turn back now if you like. + I shall go on.” Miss Yordas knew that her sister would fail of the courage + to ride home all alone. + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carnaby never would ride without Jordas or some other serving-man + behind her, as was right and usual for a lady of her position; but “Lady + Philippa” was of bolder strain, and cared for nobody's thoughts, words, or + deeds. And she had ordered her sister's servant back for certain reasons + of her own. + </p> + <p> + “Very well, very well. You always will go on, and always on the road you + choose yourself. Although it requires a vast deal of knowledge to know + that there is any road here at all.” + </p> + <p> + The widow, who looked very comely for her age, and sat her pony prettily, + gave way (as usual) to the stronger will; though she always liked to enter + protest, which the elder scarcely ever deigned to notice. But hearing that + Eliza had a little cough at night, and knowing that her appetite had not + been as it ought to be, Philippa (who really was wrapped up in her sister, + but never or seldom let her dream of such a fact) turned round graciously + and said: + </p> + <p> + “I have ordered the carriage here for half past three o'clock. We will go + back by the Scarbend road, and Heartsease can trot behind us.” + </p> + <p> + “Heartsease, uneasy you have kept my heart by your shufflings and + trippings perpetual. Philippa, I want a better-stepping pony. Pet has + ruined Heartsease.” + </p> + <p> + “Pet ruins everything and everybody; and you are ruining him, Eliza. I am + the only one who has the smallest power over him. And he is beginning to + cast off that. If it comes to open war between us, I shall be sorry for + Lancelot.” + </p> + <p> + “And I shall be sorry for you, Philippa. In a few years Pet will be a man. + And a man is always stronger than a woman; at any rate in our family.” + </p> + <p> + “Stronger than such as you, Eliza. But let him only rebel against me, and + he will find himself an outcast. And to prove that, I have brought you + here.” + </p> + <p> + Mistress Yordas turned round, and looked in a well-known manner at her + sister, whose beautiful eyes filled with tears, and fell. + </p> + <p> + “Philippa,” she said, with a breath like a sob, “sometimes you look harder + than poor dear papa, in his very worst moments, used to look. I am sure + that I do not at all deserve it. All that I pray for is peace and comfort; + and little do I get of either.” + </p> + <p> + “And you will get less, as long as you pray for them, instead of doing + something better. The only way to get such things is to make them.” + </p> + <p> + “Then I think that you might make enough for us both, if you had any + regard for them, or for me, Philippa.” + </p> + <p> + Mistress Yordas smiled, as she often did, at her sister's style of + reasoning. And she cared not a jot for the last word, so long as the will + and the way were left to her. And in this frame of mind she turned a + corner from the open moor track into a little lane, or rather the expiring + delivery of a lane, which was leading a better existence further on. + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carnaby followed dutifully, and Heartsease began to pick up his feet, + which he scorned to do upon the negligence of sward. And following this + good lane, they came to a gate, corded to an ancient tree, and showing up + its foot, as a dog does when he has a thorn in it. This gate seemed to + stand for an ornament, or perhaps a landmark; for the lane, instead of + submitting to it, passed by upon either side, and plunged into a dingle, + where a gray old house was sheltering. The lonely moorside farm—if + such a wild and desolate spot could be a farm—was known as + “Wallhead,” from the relics of some ancient wall; and the folk who lived + there, or tried to live, although they possessed a surname—which is + not a necessary consequence of life—very seldom used it, and more + rarely still had it used for them. For the ancient fashion still held + ground of attaching the idea of a man to that of things more extensive and + substantial. So the head of the house was “Will o' the Wallhead;” his son + was “Tommy o' Will o' the Wallhead;” and his grandson, “Willy o' Tommy o' + Will o' the Wallhead.” But the one their great lady desired to see was the + unmarried daughter of the house, “Sally o' Will o' the Wallhead.” + </p> + <p> + Mistress Yordas knew that the men of the house would be out upon the land + at this time of day, while Sally would be full of household work, and + preparing their homely supper. So she walked in bravely at the open door, + while her sister waited with the pony in the yard. Sally was clumping + about in clog-shoes, with a child or two sprawling after her (for Tommy's + wife was away with him at work), and if the place was not as clean as + could be, it seemed as clean as need be. + </p> + <p> + The natives of this part are rough in manner, and apt to regard civility + as the same thing with servility. Their bluntness does not proceed from + thickness, as in the south of England, but from a surety of their own + worth, and inferiority to no one. And to deal with them rightly, this must + be entered into. + </p> + <p> + Sally o' Will o' the Wallhead bobbed her solid and black curly head, with + a clout like a jelly on the poll of it, to the owner of their land, and a + lady of high birth; but she vouchsafed no courtesy, neither did Mistress + Yordas expect one. But the active and self-contained woman set a chair in + the low dark room, which was their best, and stood waiting to be spoken + to. + </p> + <p> + “Sally,” said the lady, who also possessed the Yorkshire gift of going to + the point, “you had a man ten years ago; you behaved badly to him, and he + went into the Indian Company.” + </p> + <p> + “A' deed,” replied the maiden, without any blush, because she had been in + the right throughout; “and noo a' hath coom in a better moind.” + </p> + <p> + “And you have come to know your own mind about him. You have been + steadfast to him for ten years. He has saved up some money, and is come + back to marry you.” + </p> + <p> + “I heed nane o' the brass. But my Jack is back again.” + </p> + <p> + “His father held under us for many years. He was a thoroughly honest man, + and paid his rent as often as he could. Would Jack like to have his + father's farm? It has been let to his cousin, as you know; but they have + been going from bad to worse; and everything must be sold off, unless I + stop it.” + </p> + <p> + Sally was of dark Lancastrian race, with handsome features and fine brown + eyes. She had been a beauty ten years ago, and could still look comely, + when her heart was up. + </p> + <p> + “My lady,” she said, with her heart up now, at the hope of soon having a + home of her own, and something to work for that she might keep, “such + words should not pass the mouth wi'out bin meant.” + </p> + <p> + What she said was very different in sound, and not to be rendered in echo + by any one born far away from that country, where three dialects meet and + find it hard to guess what each of the others is up to. Enough that this + is what Sally meant to say, and that Mistress Yordas understood it. + </p> + <p> + “It is not my custom to say a thing without meaning it,” she answered; + “but unless it is taken up at once, it is likely to come to nothing. Where + is your man Jack?” + </p> + <p> + “Jack is awaa to the minister to tell of us cooming tegither.” Sally made + no blush over this, as she might have done ten years ago. + </p> + <p> + “He must be an excellent and faithful man. He shall have the farm if he + wishes it, and can give some security at going in. Let him come and see + Jordas tomorrow.” + </p> + <p> + After a few more words, the lady left Sally full of gratitude, very little + of which was expressed aloud, and therefore the whole was more likely to + work, as Mistress Yordas knew right well. + </p> + <p> + The farm was a better one than Wallhead, having some good barley land upon + it; and Jack did not fail to present himself at Scargate upon the + following morning. But the lady of the house did not think fit herself to + hold discourse with him. Jordas was bidden to entertain him, and find out + how he stood in cash, and whether his character was solid; and then to + leave him with a jug of ale, and come and report proceedings. The dogman + discharged this duty well, being as faithful as the dogs he kept, and as + keen a judge of human nature. + </p> + <p> + “The man hath no harm in him,” he said, touching his hair to the ladies, + as he entered the audit-room. “A' hath been knocked aboot a bit in them + wars i' Injury, and hath only one hand left; but a' can lay it upon fifty + poon, and get surety for anither fifty.” + </p> + <p> + “Then tell him, Jordas, that he may go to Mr. Jellicorse to-morrow, to see + about the writings, which he must pay for. I will write full instructions + for Mr. Jellicorse, and you go and get your dinner; and then take my + letter, that he may have time to consider it. Wait a moment. There are + other things to be done in Middleton, and it would be late for you to come + back to-night, the days are drawing in so. Sleep at our tea-grocer's; he + will put you up. Give your letter at once into the hands of Mr. + Jellicorse, and he will get forward with the writings. Tell this man Jack + that he must be there before twelve o'clock to-morrow, and then you can + call about two o'clock, and bring back what there may be for signature; + and be careful of it. Eliza, I think I have set forth your wishes.” + </p> + <p> + “But, my lady, lawyers do take such a time; and who will look after Master + Lancelot? I fear to have my feet two moiles off here—” + </p> + <p> + “Obey your orders, without reasoning; that is for those who give them. + Eliza, I am sure that you agree with me. Jordas, make this man clearly + understand, as you can do when you take the trouble. But you first must + clearly understand the whole yourself. I will repeat it for you.” + </p> + <p> + Philippa Yordas went through the whole of her orders again most clearly, + and at every one of them the dogman nodded his large head distinctly, and + counted the nods on his fingers to make sure; for this part is gifted with + high mathematics. And the numbers stick fast like pegs driven into clay. + </p> + <p> + “Poor Jordas! Philippa, you are working him too hard. You have made great + wrinkles in his forehead. Jordas, you must have no wrinkles until you are + married.” + </p> + <p> + While Mrs. Carnaby spoke so kindly, the dogman took his fingers off their + numeral scale, and looked at her. By nature the two were first cousins, of + half blood; by law and custom, and education, and vital institution, they + were sundered more widely than black and white. But, for all that, the + dogman loved the lady, at a faithful distance. + </p> + <p> + “You seem to me now to have it clearly, Jordas,” said the elder sister, + looking at him sternly, because Eliza was so soft; “you will see that no + mischief can be done with the dogs or horses while you are away; and Mr. + Jellicorse will give you a letter for me, to say that everything is right. + My desire is to have things settled promptly, because your friend Jack has + been to set the banns up; and the Church is more speedy in such matters + than the law. Now the sooner you are off, the better.” + </p> + <p> + Jordas, in his steady but by no means stupid way, considered at his + leisure what such things could mean. He knew all the property, and the + many little holdings, as well as, and perhaps a great deal better than, if + they had happened to be his own. But he never had known such a hurry made + before, or such a special interest shown about the letting of any + tenement, of perhaps tenfold the value. However, he said, like a sensible + man (and therefore to himself only), that the ways of women are beyond + compute, and must be suitably carried out, without any contradiction. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0020" id="link2HCH0020"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XX + </h2> + <h3> + AN OLD SOLDIER + </h3> + <p> + Now Mr. Jellicorse had been taking a careful view of everything. He wished + to be certain of placing himself both on the righteous side and the right + one; and in such a case this was not to be done without much + circumspection. He felt himself bound to his present clients, and could + not even dream of deserting them; but still there are many things that may + be done to conciliate the adversary of one's friend, without being false + to the friend himself. And some of these already were occurring to the + lawyer. + </p> + <p> + It was true that no adversary had as yet appeared, nor even shown token of + existence; but some little sign of complication had arisen, and one + serious fact was come to light. The solicitors of Sir Ulphus de Roos (the + grandson of Sir Fursan, whose daughter had married Richard Yordas) had + pretty strong evidence, in some old letters, that a deed of appointment + had been made by the said Richard, and Eleanor his wife, under the powers + of their settlement. Luckily they had not been employed in the matter, and + possessed not so much as a draft or a letter of instructions; and now it + was no concern of theirs to make, or meddle, or even move. Neither did + they know that any question could arise about it; for they were a highly + antiquated firm, of most rigid respectability, being legal advisers to the + Chapter of York, and clerks of the Prerogative Court, and able to charge + twice as much as almost any other firm, and nearly three times as much as + poor Jellicorse. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse had been most skillful and wary in sounding these deep and + silent people; for he wanted to find out how much they knew, without + letting them suspect that there was anything to know. And he proved an old + woman's will gratis, or at least put it down to those who could afford it—because + nobody meant to have it proved—simply for the sake of getting golden + contact with Messrs. Akeborum, Micklegate, and Brigant. Right craftily + then did he fetch a young member of the firm, who delighted in angling, to + take his holiday at Middleton, and fish the goodly Tees; and by gentle and + casual discourse of gossip, in hours of hospitality, out of him he hooked + and landed all that his firm knew of the Yordas race. Young Brigant + thought it natural enough that his host, as the lawyer of that family, and + their trusted adviser for five-and-twenty years, should like to talk over + things of an elder date, which now could be little more than trifles of + genealogical history. He got some fine fishing and good dinners, and found + himself pleased with the river and the town, and his very kind host and + hostess; and it came into his head that if Miss Emily grew up as pretty + and lively as she promised to be, he might do worse than marry her, and + open a connection with such a fishing station. At any rate he left her as + a “chose in action,” which might be reduced into possession some fine day. + </p> + <p> + Such was the state of affairs when Jordas, after a long and muddy ride, + sent word that he would like to see the master, for a minute or two, if + convenient. The days were grown short, and the candles lit, and Mr. + Jellicorse was fast asleep, having had a good deal to get through that + day, including an excellent supper. The lawyer's wife said: “Let him call + in the morning. Business is over, and the office is closed. Susanna, your + master must not be disturbed.” But the master awoke, and declared that he + would see him. + </p> + <p> + Candles were set in the study, while Jordas was having a trifle of + refreshment; and when he came in, Mr. Jellicorse was there, with his + spectacles on, and full of business. + </p> + <p> + “Asking of your pardon. Sir, for disturbing of you now,” said the dogman, + with the rain upon his tarred coat shining, in a little course of drainage + from his great brown beard, “my orders wur to lay this in your own hand, + and seek answer to-morrow by dinner-time, if may be.” + </p> + <p> + “Master Jordas, you shall have it, if it can be. Do you know anybody who + can promise more than that?” + </p> + <p> + “Plenty, Sir, to promise it, as you must know by this time; but never a + body to perform so much as half. But craving of your pardon again, and + separate, I wud foin spake a word or two of myself.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly, Jordas, I shall listen with great pleasure. A fine-looking + fellow like you must have affairs. And the lady ought to make some + settlement. It shall all be done for you at half price.” + </p> + <p> + “No, Sir, it is none o' that kind of thing,” the dogman answered, with a + smile, as if he might have had such opportunities, but would trouble no + lawyer about them; “and I get too much of half price at home. It is about + my ladies I desire to make speech. They keep their business too tight, + master.” + </p> + <p> + “Jordas, you have been well taught and trained; and you are a man of + sagacity. Tell me faithfully what you mean. It shall go no further. And it + may be of great service to your ladies.” + </p> + <p> + “It is not much, Master Jellicoose; and you may make less than that of it. + But a lie shud be met and knocked doon, Sir, according to my opinion.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly, Jordas, when an action will not lie; and sometimes even where + it does, it is wise to commit a defensible assault, and so to become the + defendant. Jordas, you are big enough to do that.” + </p> + <p> + “Master Jellicoose, you are a pleasant man; but you twist my maning, as a + lawyer must. They all does it, to keep their hand in. I am speaking of the + stories, Sir, that is so much about. And I think that my ladies should be + told of them right out, and come forward, and lay their hands on them. The + Yordases always did wrong, of old time; but they never was afraid to jump + on it.” + </p> + <p> + “My friend, you speak in parables. What stories have arisen to be jumped + upon?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, Sir, for one thing, they do tell that the proper owner of the + property is Sir Duncan, now away in India. A man hath come home who knows + him well, and sayeth that he is like a prince out there, with command of a + country twice as big as Great Britain, and they up and made 'Sir Duncan' + of him, by his duty to the king. And if he cometh home, all must fall + before him.” + </p> + <p> + “Even the law of the land, I suppose, and the will of his own father. + Pretty well, so far, Jordas. And what next?” + </p> + <p> + “Nought, Sir, nought. But I thought I wur duty-bound to tell you that. + What is women before a man Yordas?” + </p> + <p> + “My good friend, we will not despair. But you are keeping back something; + I know it by your feet. You are duty-bound to tell me every word now, + Jordas.” + </p> + <p> + “The lawyers is the devil,” said the dogman to himself; and being quite + used to this reflection, Mr. Jellicorse smiled and nodded; “but if you + must have it all, Sir, it is no more than this. Jack o' the Smithies, as + is to marry Sally o' Will o' the Wallhead, is to have the lease of + Shipboro' farm, and he is the man as hath told it all.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well. We will wish him good luck with his farm,” Mr. Jellicorse + answered, cheerfully; “and what is even rarer nowadays, I fear, good luck + of his wife, Master Jordas.” + </p> + <p> + But as soon as the sturdy retainer was gone, and the sound of his heavy + boots had died away, Mr. Jellicorse shook his head very gravely, and said, + as he opened and looked through his packet, which confirmed the words of + Jordas, “Sad indiscretion—want of legal knowledge—headstrong + women—the very way to spoil it all! My troubles are beginning, and I + had better go to bed.” + </p> + <p> + His good wife seconded this wise resolve; and without further parley it + was put into effect, and proclaimed to be successful by a symphony of + snores. For this is the excellence of having other people's cares to carry + (with the carriage well paid), that they sit very lightly on the springs + of sleep. That well-balanced vehicle rolls on smoothly, without jerk, or + jar, or kick, so long as it travels over alien land. + </p> + <p> + In the morning Mr. Jellicorse was up to anything, legitimate, legal, and + likely to be paid for. Not that he would stir half the breadth of one + wheat corn, even for the sake of his daily bread, from the straight and + strict line of integrity. He had made up his mind about that long ago, not + only from natural virtue, strong and dominant as that was, but also by + dwelling on his high repute, and the solid foundations of character. He + scarcely knew anybody, when he came to think of it, capable of taking such + a lofty course; but that simply confirmed him in his stern resolve to do + what was right and expedient. + </p> + <p> + It was quite one o'clock before Jack o' the Smithies rang the bell to see + about his lease. He ought to have done it two hours sooner, if he meant to + become a humble tenant; and the lawyer, although he had plenty to do of + other people's business, looked upon this as a very bad sign. Then he read + his letter of instructions once more, and could not but admire the nice + brevity of these, and the skillful style of hinting much and declaring + very little. + </p> + <p> + For after giving full particulars about the farm, and the rent, and the + covenants required, Mistress Yordas proceeded thus: + </p> + <p> + “The new tenant is the son of a former occupant, who proved to be a + remarkably honest man, in a case of strong temptation. As happens too + often with men of probity, he was misled and made bankrupt, and died about + twelve years ago, I think. Please to verify this by reference. The late + tenant was his nephew, and has never perceived the necessity of paying + rent. We have been obliged to distrain, as you know; and I wish John + Smithies to buy in what he pleases. He has saved some capital in India, + where I am told that he fought most gallantly. Singular to say, he has met + with, and perhaps served under, our lamented and lost brother Duncan, of + whom and his family he may give us interesting particulars. You know how + this neighborhood excels in idle talk, and if John Smithies becomes our + tenant, his discourse must be confined to his own business. But he must + not hesitate to impart to you any facts you may think it right to ask + about. Jordas will bring us your answer, under seal.” + </p> + <p> + “Skillfully put, up to that last word, which savors too much of teaching + me my own business. Aberthaw, are you quite ready with that lease? It is + wanted rather in a hurry.” + </p> + <p> + As Mr. Jellicorse thought the former, and uttered the latter part of these + words, it was plain to see that he was fidgety. He had put on superior + clothes to get up with; and the clerks had whispered to one another that + it must be his wedding day, and ought to end in a half-holiday all round, + and be chalked thenceforth on the calendar; but instead of being joyful + and jocular, like a man who feels a saving Providence over him, the lawyer + was as dismal, and unsettled and splenetic, as a prophet on the brink of + wedlock. But the very last thing that he ever dreamed of doubting was his + power to turn this old soldier inside out. + </p> + <p> + Jack o' the Smithies was announced at last; and the lawyer, being vexed + with him for taking such a time, resolved to let him take a little longer, + and kept him waiting, without any bread and cheese, for nearly half an + hour. The wisdom of doing this depended on the character of the man, and + the state of his finances. And both of these being strong enough to stand, + to keep him so long on his legs was unwise. At last he came in, a very + sturdy sort of fellow, thinking no atom the less of himself because some + of his anatomy was honorably gone. + </p> + <p> + “Servant, Sir,” he said, making a salute; “I had orders to come to you + about a little lease.” + </p> + <p> + “Right, my man, I remember now. You are thinking of taking to your + father's farm, after knocking about for some years in foreign parts. Ah, + nothing like old England after all. And to tread the ancestral soil, and + cherish the old associations, and to nurture a virtuous family in the fear + of the Lord, and to be ready with the rent—” + </p> + <p> + “Rent is too high, Sir; I must have five pounds off. It ought to be ten, + by right. Cousin Joe has taken all out, and put nought in.” + </p> + <p> + “John o' the Smithies, you astonish me. I have strong reason for believing + that the rent is far too low. I have no instructions to reduce it.” + </p> + <p> + “Then I must try for another farm, Sir. I can have one of better land, + under Sir Walter; only I seemed to hold on to the old place; and my Sally + likes to be under the old ladies.” + </p> + <p> + “Old ladies! Jack, what are you come to? Beautiful ladies in the prime of + life—but perhaps they would be old in India. I fear that you have + not learned much behavior. But at any rate you ought to know your own + mind. Is it your intention to refuse so kind an offer (which was only made + for your father's sake, and to please your faithful Sally) simply because + another of your family has not been honest in his farming?” + </p> + <p> + “I never have took it in that way before,” the steady old soldier + answered, showing that rare phenomenon, the dawn of a new opinion upon a + stubborn face. “Give me a bit to turn it over in my mind, Sir. Lawyers be + so quick, and so nimble, and all-cornered.” + </p> + <p> + “Turn it over fifty times, Master Smithies. We have no wish to force the + farm upon you. Take a pinch of snuff, to help your sense of justice. Or if + you would like a pipe, go and have it in my kitchen. And if you are + hungry, cook will give you eggs and bacon.” + </p> + <p> + “No, Sir; I am very much obliged to you. I never make much o' my thinking. + I go by what the Lord sends right inside o' me, whenever I have decent + folk to deal with. And spite of your cloth, Sir, you have a honest look.” + </p> + <p> + “You deserve another pinch of snuff for that. Master Smithies, you have a + gift of putting hard things softly. But this is not business. Is your mind + made up?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, Sir. I will take the farm, at full rent, if the covenants are to my + liking. They must be on both sides—both sides, mind you.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse smiled as he began to read the draft prepared from a very + ancient form which was firmly established on the Scargate Hall estates. + The covenants, as usual, were all upon one side, the lessee being bound to + a multitude of things, and the lessor to little more than acceptance of + the rent. But such a result is in the nature of the case. Yet Jack o' the + Smithies was not well content. In him true Yorkshire stubbornness was + multiplied by the dogged tenacity of a British soldier, and the aggregate + raised to an unknown power by the efforts of shrewd ignorance; and at last + the lawyer took occasion to say, + </p> + <p> + “Master John Smithies, you are worthy to serve under the colors of a + Yordas.” + </p> + <p> + “That I have, Sir, that I have,” cried the veteran, taken unawares, and + shaking the stump of his arm in proof; “I have served under Sir Duncan + Yordas, who will come home some day and claim his own; and he won't want + no covenants of me.” + </p> + <p> + “You can not have served under Duncan Yordas,” Mr. Jellicorse answered, + with a smile of disbelief, craftily rousing the pugnacity of the man; + “because he was not even in the army of the Company, or any other army. I + mean, of course, unless there was some other Duncan Yordas.” + </p> + <p> + “Tell me!” Jack o' Smithies almost shouted—“tell me about Duncan + Yordas, indeed! Who he was, and what he wasn't! And what do lawyers know + of such things? Why, you might have to command a regiment, and read + covenants to them out there! Sir Duncan was not our colonel, nor our + captain; but we was under his orders all the more; and well he knew how to + give them. Not one in fifty of us was white; but he made us all as good as + white men; and the enemy never saw the color of our backs. I wish I was + out there again, I do, and would have staid, but for being hoarse of + combat; though the fault was never in my throat, but in my arm.” + </p> + <p> + “There is no fault in your throat, John Smithies, except that it is a + great deal too loud. I am sorry for Sally, with a temper such as yours.” + </p> + <p> + “That shows how much you know about it. I never lose my temper, without I + hearken lies. And for you to go and say that I never saw Sir Duncan—” + </p> + <p> + “I said nothing of the kind, my friend. But you did not come here to talk + about Duncan, or Captain, or Colonel, or Nabob, or Rajah, or whatever + potentate he may be—of him we desire to know nothing more—a + man who ran away, and disgraced his family, and killed his poor father, + knows better than ever to set his foot on Scargate land again. You talk + about having a lease from him, a man with fifty wives, I dare say, and a + hundred children! We all know what they are out there.” + </p> + <p> + There are very few tricks of the human face divine more forcibly + expressive of contempt than the lowering of the eyelids so that only a + narrow streak of eye is exposed to the fellow-mortal, and that streak + fixed upon him steadfastly; and the contumely is intensified when (as in + the present instance) the man who does it is gifted with yellow lashes on + the under lid. Jack o' the Smithies treated Mr. Jellicorse to a gaze of + this sort; and the lawyer, whose wrath had been feigned, to rouse the + other's, and so extract full information, began to feel his own temper + rise. And if Jack had known when to hold his tongue, he must have had the + best of it. But the lawyer knew this, and the soldier did not. + </p> + <p> + “Master Jellicorse,” said the latter, with his forehead deeply wrinkled, + and his eyes now opened to their widest, “in saying of that you make a + liar of yourself. Lease or no lease—that you do. Leasing stands for + lying in the Bible, and a' seemeth to do the same thing in Yorkshire. + Fifty wives, and a hundred children! Sir Duncan hath had one wife, and + lost her, through the Neljan fever and her worry; and a Yorkshire lady, as + you might know—and never hath he cared to look at any woman since. + There now, what you make of that—you lawyers that make out every man + a rake, and every woman a light o' love? Get along! I hate the lot o' + you.” + </p> + <p> + “What a strange character you are! You must have had jungle fever, I + should think. No, Diana, there is no danger”—for Jack o' the + Smithies had made such a noise that Mrs. Jellicorse got frightened and ran + in: “this poor man has only one arm; and if he had two, he could not hurt + me, even if he wished it. Be pleased to withdraw, Diana. John Smithies, + you have simply made a fool of yourself. I have not said a word against + Sir Duncan Yordas, or his wife, or his son—” + </p> + <p> + “He hath no son, I tell you; and that was partly how he lost his wife.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, then, his daughters, I have said no harm of them.” + </p> + <p> + “And very good reason—because he hath none. You lawyers think you + are so clever; and you never know anything rightly. Sir Duncan hath + himself alone to see to, and hundreds of thousands of darkies to manage, + with a score of British bayonets. But he never heedeth of the bayonets, + not he.” + </p> + <p> + “I have read of such men, but I never saw them,” Mr. Jellicorse said, as + if thinking to himself; “I always feel doubt about the possibility of + them.” + </p> + <p> + “He hath ten elephants,” continued Soldier Smithies, resolved to crown the + pillar of his wonders while about it—“ten great elephants that come + and kneel before him, and a thousand men ready to run to his thumb; and + his word is law—better law than is in England—for scores and + scores of miles on the top of hundreds.” + </p> + <p> + “Why did you come away, John Smithies? Why did you leave such a great + prince, and come home?” + </p> + <p> + “Because it was home, Sir. And for sake of Sally.” + </p> + <p> + “There is some sense in that, my friend. And now if you wish to make a + happy life for Sally, you will do as I advise you. Will you take my + advice? My time is of value; and I am not accustomed to waste my words.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, Sir, I will hearken to you. No man that meaneth it can say more + than that.” + </p> + <p> + “Jack o' the Smithies, you are acute. You have not been all over the world + for nothing. But if you have made up your mind to settle, and be happy in + your native parts, one thing must be attended to. It is a maxim of law, + time-honored and of the highest authority, that the tenant must never call + in question the title of his landlord. Before attorning, you may do so; + after that you are estopped. Now is it or is it not your wish to become + the tenant of the Smithies farm, which your father held so honorably? Farm + produce is fetching great prices now; and if you refuse this offer, we can + have a man, the day after to-morrow, who will give my ladies 10 pounds + more, and who has not been a soldier, but a farmer all his life.” + </p> + <p> + “Lawyer Jellicorse, I will take it; for Sally hath set her heart on it; + and I know every crumple of the ground better than the wisest farmer doth. + Sir, I will sign the articles.” + </p> + <p> + “The lease will be engrossed by next market day; and the sale will be + stopped until you have taken whatever you wish at a valuation. But + remember what I said—you are not to go prating about this wonderful + Sir Duncan, who is never likely to come home, if he lives in such grand + state out there, and who is forbidden by his father's will from taking an + acre of the property. And as he has no heirs, and is so wealthy, it can + not matter much to him.” + </p> + <p> + “That is true,” said the soldier; “but he might love to come home, as all + our folk in India do; and if he doth, I will not deny him. I tell you + fairly, Master Jellicorse.” + </p> + <p> + “I like you for being an outspoken man, and true to those who have used + you well. You could do him no good, and you might do harm to others, and + unsettle simple minds, by going on about him among the tenants.” + </p> + <p> + “His name hath never crossed my lips till now, and shall not again without + good cause. Here is my hand upon it, Master Lawyer.” + </p> + <p> + The lawyer shook hands with him heartily, for he could not but respect the + man for his sturdiness and sincerity. And when Jack was gone, Mr. + Jellicorse played with his spectacles and his snuff-box for several + minutes before he could make up his mind how to deal with the matter. Then + hearing the solid knock of Jordas, who was bound to take horse for + Scargate House pretty early at this time of year (with the weakening of + the day among the mountains), he lost a few moments in confusion. The + dogman could not go without any answer; and how was any good answer to be + given in half an hour, at the utmost? A time had been when the lawyer + studied curtness and precision under minds of abridgment in London. But + the more he had labored to introduce rash brevity into Yorkshire, and to + cut away nine words out of ten, when all the ten meant one thing only, the + more of contempt for his ignorance he won, and the less money he made out + of it. And no sooner did he marry than he was forced to give up that, and, + like a respectable butcher, put in every pennyweight of fat that could be + charged for. Thus had he thriven and grown like a goodly deed of fine + amplification; and if he had made Squire Philip's will now, it would + scarcely have gone into any breast pocket. Unluckily it is an easier thing + to make a man's will than to carry it out, even though fortune be + favorable. + </p> + <p> + In the present case obstacles seemed to be arising which might at any + moment require great skill and tact to surmount them; and the lawyer, + hearing Jordas striding to and fro impatiently in the waiting-room, was + fain to win time for consideration by writing a short note to say that he + proposed to wait upon the ladies the very next day. For he had important + news which seemed expedient to discuss with them. In the mean time he + begged them not to be at all uneasy, for his news upon the whole was + propitious. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0021" id="link2HCH0021"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXI + </h2> + <h3> + JACK AND JILL GO DOWN THE GILL + </h3> + <p> + Upon a little beck that runs away into the Lune, which is a tributary of + the Tees, there stood at this time a small square house of gray stone, + partly greened with moss, or patched with drip, and opening to the sun + with small dark windows. It looked as if it never could be warm inside, by + sunshine or by fire-glow, and cared not, although it was the only house + for miles, whether it were peopled or stood empty. But this cold, + hard-looking place just now was the home of some hot and passionate + hearts. + </p> + <p> + The people were poor; and how they made their living would have been a + mystery to their neighbors, if there had been any. They rented no land, + and they followed no trade, and they took no alms by land or post; for the + begging-letter system was not yet invented. For the house itself they paid + a small rent, which Jordas received on behalf of his ladies, and always + found it ready; and that being so, he had nothing more to ask, and never + meddled with them. They had been there before he came into office, and it + was not his place to seek into their history; and if it had been, he would + not have done it. For his sympathies were (as was natural and native to a + man so placed) with all outsiders, and the people who compress into one or + two generations that ignorance of lineage which some few families strive + to defer for centuries, showing thereby unwise insistence, if latter-day + theories are correct. + </p> + <p> + But if Master Jordas knew little of these people, somebody else knew more + about them, and perhaps too much about one of them. Lancelot Carnaby, + still called “Pet,” in one of those rushes after random change which the + wildness of his nature drove upon him, had ridden his pony to a + stand-still on the moor one sultry day of that August. No pity or care for + the pony had he, but plenty of both for his own dear self. The pony might + be left for the crows to pick his bones, so far as mattered to Pet + Carnaby; but it mattered very greatly to a boy like him to have to go home + upon his own legs. Long exertion was hateful to him, though he loved quick + difficulty; for he was one of the many who combine activity with laziness. + And while he was wondering what he should do, and worrying the fine little + animal, a wave of the wind carried into his ear the brawling of a beck, + like the humming of a hive. The boy had forgotten that the moor just here + was broken by a narrow glen, engrooved with sliding water. + </p> + <p> + Now with all his strength, which was not much, he tugged the panting and + limping little horse to the flat breach, and then down the steep of the + gill, and let him walk into the water and begin to slake off a little of + the crust of thirst. But no sooner did he see him preparing to rejoice in + large crystal draughts (which his sobs had first forbidden) than he jerked + him with the bit, and made a bad kick at him, because he could bear to see + nothing happy. The pony had sense enough to reply, weary as he was, with a + stronger kick, which took Master Lancelot in the knee, and discouraged him + for any further contest. Bully as he was, the boy had too much of ancient + Yordas pith in him to howl, or cry, or even whimper, but sat down on a + little ridge to nurse his poor knee, and meditate revenge against the + animal with hoofs. Presently pain and wrath combined became too much for + the weakness of his frame, and he fell back and lay upon the hard ground + in a fainting fit. + </p> + <p> + At such times, as everybody said (especially those whom he knocked about + in his lively moments), this boy looked wonderfully lovely. His features + were almost perfect; and he had long eyelashes like an Andalusian girl, + and cheeks more exquisite than almost any doll's, a mouth of fine curve, + and a chin of pert roundness, a neck of the mould that once was called + “Byronic,” and curly dark hair flying all around, as fine as the very best + peruke. In a word, he was just what a boy ought not to be, who means to + become an Englishman. + </p> + <p> + Such, however, was not the opinion of a creature even more beautiful than + he, in the truer points of beauty. Coming with a pitcher for some water + from the beck, Insie of the Gill (the daughter of Bat and Zilpie of the + Gill) was quite amazed as she chanced round a niche of the bank upon this + image. An image fallen from the sun, she thought it, or at any rate from + some part of heaven, until she saw the pony, who was testing the geology + of the district by the flavor of its herbage. Then Insie knew that here + was a mortal boy, not dead, but sadly wounded; and she drew her short + striped kirtle down, because her shapely legs were bare. + </p> + <p> + Lancelot Carnaby, coming to himself (which was a poor return for him), + opened his large brown eyes, and saw a beautiful girl looking at him. As + their eyes met, his insolent languor fell—for he generally awoke + from these weak lapses into a slow persistent rage—and wonder and + unknown admiration moved something in his nature that had never moved + before. His words, however, were scarcely up to the high mark of the + moment. “Who are you?” was all he said. + </p> + <p> + “I am called 'Insie of the Gill.' My father is Bat of the Gill, and my + mother Zilpie of the Gill. You must be a stranger, not to know us.” + </p> + <p> + “I never heard of you in all my life; although you seem to be living on my + land. All the land about here belongs to me; though my mother has it for a + little time.” + </p> + <p> + “I did not know,” she answered, softly, and scarcely thinking what she + said, “that the land belonged to anybody, besides the birds and animals. + And is the water yours as well?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes; every drop of it, of course. But you are quite welcome to a + pitcherful.” This was the rarest affability of Pet; and he expected + extraordinary thanks. + </p> + <p> + But Insie looked at him with surprise. “I am very much obliged to you,” + she said; “but I never asked any one to give it me, unless it is the beck + itself; and the beck never seems to grudge it.” + </p> + <p> + “You are not like anybody I ever saw. You speak very different from the + people about here; and you look very different ten times over.” + </p> + <p> + Insie reddened at his steadfast gaze, and turned her sweet soft face away. + And yet she wanted to know more. “Different means a great many things. Do + you mean that I look better, or worse?” + </p> + <p> + “Better, of course; fifty thousand times better! Why, you look like a + beautiful lady. I tell you, I have seen hundreds of ladies; perhaps you + haven't, but I have. And you look better than all of them.” + </p> + <p> + “You say a great deal that you do not think,” Insie answered, quietly, yet + turning round to show her face again. “I have heard that gentlemen always + do; and I suppose that you are a young gentleman.” + </p> + <p> + “I should hope so indeed. Don't you know who I am? I am Lancelot Yordas + Carnaby.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, you look quite as if you could stop the river,” she answered, with a + laugh, though she felt his grandeur. “I suppose you consider me nobody at + all. But I must get my water.” + </p> + <p> + “You shall not carry water. You are much too pretty. I will carry it for + you.” + </p> + <p> + Pet was not “introspective;” otherwise he must have been astonished at + himself. His mother and aunt would have doubted their own eyes if they had + beheld this most dainty of the dainty, and mischievous of the mischievous + (with pain and passion for the moment vanquished), carefully carrying an + old brown pitcher. Yet this he did, and wonderfully well, as he believed; + though Insie only laughed to see him. For he had on the loveliest gaiters + in the world, of thin white buckskin with agate buttons, and breeches of + silk, and a long brocaded waistcoat, and a short coat of rich purple + velvet, also a riding hat with a gray ostrich plume. And though he had + very little calf inside his gaiters, and not much chest to fill out his + waistcoat, and narrower shoulders than a velvet coat deserved, it would + have been manifest, even to a tailor, that the boy had lineal, if not + lateral, right to his rich habiliments. + </p> + <p> + Insie of the Gill (who seemed not to be of peasant birth, though so + plainly dressed), came gently down the steep brook-side to see what was + going to be done for her. + </p> + <p> + She admired Lancelot, both for bravery of apparel and of action; and she + longed to know how he would get a good pitcher of water without any splash + upon his clothes. So she stood behind a little bush, pretending not to be + at all concerned, but amused at having her work done for her. But Pet was + too sharp to play cat's-paw for nothing. + </p> + <p> + “Smile, and say 'thank you,'” he cried, “or I won't do it. I am not going + up to my middle for nothing; I know that you want to laugh at me.” + </p> + <p> + “You must have a very low middle,” said Insie; “why, it never comes half + way to my knees.” + </p> + <p> + “You have got no stockings, and no new gaiters,” Lancelot answered, + reasonably; and then, like two children, they set to and laughed, till the + gill almost echoed with them. + </p> + <p> + “Why, you're holding the mouth of the pitcher down stream!” Insie could + hardly speak for laughing. “Is that how you go to fill a pitcher?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, and the right way too,” he answered; “the best water always comes up + the eddies. You ought to be old enough to know that.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't know anything at all—except that you are ruining your best + clothes.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't care twopence for such rubbish. You ought to see me on a Sunday, + Insie, if you want to know what is good. There, you never drew such a + pitcher as that. And I believe there is a fish in the bottom of it.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, if there is a fish, let me have him in my hands. I can nurse a fish + on dry land, until he gets quite used to it. Are you sure that there is a + little fish?” + </p> + <p> + “No, there is no fish; and I am soaking wet. But I never care what anybody + thinks of me. If they say what I don't like, I kick them.” + </p> + <p> + “Ah, you are accustomed to have your own way. That any one might know by + looking at you. But I have got a quantity of work to do. You can see that + by my fingers.” + </p> + <p> + The girl made a courtesy, and took the pitcher from him, because he was + knocking it against his legs; but he could not be angry when he looked + into her eyes, though the habit of his temper made him try to fume. + </p> + <p> + “Do you know what I think?” she said, fixing bright hazel eyes upon him; + “I think that you are very passionate sometimes.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, if I am, it is my own business. Who told you anything about it? + Whoever it was shall pay out for it.” + </p> + <p> + “Nobody told me, Sir. You must remember that I never even heard of your + name before.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, come, I can't quite take down that. Everybody knows me for fifty + miles or more; and I don't care what they think of me.” + </p> + <p> + “You may please yourself about believing me,” she answered, without + concern about it. “No one who knows me doubts my word, though I am not + known for even five miles away.” + </p> + <p> + “What an extraordinary girl you are! You say things on purpose to provoke + me. Nobody ever does that; they are only too glad to keep me in a good + temper.” + </p> + <p> + “If you are like that, Sir, I had better run away. My father will be home + in about an hour, and he might think that you had no business here.” + </p> + <p> + “I! No business upon my own land! This place must be bewitched, I think. + There is a witch upon the moors, I know, who can take almost any shape; + but—but they say she is three hundred years of age, or more.” + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps, then, I am bewitched,” said Insie; “or why should I stop to talk + with you, who are only a rude boy, after all, even according to your own + account?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, you can go if you like. I suppose you live in that queer little + place down there?” + </p> + <p> + “The house is quite good enough for me and my father and mother and + brother Maunder. Good-by; and please never to come here again.” + </p> + <p> + “You don't understand me. I have made you cry. Oh, Insie, let me have hold + of your hand. I would rather make anybody cry than you. I never liked + anybody so before.” + </p> + <p> + “Cry, indeed! Who ever heard me cry? It is the way you splashed the water + up. I am not in the habit of crying for a stranger. Good-by, now; and go + to your great people. You say that you are bad; and I fear it is too + true.” + </p> + <p> + “I am not bad at all. It is only what everybody says, because I never want + to please them. But I want to please you. I would give anything to do it; + if you would only tell me how.” + </p> + <p> + The girl having cleverly dried her eyes, poured all their bright beauty + upon him, and the heart of the youth was enlarged with a new, very sweet, + and most timorous feeling. Then his dark eyes dropped, and he touched her + gently, and only said, “Don't go away.” + </p> + <p> + “But I must go away,” Insie answered, with a blush, and a look as of more + tears lurking in her eyes. “I have stopped too long; I must go away at + once.” + </p> + <p> + “But when may I come again? I will hold you, and fight for you with + everybody in the world, unless you tell me when to come again.” + </p> + <p> + “Hush! I am quite ashamed to hear you talk so. I am a poor girl, and you a + great young gentleman.” + </p> + <p> + “Never mind that. That has nothing to do with it. Would you like to make + me miserable, and a great deal more wicked than I ever was before? Do you + hate me so much as all that, Insie?” + </p> + <p> + “No. You have been very kind to me. Only my father would be angry, I am + sure; and my brother Maunder is dreadful. They all go away every other + Friday, and that is the only free time I have.” + </p> + <p> + “Every other Friday! What a long time, to be sure! Won't you come again + for water this day fortnight?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes; I come for water three or four times every day. But if they were to + see you, they would kill you first, and then lock me up forever. The only + wise plan is for you to come no more.” + </p> + <p> + “You can not be thinking for a moment what you say. I will tell you what; + if you don't come, I will march up to the house, and beat the door in. The + landlord can do that, according to law.” + </p> + <p> + “If you care at all for me,” said Insie, looking as if she had known him + for ten years, “you will do exactly what I tell you. You will think no + more about me for a fortnight; and then if you fancy that I can do you + good by advice about your bad temper, or by teaching you how to plait + reeds for a bat, and how to fill a pitcher—perhaps I might be able + to come down the gill again.” + </p> + <p> + “I wish it was to-morrow. I shall count the days. But be sure to come + early, if they go away all day. I shall bring my dinner with me; and you + shall have the first help, and I will carve. But I should like one thing + before I go; and it is the first time I ever asked anybody, though they + ask me often enough, I can tell you.” + </p> + <p> + “What would you like? You seem to me to be always wanting something.” + </p> + <p> + “I should like very much—very much indeed—just to give you one + kiss, Insie.” + </p> + <p> + “It can not be thought of for a moment,” she replied; “and the first time + of my ever seeing you, Sir!” + </p> + <p> + Before he could reason in favor of a privilege which goes proverbially by + favor, the young maid was gone upon the winding path, with the pitcher + truly balanced on her well-tressed head. Then Pet sat down and watched + her; and she turned round in the distance, and waved him a kiss at + decorous interval. + </p> + <p> + Not more than three days after this, Mrs. Carnaby came into the + drawing-room with a hasty step, and a web of wrinkles upon her generally + smooth, white forehead. + </p> + <p> + “Eliza,” asked her sister, “what has put you out so? That chair is not + very strong, and you are rather heavy. Do you call that gracefully sinking + on a seat, as we used to learn the way to do at school?” + </p> + <p> + “No, I do not call it anything of the kind. And if I am heavy, I only keep + my heart in countenance, Philippa. You know not the anxieties of a + mother.” + </p> + <p> + “I am thankful to say that I do not. I have plenty of larger cares to + attend to, as well as the anxieties of an aunt and sister. But what is + this new maternal care?” + </p> + <p> + “Poor Pet's illness—his serious illness. I am surprised that you + have not noticed it, Philippa; it seems so unkind of you.” + </p> + <p> + “There can not be anything much amiss with him. I never saw any one eat a + better breakfast. What makes you fancy that the boy must be unwell?” + </p> + <p> + “It is no fancy. He must be very ill. Poor dear! I can not bear to think + of it. He has done no mischief for quite three days.” + </p> + <p> + “Then he must indeed be at the point of death. Oh, if we could only keep + him always so, Eliza!” + </p> + <p> + “My dear sister, you will never understand him. He must have his little + playful ways. Would you like him to be a milksop?” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly not. But I should like him first to be a manly boy, and then a + boyish man. The Yordases always have been manly boys; instead of puling, + and puking, and picking this, that, and the other.” + </p> + <p> + “The poor child can not help his health, Philippa. He never had the Yordas + constitution. He inherits his delicate system from his poor dear gallant + father.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carnaby wiped away a tear; and her sister (who never was hard to her) + spoke gently, and said there were many worse boys than he, and she liked + him for many good and brave points of character, and especially for hating + medicine. + </p> + <p> + “Philippa, you are right; he does hate medicine,” the good mother + answered, with a soft, sad sigh; “and he kicked the last apothecary in the + stomach, when he made certain of its going down. But such things are + trifles, dear, in comparison with now. If he would only kick Jordas, or + Welldrum, or almost any one who would take it nicely, I should have some + hope that he was coming to himself. But to see him sit quiet is so truly + sad. He gets up a tree with his vast activity, and there he sits moping by + the hour, and gazing in one fixed direction. I am almost sure that he has + knocked his leg; but he flew into a fury when I wanted to examine it; and + when I made a poultice, there was Saracen devouring it; and the nasty dog + swallowed one of my lace handkerchiefs.” + </p> + <p> + “Then surely you are unjust, Eliza, in lamenting all lack of mischief. But + I have noticed things as well as you. And yesterday I saw something more + portentous than anything you have told me. I came upon Lancelot suddenly, + in the last place where I should have looked for him. He was positively in + the library, and reading—reading a real book.” + </p> + <p> + “A book, Phillppa! Oh, that settles everything. He must have gone + altogether out of his sane mind.” + </p> + <p> + “Not only was it a book, but even a book of what people call poetry. You + have heard of that bold young man over the mountains, who is trying to + turn poetry upside down, by making it out of every single thing he sees; + and who despises all the pieces that we used to learn at school. I can not + remember his name; but never mind. I thought that we ought to encourage + him, because he might know some people in this neighborhood; and so I + ordered a book of his. Perhaps I told you; and that is the very book your + learned boy was reading.” + </p> + <p> + “Philippa, it seems to me impossible almost. He must have been looking at + the pictures. I do hope he was only looking at the pictures.” + </p> + <p> + “There is not a picture in the book of any sort. He was reading it, and + saying it quite softly to himself; and I felt that if you saw him, you + would send for Dr. Spraggs.” + </p> + <p> + “Ring the bell at once, dear, if you will be kind enough. I hope there is + a fresh horse in the stable. Or the best way would be to send the + jumping-car; then he would be certain to come back at once.” + </p> + <p> + “Do as you like. I begin to think that we ought to take proper + precautions. But when that is done, I will tell you what I think he may be + up the tree for.” + </p> + <p> + A man with the jumping-car was soon dispatched, by urgency of Jordas, for + Dr. Spraggs, who lived several miles away, in a hamlet to the westward, + inaccessible to anything that could not jump right nimbly. But the ladies + made a slight mistake: they caught the doctor, but no patient. + </p> + <p> + For Pet being well up in his favorite tree—poring with great wonder + over Lyrical Ballads, which took his fancy somehow—thence descried + the hateful form of Dr. Spraggs, too surely approaching in the seat of + honor of the jumping-car. Was ever any poesy of such power as to elevate + the soul above the smell of physic? The lofty poet of the lakes and fells + fell into Pet's pocket anyhow, and down the off side of the tree came he, + with even his bad leg ready to be foremost in giving leg-bail to the + medical man. The driver of the jumping-car espied this action; but knowing + that he would have done the like, grinned softly, and said nothing. And + long after Dr. Spraggs was gone, leaving behind him sage advice, and a + vast benevolence of bottles, Pet returned, very dirty and hungry, and + cross, and most unpoetical. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0022" id="link2HCH0022"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXII + </h2> + <h3> + YOUNG GILLY FLOWERS + </h3> + <p> + “Drum,” said Pet, in his free and easy style, about ten days after that + escape, to a highly respected individual, Mr. Welldrum, the butler—“Drum, + you have heard perhaps about my being poorly.” + </p> + <p> + “Ay, that I have, and too much of it,” replied the portly butler, busy in + his office with inferior work, which he never should have had to do, if + rightly estimated. “What you wants, Master Lancelot, is a little more of + this here sort of thing—sleeves up—elbow grease—scrub + away at hold ancient plate, and be blowed up if you puts a scratch on it; + and the more you sweats, the less thanks you gets.” + </p> + <p> + “Drum, when you come to be my butler, you shall have all the keys allowed + you, and walk about with them on a great gold ring, with a gold chain down + to your breeches pocket. You shall dine when you like, and have it cooked + on purpose, and order it directly after breakfast; and you shall have the + very best hot-water plates; because you hate grease, don't you, Drum?” + </p> + <p> + “That I do; especial from young chaps as wants to get something out of + me.” + </p> + <p> + “I am always as good as my word; come, now.” + </p> + <p> + “That you are, Sir; and nothing very grand to say, considering the + hepithets you applies to me sometimes. But you han't insulted me for three + days now; and that proves to my mind that you can't be quite right.” + </p> + <p> + “But you would like to see me better. I am sure you would. There is nobody + so good to you as I am, Drum; and you are very crusty at times, you know. + Your daughter shall be the head cook; and then everything must be to your + liking.” + </p> + <p> + “Master Lancelot, you speaks fair. What can I have the honor of doing for + you, Sir, to set you up again in your poor dear 'ealth?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, you hate physic, don't you, Drum? And you make a strict point of + never taking it.” + </p> + <p> + “I never knew no good to come out of no bottle, without it were a bottle + of old crusted port-wine. Ah! you likes that, Master Lancelot.” + </p> + <p> + “I'll tell you what it is, Drum; I am obliged to be very careful. The + reason why I don't get on is from taking my meals too much in-doors. There + is no fresh air in these old rooms. I have got a man who says—I + could read it to you; but perhaps you don't care to hear poetry, Drum?” + The butler made a face, and put the leather to his ears. “Very well, then; + I am only just beginning; and it's like claret, you must learn to come to + it. But from what he says, and from my own stomach, I intend to go and + dine out-of-doors to-day.” + </p> + <p> + “Lord! Master Lancelot, you must be gone clean daft. How ever could you + have hot gravy, Sir? And all the Yordases hates cold meat. Your poor dear + grandfather—ah! he was a man.” + </p> + <p> + “So am I. And I have got half a guinea. Now, Drum, you do just what I tell + you; and mind, not a word to any one. It will be the last coin you ever + see of mine, either now or in all my life, remember, if you let my mamma + ever hear of it. You slip down to the larder and get me a cold grouse, and + a cold partridge, and two of the hearth-stone cakes, and a pat of butter, + and a pinch of salt, and put them in my army knapsack Aunt Philippa gave + me; also a knife and fork and plate; and—let me see—what had I + better have to drink?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, Sir, if I might offer an opinion, a pint bottle of dry port, or + your grandfather's Madeira.” + </p> + <p> + “Young ladies—young gentlemen I mean, of course—never take + strong wines in the middle of the day. Bucellas, Drum—Bucellas is + the proper thing. And when you have got it all together, turn the old cat + into the larder, and get away cleverly by your little door, and put my + knapsack in the old oak-tree, the one that was struck by lightning. Now do + you understand all about it? It must all be ready in half an hour. And if + I make a good dinner out on the moor, why, you might get another half + guinea before long.” And with these words away strode Pet. + </p> + <p> + “Well, well,” the butler began muttering to himself; “what wickedness are + you up to next? A lassie in his head, and his dear mammy thought he was + sickening over his wisdom-teeth! He is beginning airly, and no mistake. + But the gals are a coarse ugly lot about here”—Master Welldrum was + not a Yorkshireman—“and the lad hath good taste in the matter of + wine; although he is that contrairy, Solomon's self could not be upsides + with him. Fall fair, fall foul, I must humor the boy, or out of this place + I go, neck and crop.” + </p> + <p> + Accordingly, Pet found all that he had ordered, and several little things + which he had not thought of, especially a corkscrew and a glass; and + forgetting half his laziness, he set off briskly, keeping through the + trees where no window could espy him, and down a little side glen, all + afoot; for it seemed to him safer to forego his pony. + </p> + <p> + The gill (or “ghyll,” as the poet writes it), from which the lonely family + that dwelt there took their name, was not upon the bridle-road from + Scargate Hall toward Middleton, nor even within eye or reach of any road + at all; but overlooked by kites alone, and tracked with thoroughfare of + nothing but the mountain streamlet. The four who lived there—“Bat + and Zilpic, Maunder and Insie, of the Gill”—had nothing to do with, + and little to say to, any of the scatterling folk about them, across the + blue distance of the moor. They ploughed no land, they kept no cattle, + they scarcely put spade in the ground, except for about a fortnight in + April, when they broke up a strip of alluvial soil new every season, and + abutting on the brook; and there sowed or planted their vegetable crop, + and left it to the clemency of heaven. Yet twice every year they were + ready with their rent when it suited Master Jordas to come for it, since + audits at the hall, and tenants' dinners, were not to their liking. The + rent was a trifle; but Jordas respected them highly for handing it done up + in white paper, without even making him leave the saddle. How many paid + less, or paid nothing at all, yet came to the dinners under rent + reservation of perhaps one mark, then strictly reserved their rent, but + failed not to make the most punctual and liberal marks upon roast beef and + plum-pudding! + </p> + <p> + But while the worthy dogman got his little bit of money, sealed up and so + correct that (careful as he was) he never stopped now to count it, even + his keen eyes could make nothing of these people, except that they stood + upon their dignity. To him they appeared to be of gypsy race; or partly of + wild and partly perhaps of Lancastrian origin; for they rather “featured” + the Lancashire than the Yorkshire type of countenance, yet without any + rustic coarseness, whether of aspect, voice, or manners. The story of + their settlement in this glen had flagged out of memory of gossip by + reason of their calm obscurity, and all that survived was the belief that + they were queer, and the certainty that they would not be meddled with. + </p> + <p> + Lancelot Yordas Carnaby was brave, both in the outward and the inward boy, + when he struck into the gill from a trackless spread of moor, not far from + the source of the beck that had shaped or been shaped by this fissure. He + had made up his mind to learn all about the water that filled sweet + Insie's pitcher; and although the great poet of nature as yet was only in + early utterance, some of his words had already touched Pet as he had never + been touched before; but perhaps that fine effect was due to the sapping + power of first love. + </p> + <p> + Yet first love, however it may soften and enlarge a petulant and wayward + nature, instead of increasing, cuts short and crisp the patience of the + patient. When Lancelot was as near as manners and prudence allowed to that + lonesome house, he sat down quietly for a little while in a little niche + of scrubby bush whence he could spy the door. For a short time this was + very well; also it was well to be furnishing his mind with a form for the + beautiful expressions in it, and prepare it for the order of their coming + out. And when he was sure that these were well arranged, and could not + fail at any crisis, he found a further pastime in considering his boots, + then his gaiters and small-clothes (which were of lofty type), and his + waistcoat, elegant for anybody's bosom. But after a bit even this began to + pall; and when one of his feet went fast asleep, in spite of its beautiful + surroundings, he jumped up and stamped, and was not so very far from hot + words as he should have been. For his habit was not so much to want a + thing as to get it before he wanted it, which is very poor training for + the trials of the love-time. + </p> + <p> + But just as he was beginning to resolve to be wise, and eat his victuals, + now or never, and be sorry for any one who came too late—there came + somebody by another track, whose step made the heart rise, and the stomach + fall. Lancelot's mind began to fail him all at once; and the spirit that + was ready with a host of words fluttered away into a quaking depth of + silence. Yet Insie tripped along as if the world held no one to cast a + pretty shadow from the sun beside her own. + </p> + <p> + Even the youngest girls are full of little tricks far beyond the oldest + boy's comprehension. But the wonder of all wonders is, they have so pure a + conscience as never to be thinking of themselves at all, far less of any + one who thinks too much of them. “I declare, she has forgotten that she + ever saw me!” Lancelot muttered to the bush in which he trembled. “It + would serve her right, if I walked straight away.” But he looked again, + and could not help looking more than many times again, so piercing (as an + ancient poet puts it) is the shaft from the eyes of the female women. And + Insie was especially a female girl—which has now ceased to be + tautology—so feminine were her walk, and way, and sudden variety of + unreasonable charm. + </p> + <p> + “Dear me! I never thought to see you any more, Sir;” said she, with a + bright blush, perhaps at such a story, as Pet jumped out eagerly, with + hands stretched forth. “It is the most surprising thing. And we might have + done very well with rain-water.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Insie! don't be so cold-hearted. Who can drink rain-water? I have got + something very good for you indeed. I have carried it all the way myself; + and only a strong man could have done it. Why, you have got stockings on, + I declare; but I like you much better without them.” + </p> + <p> + “Then, Master Lancelot Yordas Carnaby, you had better go home with all + your good things.” + </p> + <p> + “You are totally mistaken about that. I could never get these things into + the house again, without being caught out to a certainty. It shows how + little girls know of anything.” + </p> + <p> + “A girl can not be expected,” she answered, looking most innocently at + him, “to understand anything sly or cunning. Why should anything of that + sort be?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, if it comes to that,” cried Pet, who (like all unreasonable people) + had large rudiments of reasoning, “why should not I come up to your door, + and knock, and say, 'I want to see Miss Insie; I am fond of Miss Insie, + and have got something good for her'? That is what I shall do next time.” + </p> + <p> + “If you do, my brother Maunder will beat you dreadfully—so + dreadfully that you will never walk home. But don't let us talk of such + terrible things. You must never come here, if you think of such things. I + would not have you hurt for all the world; for sometimes I think that I + like you very much.” + </p> + <p> + The lovely girl looked at the handsome boy, as if they were at school + together, learning something difficult, which must be repeated to the + other's eyes, with a nod, or a shake of the head, as may be. A kind, and + pure, and soft gaze she gave him, as if she would love his thoughts, if he + could explain them. And Pet turned away, because he could not do so. + </p> + <p> + “I'll tell you what it is,” he said, bravely, while his heart was + thrilling with desire to speak well; “we will set to at once, and have a + jolly good spread. I told my man to put up something very good, because I + was certain that you would be very hungry.” + </p> + <p> + “Surely you were not so foolish as to speak of me?” + </p> + <p> + “No, no, no; I know a trick worth two of that. I was not such a fool as to + speak of you, of course. But—” + </p> + <p> + “But I would never condescend to touch one bit. You were ashamed to say a + word about me, then, were you?” + </p> + <p> + “Insie, now, Insie, too bad of you it is. You can have no idea what those + butlers and footmen are, if ever you tell them anything. They are worse + than the maids; they go down stairs, and they get all the tidbits out of + the cook, and sit by the girl they like best, on the strength of having a + secret about their master.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, you are cunning!” cried the maiden, with a sigh. “I thought that + your nature was loftier than that. No, I do not know anything of butlers + and footmen; and I think that the less I know of you the better.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Insie, darling Insie, if you run away like that—I have got both + your hands, and you shall not run away. Do you want to kill me, Insie? + They have had the doctor for me.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, how very dreadful! that does sound dreadful. I am not at all crying, + and you need not look. But what did he say? Please to tell me what he + said.” + </p> + <p> + “He said, 'Salts and senna.' But I got up a high tree. Let us think of + nicer things. It is enough to spoil one's dinner. Oh, Insie, what is + anything to eat or drink, compared with looking at you, when you are good? + If I could only tell you the things that I have felt, all day and all + night, since this day fortnight, how sorry you would be for having evil + thoughts of me!” + </p> + <p> + “I have no evil thoughts; I have no thoughts at all. But it puzzles me to + think what on earth you have been thinking. There, I will sit down, and + listen for a moment.” + </p> + <p> + “And I may hold one of your hands? I must, or you would never understand + me. Why, your hands are much smaller than mine, I declare! And mine are + very small; because of thinking about you. Now you need not laugh—it + does spoil everything to laugh so. It is more than a fortnight since I + laughed at all. You make me feel so miserable. But would you like to know + how I felt? Mind, I would rather cut my head off than tell it to any one + in the world but you.” + </p> + <p> + “Now I call that very kind of you. If you please, I should like to know + how you have been feeling.” With these words Insie came quite close up to + his side, and looked at him so that he could hardly speak. “You may say it + in a whisper, if you like,” she said; “there is nobody coming for at least + three hours, and so you may say it in a whisper.” + </p> + <p> + “Then I will tell you; it was just like this. You know that I began to + think how beautiful you were at the very first time I looked at you. But + you could not expect me so to love you all at once as I love you now, dear + Insie.” + </p> + <p> + “I can not understand any meaning in such things.” But she took a little + distance, quite as if she did. + </p> + <p> + “Well, I went away without thinking very much, because I had a bad place + in my knee—a blue place bigger than the new half crown, where you + saw that the pony kicked me. I had him up, and thrashed him, when I got + home; but that has got nothing to do with it—only that I made him + know who was his master. And then I tried to go on with a lot of things as + usual; but somehow I did not care at all. There was a great rat hunt that + I had been thinking of more than three weeks, when they got the straddles + down, to be ready for the new ricks to come instead. But I could not go + near it; and it made them think that the whole of my inside was out of + order. And it must have been. I can see by looking back; it must have been + so, without my knowing it. I hit several people with my holly on their + shins, because they knew more than I did. But that was no good; nor was + anything else. I only got more and more out of sorts, and could not stay + quiet anywhere; and yet it was no good to me to try to make a noise. All + day I went about as if I did not care whether people contradicted me or + not, or where I was, or what time I should get back, or whether there + would be any dinner. And I tucked up my feet in my nightgown every night; + but instead of stopping there, as they always used to do, they were down + in cold places immediately; and instead of any sleep, I bit holes by the + hundred in the sheets, with thinking. I hated to be spoken to, and I hated + everybody; and so I do now, whenever I come to think about them!” + </p> + <p> + “Including even poor me, I suppose?” Insie had wonderfully pretty + eyebrows, and a pretty way of raising them, and letting more light into + her bright hazel eyes. + </p> + <p> + “No, I never seemed to hate you; though I often was put out, because I + could never make your face come well. I was thinking of you always, but I + could not see you. Now tell me whether you have been like that.” + </p> + <p> + “Not at all; but I have thought of you once or twice, and wondered what + could make you want to come and see me. If I were a boy, perhaps I could + understand it.” + </p> + <p> + “I hate boys; I am a man all over now. I am old enough to have a wife; and + I mean to have you. How much do you suppose my waistcoat cost? Well, never + mind, because you are not rich. But I have got money enough for both of us + to live well, and nobody can keep me out of it. You know what a road is, I + suppose—a good road leading to a town? Have you ever seen one? A + brown place, with hedges on each side, made hard and smooth for horses to + go upon, and wheels that make a rumble. Well, if you will have me, and + behave well to me, you shall sit up by yourself in a velvet dress, with a + man before you and a man behind, and believe that you are flying.” + </p> + <p> + “But what would become of my father, and my mother, and my brother + Maunder?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, they must stop here, of course. We shouldn't want them. But I would + give them all their house rent-free, and a fat pig every Christmas. Now + you sit there and spread your lap, that I may help you properly. I want to + see you eat; you must learn to eat like a lady of the highest quality; for + that you are going to be, I can tell you.” + </p> + <p> + The beautiful maid of the gill smiled sweetly, sitting on the low bank + with the grace of simple nature and the playfulness of girlhood. She + looked up at Lancelot, the self-appointed man, with a bright glance of + curious contemplation; and contemplation (of any other subject than self) + is dangerously near contempt. She thought very little of his large, free + brag, of his patronizing manner, and fine self-content, reference of + everything to his own standard, beauty too feminine, and instead of female + gentleness, highly cultivated waywardness. But in spite of all that, she + could not help liking, and sometimes admiring him, when he looked away. + And now he was very busy with the high feast he had brought. + </p> + <p> + “To begin with,” he said, when his good things were displayed, “you must + remember that nothing is more vulgar than to be hungry. A gentleman may + have a tremendous appetite, but a lady never.” + </p> + <p> + “But why? but why? That does seem foolish. I have read that the ladies are + always helped first. That must be because of their appetites.” + </p> + <p> + “Insie, I tell you things, not the reasons of them. Things are learned by + seeing other people, and not by arguing about them.” + </p> + <p> + “Then you had better eat your dinner first, and let me sit and watch you. + And then I can eat mine by imitation; that is to say, if there is any + left.” + </p> + <p> + “You are one of the oddest people I have ever seen. You go round the + corner of all that I say, instead of following properly. When we are + married, you will always make me laugh. At one time they kept a boy to + make me laugh; but I got tired of him. Now I help you first, although I am + myself so hungry. I do it from a lofty feeling, which my aunt Philippa + calls 'chivalry.' Ladies talk about it when they want to get the best of + us. I have given you all the best part, you see; and I only keep the worst + of it for myself.” + </p> + <p> + If Pet had any hope that his self-denial would promptly be denied to him, + he made a great mistake; for the damsel of the gill had a healthy moorland + appetite, and did justice to all that was put before her; and presently he + began, for the first time in his life, to find pleasure in seeing another + person pleased. But the wine she would not even taste, in spite of + persuasion and example; the water from the brook was all she drank, and + she drank as prettily as a pigeon. Whatever she did was done gracefully + and well. + </p> + <p> + “I am very particular,” he said at last; “but you are fit to dine with + anybody. How have you managed to learn it all? You take the best of + everything, without a word about it, as gently as great ladies do. I + thought that you would want me to eat the nicest pieces; but instead of + that, you have left me bones and drumsticks.” + </p> + <p> + He gave such a melancholy look at these that Insie laughed quite merrily. + “I wanted to see you practice chivalry,” she said. + </p> + <p> + “Well, never mind; I shall know another time. Instead of two birds, I + shall order four, and other things in proportion. But now I want to know + about your father and your mother. They must be respectable people, to + judge by you. What is their proper name, and how much have they got to + live upon?” + </p> + <p> + “More than you—a great deal more than you,” she answered, with such + a roguish smile that he forgot his grievances, or began to lose them in + the mist of beauty. + </p> + <p> + “More than me! And they live in such a hole, where only the crows come + near them?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, more than you, Sir. They have their wits to live upon, and industry, + and honesty.” + </p> + <p> + Pet was not old enough yet in the world to say, “What is the use of all + those? All their income is starvation.” He was young enough to think that + those who owned them had advantage of him, for he knew that he was very + lazy. Moreover, he had heard of such people getting on—through the + striking power of exception, so much more brilliant than the rule—when + all the blind virtues found luck to lead them. Industry, honesty, and + ability always get on in story-books, and nothing is nicer than to hear a + pretty story. But in some ways Pet was sharp enough. + </p> + <p> + “Then they never will want that house rent-free, nor the fat pig, nor any + other presents. Oh, Insie, how very much better that will be! I find it so + much nicer always to get things than to give them. And people are so + good-natured, when they have done it, and can talk of it. Insie, they + shall give me something when I marry you, and as often as they like + afterward.” + </p> + <p> + “They will give you something you will not like,” she answered, with a + laugh, and a look along the moor, “if you stay here too long chattering + with me. Do you know what o'clock it is? I know always, whether the sun is + out or in. You need show no gold watch to me.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, that comes of living in a draught all day. The out-door people grow + too wise. What do you see about ten miles off? It must be ten miles to + that hill.” + </p> + <p> + “That hill is scarcely five miles off, and what I see is not half of that. + I brought you up here to be quite safe. Maunder's eyes are better than + mine. But he will not see us, for another mile, if you cover your grand + waistcoat, because we are in the shadows. Slip down into the gill again, + and keep below the edge of it, and go home as fast as possible.” + </p> + <p> + Lancelot felt inclined to do as he was told, and keep to safe obscurity. + The long uncomfortable loneliness of prospect, and dim airy distance of + the sinking sun, and deeply silent emptiness of hollows, where great + shadows began to crawl—in the waning of the day, and so far away + from home—all these united to impress upon the boy a spiritual + influence, whose bodily expression would be the appearance of a clean pair + of heels. But, to meet this sensible impulse, there arose the stubborn + nature of his race, which hated to be told to do anything, and the dignity + of his new-born love—such as it was—and the thought of looking + small. + </p> + <p> + “Why should I go?” he said. “I will meet them, and tell them that I am + their landlord, and have a right to know all about them. My grandfather + never ran away from anybody. And they have got a donkey with them.” + </p> + <p> + “They will have two, if you stop,” cried Insie, although she admired his + spirit. “My father is a very quiet man. But Maunder would take you by the + throat and cast you down into the beck.” + </p> + <p> + “I should like to see him try to do it. I am not so very strong, but I am + active as a cat. I have no idea of being threatened.” + </p> + <p> + “Then will you be coaxed? I do implore you, for my sake, to go, or it will + be too late. Never, never, will you see me again, unless you do what I + beseech of you.” + </p> + <p> + “I will not stir one peg, unless you put your arms round my neck and kiss + me, and say that you will never have anybody else.” + </p> + <p> + Insie blushed deeply, and her bright eyes flashed with passion not of + loving kind. But it went to her heart that he was brave, and that he loved + her truly. She flung her comely arms round his neck, and touched her rosy + lips with his; and before he could clasp her she was gone, with no more + comfort than these words: + </p> + <p> + “Now if you are a gentleman, you must go, and never come near this place + again.” + </p> + <p> + Not a moment too soon he plunged into the gill, and hurried up its winding + course; but turning back at the corner, saw a sweet smile in the distance, + and a wave of the hand, that warmed his heart. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0023" id="link2HCH0023"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIII + </h2> + <h3> + LOVE MILITANT + </h3> + <p> + So far so good. But that noble and exalted condition of the youthful mind + which is to itself pure wisdom's zenith, but to folk of coarse maturity + and tough experience “calf-love,” superior as it is to words and reason, + must be left to its own course. The settled resolve of a middle-aged man, + with seven large-appetited children, and an eighth approaching the shores + of light, while baby-linen too often transmitted betrays a transient + texture, and hose has ripened into holes, and breeches verify their name, + and a knock at the door knocks at the heart—the fixed resolution of + such a man to strike a bold stroke, for the sake of his home, is worthier + of attention than the flitting fancy of boy and girl, who pop upon one + another, and skip through zigzag vernal ecstasy, like the weathery + dalliance of gnats. + </p> + <p> + Lieutenant Carroway had dealt and done with amorous grace and attitude, + soaring rapture, and profundity of sigh, suspense (more agonizing than + suspension), despair, prostration, grinding of the teeth, the hollow and + spectral laugh of a heart forever broken, and all the other symptoms of an + annual bill of vitality; and every new pledge of his affections sped him + toward the pledge-shop. But never had he crossed that fatal threshold; the + thought of his uniform and dignity prevailed; and he was not so mean as to + send a child to do what the father was ashamed of. + </p> + <p> + So it was scarcely to be expected that even as a man he should sympathize + deeply with the tender passion, and far less, as a coast-guardsman, with + the wooing of a smuggler. Master Robin Lyth, by this time, was in the + contraband condition known to the authorities as love; Carroway had found + out this fact; but instead of indulging in generous emotion, he made up + his mind to nab him through it. For he reasoned as follows; and granting + that reason has any business on such premises, the process does not seem + amiss. + </p> + <p> + A man in love has only got one-eighth part of his wits at home to govern + the doings of his arms, legs, and tongue. A large half is occupied with + his fancy, in all the wanderings of that creature, dreamy, flimsy, + anchoring with gossamer, climbing the sky with steps of fog, cast into + abysms (as great writers call it) by imaginary demons, and even at its + best in a queer condition, pitiful, yet exceeding proud. A quarter of the + mental power is employed in wanting to know what the other people think; + an eighth part ought to be dwelling upon the fair distracting object; and + only a small eighth can remain to attend to the business of the solid day. + But in spite of all this, such lads get on about as well as usual. If + Bacchus has a protective power, Venus has no less of it, and possibly is + more active, as behooves a female. + </p> + <p> + And surely it was a cold-blooded scheme, which even the Revenue should + have excised from an honest scale of duties, to catch a poor fellow in the + meshes of love, because he was too sharp otherwise. This, however, was the + large idea ripening in the breast of Carroway. + </p> + <p> + “To-night I shall have him,” he said to his wife, who was inditing of + softer things, her eighth confinement, and the shilling she had laid that + it would be a boy this time. “The weather is stormy, yet the fellow makes + love between the showers in a barefaced way. That old fool of a tanner + knows it, and has no more right feeling than if he were a boy. Aha, my + Robin, fine robin as you are, I shall catch you piping with your Jenny + Wren tonight!” The lieutenant shared the popular ignorance of simplest + natural history. + </p> + <p> + “Charles, you never should have told me of it. Where is your feeling for + the days gone by? And as for his coming between the showers, what should I + have thought of you if you had made a point of bringing your umbrella? My + dear, it is wrong. And I beg you, for my sake, not to catch him with his + true love, but only with his tubs.” + </p> + <p> + “Matilda, your mind is weakened by the coming trial of your nerves. I + would rather have him with his tubs, of course; they would set us up for + several years, and his silks would come in for your churching. But + everything can not be as we desire. And he carries large pistols when he + is not courting. Do you wish me to be shot, Matilda?” + </p> + <p> + “Captain Carroway, how little thought you have, to speak to me in that + way! And I felt before dinner that I never should get over it. Oh, who + would have the smugglers on her mind, at such a time?” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, I beg your pardon. Pray exert your strength of mind, and cast + such thoughts away from you—or perhaps it will be a smuggler. And + yet if it were, how much better it would pay!” + </p> + <p> + “Then I hope it will, Charles; I heartily hope it will be. It would serve + you quite right to be snaring your own son, after snaring a poor youth + through his sweetheart.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, well, time will show. Put me up the flat bottle, Tilly, and the + knuckle of pork that was left last night. Goodness knows when I shall be + back; and I never like to rack my mind upon an empty stomach.” + </p> + <p> + The revenue officer had far to go, and was wise in providing provender. + And the weather being on the fall toward the equinox, and the tides + running strong and uncertain, he had made up his mind to fare inland, + instead of attempting the watery ways. He felt that he could ride, as + every sailor always feels; and he had a fine horse upon hire from his + butcher, which the king himself would pay for. The inferior men had been + sent ahead on foot, with orders to march along and hold their tongues. And + one of these men was John Cadman, the self-same man who had descended the + cliff without any footpath. They were all to be ready, with hanger and + pistol, in a hole toward Byrsa Cottage. + </p> + <p> + Lieutenant Carroway enjoyed his ride. There are men to whom excitement is + an elevation of the sad and slow mind, which otherwise seems to have + nothing to do. And what finer excitement can a good mind have than in + balancing the chances of its body tumbling out of the saddle, and evicting + its poor self? + </p> + <p> + The mind of Charles Carroway was wide awake to this, and tenderly anxious + about the bad foot in which its owner ended—because of the + importance of the stirrups—and all the sanguine vigor of the heart + (which seemed to like some thumping) conveyed to the seat of reason little + more than a wish to be well out of it. The brave lieutenant holding place, + and sticking to it through a sense of duty, and of the difficulty of + getting off, remembered to have heard, when quite a little boy, that a man + who gazes steadily between his horse's ears can not possibly tumble off + the back. The saying in its wisdom is akin to that which describes the + potency of salt upon a sparrow's tail. + </p> + <p> + While Carroway gloomily pounded the road, with reflection a dangerous + luxury, things of even deeper interest took their course at the goal of + his endeavors. Mary Anerley, still an exile in the house of the tanner, by + reason of her mother's strict coast-guard, had long been thinking that + more injustice is done in the world than ought to be; and especially in + the matter of free trade she had imbibed lax opinions, which may not be + abhorrent to a tanner's nature, but were most unbecoming to the daughter + of a farmer orthodox upon his own land, and an officer of King's + Fencibles. But how did Mary make this change, and upon questions of public + policy chop sides, as quickly as a clever journal does? She did it in the + way in which all women think, whose thoughts are of any value, by allowing + the heart to go to work, being the more active organ, and create large + scenery, into which the tempted mind must follow. To anybody whose life + has been saved by anybody else, there should arise not only a fine image + of the preserver, but a high sense of the service done to the universe, + which must have gone into deepest mourning if deprived of No. One. And + then, almost of necessity, succeeds the investment of this benefactor to + the world at large with all the great qualities needed for an exploit so + stupendous. He has done a great deed, he has proved himself to be gallant, + generous, magnanimous; shall I, who exist through his grand nobility, + listen to his very low enemies? Therefore Robin was an angel now, and his + persecutors must be demons. + </p> + <p> + Captain Lyth had not been slow to enter into his good luck. He knew that + Master Popplewell had a cultivated taste for rare old schnapps, while the + partner of his life, and labor, and repose, possessed a desire for the + finer kinds of lace. Attending to these points, he was always welcome; and + the excellent couple encouraged his affection and liberal goodwill toward + them. But Mary would accept no presents from him, and behaved for a long + time very strangely, and as if she would rather keep out of his way. Yet + he managed to keep on running after her, as much as she managed to run + away; for he had been down now into the hold of his heart, searching it + with a dark lantern, and there he had discovered “Mary,” “Mary,” not only + branded on the hullage of all things, but the pith and pack of everything; + and without any fraud upon charter-party, the cargo entire was “Mary.” + </p> + <p> + Who can tell what a young maid feels, when she herself is doubtful? + Somehow she has very large ideas, which only come up when she begins to + think; and too often, after some very little thing, she exclaims that all + is rubbish. The key-note of her heart is high, and a lot of things fall + below harmony, and notably (if she is not a stupe), some of her own dear + love's expressions before she has made up her soul to love him. This is a + hard time for almost any man, who feels his random mind dipped into with a + spirit-gauge and a saccharometer. But in spite of all these indications, + Robin Lyth stuck to himself, which is the right way to get credit for + sticking. + </p> + <p> + “Johnny, my dear,” said Deborah Popplewell to her valued husband, just + about the time when bold Carroway was getting hot and sore upon the Filey + Road, yet steadily enlarging all the penance of return, “things ought to + be coming to a point, I think. We ought not to let them so be going on + forever. Young people like to be married in the spring; the birds are + singing, and the price of coal goes down. And they ought to be engaged six + months at least. We were married in the spring, my dear, the Tuesday but + one that comes next from Easter-day. There was no lilac out, but there + ought to have been, because it was not sunny. And we have never repented + it, you know.” + </p> + <p> + “Never as long as I live shall I forget that day,” said Popplewell; “they + sent me home a suit of clothes as were made for kidney-bean sticks. I did + want to look nice at church, and crack, crack, crack they went, and out + came all the lining. Debby, I had good legs in those days, and could + crunch down bark like brewers' grains.” + </p> + <p> + “And so you could now, my dear, every bit as well. Scarcely any of the + young men have your legs. How thankful we ought to be for them—and + teeth! But everything seems to be different now, and nobody has any + dignity of mind. We sowed broad beans, like a pigeon's foot-tread, out and + in, all the way to church.” + </p> + <p> + “The folk can never do such things now; we must not expect it of such + times, my dear. Five-and-forty years ago was ninety times better than + these days, Debby, except that you and I was steadfast, and mean to be so + to the end, God willing. Lord! what are the lasses that He makes now?” + </p> + <p> + “Johnny, they try to look their best; and we must not be hard upon them. + Our Mary looks well enow, when she hath a color, though my eyes might 'a + been a brighter blue if I never hadn't took to spectacles. Johnny, I am + sure a'most that she is in her love-time. She crieth at night, which is + nobody's business; the strings of her night-cap run out of their starch; + and there looks like a channel on the pillow, though the sharp young hussy + turns it upside down. I shall be upsides with her, if you won't.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly it shall be left to you; you are the one to do it best. You + push her on, and I will stir him up. I will smuggle some schnapps into his + tea to-night, to make him look up bolder; as mild as any milk it is. When + I was taken with your cheeks, Debby, and your bit of money, I was never + that long in telling you.” + </p> + <p> + “That's true enow, Johnny; you was sarcy. But I'm thinking of the trouble + we may get into over at Anerley about it.” + </p> + <p> + “I'll carry that, lass. My back's as broad as Stephen's. What more can + they want for her than a fine young fellow, a credit to his business and + the country? Lord! how I hate them rough coast-riders! it wouldn't be good + for them to come here.” + </p> + <p> + “Then they are here, I tell you, and much they care. You seem to me to + have shut your eyes since ever you left off tanning. How many times have I + told you, John, that a sneaking fellow hath got in with Sue? I saw him + with my own eyes last night skulking past the wicket-gate; and the girl's + addle-pate is completely turned. You think her such a wonder, that you + won't hearken. But I know the women best, I do.” + </p> + <p> + “Out of this house she goes, neck and crop, if what you say is true, Deb. + Don't say it again, that's a kind, good soul; it spoils my pipe to think + of it.” + </p> + <p> + Toward sundown Robin Lyth appeared, according to invitation. Dandy as he + generally was, he looked unusually smart this time, with snow-white ducks + and a velvet waistcoat, pumps like a dressing-glass, lace to his shirt, + and a blue coat with gold buttons. His keen eyes glanced about for Mary, + and sparkled as soon as she came down; and when he took her hand she + blushed, and was half afraid to look at him; for she felt in her heart + that he meant to say something, if he could find occasion; but her heart + did not tell her what answer she would make, because of her father's grief + and wrath; so she tried to hope that nothing would be said, and she kept + very near her good aunt's apron-string. Such tactics, however, were doomed + to defeat. The host and hostess of Byrsa Cottage were very proud of the + tea they gave to any distinguished visitor. Tea was a luxury, being very + dear, and although large quantities were smuggled, the quality was not, + like that of other goods so imported, equal or superior to the fair + legitimate staple. And Robin, who never was shy of his profession, + confessed that he could not supply a cup so good. + </p> + <p> + “You shall come and have another out-of-doors, my friend,” said his + entertainer, graciously. “Mary, take the captain's cup to the bower; the + rain has cleared off, and the evening will be fine. I will smoke my pipe, + and we will talk adventures. Things have happened to me that would make + you stare, if I could bring myself to tell them. Ah yes, I have lived in + stirring times. Fifty years ago men and women knew their minds; and a dog + could eat his dinner without a damask napkin.” + </p> + <p> + Master Popplewell, who was of a good round form, and tucked his heels over + one another as he walked (which indicates a pleasant self-esteem), now lit + his long pipe and marched ahead, carefully gazing to the front and far + away; so that the young folk might have free boot and free hand behind + him. That they should have flutters of loving-kindness, and crafty little + breaths of whispering, and extraordinary gifts of just looking at each + other in time not to be looked at again, as well as a strange sort of in + and out of feeling, as if they were patterned with the same zigzag—as + the famous Herefordshire graft is made—and above all the rest, that + they should desire to have no one in the world to look at them, was to be + expected by a clever old codger, a tanner who had realized a competence, + and eaten many “tanner's pies.” The which is a good thing; and so much the + better because it costs nothing save the crust and the coal. But instead + of any pretty little goings on such as this worthy man made room for, to + tell the stupid truth, this lad and lass came down the long walk as far + apart and as independent of one another as two stakes of an espalier. + There had not been a word gone amiss between them, nor even a thought the + wrong way of the grain; but the pressure of fear and of prickly + expectation was upon them both, and kept them mute. The lad was afraid + that he would get “nay,” and the lass was afraid that she could not give + it. + </p> + <p> + The bower was quite at the end of the garden, through and beyond the + pot-herb part, and upon a little bank which overhung a little lane. Here + in this corner a good woman had contrived what women nearly always + understand the best, a little nook of pleasure and of perfume, after the + rank ranks of the kitchen-stuff. Not that these are to be disdained; far + otherwise; they indeed are the real business; and herein lies true test of + skill. But still the flowers may declare that they do smell better. And + not only were there flowers here, and little shrubs planted sprucely, but + also good grass, which is always softness, and soothes the impatient eyes + of men. And on this grass there stood, or hung, or flowered, or did + whatever it was meant to do, a beautiful weeping-ash, the only one + anywhere in that neighborhood. + </p> + <p> + “I can't look at skies, and that—have seen too many of them. You + young folk, go and chirp under the tree. What I want is a little rum and + water.” + </p> + <p> + With these words the tanner went into his bower, where he kept a good + store of materials in moss; and the plaited ivy of the narrow entrance + shook with his voice, and steps, and the decision of his thoughts. For he + wanted to see things come to a point, and his only way to do it was to get + quite out of sight. Such fools the young people of the age were now! + </p> + <p> + While his thoughts were such, or scarcely any better, his partner in life + came down the walk, with a heap of little things which she thought needful + for the preservation of the tanner, and she waddled a little and turned + her toes out, for she as well was roundish. + </p> + <p> + “Ah, you ought to have Sue. Where is Sue?” said Master Popplewell. “Now + come you in out of the way of the wind, Debby; you know how your + back-sinew ached with the darning before last wash.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Popplewell grumbled, but obeyed; for she saw that her lord had his + reasons. So Mary and Robin were left outside, quite as if they were + nothing to any but themselves. Mary was aware of all this manoeuvring, and + it brought a little frown upon her pretty forehead, as if she were cast + before the feet of Robin Lyth; but her gentleness prevailed, because they + meant her well. Under the weeping-ash there was a little seat, and the + beauty of it was that it would not hold two people. She sat down upon it, + and became absorbed in the clouds that were busy with the sunset. + </p> + <p> + These were very beautiful, as they so often are in the broken weather of + the autumn; but sailors would rather see fair sky, and Robin's fair heaven + was in Mary's eyes. At these he gazed with a natural desire to learn what + the symptoms of the weather were; but it seemed as if little could be made + out there, because everything seemed so lofty: perhaps Mary had forgotten + his existence. + </p> + <p> + Could any lad of wax put up with this, least of all a daring mariner? He + resolved to run the cargo of his heart right in, at the risk of all + breakers and drawn cutlasses; and to make a good beginning he came up and + took her hand. The tanner in the bower gave approval with a cough, like + Cupid with a sneeze; then he turned it to a snore. + </p> + <p> + “Mary, why do you carry on like this?” the smuggler inquired, in a very + gentle voice. “I have done nothing to offend you, have I? That would be + the last thing I would ever do.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain Lyth, you are always very good; you never should think such + things of me. I am just looking at a particular cloud. And who ever said + that you might call me 'Mary'?” + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps the particular cloud said so; but you must have been the cloud + yourself, for you told me only yesterday.” + </p> + <p> + “Then I will never say another word about it; but people should not take + advantage.” + </p> + <p> + “Who are people? How you talk! quite as if I were somebody you never saw + before. I should like you just to look round now, and let me see why you + are so different from yourself.” + </p> + <p> + Mary Anerley looked round; for she always did what people liked, without + good reason otherwise; and if her mind was full of clouds, her eyes had + little sign of them. + </p> + <p> + “You look as lovely as you always do,” said the smuggler, growing bolder + as she looked at something else. “You know long ago what my opinion of you + is, and yet you seem to take no notice. Now I must be off, as you know, + to-night; not for any reason of my own, as I told you yesterday, but to + carry out a contract. I may not see you for many months again; and you may + fall in love with a Preventive man.” + </p> + <p> + “I never fall in love with anybody. Why should I go from one extreme to + the other? Captain Carroway has seven children, as well as a very active + wife.” + </p> + <p> + “I am not afraid of Carroway, in love or in war. He is an honest fellow, + with no more brains than this ash-tree over us. I mean the dashing + captains who come in with their cutters, and would carry you off as soon + as look.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain Lyth, you are not at all considering what you say: those officers + do not want me—they want you.” + </p> + <p> + “Then they shall get neither; they may trust me for that. But, Mary, do + tell me how your heart is; you know well how mine has been for ever such a + time. I tell you downright that I have thought of girls before—” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, I was not at all aware of that; surely you had better go on with + thinking of them.” + </p> + <p> + “You have not heard me out. I have only thought of them; nothing more than + thinking, in a foolish sort of way. But of you I do not think; I seem to + feel you all through me.” + </p> + <p> + “What sort of a sensation do I seem to be? A foolish one, I suppose, like + all those many others.” + </p> + <p> + “No, not at all. A very wise one; a regular knowledge that I can not live + without you; a certainty that I could only mope about a little—” + </p> + <p> + “And not run any more cargoes on the coast?” + </p> + <p> + “Not a single tub, nor a quarter bale of silk; except, of course, what is + under contract now; and, if you should tell me that you can not care about + me—” + </p> + <p> + “Hush! I am almost sure that I hear footsteps. Listen, just a moment.” + </p> + <p> + “No, I will not listen to any one in the world but you. I beg you not to + try to put me off. Think of the winter, and the long time coming; say if + you will think of me. I must allow that I am not, like you, of a + respectable old family. The Lord alone knows where I came from, or where I + may go to. My business is a random and up-and-down one, but no one can + call it disreputable; and if you went against it, I would throw it up. + There are plenty of trades that I can turn my hand to; and I will turn it + to anything you please, if you will only put yours inside it. Mary, only + let me have your hand; and you need not say anything unless you like.” + </p> + <p> + “But I always do like to say something, when things are brought before me + so. I have to consider my father, and my mother, and others belonging to + me. It is not as if I were all alone, and could do exactly as I pleased. + My father bears an ill-will toward free trade; and my mother has made bad + bargains, when she felt sure of very good ones.” + </p> + <p> + “I know that there are rogues about,” Robin answered, with a judicial + frown; “but foul play never should hurt fair play; and we haul them + through the water when we catch them. Your father is terribly particular, + I know, and that is the worst thing there can be; but I do not care a + groat for all objections, Mary, unless the objection begins with you. I am + sure by your eyes, and your pretty lips and forehead, that you are not the + one to change. If once any lucky fellow wins your heart, he will have it—unless + he is a fool—forever. I can do most things, but not that, or you + never would be thinking about the other people. What would anybody be to + me in comparison with you, if I only had the chance? I would kick them all + to Jericho. Can you see it in that way? can you get hot every time you + think of me?” + </p> + <p> + “Really,” said Mary, looking very gently at him, because of his serious + excitement, “you are very good, and very brave, and have done wonders for + me; but why should I get hot?” + </p> + <p> + “No, I suppose it is not to be expected. When I am in great peril I grow + hot, and tingle, and am alive all over. Men of a loftier courage grow + cold; it depends upon the constitution; but I enjoy it more than they do, + and I can see things ten times quicker. Oh, how I wish I was Nelson! how + he must enjoy himself!” + </p> + <p> + “But if you have love of continual danger, and eagerness to be always at + it,” said Mary, with wide Yorkshire sense, much as she admired this heroic + type, “the proper thing for you to do is to lead a single life. You might + be enjoying all the danger very much; but what would your wife at home be + doing? Only to knit, and sigh, and lie awake.” + </p> + <p> + Mary made a bad hit here. This picture was not at all deterrent; so daring + are young men, and so selfish. + </p> + <p> + “Nothing of that sort should ever come to pass,” cried Robin, with the + gaze of the head of a household, “supposing only that my wife was you. I + would be home regularly every night before the kitchen clock struck eight. + I would always come home with an appetite, and kiss you, and do both my + feet upon the scraper. I would ask how the baby was, and carry him about, + and go 'one, two, three,' as the nurses do, I would quite leave the + government to put on taxes, and pay them—if I could—without a + word of grumble. I would keep every rope about the house in order, as only + a sailor knows how to do, and fettle my own mending, and carry out my + orders, and never meddle with the kitchen, at least unless my opinion was + sought for concerning any little thing that might happen to be meant for + me.” + </p> + <p> + “Well,” exclaimed Mary, “you quite take my breath away. I had no idea that + you were so clever. In return for all these wonders, what should poor I + have to do?” + </p> + <p> + “Poor I would only have to say just once, 'Robin, I will have you, and + begin to try to love you.'” + </p> + <p> + “I am afraid that it has been done long ago; and the thing that I ought to + do is to try and help it.” + </p> + <p> + What happened upon this it would be needless to report, and not only + needless, but a vast deal worse—shabby, interloping, meddlesome and + mean, undignified, unmanly, and disreputably low; for even the tanner and + his wife (who must have had right to come forward, if anybody had) felt + that their right was a shadow, and kept back as if they were a hundred + miles away, and took one another by the hand and nodded, as much as to + say: “You remember how we did it; better than that, my dear. Here is your + good health.” + </p> + <p> + This being so, and the time so sacred to the higher emotions, even the + boldest intruder should endeavor to check his ardor for intrusion. Without + any inkling of Preventive Force, Robin and Mary, having once done away + with all that stood between them, found it very difficult to be too near + together; because of all the many things that each had for to say. They + seemed to get into an unwise condition of longing to know matters that + surely could not matter. When did each of them first feel sure of being + meant only for the other nobler one? At first sight, of course, and with a + perfect gift of seeing how much loftier each was than the other; and what + an extraordinary fact it was that in everything imaginable they were quite + alike, except in the palpable certainty possessed by each of the + betterness of the other. What an age it seemed since first they met, + positively without thinking, and in the very middle of a skirmish, yet + with a remarkable drawing out of perceptions one anotherward! Did Mary + feel this, when she acted so cleverly, and led away those vile pursuers? + and did Robin, when his breath came back, discover why his heart was + glowing in the rabbit-hole? Questions of such depth can not be fathomed in + a moment; and even to attempt to do any justice to them, heads must be + very long laid together. Not only so, but also it is of prime necessity to + make sure that every whisper goes into the proper ear, and abides there + only, and every subtlety of glance, and every nicety of touch, gets warm + with exclusive reciprocity. It is not too much to say that in so sad a + gladness the faculties of self-preservation are weak, when they ought to + be most active; therefore it should surprise nobody (except those who are + so far above all surprise) to become aware that every word they said, and + everything (even doubly sacred) that they did, was well entered into, and + thoroughly enjoyed, by a liberal audience of family-minded men, who had + been through pretty scenes like this, and quietly enjoyed dry memory. + </p> + <p> + Cadman, Ellis, and Dick Hackerbody were in comfortable places of + retirement, just under the combing of the hedge; all waiting for a + whistle, yet at leisure to enjoy the whisper, the murmur, or even the + sigh, of a genuine piece of “sweet-hearting.” Unjust as it may be, and + hard, and truly narrow, there does exist in the human mind, or at least in + the masculine half of it, a strong conviction that a man in love is a man + in a scrape, in a hole, in a pitfall, in a pitiful condition, untrue for + the moment to the brotherhood of man, and cast down among the inferior + vessels. And instead of being sorry for him, those who are all right look + down, and glory over him, with very ancient gibes. So these three men, + instead of being touched at heart by soft confessions, laid hard hands to + wrinkled noses. + </p> + <p> + “Mary, I vow to you, as I stand here,” said Robin, for the fiftieth time, + leading her nearer to the treacherous hedge, as he pressed her trembling + hand, and gazed with deep ecstasy into her truthful eyes, “I will live + only to deserve you, darling. I will give up everything and everybody in + the world, and start afresh. I will pay king's duty upon every single tub; + and set up in the tea and spirit line, with his Majesty's arms upon the + lintel. I will take a large contract for the royal navy, who never get + anything genuine, and not one of them ever knows good from bad—” + </p> + <p> + “That's a dirty lie, Sir. In the king's name I arrest you.” + </p> + <p> + Lieutenant Carroway leaped before them, flourishing a long sword, and + dancing with excitement, in this the supreme moment of his life. At the + same instant three men came bursting through the hedge, drew hangers, and + waited for orders. Robin Lyth, in the midst of his love, was so amazed, + that he stood like a boy under orders to be caned. + </p> + <p> + “Surrender, Sir! Down with your arms; you are my prisoner. Strike to his + Majesty. Hands to your side! or I run you through like Jack Robinson! Keep + back, men. He belongs to me.” + </p> + <p> + But Carroway counted his chicks too soon; or at any rate he overlooked a + little chick. For while he was making fine passes (having learned the + rudiments of swordsmanship beyond other British officers), and just as he + was executing a splendid flourish, upon his bony breast lay Mary. She + flung her arms round him, so that move he could not without grievously + tearing her; and she managed, in a very wicked way, to throw the whole + weight of two bodies on his wounded heel. A flash of pain shot up to his + very sword; and down he went, with Mary to protect him, or at any rate to + cover him. His three men, like true Britons, stood in position, and waited + for their officer to get up and give orders. + </p> + <p> + These three men showed such perfect discipline that Robin was invited to + knock them down, as if they had simply been three skittles in a row; he + recovered his presence of mind and did it; and looking back at Mary, + received signal to be off. Perceiving that his brave love would take no + harm—for the tanner was come forth blustering loudly, and Mrs. + Popplewell with shrieks and screams enough to prevent the whole Preventive + Service—the free-trader kissed his hand to Mary, and was lost + through the bushes, and away into the dark. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0024" id="link2HCH0024"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIV + </h2> + <h3> + LOVE PENITENT + </h3> + <p> + “I tell you, Captain Anerley, that she knocked me down. Your daughter + there, who looks as if butter would not melt in her mouth, knocked down + Commander Carroway of his Majesty's coastguard, like a royal Bengal tiger, + Sir. I am not come to complain; such an action I would scorn; and I admire + the young lady for her spirit, Sir. My sword was drawn; no man could have + come near me; but before I could think, Sir, I was lying on my back. Do + you call that constitutional?” + </p> + <p> + “Mary, lof, however could you think it—to knock down Captain + Carroway?” + </p> + <p> + “Father, I never did. He went down of himself, because he was flourishing + about so. I never thought what I was doing of at all. And with all my + heart I beg his pardon. What right had you, Sir, to come spying after me?” + </p> + <p> + This interview was not of the common sort. Lieutenant Carroway, in full + uniform, was come to Anerley Farm that afternoon; not for a moment to + complain of Mary, but to do his duty, and to put things straight; while + Mary had insisted upon going home at once from the hospitable house of + Uncle Popplewell, who had also insisted upon going with her, and taking + his wife to help the situation. + </p> + <p> + A council had been called immediately, with Mistress Anerley presiding; + and before it had got beyond the crying stage, in marched the brave + lieutenant. + </p> + <p> + Stephen Anerley was reserving his opinion—which generally means that + there is none yet to reserve—but in his case there would be a great + deal by-and-by. Master Popplewell had made up his mind and his wife's, + long ago, and confirmed it in the one-horse shay, while Mary was riding + Lord Keppel in the rear; and the mind of the tanner was as tough as good + oak bark. His premises had been intruded upon—the property which he + had bought with his own money saved by years of honest trade, his private + garden, his ornamental bower, his wife's own pleasure-plot, at a sacred + moment invaded, trampled, and outraged by a scurvy preventive-man and his + low crew. The first thing he had done to the prostrate Carroway was to lay + hold of him by the collar, and shake his fist at him and demand his + warrant—a magistrate's warrant, or from the crown itself. The poor + lieutenant having none to show, “Then I will have the law of you, Sir,” + the tanner shouted; “if it costs me two hundred and fifty pounds. I am + known for a man, Sir, who sticks to his word; and my attorney is a genuine + bulldog.” + </p> + <p> + This had frightened Carroway more than fifty broadsides. Truly he loved + fighting; but the boldest sailor bears away at prospect of an action at + law. Popplewell saw this, and stuck to his advantage, and vowed, until + bed-time, satisfaction he would have; and never lost the sight of it until + he fell asleep. + </p> + <p> + Even now it was in his mind, as Carroway could see; his eyebrows meant it, + and his very surly nod, and the way in which he put his hands far down + into his pockets. The poor lieutenant, being well aware that zeal had + exceeded duty (without the golden amnesty of success), and finding out + that Popplewell was rich and had no children, did his very best to look + with real pleasure at him, and try to raise a loftier feeling in his + breast than damages. But the tanner only frowned, and squared his elbows, + and stuck his knuckles sharply out of both his breeches pockets. And Mrs. + Popplewell, like a fat and most kind-hearted lady, stared at the officer + as if she longed to choke him. + </p> + <p> + “I tell you again, Captain Anerley,” cried the lieutenant, with his temper + kindling, “that no consideration moved me, Sir, except that of duty. As + for my spying after any pretty girls, my wife, who is now down with her + eighth baby, would get up sooner than hear of it. If I intruded upon your + daughter, so as to justify her in knocking me down, Captain Anerley, it + was because—well I won't say, Mary, I won't say; we have all been + young; and our place is to know better.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, you are a gentleman,” cried Popplewell with heat; “here is my hand, + and you may trespass on my premises, without bringing any attorney.” + </p> + <p> + “Did you say her eighth baby? Oh, Commander Carroway,” Mrs. Popplewell + began to whisper; “what a most interesting situation! Oh, I see why you + have such high color, Sir.” + </p> + <p> + “Madam, it is enough to make me pale. At the same time I do like sympathy; + and my dear wife loves the smell of tan.” + </p> + <p> + “We have retired, Sir, many years ago, and purchased a property near the + seaside; and from the front gate you must have seen—But oh, I + forgot, captain, you came through the hedge, or at any rate down the row + of kidney-beans.” + </p> + <p> + “I want to know the truth,” shouted Stephen Anerley, who had been + ploughing through his brow into his brain, while he kept his eyes fixed + upon his daughter's, and there found abashment, but no abasement; “naught + have I to do with any little goings on, or whether an action was a + gentleman's or not. That question belongs to the regulars, I wand, or to + the folk who have retired. Nobbut a farmer am I, in little business; but + concerning of my children I will have my say. All of you tell me what is + this about my Mary.” + </p> + <p> + As if he would drag their thoughts out of them, he went from one to + another with a hard quick glance, which they all tried to shun; for they + did not want to tell until he should get into a better frame of mind. And + they looked at Mistress Anerley, to come forth and take his edge off; but + she knew that when his eyes were so, to interfere was mischief. But + Carroway did not understand the man. + </p> + <p> + “Come, now, Anerley,” the bold lieutenant said; “what are you getting into + such a way about? I would sooner have lost the hundred pounds twice over, + and a hundred of my own—if so be I ever had it—than get little + Mary into such a row as this. Why, Lord bless my heart, one would think + that there was murder in a little bit of sweethearting. All pretty girls + do it; and the plain ones too. Come and smoke a pipe, my good fellow, and + don't terrify her.” + </p> + <p> + For Mary was sobbing in a corner by herself, without even her mother to + come up and say a word. + </p> + <p> + “My daughter never does it,” answered Stephen Anerley; “my daughter is not + like the foolish girls and women. My daughter knows her mind; and what she + does she means to do. Mary, lof, come to your father, and tell him that + every one is lying of you. Sooner would I trust a single quiet word of + yours, than a pile, as big as Flambro Head, sworn by all the world + together against my little Mary.” + </p> + <p> + The rest of them, though much aggrieved by such a bitter calumny, held + their peace, and let him go with open arms toward his Mary. The farmer + smiled, that his daughter might not have any terror of his public talk; + and because he was heartily expecting her to come and tell him some + trifle, and be comforted, and then go for a good happy cry, while he shut + off all her enemies. + </p> + <p> + But instead of any nice work of that nature, Mary Anerley arose and looked + at the people in the room—which was their very best, and by no means + badly furnished—and after trying to make out, as a very trifling + matter, what their unsettled minds might be, her eyes came home to her + father's, and did not flinch, although they were so wet. + </p> + <p> + Master Anerley, once and forever, knew that his daughter was gone from + him. That a stronger love than one generation can have for the one before + it—pure and devoted and ennobling as that love is—now had + arisen, and would force its way. He did not think it out like that, for + his mind was not strictly analytic—however his ideas were to that + effect, which is all that need be said about them. + </p> + <p> + “Every word of it is true,” the girl said, gently; “father, I have done + every word of what they say, except about knocking down Captain Carroway. + I have promised to marry Robin Lyth, by-and-by, when you agree to it.” + </p> + <p> + Stephen Anerley's ruddy cheeks grew pale, and his blue eyes glittered with + amazement. He stared at his daughter till her gaze gave way; and then he + turned to his wife, to see whether she had heard of it. “I told you so,” + was all she said; and that tended little to comfort him. But he broke + forth into no passion, as he might have done with justice and some + benefit, but turned back quietly and looked at his Mary, as if he were + saying, once for all, “good-by.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, don't, father, don't,” the girl answered with a sob; “revile me, or + beat me, or do anything but that. That is more than I can bear.” + </p> + <p> + “Have I ever reviled you? Have I ever beaten you?” + </p> + <p> + “Never—never once in all my life. But I beg you—I implore of + you to do it now. Oh, father, perhaps I have deserved it.” + </p> + <p> + “You know best what you deserve. But no bad word shall you have of me. + Only you must be careful for the future never to call me 'father.'” + </p> + <p> + The farmer forgot all his visitors, and walked, without looking at + anybody, toward the porch. Then that hospitable spot re-awakened his good + manners, and he turned and smiled as if he saw them all sitting down to + something juicy. + </p> + <p> + “My good friends, make yourselves at home,” he said; “the mistress will + see to you while I look round. I shall be back directly, and we will have + an early supper.” + </p> + <p> + But when he got outside, and was alone with earth and sky, big tears arose + into his brave blue eyes, and he looked at his ricks, and his workmen in + the distance, and even at the favorite old horse that whinnied and came to + have his white nose rubbed, as if none of them belonged to him ever any + more. “A' would sooner have heard of broken bank,” he muttered to himself + and to the ancient horse, “fifty times sooner, and begin the world anew, + only to have Mary for a little child again.” + </p> + <p> + As the sound of his footsteps died away, the girl hurried out of the room, + as if she were going to run after him; but suddenly stopped in the porch, + as she saw that he scarcely even cared to feel the cheek of Lightfoot, who + made a point of rubbing up his master's whiskers with it, “Better wait, + and let him come round,” thought Mary; “I never did see him so put out.” + Then she ran up the stairs to the window on the landing, and watched her + dear father grow dimmer and dimmer up the distance of the hill, with a + bright young tear for every sad old step. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0025" id="link2HCH0025"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXV + </h2> + <h3> + DOWN AMONG THE DEAD WEEDS + </h3> + <p> + Can it be supposed that all this time Master Geoffrey Mordacks, of the + city of York, land agent, surveyor, and general factor, and maker and doer + of everything whether general or particular, was spending his days in + doing nothing, and his nights in dreaming? If so, he must have had a + sunstroke on that very bright day of the year when he stirred up the minds + of the washer-women, and the tongue of Widow Precious. But Flamborough is + not at all the place for sunstroke, although it reflects so much in + whitewash; neither had Mordacks the head to be sunstruck, but a hard, + impenetrable, wiry poll, as weather-proof as felt asphalted. At first + sight almost everybody said that he must have been a soldier, at a time + when soldiers were made of iron, whalebone, whip-cord, and ramrods. Such + opinions he rewarded with a grin, and shook his straight shoulders + straighter. If pride of any sort was not beneath him, as a matter of + strict business, it was the pride which he allowed his friends to take in + his military figure and aspect. + </p> + <p> + This gentleman's place of business was scarcely equal to the expectations + which might have been formed from a view of the owner. The old King's + Staith, on the right hand after crossing Ouse Bridge from the Micklegate, + is a passageway scarcely to be called a street, but combining the features + of an alley, a lane, a jetty, a quay, and a barge-walk, and ending + ignominiously. Nevertheless, it is a lively place sometimes, and in + moments of excitement. Also it is a good place for business, and for + brogue of the broadest; and a man who is unable to be happy there, must + have something on his mind unusual. Geoffrey Mordacks had nothing on his + mind except other people's business; which (as in the case of Lawyer + Jellicorse) is a very favorable state of the human constitution for + happiness. + </p> + <p> + But though Mr. Mordacks attended so to other people's business, he would + not have anybody to attend to his. No partner, no clerk, no pupil, had a + hand in the inner breast pockets of his business; there was nothing + mysterious about his work, but he liked to follow it out alone. Things + that were honest and wise came to him to be carried out with judgment; and + he knew that the best way to carry them out is to act with discreet + candor. For the slug shall be known by his slime; and the spider who shams + death shall receive it. + </p> + <p> + Now here, upon a very sad November afternoon, when the Northern day was + narrowing in; and the Ouse, which is usually of a ginger-color, was nearly + as dark as a nutmeg; and the bridge, and the staith, and the houses, and + the people, resembled one another in tint and tone; while between the + Minster and the Clifford Tower there was not much difference of outline—here + and now Master Geoffrey Mordacks was sitting in the little room where + strangers were received. The live part of his household consisted of his + daughter, and a very young Geoffrey, who did more harm than good, and a + thoroughly hard-working country maid, whose slowness was gradually giving + way to pressure. + </p> + <p> + The weather was enough to make anybody dull, and the sap of every human + thing insipid; and the time of day suggested tea, hot cakes, and the + crossing of comfortable legs. Mordacks could well afford all these good + things, and he never was hard upon his family; but every day he liked to + feel that he had earned the bread of it, and this day he had labored + without seeming to earn anything. For after all the ordinary business of + the morning, he had been devoting several hours to the diligent revisal of + his premises and data, in a matter which he was resolved to carry through, + both for his credit and his interest. And this was the matter which had + cost him two days' ride, from York to Flamborough, and three days on the + road home, as was natural after such a dinner as he made in little + Denmark. But all that trouble he would not have minded, especially after + his enjoyment of the place, if it had only borne good fruit. He had felt + quite certain that it must do this, and that he would have to pay another + visit to the Head, and eat another duck, and have a flirt with Widow + Precious. + </p> + <p> + But up to the present time nothing had come of it, and so far as he could + see he might just as well have spared himself that long rough ride. Three + months had passed, and that surely was enough for even Flamborough folk to + do something, if they ever meant to do it. It was plain that he had been + misled for once, that what he suspected had not come to pass, and that he + must seek elsewhere the light which had gleamed upon him vainly from the + Danish town. To this end he went through all his case again, while hope + (being very hard to beat, as usual) kept on rambling over everything + unsettled, with a very sage conviction that there must be something there, + and doubly sure, because there was no sign of it. + </p> + <p> + Men at the time of life which he had reached, conducting their bodies with + less suppleness of joint, and administering food to them with greater + care, begin to have doubts about their intellect as well, whether it can + work as briskly as it used to do. And the mind, falling under this + discouragement of doubt, asserts itself amiss, in making futile strokes, + even as a gardener can never work his best while conscious of suspicious + glances through the window-blinds. Geoffrey Mordacks told himself that it + could not be the self it used to be, in the days when no mistakes were + made, but everything was evident at half a glance, and carried out + successfully with only half a hand. In this Flamborough matter he had felt + no doubt of running triumphantly through, and being crowned with five + hundred pounds in one issue of the case, and five thousand in the other. + But lo! here was nothing. And he must reply, by the next mail, that he had + made a sad mistake. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly, while he was rubbing his wiry head with irritation, and poring + over his letters for some clew, like a dunce going back through his + pot-hooks, suddenly a great knock sounded through the house—one, + two, three—like the thumping of a mallet on a cask, to learn whether + any beer may still be hoped for. + </p> + <p> + “This must be a Flamborough man,” cried Master Mordacks, jumping up; “that + is how I heard them do it; they knock the doors, instead of knocking at + them. It would be a very strange thing just now if news were to come from + Flamborough; but the stranger a thing is, the more it can be trusted, as + often is the case with human beings. Whoever it is, show them up at once,” + he shouted down the narrow stairs; for no small noise was arising in the + passage. + </p> + <p> + “A' canna coom oop. I wand a' canna,” was the answer in Kitty's well-known + brogue; “how can a', when a' hanna got naa legs?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh ho! I see,” said Mr. Mordacks to himself; “my veteran friend from the + watch-tower, doubtless. A man with no legs would not have come so far for + nothing. Show the gentleman into the parlor, Kitty; and Miss Arabella may + bring her work up here.” + </p> + <p> + The general factor, though eager for the news, knew better than to show + any haste about it; so he kept the old mariner just long enough in waiting + to damp a too covetous ardor, and then he complacently locked Arabella in + her bedroom, and bolted off Kitty in the basement; because they both were + sadly inquisitive, and this strange arrival had excited them. + </p> + <p> + “Ah, mine ancient friend of the tower! Veteran Joseph, if my memory is + right,” Mr. Mordacks exclaimed, in his lively way, as he went up and + offered the old tar both hands, to seat him in state upon the sofa; but + the legless sailor condemned “them swabs,” and crutched himself into a + hard-bottomed chair. Then he pulled off his hat, and wiped his white head + with a shred of old flag, and began hunting for his pipe. + </p> + <p> + “First time I ever was in York city; and don't think much of it, if this + here is a sample.” + </p> + <p> + “Joseph, you must not be supercilious,” his host replied, with an amiable + smile; “you will see things better through a glass of grog; and the state + of the weather points to something dark. You have had a long journey, and + the scenery is new. Rum shall it be, my friend? Your countenance says + 'yes.' Rum, like a ruby of the finest water, have I; and no water shall + you have with it. Said I well? A man without legs must keep himself well + above water.” + </p> + <p> + “First time I ever was in York city,” the ancient watchman answered, “and + grog must be done as they does it here. A berth on them old walls would + suit me well; and no need to travel such a distance for my beer.” + </p> + <p> + “And you would be the man of all the world for such a berth,” said Master + Mordacks, gravely, as he poured the sparkling liquor into a glass that was + really a tumbler; “for such a post we want a man who is himself a post; a + man who will not quit his duty, just because he can not, which is the only + way of making sure. Joseph, your idea is a very good one, and your beer + could be brought to you at the middle of each watch. I have interest; you + shall be appointed.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, I am obligated to you,” said the watchman; “but never could I live a + month without a wink of sea-stuff. The coming of the clouds, and the + dipping of the land, and the waiting of the distance for what may come to + be in it; let alone how they goes changing of their color, and making of a + noise that is always out of sight: it is the very same as my beer is to + me. Master, I never could get on without it.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I can understand a thing like that,” Mordacks answered, graciously; + “my water-butt leaked for three weeks, pat, pat, all night long upon a + piece of slate, and when a man came and caulked it up, I put all the blame + upon the pillow; but the pillow was as good as ever. Not a wink could I + sleep till it began to leak again; and you may trust a York workman that + it wasn't very long. But, Joseph, I have interest at Scarborough also. The + castle needs a watchman for fear of tumbling down; and that is not the + soldiers' business, because they are inside. There you could have + quantities of sea-stuff, my good friend; and the tap at the Hooked Cod is + nothing to it there. Cheer up, Joseph, we will land you yet. How the devil + did you manage, now, to come so far?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, now, your honor, I had rare luck for it, as I must say, ever since + I set eyes on you. There comes a son of mine as I thought were lost at + sea; but not he, blow me! nearly all of him come back, with a handful of + guineas, and the memory of his father. Lord! I could have cried; and he up + and blubbered fairly, a trick as he learned from ten Frenchmen he had + killed. Ah! he have done his work well, and aimed a good conduck—fourpence-halfpenny + a day, so long as ever he shall live hereafter.” + </p> + <p> + “In this world you mean, I suppose, my friend; but be not overcome; such + things will happen. But what did you do with all that money, Joseph?” + </p> + <p> + “We never wasted none of it, not half a groat, Sir. We finished out the + cellar at the Hooked Cod first; and when Mother Precious made a grumble of + it, we gave her the money for to fill it up again, upon the understanding + to come back when it was ready; and then we went to Burlington, and spent + the rest in poshays like two gentlemen; and when we was down upon our + stumps at last, for only one leg there is between us both, your honor, my + boy he ups and makes a rummage in his traps; which the Lord he put it into + his mind to do so, when he were gone a few good sheets in the wind; and + there sure enough he finds five good guineas in the tail of an old + hankercher he had clean forgotten; and he says, 'Now, father, you take + care of them. Let us go and see the capital, and that good gentleman, as + you have picked up a bit of news for.' So we shaped a course for York, on + board the schooner Mary Anne, and from Goole in a barge as far as this + here bridge; and here we are, high and dry, your honor. I was half a mind + to bring in my boy Bob; but he saith, 'Not without the old chap axes;' and + being such a noisy one, I took him at his word; though he hath found out + what there was to find—not me.” + </p> + <p> + “How noble a thing is parental love!” cried the general factor, in his + hard, short way, which made many people trust him, because it was + unpleasant; “and filial duty of unfathomable grog! Worthy Joseph, let your + narrative proceed.” + </p> + <p> + “They big words is beyond me, Sir. What use is any man to talk over a + chap's head?” + </p> + <p> + “Then, dash your eyes, go on, Joe. Can you understand that, now?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, Sir, I can, and I likes a thing put sensible. If the gentlemen would + always speak like that, there need be no difference atween us. Well, it + was all along of all that money-bag of Bob's that he and I found out + anything. What good were your guinea? Who could stand treat on that more + than a night or two, and the right man never near you? But when you keep a + good shop open for a month, as Bob and me did with Widow Tapsy, it + standeth to reason that you must have everybody, to be called at all + respectable, for miles and miles around. For the first few nights or so + some on 'em holds off—for an old chalk against them, or for doubt of + what is forrard, or for cowardliness of their wives, or things they may + have sworn to stop, or other bad manners. But only go on a little longer, + and let them see that you don't care, and send everybody home a-singing + through the lanes as merry as a voting-time for Parliament, and the outer + ones begins to shake their heads, and to say that they are bound to go, + and stop the racket of it. And so you get them all, your honor, saints as + well as sinners, if you only keeps the tap turned long enough.” + </p> + <p> + “Your reasoning is ingenious, Joseph, and shows a deep knowledge of human + nature. But who was this tardy saint that came at last for grog?” + </p> + <p> + “Your honor, he were as big a sinner as ever you clap eyes on. Me and my + son was among the sawdust, spite of our three crutches, and he spreading + hands at us, sober as a judge, for lumps of ungenerous iniquity. Mother + Tapsy told us of it, the very next day, for it was not in our power to be + ackirate when he done it, and we see everybody laffing at us round the + corner. But we took the wind out of his sails the next night, captain, you + may warrant us. Here's to your good health, Sir, afore I beats to + win'ard.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, Joseph, you seem to be making up lost way for years of taciturnity + in the tower. They say there is a balance in all things.” + </p> + <p> + “We had the balance of him next night, and no mistake, your honor. He was + one of them 'longshore beggars as turns up here, there, and everywhere, + galley-raking, like a stinking ray-fish when the tide goes out; thundering + scoundrels that make a living of it, pushing out for roguery with their + legs tucked up; no courage for smuggling, nor honest enough, they goes on + anyhow with their children paid for. We found out what he were, and made + us more ashamed, for such a sneaking rat to preach upon us, like a regular + hordinated chaplain, as might say a word or two and mean no harm, with the + license of the Lord to do it. So my son Bob and me called a court-martial + in the old tower, so soon as we come round; and we had a red herring, + because we was thirsty, and we chawed a bit of pigtail to keep it down. At + first we was glum; but we got our peckers up, as a family is bound to do + when they comes together. My son Bob was a sharp lad in his time, and + could read in Holy Scripter afore he chewed a quid; and I see'd a good + deal of it in his mind now, remembering of King Solomon. 'Dad,' he says, + 'fetch out that bottle as was left of French white brandy, and rouse up a + bit of fire in the old port-hole. We ain't got many toes to warm between + us'—only five, you see, your worship—'but,' says he, 'we'll + warm up the currents where they used to be.' + </p> + <p> + “According to what my son said, I done; for he leadeth me now, being + younger of the two, and still using half of a shoemaker. However, I says + to him, 'Warm yourself; it don't lay in my power to do that for you.' He + never said nothing; for he taketh after me, in tongue and other likings; + but he up with the kettle on the fire, and put in about a fathom and a + half of pigtail. 'So?' says I; and he says, 'So!' and we both of us began + to laugh, as long and as gentle as a pair of cockles, with their tongues + inside their shells. + </p> + <p> + “Well, your honor understands; I never spake so much before since ever I + pass my coorting-time. We boiled down the pigtail to a pint of tidy soup, + and strained it as bright as sturgeon juice; then we got a bottle with + 'Navy Supply' on a bull's-eye in the belly of it; and we filled it with + the French white brandy, and the pigtail soup, and a noggin of molasses, + and shook it all up well together; and a better contract-rum, your honor, + never come into high admiral's stores.” + </p> + <p> + “But, Joseph, good Joseph,” cried Mr. Mordacks, “do forge ahead a little + faster. Your private feelings, and the manufacture of them, are highly + interesting to you; but I only want to know what came of it.” + </p> + <p> + “Your honor is like a child hearing of a story; you wants the end first, + and the middle of it after; but I bowls along with a hitch and a squirt, + from habit of fo'castle: and the more you crosses hawse, the wider I shall + head about, or down helm and bear off, mayhap. I can hear my Bob + a-singing: what a voice he hath! They tell me it cometh from the timber of + his leg; the same as a old Cremony. He tuned up a many times in yonder old + barge, and shook the brown water, like a frigate's wake. He would just + make our fortin in the Minister, they said, with Black-eyed Susan and Tom + Bowline.” + </p> + <p> + “Truly, he has a magnificent voice: what power, what compass, what a rich + clear tone! In spite of the fog I will have the window up.” + </p> + <p> + Geoffrey Mordacks loved good singing, the grandest of all melody, and, + impatient as he was, he forgot all hurry; while the river, and the + buildings, and the arches of the bridge, were ringing, and echoing, and + sweetly embosoming the mellow delivery of the one-legged tar. And old Joe + was highly pleased, although he would not show it, at such an effect upon + a man so hard and dry. + </p> + <p> + “Now, your honor, it is overbad of you,” he continued, with a softening + grin, “to hasten me so, and then to hear me out o' window, because Bob + hath a sweeter pipe. Ah, he can whistle like a blackbird, too, and gain a + lot of money; but there, what good? He sacrifices it all to the honor of + his heart, first maggot that cometh into it; and he done the very same + with Rickon Goold, the Methody galley-raker. We never was so softy when I + were afloat. But your honor shall hear, and give judgment for yourself. + </p> + <p> + “Mother Precious was ready in her mind to run out a double-shotted gun at + Rickon, who liveth down upon the rabbit-warren, to the other side of + Bempton, because he scarcely ever doth come nigh her; and when he do come, + he putteth up both bands, to bless her for hospitality, but neither of + them into his breeches pocket. And being a lone woman, she doth feel it. + Bob and me gave her sailing orders—'twould amaze you, captain; all + was carried out as ship-shape as the battle of the Nile. There was Rickon + Goold at anchor, with a spring upon his cable, having been converted; and + he up and hailed that he would slip, at the very first bad word we used. + My son hath such knowledge of good words that he, answered, 'Amen, so be + it.' + </p> + <p> + “Well, your honor, we goes on decorous, as our old quartermaster used to + give the word; and we tried him first with the usual tipple, and several + other hands dropped in. But my son and me never took a blessed drop, + except from a gin-bottle full of cold water, till we see all the others + with their scuppers well awash. Then Bob he findeth fault—Lor' how + beautiful he done it!—with the scantling of the stuff; and he + shouteth out, 'Mother, I'm blest if I won't stand that old guinea bottle + of best Jamaica, the one as you put by, with the cobwebs on it, for Lord + Admiral. No Lord Admiral won't come now. Just you send away, and hoist it + up.' + </p> + <p> + “Rickon Goold pricked up his ugly ears at this; and Mother Tapsy did it + bootiful. And to cut a long yarn short, we spliced him, captain, with + never a thought of what would come of it; only to have our revenge, your + honor. He showed himself that greedy of our patent rum, that he never let + the bottle out of his own elbow, and the more he stowed away, the more his + derrick chains was creaking; but if anybody reasoned, there he stood upon + his rights, and defied every way of seeing different, until we was + compelled to take and spread him down, in the little room with sea-weeds + over it. + </p> + <p> + “With all this, Bob and me was as sober as two judges, though your honor + would hardly believe it, perhaps; but we left him in the dark, to come + round upon the weeds, as a galley-raker ought to do. And now we began to + have a little drop ourselves, after towing the prize into port, and + recovering the honor of the British navy; and we stood all round to every + quarter of the compass, with the bottom of the locker still not come to + shallow soundings. But sudden our harmony was spoiled by a scream, like a + whistle from the very bottom of the sea. + </p> + <p> + “We all of us jumped up, as if a gun had broke its lashings; and the last + day of judgment was the thoughts of many bodies; but Bob he down at once + with his button-stump gun-metal, and takes the command of the whole of us. + 'Bear a hand, all on you,' he saith, quite steadfast; 'Rickon Goold is + preaching to his own text to-night.' And so a' was, sure enough; so a' + was, your honor. + </p> + <p> + “We thought he must have died, although he managed to claw off of it, with + confessing of his wickedness, and striking to his Maker. All of us was + frightened so, there was no laugh among us, till we come to talk over it + afterward. There the thundering rascal lay in the middle of that there + mangerie of sea-stuff, as Mother Precious is so proud of, that the village + calleth it the 'Widow's Weeds.' Blest if he didn't think that he were + a-lying at the bottom of the sea, among the stars and cuttles, waiting for + the day of judgment! + </p> + <p> + “'Oh, Captain McNabbins, and Mate Govery,' he cries, 'the hand of the Lord + hath sent me down to keep you company down here. I never would 'a done it, + captain, hard as you was on me, if only I had knowed how dark and cold and + shivery it would be down here. I cut the plank out; I'll not lie; no lies + is any good down here, with the fingers of the deep things pointing to me, + and the black devil's wings coming over me—but a score of years + agone it were, and never no one dreamed of it—oh, pull away, pull! + for God's sake, pull!—the wet woman and the three innocent babbies + crawling over me like congers!' + </p> + <p> + “This was the shadows of our legs, your honor, from good Mother Tapsy's + candle; for she was in a dreadful way by this time about her reputation + and her weeds, and come down with her tongue upon the lot of us. 'Enter + all them names upon the log,' says I to Bob, for he writeth like a + scholar. But Bob says, 'Hold hard, dad; now or never.' And with that, down + he goeth on the deck himself, and wriggleth up to Rickon through the + weeds, with a hiss like a great sea-snake, and grippeth him. 'Name of + ship, you sinner!' cried Bob, in his deep voice, like Old Nick a-hailing + from a sepulchre. 'Golconda, of Calcutta,' says the fellow, with a groan + as seemed to come out of the whites of his eyes; and down goes his head + again, enough to split a cat-head. And that was the last of him we heard + that night. + </p> + <p> + “Well, now, captain, you scarcely would believe, but although my nob is so + much older of the pair, and white where his is as black as any coal, Bob's + it was as first throwed the painter up, for a-hitching of this drifty to + the starn of your consarns. And it never come across him till the locker + was run out, and the two of us pulling longer faces than our legs is. Then + Bob, by the mercy of the Lord, like Peter, found them guineas in the + corner of his swab—some puts it round their necks, and some into + their pockets; I never heard of such a thing till chaps run soft and + watery—and so we come to this here place to change the air and the + breeding, and spin this yarn to your honor's honor, as hath a liberal + twist in it; and then to take orders, and draw rations, and any 'rears of + pay fallen due, after all dibs gone in your service; and for Bob to tip a + stave in the Minister.” + </p> + <p> + “You have done wisely and well in coming here,” said Mr, Mordacks, + cheerfully; “but we must have further particulars, my friend. You seem to + have hit upon the clew I wanted, but it must be followed very cautiously. + You know where to lay your hand upon this villain? You have had the sense + not to scare him off?” + </p> + <p> + “Sarten, your honor. I could clap the irons on him any hour you gives that + signal.” + </p> + <p> + “Capital! Take your son to see the sights, and both of you come to me at + ten to-morrow morning. Stop: you may as well take this half guinea. But + when you get drunk, drink inwards.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0026" id="link2HCH0026"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVI + </h2> + <h3> + MEN OF SOLID TIMBER + </h3> + <p> + Mr. Mordacks was one of those vivacious men who have strong faith in their + good luck, and yet attribute to their merits whatever turns out well. In + the present matter he had done as yet nothing at all ingenious, or even to + be called sagacious. The discovery of “Monument Joe,” or “Peg-leg Joe,” as + he was called at Flamborough, was not the result of any skill whatever, + either his own or the factor's, but a piece of as pure luck as could be. + For all that, however, Mr. Mordacks intended to have the whole credit as + his sole and righteous due. + </p> + <p> + “Whenever I am at all down-hearted, samples of my skill turn up,” he said + to himself as soon as Joe was gone; “and happy results come home, on + purpose to rebuke my diffidence. Would any other man have got so far as I + have got by simple, straightforward, yet truly skillful action, without a + suspicion being started? Old Jellicorse lies on his bed of roses, snoring + folios of long words, without a dream of the gathering cloud. Those + insolent ladies are revelling in the land from which they have ousted + their only brother; they are granting leases not worth a straw; they are + riding the high horse; they are bringing up that cub (who set the big dog + at me) in every wanton luxury. But wait a bit—wait a bit, my ladies; + as sure as I live I shall have you. + </p> + <p> + “In the first place, it is clear that my conclusion was correct concerning + that poor Golconda; and why not also in the other issue? The Indiaman was + scuttled—I had never thought of that, but only of a wreck. It comes + to the same thing, only she went down more quietly; and that explains a + lot of things. She was bound for Leith, with the boy to be delivered into + the hands of his Scotch relatives. She was spoken last off Yarmouth Roads, + all well, and under easy sail. Very good so far. I have solved her fate, + which for twenty years has been a mystery. We shall have all particulars + in proper time, by steering on one side of the law, which always huddles + up everything. A keen eye must be kept upon that scoundrel, but he must + never dream that he is watched at all; he has committed a capital offense. + But as yet there is nothing but his own raving to convict him of barratry. + The truth must be got at by gentle means. I must not claim the 500 pounds + as yet, but I am sure of getting it. And I have excellent hopes of the + 5000 pounds.” + </p> + <p> + Geoffrey Mordacks never took three nights to sleep upon his thoughts (as + the lawyer of Middleton loved to do), but rather was apt to overdrive his + purport, with the goad of hasty action. But now he was quite resolved to + be most careful; for the high hand would never do in such a ticklish + matter, and the fewer the hands introduced at all into it, the better the + chance of coming out clear and clean. The general factor had never done + anything which, in his opinion, was not thoroughly upright; and now, with + his reputation made, and his conscience stiffened to the shape of it, even + a large sum of money must be clean, and cleanly got at, to make it pay for + handling. + </p> + <p> + This made him counsel with himself just now. For he was a superior man + upon the whole, and particular always in feeling sure that the right word + in anything would be upon his side. Not that he cared a groat for + anybody's gossip; only that he kept a lofty tenor of good opinion. And + sailors who made other sailors tipsy, and went rolling about on the floor + all together, whether with natural legs or artificial, would do no credit + to his stairs of office on a fine market-day in the morning. On the other + hand, while memory held sway, no instance could be cited of two jolly + sailors coming to see the wonders of this venerable town, and failing to + be wholly intoxicated with them, before the Minster bell struck one. + </p> + <p> + This was to be avoided, or rather forestalled, as a thing inevitable + should be. Even in York city, teeming as it is with most delightful + queerities, the approach of two sailors with three wooden legs might be + anticipated at a distant offing, so abundant are boys there, and + everywhere. Therefore it was well provided, on the part of Master + Mordacks, that Kitty, or Koity, the maid-of-all-work, a damsel of muscular + power and hard wit, should hold tryst with these mariners in the time of + early bucket, and appoint a little meeting with her master by-and-by. This + she did cleverly, and they were not put out; because they were to dine at + his expense at a snug little chop-house in Parliament Street, and there to + remain until he came to pay the score. + </p> + <p> + All this happened to the utmost of desires; and before they had time to + get thick-witted, Mordacks stood before them. His sharp eyes took in + Sailor Bob before the poor fellow looked twice at him, and the general + factor saw that he might be trusted not to think much for himself. This + was quite as Mr. Mordacks hoped; he wanted a man who could hold his + tongue, and do what he was told to do. + </p> + <p> + After a few words about their dinner, and how they got on, and so forth, + the principal came to the point by saying: “Now both of you must start + to-morrow morning; such clever fellows can not be spared to go to sleep. + You shall come and see York again, with free billet, and lashings of money + in your pockets, as soon as you have carried out your sailing orders. + To-night you may jollify; but after that you are under strict discipline, + for a month at least. What do you say to that, my men?” + </p> + <p> + Watchman Joe looked rather glum; he had hoped for a fortnight of stumping + about, with a tail of admiring boys after him, and of hailing every + public-house the cut of whose jib was inviting; however, he put his knife + into his mouth, with a bit of fat, saved for a soft adieu to dinner, and + nodded for his son to launch true wisdom into the vasty deep of words. + </p> + <p> + Now Bob, the son of Joe, had striven to keep himself up to the paternal + mark. He cited his father as the miracle of the age, when he was a long + way off; and when he was nigh at hand, he showed his sense of duty, nearly + always, by letting him get tipsy first. Still, they were very sober + fellows in the main, and most respectable, when they had no money. + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” began Bob, after jerking up his chin, as a sailor always does when + he begins to think (perhaps for hereditary counsel with the sky), “my + father and I have been hauling of it over, to do whatever is laid down by + duty, without going any way again' ourselves. And this is the sense we be + come to, that we should like to have something handsome down, to lay by + again' chances; also a dokkyment in black and white, to bear us harmless + of the law, and enter the prize-money.” + </p> + <p> + “What a fine councillor a' would have made!” old Joe exclaimed, with + ecstasy. “He hath been round the world three times—excuseth of him + for only one leg left.” + </p> + <p> + “My friend, how you condemn yourself! You have not been round the world at + all, and yet you have no leg at all.” So spake Mr. Mordacks, wishing to + confuse ideas; for the speech of Bob misliked him. + </p> + <p> + “The corners of the body is the Lord's good-will,” old Joe answered, with + his feelings hurt; “He calleth home a piece to let the rest bide on, and + giveth longer time to it—so saith King David.” + </p> + <p> + “It may be so; but I forget the passage. Now what has your son Bob to + say?” + </p> + <p> + Bob was a sailor of the fine old British type, still to be found even + nowadays, and fit to survive forever. Broad and resolute of aspect, set + with prejudice as stiff as his own pigtail, truthful when let alone, yet + joyful in a lie, if anybody doubted him, peaceable in little things + through plenty of fight in great ones, gentle with women and children, and + generous with mankind in general, expecting to be cheated, yet not duly + resigned at being so, and subject to unaccountable extremes of laziness + and diligence. His simple mind was now confused by the general factor's + appeal to him to pronounce his opinion, when he had just now pronounced + it, after great exertion. + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” he said, “I leave such things to father's opinion; he hath been + ashore some years; and I almost forget how the land lays.” + </p> + <p> + “Sea-faring Robert, you are well advised. A man may go round the world + till he has no limbs left, yet never overtake his father. So the matter is + left to my decision. Very good; you shall have no reason to repent it. + To-night you have liberty to splice the main-brace, or whatever your + expression is for getting jolly drunk; in the morning you will be sobriety + itself, sad, and wise, and aching. But hear my proposal, before you take a + gloomy view of things, such as to-morrow's shades may bring. You have been + of service to me, and I have paid you with great generosity; but what I + have done, including dinner, is dust in the balance to what I shall do, + provided only that you act with judgment, discipline, and self-denial, + never being tipsy more than once a week, which is fair naval average, and + doing it then with only one another. Hard it may be; but it must be so. + Now before I go any further, let me ask whether you, Joseph, as a watchman + under government, have lost your position by having left it for two months + upon a private spree?” + </p> + <p> + “Lor', no, your honor! Sure you must know more than that. I gived a old + 'ooman elevenpence a week, and a pot of beer a Sunday, to carry out the + dooties of the government.” + </p> + <p> + “You farmed out your appointment at a low figure. My opinion of your + powers and discretion is enhanced; you will return to your post with + redoubled ardor, and vigor renewed by recreation; you will be twice the + man you were, and certainly ought to get double pay. I have interest; I + may be enabled to double your salary—if you go on well.” + </p> + <p> + This made both of them look exceeding downcast, and chew the bitter quid + of disappointment. They had laid their heads together over glass number + one, and resolved upon asking for a guinea a week; over glass number two, + they had made up their minds upon getting two guineas weekly; and glass + number three had convinced them that they must be poor fools to accept + less than three. Also they felt that the guineas they had spent, in + drinking their way up to a great discovery, should without hesitation be + made good ere ever they had another pint of health. In this catastrophe of + large ideas, the father gazed sadly at the son, and the son reproachfully + reflected the paternal gaze. How little availed it to have come up here, + wearily going on upon yellow waters, in a barge where the fleas could man + the helm, without aid of the stouter insect, and where a fresh run sailor + was in more demand than salmon; and even without that (which had largely + enhanced the inestimable benefit of having wooden legs), this pair of tars + had got into a state of mind to return the whole way upon horseback. No + spurs could they wear, and no stirrups could they want, and to get up + would be difficult; but what is the use of living, except to conquer + difficulties? They rejoiced all the more in the four legs of a horse, by + reason of the paucity of their own; which approves a liberal mind. But + now, where was the horse to come from, or the money to make him go? + </p> + <p> + “You look sad,” proceeded Mr. Mordacks. “It grieves me when any good man + looks sad; and doubly so when a brace of them do it. Explain your + feelings, Joe and Bob; if it lies in a human being to relieve them, I will + do it.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain, we only wants what is our due,” said Bob, with his chin up, and + his strong eyes stern. “We have been on the loose; and it is the manner of + us, and encouraged by the high authorities. We have come across, by luck + of drink, a thing as seems to suit you; and we have told you all our + knowledge without no conditions. If you takes us for a pair of fools, and + want no more of us, you are welcome, and it will be what we are used to; + but if your meaning is to use us, we must have fair wages; and even so, we + would have naught to do with it if it was against an honest man; but a + rogue who has scuttled a ship—Lor', there!” + </p> + <p> + Bob cast out the juice of his chew into the fire, as if it were the + life-blood of such a villain, and looked at his father, who expressed + approval by the like proceeding. And Geoffrey Mordacks was well content at + finding them made of decent stuff. It was not his manner to do things + meanly; and he had only spoken so to moderate their minds and keep them + steady. + </p> + <p> + “Mariner Bob, you speak well and wisely,” he answered, with a superior + smile. “Your anxiety as to ways and means does credit to your intellect. + That subject has received my consideration. I have studied the style of + life at Flamborough, and the prices of provisions—would that such + they were in York!—and to keep you in temperate and healthy comfort, + without temptation, and with minds alert, I am determined to allow for the + two of you, over and above all your present income from a grateful country + (which pays a man less when amputation has left less of him), the sum of + one guinea and a half per week. But remember that, to draw this stipend, + both of you must be in condition to walk one mile and a half on a Saturday + night, which is a test of character. You will both be fitted up with solid + steel ends, by the cutler at the end of Ouse Bridge, to-morrow morning, so + that the state of the roads will not affect you, and take note of one + thing, mutual support (graceful though it always is in paternal and filial + communion) will not be allowed on a Saturday night. Each man must stand on + his own stumps.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir,” replied Bob, who had much education, which led him to a knowledge + of his failings, “never you fear but what we shall do it. Sunday will be + the day of standing with a shake to it; for such, is the habit of the + navy. Father, return thanks; make a leg—no man can do it better. + Master Mordacks, you shall have our utmost duty; but a little brass in + hand would be convenient.” + </p> + <p> + “You shall have a fortnight in advance; after that you must go every + Saturday night to a place I will appoint for you. Now keep your own + counsel; watch that fellow; by no means scare him at first, unless you see + signs of his making off; but rather let him think that you know nothing of + his crime. Labor hard to make him drink again; then terrify him like Davy + Jones himself; and get every particular out of him, especially how he + himself escaped, where he landed, and who was with him. I want to learn + all about a little boy (at least, he may be a big man now), who was on + board the ship Golconda, under the captain's special charge. I can not + help thinking that the child escaped; and I got a little trace of + something connected with him at Flamborough. I durst not make much inquiry + there, because I am ordered to keep things quiet. Still, I did enough to + convince me almost that my suspicion was an error; for Widow Precious—” + </p> + <p> + “Pay you no heed, Sir, to any manoeuvring of Widow Precious. We find her + no worse than the other women; but not a blamed bit better.” + </p> + <p> + “I think highly of the female race; at least, in comparison with the male + one. I have always found reason to believe that a woman, put upon her + mettle by a secret, will find it out, or perish.” + </p> + <p> + “Your honor, everybody knows as much as that; but it doth not follow that + she tells it on again, without she was ordered not to do so.” + </p> + <p> + “Bob, you have not been round the world for nothing. I see my blot, and + you have hit it; you deserve to know all about the matter now. Match me + that button, and you shall have ten guineas.” + </p> + <p> + The two sailors stared at the bead of Indian gold which Mordacks pulled + out of his pocket. Buttons are a subject for nautical contempt and + condemnation; perhaps because there is nobody to sew them on at sea; while + ear-rings, being altogether useless, are held in good esteem and honor. + </p> + <p> + “I have seen a brace of ear-rings like it,” said old Joe, wading through + deep thought. “Bob, you knows who was a-wearing of 'em.” + </p> + <p> + “A score of them fishermen, like enough,” cautious Bob answered; for he + knew what his father meant, but would not speak of the great free-trader; + for Master Mordacks might even be connected with the revenue. “What use to + go on about such gear? His honor wanteth to hear of buttons, regulation + buttons by the look of it, and good enough for Lord Nelson. Will you let + us take the scantle, and the rig of it, your honor?” + </p> + <p> + “By all means, if you can do so, my friend; but what have you to do it + with?” + </p> + <p> + “Hold on a bit, Sir, and you shall see.” With these words Bob clapped a + piece of soft York bread into the hollow of his broad brown palm, + moistened it with sugary dregs of ale, such as that good city loves, and + kneading it firmly with some rapid flits of thumb, tempered and enriched + it nobly with the mellow juice of quid. Treated thus, it took consistence, + plastic, docile, and retentive pulp; and the color was something like that + of gold which had passed, according to its fate, through a large number of + unclean hands. + </p> + <p> + “Now the pattern, your honor,” said Bob, with a grin; “I could do it from + memory, but better from the thing.” He took the bauble, and set it on the + foot of a rummer which stood on the table; and in half a minute he had the + counterpart in size, shape, and line; but without the inscription. “A + sample of them in the hollow will do, and good enough for the nigger-body + words—heathen writing, to my mind.” With lofty British intolerance, + he felt that it might be a sinful thing to make such marks; nevertheless + he impressed one side, whereon the characters were boldest, into the + corresponding groove of his paste model; then he scooped up the model on + the broad blade of his knife, and set it in the oven of the little + fire-place, in a part where the heat was moderate. + </p> + <p> + “Well done, indeed!” cried Mr. Mordacks; “you will have a better likeness + of it than good Mother Precious. Robert, I admire your ingenuity. But all + sailors are ingenious.” + </p> + <p> + “At sea, in the trades, or in a calm, Sir, what have we to do but to + twiddle our thumbs, and practice fiddling with them? A lively tune is what + I like, and a-serving of the guns red-hot; a man must act according to + what nature puts upon him. And nature hath taken one of my legs from me + with a cannon-shot from the French line-of-battle ship—Rights of + Mankind the name of her.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0027" id="link2HCH0027"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVII + </h2> + <h3> + THE PROPER WAY TO ARGUE + </h3> + <p> + Alas, how seldom is anything done in proper time and season! Either too + fast, or too slow, is the clock of all human dealings; and what is the law + of them, when the sun (the regulator of works and ways) has to be allowed + for very often on his own meridian? With the best intention every man sets + forth to do his duty, and to talk of it; and he makes quite sure that he + has done it, and to his privy circle boasts, or lets them do it better for + him; but before his lips are dry, his ears apprise him that he was a + stroke too late. + </p> + <p> + So happened it with Master Mordacks, who of all born men was foremost, + with his wiry fingers spread, to pass them through the scattery forelock + of that mettlesome horse, old Time. The old horse galloped by him + unawares, and left him standing still, to hearken the swish of the tail, + and the clatter of the hoofs, and the spirited nostrils neighing for a + race, on the wide breezy down at the end of the lane. But Geoffrey + Mordacks was not to blame. His instructions were to move slowly, until he + was sure of something worth moving for. And of this he had no surety yet, + and was only too likely to lose it altogether by any headlong action. + Therefore, instead of making any instant rush, or belting on his pistols, + and hiring the sagacious quadruped that understood his character, content + he was to advance deliberately upon one foot and three artificial legs. + </p> + <p> + Meanwhile, at Anerley Farm, the usual fatness of full garners, and bright + comfort of the evening hearth, the glow of peace, which labor kindles in + the mind that has earned its rest, and the pleasant laziness of heart + which comes where family love lies careless, confident, and unassailed—the + pleasure also of pitying the people who never can get in their wheat, and + the hot benevolence of boiling down the bones for the man who has tumbled + off one's own rick—all these blisses, large and little, were not in + their usual prime. + </p> + <p> + The master of the house was stern and silent, heavy and careless of his + customary victuals, neglectful also of his customary jokes. He disliked + the worse side of a bargain as much as in his most happy moments; and the + meditation (which is generally supposed to be going on where speech is + scarce) was not of such loftiness as to overlook the time a man stopped + round the corner. As a horse settles down to strong collar-work better + when the gloss of the stable takes the ruffle of the air, so this man + worked at his business all the harder, with the brightness of the home + joys fading. But it went very hard with him more than once, when he made a + good stroke of salesmanship, to have to put the money in the bottom of his + pocket, without even rubbing a bright half crown, and saying to himself, + “I have a'most a mind to give this to Mary.” + </p> + <p> + Now if this settled and steadfast man (with three-quarters of his life + gone over him, and less and less time every year for considering soft + subjects), in spite of all that, was put out of his way by not being + looked at as usual—though for that matter, perhaps, himself failed + to look in search of those looks as usual—what, on the other hand, + was likely to remain of mirth and light-heartedness in a weaker quarter? + Mary, who used to be as happy as a bird where worms abound and cats are + scarce, was now in a grievous plight of mind, restless, lonely, troubled + in her heart, and doubtful of her conscience. Her mother had certainly + shown kind feeling, and even a readiness to take her part, which surprised + the maiden, after all her words; and once or twice they had had a cry + together, clearing and strengthening their intellects desirably. For the + more Mistress Anerley began to think about it, the more she was almost + sure that something could be said on both sides. She never had altogether + approved of the farmer's volunteering, which took him away to drill at + places where ladies came to look at him; and where he slept out of his own + bed, and got things to eat that she had never heard of; and he never was + the better afterward. If that was the thing which set his mind against + free trade so bitterly, it went far to show that free trade was good, and + it made all the difference of a blanket. And more than that, she had + always said from the very first, and had even told the same thing to + Captain Carroway, in spite of his position, that nobody knew what Robin + Lyth might not turn out in the end to be. He had spoken most highly of + her, as Mary had not feared to mention; and she felt obliged to him for + doing so, though of course he could not do otherwise. Still, there were + people who would not have done that, and it proved that he was a very + promising young man. + </p> + <p> + Mary was pleased with this conclusion, and glad to have some one who did + not condemn her; hopeful, moreover, that her mother's influence might have + some effect by-and-by. But for the present it seemed to do more harm than + good; because the farmer, having quite as much jealousy as justice, took + it into silent dudgeon that the mother of his daughter, who regularly used + to be hard upon her for next to nothing, should now turn round and take + her part, from downright womanism, in the teeth of all reason, and of her + own husband! Brave as he was, he did not put it to his wife in so strong a + way as that; but he argued it so to himself, and would let it fly forth, + without thinking twice about it, if they went on in that style much + longer, quite as if he were nobody, and they could do better without him. + Little he knew, in this hurt state of mind—for which he should + really have been too old—how the heart of his child was slow and + chill, stupid with the strangeness he had made, waiting for him to take + the lead, or open some door for entrance, and watching for the humors of + the elder body, as the young of past generations did. And sometimes, + faithful as she was to plighted truth and tenderness, one coaxing word + would have brought her home to the arms that used to carry her. + </p> + <p> + But while such things were waiting to be done till they were thought of, + the time for doing them went by; and to think of them was memory. Master + Popplewell had told Captain Anerley continually what his opinions were, + fairly giving him to know on each occasion that they were to be taken for + what they were worth; that it did not follow, from his own success in + life, that he might not be mistaken now; and that he did not care a d—n, + except for Christian feeling, whether any fool hearkened to him twice or + not. He said that he never had been far out in any opinion he had formed + in all his life; but none the more for that would he venture to foretell a + thing with cross-purposes about it. A man of sagacity and dealings with + the world might happen to be right ninety-nine times in a hundred, and yet + he might be wrong the other time. Therefore he would not give any opinion, + except that everybody would be sorry by-and-by, when things were too late + for mending. + </p> + <p> + To this the farmer listened with an air of wisdom, not put forward too + severely; because Brother Popplewell had got a lot of money, and must + behave handsomely when in a better world. The simplest way of treating him + was just to let him talk—for it pleased him, and could do no harm—and + then to recover self-content by saying what a fool he was when out of + hearing. The tanner partly suspected this; and it put his nature upon + edge; for he always drove his opinions in as if they were so many tenpenny + nails, which the other man must either clinch or strike back into his + teeth outright. He would rather have that than flabby silence, as if he + were nailing into dry-rot. + </p> + <p> + “I tell you what it is,” he said, the third time he came over, which was + well within a week—for nothing breeds impatience faster than + retirement from work—“you are so thick-headed in your farmhouse + ways, sometimes I am worn out with you. I do not expect to be thought of + any higher because I have left off working for myself; and Deborah is + satisfied to be called 'Debby,' and walks no prouder than if she had got + to clean her own steps daily. You can not enter into what people think of + me, counting Parson Beloe; and therefore it is no good saying anything + about it. But, Stephen, you may rely upon it that you will be sorry + afterward. That poor girl, the prettiest girl in Yorkshire, and the + kindest, and the best, is going off her victuals, and consuming of her + substance, because you will not even look at her. If you don't want the + child, let me have her. To us she is welcome as the flowers in May.” + </p> + <p> + “If Mary wishes it, she can go with you,” the farmer answered, sternly; + and hating many words, he betook himself to work, resolving to keep at it + until the tanner should be gone. But when he came home after dusk, his + steadfast heart was beating faster than his stubborn mind approved. Mary + might have taken him at his word, and flown for refuge from displeasure, + cold voice, and dull comfort, to the warmth, and hearty cheer, and love of + the folk who only cared to please her, spoil her, and utterly ruin her. + Folk who had no sense of fatherly duty, or right conscience; but, having + piled up dirty money, thought that it covered everything: such people + might think it fair to come between a father and his child, and truckle to + her, by backing her up in whims that were against her good, and making + light of right and wrong, as if they turned on money; but Mary (such a + prudent lass, although she was a fool just now) must see through all such + shallow tricks, such rigmarole about Parson Beloe, who must be an idiot + himself to think so much of Simon Popplewell—for Easter offerings, + no doubt—but there, if Mary had the heart to go away, what use to + stand maundering about it? Stephen Anerley would be dashed if he cared + which way it was. + </p> + <p> + Meaning all this, Stephen Anerley, however, carried it out in a style at + variance with such reckless vigor. Instead of marching boldly in at his + own door, and throwing himself upon a bench, and waiting to be waited + upon, he left the narrow gravel-walk (which led from the horse gate to the + front door) and craftily fetched a compass through the pleasure beds and + little shrubs, upon the sward, and in the dusk, so that none might see or + hear him. Then, priding himself upon his stealth, as a man with whom it is + rare may do, yet knowing all the time that he was more than half ashamed + of it, he began to peep in at his own windows, as if he were planning how + to rob his own house. This thought struck him, but instead of smiling, he + sighed very sadly; for his object was to learn whether house and home had + been robbed of that which he loved so fondly. There was no Mary in the + kitchen, seeing to his supper; the fire was bright, and the pot was there, + but only shadows round it. No Mary in the little parlor; only Willie half + asleep, with a stupid book upon his lap, and a wretched candle guttering. + Then, as a last hope, he peered into the dairy, where she often went at + fall of night, to see things safe, and sang to keep the ghosts away. She + would not be singing now of course, because he was so cross with her; but + if she were there, it would be better than the merriest song for him. But + no, the place was dark and cold; tub and pan, and wooden skimmer, and the + pails hung up to drain, all were left to themselves, and the depth of want + of life was over them. “She hathn't been there for an hour,” thought he; + “a reek o' milk, and not my lassie.” + </p> + <p> + Very few human beings have such fragrance of good-will as milk. The farmer + knew that he had gone too far in speaking coarsely of the cow, whose + children first forego their food for the benefit of ours, and then become + veal to please us. “My little maid is gone,” said the lord of many cows, + and who had robbed some thousand of their dear calves. “I trow I must make + up my mind to see my little maid no more.” + </p> + <p> + Without compunction for any mortal cow (though one was bellowing sadly in + the distance, that had lost her calf that day), and without even dreaming + of a grievance there, Master Anerley sat down to think upon a little bench + hard by. His thoughts were not very deep or subtle; yet to him they were + difficult, because they were so new and sad. He had always hoped to go + through life in the happiest way there is of it, with simply doing common + work, and heeding daily business, and letting other people think the + higher class of thought for him. To live as Nature, cultivated quite + enough for her own content, enjoys the round of months and years, the + changes of the earth and sky, and gentle slope of time subsiding to softer + shadows and milder tones. And, most of all, to see his children, dutiful, + good, and loving, able and ready to take his place—when he should be + carried from farm to church—to work the land he loved so well, and + to walk in his ways, and praise him. + </p> + <p> + But now he thought, like Job in his sorrow, “All these things are against + me.” The air was laden with the scents of autumn, rich and ripe and + soothing—the sweet fulfillment of the year. The mellow odor of + stacked wheat, the stronger perfume of clover, the brisk smell of apples + newly gathered, the distant hint of onions roped, and the luscious waft of + honey, spread and hung upon the evening breeze. “What is the good of all + this,” he muttered, “when my little lassie is gone away, as if she had no + father?” + </p> + <p> + “Father, I am not gone away. Oh, father, I never will go away, if you will + love me as you did.” + </p> + <p> + Here Mary stopped; for the short breath of a sob was threatening to catch + her words; and her nature was too like her father's to let him triumph + over her. The sense of wrong was in her heart, as firm and deep as in his + own, and her love of justice quite as strong; only they differed as to + what it was. Therefore Mary would not sob until she was invited. She stood + in the arch of trimmed yew-tree, almost within reach of his arms; and + though it was dark, he knew her face as if the sun was on it. + </p> + <p> + “Dearie, sit down here,” he said; “there used to be room for you and me, + without two chairs, when you was my child.” + </p> + <p> + “Father, I am still your child,” she answered, softly, sitting by him. + “Were you looking for me just now? Say it was me you were looking for.” + </p> + <p> + “There is such a lot of rogues to look for; they skulk about so, and they + fire the stacks—” + </p> + <p> + “Now, father, you never could tell a fib,” she answered, sidling closer + up, and preparing for his repentance. + </p> + <p> + “I say that I was looking for a rogue. If the cap fits—” here he + smiled a little, as much as to say, “I had you there;” and then, without + meaning it, from simple force of habit, he did a thing equal to utter + surrender. He stroked his chin, as he always used to do when going to kiss + Mary, that the bristles might lie down for her. + </p> + <p> + “The cap doesn't fit; nothing fits but you; you—you—you, my + own dear father,” she cried, as she kissed him again and again, and put + her arms round to protect him. “And nobody fits you, but your own Mary. I + knew you were sorry. You needn't say it. You are too stubborn, and I will + let you off. Now don't say a word, father, I can do without it. I don't + want to humble you, but only to make you good; and you are the very best + of all people, when you please. And you never must be cross again with + your darling Mary. Promise me immediately; or you shall have no supper.” + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said the farmer, “I used to think that I was gifted with the gift + of argument. Not like a woman, perhaps; but still pretty well for a man, + as can't spare time for speechifying, and hath to earn bread for self and + young 'uns.” + </p> + <p> + “Father, it is that arguing spirit that has done you so much harm. You + must take things as Heaven sends them; and not go arguing about them. For + instance, Heaven has sent you me.” + </p> + <p> + “So a' might,” Master Anerley replied; “but without a voice from the belly + of a fish, I wunna' believe that He sent Bob Lyth.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0028" id="link2HCH0028"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXVIII + </h2> + <h3> + FAREWELL, WIFE AND CHILDREN DEAR + </h3> + <p> + Now Robin Lyth held himself in good esteem; as every honest man is bound + to do, or surely the rogues will devour him. Modesty kept him silent as to + his merits very often; but the exercise of self-examination made them + manifest to himself. As the Yorkshireman said to his minister, when + pressed to make daily introspection, “I dare na do it, sir; it sets me up + so, and leaveth no chance for my neighbors;” so the great free-trader, in + charity for others, forbore to examine himself too much. But without doing + that, he was conscious of being as good as Master Anerley; and intended, + with equal mind and manner, to state his claim to the daughter's hand. + </p> + <p> + It was not, therefore, as the farmer thought, any deep sense of illegality + which kept him from coming forward now, as a gallant sailor always does; + but rather the pressure of sterner business, and the hard necessity of + running goods, according to honorable contract. After his narrow escape + from outrage upon personal privilege—for the habeas corpus of the + Constitution should at least protect a man while making love—it was + clear that the field of his duties as a citizen was padlocked against him, + until next time. Accordingly he sought the wider bosom of the ever-liberal + sea; and leaving the noble Carroway to mourn—or in stricter truth, + alas! to swear—away he sailed, at the quartering of the moon, for + the land of the genial Dutchman. + </p> + <p> + Now this was the time when the forces of the realm were mightily gathered + together against him. Hitherto there had been much fine feeling on the + part of his Majesty's revenue, and a delicate sense of etiquette. All the + commanders of the cutters on the coast, of whom and of which there now + were three, had met at Carroway's festive board; and, looking at his + family, had one and all agreed to let him have the first chance of the + good prize-money. It was All-saints' Day of the year gone by when they met + and thus enjoyed themselves; and they bade their host appoint his time; + and he said he should not want three months. At this they laughed, and + gave him twelve; and now the twelve had slipped away. + </p> + <p> + “I would much rather never have him caught at all,” said Carroway, to his + wife, when his year of precaption had expired, “than for any of those + fellows to nab him; especially that prig last sent down.” + </p> + <p> + “So would I, dear; so would I, of course,” replied Mrs. Carroway, who had + been all gratitude for their noble self-denial when they made the promise; + “what airs they would give themselves! And what could they do with the + money? Drink it out! I am sure that the condition of our best tumblers, + after they come, is something. People who don't know anything about it + always fancy that glass will clean. Glass won't clean, after such men as + those; and as for the table—don't talk of it.” + </p> + <p> + “Two out of the three are gone”—the lieutenant's conscience was not + void of offense concerning tables—“gone upon promotion. Everybody + gets promotion, if he only does his very best never to deserve it. They + ought to have caught Lyth long and long ago. What are such dummies fit + for?” + </p> + <p> + “But, Charles, you know that they would have acted meanly and dishonestly + if they had done so. They promised not to catch him; and they carried out + their promise.” + </p> + <p> + “Matilda, such questions are beyond you altogether. You can not be + expected to understand the service. One of those trumpery, half-decked + craft—or they used to be half-deckers in my time—has had three + of those fresh-meat Jemmies over her in a single twelvemonth. But of + course they were all bound by the bargain they had made. As for that, + small thanks to them. How could they catch him, when I couldn't? They chop + and they change so, I forget their names; my head is not so good as it + was, with getting so much moonlight.” + </p> + <p> + “Nonsense, Charles; you know them like your fingers. But I know what you + want; you want Geraldine, you are so proud to hear her tell it.” + </p> + <p> + “Tilly, you are worse. You love to hear her say it. Well, call her in, and + let her do it. She is making an oyster-shell cradle over there, with two + of the blessed babies.” + </p> + <p> + “Charles, how very profane you are! All babes are blest by the Lord, in an + independent parable, whether they can walk, or crawl, or put up their feet + and take nourishment. Jerry, you come in this very moment. What are you + doing with your two brothers there, and a dead skate—bless the + children! Now say the cutters and their captains.” + </p> + <p> + Geraldine, who was a pretty little girl, as well as a good and clever one, + swept her wind-tossed hair aside, and began to repeat her lesson; for + which she sometimes got a penny when her father had made a good dinner. + </p> + <p> + “His Majesty's cutter Swordfish, Commander Nettlebones, senior officer of + the eastern division after my papa, although a very young man still, + carries a swivel-gun and two bow-chasers. His Majesty's cutter Kestrel, + commanded by Lieutenant Bowler, is armed with three long-John's, or + strap-guns, capable of carrying a pound of shrapnel. His Majesty's cutter + Albatross, Lieutenant Corkoran Donovan, carries no artillery yet—” + </p> + <p> + “Not artillery—guns, child; your mother calls them 'artillery.'” + </p> + <p> + “Carries no guns yet, because she was captured from the foreign enemy; and + as yet she has not been reported stanch, since the British fire made a + hole in her. It is, however, expected that those asses at the dock-yard—-” + </p> + <p> + “Geraldine, how often must I tell you that you are not to use that word? + It is your father's expression.” + </p> + <p> + “It is, however, expected that those donkeys at the dock-yard will + recommend her to be fitted with two brass howisyers.” + </p> + <p> + “Howitzers, my darling. Spell that word, and you shall have your penny. + Now you may run out and play again. Give your old father a pretty kiss for + it. I often wish,” continued the lieutenant, as his daughter flew back to + the dead skate and the babies, “that I had only got that child's clear + head. Sometimes the worry is too much for me. And now if Nettlebones + catches Robin Lyth, to a certainty I shall be superseded, and all of us go + to the workhouse. Oh, Tilly, why won't your old aunt die? We might be so + happy afterward.” + </p> + <p> + “Charles, it is not only sinful, but wicked, to show any wish to hurry + her. The Lord knows best what is good for us; and our prayers upon such + matters should be silent.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, mine would be silent and loud too, according to the best chance of + being heard. Not that I would harm the poor old soul; I wish her every + heavenly blessing; and her time is come for all of them. But I never like + to think of that, because one's own time might come first. I have felt + very much out of spirits to-day, as my poor father did the day before he + got his billet. You know, Matilda, he was under old Boscawen, and was + killed by the very first shot fired; it must be five-and-forty years ago. + How my mother did cry, to be sure! But I was too young to understand it. + Ah, she had a bad time with us all! Matilda, what would you do without + me?” + </p> + <p> + “Why, Charles, you are not a bit like yourself. Don't go to-night; stay at + home for once. And the weather is very uncertain, too. They never will + attempt their job to-night. Countermand the boats, dear; I will send word + to stop them. You shall not even go out of the house yourself.” + </p> + <p> + “As if it were possible! I am not an old woman, nor even an old man yet, I + hope. In half an hour I must be off. There will be good time for a pipe. + One more pipe in the old home, Tilly. After all I am well contented with + it, although now and then I grumble; and I don't like so much cleaning.” + </p> + <p> + “The cleaning must be done; I could never leave off that. Your room is + going to be turned out to-morrow, and before you go you must put away your + papers, unless you wish me to do it. You really never seem to understand + when things are really important. Do you wish me to have a great fever in + the house? It is a fortnight since your boards were scrubbed; and how can + you think of smoking?” + </p> + <p> + “Very well, Tilly, I can have it by-and-by, 'upon the dancing waves,' as + little Tommy has picked up the song. Only I can not let the men on duty; + and to see them longing destroys my pleasure. Lord, how many times I + should like to pass my pipe to Dick, or Ellis, if discipline allowed of + it! A thing of that sort is not like feeding, which must be kept apart by + nature; but this by custom only.” + </p> + <p> + “And a very good custom, and most needful,” answered Mrs. Carroway. “I + never can see why men should want to do all sorts of foolish things with + tobacco—dirty stuff, and full of dust. No sooner do they begin, like + a tinder-box, than one would think that it made them all alike. They want + to see another body puffing two great streams of reeking smoke from pipe + and from mouth, as if their own was not enough; and their good resolutions + to speak truth of one another float away like so much smoke; and they fill + themselves with bad charity. Sir Walter Raleigh deserved his head off, and + Henry the Eighth knew what was right.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, I fancy that your history is wrong. The king only chopped off + his own wives' heads. But the moral of the lesson is the same. I will go + and put away my papers. It will very soon be dark enough for us to start.” + </p> + <p> + “Charles, I can not bear your going. The weather is so dark, and the sea + so lonely, and the waves are making such a melancholy sound. It is not + like the summer nights, when I can see you six miles off, with the moon + upon the sails, and the land out of the way. Let anybody catch him that + has the luck. Don't go this time, Charley.” + </p> + <p> + Carroway kissed his wife, and sent her to the baby, who was squalling well + up stairs. And when she came down he was ready to start, and she brought + the baby for him to kiss. + </p> + <p> + “Good-by, little chap—good-by, dear wife.” With his usual vigor and + flourish, he said, “I never knew how to kiss a baby, though I have had + such a lot of them.” + </p> + <p> + “Good-by, Charley dear. All your things are right; and here is the key of + the locker. You are fitted out for three days; but you must on no account + make that time of it. To-morrow I shall be very busy, but you must be home + by the evening. Perhaps there will be a favorite thing of yours for + supper. You are going a long way; but don't be long.” + </p> + <p> + “Good-by, Tilly darling—good-by, Jerry dear—good-by, Tommy + boy, and all my countless family. I am coming home to-morrow with a mint + of money.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0029" id="link2HCH0029"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXIX + </h2> + <h3> + TACTICS OF DEFENSE + </h3> + <p> + The sea at this time was not pleasant, and nobody looking at it longed to + employ upon it any members of a shorter reach than eyes. + </p> + <p> + It was not rushing upon the land, nor running largely in the offing, nor + making white streaks on the shoals; neither in any other places doing + things remarkable. No sign whatever of coming storm or gathering fury + moved it; only it was sullen, heavy, petulant, and out of sorts. It went + about its business in a state of lumps irregular, without long billows or + big furrows, as if it took the impulse more of distant waters than of + wind; and its color was a dirty green. Ancient fishermen hate this, and + ancient mariners do the same; for then the fish lie sulking on their + bellies, and then the ship wallows without gift of sail. + </p> + <p> + “Bear off, Tomkins, and lay by till the ebb. I can only say, dash the + whole of it!” + </p> + <p> + Commander Nettlebones, of the Swordfish, gave this order in disgust at + last; for the tide was against her, with a heavy pitch of sea, and the + mainsail scarcely drew the sheet. What little wind there was came off the + land, and would have been fair if it had been firm; but often it dropped + altogether where the cliffs, or the clouds that lay upon them, held it. + The cutter had slipped away from Scarborough, as soon as it was dark last + night, under orders for Robin Hood's Bay, where the Albatross and Kestrel + were to meet her, bring tidings, and take orders. Partly by coast-riding, + and partly by coast signals, it had been arranged that these three revenue + cruisers should come together in a lonely place during the haze of + November morning, and hold privy council of importance. From Scarborough, + with any wind at all, or even with ordinary tide-run, a coal barge might + almost make sure of getting to Robin Hood's Bay in six hours, if the sea + was fit to swim in. Yet here was a cutter that valued herself upon her + sailing powers already eighteen hours out, and headed back perpetually, + like a donkey-plough. Commander Nettlebones could not understand it, and + the more impatient he became, the less could he enter into it. The sea was + nasty, and the wind uncertain, also the tide against him; but how often + had such things combined to hinder, and yet he had made much fairer way! + Fore and aft he bestrode the planks, and cast keen eyes at everything, + above, around, or underneath, but nothing showed him anything. Nettlebones + was a Cornishman, and Cornishmen at that time had a reverent faith in + witchcraft. “Robin Lyth has bought the powers, or ancient Carroway has + done it,” he said to himself, in stronger language than is now reportable. + “Old Carroway is against us, I know, from his confounded jealousy; and + this cursed delay will floor all my plans.” + </p> + <p> + He deserved to have his best plans floored for such vile suspicion of + Carroway. Whatever the brave lieutenant did was loyal, faithful, and well + above-board. Against the enemy he had his plans, as every great commander + must, and he certainly did not desire to have his glory stolen by + Nettlebones. But that he would have suffered, with only a grin at the bad + luck so habitual; to do any crooked thing against it was not in his + nature. The cause of the grief of Commander Nettlebones lay far away from + Carroway; and free trade was at the bottom of it. + </p> + <p> + For now this trim and lively craft was doing herself but scanty credit, + either on or off a wind. She was like a poor cat with her tail in a gin, + which sadly obstructs her progress; even more was she like to the little + horse of wood, which sits on the edge of a table and gallops, with a + balance weight limiting his energies. None of the crew could understand + it, if they were to be believed; and the more sagacious talked of currents + and mysterious “under-tow.” And sure enough it was under-tow, the mystery + of which was simple. One of the very best hands on board was a hardy + seaman from Flamborough, akin to old Robin Cockscroft, and no stranger to + his adopted son. This gallant seaman fully entered into the value of long + leverage, and he made fine use of a plug-hole which had come to his + knowledge behind his berth. It was just above the water-line, and out of + sight from deck, because the hollow of the run was there. And long ere the + lights of Scarborough died into the haze of night, as the cutter began to + cleave watery way, the sailor passed a stout new rope from a belaying-pin + through this hole, and then he betrayed his watch on deck by hauling the + end up with a clew, and gently returning it to the deep with a long + grappling-iron made fast to it. This had not fluke enough to lay fast hold + and bring the vessel up; for in that case it would have been immediately + discovered; but it dragged along the bottom like a trawl, and by its + weight, and a hitch every now and then in some hole, it hampered quite + sufficiently the objectionable voyage. Instead of meeting her consorts in + the cloud of early morning, the Swordfish was scarcely abreast of the + Southern Cheek by the middle of the afternoon. No wonder if Commander + Nettlebones was in a fury long ere that, and fitted neither to give nor + take the counsel of calm wisdom; and this condition of his mind, as well + as the loss of precious time, should have been taken into more + consideration by those who condemned him for the things that followed. + </p> + <p> + “Better late than never, as they say,” he cried, when the Kestrel and the + Albatross hove in sight. “Tomkins, signal to make sail and close. We seem + to be moving more lively at last. I suppose we are out of that infernal + under-tow.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, sir, she seems like herself a little more. She've had a witch on + board of her, that's where it is. When I were a younker, just joined his + Majesty's forty-two-gun frigate—” + </p> + <p> + “Stow that, Tomkins. No time now. I remember all about it, and very good + it is. Let us have it all again when this job is done with. Bowler and + Donovan will pick holes if they can, after waiting for us half a day. Not + a word about our slow sailing, mind; leave that to me. They are framptious + enough. Have everything trim, and all hands ready. When they range within + hail, sing out for both to come to me.” + </p> + <p> + It was pretty to see the three cutters meet, all handled as smartly as + possible; for the Flamborough man had cast off his clog, and the Swordfish + again was as nimble as need be. Lieutenants Bowler and Donovan were soon + in the cabin of their senior officer, and durst not question him very + strictly as to his breach of rendezvous, for his manner was short and + sharp with them. + </p> + <p> + “There is plenty of time, if we waste it not in talking,” he said, when + they had finished comparing notes. “All these reports we are bound to + receive and consider; but I believe none of them. The reason why poor + Carroway has made nothing but a mess of it is that he will listen to the + country people's tales. They are all bound together, all tarred with one + brush—all stuffed with a heap of lies, to send us wrong; and as for + the fishing-boats, and what they see, I have been here long enough already + to be sure that their fishing is a sham nine times in ten, and their real + business is to help those rogues. Our plan is to listen, and pretend to be + misled.” + </p> + <p> + “True for you, captain,” cried the ardent Donovan. “You 'bout ship as soon + as you can see them out of sight.” + </p> + <p> + “My own opinion is this,” said Bowler, “that we never shall catch any + fellow until we have a large sum of money placed at our disposal. The + general feeling is in their favor, and against us entirely. Why is it in + their favor? Because they are generally supposed to run great risks, and + suffer great hardships. And so they do; but not half so much as we do, who + keep the sea in all sorts of weather, while they can choose their own. + Also because they outrun the law, which nature makes everybody long to do, + and admire the lucky ones who can. But most of all because they are + free-handed, and we can be only niggards. They rob the king with impunity, + because they pay well for doing it; and he pays badly, or not at all, to + defend himself from robbery. If we had a thousand pounds apiece, with + orders to spend it on public service, take no receipt, and give no + account, I am sure that in three months we could stop all contraband work + upon this coast.” + </p> + <p> + “Upon me sowl and so we could; and it's meself that would go into the + trade, so soon as it was stopped with the thousand pounds.” + </p> + <p> + “We have no time for talking nonsense;” answered Nettlebones, severely, + according to the universal law that the man who has wasted the time of + others gets into a flurry about his own. “Your suggestion, Bowler, is a + very wise one, and as full as possible of common-sense. You also, Donovan, + have shown with great sagacity what might come of it thereafter. But + unluckily we have to get on as we can, without sixpence to spare for + anybody. We know that the fishermen and people on the coast, and + especially the womankind, are all to a man—as our good friend here + would say—banded in league against us. Nevertheless, this landing + shall not be, at least upon our district. What happens north of Teesmouth + is none of our business; and we should have the laugh of the old Scotchman + there, if they pay him a visit, as I hope they may; for he cuts many jokes + at our expense. But, by the Lord Harry, there shall be no run between the + Tees and Yare, this side of Christmas. If there is, we may call ourselves + three old women. Shake hands, gentlemen, upon that point; and we will have + a glass of grog to it.” + </p> + <p> + This was friendly, and rejoiced them all; for Nettlebones had been stiff + at first. Readily enough they took his orders, which seemed to make it + impossible almost for anything large to slip between them, except in case + of a heavy fog; and in that case they were to land, and post their + outlooks near the likely places. + </p> + <p> + “We have shed no blood yet, and I hope we never shall,” said the senior + officer, pleasantly. “The smugglers of this coast are too wise, and I hope + too kind-hearted, for that sort of work. They are not like those desperate + scoundrels of Sussex. When these men are nabbed, they give up their + venture as soon as it goes beyond cudgel-play, and they never lie in wait + for a murderous revenge. In the south I have known a very different race, + who would jump on an officer till he died, or lash him to death with their + long cart-whips; such fellows as broke open Poole Custom-house, and + murdered poor Galley and Cator, and the rest, in a manner that makes human + blood run cold. It was some time back; but their sons are just as bad. + Smuggling turns them all to devils.” + </p> + <p> + “My belief is,” said Bowler, who had a gift of looking at things from an + outer point of view, “that these fellows never propose to themselves to + transgress the law, but to carry it out according to their own + interpretation. One of them reasoned with me some time ago, and he talked + so well about the Constitution that I was at a loss to answer him.” + </p> + <p> + “Me jewel, forbear,” shouted Donovan; “a clout on the head is the only + answer for them Constitutionals. Niver will it go out of my mind about the + time I was last in Cark; shure, thin, and it was holiday-time; and me + sister's wife's cousin, young Tim O'Brady—Tim says to me, 'Now, + Corkoran, me lad—'” + </p> + <p> + “Donovan,” Nettlebones suddenly broke in, “we will have that story, which + I can see by the cut of your jib is too good to be hurried, when first we + come together after business done. The sun will be down in less than half + an hour, and by that time we all must be well under way. We are watched + from the land, as I need not tell you, and we must not let them spy for + nothing. They shall see us all stand out to sea to catch them in the open, + as I said in the town-hall of Scarborough yesterday, on purpose. Everybody + laughed; but I stuck to it, knowing how far the tale would go. They take + it for a crotchet of mine, and will expect it, especially after they have + seen us standing out; and their plans will be laid accordingly.” + </p> + <p> + “The head-piece ye have is beyont me inthirely. And if ye stand out, how + will ye lay close inshore?” + </p> + <p> + “By returning, my good friend, before the morning breaks; each man to his + station, lying as close as can be by day, with proper outlooks hidden at + the points, but standing along the coast every night, and communicating + with sentries. Have nothing to say to any fishing-boats—they are + nearly all spies—and that puzzles them. This Robin Hood's Bay is our + centre for the present, unless there comes change of weather. Donovan's + beat is from Whitby to Teesmouth, mine from Whitby to Scarborough, and + Bowler's thence to Flamborough. Carroway goes where he likes, of course, + as the manner of the man is. He is a little in the doldrums now, and + likely enough to come meddling. From Flamborough to Hornsea is left to + him, and quite as much as he can manage. Further south there is no fear; + our Yarmouth men will see to that. Now I think that you quite understand. + Good-by; we shall nab some of them to a certainty this time; they are + trying it on too large a scale.” + </p> + <p> + “If they runs any goods through me, then just ye may reckon the legs of me + four times over.” + </p> + <p> + “And if they slip in past me,” said Bowler, “without a thick fog, or a + storm that drives me off, I will believe more than all the wonders told of + Robin Lyth.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh! concerning that fellow, by-the-bye,” Commander Nettlebones stopped + his brother officers as they were making off; “you know what a point poor + Carroway has made, even before I was sent down here, of catching the + celebrated Robin for himself. He has even let his fellows fire at him once + or twice when he was quietly departing, although we are not allowed to + shoot except upon strenuous resistance. Cannon we may fire, but no + muskets, according to wise ordinance. Luckily, he has not hit him yet; + and, upon the whole, we should be glad of it, for the young fellow is a + prime sailor, as you know, and would make fine stuff for Nelson. Therefore + we must do one thing of two—let Carroway catch him, and get the + money to pay for all the breeches and the petticoats we saw; or if we + catch him ourselves, say nothing, but draft him right off to the Harpy. + You understand me. It is below us to get blood-money upon the man. We are + gentlemen, not thief-catchers.” + </p> + <p> + The Irishman agreed to this at once, but Bowler was not well pleased with + it. “Our duty is to give him up,” he said. + </p> + <p> + “Your duty is to take my orders,” answered Nettlebones, severely. “If + there is a fuss about it, lay the blame on me. I know what I am about in + what I say. Gentlemen, good-by, and good luck to you.” + </p> + <p> + After long shivers in teeth of the wind and pendulous labor of rolling, + the three cutters joyfully took the word to go. With a creak, and a cant, + and a swish of canvas, upon their light heels they flew round, and + trembled with the eagerness of leaping on their way. The taper boom dipped + toward the running hills of sea, and the jib-foreleech drew a white arc + against the darkness of the sky to the bowsprit's plunge. Then, as each + keen cut-water clove with the pressure of the wind upon the beam, and the + glistening bends lay over, green hurry of surges streaked with gray began + the quick dance along them. Away they went merrily, scattering the brine, + and leaving broad tracks upon the closing sea. + </p> + <p> + Away also went, at a rapid scamper, three men who had watched them from + the breast-work of the cliffs—one went northward, another to the + south, and the third rode a pony up an inland lane. Swiftly as the cutters + flew over the sea, the tidings of their flight took wing ashore, and + before the night swallowed up their distant sails, everybody on the land + whom it concerned to know, knew as well as their steersmen what course + they had laid. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0030" id="link2HCH0030"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXX + </h2> + <h3> + INLAND OPINION + </h3> + <p> + Whatever may be said, it does seem hard, from a wholly disinterested point + of view, that so many mighty men, with swift ships, armed with villainous + saltpetre and sharp steel, should have set their keen faces all together + and at once to nip, defeat, and destroy as with a blow, liberal and + well-conceived proceedings, which they had long regarded with a larger + mind. Every one who had been led to embark soundly and kindly in this + branch of trade felt it as an outrage and a special instance of his own + peculiar bad luck that suddenly the officers should become so active. For + long success had encouraged enterprise; men who had made a noble profit + nobly yearned to treble it; and commerce, having shaken off her shackles, + flapped her wings and began to crow; so at least she had been declared to + do at a public banquet given by the Mayor of Malton, and attended by a + large grain factor, who was known as a wholesale purveyor of illicit + goods. + </p> + <p> + This man, Thomas Rideout, long had been the head-master of the smuggling + school. The poor sea-faring men could not find money to buy, or even hire, + the craft (with heavy deposit against forfeiture) which the breadth and + turbulence of the North Sea made needful for such ventures. Across the + narrow English Channel an open lobster boat might run, in common summer + weather, without much risk of life or goods. Smooth water, sandy coves, + and shelfy landings tempted comfortable jobs; and any man owning a boat + that would carry a sail as big as a shawl might smuggle, with heed of the + weather, and audacity. It is said that once upon the Sussex coast a band + of haymakers, when the rick was done, and their wages in hand on a + Saturday night, laid hold of a stout boat on the beach, pushed off to sea + in tipsy faith of luck, and hit upon Dieppe with a set-fair breeze, having + only a fisherman's boy for guide. There on the Sunday they heartily + enjoyed the hospitality of the natives; and the dawn of Tuesday beheld + them rapt in domestic bliss and breakfast, with their money invested in + old Cognac; and glad would they have been to make such hay every season. + But in Yorkshire a good solid capital was needed to carry on free + importation. Without broad bottoms and deep sides, the long and turbulent + and often foggy voyage, and the rocky landing, could scarcely be attempted + by sane folk; well-to-do people found the money, and jeopardized neither + their own bodies, consciences, nor good repute. And perhaps this fact had + more to do with the comparative mildness of the men than difference of + race, superior culture, or a loftier mould of mind; for what man will + fight for his employer's goods with the ferocity inspired by his own? A + thorough good ducking, or a tow behind a boat, was the utmost penalty + generally exacted by the victors from the vanquished. + </p> + <p> + Now, however, it seemed too likely that harder measures must be meted. The + long success of that daring Lyth, and the large scale of his operations, + had compelled the authorities to stir at last. They began by setting a + high price upon him, and severely reprimanding Carroway, who had long been + doing his best in vain, and becoming flurried, did it more vainly still; + and now they had sent the sharp Nettlebones down, who boasted largely, but + as yet without result. The smugglers, however, were aware of added peril, + and raised their wages accordingly. + </p> + <p> + When the pending great venture was resolved upon, as a noble finish to the + season, Thomas Rideout would intrust it to no one but Robin Lyth himself; + and the bold young mariner stipulated that after succeeding he should be + free, and started in some more lawful business. For Dr. Upround, + possessing as he did great influence with Robin, and shocked as he was by + what Carroway had said, refused to have anything more to do with his most + distinguished parishioner until he should forsake his ways. And for this + he must not be thought narrow-minded, strait-laced, or unduly dignified. + His wife quite agreed with him, and indeed had urged it as the only proper + course; for her motherly mind was uneasy about the impulsive nature of + Janetta; and chess-men to her were dolls, without even the merit of + encouraging the needle. Therefore, with a deep sigh, the worthy magistrate + put away his board—which came out again next day—and did his + best to endure for a night the arithmetical torture of cribbage; while he + found himself supported by a sense of duty, and capable of preaching hard + at Carroway if he would only come for it on Sunday. + </p> + <p> + From that perhaps an officer of revenue may abstain, through the pressure + of his duty and his purity of conscience; but a man of less correctness + must behave more strictly. Therefore, when a gentleman of vigorous aspect, + resolute step, and successful-looking forehead marched into church the + next Sunday morning, showed himself into a prominent position, and hung + his hat against a leading pillar, after putting his mouth into it, as if + for prayer, but scarcely long enough to say “Amen,” behind other hats low + whispers passed that here was the great financier of free trade, the + Chancellor of the Exchequer of smuggling, the celebrated Master Rideout. + </p> + <p> + That conclusion was shared by the rector, whose heart immediately burned + within him to have at this man, whom he had met before and suspiciously + glanced at in Weighing Lane, as an interloper in his parish. Probably this + was the very man whom Robin Lyth served too faithfully; and the chances + were that the great operations now known to be pending had brought him + hither, spying out all Flamborough. The corruption of fish-folk, the + beguiling of women with foreign silks and laces, and of men with brandy, + the seduction of Robin from lawful commerce, and even the loss of his own + pet pastime, were to be laid at this man's door. While donning his + surplice, Dr. Upround revolved these things with gentle indignation, + quickened, as soon as he found himself in white, by clerical and + theological zeal. These feelings impelled him to produce a creaking of the + heavy vestry door, a well-known signal for his daughter to slip out of the + chancel pew and come to him. + </p> + <p> + “Now, papa, what is it?” cried that quick young lady; “that miserable + Methodist that ruined your boots, has he got the impudence to come again? + Oh, please do say so, and show me where he is; after church nobody shall + stop me—” + </p> + <p> + “Janetta, you quite forget where you are, as well as my present condition. + Be off like a good girl, as quick as you can, and bring No. 27 of my own + handwriting—'Render unto Caesar'—and put my hat upon it. My + desire is that Billyjack should not know that a change has been made in my + subject of discourse.” + </p> + <p> + “Papa, I see; it shall be done to perfection, while Billyjack is at his + very loudest roar in the chorus of the anthem. But do tell me who it is; + or how can I enjoy it? And lemon drops—lemon drops—” + </p> + <p> + “Janetta, I must have some very serious talk with you. Now don't be vexed, + darling; you are a thoroughly good girl, only thoughtless and careless; + and remember, dear, church is not a place for high spirits.” + </p> + <p> + The rector, as behooved him, kissed his child behind the vestry door, to + soothe all sting, and then he strode forth toward the reading-desk; and + the tuning of fiddles sank to deferential scrape. + </p> + <p> + It was not at all a common thing, as one might know, for Widow Precious to + be able to escape from casks and taps, and the frying pan of eggs demanded + by some half-drowned fisherman, also the reckoning of notches on the bench + for the pints of the week unpaid for, and then to put herself into her two + best gowns (which she wore in the winter, one over the other—a plan + to be highly commended to ladies who never can have dress enough), and so + to enjoy, without losing a penny, the warmth of the neighborhood of a + congregation. In the afternoon she could hardly ever do it, even if she + had so wished, with knowledge that this was common people's time; so if + she went at all, it must—in spite of the difference of length—be + managed in the morning. And this very morning here she was, earnest, + humble, and devout, with both the tap keys in her pocket, and turning the + leaves with a smack of her thumb, not only to show her learning, but to + get the sweet approval of the rector's pew. + </p> + <p> + Now if the good rector had sent for this lady, instead of his daughter + Janetta, the sermon which he brought would have been the one to preach, + and that about Caesar might have stopped at home; for no sooner did the + widow begin to look about, taking in the congregation with a dignified + eye, and nodding to her solvent customers, than the wrath of perplexity + began to gather on her goodly countenance. To see that distinguished + stranger was to know him ever afterward; his power of eating, and of + paying, had endeared his memory; and for him to put up at any other house + were foul shame to the “Cod Fish.” + </p> + <p> + “Hath a' put up his beastie?” she whispered to her eldest daughter, who + came in late. + </p> + <p> + “Naa, naa, no beastie,” the child replied, and the widow's relish of her + thumb was gone; for, sooth to say, no Master Rideout, nor any other patron + of free trade was here, but Geoffrey Mordacks, of York city, general + factor, and universal agent. + </p> + <p> + It was beautiful to see how Dr. Upround, firmly delivering his text, and + stoutly determined to spare nobody, even insisted in the present case upon + looking at the man he meant to hit, because he was not his parishioner. + The sermon was eloquent, and even trenchant. The necessity of duties was + urged most sternly; if not of directly Divine institution (though learned + parallels were adduced which almost proved them to be so), yet to every + decent Christian citizen they were synonymous with duty. To defy or elude + them, for the sake of paltry gain, was a dark crime recoiling on the + criminal; and the preacher drew a contrast between such guilty ways and + the innocent path of the fisherman. Neither did he even relent and + comfort, according to his custom, toward the end; that part was there, but + he left it out; and the only consolation for any poor smuggler in all the + discourse was the final Amen. + </p> + <p> + But to the rector's great amazement, and inward indignation, the object of + his sermon seemed to take it as a personal compliment. Mr. Mordacks not + only failed to wince, but finding himself particularly fixed by the gaze + of the eloquent divine, concluded that it was from his superior + intelligence, and visible gifts of appreciation. Delighted with this—for + he was not free from vanity—what did he do but return the + compliment, not indecorously, but nodding very gently, as much as to say, + “That was very good indeed, you were quite right, sir, in addressing that + to me; you perceive that it is far above these common people. I never + heard a better sermon.” + </p> + <p> + “What a hardened rogue you are!” thought Dr. Upround; “how feebly and + incapably I must have put it! If you ever come again, you shall have my + Ahab sermon.” + </p> + <p> + But the clergyman was still more astonished a very few minutes afterward. + For, as he passed out of the church-yard gate, receiving, with his wife + and daughter, the kindly salute of the parish, the same tall stranger + stood before him, with a face as hard as a statue's, and, making a short, + quick flourish with his hat, begged for the honor of shaking his hand. + </p> + <p> + “Sir, it is to thank you for the very finest sermon I ever had the + privilege of hearing. My name is Mordacks, and I flatter nobody—except + myself—that I know a good thing when I get it.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, I am obliged to you,” said Dr. Upround, stiffly, and not without + suspicion of being bantered, so dry was the stranger's countenance, and + his manner so peculiar; “and if I have been enabled to say a good word in + season, and its season lasts, it will be a source of satisfaction to me.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, I fear there are many smugglers here. But I am no revenue officer, + as your congregation seemed to think. May I call upon business to-morrow, + sir? Thank you; then may I say ten o'clock—your time of beginning, + as I hear? Mordacks is my name, sir, of York city, not unfavorably known + there. Ladies, my duty to you!” + </p> + <p> + “What an extraordinary man, my dear!” Mrs. Upround exclaimed, with some + ingratitude, after the beautiful bow she had received. “He may talk as he + likes, but he must be a smuggler. He said that he was not an officer; that + shows it, for they always run into the opposite extreme. You have + converted him, my dear; and I am sure that we ought to be so much obliged + to him. If he comes to-morrow morning to give up all his lace, do try to + remember how my little all has been ruined in the wash, and I am sick of + working at it.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, he is no smuggler. I begin to recollect. He was down here in the + summer, and I made a great mistake. I took him for Rideout; and I did the + same to-day. When I see him to-morrow, I shall beg his pardon. One gets so + hurried in the vestry always; they are so impatient with their fiddles! A + great deal of it was Janetta's fault.” + </p> + <p> + “It always is my fault, papa, somehow or other,” the young lady answered, + with a faultless smile: and so they went home to the early Sunday dinner. + </p> + <p> + “Papa, I am in such a state of excitement; I am quite unfit to go to + church this afternoon,” Miss Upround exclaimed, as they set forth again. + “You may put me in stocks made out of hassocks—you may rope me to + the Flodden Field man's monument, of the ominous name of 'Constable;' but + whatever you do, I shall never attend; and I feel that it is so sinful.” + </p> + <p> + “Janetta, your mamma has that feeling sometimes; for instance, she has it + this afternoon; and there is a good deal to be said for it. But I fear + that it would grow with indulgence.” + </p> + <p> + “I can firmly fancy that it never would; though one can not be sure + without trying. Suppose that I were to try it just once, and let you know + how it feels at tea-time?” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, we are quite round the corner of the lane. The example would be + too shocking.” + </p> + <p> + “Now don't you make any excuses, papa. Only one woman can have seen us + yet; and she is so blind she will think it was her fault. May I go? Quick, + before any one else comes.” + </p> + <p> + “If you are quite sure, Janetta, of being in a frame of mind which unfits + you for the worship of your Maker—” + </p> + <p> + “As sure as a pike-staff, dear papa.” + </p> + <p> + “Then, by all means, go before anybody sees you, for whom it might be + undesirable; and correct your thoughts, and endeavor to get into a + befitting state of mind by tea-time.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly, papa. I will go down on the stones, and look at the sea. That + always makes me better; because it is so large and so uncomfortable.” + </p> + <p> + The rector went on to do his duty, by himself. A narrow-minded man might + have shaken solemn head, even if he had allowed such dereliction. But Dr. + Upround knew that the girl was good, and he never put strain upon her + honesty. So away she sped by a lonely little foot-path, where nobody could + take from her contagion of bad morals; and avoiding the incline of boats, + she made off nicely for the quiet outer bay, and there, upon a shelfy + rock, she sat and breathed the sea. + </p> + <p> + Flamborough, excellent place as it is, and delightful, and full of + interest for people who do not live there, is apt to grow dull perhaps for + spirited youth, in the scanty and foggy winter light. There is not so very + much of that choice product generally called “society” by a man who has a + house to let in an eligible neighborhood, and by ladies who do not heed + their own. Moreover, it is vexatious not to have more rogues to talk + about. + </p> + <p> + That scarcity may be less lamentable now, being one that takes care to + redress itself, and perhaps any amateur purchaser of fish may find rogues + enough now for his interest. But the rector's daughter pined for neither + society nor scandal: she had plenty of interest in her life, and in + pleasing other people, whenever she could do it with pleasure to herself, + and that was nearly always. Her present ailment was not languor, + weariness, or dullness, but rather the want of such things; which we long + for when they happen to be scarce, and declare them to be our first need, + under the sweet name of repose. + </p> + <p> + Her mind was a little disturbed by rumors, wonders, and uncertainty. She + was not at all in love with Robin Lyth, and laughed at his vanity quite as + much as she admired his gallantry. She looked upon him also as of lower + rank, kindly patronized by her father, but not to be treated as upon an + equal footing. He might be of any rank, for all that was known; but he + must be taken to belong to those who had brought him up and fed him. + Janetta was a lively girl, of quick perception and some discretion, though + she often talked much nonsense. She was rather proud of her position, and + somewhat disdainful of uneducated folk; though (thanks to her father) Lyth + was not one of these. Possibly love (if she had felt it) would have swept + away such barriers; but Robin was grateful to his patron, and, knowing his + own place in life, would rightly have thought it a mean return to attempt + to inveigle the daughter. So they liked one another—but nothing + more. It was not, therefore, for his sake only, but for her father's, and + that of the place, that Miss Upround now was anxious. For days and days + she had watched the sea with unusual forebodings, knowing that a great + importation was toward, and pretty sure to lead to blows, after so much + preparation. With feminine zeal, she detested poor Carroway, whom she + regarded as a tyrant and a spy; and she would have clapped her hands at + beholding the three cruisers run upon a shoal, and there stick fast. And + as for King George, she had never believed that he was the proper King of + England. There were many stanch Jacobites still in Yorkshire, and + especially the bright young ladies. + </p> + <p> + To-night, at least, the coast was likely to be uninvaded. Smugglers, even + if their own forces would make breach upon the day of rest, durst not + outrage the piety of the land, which would only deal with kegs in-doors. + The coast-guard, being for the most part southerns, splashed about as + usual—a far more heinous sin against the Word of God than smuggling. + It is the manner of Yorkshiremen to think for themselves, with boldness, + in the way they are brought up to: and they made it a point of serious + doubt whether the orders of the king himself could set aside the Fourth + Commandment, though his arms were over it. + </p> + <p> + Dr. Upround's daughter, as she watched the sea, felt sure that, even if + the goods were ready, no attempt at landing would be made that night, + though something might be done in the morning. But even that was not very + likely, because (as seemed to be widely known) the venture was a very + large one, and the landers would require a whole night's work to get + entirely through with it. + </p> + <p> + “I wish it was over, one way or the other,” she kept on saying to herself, + as she gazed at the dark, weary lifting of the sea; “it keeps one + unsettled as the waves themselves. Sunday always makes me feel restless, + because there is so little to do. It is wicked, I suppose; but how can I + help it? Why, there is a boat, I do declare! Well, even a boat is welcome, + just to break this gray monotony. What boat can it be? None of ours, of + course. And what can they want with our Church Cave? I hope they + understand its dangers.” + </p> + <p> + Although the wind was not upon the shore, and no long rollers were setting + in, short, uncomfortable, clumsy waves were lolloping under the steep gray + cliffs, and casting up splashes of white here and there. To enter that + cave is a risky thing, except at very favorable times, and even then some + experience is needed, for the rocks around it are like knives, and the + boat must generally be backed in, with more use of fender and hook than of + oars. But the people in the boat seemed to understand all that. There were + two men rowing, and one steering with an oar, and a fourth standing up, as + if to give directions; though in truth he knew nothing about it, but hated + even to seem to play second fiddle. + </p> + <p> + “What a strange thing!” Janetta thought, as she drew behind a rock, that + they might not see her, “I could almost declare that the man standing up + is that most extraordinary gentleman papa preached quite the wrong sermon + at. Truly he deserves the Ahab one, for spying our caves out on a Sunday. + He must be a smuggler, after all, or a very crafty agent of the Revenue. + Well, I never! That old man steering, as sure as I live, is Robin + Cockscroft, by the scarlet handkerchief round his head. Oh, Robin! Robin! + could I ever have believed that you would break the Sabbath so? But the + boat is not Robin's. What boat can it be? I have not staid away from + church for nothing. One of the men rowing has got no legs, when the boat + goes up and down. It must be that villain of a tipsy Joe, who used to keep + the 'Monument.' I heard that he was come back again, to stump for his beer + as usual: and his son, that sings like the big church bell, and has such a + very fine face and one leg—why, he is the man that pulls the other + oar. Was there ever such a boat-load? But they know what they are doing.” + </p> + <p> + Truly it was, as the young lady said, an extraordinary boat's crew. Old + Robin Cockscroft, with a fringe of silver hair escaping from the crimson + silk, which he valued so much more than it, and his face still grand (in + spite of wrinkles and some weakness of the eyes), keenly understanding + every wave, its character, temper, and complexity of influence, as only a + man can understand who has for his life stood over them. Then tugging at + the oars, or rather dipping them with a short well-practiced plunge, and + very little toil of body, two ancient sailors, one considerably older than + the other, inasmuch as he was his father, yet chips alike from a sturdy + block, and fitted up with jury-stumps. Old Joe pulled rather the better + oar, and called his son “a one-legged fiddler” when he missed the dip of + wave; while Mordacks stood with his legs apart, and playing the easy part + of critic, had his sneers at both of them. But they let him gibe to his + liking; because they knew their work, and he did not. And, upon the whole, + they went merrily. + </p> + <p> + The only one with any doubt concerning the issue of the job was the one + who knew most about it, and that was Robin Cockscroft. He doubted not + about want of strength, or skill, or discipline of his oars, but because + the boat was not Flamburian, but borrowed from a collier round the Head. + No Flamborough boat would ever think of putting to sea on a Sunday, unless + it were to save human life; and it seemed to him that no strange boat + could find her way into the native caves. He doubted also whether, even + with the pressure of strong motive put upon him, which was not of money, + it was a godly thing on his part to be steering in his Sunday clothes; and + he feared to hear of it thereafter. But being in for it, he must do his + utmost. + </p> + <p> + With genuine skill and solid patience, the entrance of the cave was made, + and the boat was lost to Janetta's view. She as well was lost in the + deeper cavern of great wonder, and waited long, and much desired to wait + even longer, to see them issue forth again, and learn what they could have + been after. But the mist out of which they had come, and inside of which + they would rather have remained perhaps, now thickened over land and sea, + and groping dreamily for something to lay hold of, found a solid stay and + rest-hold in the jagged headlands here. Here, accordingly, the coilings of + the wandering forms began to slide into strait layers, and soft settlement + of vapor. Loops of hanging moisture marked the hollows of the land-front, + or the alleys of the waning light; and then the mass abandoned outline, + fused its shades to pulp, and melted into one great blur of rain. Janetta + thought of her Sunday frock, forgot the boat, and sped away for home. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0031" id="link2HCH0031"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXI + </h2> + <h3> + TACTICS OF ATTACK + </h3> + <p> + “I am sorry to be troublesome, Mynheer Van Dunck, but I can not say + good-by without having your receipt in full for the old bilander.” + </p> + <p> + “Goot, it is vere good, Meester Lyth; you are te goot man for te pisness.” + </p> + <p> + With these words the wealthy merchant of the Zuyder-Zee drew forth his + ancient inkhorn, smeared with the dirt of countless contracts, and signed + an acquittance which the smuggler had prepared. But he signed it with a + sigh, as a man declares that a favorite horse must go at last; sighing, + not for the money, but the memories that go with it. Then, as the wind + began to pipe, and the roll of the sea grew heavier, the solid Dutchman + was lowered carefully into his shore boat, and drew the apron over his + great and gouty legs. + </p> + <p> + “I vos married in dat zhips,” he shouted back, with his ponderous fist + wagging up at Robin Lyth, “Dis taime you will have de bad luck, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, mynheer, you have only to pay the difference, and the ketch will + do; the bilander sails almost as fast.” + </p> + <p> + But Master Van Dunck only heaved another sigh, and felt that his leather + bag was safe and full in his breeches pocket. Then he turned his eyes + away, and relieved his mind by swearing at his men. + </p> + <p> + Now this was off the Isle of Texel, and the time was Sunday morning, the + very same morning which saw the general factor sitting to be preached at. + The flotilla of free trade was putting forth upon its great emprise, and + Van Dunck (who had been ship's husband) came to speed them from their + moorings. + </p> + <p> + He took no risk, and to him it mattered little, except as a question of + commission; but still he enjoyed the relish of breaking English law most + heartily. He hated England, as a loyal Dutchman, for generations, was + compelled to do; and he held that a Dutchman was a better sailor, a better + ship-builder, and a better fighter than the very best Englishman ever + born. However, his opinions mattered little, being (as we must feel) + absurd. Therefore let him go his way, and grumble, and reckon his + guilders. It was generally known that he could sink a ship with money; and + when such a man is insolent, who dares to contradict him? + </p> + <p> + The flotilla in the offing soon ploughed hissing furrows through the misty + waves. There were three craft, all of different rig—a schooner, a + ketch, and the said bilander. All were laden as heavily as speed and + safety would allow, and all were thoroughly well manned. They laid their + course for the Dogger Bank, where they would receive the latest news of + the disposition of the enemy. Robin Lyth, high admiral of smugglers, kept + to his favorite schooner, the Glimpse, which had often shown a fading wake + to fastest cutters. His squadron was made up by the ketch, Good Hope, and + the old Dutch coaster, Crown of Gold. This vessel, though built for + peaceful navigation and inland waters, had proved herself so thoroughly at + home in the roughest situations, and so swift of foot, though round of + cheek, that the smugglers gloried in her and the good luck which sat upon + her prow. They called her “the lugger,” though her rig was widely + different from that, and her due title was “bilander.” She was very deeply + laden now, and, having great capacity, appeared an unusually tempting + prize. + </p> + <p> + This grand armada of invasion made its way quite leisurely. Off the Dogger + Bank they waited for the last news, and received it, and the whole of it + was to their liking, though the fisherman who brought it strongly advised + them to put back again. But Captain Lyth had no such thought, for the + weather was most suitable for the bold scheme he had hit upon. “This is my + last run,” he said, “and I mean to make it a good one.” Then he dressed + himself as smartly as if he were going to meet Mary Anerley, and sent a + boat for the skippers of the Good Hope, and the Crown of Gold, who came + very promptly and held counsel in his cabin. + </p> + <p> + “I'm thinking that your notion is a very good one, captain,” said the + master of the bilander, Brown, a dry old hand from Grimsby. + </p> + <p> + “Capital, capital; there never was a better,” the master of the ketch + chimed in, “Nettlebones and Carroway—they will knock their heads + together!” + </p> + <p> + “The plan is clever enough,” replied Robin, who was free from all + mock-modesty, “But you heard what that old Van Dunck said. I wish he had + not said it.” + </p> + <p> + “Ten tousan' tuyfels—as the stingy old thief himself says—he + might have held his infernal croak. I hate to make sail with a croak + astern; 'tis as bad as a crow on forestay-sail.” + </p> + <p> + “All very fine for you to talk,” grumbled the man of the bilander to the + master of the ketch; “but the bad luck is saddled upon me this voyage. You + two get the gilgoes, and I the bilboes!” + </p> + <p> + “Brown, none of that!” Captain Lyth said, quietly, but with a look which + the other understood; “you are not such a fool as you pretend to be. You + may get a shot or two fired at you; but what is that to a Grimsby man? And + who will look at you when your hold is broached? Your game is the easiest + that any man can play—to hold your tongue and run away.” + </p> + <p> + “Brown, you share the profits, don't you see?” the ketch man went on, + while the other looked glum; “and what risk do you take for it? Even if + they collar you, through your own clumsiness, what is there for them to + do? A Grimsby man is a grumbling man, I have heard ever since I was that + high. I'll change berths with you, if you choose, this minute.” + </p> + <p> + “You could never do it,” said the Grimsby man, with that high contempt + which abounds where he was born—“a boy like you! I should like to + see you try it.” + </p> + <p> + “Remember, both of you,” said Robin Lyth, “that you are not here to do as + you please, but to obey my orders. If the coast-guard quarrel, we do not; + and that is why we beat them. You will both do exactly as I have laid it + down; and the risk of failure falls on me. The plan is very simple, and + can not fail, if you will just try not to think for yourselves, which + always makes everything go wrong. The only thing you have to think about + at all is any sudden change of weather. If a gale from the east sets in, + you both run north, and I come after you. But there will not be any + easterly gale for the present week, to my belief; although I am not quite + sure of it.” + </p> + <p> + “Not a sign of it. Wind will hold with sunset, up to next quarter of the + moon.” + </p> + <p> + “The time I ha' been on the coast,” said Brown, “and to hear the young + chaps talking over my head! Never you mind how I know, but I'll lay a + guinea with both of you—easterly gale afore Friday.” + </p> + <p> + “Brown, you may be right,” said Robin; “I have had some fear of it, and I + know that you carry a weather eye. No man under forty can pretend to that. + But if it will only hold off till Friday, we shall have the laugh of it. + And even if it come on, Tom and I shall manage. But you will be badly off + in that case, Brown. After all, you are right; the main danger is for + you.” + </p> + <p> + Lyth, knowing well how important it was that each man should play his part + with true good-will, shifted his ground thus to satisfy the other, who was + not the man to shrink from peril, but liked to have his share + acknowledged. + </p> + <p> + “Ay, ay, captain, you see clear enough, though Tom here has not got the + gumption,” the man of Grimsby answered, with a lofty smile. “Everybody + knows pretty well what William Brown is. When there is anything that needs + a bit of pluck, it is sure to be put upon old Bill Brown. And never you + come across the man, Captain Lyth, as could say that Bill Brown was not + all there. Now orders is orders, lad. Tip us your latest.” + </p> + <p> + “Then latest orders are to this effect. Toward dusk of night you stand in + first, a league or more ahead of us, according to the daylight, Tom to the + north of you, and me to the south, just within signaling distance. The + Kestrel and Albatross will come to speak the Swordfish off Robin Hood's + Bay, at that very hour, as we happen to be aware. You sight them, even + before they sight you, because you know where to look for them, and you + keep a sharper look-out, of course. Not one of them will sight us, so far + off in the offing. Signal immediately, one, two, or three; and I heartily + hope it will be all three. Then you still stand in, as if you could not + see them; and they begin to laugh, and draw inshore; knowing the Inlander + as they do, they will hug the cliffs for you to run into their jaws. Tom + and I bear off, all sail, never allowing them to sight us. We crack on to + the north and south, and by that time it will be nearly dark. You still + carry on, till they know that you must see them; then 'bout ship, and + crowd sail to escape. They give chase, and you lead them out to sea, and + the longer you carry on, the better. Then, as they begin to fore-reach, + and threaten to close, you 'bout ship again, as in despair, run under + their counters, and stand in for the bay. They may fire at you; but it is + not very likely, for they would not like to sink such a valuable prize; + though nobody else would have much fear of that.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain, I laugh at their brass kettle-pots. They may blaze away as blue + as verdigris. Though an Englishman haven't no right to be shot at, only by + a Frenchman.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well, then, you hold on, like a Norfolk man, through the thickest of + the enemy. Nelson is a Norfolk man; and you charge through as he does. You + bear right on, and rig a gangway for the landing, which puts them all + quite upon the scream. All three cutters race after you pell-mell, and it + is much if they do not run into one another. You take the beach, stem on, + with the tide upon the ebb, and by that time it ought to be getting on for + midnight. What to do then, I need not tell you; but make all the stand you + can to spare us any hurry. But don't give the knock-down blow if you can + help it; the lawyers make such a point of that, from their intimacy with + the prize-fighters.” + </p> + <p> + Clearly perceiving their duty now, these three men braced up loin, and + sailed to execute the same accordingly. For invaders and defenders were by + this time in real earnest with their work, and sure alike of having done + the very best that could be done. With equal confidence on either side, a + noble triumph was expected, while the people on the dry land shook their + heads and were thankful to be out of it. Carroway, in a perpetual ferment, + gave no peace to any of his men, and never entered his own door; but + riding, rowing, or sailing up and down, here and there and everywhere, set + an example of unflagging zeal, which was largely admired and avoided. And + yet he was not the only remarkably active man in the neighborhood; for + that great fact, and universal factor, Geoffrey Mordacks, was entirely + here. He had not broken the heart of Widow Precious by taking up his + quarters at the Thornwick Inn, as she at first imagined, but loyally + brought himself and his horse to her sign-post for their Sunday dinner. + Nor was this all, but he ordered the very best bedroom, and the “coral + parlor”—as he elegantly called the sea-weedy room—gave every + child, whether male or female, sixpence of new mintage, and created such + impression on her widowed heart that he even won the privilege of basting + his own duck. Whatever this gentleman did never failed to reflect equal + credit on him and itself. But thoroughly well as he basted his duck, and + efficiently as he consumed it, deeper things were in his mind, and moving + with every mouthful. If Captain Carroway labored hard on public and royal + service, no less severely did Mordacks work, though his stronger sense of + self-duty led him to feed the labor better. On the Monday morning he had a + long and highly interesting talk with the magisterial rector, to whom he + set forth certain portions of his purpose, loftily spurning entire + concealment, according to the motto of his life. “You see, sir,” he said, + as he rose to depart, “what I have told you is very important, and in the + strictest confidence, of course, because I never do anything on the sly.” + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Mordacks, you have surprised me,” answered Dr. Upround; “though I am + not so very much wiser at present. I really must congratulate you upon + your activity, and the impression you create.” + </p> + <p> + “Not at all, sir, not at all. It is my manner of doing business, now for + thirty years or more. Moles and fools, sir, work under-ground, and only + get traps set for them; I travel entirely above-ground, and go ten miles + for their ten inches. My strategy, sir, is simplicity. Nothing puzzles + rogues so much, because they can not believe it.” + </p> + <p> + “The theory is good; may the practice prove the same! I should be sorry to + be against you in any case you undertake. In the present matter I am + wholly with you, so far as I understand what it is. Still, Flamborough is + a place of great difficulties—” + </p> + <p> + “The greatest difficulty of all would be to fail, as I look at it. + Especially with your most valuable aid.” + </p> + <p> + “What little I can do shall be most readily forth-coming. But remember + there is many a slip—If you had interfered but one month ago, how + much easier it might have been!” + </p> + <p> + “Truly. But I have to grope my way; and it is a hard people, as you say, + to deal with. But I have no fear, sir; I shall overcome all Flamborough, + unless—unless, what I fear to think of, there should happen to be + bloodshed.” + </p> + <p> + “There will be none of that, Mr. Mordacks; we are too skillful, and too + gentle, for anything more than a few cracked crowns.” + </p> + <p> + “Then everything is as it ought to be. But I must be off; I have many + points to see to. How I find time for this affair is the wonder.” + </p> + <p> + “But you will not leave us, I suppose, until—until what appears to + be expected has happened!” + </p> + <p> + “When I undertake a thing, Dr. Upround, my rule is to go through with it. + You have promised me the honor of an interview at any time. Good-by, sir; + and pray give the compliments of Mr. Mordacks to the ladies.” + </p> + <p> + With even more than his usual confidence and high spirits the general + factor mounted horse and rode at once to Bridlington, or rather to the + quay thereof, in search of Lieutenant Carroway. But Carroway was not at + home, and his poor wife said, with a sigh, that now she had given up + expecting him. “Have no fear, madam; I will bring him back,” Mordacks + answered, as if he already held him by the collar. “I have very good news, + madam, very grand news for him, and you, and all those lovely and highly + intelligent children. Place me, madam, under the very deepest obligation + by allowing these two little dears to take the basket I see yonder, and + accompany me to that apple stand. I saw there some fruit of a sort which + used to fit my teeth most wonderfully when they were just the size of + theirs. And here is another little darling, with a pin-before infinitely + too spotless. If you will spare her also, we will do our best to take away + that reproach, ma'am.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, sir, you are much too kind. But to speak of good news does one good. + It is so long since there has been any, that I scarcely know how to + pronounce the words.” + </p> + <p> + “Mistress Carroway, take my word for it, that such a state of things shall + be shortly of the past. I will bring back Captain Carroway, madam, to his + sweet and most beautifully situated home, and with tidings which shall + please you.” + </p> + <p> + “It is kind of you not to tell me the good news now, sir. I shall enjoy it + so much more, to see my husband hear it. Good-by, and I hope that you will + soon be back again.” + </p> + <p> + While Mr. Mordacks was loading the children with all that they made soft + mouths at, he observed for the second time three men who appeared to be + taking much interest in his doings. They had sauntered aloof while he + called at the cottage, as if they had something to say to him, but would + keep it until he had finished there. But they did not come up to him as he + expected; and when he had seen the small Carroways home, he rode up to ask + what they wanted with him. “Nothing, only this, sir,” the shortest of them + answered, while the others pretended not to hear; “we was told that yon + was Smuggler's house, and we thought that your Honor was the famous + Captain Lyth.” + </p> + <p> + “If I ever want a man,” said the general factor, “to tell a lie with a + perfect face, I shall come here and look for you, my friend.” The man + looked at him, and smiled, and nodded, as much as to say, “You might get + it done worse,” and then carelessly followed his comrades toward the sea. + And Mr. Mordacks, riding off with equal jauntiness, cocked his hat, and + stared at the Priory Church as if he had never seen any such building + before. + </p> + <p> + “I begin to have a very strong suspicion,” he said to himself as he put + his horse along, “that this is the place where the main attack will be. + Signs of a well-suppressed activity are manifest to an experienced eye + like mine. All the grocers, the bakers, the candlestick-makers, and the + women, who always precede the men, are mightily gathered together. And the + men are holding counsel in a milder way. They have got three jugs at the + old boat-house for the benefit of holloaing in the open air. Moreover, the + lane inland is scored with a regular market-day of wheels, and there is no + market this side of the old town. Carroway, vigilant captain of men, why + have you forsaken your domestic hearth? Is it through jealousy of + Nettlebones, and a stern resolve to be ahead of him? Robin, my Robin, is a + genius in tactics, a very bright Napoleon of free trade. He penetrates the + counsels, or, what is more, the feelings, of those who camp against him. + He means to land this great emprise at Captain Carroway's threshold. True + justice on the man for sleeping out of his own bed so long! But instead of + bowing to the blow, he would turn a downright maniac, according to all I + hear of him. Well, it is no concern of mine, so long as nobody is killed, + which everybody makes such a fuss about.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0032" id="link2HCH0032"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXII + </h2> + <h3> + TACTICS OF ATTACK + </h3> + <p> + The poise of this great enterprise was hanging largely in the sky, from + which come all things, and to which resolved they are referred again. The + sky, to hold an equal balance, or to decline all troublesome + responsibility about it, went away, or (to put it more politely) retired + from the scene. Even as nine men out of ten, when a handsome fight is + toward, would rather have no opinion on the merits, but abide in their + breeches, and there keep their hands till the fist of the victor is + opened, so at this period the upper firmament nodded a strict neutrality. + And yet, on the whole, it must have indulged a sneaking proclivity toward + free trade; otherwise, why should it have been as follows? + </p> + <p> + November now was far advanced; and none but sanguine Britons hoped, at + least in this part of the world, to know (except from memory and + predictions of the almanac) whether the sun were round or square, until + next Easter-day should come. It was not quite impossible that he might + appear at Candlemas, when he is supposed to give a dance, though hitherto + a strictly private one; but even so, this premature frisk of his were + undesirable, if faith in ancient rhyme be any. But putting him out of the + question, as he had already put himself, the things that were below him, + and, from length of practice, manage well to shape their course without + him, were moving now and managing themselves with moderation. + </p> + <p> + The tone of the clouds was very mild, and so was the color of the sea. A + comely fog involved the day, and a decent mist restrained the night from + ostentatious waste of stars. It was not such very bad weather; but a + captious man might find fault with it, and only a thoroughly cheerful one + could enlarge upon its merits. Plainly enough these might be found by + anybody having any core of rest inside him, or any gift of turning over + upon a rigidly neutral side, and considerably outgazing the color of his + eyes. + </p> + <p> + Commander Nettlebones was not of poetic, philosophic, or vague mind. “What + a d——d fog!” he exclaimed in the morning; and he used the same + words in the afternoon, through a speaking-trumpet, as the two other + cutters ranged up within hail. This they did very carefully, at the + appointed rendezvous, toward the fall of the afternoon, and hauled their + wind under easy sail, shivering in the southwestern breeze. + </p> + <p> + “Not half so bad as it was,” returned Bowler, being of a cheerful mind. + “It is lifting every minute, sir. Have you had sight of anything?” + </p> + <p> + “Not a blessed stick, except a fishing-boat. What makes you ask, + lieutenant?” + </p> + <p> + “Why, sir, as we rounded in, it lifted for a moment, and I saw a craft + some two leagues out, standing straight in for us.” + </p> + <p> + “The devil you did! What was she like? and where away, lieutenant?” + </p> + <p> + “A heavy lugger, under all sail, about E.N.E, as near as may be. She is + standing for Robin Hood's Bay, I believe. In an hour's time she will be + upon us, if the weather keeps so thick.” + </p> + <p> + “She may have seen you, and sheered off. Stand straight for her, as nigh + as you can guess. The fog is lifting, as you say. If you sight her, signal + instantly. Lieutenant Donovan, have you heard Bowler's news?” + </p> + <p> + “Sure an' if it wasn't for the fog, I would. Every word of it come to me, + as clear as seeing.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well. Carry on a little to the south, half a league or so, and then + stand out, but keep within sound of signal. I shall bear up presently. It + is clearing every minute, and we must nab them.” + </p> + <p> + The fog began to rise in loops and alleys, with the upward pressure of the + evening breeze, which freshened from the land in lines and patches, + according to the run of cliff. Here the water darkened with the ruffle of + the wind, and there it lay quiet, with a glassy shine, or gentle shadows + of variety. Soon the three cruisers saw one another clearly; and then they + all sighted an approaching sail. + </p> + <p> + This was a full-bowed vessel, of quaint rig, heavy sheer, and + extraordinary build—a foreigner clearly, and an ancient one. She + differed from a lugger as widely as a lugger differs from a schooner, and + her broad spread of canvas combined the features of square and of + fore-and-aft tackle. But whatever her build or rig might be, she was going + through the water at a strapping pace, heavily laden as she was, with her + long yards creaking, and her broad frame croaking, and her deep bows + driving up the fountains of the sea. Her enormous mainsail upon the + mizzenmast—or mainmast, for she only carried two—was hung + obliquely, yet not as a lugger's, slung at one-third of its length, but + bent to a long yard hanging fore and aft, with a long fore-end sloping + down to midship. This great sail gave her vast power, when close hauled; + and she carried a square sail on the foremast, and a square sail on either + topmast. + </p> + <p> + “Lord, have mercy! She could run us all down if she tried!” exclaimed + Commander Nettlebones; “and what are my pop-guns against such beam?” + </p> + <p> + For a while the bilander seemed to mean to try it, for she carried on + toward the central cruiser as if she had not seen one of them. Then, + beautifully handled, she brought to, and was scudding before the wind in + another minute, leading them all a brave stern-chase out to sea. + </p> + <p> + “It must be that dare-devil Lyth himself,” Nettlebones said, as the + Swordfish strained, with all canvas set, but no gain made; “no other + fellow in all the world would dare to beard us in this style. I'd lay ten + guineas that Donovan's guns won't go off, if he tries them. Ah, I thought + so—a fizz, and a stink—trust an Irishman.” + </p> + <p> + For this gallant lieutenant, slanting toward the bows of the flying + bilander, which he had no hope of fore-reaching, trained his long + swivel-gun upon her, and let go—or rather tried to let go—at + her. But his powder was wet, or else there was some stoppage; for the only + result was a spurt of smoke inward, and a powdery eruption on his own red + cheeks. + </p> + <p> + “I wish I could have heard him swear,” grumbled Nettlebones; “that would + have been worth something. But Bowler is further out. Bowler will cross + her bows, and he is not a fool. Don't be in a hurry, my fine Bob Lyth. You + are not clear yet, though you crack on like a trooper. Well done, Bowler, + you have headed him! By Jove, I don't understand these tactics. Stand by + there! She is running back again.” + </p> + <p> + To the great amazement of all on board the cruisers, except perhaps one or + two, the great Dutch vessel, which might haply have escaped by standing on + her present course, spun round like a top, and bore in again among her + three pursuers. She had the heels of all of them before the wind, and + might have run down any intercepter, but seemed not to know it, or to lose + all nerve. “Thank the Lord in heaven, all rogues are fools! She may double + as she will, but she is ours now. Signal Albatross and Kestrel to stand + in.” + </p> + <p> + In a few minutes all four were standing for the bay; the Dutch vessel + leading with all sail set, the cruisers following warily, and spreading, + to head her from the north or south. It was plain that they had her well + in the toils; she must either surrender or run ashore; close hauled as she + was, she could not run them down, even if she would dream of such an + outrage. + </p> + <p> + So far from showing any sign of rudeness was the smuggling vessel, that + she would not even plead want of light as excuse for want of courtesy. For + running past the royal cutters, who took much longer to come about, she + saluted each of them with deep respect for the swallowtail of his Majesty. + And then she bore on, like the admiral's ship, with signal for all to + follow her. + </p> + <p> + “Such cursed impudence never did I see,” cried every one of the revenue + skippers, as they all were compelled to obey her. “Surrender she must, or + else run upon the rocks. Does the fool know what he is driving at?” + </p> + <p> + The fool, who was Master James Brown of Grimsby, knew very well what he + was about. Every shoal, and sounding, and rocky gut, was thoroughly + familiar to him, and the spread of faint light on the waves and alongshore + told him all his bearings. The loud cackle of laughter, which Grimsby men + (at the cost of the rest of the world) enjoy, was carried by the wind to + the ears of Nettlebones. + </p> + <p> + The latter set fast his teeth, and ground them; for now in the rising of + the large full moon he perceived that the beach of the cove was black with + figures gathering rapidly. “I see the villain's game; it is all clear + now,” he shouted, as he slammed his spy-glass. “He means to run in where + we dare not follow: and he knows that Carroway is out of hail. The hull + may go smash for the sake of the cargo; and his flat-bottomed tub can run + where we can not. I dare not carry after him—court-martial if I do: + that is where those fellows beat us always. But, by the Lord Harry, he + shall not prevail! Guns are no good—the rogue knows that. We will + land round the point, and nab him.” + </p> + <p> + By this time the moon was beginning to open the clouds, and strew the + waves with light; and the vapors, which had lain across the day, defying + all power of sun ray, were gracefully yielding, and departing softly, at + the insinuating whisper of the gliding night. Between the busy rolling of + the distant waves, and the shining prominence of forward cliffs, a quiet + space was left for ships to sail in, and for men to show activity in + shooting one another. And some of these were hurrying to do so, if they + could. + </p> + <p> + “There is little chance of hitting them in this bad light; but let them + have it, Jakins; and a guinea for you, if you can only bring that big + mainsail down.” + </p> + <p> + The gunner was yearning for this, and the bellow of his piece responded to + the captain's words. But the shot only threw up a long path of fountains, + and the bilander ploughed on as merrily as before. + </p> + <p> + “Hard aport! By the Lord, I felt her touch! Go about! So, so—easy! + Now lie to, for Kestrel and Albatross to join. My certy! but that was a + narrow shave. How the beggar would have laughed if we had grounded! Give + them another shot. It will do the gun good; she wants a little exercise.” + </p> + <p> + Nothing loath was master gunner, as the other bow-gun came into bearing, + to make a little more noise in the world, and possibly produce a greater + effect. And therein he must have had a grand success, and established a + noble reputation, by carrying off a great Grimsby head, if he only had + attended to a little matter. Gunner Jakins was a celebrated shot, and the + miss he had made stirred him up to shoot again. If the other gun was + crooked, this one should be straight; and dark as it was inshore, he got a + patch of white ground to sight by. The bilander was a good sizable object, + and not to hit her anywhere would be too bad. He considered these things + carefully, and cocked both eyes, with a twinkling ambiguity between them; + then trusting mainly to the left one, as an ancient gunner for the most + part does, he watched the due moment, and fired. The smoke curled over the + sea, and so did the Dutchman's maintop-sail, for the mast beneath it was + cut clean through. Some of the crew were frightened, as may be the bravest + man when for the first time shot at; but James Brown rubbed his horny + hands. + </p> + <p> + “Now this is a good judgment for that younker Robin Lyth,” he shouted + aloud, with the glory of a man who has verified his own opinions. “He puts + all the danger upon his elders, and tells them there is none of it. A' + might just as well have been my head, if a wave hadn't lifted the muzzle + when that straight-eyed chap let fire. Bear a hand, boys, and cut away the + wreck. He hathn't got never another shot to send. He hath saved us trouble + o' shortening that there canvas. We don't need too much way on her.” + </p> + <p> + This was true enough, as all hands knew; for the craft was bound to take + the beach, without going to pieces yet awhile. Jem Brown stood at the + wheel himself, and carried her in with consummate skill. + </p> + <p> + “It goeth to my heart to throw away good stuff,” he grumbled at almost + every creak. “Two hunder pound I would 'a paid myself for this here piece + of timber. Steady as a light-house, and as handy as a mop; but what do + they young fellows care? There, now, my lads, hold your legs a moment; and + now make your best of that.” + </p> + <p> + With a crash, and a grating, and a long sad grind, the nuptial ark of the + wealthy Dutchman cast herself into her last bed and berth. + </p> + <p> + “I done it right well,” said the Grimsby man. + </p> + <p> + The poor old bilander had made herself such a hole in the shingle that she + rolled no more, but only lifted at the stern and groaned, as the quiet + waves swept under her. The beach was swarming with men, who gave her a + cheer, and flung their hats up; and in two or three minutes as many + gangways of timber and rope were rigged to her hawse-holes, or + fore-chains, or almost anywhere. And then the rolling of puncheons began, + and the hoisting of bales, and the thump and the creak, and the laughter, + and the swearing. + </p> + <p> + “Now be you partiklar, uncommon partiklar; never start a stave nor fray a + bale. Powerful precious stuff this time. Gold every bit of it, if it are a + penny. They blessed coast-riders will be on us round the point. But never + you hurry, lads, the more for that. Better a'most to let 'em have it, than + damage a drop or a thread of such goods.” + </p> + <p> + “All right, Cappen Brown. Don't you be so wonnerful unaisy. Not the first + time we have handled such stuff.” + </p> + <p> + “I'm not so sure of that,” replied Brown, as he lit a short pipe and began + to puff. “I've a-run some afore, but never none so precious.” + </p> + <p> + Then the men of the coast and the sailors worked with a will, by the broad + light of the moon, which showed their brawny arms and panting chests, with + the hoisting, and the heaving, and the rolling. In less than an hour + three-fourths of the cargo was landed, and some already stowed inland, + where no Preventive eye could penetrate. Then Captain Brown put away his + pipe, and was busy, in a dark empty part of the hold, with some barrels of + his own, which he covered with a sailcloth. + </p> + <p> + Presently the tramp of marching men was heard in a lane on the north side + of the cove, and then the like sound echoed from the south. “Now never you + hurry,” said the Grimsby man. The others, however, could not attain such + standard of equanimity. They fell into sudden confusion, and babble of + tongues, and hesitation—everybody longing to be off, but nobody + liking to run without something good. And to get away with anything at all + substantial, even in the dark, was difficult, because there were cliffs in + front, and the flanks would be stopped by men with cutlasses. + </p> + <p> + “Ston' you still,” cried Captain Brown; “never you budge, ne'er a one of + ye. I stands upon my legitimacy; and I answer for the consekence. I takes + all responsibility.” + </p> + <p> + Like all honest Britons, they loved long words, and they knew that if the + worst came to the worst, a mere broken head or two would make all + straight; so they huddled together in the moonlight waiting, and no one + desired to be the outside man. And while they were striving for precedence + toward the middle, the coast-guards from either side marched upon them, + according to their very best drill and in high discipline, to knock down + almost any man with the pommel of the sword. + </p> + <p> + But the smugglers also showed high discipline under the commanding voice + of Captain Brown. + </p> + <p> + “Every man ston' with his hands to his sides, and ask of they sojjers for + a pinch of bacca.” + </p> + <p> + This made them laugh, till Captain Nettlebones strode up. + </p> + <p> + “In the name of his Majesty, surrender, all you fellows. You are fairly + caught in the very act of landing a large run of goods contraband. It is + high time to make an example of you. Where is your skipper, lads? Robin + Lyth, come forth.” + </p> + <p> + “May it please your good honor and his Majesty's commission,” said Brown, + in his full, round voice, as he walked down the broadest of the gangways + leisurely, “my name is not Robin Lyth, but James Brown, a family man of + Grimsby, and an honest trader upon the high seas. My cargo is medical + water and rags, mainly for the use of the revenue men, by reason they + han't had their new uniforms this twelve months.” + </p> + <p> + Several of the enemy began to giggle, for their winter supply of clothes + had failed, through some lapse of the department. But Nettlebones marched + up, and collared Captain Brown, and said, “You are my prisoner, sir. + Surrender, Robin Lyth, this moment.” Brown made no resistance, but + respectfully touched his hat, and thought. + </p> + <p> + “I were trying to call upon my memory,” he said, as the revenue officer + led him aside, and promised him that he should get off easily if he would + only give up his chief. “I am not going to deny, your honor, that I have + heard tell of that name 'Robin Lyth.' But my memory never do come in a + moment. Now were he a man in the contraband line?” + </p> + <p> + “Brown, you want to provoke me. It will only be ten times worse for you. + Now give him up like an honest fellow, and I will do my best for you. I + might even let a few tubs slip by.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, I am a stranger round these parts; and the lingo is beyond me. Tubs + is a bucket as the women use for washing. Never I heared of any other sort + of tubs. But my mate he knoweth more of Yorkshire talk. Jack, here his + honor is a-speaking about tubs; ever you hear of tubs, Jack?” + </p> + <p> + “Make the villain fast to yonder mooring-post,” shouted Nettlebones, + losing his temper; “and one of you stand by him, with a hanger ready. Now, + Master Brown, we'll see what tubs are, if you please; and what sort of + rags you land at night. One chance more for you—will you give up + Robin Lyth?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir, that I will, without two thoughts about 'un. Only too happy, as + the young women say, to give 'un up, quick stick—so soon as ever I + ha' got 'un.” + </p> + <p> + “If ever there was a contumacious rogue! Roll up a couple of those + puncheons, Mr. Avery; and now light half a dozen links. Have you got your + spigot-heels—and rummers? Very good; Lieutenant Donovan, Mr. Avery, + and Senior Volunteer Brett, oblige me by standing by to verify. Gentlemen, + we will endeavor to hold what is judicially called an assay—a proof + of the purity of substances. The brand on these casks is of the very + highest order—the renowned Mynheer Van Dunck himself. Donovan, you + shall be our foreman; I have heard you say that you understood ardent + spirits from your birth.” + </p> + <p> + “Faix, and I quite forget, commander, whether I was weaned on or off of + them. But the foine judge me father was come down till me—honey, + don't be narvous; slope it well, then—a little thick, is it? All the + richer for that same, me boy. Commander, here's the good health of his + Majesty—Oh Lord!” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Corkoran Donovan fell down upon the shingle, and rolled and bellowed: + “Sure me inside's out! 'Tis poisoned I am, every mortial bit o' me. A + docthor, a docthor, and a praste, to kill me! That ever I should live to + die like this! Ochone, ochone, every bit of me; to be brought forth upon + good whiskey, and go out of the world upon docthor's stuff!” + </p> + <p> + “Most folk does that, when they ought to turn ends t'otherwise.” James + Brown of Grimsby could see how things were going, though his power to aid + was restricted by a double turn of rope around him; but a kind hand had + given him a pipe, and his manner was to take things easily. “Commander, or + captain, or whatever you be, with your king's clothes, constructing a hole + in they flints, never you fear, sir. 'Tis medical water, and your own wife + wouldn't know you to-morrow. Your complexion will be like a hangel's.” + </p> + <p> + “You d——d rogue,” cried Nettlebones, striding up, with his + sword flashing in the link-lights, “if ever I had a mind to cut any man + down—” + </p> + <p> + “Well, sir, do it, then, upon a roped man, if the honor of the British + navy calleth for it. My will is made, and my widow will have action; and + the executioner of my will is a Grimsby man, with a pile of money made in + the line of salt fish, and such like.” + </p> + <p> + “Brown, you are a brave man. I would scorn to harm you. Now, upon your + honor, are all your puncheons filled with that stuff, and nothing else?” + </p> + <p> + “Upon my word of honor, sir, they are. Some a little weaker, some with + more bilge-water in it, or a trifle of a dash from the midden. The main of + it, however, in the very same condition as a' bubbleth out of what they + call the spawses. Why, captain, you must 'a lived long enough to know, + partiklar if gifted with a family, that no sort of spirit as were ever + stilled will fetch so much money by the gallon, duty paid, as the doctor's + stuff doth by the phial-bottle.” + </p> + <p> + “That is true enough; but no lies, Brown, particularly when upon your + honor! If you were importing doctor's stuff, why did you lead us such a + dance, and stand fire?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, your honor, you must promise not to be offended, if I tell you of a + little mistake we made. We heared a sight of talk about some pirate craft + as hoisteth his Majesty's flag upon their villainy. And when first you + come up, in the dusk of the night—” + </p> + <p> + “You are the most impudent rogue I ever saw. Show your bills of lading, + sir. You know his Majesty's revenue cruisers as well as I know your + smuggling tub.” + </p> + <p> + “Ship's papers are aboard of her, all correct, sir. Keys at your service, + if you please to feel my pocket, objecting to let my hands loose.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well, I must go on board of her, and test a few of your puncheons + and bales, Master Brown. Locker in the master's own cabin, I suppose?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir, plain as can be, on the starboard side, just behind the cabin + door. Only your honor must be smart about it; the time-fuse can't 'a got + three inches left.” + </p> + <p> + “Time-fuse? What do you mean, you Grimsby villain?” + </p> + <p> + “Nothing, commander, but to keep you out of mischief. When we were + compelled to beach the old craft, for fear of them scoundrelly pirates, it + came into my head what a pity it would be to have her used illegal; for + she do outsail a'most everything, as your honor can bear witness. So I + just laid a half-hour fuse to three big-powder barrels as is down there in + the hold; and I expect to see a blow-up almost every moment. But your + honor might be in time yet, with a run, and good luck to your foot, you + might—” + </p> + <p> + “Back, lads! back every one of you this moment!” The first concern of + Nettlebones was rightly for his men. “Under the cliff here. Keep well + back. Push out those smuggler fellows into the middle. Let them have the + benefit of their own inventions, and this impudent Brown the foremost. + They have laid a train to their powder barrels, and the lugger will blow + up any moment.” + </p> + <p> + “No fear for me, commander,” James Brown shouted through the hurry and + jostle of a hundred runaways. “More fear for that poor man as lieth there + a-lurching. She won't hit me when she bloweth up, no more than your honor + could. But surely your duty demandeth of you to board the old bilander, + and take samples.” + </p> + <p> + “Sample enough of you, my friend. But I haven't quite done with you yet. + Simpson, here, bear a hand with poor Lieutenant Donovan.” + </p> + <p> + Nettlebones set a good example by lifting the prostrate Irishman; and they + bore him into safety, and drew up there; while the beachmen, forbidden the + shelter at point of cutlass, made off right and left; and then, with a + crash that shook the strand and drove back the water in a white turmoil, + the Crown of Gold flew into a fount of timbers, splinters, shreds, smoke, + fire, and dust. + </p> + <p> + “Gentlemen, you may come out of your holes,” the Grimsby man shouted from + his mooring-post, as the echoes ran along the cliffs, and rolled to and + fro in the distance. “My old woman will miss a piece of my pigtail, but + she hathn't hurt her old skipper else. She blowed up handsome, and no + mistake! No more danger, gentlemen, and plenty of stuff to pick up afore + next pay-day.” + </p> + <p> + “What shall we do with that insolent hound?” Nettlebones asked poor + Donovan, who was groaning in slow convalescence. “We have caught him in + nothing. We can not commit him; we can not even duck him legally.” + </p> + <p> + “Be jabers, let him drink his health in his own potheen.” + </p> + <p> + “Capital! Bravo for old Ireland, my friend! You shall see it done, and + handsomely. Brown, you recommend these waters, so you shall have a dose of + them.” + </p> + <p> + A piece of old truncate kelp was found, as good a drinking horn as need + be; and with this Captain Brown was forced to swallow half a bucketful of + his own “medical water”; and they left him fast at his moorings, to + reflect upon this form of importation. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0033" id="link2HCH0033"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXIII + </h2> + <h3> + BEARDED IN HIS DEN + </h3> + <p> + “What do you think of it by this time, Bowler?” Commander Nettlebones + asked his second, who had been left in command afloat, and to whom they + rowed back in a wrathful mood, with a good deal of impression that the + fault was his, “You have been taking it easily out here. What do you think + of the whole of it?” + </p> + <p> + “I have simply obeyed your orders, sir; and if I am to be blamed for that, + I had better offer no opinion.” + </p> + <p> + “No, no, I am finding no fault with you. Don't be so tetchy, Bowler. I + seek your opinion, and you are bound to give it.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, then, sir, my opinion is that they have made fools of the lot of + us, excepting, of course, my superior officer.” + </p> + <p> + “You think so, Bowler? Well, and so do I—and myself the biggest fool + of any. They have charged our centre with a dummy cargo, while they run + the real stuff far on either flank. Is that your opinion?” + </p> + <p> + “To a nicety, that is my opinion, now that you put it so clearly, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “The trick is a clumsy one, and never should succeed. Carroway ought to + catch one lot, if he has a haporth of sense in him. What is the time now; + and how is the wind?” + </p> + <p> + “I hear a church clock striking twelve; and by the moon it must be that. + The wind is still from the shore, but veering, and I felt a flaw from the + east just now.” + </p> + <p> + “If the wind works round, our turn will come. Is Donovan fit for duty + yet?” + </p> + <p> + “Ten times fit, sir—to use his own expression. He is burning to have + at somebody. His eyes work about like the binnacle's card.” + </p> + <p> + “Then board him, and order him to make all sail for Burlington, and see + what old Carroway is up to. You be off for Whitby, and as far as + Teesmouth, looking into every cove you pass. I shall stand off and on from + this to Scarborough, and as far as Filey. Short measures, mind, if you + come across them. If I nab that fellow Lyth, I shall go near to hanging + him as a felon outlaw. His trick is a little too outrageous.” + </p> + <p> + “No fear, commander. If it is as we suppose, it is high time to make a + strong example.” + </p> + <p> + Hours had been lost, as the captains of the cruisers knew too well by this + time. Robin Lyth's stratagem had duped them all, while the contraband + cargoes might be landed safely, at either extremity of their heat. By the + aid of the fishing-boats, he had learned their manoeuvres clearly, and + outmanoeuvred them. + </p> + <p> + Now it would have been better for him, perhaps, to have been content with + a lesser triumph, and to run his own schooner, the Glimpse, further south, + toward Hornsea, or even Aldbrough. Nothing, however, would satisfy him but + to land his fine cargo at Carroway's own door—a piece of downright + insolence, for which he paid out most bitterly. A man of his courage and + lofty fame should have been above such vindictive feelings. But, as it + was, he cherished and, alas! indulged a certain small grudge against the + bold lieutenant, scarcely so much for endeavoring to shoot him, as for + entrapping him at Byrsa Cottage, during the very sweetest moment of his + life. “You broke in disgracefully,” said the smuggler to himself, “upon my + privacy when it should have been most sacred. The least thing I can do is + to return your visit, and pay my respects to Mrs. Carroway and your + interesting family.” + </p> + <p> + Little expecting such a courtesy as this, the vigilant officer was + hurrying about, here, there, and almost everywhere (except in the right + direction), at one time by pinnace, at another upon horseback, or on his + unwearied though unequal feet. He carried his sword in one hand, and his + spy-glass in the other, and at every fog he swore so hard that he seemed + to turn it yellow. With his heart worn almost into holes, as an + overmangled quilt is, by burdensome roll of perpetual lies, he condemned, + with a round mouth, smugglers, cutters, the coast-guard and the coast + itself, the weather, and, with a deeper depth of condemnation, the + farmers, landladies, and fishermen. For all of these verily seemed to be + in league to play him the game which school-boys play with a gentle-faced + new-comer—the game of “send the fool further.” + </p> + <p> + John Gristhorp, of the “Ship Inn,” at Filey, had turned out his visitors, + barred his door, and was counting his money by the fireside, with his wife + grumbling at him for such late hours as half past ten of the clock in the + bar, that night when the poor bilander ended her long career as aforesaid. + Then a thundering knock at the door just fastened made him upset a little + pyramid of pence, and catch up the iron candlestick. + </p> + <p> + “None of your roistering here!” cried the lady. “John, you know better + than to let them in, I hope.” + </p> + <p> + “Copper coomth by daa, goold coomth t'naight-time,” the sturdy publican + answered, though resolved to learn who it was before unbarring. + </p> + <p> + “In the name of the King, undo this door,” a deep stern voice resounded, + “or by royal command we make splinters of it.” + </p> + <p> + “It is that horrible Carroway again,” whispered Mrs. Gristhorp. “Much gold + comes of him, I doubt. Let him in if you dare, John.” + </p> + <p> + “'Keep ma oot, if ye de-arr,' saith he. Ah'll awand here's the tail o' + it.” + </p> + <p> + While Gristhorp, in wholesome fealty to his wife, was doubting, the door + flew open, and in marched Carroway and all his men, or at least all save + one of his present following. He had ordered his pinnace to meet him here, + himself having ridden from Scarborough, and the pinnace had brought the + jolly-boat in tow, according to his directions. The men had landed with + the jolly-boat, which was handier for beach work, leaving one of their + number to mind the larger craft while they should refresh themselves. They + were nine in all, and Carroway himself the tenth, all sturdy fellows, and + for the main of it tolerably honest; Cadman, Ellis, and Dick Hackerbody, + and one more man from Bridlington, the rest a re-enforcement from Spurn + Head, called up for occasion. + </p> + <p> + “Landlord, produce your best, and quickly,” the officer said, as he threw + himself into the arm-chair of state, being thoroughly tired. “In one + hour's time we must be off. Therefore, John, bring nothing tough, for our + stomachs are better than our teeth. A shilling per head is his Majesty's + price, and half a crown for officers. Now a gallon of ale, to begin with.” + </p> + <p> + Gristhorp, being a prudent man, brought the very toughest parts of his + larder forth, with his wife giving nudge to his elbow. All, and especially + Carroway, too hungry for nice criticism, fell to, by the light of three + tallow candles, and were just getting into the heart of it, when the + rattle of horseshoes on the pitch-stones shook the long low window, and a + little boy came staggering in, with scanty breath, and dazzled eyes, and a + long face pale with hurrying so. + </p> + <p> + “Why, Tom, my boy!” the lieutenant cried, jumping up so suddenly that he + overturned the little table at which he was feeding by himself, to + preserve the proper discipline. “Tom, my darling, what has brought you + here? Anything wrong with your mother?” + </p> + <p> + “Nobody wouldn't come, but me,” Carroway's eldest son began to gasp, with + his mouth full of crying; “and I borrowed Butcher Hewson's pony, and he's + going to charge five shillings for it.” + </p> + <p> + “Never mind that. We shall not have to pay it. But what is it all about, + my son?” + </p> + <p> + “About the men that are landing the things, just opposite our front door, + father. They have got seven carts, and a wagon with three horses, and one + of the horses is three colors; and ever so many ponies, more than you + could count.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, then, may I be forever”—here the lieutenant used an + expression which not only was in breach of the third commandment, but + might lead his son to think less of the fifth—“if it isn't more than + I can bear! To be running a cargo at my own hall door!” He had a passage + large enough to hang three hats in, which the lady of the house always + called “the hall.” “Very well, very good, very fine indeed! You sons of”—an + animal that is not yet accounted the mother of the human race—“have + you done guzzling and swizzling?” + </p> + <p> + The men who were new to his orders jumped up, for they liked his + expressions, by way of a change; but the Bridlington squad stuck to their + trenchers. “Ready in five minutes, sir,” said Cadman, with a glance + neither loving nor respectful. + </p> + <p> + “If ever there was an old hog for the trough, the name of him is John + Cadman. In ten minutes, lads, we must all be afloat.” + </p> + <p> + “One more against you,” muttered Cadman; and a shrewd quiet man from Spurn + Head, Adam Andrews, heard him, and took heed of him. + </p> + <p> + While the men of the coast-guard were hurrying down to make ready the + jolly-boat and hail the pinnace, Carroway stopped to pay the score, and to + give his son some beer and meat. The thirsty little fellow drained his + cup, and filled his mouth and both hands with food, while the landlady + picked out the best bits for him. + </p> + <p> + “Don't talk, my son—don't try to talk,” said Carroway, looking + proudly at him, while the boy was struggling to tell his adventures, + without loss of feeding-time; “you are a chip of the old block, Tom, for + victualling, and for riding too. Kind madam, you never saw such a boy + before. Mark my words, he will do more in the world than ever his father + did, and his father was pretty well known in his time, in the Royal Navy, + ma'am. To have stuck to his horse all that way in the dark was wonderful, + perfectly wonderful. And the horse blows more than the rider, ma'am, which + is quite beyond my experience. Now, Tom, ride home very carefully and + slowly, if you feel quite equal to it. The Lord has watched over you, and + He will continue, as He does with brave folk that do their duty. Half a + crown you shall have, all for yourself, and the sixpenny boat that you + longed for in the shops. Keep out of the way of the smugglers, Tom; don't + let them even clap eyes on you. Kiss me, my son; I am proud of you.” + </p> + <p> + Little Tom long remembered this; and his mother cried over it hundreds of + times. + </p> + <p> + Although it was getting on for midnight now, Master Gristhorp and his wife + came out into the road before their house, to see the departure of their + guests. And this they could do well, because the moon had cleared all the + fog away, and was standing in a good part of the sky for throwing clear + light upon Filey. Along the uncovered ridge of shore, which served for a + road, and was better than a road, the boy and the pony grew smaller; while + upon the silvery sea the same thing happened to the pinnace, with her + white sails bending, and her six oars glistening. + </p> + <p> + “The world goeth up, and the world goeth down,” said the lady, with her + arms akimbo; “and the moon goeth over the whole of us, John; but to my + heart I do pity poor folk as canna count the time to have the sniff of + their own blankets.” + </p> + <p> + “Margery, I loikes the moon, as young as ever ye da. But I sooner see the + snuff of our own taller, a-going out, fra the bed-curtings.” + </p> + <p> + Shaking their heads with concrete wisdom, they managed to bar the door + again, and blessing their stars that they did not often want them, took + shelter beneath the quiet canopy of bed. And when they heard by-and-by + what had happened, it cost them a week apiece to believe it; because with + their own eyes they had seen everything so peaceable, and had such a good + night afterward. + </p> + <p> + When a thing is least expected, then it loves to come to pass, and then it + is enjoyed the most, whatever good there is of it. After the fog and the + slur of the day, to see the sky at all was joyful, although there was but + a white moon upon it, and faint stars gliding hazily. And it was a great + point for every man to be satisfied as to where he was; because that helps + him vastly toward being satisfied to be there. The men in the pinnace + could see exactly where they were in this world; and as to the other + world, their place was fixed—if discipline be an abiding gift—by + the stern precision of their commander in ordering the lot of them to the + devil. They carried all sail, and they pulled six oars, and the wind and + sea ran after them. + </p> + <p> + “Ha! I see something!” Carroway cried, after a league or more of swearing. + “Dick, the night glass; my eyes are sore. What do you make her out for?” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, she is the Spurn Head yawl,” answered Dick Hackerbody, who was famed + for long sight, but could see nothing with a telescope. “I can see the + patch of her foresail.” + </p> + <p> + “She is looking for us. We are the wrong way of the moon. Ship oars, lads; + bear up for her.” + </p> + <p> + In ten minutes' time the two boats came to speaking distance off Bempton + Cliffs, and the windmill, that vexed Willie Anerley so, looked bare and + black on the highland. There were only two men in the Spurn Head boat—not + half enough to manage her. “Well, what is it?” shouted Carroway. + </p> + <p> + “Robin Lyth has made his land-fall on Burlington Sands, opposite your + honor's door, sir. There was only two of us to stop him, and the man as is + deaf and dumb.” + </p> + <p> + “I know it,” said Carroway, too wroth to swear. “My boy of eight years old + is worth the entire boiling of you. You got into a rabbit-hole, and ran to + tell your mammy.” + </p> + <p> + “Captain, I never had no mammy,” the other man answered, with his feelings + hurt. “I come to tell you, sir; and something, if you please, for your own + ear, if agreeable.” + </p> + <p> + “Nothing is agreeable. But let me have it. Hold on; I will come aboard of + you.” + </p> + <p> + The lieutenant stepped into the Spurn Head boat with confident activity, + and ordered his own to haul off a little, while the stranger bent down to + him in the stern, and whispered. + </p> + <p> + “Now are you quite certain of this?” asked Carroway, with his grim face + glowing in the moonlight, “I have had such a heap of cock and bulls about + it. Morcom, are you certain?” + </p> + <p> + “As certain, sir, as that I stand here, and you sit there, commander. Put + me under guard, with a pistol to my ear, and shoot me if it turns out to + be a lie.” + </p> + <p> + “The Dovecote, you say? You are quite sure of that, and not the Kirk Cave, + or Lyth's Hole?” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, the Dovecote, and no other. I had it from my own young brother, who + has been cheated of his share. And I know it from my own eyes too.” + </p> + <p> + “Then, by the Lord in heaven, Morcom, I shall have my revenge at last; and + I shall not stand upon niceties. If I call for the jolly-boat, you step + in. I doubt if either of these will enter.” + </p> + <p> + It was more than a fortnight since the lieutenant had received the + attentions of a barber, and when he returned to his own boat, and changed + her course inshore, he looked most bristly even in the moonlight. The sea + and the moon between them gave quite light enough to show how gaunt he was—the + aspect of a man who can not thrive without his children to make play, and + his wife to do cookery for him. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0034" id="link2HCH0034"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXIV + </h2> + <h3> + THE DOVECOTE + </h3> + <p> + With the tiller in his hand, the brave lieutenant meditated sadly. There + was plenty of time for thought before quick action would be needed, + although the Dovecote was so near that no boat could come out of it + unseen. For the pinnace was fetching a circuit, so as to escape the eyes + of any sentinel, if such there should be at the mouth of the cavern, and + to come upon the inlet suddenly. And the two other revenue boats were in + her wake. + </p> + <p> + The wind was slowly veering toward the east, as the Grimsby man had + predicted, with no sign of any storm as yet, but rather a prospect of + winterly weather, and a breeze to bring the woodcocks in. The gentle rise + and fall of waves, or rather, perhaps, of the tidal flow, was checkered + and veined with a ripple of the slanting breeze, and twinkled in the + moonbeams. For the moon was brightly mounting toward her zenith, and + casting bastions of rugged cliff in gloomy largeness on the mirror of the + sea. Hugging these as closely as their peril would allow, Carroway ordered + silence, and with the sense of coming danger thought: + </p> + <p> + “Probably I shall kill this man. He will scarcely be taken alive, I fear. + He is as brave as myself, or braver; and in his place I would never yield. + If he were a Frenchman, it would be all right. But I hate to kill a + gallant Englishman. And such a pretty girl, and a good girl too, loves him + with all her heart, I know. And that good old couple who depend upon him, + and who have had such shocking luck themselves! He has been a bitter + plague to me, and often I have longed to strike him down. But to-night—I + can not tell why it is—I wish there were some way out of it. God + knows that I would give up the money, and give up my thief-catching + business too, if the honor of the service let me. But duty drives me; do + it I must. And after all, what is life to a man who is young, and has no + children? Better over, better done with, before the troubles and the + disappointment come, the weariness, and the loss of power, and the sense + of growing old, and seeing the little ones hungry. Life is such a fleeting + vapor—I smell some man sucking peppermint! The smell of it goes on + the wind for a mile. Oh! Cadman again, as usual. Peppermint in the Royal + Coast-Guard! Away with it, you ancient beldame!” + </p> + <p> + Muttering something about his bad tooth, the man flung his lozenge away; + and his eyes flashed fire in the moonlight, while the rest grinned a low + grin at him. And Adam Andrews, sitting next him, saw him lay hands upon + his musketoon. + </p> + <p> + “Are your firelocks all primed, my lads?” the commander asked, quite as if + he had seen him, although he had not been noticing; and the foremost to + answer “Ay, ay, sir,” was Cadman. + </p> + <p> + “Then be sure that you fire not, except at my command. We will take them + without shedding blood, if it may be. But happen what will, we must have + Lyth.” + </p> + <p> + With these words, Carroway drew his sword, and laid it on the bench beside + him; and the rest (who would rather use steel than powder) felt that their + hangers were ready. Few of them wished to strike at all; for vexed as they + were with the smugglers for having outwitted them so often, as yet there + was no bad blood between them, such as must be quenched with death. And + some of them had friends, and even relatives, among the large body of + free-traders, and counted it too likely that they might be here. + </p> + <p> + Meanwhile in the cave there was rare work going on, speedily, cleverly, + and with a merry noise. There was only one boat, with a crew of six men, + besides Robin Lyth the captain; but the six men made noise enough for + twelve, and the echoes made it into twice enough for any twenty-four. The + crew were trusty, hardy fellows, who liked their joke, and could work with + it; and Robin Lyth knew them too well to attempt any high authority of + gagging. The main of their cargo was landed and gone inland, as snugly as + need be; and having kept beautifully sober over that, they were taking the + liberty of beginning to say, or rather sip, the grace of the fine + indulgence due to them. + </p> + <p> + Pleasant times make pleasant scenes, and everything now was fair and large + in this happy cave of freedom. Lights of bright resin were burning, with + strong flare and fume, upon shelves of rock; dark water softly went + lapping round the sides, having dropped all rude habits at the entrance; + and a pulse of quiet rise and fall opened, and spread to the discovery of + light, tremulous fronds and fans of kelp. The cavern, expanding and + mounting from the long narrow gut of its inlet, shone with staves of snowy + crag wherever the scour of the tide ran round; bulged and scooped, or + peaked and fissured, and sometimes beautifully sculptured by the pliant + tools of water. Above the tide-reach darker hues prevailed, and more + jagged outline, tufted here and there with yellow, where the lichen + freckles spread. And the vault was framed of mountain fabric, massed with + ponderous gray slabs. + </p> + <p> + All below was limpid water, or at any rate not very muddy, but as bright + as need be for the time of year, and a sea which is not tropical. No one + may hope to see the bottom through ten feet of water on the Yorkshire + coast, toward the end of the month of November; but still it tries to look + clear upon occasion; and here in the caves it settles down, after even a + week free from churning. And perhaps the fog outside had helped it to look + clearer inside; for the larger world has a share of the spirit of + contrariety intensified in man. + </p> + <p> + Be that as it may, the water was too clear for any hope of sinking tubs + deeper than Preventive eyes could go; and the very honest fellows who were + laboring here had not brought any tubs to sink. All such coarse gear was + shipped off inland, as they vigorously expressed it; and what they were + concerned with now was the cream and the jewel of their enterprise. + </p> + <p> + The sea reserved exclusive right of way around the rocky sides, without + even a niche for human foot, so far as a stranger could perceive. At the + furthermost end of the cave, however, the craggy basin had a lip of flinty + pebbles and shelly sand. This was no more than a very narrow shelf, just + enough for a bather to plunge from; but it ran across the broad end of the + cavern, and from its southern corner went a deep dry fissure mounting out + of sight into the body of the cliff. And here the smugglers were merrily + at work. + </p> + <p> + The nose of their boat was run high upon the shingle; two men on board of + her were passing out the bales, while the other four received them, and + staggered with them up the cranny. Captain Lyth himself was in the + stern-sheets, sitting calmly, but ordering everything, and jotting down + the numbers. Now and then the gentle wash was lifting the brown timbers, + and swelling with a sleepy gush of hushing murmurs out of sight. And now + and then the heavy vault was echoing with some sailor's song. + </p> + <p> + There was only one more bale to land, and that the most precious of the + whole, being all pure lace most closely packed in a water-proof inclosure. + Robin Lyth himself was ready to indulge in a careless song. For this, as + he had promised Mary, was to be his last illegal act. Henceforth, instead + of defrauding the revenue, he would most loyally cheat the public, as + every reputable tradesman must. How could any man serve his time more + notably, toward shop-keeping, and pave fairer way into the corporation of + a grandly corrupt old English town, than by long graduation of free trade? + And Robin was yet too young and careless to know that he could not endure + dull work. “How pleasant, how comfortable, how secure,” he was saying to + himself, “it will be! I shall hardly be able to believe that I ever lived + in hardship.” + </p> + <p> + But the great laws of human nature were not to be balked so. Robin Lyth, + the prince of smugglers, and the type of hardihood, was never to wear a + grocer's apron, was never to be “licensed to sell tea, coffee, tobacco, + pepper, and snuff.” For while he indulged in this vain dream, and was + lifting his last most precious bale, a surge of neither wind nor tide, but + of hostile invasion, washed the rocks, and broke beneath his feet. + </p> + <p> + In a moment all his wits returned, all his plenitude of resource, and + unequalled vigor and coolness. With his left hand—for he was as + ambidexter as a brave writer of this age requires—he caught up a + handspike, and hurled it so truly along the line of torches that only two + were left to blink; with his right he flung the last bale upon the shelf; + then leaped out after it, and hurried it away. Then he sprang into the + boat again, and held an oar in either hand. + </p> + <p> + “In the name of the king, surrender,” shouted Carroway, standing, tall and + grim, in the bow of the pinnace, which he had skillfully driven through + the entrance, leaving the other boats outside. “We are three to one, we + have muskets, and a cannon. In the name of the king, surrender.” + </p> + <p> + “In the name of the devil, splash!” cried Robin, suiting the action to the + word, striking the water with both broad blades, while his men snatched + oars and did the same. A whirl of flashing water filled the cave, as if + with a tempest, soaked poor Carroway, and drenched his sword, and deluged + the priming of the hostile guns. All was uproar, turmoil, and confusion + thrice confounded; no man could tell where he was, and the grappling boats + reeled to and fro. + </p> + <p> + “Club your muskets, and at 'em!” cried the lieutenant, mad with rage, as + the gunwale of his boat swung over. “Their blood be upon their own heads; + draw your hangers, and at 'em!” + </p> + <p> + He never spoke another word, but furiously leaping at the smuggler chief, + fell back into his own boat, and died, without a syllable, without a + groan. The roar of a gun and the smoke of powder mingled with the watery + hubbub, and hushed in a moment all the oaths of conflict. + </p> + <p> + The revenue men drew back and sheathed their cutlasses, and laid down + their guns; some looked with terror at one another, and some at their dead + commander. His body lay across the heel of the mast, which had been + unstepped at his order; and a heavy drip of blood was weltering into a + ring upon the floor. + </p> + <p> + For several moments no one spoke, nor moved, nor listened carefully; but + the fall of the poor lieutenant's death-drops, like the ticking of a + clock, went on. Until an old tar, who had seen a sight of battles, crooked + his legs across a thwart, and propped up the limp head upon his doubled + knee. + </p> + <p> + “Dead as a door-nail,” he muttered, after laying his ear to the lips, and + one hand on the too impetuous heart, “Who takes command? This is a hanging + job, I'm thinking.” + </p> + <p> + There was nobody to take command, not even a petty officer. The command + fell to the readiest mind, as it must in such catastrophes. “Jem, you do + it,” whispered two or three; and being so elected, he was clear. + </p> + <p> + “Lay her broadside on to the mouth of the cave. Not a man stirs out + without killing me,” old Jem shouted; and to hear a plain voice was sudden + relief to most of them. In the wavering dimness they laid the pinnace + across the narrow entrance, while the smugglers huddled all together in + their boat. “Burn two blue-lights,” cried old Jem; and it was done. + </p> + <p> + “I'm not going to speechify to any cursed murderers,” the old sailor said, + with a sense of authority which made him use mild language; “but take heed + of one thing, I'll blow you all to pieces with this here four-pounder, + without you strikes peremptory.” + </p> + <p> + The brilliance of the blue-lights filled the cavern, throwing out + everybody's attitude and features, especially those of the dead + lieutenant. “A fine job you have made of it this time!” said Jem. + </p> + <p> + They were beaten, they surrendered, they could scarcely even speak to + assert their own innocence of such a wicked job. They submitted to be + bound, and cast down into their boat, imploring only that it might be + there—that they might not be taken to the other boat and laid near + the corpse of Carroway. + </p> + <p> + “Let the white-livered cowards have their way,” the old sailor said, + contemptuously. “Put their captain on the top of them. Now which is Robin + Lyth?” + </p> + <p> + The lights were burned out, and the cave was dark again, except when a + slant of moonlight came through a fissure upon the southern side. The + smugglers muttered something, but they were not heeded. + </p> + <p> + “Never mind, make her fast, fetch her out, you lubbers. We shall see him + well enough when we get outside.” + </p> + <p> + But in spite of all their certainty, they failed of this. They had only + six prisoners, and not one of them was Lyth. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0035" id="link2HCH0035"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXV + </h2> + <h3> + LITTLE CARROWAYS + </h3> + <p> + Mrs. Carroway was always glad to be up quite early in the morning. But + some few mornings seemed to slip in between whiles when, in accordance + with human nature, and its operations in the baby stage, even Lauta + Carroway failed to be about the world before the sun himself. Whenever + this happened she was slightly cross, from the combat of conscience and + self-assertion, which fly at one another worse than any dog and cat. + Geraldine knew that her mother was put out if any one of the household + durst go down the stairs before her. And yet if Geraldine herself held + back, and followed the example of late minutes, she was sure “to catch it + worse,” as the poor child expressed it. + </p> + <p> + If any active youth with a very small income (such as an active youth is + pretty sure to have) wants a good wife, and has the courage to set out + with one, his proper course is to choose the eldest daughter of a numerous + family. When the others come thickly, this daughter of the house gets + worked down into a wonderful perfection of looking after others, while she + overlooks herself. Such a course is even better for her than to have a + step-mother—which also is a goodly thing, but sometimes leads to + sourness. Whereas no girl of any decent staple can revolt against her duty + to her own good mother, and the proud sense of fostering and working for + the little ones. Now Geraldine was wise in all these ways, and pleased to + be called the little woman of the house. + </p> + <p> + The baby had been troublous in the night, and scant of reason, as the + rising race can be, even while so immature; and after being up with it, + and herself producing a long series of noises—which lead to peace + through the born desire of contradiction—the mother fell asleep at + last, perhaps from simple sympathy, and slept beyond her usual hour. But + instead of being grateful for this, she was angry and bitter to any one + awake before her. + </p> + <p> + “I can not tell why it is,” she said to Geraldine, who was toasting a + herring for her brothers and sisters, and enjoying the smell (which was + all that she would get), “but perpetually now you stand exactly like your + father. There is every excuse for your father, because he is an officer, + and has been knocked about, as he always is; but there is no excuse for + you, miss. Put your heel decently under your dress. If we can afford + nothing else, we can surely afford to behave well.” + </p> + <p> + The child made no answer, but tucked her heel in, and went on toasting + nobly, while she counted the waves on the side of the herring, where his + ribs should have been if he were not too fat; and she mentally divided him + into seven pieces, not one of which, alas! would be for hungry Geraldine. + “Tom must have two, after being out all night,” she was saying to herself; + “and to grudge him would be greedy. But the bit of skin upon the + toasting-fork will be for me, I am almost sure.” + </p> + <p> + “Geraldine, the least thing you can do, when I speak to you, is to answer. + This morning you are in a most provoking temper, and giving yourself the + most intolerable airs. And who gave you leave to do your hair like that? + One would fancy that you were some rising court beauty, or a child of the + nobility at the very least, instead of a plain little thing that has to + work—or at any rate that ought to work—to help its poor + mother! Oh, now you are going to cry, I suppose. Let me see a tear, and + you shall go to bed again.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, mother, mother, now what do you think has happened?” little Tom + shouted, as he rushed in from the beach. “Father has caught all the + smugglers, every one, and the Royal George is coming home before a + spanking breeze, with three boats behind her, and they can't be all ours; + and one of them must belong to Robin Lyth himself; and I would almost bet + a penny they have been and shot him; though everybody said that he never + could be shot. Jerry, come and look—never mind the old fish. I never + did see such a sight in all my life. They have got the jib-sail on him, so + he must be dead at last; and instead of half a crown, I am sure to get a + guinea. Come along, Jerry, and perhaps I'll give you some of it!” + </p> + <p> + “Tommy,” said his mother, “you are always so impetuous! I never will + believe in such good luck until I see it. But you have been a wonderfully + good brave boy, and your father may thank you for whatever he has done. I + shall not allow Geraldine to go; for she is not a good child this morning. + And of course I can not go myself, for your father will come home + absolutely starving. And it would not be right for the little ones to go, + if things are at all as you suppose. Now, if I let you go yourself, you + are not to go beyond the flag-staff. Keep far away from the boats, + remember; unless your father calls for you to run on any errand. All the + rest of you go in here, with your bread and milk, and wait until I call + you.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carroway locked all the little ones in a room from which they could + see nothing of the beach, with orders to Cissy, the next girl, to feed + them, and keep them all quiet till she came again. But while she was busy, + with a very lively stir, to fetch out whatever could be found of fatness + or grease that could be hoped to turn to gravy in the pan—for + Carroway, being so lean, loved fat, and to put a fish before him was an + insult to his bones—just at the moment when she had struck oil, in + the shape of a very fat chop, from forth a stew, which had beaten all the + children by stearine inertia—then at this moment, when she was + rejoicing, the latch of the door clicked, and a man came in. + </p> + <p> + “Whoever you are, you seem to me to make yourself very much at home,” the + lady said, sharply, without turning round, because she supposed it to be a + well-accustomed enemy, armed with that odious “little bill.” The intruder + made no answer, and she turned to rate him thoroughly; but the petulance + of her eyes drew back before the sad stern gaze of his. “Who are you, and + what do you want?” she asked, with a yellow dish in one hand, and a + frying-pan in the other. “Geraldine, come here: that man looks wild.” + </p> + <p> + Her visitor did look wild enough, but without any menace in his sorrowful + dark eyes. “Can't the man speak?” she cried. “Are you mad, or starving? We + are not very rich; but we can give you bread, poor fellow. Captain + Carroway will be at home directly, and he will see what can be done for + you.” + </p> + <p> + “Have you not heard of the thing that has been done?” the young man asked + her, word by word, and staying himself with one hand upon the dresser, + because he was trembling dreadfully. + </p> + <p> + “Yes, I have heard of it all. They have shot the smuggler Robin Lyth at + last. I am very sorry for him. But it was needful; and he had no family.” + </p> + <p> + “Lady, I am Robin Lyth. I have not been shot; nor even shot at. The man + that has been shot, I know not how, instead of me, was—was somebody + quite different. With all my heart I wish it had been me; and no more + trouble.” + </p> + <p> + He looked at the mother and the little girl, and sobbed, and fell upon a + salting stool, which was to have been used that morning. Then, while Mrs. + Carroway stood bewildered, Geraldine ran up to him, and took his hand, and + said: “Don't cry. My papa says that men never cry. And I am so glad that + you were not shot.” + </p> + <p> + “See me kiss her,” said Robin Lyth, as he laid his lips upon the child's + fair forehead. “If I had done it, could I do that? Darling, you will + remember this. Madam, I am hunted like a mad dog, and shall be hanged to + your flag-staff if I am caught. I am here to tell you that, as God looks + down from heaven upon you and me, I did not do it—I did not even + know it.” + </p> + <p> + The smuggler stood up, with his right hand on his heart, and tears rolling + manifestly down his cheeks, but his eyes like crystal, clear with truth; + and the woman, who knew not that she was a widow, but felt it already with + a helpless wonder, answered, quietly: “You speak the truth, sir. But what + difference can it make to me?” Lyth tried to answer with the same true + look; but neither his eyes nor his tongue would serve. + </p> + <p> + “I shall just go and judge for myself,” she said, as if it were a question + of marketing (such bitter defiance came over her), and she took no more + heed of him than if he were a chair; nor even half so much, for she was a + great judge of a chair. “Geraldine, go and put your bonnet on. We are + going to meet your father. Tell Cissy and all the rest to come but the + baby. The baby can not do it, I suppose. In a minute and a half I shall + expect you all—how many? Seven?—yes, seven of you.” + </p> + <p> + “Seven, mother, yes. And the baby makes it eight; and yesterday you said + that he was worth all us together.” + </p> + <p> + Robin Lyth saw that he was no more wanted, or even heeded; and without + delay he quitted such premises of danger. Why should he linger in a spot + where he might have violent hands laid on him, and be sped to a premature + end, without benefit even of trial by jury? Upon this train of reasoning + he made off. + </p> + <p> + Without any manner of reasoning at all, but with fierceness of dread and + stupidity of grief, the mother collected her children in silence, from the + damsel of ten to the toddler of two. Then, leaving the baby tied down in + the cradle, she pulled at the rest of them, on this side and on that, to + get them into proper trim of dresses and of hats, as if they were going to + be marched off to church. For that all the younger ones made up their + minds, and put up their ears for the tinkle of the bell; but the elder + children knew that it was worse than that, because their mother never + looked at them. + </p> + <p> + “You will go by the way of the station,” she said, for the boats were + still out at sea, and no certainty could be made of them: “whatever it is, + we may thank the station for it.” + </p> + <p> + The poor little things looked up at her in wonder; and then, acting up to + their discipline, set off, in lopsided pairs of a small and a big one, to + save any tumbling and cutting of knees. The elder ones walked with + discretion, and a strong sense of responsibility, hushed, moreover, by + some inkling of a great black thing to meet. But the baby ones prattled, + and skipped with their feet, and straggled away toward the flowers by the + path. The mother of them all followed slowly and heavily, holding the + youngest by the hand, because of its trouble in getting through the + stones. Her heart was nearly choking, but her eyes free and reckless, + wandering wildly over earth, and sea, and sky, in vain search of guidance + from any or from all of them. + </p> + <p> + The pinnace came nearer, with its sad, cold freight. The men took off + their hats, and rubbed their eyes, and some of them wanted to back off + again; but Mrs. Carroway calmly said, “Please to let me have my husband.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0036" id="link2HCH0036"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXVI + </h2> + <h3> + MAIDS AND MERMAIDS + </h3> + <p> + Day comes with climbing, night by falling; hence the night is so much + swifter. Happiness takes years to build; but misery swoops like an + avalanche. Such, and even more depressing, are the thoughts young folk + give way to when their first great trouble rushes and sweeps them into a + desert, trackless to the inexperienced hope. + </p> + <p> + When Mary Anerley heard, by the zealous offices of watchful friends, that + Robin Lyth had murdered Captain Carroway ferociously, and had fled for his + life across the seas, first wrath at such a lie was followed by persistent + misery. She had too much faith in his manly valor and tender heart to + accept the tale exactly as it was told to her; but still she could not + resist the fear that in the whirl of conflict, with life against life, he + had dealt the death. And she knew that even such a deed would brand him as + a murderer, stamp out all love, and shatter every hope of quiet happiness. + The blow to her pride was grievous also; for many a time had she told + herself that a noble task lay before her—to rescue from unlawful + ways and redeem to reputable life the man whose bravery and other gallant + gifts had endeared him to the public and to her. But now, through force of + wretched facts, he must be worse than ever. + </p> + <p> + Her father and mother said never a word upon the subject to her. Mrs. + Anerley at first longed to open out, and shed upon the child a mother's + sympathy, as well as a mother's scolding; but firmly believing, as she + did, the darkest version of the late event, it was better that she should + hold her peace, according to her husband's orders. + </p> + <p> + “Let the lass alone,” he said; “a word against that fellow now would make + a sight of mischief. Suppose I had shot George Tanfield, instead of hiding + him soundly, when he stuck up to you, why you must have been sorry for me, + Sophy. And Mary is sorry for that rogue, no doubt, and believes that he + did it for her sake, I dare say. The womenkind always do think that. If a + big thief gets swung for breaking open a cash-box, his lassie will swear + he was looking for her thimble. If you was to go now for discoursing of + this matter, you would never put up with poor Poppet's account of him, and + she would run him higher up, every time you ran him down; ay, and believe + it too: such is the ways of women.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, Stephen, you make me open up my eyes. I never dreamed you were half + so cunning, and of such low opinions.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I don't know, only from my own observance. I would scarcely trust + myself not to abuse that fellow. And, Sophy, you know you can not stop + your tongue, like me.” + </p> + <p> + “Thank God for that same! He never meant us so to do. But, Stephen, I will + follow your advice; because it is my own opinion.” + </p> + <p> + Mary was puzzled by this behavior; for everything used to be so plain + among them. She would even have tried for some comfort from Willie, whose + mind was very large upon all social questions. But Willie had solved at + last the problem of perpetual motion, according to his own conviction, and + locked himself up with his model all day; and the world might stand still, + so long as that went on. “Oh, what would I give for dear Jack!” cried + Mary. + </p> + <p> + Worn out at length with lonely grief, she asked if she might go to Byrsa + Cottage, for a change. Even that was refused, though her father's kind + heart ached at the necessary denial. Sharp words again had passed between + the farmer and the tanner concerning her, and the former believed that his + brother-in-law would even encourage the outlaw still. And for Mary herself + now the worst of it was that she had nothing to lay hold of in the way of + complaint or grievance. It was not like that first estrangement, when her + father showed how much he felt it in a hundred ways, and went about + everything upside down, and comforted her by his want of comfort. Now it + was ten times worse than that, for her father took everything quite + easily! + </p> + <p> + Shocking as it may be, this was true. Stephen Anerley had been through a + great many things since the violence of his love-time, and his views upon + such tender subjects were not so tender as they used to be. With the eyes + of wisdom he looked back, having had his own way in the matter, upon such + young sensations as very laudable, but curable. In his own case he had + cured them well, and, upon the whole, very happily, by a good long course + of married life; but having tried that remedy alone, how could he say that + there was no better? He remembered how his own miseries had soon subsided, + or gone into other grooves, after matrimony. This showed that they were + transient, but did not prove such a course to be the only cure for them. + Recovering from illness, has any man been known to say that the doctor + recovered him? + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Anerley's views upon the subject were much the same, though modified, + of course, by the force of her own experience. She might have had a much + richer man than Stephen; and when he was stingy, she reminded him of that, + which, after a little disturbance, generally terminated in five guineas. + And now she was clear that if Mary were not worried, condoled with, or + cried over, she would take her own time, and come gradually round, and be + satisfied with Harry Tanfield. Harry was a fine young fellow, and + worshipped the ground that Mary walked upon; and it seemed a sort of + equity that he should have her, as his father had been disappointed of her + mother. Every Sunday morning he trimmed his whiskers, and put on a + wonderful waistcoat; and now he did more, for he bought a new hat, and + came to church to look at her. + </p> + <p> + Oftentimes now, by all these doings, the spirit of the girl was roused, + and her courage made ready to fly out in words; but the calm look of the + elders stopped her, and then true pride came to her aid. If they chose to + say nothing of the matter which was in her heart continually, would she go + whining to them about it, and scrape a grain of pity from a cartload of + contempt? One day, as she stood before the swinging glass—that + present from Aunt Popplewell which had moved her mother's wrath so—she + threw back her shoulders, and smoothed the plaits of her nice little + waist, and considered herself. The humor of the moment grew upon her, and + crept into indulgence, as she saw what a very fair lass she was, and could + not help being proud of it. She saw how the soft rich damask of her cheeks + returned at being thought of, and the sparkle of her sweet blue eyes, and + the merry delight of her lips, that made respectable people want to steal + a kiss, from the pure enticement of good-will. + </p> + <p> + “I will cry no more in the nights,” she said. “Why should I make such a + figure of myself, with nobody to care for it? And here is my hair full of + kinkles and neglect! I declare, if he ever came back, he would say, 'What + a fright you are become, my Mary!' Where is that stuff of Aunt Deborah's, + I wonder, that makes her hair like satin? It is high time to leave off + being such a dreadful dowdy. I will look as nice as ever, just to let them + know that their cruelty has not killed me.” + </p> + <p> + Virtuous resolves commend themselves, and improve with being carried out. + She put herself into her very best trim, as simple as a lily, and as + perfect as a rose, though the flutter of a sigh or two enlarged her gentle + breast. She donned a very graceful hat, adorned with sweet ribbon right + skillfully smuggled; and she made up her mind to have the benefit of the + air. + </p> + <p> + The prettiest part of all Anerley Farm, for those who are not farmers, is + a soft little valley, where a brook comes down, and passes from voluntary + ruffles into the quiet resignation of a sheltered lake. A pleasant and a + friendly little water-spread is here, cheerful to the sunshine, and + inviting to the moon, with a variety of gleamy streaks, according to the + sky and breeze. Pasture-land and arable come sloping to the margin, which, + instead of being rough and rocky, lips the pool with gentleness. Ins and + outs of little bays afford a nice variety, while round the brink are + certain trees of a modest and unpretentious bent. These having risen to a + very fair distance toward the sky, come down again, scarcely so much from + a doubt of their merits, as through affection to their native land. In + summer they hang like a permanent shower of green to refresh the bright + water; and in winter, like loose osier-work, or wattles curved for + binding. + </p> + <p> + Under one of the largest of these willows the runaway Jack had made a + seat, whereon to sit and watch his toy boat cruising on the inland wave. + Often when Mary was tired of hoping for the return of her playmate, she + came to this place to think about him, and wonder whether he thought of + her. And now in the soft December evening (lonely and sad, but fair to + look at, like herself) she was sitting here. + </p> + <p> + The keen east wind, which had set in as Captain Brown predicted, was over + now, and succeeded by the gentler influence of the west. Nothing could be + heard in this calm nook but the lingering touch of the dying breeze, and + the long soft murmur of the distant sea, and the silvery plash of a pair + of coots at play. Neither was much to be seen, except the wavering glisten + and long shadows of the mere, the tracery of trees against the fading + light, and the outline of the maiden as she leaned against the trunk. + Generations of goat-moths in their early days of voracity had made a nice + hollow for her hat to rest in, and some of the powdering willow dusted her + bright luxuriant locks with gold. Her face was by no means wan or gloomy, + and she added to the breezes not a single sigh. This happened without any + hardness of heart, or shallow contempt of the nobler affections; simply + from the hopefulness of healthful youth, and the trust a good will has in + powers of good. + </p> + <p> + She was looking at those coots, who were full of an idea that the winter + had spent itself in that east wind, that the gloss of spring plumage must + be now upon their necks, and that they felt their toes growing warmer + toward the downy tepefaction of a perfect nest. Improving a long and kind + acquaintance with these birds, some of whom have confidence in human + nature, Mary was beginning to be absent from her woes, and joyful in the + pleasure of a thoughtless pair, when suddenly, with one accord, they + dived, and left a bright splash and a wrinkle. “Somebody is coming; they + must have seen an enemy,” said the damsel to herself. “I am sure I never + moved. I will never have them shot by any wicked poacher.” To watch the + bank nicely, without being seen, she drew in her skirt and shrank behind + the tree, not from any fear, but just to catch the fellow; for one of the + laborers on the farm, who had run at his master with a pitchfork once, was + shrewdly suspected of poaching with a gun. But keener eyes than those of + any poacher were upon her, and the lightest of light steps approached. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Robin, are you come, then, at last?” cried Mary. + </p> + <p> + “Three days I have been lurking, in the hope of this. Heart of my heart, + are you glad to see me?” + </p> + <p> + “I should think that I was. It is worth a world of crying. Oh, where have + you been this long, long time?” + </p> + <p> + “Let me have you in my arms, if it is but for a moment. You are not afraid + of me?—you are not ashamed to love me?” + </p> + <p> + “I love you all the better for your many dreadful troubles. Not a word do + I believe of all the wicked people say of you. Don't be afraid of me. You + may kiss me, Robin.” + </p> + <p> + “You are such a beautiful spick and span! And I am only fit to go into the + pond. Oh, Mary, what a shame of me to take advantage of you!” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I think that it is time for you to leave off now. Though you must + not suppose that I think twice about my things. When I look at you, it + makes me long to give you my best cloak and a tidy hat. Oh, where is all + your finery gone, poor Robin?” + </p> + <p> + “Endeavor not to be insolent, on the strength of your fine clothes. + Remember that I have abandoned free trade; and the price of every article + will rise at once.” + </p> + <p> + Mary Anerley not only smiled, but laughed, with the pleasure of a great + relief. She had always scorned the idea that her lover had even made a + shot at Carroway, often though the brave lieutenant had done the like to + him; and now she felt sure that he could clear himself; or how could he be + so light-hearted? “You see that I am scarcely fit to lead off a + country-dance with you,” said Robin, still holding both her hands, and + watching the beauty of her clear bright eyes, which might gather big tears + at any moment, as the deep blue sky is a sign of sudden rain; “and it will + be a very long time, my darling, before you see me in gay togs again.” + </p> + <p> + “I like you a great deal better so. You always look brave—but you + look so honest now!” + </p> + <p> + “That is a most substantial saying, and worthy of the race of Anerley. How + I wish that your father would like me, Mary! I suppose it is hopeless to + wish for that?” + </p> + <p> + “No, not at all—if you could keep on looking shabby. My dear father + has a most generous mind. If he only could be brought to see how you are + ill-treated—” + </p> + <p> + “Alas! I shall have no chance of letting him see that. Before to-morrow + morning I must say good-by to England. My last chance of seeing you was + now this evening. I bless every star that is in the heaven now. I trusted + to my luck, and it has not deceived me.” + </p> + <p> + “Robin dear, I never wish to try to be too pious. But I think that you + should rather trust in Providence than starlight.” + </p> + <p> + “So I do. And it is Providence that has kept me out of sight—out of + sight of enemies, and in sight of you, my Mary. The Lord looks down on + every place where His lovely angels wander. You are one of His angels, + Mary; and you have made a man of me. For years I shall not see you, + darling; never more again, perhaps. But as long as I live you will be + here; and the place shall be kept pure for you. If we only could have a + shop together—oh, how honest I would be! I would give full weight, + besides the paper; I would never sell an egg more than three weeks old; + and I would not even adulterate! But that is a dream of the past, I fear. + Oh, I never shall hoist the Royal Arms. But I mean to serve under them, + and fight my way. My captain shall be Lord Nelson.” + </p> + <p> + “That is the very thing that you were meant for. I will never forgive Dr. + Upandown for not putting you into the navy. You could have done no + smuggling then.” + </p> + <p> + “I am not altogether sure of that. However, I will shun scandal, as + behooves a man who gets so much. You have not asked me to clear myself of + that horrible thing about poor Carroway. I love you the more for not + asking me; it shows your faith so purely. But you have the right to know + all I know. There is no fear of any interruption here; so, Mary, I will + tell you, if you are sure that you can bear it.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, oh yes! Do tell me all you know. It is so frightful that I must hear + it.” + </p> + <p> + “What I have to say will not frighten you, darling, because I did not even + see the deed. But my escape was rather strange, and deserves telling + better than I can tell it, even with you to encourage me by listening. + When we were so suddenly caught in the cave, through treachery of some of + our people, I saw in a moment that we must be taken, but resolved to have + some fun for it, with a kind of whim which comes over me sometimes. So I + knocked away the lights, and began myself to splash with might and main, + and ordered the rest to do likewise. We did it so well that the place was + like a fountain or a geyser; and I sent a great dollop of water into the + face of the poor lieutenant—the only assault I have ever made upon + him. There was just light enough for me to know him, because he was so + tall and strange; but I doubt whether he knew me at all. He became + excited, as he well might be; he dashed away the water from his eyes with + one hand, and with the other made a wild sword-cut, rushing forward as if + to have at me. Like a bird, I dived into the water from our gunwale, and + under the keel of the other boat, and rose to the surface at the far side + of the cave. In the very act of plunging, a quick flash came before me—or + at least I believed so afterward—and a loud roar, as I struck the + wave. It might have been only from my own eyes and ears receiving so + suddenly the cleavage of the water. If I thought anything at all about it, + it was that somebody had shot at me; but expecting to be followed, I swam + rapidly away. I did not even look back, as I kept in the dark of the + rocks, for it would have lost a stroke, and a stroke was more than I could + spare. To my great surprise, I heard no sound of any boat coming after me, + nor any shouts of Carroway, such as I am accustomed to. But swimming as I + was, for my own poor life, like an otter with a pack of hounds after him, + I assure you I did not look much after anything except my own run of the + gauntlet.” + </p> + <p> + “Of course not. How could you? It makes me draw my breath to think of you + swimming in the dark like that, with deep water, and caverns, and guns, + and all!” + </p> + <p> + “Mary, I thought that my time was come; and only one beautiful image + sustained me, when I came to think of it afterward. I swam with my hands + well under water, and not a breath that could be heard, and my cap tucked + into my belt, and my sea-going pumps slipped away into a pocket. The water + was cold, but it only seemed to freshen me, and I found myself able to + breathe very pleasantly in the gentle rise and fall of waves. Yet I never + expected to escape, with so many boats to come after me. For now I could + see two boats outside, as well as old Carroway's pinnace in the cave; and + if once they caught sight of me, I could never get away. + </p> + <p> + “When I saw those two boats upon the watch outside, I scarcely knew what + to do for the best, whether to put my breast to it and swim out, or to + hide in some niche with my body under water, and cover my face with + oar-weed. Luckily I took the bolder course, remembering their portfires, + which would make the cave like day. Not everybody could have swum out + through that entrance, against a spring-tide and the lollop of the sea; + and one dash against the rocks would have settled me. But I trusted in the + Lord, and tried a long, slow stroke. + </p> + <p> + “My enemies must have been lost in dismay, and panic, and utter confusion, + or else they must have espied me, for twice or thrice, as I met the waves, + my head and shoulders were thrown above the surface, do what I would; and + I durst not dive, for I wanted my eyes every moment. I kept on the darkest + side, of course, but the shadows were not half so deep as I could wish; + and worst of all, outside there was a piece of moonlight, which I must + cross within fifty yards of the bigger of the sentry boats. + </p> + <p> + “The mouth of that cave is two fathoms wide for a longish bit of channel; + and, Mary dear, if I had not been supported by continual thoughts of you, + I must have gone against the sides, or downright to the bottom, from the + waves keeping knocking me about so. I may tell you that I felt that I + should never care again, as my clothes began to bag about me, except to go + down to the bottom and be quiet, but for the blessed thought of standing + up some day, at the 'hymeneal altar,' as great people call it, with a + certain lovely Mary.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Robin, now you make me laugh, when I ought to be quite crying. If + such a thing should ever be, I shall expect to see you swimming.” + </p> + <p> + “Such a thing will be, as sure as I stand here—though not at all in + hymeneal garb just now. Whatever my whole heart is set upon, I do, and + overcome all obstacles. Remember that, and hold fast, darling. However, I + had now to overcome the sea, which is worse than any tide in the affairs + of men. A long and hard tussle it was, I assure you, to fight against the + indraught, and to drag my frame through the long hillocky gorge. At last, + however, I managed it; and to see the open waves again put strength into + my limbs, and vigor into my knocked-about brain. I suppose that you can + not understand it, Mary, but I never enjoyed a thing more than the danger + of crossing that strip of moonlight. I could see the very eyes and front + teeth of the men who were sitting there to look out for me if I should + slip their mates inside; and knowing the twist of every wave, and the vein + of every tide-run, I rested in a smooth dark spot, and considered their + manners quietly. They had not yet heard a word of any doings in the + cavern, but their natures were up for some business to do, as generally + happens with beholders. Having nothing to do, they were swearing at the + rest. + </p> + <p> + “In the place where I was halting now the line of a jagged cliff seemed to + cut the air, and fend off the light from its edges. You can only see such + a thing from the level of the sea, and it looks very odd when you see it, + as if the moon and you were a pair of playing children, feeling round a + corner for a glimpse of one another. But plain enough it was, and far too + plain, that the doubling of that little cape would treble my danger, by + reason of the bold moonlight, I knew that my only refuge was another great + hollow in the crags between the cave I had escaped from and the point—a + place which is called the 'Church Cave,' from an old legend that it leads + up to Flamborough church. To the best of my knowledge, it does nothing of + the kind, at any rate now; but it has a narrow fissure, known to few + except myself, up which a nimble man may climb; and this was what I hoped + to do. Also it has a very narrow entrance, through which the sea flows + into it, so that a large boat can not enter, and a small one would + scarcely attempt it in the dark, unless it were one of my own, hard + pressed. Now it seemed almost impossible for me to cross that moonlight + without being seen by those fellows in the boat, who could pull, of + course, four times as fast as I could swim, not to mention the chances of + a musket-ball. However, I was just about to risk it, for my limbs were + growing very cold, when I heard a loud shout from the cave which I had + left, and knew that the men there were summoning their comrades. These at + once lay out upon their oars, and turned their backs to me, and now was my + good time. The boat came hissing through the water toward the Dovecote, + while I stretched away for the other snug cave. Being all in a flurry, + they kept no look-out; if the moon was against me, my good stars were in + my favor. Nobody saw me, and I laughed in my wet sleeves as I thought of + the rage of Carroway, little knowing that the fine old fellow was beyond + all rage or pain.” + </p> + <p> + “How wonderful your luck was, and your courage too!” cried Mary, who had + listened with bright tears upon her cheeks. “Not one man in a thousand + could have done so bold a thing. And how did you get away at last, poor + Robin?” + </p> + <p> + “Exactly as I meant to do, from the time I formed my plan. The Church has + ever been a real friend in need to me; I took the name for a lucky omen, + and swam in with a brisker stroke. It is the prettiest of all the caves, + to my mind, though the smallest, with a sweet round basin, and a playful + little beach, and nothing very terrible about it. I landed, and rested + with a thankful heart upon the shelly couch of the mermaids.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Robin, I hope none of them came to you. They are so wonderfully + beautiful. And no one that ever has seen them cares any more for—for + dry people that wear dresses.” + </p> + <p> + “Mary, you delight me much, by showing signs of jealousy. Fifty may have + come, but I saw not one, for I fell into a deep calm sleep. If they had + come, I would have spurned them all, not only from my constancy to you, my + dear, but from having had too much drip already. Mary, I see a man on the + other side of the mere, not opposite to us, but a good bit further down. + You see those two swimming birds: look far away between them, you will see + something moving.” + </p> + <p> + “I see nothing, either standing still or moving. It is growing too dark + for any eyes not thoroughly trained in smuggling. But that reminds me to + tell you, Robin, that a strange man—a gentleman they seemed to say—has + been seen upon our land, and he wanted to see me, without my father + knowing it. But only think! I have never even asked you whether you are + hungry—perhaps even starving! How stupid, how selfish, how churlish + of me! But the fault is yours, because I had so much to hear of.” + </p> + <p> + “Darling, you may trust me not to starve, I can feed by-and-by. For the + present I must talk, that you may know all about everything, and bear me + harmless in your mind, when evil things are said of me. Have you heard + that I went to see Widow Carroway, even before she had heard of her loss, + but not before I was hunted? I knew that I must do so, now or never, + before the whole world was up in arms against me; and I thank God that I + saw her. A man might think nothing of such an act, or even might take it + for hypocrisy; but a woman's heart is not so black. Though she did not + even know what I meant, for she had not felt her awful blow, and I could + not tell her of it, she did me justice afterward. In the thick of her + terrible desolation, she stood beside her husband's grave, in Bridlington + Priory Church yard, and she said to a hundred people there: 'Here lies my + husband, foully murdered. The coroner's jury have brought their verdict + against Robin Lyth the smuggler. Robin Lyth is as innocent as I am. I know + who did it, and time will show. My curse is upon him; and my eyes are on + him now.' Then she fell down in a fit, and the Preventive men, who were + drawn up in a row, came and carried her away. Did anybody tell you, + darling? Perhaps they keep such things from you.” + </p> + <p> + “Part of it I heard; but not so clearly. I was told that she acquitted you + and I blessed her in my heart for it.” + </p> + <p> + “Even more than that she did. As soon as she got home again, she wrote to + Robin Cockscroft—a very few words, but as strong as could be, + telling him that I should have no chance of justice if I were caught just + now; that she must have time to carry out her plans; that the Lord would + soon raise up good friends to help her; and as sure as there was a God in + heaven, she would bring the man who did it to the gallows. Only that I + must leave the land at once. And that is what I shall do this very night. + Now I have told you almost all. Mary, we must say 'good-by.'” + </p> + <p> + “But surely I shall hear from you sometimes?” said Mary, striving to be + brave, and to keep her voice from trembling. “Years and years, without a + word—and the whole world bitter against you and me! Oh, Robin, I + think that it will break my heart. And I must not even talk of you.” + </p> + <p> + “Think of me, darling, while I think of you. Thinking is better than + talking, I shall never talk of you, but be thinking all the more. Talking + ruins thinking. Take this token of the time you saved me, and give me that + bit of blue ribbon, my Mary; I shall think of your eyes every time I kiss + it. Kiss it yourself before you give it to me.” + </p> + <p> + Like a good girl, she did what she was told to do. She gave him the + love-knot from her breast, and stored his little trinket in that pure + shrine. + </p> + <p> + “But sometimes—sometimes, I shall hear of you?” she whispered, + lingering, and trembling in the last embrace. + </p> + <p> + “To be sure, you shall hear of me from time to time, through Robin and + Joan Cockscroft. I will not grieve you by saying, 'Be true to me,' my + noble one, and my everlasting love.” + </p> + <p> + Mary was comforted, and ceased to cry. She was proud of him thus in the + depth of his trouble; and she prayed to God to bless him through the long + sad time. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0037" id="link2HCH0037"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXVII + </h2> + <h3> + FACT, OR FACTOR + </h3> + <p> + “Papa, I have brought you a wonderful letter,” cried Miss Janetta Upround, + toward supper-time of that same night; “and the most miraculous thing + about it is that there is no post to pay. Oh, how stupid I am! I ought to + have got at least a shilling out of you for postage.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, be sorry for your sins, and not for having failed to add to + them. Our little world is brimful of news just now, but nearly all of it + bad news. Why, bless me, this is in regular print, and it never has passed + through the post at all, which explains the most astounding fact of + positively naught to pay. Janetta, every day I congratulate myself upon + such a wondrous daughter. But I never could have hoped that even you would + bring me a letter gratis.” + </p> + <p> + “But the worst of it is that I deserve no credit. If I had cheated the + postman, there would have been something to be proud of. But this letter + came in the most ignominious way—poked under the gate, papa! It is + sealed with a foreign coin! Oh, dear, dear, I am all in a tingle to know + all about it. I saw it by the moonlight, and it must belong to me.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, it says, 'Private, and to his own hands.' Therefore you had + better go, and think no more about it. I confide to you many of my + business matters: or at any rate you get them out of me: but this being + private, you must think no more about it.” + </p> + <p> + “Darling papa, what a flagrant shame! The man must have done it with no + other object than to rob me of every wink of sleep. If I swallow the + outrage and retire, will you promise to tell me every word to-morrow? You + preached a most exquisite sermon last Sunday about the meanness and + futility of small concealments.” + </p> + <p> + “Be off!” cried the rector; “you are worse than Mr. Mordacks, who lays + down the law about frankness perpetually, but never lets me guess what his + own purpose is.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, now I see where the infection comes from! Papa, I am off, for fear of + catching it myself. Don't tell me, whatever you do. I never can sleep upon + dark mysteries.” + </p> + <p> + “Poor dear, you shall not have your rest disturbed,” Dr. Upround said, + sweetly, as he closed the door behind her; “you are much too good a girl + for other people's plagues to visit you.” Then, as he saddled his pleasant + old nose with the tranquil span of spectacles, the smile on his lips and + the sigh of his breast arrived at a quiet little compromise. He was proud + of his daughter, her quickness and power to get the upper turn of words + with him; but he grieved at her not having any deep impressions, even + after his very best sermons. But her mother always told him not to be in + any hurry, for even she herself had felt no very profound impressions + until she married a clergyman; and that argument always made him smile (as + invisibly as possible), because he had not detected yet their existence in + his better half. Such questions are most delicate, and a husband can only + set mute example. A father, on the other hand, is bound to use his + pastoral crook upon his children foremost. + </p> + <p> + “Now for this letter,” said Dr. Upround, holding council with himself; + “evidently a good clerk, and perhaps a first-rate scholar. One of the very + best Greek scholars of the age does all his manuscript in printing hand, + when he wishes it to be legible. And a capital plan it is—without + meaning any pun. I can read this like a gazette itself.” + </p> + <p> + “REVEREND AND WORSHIPFUL SIR,—Your long and highly valued kindness + requires at least a word from me, before I leave this country. I have not + ventured into your presence, because it might place you in a very grave + predicament. Your duty to King and State might compel you with your own + hand to arrest me; and against your hand I could not strive. The evidence + brought before you left no choice but to issue a warrant against me, + though it grieved your kind heart to do that same. Sir, I am purely + innocent of the vile crime laid against me. I used no fire-arm that night, + neither did any of my men. And it is for their sake, as well as my own, + that I now take the liberty of writing this. Failing of me, the + authorities may bring my comrades to trial, and convict them. If that were + so, it would become my duty as a man to surrender myself, and meet my + death in the hope of saving them. But if the case is sifted properly, they + must be acquitted; for no fire-arm of any kind was in my boat, except one + pair of pistols, in a locker under the after thwart, and they happened to + be unloaded. I pray you to verify this, kind sir. My firm belief is that + the revenue officer was shot by one of his own men; and his widow has the + same opinion. I hear that the wound was in the back of the head. If we had + carried fire-arms, not one of us could have shot him so. + </p> + <p> + “It may have been an accident; I can not say. Even so, the man whose + mishap it was is not likely to acknowledge it. And I know that in a court + of law truth must be paid for dearly. I venture to commit to your good + hands a draft upon a well-known Holland firm, which amounts to 78 pounds + British, for the defense of the men who are in custody. I know that you as + a magistrate can not come forward as their defender; but I beg you as a + friend of justice to place the money for their benefit. Also especially to + direct attention to the crew of the revenue boat and their guns. + </p> + <p> + “And now I fear greatly to encroach upon your kindness, and very + long-suffering good-will toward me. But I have brought into sad trouble + and distress with her family—who are most obstinate people—and + with the opinion of the public, I suppose, a young lady worth more than + all the goods I ever ran, or ever could run, if I went on for fifty years. + By name she is Mistress Mary Anerley, and by birth the daughter of Captain + Anerley, of Anerley Farm, outside our parish. If your reverence could only + manage to ride round that way upon coming home from Sessions, once or + twice in the fine weather, and to say a kind word or two to my Mary, and a + good word, if any can be said of me, to her parents, who are stiff but + worthy people, it would be a truly Christian act, and such as you delight + in, on this side of the Dane-dike. + </p> + <p> + “Reverend sir, I must now say farewell. From you I have learned almost + everything I know, within the pale of statutes, which repeal one another + continually. I have wandered sadly outside that pale, and now I pay the + penalty. If I had only paid heed to your advice, and started in business + with the capital acquired by free trade, and got it properly protected, I + might have been able to support my parents, and even be churchwarden of + Flamborough. You always told me that my unlawful enterprise must close in + sadness; and your words have proved too true. But I never expected + anything like this; and I do not understand it yet. A penetrating mind + like yours, with all the advantages of authority, even that is likely to + be baffled in such a difficult case as this. + </p> + <p> + “Reverend sir, my case is hard; for I always have labored to establish + peaceful trade; and I must have succeeded again, if honor had guided all + my followers. We always relied upon the coast-guard to be too late for any + mischief; and so they would have been this time, if their acts had been + straightforward. In sorrow and lowness of fortune, I remain, with humble + respect and gratitude, your Worship's poor pupil and banished parishioner, + </p> + <p> + “ROBIN LYTH, of Flamborough.” + </p> + <p> + “Come, now, Robin,” Dr. Upround said, as soon as he had well considered + this epistle, “I have put up with many a checkmate at your hands, but not + without the fair delight of a counter-stroke at the enemy. Here you afford + me none of that. You are my master in every way; and quietly you make me + make your moves, quite as if I were the black in a problem. You leave me + to conduct your fellow-smugglers' case, to look after your sweetheart, and + to make myself generally useful. By-the-way, that touch about my pleading + his cause in my riding-boots, and with a sessional air about me, is worthy + of the great Verdoni. Neither is that a bad hit about my Christianity + stopping at the Dane-dike. Certes, I shall have to call on that young + lady, though from what I have heard of the sturdy farmer, I may both ride + and reason long, even after my greatest exploits at the Sessions, without + converting him to free trade; and trebly so after that deplorable affair. + I wonder whether we shall ever get to the bottom of that mystery. How + often have I warned the boy that mischief was quite sure to come! though I + never even dreamed that it would be so bad as this.” + </p> + <p> + Since Dr. Upround first came to Flamborough, nothing (not even the + infliction of his nickname) had grieved him so deeply as the sad death of + Carroway. From the first he felt certain that his own people were + guiltless of any share in it. But his heart misgave him as to distant + smugglers, men who came from afar freebooting, bringing over ocean woes to + men of settlement, good tithe-payers. For such men (plainly of foreign + breed, and very plain specimens of it) had not at all succeeded in eluding + observation, in a neighborhood where they could have no honest calling. + Flamborough had called to witness Filey, and Filey had attested + Bridlington, that a stranger on horseback had appeared among them with a + purpose obscurely evil. They were right enough as to the fact, although + the purpose was not evil, as little Denmark even now began to own. + </p> + <p> + “Here I am again!” cried Mr. Mordacks, laying vehement hold of the + rector's hand, upon the following morning; “just arrived from York, dear + sir, after riding half the night, and going anywhere you please; except + perhaps where you would like to send me, if charity and Christian courtesy + allowed. My dear sir, have you heard the news? I perceive by your + countenance that you have not. Ah, you are generally benighted in these + parts. Your caves have got something to do with it. The mind gets + accustomed to them.” + </p> + <p> + “I venture to think, Mr. Mordacks, on the whole,” said the rector, who + studied this man gently, “that sometimes you are rapid in your + conclusions. Possibly of the two extremes it is the more desirable; + especially in these parts, because of its great rarity. Still the mere + fact of some caves existing, in or out of my parish, whichever it may be, + scarcely seems to prove that all the people of Flamborough live in them. + And even if we did, it was the manner of the ancient seers, both in the + Classics, and in Holy Writ—” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, I know all about Elijah and Obadiah, and the rest of them. Profane + literature we leave now for clerks in holy orders—we positively have + no time for it. Everything begins to move with accelerated pace. This is a + new century, and it means to make its mark. It begins very badly; but it + will go on all the better. And I hope to have the pleasure, at a very + early day, of showing you one of its leading men, a man of large + intellect, commanding character, the most magnificent principles—and, + in short, lots of money. You must be quite familiar with the name of Sir + Duncan Yordas.” + </p> + <p> + “I fancy that I have heard or seen it somewhere. Oh, something to do with + the Hindoos, or the Africans. I never pay much attention to such things.” + </p> + <p> + “Neither do I, Dr. Upround. Still somebody must, and a lot of money comes + of it. Their idols have diamond eyes, which purity of worship compels us + to confiscate. And there are many other ways of getting on among them, + while wafting and expanding them into a higher sphere of thought. The mere + fact of Sir Duncan having feathered his nest—pardon so vulgar an + expression, doctor—proves that while giving, we may also receive: + for which we have the highest warranty.” + </p> + <p> + “The laborer is worthy of his hire, Mr. Mordacks. At the same time we + should remember also—” + </p> + <p> + “What St. Paul says per contra. Quite so. That is always my first + consideration, when I work for my employers. Ah, Dr. Upround, few men give + such pure service as your humble servant. I have twice had the honor of + handing you my card. If ever you fall into any difficulty, where zeal, + fidelity, and high principle, combined with very low charges—” + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Mordacks, my opinion of you is too high for even yourself to add to + it. But what has this Sir Duncan Yorick—” + </p> + <p> + “Yordas, my dear sir—Sir Duncan Yordas—the oldest family in + Yorkshire. Men of great power, both for good and evil, mainly, perhaps, + the latter. It has struck me sometimes that the county takes its name—But + etymology is not my forte. What has he to do with us, you ask? Sir, I will + answer you most frankly. 'Coram populo' is my business motto. Excuse me, I + think I hear that door creak. No, a mere fancy—we are quite 'in + camera.' Very well; reverend sir, prepare your mind for a highly + astounding disclosure.” + </p> + <p> + “I have lived too long to be astounded, my good sir. But allow me to put + on my spectacles. Now I am prepared for almost anything.” + </p> + <p> + “Dr. Upround, my duty compels me to enter largely into minds. Your mind is + of a lofty order—calm, philosophic, benevolent. You have proved this + by your kind reception of me, a stranger, almost an intruder. You have + judged from my manners and appearance, which are shaped considerably by + the inner man, that my object was good, large, noble. And yet you have not + been quite able to refrain, at weak moments perhaps, but still a dozen + times a day, from exclaiming in the commune of your heart, 'What the devil + does this man want in my parish?'” + </p> + <p> + “My good sir, I never use bad language; and if I did my duty, I should now + inflict—” + </p> + <p> + “Five shillings for your poor-box. There it is. And it serves me quite + right for being too explicit, and forgetting my reverence to the cloth. + However, I have coarsely expressed your thoughts. Also you have frequently + said to yourself, 'This man prates of openness, but I find him closer than + any oyster.' Am I right? Yes, I see that I am, by your bow. Very well, you + may suppose what pain it gave me to have the privilege of intercourse with + a perfect gentleman and an eloquent divine, and yet feel myself in an + ambiguous position. In a few words I will clear myself, being now at + liberty to indulge that pleasure. I have been here, as agent for Sir + Duncan Yordas, to follow up the long-lost clew to his son, and only child, + who for very many years was believed to be out of all human pursuit. My + sanguine and penetrating mind scorned rumors, and went in for certainty. I + have found Sir Duncan's son, and am able to identify him, beyond all + doubt, as a certain young man well known to you, and perhaps too widely + known, by the name of Robin Lyth.” + </p> + <p> + In spite of the length of his experience of the world, in a place of so + many adventures, the rector of Flamborough was astonished, and perhaps a + little vexed as well. If anything was to be found out, in such a headlong + way, about one of his parishioners, and notably such a pet pupil and + favorite, the proper thing would have been that he himself should do it. + Failing that, he should at least have been consulted, enlisted, or at any + rate apprised of what was toward. But instead of that, here he had been + hoodwinked (by this marvel of incarnate candor employed in the dark about + several little things), and then suddenly enlightened, when the job was + done. Gentle and void of self-importance as he was, it misliked him to be + treated so. + </p> + <p> + “This is a wonderful piece of news,” he said, as he fixed a calm gaze upon + the keen, hard eyes of Mordacks. “You understand your business, sir, and + would not make such a statement unless you could verify it. But I hope + that you may not find cause to regret that you have treated me with so + little confidence.” + </p> + <p> + “I am not open to that reproach. Dr. Upround, consider my instructions. I + was strictly forbidden to disclose my object until certainty should be + obtained. That being done, I have hastened to apprise you first of a + result which is partly due to your own good offices. Shake hands, my dear + sir, and acquit me of rudeness—the last thing of which I am + capable.” + </p> + <p> + The rector was mollified, and gave his hand to the gallant general factor. + “Allow me to add my congratulations upon your wonderful success,” he said; + “but would that I had known it some few hours sooner! It might have saved + you a vast amount of trouble. I might have kept Robin well within your + reach. I fear that he is now beyond it.” + </p> + <p> + “I am grieved to hear you say so. But according to my last instructions, + although he is in strict concealment, I can lay hands upon him when the + time is ripe.” + </p> + <p> + “I fear not. He sailed last night for the Continent, which is a vague + destination, especially in such times as these. But perhaps that was part + of your skillful contrivance?” + </p> + <p> + “Not so. And for the time it throws me out. I have kept most careful watch + on him. But the difficulty was that he might confound my vigilance with + that of his enemies; take me for a constable, I mean. And perhaps he has + done so, after all. Things have gone luckily for me in the main; but that + murder came in most unseasonably. It was the very thing that should have + been avoided. Sir Duncan will need all his influence there. Suppose for a + moment that young Robin did not do it—” + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Mordacks, you frighten me. What else could you suppose?” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly—yes. A parishioner of yours, when not engaged unlawfully + upon the high seas. We heartily hope that he did not do it, and we give + him the benefit of the doubt; in which I shared largely, until it became + so manifest that he was a Yordas. A Yordas has made a point of slaying his + man—and sometimes from three to a dozen men—until within the + last two generations. In the third generation the law revives, as is + hinted, I think, in the Decalogue. In my professional course a large stock + of hereditary trail—so to speak—comes before me. Some families + always drink, some always steal, some never tell lies because they never + know a falsehood, some would sell their souls for a sixpence, and these + are the most respectable of any—” + </p> + <p> + “My dear sir, my dear sir, I beg your pardon for interrupting you; but in + my house the rule is to speak well of people, or else to say nothing about + them.” + </p> + <p> + “Then you must resign your commission, doctor; for how can you take + depositions? But, as I was saying, I should have some hope of the + innocence of young Robin if it should turn out that his father, Sir + Duncan, has destroyed a good many of the native race in India. It may + reasonably be hoped that he has done so, which would tend very strongly to + exonerate his son. But the evidence laid before your Worship and before + the coroner was black—black—black.” + </p> + <p> + “My position forbids me to express opinions. The evidence compelled me to + issue the warrant. But knowing your position, I may show you this, in + every word of which I have perfect faith.” + </p> + <p> + With these words Dr. Upround produced the letter which he had received + last night, and the general factor took in all the gist of it in less than + half a minute. + </p> + <p> + “Very good! very good!” he said, with a smile of experienced benevolence. + “We believe some of it. Our duty is to do so. There are two points of + importance in it. One as to the girl he is in love with, and the other his + kind liberality to the fellows who will have to bear the brunt of it.” + </p> + <p> + “You speak sarcastically, and I hope unfairly. To my mind, the most + important facts are these—that poor Carroway was shot from behind, + and that the smugglers had no fire-arms, except two pistols, both + unloaded.” + </p> + <p> + “Who is to prove that, Dr. Upround? Their mouths are closed; and if they + were open, would anybody believe them? We knew long ago that the vigilant + and deservedly lamented officer took the deathblow from behind; but of + that how simple is the explanation! The most intelligent of his crew, and + apparently his best subordinate, whose name is John Cadman, deposes that + his lamented chief turned round for one moment to give an order, and + during that moment received the shot. His evidence is the more weighty + because he does not go too far with it. He does not pretend to say who + fired. He knows only that one of the smugglers did. His evidence will hang + those six poor fellows, from the laudable desire of the law to include the + right one. But I trust that the right one will be far away.” + </p> + <p> + “I trust not. If even one of them is condemned, even to transportation, + Robin Lyth will surrender immediately. You doubt it. You smile at the + idea. Your opinion of human nature is low. Mine is not enthusiastic. But I + judge others by myself.” + </p> + <p> + “So do I,” Mr. Mordacks answered, with a smile of curious humor. And the + rector could not help smiling too, at this instance of genuine candor. + “However, not to go too deeply into that,” his visitor continued, “there + really is one point in Robin's letter which demands inquiry. I mean about + the guns of the Preventive men. Cadman may be a rogue. Most probably he + is. None of the others confirm, although they do not contradict him. Do + you know anything about him?” + </p> + <p> + “Only villainy—in another way. He led away a nice girl of this + parish, an industrious mussel-gatherer. And he then had a wife and large + family of his own, of which the poor thing knew nothing. Her father nearly + killed him; and I was compelled (very much against my will) to inflict a + penalty. Cadman is very shy of Flamborough now. By-the-way, have you + called upon poor Widow Carroway?” + </p> + <p> + “I thank you for the hint. She is the very person. It will be a sad + intrusion; and I have put it off as long as possible. After what Robin + says, it is most important. I hope that Sir Duncan will be here very + shortly. He is coming from Yarmouth in his own yacht. Matters are crowding + upon me very fast. I will see Mrs. Carroway as soon as it is decent. + Good-morning, and best thanks to your Worship.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0038" id="link2HCH0038"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXVIII + </h2> + <h3> + THE DEMON OF THE AXE + </h3> + <p> + The air was sad and heavy thus, with discord, doubt, and death itself + gathering and descending, like the clouds of long night, upon Flamborough. + But far away, among the mountains and the dreary moorland, the “intake” of + the coming winter was a great deal worse to see. For here no blink of the + sea came up, no sunlight under the sill of clouds (as happens where wide + waters are), but rather a dark rim of brooding on the rough horizon seemed + to thicken itself against the light under the sullen march of vapors—the + muffled funeral of the year. Dry trees and naked crags stood forth, and + the dirge of the wind went to and fro, and there was no comfort + out-of-doors. + </p> + <p> + Soon the first snow of the winter came, the first abiding earnest snow, + for several skits had come before, and ribbed with white the mountain + breasts. But nobody took much heed of that, except to lean over the + plough, while it might be sped, or to want more breakfast. Well resigned + was everybody to the stoppage of work by winter. It was only what must be + every year, and a gracious provision of Providence. If a man earned very + little money, that was against him in one way, but encouraged him in + another. It brought home to his mind the surety that others would be kind + to him; not with any sense of gift, but a large good-will of sharing. + </p> + <p> + But the first snow that visits the day, and does not melt in its own cold + tears, is a sterner sign for every one. The hardened wrinkle, and the + herring-bone of white that runs among the brown fern fronds, the crisp + defiant dazzle on the walks, and the crust that glitters on the patient + branch, and the crest curling under the heel of a gate, and the ridge + piled up against the tool-house door—these, and the shivering wind + that spreads them, tell of a bitter time in store. + </p> + <p> + The ladies of Scargate Hall looked out upon such a December afternoon. The + massive walls of their house defied all sudden change of temperature, and + nothing less than a week of rigor pierced the comfort of their rooms. The + polished oak beams overhead glanced back the merry fire-glow, the painted + walls shone with rosy tints, and warm lights flitting along them, and the + thick-piled carpet yielded back a velvety sense of luxury. It was nice to + see how bleak the crags were, and the sad trees laboring beneath the wind + and snow. + </p> + <p> + “If it were not for thinking of the poor cold people, for whom one feels + so deeply,” said the gentle Mrs. Carnaby, with a sweet soft sigh, “one + would rather enjoy this dreary prospect. I hope there will be a deep snow + to-night. There is every sign of it upon the scaurs. And then, Philippa, + only think—no post, no plague of news, no prospect of even that + odious Jellicorse! Once more we shall have our meals in quiet.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carnaby loved a good dinner right well, a dinner unplagued by + hospitable cares; when a woodcock was her own to dwell on, and pretty + little teeth might pick a pretty little bone at ease. + </p> + <p> + “Eliza, you are always such a creature of the moment,” Mistress Yordas + answered, indulgently; “you do love the good things of the world too much. + How would you like to be out there, in a naked little cottage where the + wind howls through, and the ewer is frozen every morning? And where, if + you ever get anything to eat—” + </p> + <p> + “Philippa, I implore you not to be so dreadful. One never can utter the + most commonplace reflection—and you know that I said I was sorry for + the people.” + </p> + <p> + “My object is good, as you ought to know. My object is to habituate your + mind—” + </p> + <p> + “Philippa, I beg you once more to confine your exertions, in that way, to + your own more lofty mind. Again I refuse to have my mind, or whatever it + is that does duty for it, habituated to anything. A gracious Providence + knows that I should die outright, after all my blameless life, if reduced + to those horrible straits you always picture. And I have too much faith in + a gracious Providence to conceive for one moment that it would treat me + so. I decline the subject. Why should we make such troubles? There is + clear soup for dinner, and some lovely sweet-breads. Cook has got a new + receipt for bread sauce, and Jordas says that he never did shoot such a + woodcock.” + </p> + <p> + “Eliza, I trust that you may enjoy them all; your appetite is delicate, + and you require nourishment. Why, what do I see over yonder in the snow? A + slim figure moving at a very great pace, and avoiding the open places! Are + my eyes growing old, or is it Lancelot?” + </p> + <p> + “Pet out in such weather, Philippa! Such a thing is simply impossible. Or + at any rate I should hope so. You know that Jordas was obliged to put a + set of curtains from end to end even of the bowling-alley, which is so + beautifully sheltered; and even then poor Pet was sneezing. And you should + have heard what he said to me, when I was afraid of the sheets taking fire + from his warming-pan one night. Pet is unaccountable sometimes, I know. + But the very last thing imaginable of him is that he should put his pretty + feet into the snow.” + </p> + <p> + “You know him best, Eliza; and it is very puzzling to distinguish things + in snow. But if it was not Pet, why, it must have been a squirrel.” + </p> + <p> + “The squirrels are gone to sleep for the winter, Philippa. I dare say it + was only Jordas. Don't you think that it must have been Jordas?” + </p> + <p> + “I am quite certain that it was not Jordas. But I will not pretend to say + that it was not a squirrel. He may forego his habitudes more easily than + Lancelot.” + </p> + <p> + “How horribly dry you are sometimes, Philippa. There seems to be no + softness in your nature. You are fit to do battle with fifty lawyers; and + I pity Mr. Jellicorse, with his best clothes on.” + </p> + <p> + “You could commit no greater error. We pay the price of his black silk + stockings three times over, every time we see him. The true objects of + pity are—you, I, and the estates.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, let us drop it for a while. If you begin upon that nauseous + subject, not a particle of food will pass my lips; and I did look forward + to a little nourishment.” + </p> + <p> + “Dinner, my ladies!” cried the well-appointed Welldrum, throwing open the + door as only such a man can do, while cleverly accomplishing the necessary + bow, which he clinched on such occasions with a fine smack of his lips. + </p> + <p> + “Go and tell Mr. Lancelot, if you please, that we are waiting for him.” A + great point was made, but not always effected, of having Master Pet, in + very gorgeous attire, to lead his aunt into the dining-room. It was fondly + believed that this impressed him with the elegance and nice humanities + required by his lofty position and high walk in life. Pet hated this + performance, and generally spoiled it by making a face over his shoulder + at old Welldrum, while he strode along in real or mock awe of Aunt + Philippa. + </p> + <p> + “If you please, my ladies,” said the butler now, choosing Mrs. Carnaby for + his eyes to rest on, “Mr. Lancelot beg to be excoosed of dinner. His head + is that bad that he have gone for open air.” + </p> + <p> + “Snow-headache is much in our family; Eliza, you remember how our dear + father used to feel it.” With these words Mistress Yordas led her sister + to the dining-room; and they took good care to say nothing more about it + before the officious Welldrum. + </p> + <p> + Pet meanwhile was beginning to repent of his cold and lonely venture. For + a mile or two the warmth of his mind and the glow of exercise sustained + him; and he kept on admiring his own courage till his feet began to + tingle. “Insie will be bound to kiss me now; and she never will be able to + laugh at me again,” he said to himself some fifty times. “I am like the + great poet who describes the snow; and I have got some cherry-brandy.” He + trudged on very bravely; but his poor dear toes at every step grew colder. + Out upon the moor, where he was now, no shelter of any kind encouraged + him; no mantlet of bank, or ridge, or brush-wood, set up a furry shiver + betwixt him and the tatterdemalion wind. Not even a naked rock stood up to + comfort a man by looking colder than himself. + </p> + <p> + But in truth there was no severe cold yet; no depth of snow, no intensity + of frost, no splintery needles of sparkling drift; but only the beginning + of the wintry time, such as makes a strong man pick his feet up, and a + healthy boy start an imaginary slide. The wind, however, was shrewd and + searching, and Lancelot was accustomed to a warming-pan. Inside his + waistcoat he wore a hare-skin, and his heart began to give rapid thumps + against it. He knew that he was going into bodily peril worse than any + frost or snow. + </p> + <p> + For a long month he had not even seen his Insie, and his hot young heart + had never before been treated so contemptuously. He had been allowed to + show himself in the gill at his regular interval, a fortnight ago. But no + one had ventured forth to meet him, or even wave signal of welcome or + farewell. But that he could endure, because he had been warned not to hope + for much that Friday; now, however, it was not his meaning to put up with + any more such nonsense. That he, who had been told by the servants + continually that all the land for miles and miles around was his, should + be shut out like a beggar, and compelled to play bo-peep, by people who + lived in a hole in the ground, was a little more than in the whole entire + course of his life he could ever have imagined. His mind was now made up + to let them know who he was and what he was; and unless they were very + quick in coming to their senses, Jordas should have orders to turn them + out, and take Insie altogether away from them. + </p> + <p> + But in spite of all brave thoughts and words, Master Pet began to spy + about very warily, ere ever he descended from the moor into the gill. He + seemed to have it borne in upon his mind that territorial rights—however + large and goodly—may lead only to a taste of earth, when earth alone + is witness to the treatment of her claimant. Therefore it behooved him to + look sharp; and possessing the family gift of keen sight, he began to spy + about, almost as shrewdly as if he had been educated in free trade. But + first he had wit enough to step below the break, and get behind a gorse + bush, lest haply he should illustrate only the passive voice of seeing. + </p> + <p> + In the deep cut of the glen there was very little snow, only a few veins + and patches here and there, threading and seaming the steep, as if a + white-footed hare had been coursing about. Little stubby brier shoots, and + clumps of russet bracken, and dead heather, ruffling like a brown dog's + back, broke the dull surface of withered herbage, thistle stumps, teasels, + rugged banks, and naked brush. Down in the bottom the noisy brook was + scurrying over its pebbles brightly, or plunging into gloom of its own + production; and away at the bend of the valley was seen the cot of poor + Lancelot's longing. + </p> + <p> + The situation was worth a sigh, and came half way to share one; Pet sighed + heavily, and deeply felt how wrong it was of any one to treat him so. What + could be easier for him than to go, as Insie had said to him at least a + score of times, and mind his own business, and shake off the dust—or + the mud—of his feet at such strangers? But, alas! he had tried it, + and could shake nothing, except his sad and sapient head. How deplorably + was he altered from the Pet that used to be! Where were now his lofty + joys, the pleasure he found in wholesome mischief and wholesale + destruction, the high delight of frightening all the world about his + safety? + </p> + <p> + “There are people here, I do believe,” he said to himself, most + touchingly, “who would be quite happy to chop off my head!” + </p> + <p> + As if to give edge to so murderous a thought, and wings to the feet of the + thinker, a man both tall and broad came striding down the cottage garden. + He was swinging a heavy axe as if it were a mere dress cane, and now and + then dealing clean slash of a branch, with an air which made Pet shiver + worse than any wind. The poor lad saw that in the grasp of such a man he + could offer less resistance than a nut within the crackers, and even his + champion, the sturdy Jordas, might struggle without much avail. He + gathered in his legs, and tucked his head well under the gorse to watch + him. + </p> + <p> + “Surely he is too big to run very fast,” thought the boy, with his valor + evaporated; “it must be that horrible Maunder. What a blessing that I + stopped up here just in time! He is going up the gill to cleave some wood. + Shall I cut away at once, or lie flat upon my stomach? He would be sure to + see me if I tried to run away; and much he would care for his landlord!” + </p> + <p> + In such a choice of evils, poor Lancelot resolved to lie still, unless the + monster should turn his steps that way. And presently he had the + heart-felt pleasure of seeing the formidable stranger take the track that + followed the windings of the brook. But instead of going well away, and + rounding the next corner, the big man stopped at the very spot where Insie + used to fill her pitcher, pulled off his coat and hung it on a bush, and + began with mighty strokes to fell a dead alder-tree that stood there. As + his great arms swung, and his back rose and fell, and the sway of his legs + seemed to shake the bank, and the ring of his axe filled the glen with + echoes, wrath and terror were fighting a hot battle in the heart of + Lancelot. + </p> + <p> + His sense of a land-owner's rights and titles had always been most + imperious, and though the Scargate estates were his as yet only in + remainder, he was even more jealous about them than if he held them + already in possession. What right had this man to cut down trees, to fell + and appropriate timber? Even in the garden which he rented he could not + rightfully touch a stick or stock. But to come out here, a good furlong + from his renting, and begin hacking and hewing, quite as if the land were + his—it seemed almost too brazen-faced for belief! It must be stopped + at once—such outrageous trespass stopped, and punished sternly. He + would stride down the hill with a summary veto—but, alas, if he did, + he might get cut down too! + </p> + <p> + Not only this disagreeable reflection, but also his tender regard for + Insie, prevented him from challenging this process of the axe; but his + feelings began to goad him toward something worthy of a Yordas—for a + Yordas he always accounted himself, and not by any means a Carnaby. And to + this end all the powers of his home conspired. + </p> + <p> + “That fellow is terribly big and strong,” he said to himself, with much + warmth of spirit; “but his axe is getting dull; and to chop down that tree + of mine will take him at least half an hour. Dead wood is harder to cut + than live. And when he has done that, he must work till dark to lop the + branches, and so on. I need not be afraid of anybody but this fellow. Now + is my time, then, while he is away. Even if the old folk are at home, they + will listen to my reasons. The next time he comes to hack my tree on this + side, I shall slip out, and go down to the cottage. I have no fear of any + one that pays any heed to reason.” + </p> + <p> + This sudden admirer and lover of reason cleverly carried out his bold + discretion. For now the savage woodman, intent upon that levelling which + is the highest glory of pugnacious minds, came round the tree, glaring at + it (as if it were the murderer, and he the victim), redoubling his + tremendous thwacks at every sign of tremor, flinging his head back with a + spiteful joy, poising his shoulders on the swing, and then with all his + weight descending into the trenchant blow. When his back was fairly turned + on Lancelot, and his whole mind and body thus absorbed upon his prey, the + lad rose quickly from his lair, and slipped over the crest of the gill to + the moorland. In a moment he was out of sight to that demon of the axe, + and gliding, with his head bent low, along a little hollow of the heathery + ground, which cut off a bend of the ravine, and again struck its brink a + good furlong down the gill. Here Pet stopped running, and lay down, and + peered over the brink, for this part was quite new to him, and resolved as + he was to make a bold stroke of it, he naturally wished to see how the + land lay, and what the fortress of the enemy was like, ere ever he + ventured into it. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0039" id="link2HCH0039"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XXXIX + </h2> + <h3> + BATTERY AND ASSUMPSIT + </h3> + <p> + That little moorland glen, whose only murmur was of wavelets, and + principal traffic of birds and rabbits, even at this time of year looked + pretty, with the winter light winding down its shelter and soft quietude. + Ferny pitches and grassy bends set off the harsh outline of rock and + shale, while a white mist (quivering like a clew above the rivulet) was + melting into the faint blue haze diffused among the foldings and recesses + of the land. On the hither side, nearly at the bottom of the slope, a + bright green spot among the brown and yellow roughness, looking by + comparison most smooth and rich, showed where the little cottage grew its + vegetables, and even indulged in a small attempt at fruit. Behind this, + the humble retirement of the cot was shielded from the wind by a + breastwork of bold rock, fringed with ground-ivy, hanging broom, and + silver stars of the carline. So simple and low was the building, and so + matched with the colors around it, that but for the smoke curling up from + a pipe of red pottery-ware, a stranger might almost have overlooked it. + The walls were made from the rocks close by, the roof of fir slabs + thatched with ling; there was no upper story, and (except the door and + windows) all the materials seemed native and at home. Lancelot had heard, + by putting a crafty question in safe places, that the people of the gill + here had built their own dwelling, a good many years ago; and it looked as + if they could have done it easily. + </p> + <p> + Now, if he intended to spy out the land, and the house as well, before the + giant of the axe returned, there was no time to lose in beginning. He had + a good deal of sagacity in tricks, and some practice in little arts of + robbery. For before he attained to this exalted state of mind one of his + favorite pastimes had been a course of stealthy raids upon the pears in + Scargate garden. He might have had as many as he liked for asking; but + what flavor would they have thus possessed? Moreover, he bore a noble + spite against the gardener, whose special pride was in that pear wall; and + Pet more than once had the joy of beholding him thrash his own innocent + son for the dark disappearance of Beurre and Bergamot. Making good use of + this experience, he stole his way down the steep glen-side, behind the low + fence of the garden, until he reached the bottom, and the brush-wood by + the stream. Here he stopped to observe again, and breathe, and get his + spirit up. The glassy water looked as cold as death; and if he got cramp + in his feet, how could he run? And yet he could see no other way but + wading, of approaching the cottage unperceived. + </p> + <p> + Now fortune (whose privilege it is to cast mortals into the holes that + most misfit them) sometimes, when she has got them there, takes pity, and + contemptuously lifts them. Pet was in a hole of hardship, such as his dear + mamma never could have dreamed of, and such as his nurture and + constitution made trebly disastrous for him. He had taken a chill from his + ambush, and fright, and the cold wind over the snow of the moor; and now + the long wading of that icy water might have ended upon the shores of + Acheron. However, he was just about to start upon that passage—for + the spirit of his race was up—when a dull grating sound, as of + footsteps crunching grit, came to his prettily concave ears. + </p> + <p> + At this sound Lancelot Carnaby stopped from his rash venture into the + water, and drew himself back into an ivied bush, which served as the + finial of the little garden hedge. Peeping through this, he could see that + the walk from the cottage to the hedge was newly sprinkled with gray wood + ash, perhaps to prevent the rain from lodging and the snow from lying + there. Heavy steps of two old men (as Pet in the insolence of young days + called them) fell upon the dull soft crust, and ground it, heel and toe—heel + first, as stiff joints have it—with the bruising snip a hungry cow + makes, grazing wiry grasses. “One of them must be Insie's dad,” said Pet + to himself, as he crouched more closely behind the hedge; “which of them, + I wonder? Well, the tall one, I suppose, to go by the height of that + Maunder. And the other has only one arm; and a man with one arm could + never have built their house. They are coming to sit on that bench; I + shall hear every word they say, and learn some of their secrets that I + never could get out of Insie one bit of. But I wonder who that other + fellow is?” + </p> + <p> + That other fellow, in spite of his lease, would promptly have laid his + surviving hand to the ear of Master Lancelot, or any other eavesdropper; + for a sturdy and resolute man was he, being no less than our ancient + friend and old soldier, Jack of the Smithies. And now was verified that + homely proverb that listeners never hear good of themselves. + </p> + <p> + “Sit down, my friend,” said the elder of the twain, a man of rough dress + and hard hands, but good, straightforward aspect, and that careless humor + which generally comes from a life of adventures, and a long acquaintance + with the world's caprice. “I have brought you here that we may be + undisturbed. Little pitchers have long ears. My daughter is as true as + steel; but this matter is not for her at present. You are sure, then, that + Sir Duncan is come home at last? And he wished that I should know it?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir, he wished that you should know it. So soon as I told him that + you was here, and leading what one may call this queer life, he slapped + his thigh like this here—for he hath a downright way of everything—and + he said, 'Now, Smithies, so soon as you get home, go and tell him that I + am coming. I can trust him as I trust myself; and glad I am for one old + friend in the parts I am such a stranger to. Years and years I have longed + to know what was become of my old friend Bert.' Tears was in his eyes, + your honor: Sir Duncan hath seen such a mighty lot of men, that his heart + cometh up to the few he hath found deserving of the name, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “You said that you saw him at York, I think?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir, at the business house of his agent, one Master Geoffrey + Mordacks. He come there quite unexpected, I believe, to see about + something else he hath in hand, and I got a message to go there at once. I + save his life once in India, sir, from one of they cursed Sours, which + made him take heed of me, and me of him. And then it come out where I come + from, and why; and the both of us spoke the broad Yorkshire together, like + as I dea naa care to do to home. After that he got on wonderful, as you + know; and I stuck to him through the whole of it, from luck as well as + liking, till, if I had gone out to see to his breeches, I could not very + well have knowed more of him. And I tell you, sir, not to regard him for a + Yordas. He hath a mind far above them lot; though I was born under them, + to say so!” + </p> + <p> + “And you think that he will come and recover his rights, in spite of his + father's will against him. I know nothing of the ladies of the Hall; but + it seems a hard thing to turn them out, after being there so long.” + </p> + <p> + “Who was turned out first, they or him? Five-and-twenty years of tent, + open sky, jungle, and who knows what, for him—but eider-down, and + fireside, and fat of land for them! No, no, sir; whatever shall happen + there, will be God's own justice.” + </p> + <p> + “Of His justice who shall judge?” said Insie's father, quietly. “But is + there not a young man grown, who passes for the heir with every one?” + </p> + <p> + “Ay, that there is; and the best game of all will be neck and crop for + that young scamp. A bully, a coward, a puling milksop, is all the + character he beareth. He giveth himself born airs, as if every inch of the + Riding belonged to him. He hath all the viciousness of Yordas, without the + pluck to face it out. A little beast that hath the venom, without the + courage, of a toad. Ah, how I should like to see—” + </p> + <p> + Jack of the Smithies not only saw, but felt. The Yordas blood was up in + Pet. He leaped through the hedge and struck this man with a sharp quick + fist in either eye. Smithies fell backward behind the bench, his heels + danced in the air, and the stump of his arm got wedged in the stubs of a + bush, while Lancelot glared at him with mad eyes. + </p> + <p> + “What next?” said his companion, rising calmly, and steadfastly gazing at + Lancelot. + </p> + <p> + “The next thing is to kill him; and it shall be done,” the furious youth + replied, while he swung the gentleman's big stick, which he had seized, + and danced round his foe with the speed of a wild-cat. “Don't meddle, or + it will be worse for you. You heard what he said of me. Get out of the + way.” + </p> + <p> + “Indeed, my young friend, I shall do nothing of the sort.” But the old man + was not at all sure that he could do much; such was the fury and agility + of the youth, who jumped three yards for every step of his, while the poor + old soldier could not move. The boy skipped round the protecting figure, + whose grasp he eluded easily, and swinging the staff with both arms, aimed + a great blow at the head of his enemy. Suddenly the other interposed the + bench, upon which the stick fell, and broke short; and before the + assailant could recover from the jerk, he was a prisoner in two powerful + old arms. + </p> + <p> + “You are so wild that we must make you fast,” his captor said, with a + benignant smile; and struggle as he might, the boy was very soon secured. + His antagonist drew forth a red bandana handkerchief, and fastened his + bleeding hands behind his back. “There, now, lad,” he said, “you can do no + mischief. Recover your temper, sir, and tell us who you are, as soon as + you are sane enough to know.” + </p> + <p> + Pet, having spent his just indignation, began to perceive that he had made + a bad investment. His desire had been to maintain in this particular spot + strict privacy from all except Insie, to whom in the largeness of love he + had declared himself. Yet here he stood, promulged and published, + strikingly and flagrantly pronounced! At first he was like to sulk in the + style of a hawk who has failed of his swoop; but seeing his enemy arising + slowly with grunts, and action nodose and angular—rather than + flexibly graceful—contempt became the uppermost feature of his mind. + </p> + <p> + “My name,” he said, “if you are not afraid of it, that you tie me in this + cowardly low manner, is—Lancelot Yordas Carnaby.” + </p> + <p> + “My boy, it is a long name for any one to carry. No wonder that you look + weak beneath it. And where do you live, young gentleman?” + </p> + <p> + Amazement sat upon the face of Pet—a genuine astonishment, entirely + pure from wrath. It was wholly beyond his imagination that any one, after + hearing his name, should have to ask him where he lived. He thought that + the question must be put in low mockery, and to answer was far beneath his + dignity. + </p> + <p> + By this time the veteran Jack of the Smithies had got out of his trap, and + was standing stiffly, passing his hand across his sadly smitten eyes, and + talking to himself about them. + </p> + <p> + “Two black eyes, at my time of life, as sure as I'm a Christian! + Howsomever, young chap, I likes you better. Never dreamed there was such + good stuff in you. Master Bert, cast him loose, if so please you. Let me + shake hands with 'un, and bear no malice. Bad words deserve hard blows, + and I ask his pardon for driving him into it. I called 'un a milksop, and + he hath proved me a liar. He may be a bad 'un, but with good stuff in 'un. + Lord bless me, I never would have believed the lad could hit so smartly!” + </p> + <p> + Pet was well pleased with this tribute to his prowess; but as for shaking + hands with a tenant, and a “common man”—as every one not of gentle + birth was then called—such an act was quite below him, or above him, + according as we take his own opinion, or the truth. And possibly he rose + in Smithies' mind by drawing back from bodily overture. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Bert looked on with all the bliss of an ancient interpreter. He could + follow out the level of the vein of each, as no one may do except a + gentleman, perhaps, who has turned himself deliberately into a “common + man.” Bert had done his utmost toward this end; but the process is + difficult when voluntary. + </p> + <p> + “I think it is time,” he now said, firmly, to the unshackled and + triumphant Pet, “for Lancelot Yordas Carnaby to explain what has brought + him into such humble quarters, and induced him to turn eavesdropper; which + was not considered (at least in my young days) altogether the part of a + gentleman.” + </p> + <p> + The youth had not seen quite enough of the world to be pat with a fertile + lie as yet; especially under such searching eyes. However, he did as much + as could be well expected. + </p> + <p> + “I was just looking over my property,” he said, “and I thought I heard + somebody cutting down my timber. I came to see who it was, and I heard + people talking, and before I could ask them about it, I heard myself + abused disgracefully; and that was more than I could stand.” + </p> + <p> + “We must take it for granted that a brave young gentleman of your position + would tell no falsehood. You assure us, on your honor, that you heard no + more?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, I heard voices, sir. But nothing to understand, or make head or + tail of.” There was some truth in this; for young Lancelot had not the + least idea who “Sir Duncan” was. His mother and aunt had kept him wholly + in the dark as to any lost uncle in India. “I should like to know what it + was,” he added, “if it has anything to do with me.” + </p> + <p> + This was a very clever hit of his; and it made the old gentleman believe + him altogether. + </p> + <p> + “All in good time, my young friend,” he answered, even with a smile of + some pity for the youth. “But you are scarcely old enough for business + questions, although so keen about your timber. Now after abusing you so + disgracefully, as I admit that my friend here has done, and after roping + your pugnacious hands, as I myself was obliged to do, we never can launch + you upon the moor, in such weather as this, without some food. You are not + very strong, and you have overdone yourself. Let us go to the house, and + have something.” + </p> + <p> + Jack of the Smithies showed alacrity at this, as nearly all old soldiers + must; but Pet was much oppressed with care, and the intellect in his + breast diverged into sore distraction of anxious thought. Whether should + he draw the keen sword of assurance, put aside the others, and see Insie, + or whether should he start with best foot foremost, scurry up the hill, + and avoid the axe of Maunder? Pallas counselled this course, and Aphrodite + that; and the latter prevailed, as she always used to do, until she + produced the present dry-cut generation. + </p> + <p> + Lancelot bowed to the gentleman of the gill, and followed him along the + track of grit, which set his little pearly teeth on edge; while Jack of + the Smithies led, and formed, the rear-guard. “This is coming now to + something very queer,” thought Pet; “after all, it might have been better + for me to take my chance with the hatchet man.” + </p> + <p> + Brown dusk was ripely settling down among the mossy apple-trees, and the + leafless alders of the brook, and the russet and yellow memories of late + autumn lingering in the glen, while the peaky little freaks of snow, and + the cold sighs of the wind, suggested fireside and comfort. Mr. Bert threw + open his cottage door, and bowing as to a welcome guest, invited Pet to + enter. No passage, no cold entrance hall, demanded scrapes of ceremony; + but here was the parlor, and the feeding-place, and the warm dance of the + fire-glow. Logs that meant to have a merry time, and spread a cheerful + noise abroad, ere ever they turned to embers, were snorting forth the + pointed flames, and spitting soft protests of sap. And before them stood, + with eyes more bright than any flash of fire-light, intent upon rich + simmering scents, a lovely form, a grace of dainties—oh, a goddess + certainly! + </p> + <p> + “Master Carnaby,” said the host, “allow me, sir, the honor to present my + daughter to you, Insie darling, this is Mr. Lancelot Yordas Carnaby. Make + him a pretty courtesy.” + </p> + <p> + Insie turned round with a rosy blush, brighter than the brightest + fire-wood, and tried to look at Pet as if she had never even dreamed of + such a being. Pet drew hard upon his heart, and stood bewildered, tranced, + and dazzled. He had never seen Insie in-doors before, which makes a great + difference in a girl; and the vision was too bright for him. + </p> + <p> + For here, at her own hearth, she looked so gentle, sweet, and lovely. No + longer wild and shy, or gayly mischievous and watchful, but calm-eyed, + firm-lipped, gravely courteous; intent upon her father's face, and + banishing not into shadow so much as absolute nullity any one who dreamed + that he ever filled a pitcher for her, or fed her with grouse and + partridge, and committed the incredible atrocity of kissing her. + </p> + <p> + Lancelot ceased to believe it possible that he ever could have done such a + thing as that, while he saw how she never would see him at all, or talk in + the voice that he had been accustomed to, or even toss her head in the + style he had admired, when she tried to pretend to make light of him. If + she would only make light of him now, he would be well contented, and say + to himself that she did it on purpose, for fear of the opposite extreme. + But the worst of it was that she had quite forgotten, beyond blink of + inquiry or gleam of hope, that ever in her life she had set eyes on a + youth of such perfect insignificance before. + </p> + <p> + “My friend, you ought to be hungry,” said Bert of the Gill, as he was + proud to call himself; “after your exploit you should be fed. Your + vanquished foe will sit next to you. Insie, you are harassed in mind by + the countenance of our old friend Master John Smithies. He has met with a + little mishap—never mind—the rising generation is quick of + temper. A soldier respects his victor; it is a beautiful arrangement of + Providence; otherwise wars would never cease. Now give our two guests a + good dish of the best, piping hot, and of good meaty fibre. We will have + our own supper by-and-by, when Maunder comes home, and your mother is + ready. Gentlemen, fall to; you have far to go, and the moors are bad after + night-fall.” + </p> + <p> + Lancelot, proudly as he stood upon his rank, saw fit to make no objection. + Not only did his inner man cry, “Feed, even though a common man feed with + thee,” but his mind was under the influence of a stronger one, which + scorned such stuff. Moreover, Insie, for the first time, gave him a + glance, demure but imperative, which meant, “Obey my father, sir.” + </p> + <p> + He obeyed, and was rewarded; for the beautiful girl came round him so, to + hand whatever he wanted, and seemed to feel so sweetly for him in his + strange position, that he scarcely knew what he was eating, only that it + savored of rich rare love, and came from the loveliest creature in the + world. In stern fact, it came from the head of a sheep; but neither jaws + nor teeth were seen. Upon one occasion he was almost sure that a curl of + Insie's lovely hair fell upon the back of his stooping neck; he could + scarcely keep himself from jumping up; and he whispered, very softly, when + the old man was away, “Oh, if you would only do that again!” But his + darling made manifest that this was a mistake, and applied herself + sedulously to the one-armed Jack. + </p> + <p> + Jack of the Smithies was a trencherman of the very first order, and being + well wedded (with a promise already of young soldiers to come), it + behooved him to fill all his holes away from home, and spare his own + cupboard for the sake of Mistress Smithies. He perceived the duty, and + performed it, according to the discipline of the British army. + </p> + <p> + But Insie was fretting in the conscience of her heart to get the young + Lancelot fed and dismissed before the return of her great wild brother. + Not that he would hurt their guest, though unwelcome; or even show any + sort of rudeness to him; but more than ever now, since she heard of Pet's + furious onslaught upon the old soldier—which made her begin to + respect him a little—she longed to prevent any meeting between this + gallant and the rough Maunder. And that anxiety led her to look at Pet + with a melancholy kindness. Then Jack of the Smithies cut things short. + </p> + <p> + “Off's the word,” he said, “if ever I expects to see home afore daylight. + All of these moors is known to me, and many's the time I have tracked them + all in sleep, when the round world was betwixt us. But without any moon it + is hard to do 'em waking; and the loss of my arm sends me crooked in the + dark. And as for young folk, they be all abroad to once. With your leave, + Master Bert, I'll be off immediate, after getting all I wants, as the + manner of the world is. My good missus will be wondering what is come of + me.” + </p> + <p> + “You have spoken well,” his host replied; “and I think we shall have a + heavy fall to-night. But this young gentleman must not go home alone. He + is not robust, and the way is long and rough. I have seen him shivering + several times. I will fetch my staff, and march with him.” + </p> + <p> + “No, sir, I will not have such a thing done,” the veteran answered, + sturdily. “If the young gentleman is a gentleman, he will not be afraid + for me to take him home, in spite of what he hath done to me. Speak up, + young man, are you frightened of me?” + </p> + <p> + “Not if you are not afraid of me,” said Pet, who had now forgotten all + about that Maunder, and only longed to stay where he was, and set up a + delicious little series of glances. For the room, and the light, and the + tenor of the place, began more and more to suit such uses. And most and + best of all, his Insie was very thankful to him for his good behavior; and + he scarcely could believe that she wanted him to go. To go, however, was + his destiny; and when he had made a highly laudable and far-away salute, + it happened—in the shift of people, and of light, and clothing, + which goes on so much in the winter-time—that a little hand came + into his, and rose to his lips, with ground of action, not for assault and + battery, but simply for assumpsit. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0040" id="link2HCH0040"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XL + </h2> + <h3> + STORMY GAP + </h3> + <p> + Snowy weather now set in, and people were content to stay at home. Among + the scaurs and fells and moors the most perturbed spirit was compelled to + rest, or try to do so, or at any rate not agitate its body out-of-doors. + Lazy folk were suited well with reason good for laziness; and gentle + minds, that dreaded evil, gladly found its communication stopped. + </p> + <p> + Combined excitement and exertion, strong amazement, ardent love, and a + cold of equal severity, laid poor Pet Carnaby by the heels, and reduced + him to perpetual gruel. He was shut off from external commune, and + strictly blockaded in his bedroom, where his only attendants were his + sweet mother, and an excellent nurse who stroked his forehead, and called + him “dear pet,” till he hated her, and, worst of all, that Dr. Spraggs, + who lived in the house, because the weather was so bad. + </p> + <p> + “We have taken a chill, and our mind is a little unhinged,” said the + skillful practitioner: “careful diet, complete repose, a warm surrounding + atmosphere, absence of undue excitement, and, above all, a course of my + gentle alteratives regularly administered—these are the very simple + means to restore our beloved patient. He is certainly making progress; but + I assure you, my dear madam, or rather I need not tell a lady of such + wonderfully clear perception, that remedial measures must be slow to be + truly efficacious. With lower organizations we may deal in a more empiric + style; but no experiments must be tried here—” + </p> + <p> + “Dr. Spraggs, I should hope not, indeed. You alarm me by the mere + suggestion.” + </p> + <p> + “Gradation, delicately pursued, adapted subtly, discriminated nicely by + the unerring diagnosis of extensive medical experience, combined with deep + study of the human system, and a highly distinguished university career—such, + madam, are, in my humble opinion, the true elements of permanent + amelioration. At the same time we must not conceal from ourselves that our + constitution is by no means one of ordinary organization. None of your + hedger and ditcher class, but delicate, fragile, impulsive, sensitive, + liable to inopine derangements from excessive activity of mind—” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Dr. Spraggs, he has been reading poetry, which none of our family + ever even dreamed of doing—it is a young man, over your way + somewhere. Possibly you may have heard of him.” + </p> + <p> + “That young man has a great deal to answer for. I have traced a very bad + case of whooping-cough to him. That explains many symptoms which I could + not quite make out. We will take away this book, madam, and give him Dr. + Watts—the only wholesome poet that our country has produced; though + even his opinions would be better expressed in prose.” + </p> + <p> + But the lad, in spite of all this treatment, slowly did recover, and then + obtained relief, which set him on his nimble legs again. For his aunt + Philippa, one snowy morning, went into the room beneath that desperately + sick chamber, to see whether wreaths of snow had entered, as they often + did, between the loose joints of the casement. She walked very carefully, + for fear of making a noise that might be heard above, and disturb the + repose of the poor invalid. But, to her surprise, there came loud thumps + from above, and a quivering of the ceiling, and a sound as of rushing + steps, and laughter, and uproarious jollity. + </p> + <p> + “What can it be? I am perfectly amazed,” said Mistress Yordas to herself. + “I must inquire into this.” + </p> + <p> + She knew that her sister was out of the way, and the nurse in the kitchen, + having one of her frequent feeds and agreeable discourses. So she went to + a mighty ring in her own room, as large as an untaxed carriage wheel, and + from it (after due difficulty) took the spare key of the passage door that + led the way to Lancelot. + </p> + <p> + No sooner had she passed this door than she heard a noise a great deal + worse than the worst imagination—whiz, and hiss, and crack, and + smash, and rolling of hollow things over hollow places, varied with + shouts, and the flapping of skirts, and jingling of money upon heart of + oak; these and many other travails of the air (including strong language) + amazed the lady. Hastening into the sick-room, she found the window wide + open, with the snow pouring in, a dozen of phial bottles ranged like + skittles, some full and some empty, and Lancelot dancing about in his + night-gown, with Divine Songs poised for another hurl. + </p> + <p> + “Two for a full, and one for an empty. Seven to me, and four to you. No + cheating, now, or I'll knock you over,” he was shouting to Welldrum's boy, + who had clearly been smuggled in at the window for this game. “There's + plenty more in old Spraggs's chest. Holloa, here's Aunt Philippa!” + </p> + <p> + Mistress Yordas was not displeased with this spirited application of + pharmacy; she at once flung wide the passage door, and Pet was free of the + house again, but upon parole not to venture out of doors. The first use he + made of his liberty was to seek the faithful Jordas, who possessed a + little private sitting-room, and there hold secret council with him. + </p> + <p> + The dogman threw his curly head back, when he had listened to his young + lord's tale (which contained the truth, and nothing but the truth, yet not + by any means the whole truth, for the leading figure was left out), and a + snort from his broad nostrils showed contempt and strong vexation. + </p> + <p> + “Just what I said would come o' such a job,” he muttered, without thought + of Lancelot; “to let in a traitor, and spake him fair, and make much of + him. I wish you had knocked his two eyes out, Master Lance, instead of + only blacking of 'un. And a fortnight lost through that pisonin' Spraggs! + And the weather going on, snow and thaw, snow and thaw. There's scarcely a + dog can stand, let alone a horse, and the wreaths getting deeper. Most + onlucky! It hath come to pass most ontoimely.” + </p> + <p> + “But who is Sir Duncan? And who is Mr. Bert? I have told you everything, + Jordas; and all you do is to tell me nothing.” + </p> + <p> + “What more can I tell you, sir? You seem to know most about 'em. And what + was it as took you down that way, sir, if I may make so bold to ask?” + </p> + <p> + “Jordas, that is no concern of yours; every gentleman has his own private + affairs, which can not in any way concern a common man. But I wish you + particularly to find out all that can be known about Mr. Bert—what + made him come here, and why does he live so, and how much has he got a + year? He seems to be quite a gentleman—” + </p> + <p> + “Then his private affairs, sir, can not concern a common man. You had + better ways go yourself and ask him; or ask his friend with the two black + eyes. Now just you do as I bid you, Master Lance. Not a word of all this + here to my ladies; but think of something as you must have immediate from + Middleton. Something as your health requires”—here Jordas indulged + in a sarcastic grin—“something as must come, if the sky come down, + or the day of Judgment was to-morrow.” + </p> + <p> + “I know, yes, I am quite up to you, Jordas. Let me see: last time it was a + sweet-bread. That would never do again. It shall be a hundred oysters; and + Spraggs shall command it, or be turned out.” + </p> + <p> + “Jordas, I really can not bear,” said the kind Mrs. Carnaby, an hour + afterward, “that you should seem almost to risk your life by riding to + Middleton in such dreadful weather. Are you sure that it will not snow + again, and quite sure that you can get through all the wreaths? If not, I + would on no account have you go. Perhaps, after all, it is but the fancy + of a poor fantastic invalid, though Dr. Spraggs feels that it is so + important, and may be the turning-point in his sad illness. It seems such + a long way in such weather; and selfish people, who can never understand, + might say that it was quite unkind of us. But if you have made up your + mind to go, in spite of all remonstrance, you must be sure to come back + to-night; and do please to see that the oysters are round, and have not + got any of their lids up.” + </p> + <p> + The dogman knew well that he jeopardized his life in either half of the + journey; no little in going, and tenfold as much in returning through the + snows of night. Though the journey in the first place had been of his own + seeking, and his faithful mind was set upon it, some little sense of + bitterness was in his heart, that his life was not thought more of. He + made a low bow, and turned away, that he might not meet those eyes so full + of anxiety for another, and of none for him. And when he came to think of + it, he was sorry afterward for indulging in a little bit of two-edged + satire. + </p> + <p> + “Will you please to ask my lady if I may take Marmaduke? Or whether she + would be afeared to risk him in such weather?” + </p> + <p> + “I think it is unkind of you to speak like that. I need not ask my sister, + as you ought to know. Of course you may take Marmaduke. I need not tell + you to be careful of him.” + </p> + <p> + After that, if he had chosen for himself, he would not have taken + Marmaduke. But he thought of the importance of his real purpose, and could + trust no other horse to get him through it. + </p> + <p> + In fine summer weather, when the sloughs were in, and the water-courses + low or dry, and the roads firm, wherever there were any, a good horse and + rider, well acquainted with the track, might go from Scargate Hall to + Middleton in about three hours, nearly all of the journey being well down + hill. But the travel to come back was a very different thing; four hours + and a half was quick time for it, even in the best state of earth and sky, + and the Royal Mail pony was allowed a good seven, because his speed (when + first established) had now impaired his breathing. And ever since the snow + set in, he had received his money for the journey, but preferred to stay + in stable; for which everybody had praised him, finding letters give them + indigestion. + </p> + <p> + Now Jordas roughed Marmaduke's shoes himself; for the snow would be frozen + in the colder places, and ball wherever any softness was—two things + which demand very different measures. Also he fed him well, and nourished + himself, and took nurture for the road; so that with all haste he could + not manage to start before twelve of the day. Travelling was worse than he + expected, and the snow very deep in places, especially at Stormy Gap, + about a league from Scargate. Moreover, he knew that the strength of his + horse must be carefully husbanded for the return; and so it was dusk of + the winter evening, and the shops of the little town were being lit with + hoops of candles, when Jordas, followed by Saracen, came trotting through + the unpretending street. + </p> + <p> + That ancient dog Saracen, the largest of the blood-hounds, had joined the + expedition as a volunteer, craftily following and crouching out of sight, + until he was certain of being too far from home to be sent back again. + Then he boldly appeared, and cantered gayly on in front of Marmaduke, with + his heavy dewlaps laced with snow. + </p> + <p> + Jordas put up at a quiet old inn, and had Saracen chained strongly to a + ringbolt in the stable; then he set off afoot to see Mr. Jellicorse, and + just as he rang the office bell a little fleecy twinkle fell upon one of + his eyelashes, and looking sharply up, he saw that a snowy night was + coming. + </p> + <p> + The worthy lawyer received him kindly, but not at all as if he wished to + see him; for Christmas-tide was very nigh at hand, and the weather made + the ink go thick, and only a clerk who was working for promotion would let + his hat stay on its peg after the drum and fife went by, as they always + did at dusk of night, to frighten Bonyparty. + </p> + <p> + “There are only two important facts in all you have told me, Jordas,” Mr. + Jellicorse said, when he had heard him out: “one that Sir Duncan is come + home, of which I was aware some time ago; and the other that he has been + consulting an agent of the name of Mordacks, living in this county. That + certainly looks as if he meant to take some steps against us. But what can + he do more than might have been done five-and-twenty years ago?” The + lawyer took good care to speak to none but his principals concerning that + plaguesome deed of appointment. + </p> + <p> + “Well, sir, you know best, no doubt. Only that he hath the money now, by + all accounts; and like enough he hath labored for it a' purpose to fight + my ladies. If your honor knew as well as I do what a Yordas is for + fighting, and for downright stubbornness—” + </p> + <p> + “Perhaps I do,” replied the lawyer, with a smile; “but if he has no + children of his own, as I believe is the case with him, it seems unlikely + that he would risk his substance in a rash attempt to turn out those who + are his heirs.” + </p> + <p> + “He is not so old but what he might have children yet, if he hath none now + to hand. Anyways it was my duty to tell you my news immediate.” + </p> + <p> + “Jordas, I always say that you are a model of a true retainer—a + character becoming almost extinct in this faithless and revolutionary age. + Very few men would have ridden into town through all those dangerous + unmade roads, in weather when even the Royal Mail is kept, by the will of + the Lord, in stable.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, sir,” said Jordas, with his brave soft smile, “the smooth and the + rough of it comes in and out, accordin'. Some days I does next to nought; + and some days I earns my keepin'. Any more commands for me, Lawyer + Jellicoose? Time cometh on rather late for starting.” + </p> + <p> + “Jordas, you amaze me! You never mean to say that you dream of setting + forth again on such a night as this is? I will find you a bed; you shall + have a hot supper. What would your ladies think of me, if I let you go + forth among the snow again? Just look at the window-panes, while you and I + were talking! And the feathers of the ice shooting up inside, as long as + the last sheaf of quills I opened for them. Quills, quills, quills, all + day! And when I buy a goose unplucked, if his quills are any good, his + legs won't carve, and his gizzard is full of gravel-stones! Ah, the world + grows every day in roguery.” + </p> + <p> + “All the world agrees to that, sir; ever since I were as high as your + table, never I hear two opinions about it; and it maketh a man seem to + condemn himself. Good-night, sir, and I hope we shall have good news so + soon as his Royal Majesty the king affordeth a pony as can lift his legs.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse vainly strove to keep the man in town that night. He even + called for his sensible wife and his excellent cook to argue, having no + clerk left to make scandal of the scene. The cook had a turn of mind for + Jordas, and did think that he would stop for her sake; and she took a + broom to show him what the depth of snow was upon the red tiles between + the brew-house and the kitchen. An icicle hung from the lip of the pump, + and new snow sparkled on the cook's white cap, and the dark curly hair + which she managed to let fall; the brew-house smelled nice, and the + kitchen still nicer; but it made no difference to Jordas. If he had told + them the reason of this hurry, they would have said hard things about it, + perhaps; Mrs. Jellicorse especially (being well read in the Scriptures, + and fond of quoting them against all people who had grouse and sent her + none) would have called to mind what David said, when the three mighty men + broke through the host, and brought water from the well of Bethlehem. So + Jordas only answered that he had promised to return, and a trifle of snow + improved the travelling. + </p> + <p> + “A willful man must have his way,” said Mr. Jellicorse at last. “We can + not put him in the pound, Diana; but the least we can do is to provide him + for a coarse, cold journey. If I know anything of our country, he will + never see Scargate Hall to-night, but his blanket will be a snowdrift. + Give him one of our new whitneys to go behind his saddle, and I will make + him take two things. I am your legal adviser, Jordas, and you are like all + other clients. Upon the main issue, you cast me off; but in small matters + you must obey me.” + </p> + <p> + The hardy dogman was touched with this unusual care for his welfare. At + home his services were accepted as a due, requiring little praise and less + of gratitude. It was his place to do this and that, and be thankful for + the privilege. But his comfort was left for himself to study; and if he + had studied it much, reproach would soon have been the chief reward. It + never would do, as his ladies said, to make too much of Jordas. He would + give himself airs, and think that people could not get on without him. + </p> + <p> + Marmaduke looked fresh and bold when he came out of stable; he had eaten + with pleasure a good hot dinner, or supper perhaps he considered it, + liking to have his meals early, as horses generally do. And he neighed and + capered for the homeward road, though he knew how full it was of + hardships; for never yet looked horse through bridle, without at least one + eye resilient toward the charm of headstall. And now he had both eyes + fixed with legitimate aim in that direction; and what were a few tiny + atoms of snow to keep a big horse from his household? + </p> + <p> + Merrily, therefore, he set forth, with a sturdy rider on his back; his + clear neigh rang through the thick dull streets, and kind people came to + their white blurred windows, and exclaimed, as they glanced at the + party-colored horseman rushing away into the dreary depths, “Well, rather + him than me, thank God!” + </p> + <p> + “You keep the dog,” Master Jordas had said to the hostler, before he left + the yard; “he is like a lamb, when you come to know him. I can't be + plagued with him to-night. Here's a half crown for his victuals; he eats + precious little for the size of him. A bullock's liver every other day, + and a pound and a half the between times. Don't be afeared of him. He + looks like that, to love you, man.” + </p> + <p> + Instead of keeping on the Durham side of Tees, as he would have done in + fair weather for the first six miles or so, Jordas crossed by the old town + bridge into his native county. The journey would be longer thus, but + easier in some places, and the track more plain to follow, which on a + snowy night was everything. For all things now were in one indiscriminate + pelt and whirl of white; the Tees was striped with rustling floes among + the black moor-water; and the trees, as long as there were any, bent their + shrouded forms and moaned. + </p> + <p> + But with laborious plunges, and broad scatterings of obstruction, the + willing horse ploughed out his way, himself the while wrapped up in white, + and caked in all his tufty places with a crust that flopped up and down. + The rider, himself piled up with snow, and bearded with a berg of it, from + time to time, with his numb right hand, fumbled at the frozen clouts that + clogged the poor horse's mane and crest. + </p> + <p> + “How much longer will a' go, I wonder?” said Jordas to himself for the + twentieth time. “The Lord in heaven knows where we be; but horse knows + better than the Lord a'most. Two hour it must be since ever I 'tempted to + make head or tail of it. But Marmaduke knoweth when a' hath his head; + these creatures is wiser than Christians. Save me from the witches, if I + ever see such weather! And I wish that Master Lance's oysters wasn't quite + so much like him.” + </p> + <p> + For, broad as his back was, perpetual thump of rugged and flintified knobs + and edges, through the flag basket strapped over his neck, was beginning + to tell upon his stanch but jolted spine; while his foot in the northern + stirrup was numbed, and threatening to get frost-bitten. + </p> + <p> + “The Lord knoweth where we be,” he said once more, growing in piety as the + peril grew. “What can old horse know, without the Lord hath told 'un? And + likely he hath never asked, no more than I did. We mought 'a come twelve + moiles, or we mought 'a come no more than six. What ever is there left in + the world to judge by? The hills, or the hollows, or the boskies, all is + one, so far as the power of a man's eyes goes. Howsomever, drive on, old + Dukie.” + </p> + <p> + Old Dukie drove on with all his might and main, and the stout spirit which + engenders strength, till he came to a white wall reared before him, twice + as high as his snow-capped head, and swirling like a billow of the sea + with drift. Here he stopped short, for he had his own rein, and turned his + clouted neck, and asked his master what to make of it. + </p> + <p> + “We must 'a come at last to Stormy Gap: it might be worse, and it might be + better. Rocks o' both sides, and no way round. No choice but to get + through it, or to spend the night inside of it. You and I are a pretty + good weight, old Dukie. We'll even try a charge for it, afore we knock + under. We can't have much more smother than we've gotten already. My + father was taken like this, I've heard tell, in the service of old Squire + Philip; and he put his nag at it, and scumbled through. But first you get + up your wind, old chap.” + </p> + <p> + Marmaduke seemed to know what was expected of him; for he turned round, + retreated a few steps, and then stood panting. Then Jordas dismounted, as + well as he could with his windward leg nearly frozen. He smote himself + lustily, with both arms swinging, upon his broad breast, and he stamped in + the snow till he felt his tingling feet again. Then he took up the skirt + of his thick heavy coat, and wiped down the head, mane, and shoulders of + the horse, and the great pile of snow upon the crupper. “Start clear is a + good word,” he said. + </p> + <p> + For a moment he stopped to consider the forlorn hope of his last + resolution. “About me, there is no such great matter,” he thought; “but if + I was to kill Dukie, who would ever hear the last of it? And what a good + horse he have been, to be sure! But if I was to leave him so, the crows + would only have him. We be both in one boat; we must try of it.” He said a + little prayer, which was all he knew, for himself and a lass he had a + liking to, who lived in a mill upon the river Lune; and then he got into + the saddle again, and set his teeth hard, and spoke to Marmaduke, a horse + who would never be touched with a spur. “Come on, old chap,” was all he + said. + </p> + <p> + The horse looked about in the thick of the night, as the head of the horse + peers out of the cloak, in Welsh mummery, at Christmas-tide. The thick of + the night was light and dark, with the dense intensity of down-pour; light + in itself, and dark with shutting out all sight of everything—a + close-at-hand confusion, and a distance out of measure. The horse, with + his wise snow-crusted eyes, took in all the winnowing of light among the + draff, and saw no possibility of breaking through, but resolved to spend + his life as he was ordered. No power of rush or of dash could he gather, + because of the sinking of his feet; the main chance was of bulk and + weight; and his rider left him free to choose. For a few steps he walked, + nimbly picking up his feet, and then, with a canter of the best spring he + could compass, hurled himself into the depth of the drift, while Jordas + lay flat along his neck, and let him plunge. For a few yards the light + snow flew before him, like froth of the sea before a broad-bowed ship, and + smothered as he was, he fought onward for his life. But very soon the + power of his charge was gone, his limbs could not rise, and his breath was + taken from him; the hole that he had made was filled up behind him; fresh + volumes from the shaken height came pouring down upon him; his flanks and + his back were wedged fast in the cumber, and he stood still and trembled, + being buried alive. + </p> + <p> + Jordas, with a great effort, threw himself off, and put his hat before his + mouth, to make himself a breathing space. He scarcely knew whether he + stood or lay; but he kicked about for want of air, and the more he kicked + the worse it was, as in the depth of nightmare. Blindness, choking, + smothering, and freezing fell in a lump upon his poor body now, and the + shrieking of the horse and the panting of his struggles came, by some + vibration, to him. + </p> + <p> + But just as he began to lose his wits, sink away backward, and gasp for + breath, a gleam of light broke upon his closing eyes; he gathered the + remnant of his strength, struck for it, and was in a space of free air. + After several long pants he looked around, and found that a thicket of + stub oak jutting from the crag of the gap had made a small alcove with + billows of snow piled over it. Then the brave spirit of the man came + forth. “There is room for Dukie as well as me,” he gasped; “with God's + help, I will fetch him in.” + </p> + <p> + Weary as he was, he cast himself back into the wall of snow, and listened. + At first he heard nothing, and made sure that all was over; but presently + a faint soft gurgle, like a dying sob, came through the murk. With all his + might he dashed toward the sound, and laid hold of a hairy chin just + foundering. “Rise up, old chap,” he tried to shout, and he gave the horse + a breath or two with the broad-brimmed hat above his nose. Then Marmaduke + rallied for one last fight, with the surety of a man to help him. He + staggered forward to the leading of the hand he knew so well, and fell + down upon his knees; but his head was clear, and he drew long breaths, and + his heart was glad, and his eyes looked up, and he gave a feeble whinny. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0041" id="link2HCH0041"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLI + </h2> + <h3> + BAT OF THE GILL + </h3> + <p> + Upon that same evening the cottage in the gill was well snowed up, as + befell it every winter, more or less handsomely, according to the wind. + The wind was in the right way to do it truly now, with just enough draught + to pile bountiful wreaths, and not enough of wild blast to scatter them + again. “Bat of the Gill,” as Mr. Bert was called, sat by the fire, with + his wife and daughter, and listened very calmly to the whistle of the + wind, and the sliding of the soft fall that blocked his window-panes. + </p> + <p> + Insie was reading, Mrs. Bert was knitting stockings, and Mr. Bert was + thinking of his own strange life. It never once occurred to him that great + part of its strangeness sprang from the oddities of his own nature, any + more than a man who has been in a quarrel believes that he could have kept + out of it. “Matters beyond my own control have forced me to do this and + that,” is the sure belief of every man whose life has run counter to his + fellows, through his own inborn diversity. In this man's nature were two + strange points, sure (if they are strong enough to survive experience) to + drive anybody into strange ways: he did not care for money, and he + contemned rank. + </p> + <p> + How these two horrible twists got into his early composition is more than + can be told, and in truth it does not matter. But being quite incurable, + and meeting with no sympathy, except among people who aspired to them + only, and failed—if they ever got the chance of failing—these + depravations from the standard of mankind drove Christopher Bert from the + beaten tracks of life. Providence offered him several occasions of return + into the ordinary course; for after he had cast abroad a very nice + inheritance, other two fortunes fell to him, but found him as difficult as + ever to stay with. Not that he was lavish upon luxury of his own, for no + man could have simpler tastes, but that he weakly believed in the duty of + benevolence, and the charms of gratitude. Of the latter it is needless to + say that he got none, while with the former he produced some harm. When + all his bread was cast upon the waters, he set out to earn his own crust + as best he might. + </p> + <p> + Hence came a chapter of accidents, and a volume of motley incidents in + various climes, and upon far seas. Being a very strong, active man, with + gift of versatile hand and brain, and early acquaintance with handicrafts, + Christopher Bert could earn his keep, and make in a year almost as much as + he used to give away, or lend without redemption, in a general day of his + wealthy time. Hard labor tried to make him sour, but did not succeed + therein. + </p> + <p> + Yet one thing in all this experience vexed him more than any hardship, to + wit, that he never could win true fellowship among his new fellows in the + guild of labor. Some were rather surly, others very pleasant (from a warm + belief that he must yet come into money); but whatsomever or whosoever + they were, or of whatever land, they all agreed that Christopher Bert was + not of their communion. Manners, appearance, education, freedom from + prejudice, and other wide diversities marked him as an interloper, and + perhaps a spy, among the enlightened working-men of the period. Over and + over again he strove to break down this barrier; but thrice as hard he + might have striven, and found it still too strong for him. This and + another circumstance at last impressed him with the superior value of his + own society. Much as he loved the working-man—in spite of all + experience of him—that worthy fellow would not have it, but felt a + truly and piously hereditary scorn for “a gentleman as took a order, when, + but for being a blessed fool, he might have stood there giving it.” + </p> + <p> + The other thing that helped to drive him from this very dense array was + his own romantic marriage, and the copious birth of children. After the + sensitive age was past, and when the sensibles ought to reign—for + then he was past five-and-thirty—he fell (for the first time of his + life) into a violent passion of love for a beautiful Jewish maid barely + turned seventeen; Zilpah admired him, for he was of noble aspect, rich + with variety of thoughts and deeds. With women he had that peculiar power + which men of strong character possess; his voice was like music, and his + words as good as poetry, and he scarcely ever seemed to contradict + himself. Very soon Zilpah adored him; and then he gave notice to her + parents that she was to be his wife. These stared considerably, being very + wealthy people, of high Jewish blood (and thus the oldest of the old), and + steadfast most—where all are steadfast—to their own race of + religion. Finding their astonishment received serenely, they locked up + their daughter, with some strong expressions; which they redoubled when + they found the door wide open in the morning. Zilpah was gone, and they + scratched out her name from the surface of their memories. + </p> + <p> + Christopher Bert, being lawfully married—for the local restrictions + scorned the case of a foreigner and a Jewess—crossed the Polish + frontier with his mules and tools, and drove his little covered cart + through Austria. And here he lit upon, and helped in some predicament of + the road, a spirited young Englishman undergoing the miseries of the grand + tour, the son and heir of Philip Yordas. Duncan was large and crooked of + thought—as every true Yordas must be—and finding a mind in + advance of his own by several years of such sallyings, and not yet even + swerving toward the turning goal of corpulence, the young man perceived + that he had hit upon a prophet. + </p> + <p> + For Bert scarcely ever talked at all of his generous ideas. A prophet's + proper mantle is the long cloak of Harpocrates, and his best vaticinations + are inspired more than uttered. So it came about that Duncan Yordas, + difficult as he was to lead, largely shared the devious courses of + Christopher Bert the workman, and these few months of friendship made a + lasting mark upon the younger man. + </p> + <p> + Soon after this a heavy blow befell the ingenious wanderer. Among his many + arts and trades, he had some knowledge of engineering, or at any rate much + boldness of it; which led him to conceive a brave idea concerning some + tributary of the Po. The idea was sound and fine, and might have led to + many blessings; but Nature, enjoying her bad work best, recoiled upon her + improver. He left an oozy channel drying (like a glanderous sponge) in + August; and virulent fever came into his tent. All of his eight children + died except his youngest son Maunder; his own strong frame was shaken + sadly; and his loving wife lost all her strength and buxom beauty. He + gathered the remnants of his race, and stricken but still unconquered, + took his way to a long-forgotten land. “The residue of us must go home,” + he said, after all his wanderings. + </p> + <p> + In London, of course, he was utterly forgotten, although he had spent much + substance there, in the days of sanguine charity. Durham was his native + county, where he might have been a leading man, if more like other men. + “Cosmopolitan” as he was, and strong in his own opinions still, the force + of years, and sorrow, and long striving, told upon him. He had felt a + longing to mend the kettles of the house that once was his; but when he + came to the brink of Tees his stout heart failed, and he could not cross. + </p> + <p> + Instead of that he turned away, to look for his old friend Yordas; not to + be patronized by him—for patronage he would have none—but from + hankering after a congenial mind, and to touch upon kind memories. Yordas + was gone, as pure an outcast as himself, and his name almost forbidden + there. He thought it a part of the general wrong, and wandered about to + see the land, with his eyes wide open as usual. + </p> + <p> + There was nothing very beautiful in the land, and nothing at all + attractive, except that it commanded length of view, and was noble in its + rugged strength. This, however, pleased him well, and here he resolved to + set up his staff, if means could be found to make it grow. From the higher + fells he could behold (whenever the weather encouraged him) the dromedary + humps of certain hills, at the tail whereof he had been at school—a + charming mist of retrospect. And he felt, though it might have been hard + to make him own it, a deeply seated joy that here he should be long + lengths out of reach of the most highly illuminated working-man. This was + an inconsistent thing, but consistent forever in coming to pass. + </p> + <p> + Where the will is, there the way is, if the will be only wise. Bert found + out a way of living in this howling wilderness, as his poor wife would + have called it, if she had been a bad wife. Unskillful as he had shown + himself in the matter of silver and gold, he had won great skill in the + useful metals, especially in steel—the type of truth. And here in a + break of rock he discovered a slender vein of a slate-gray mineral, + distinct from cobalt, but not unlike it, such as he had found in the + Carpathian Mountains, and which in metallurgy had no name yet, for its + value was known to very few. But a legend of the spot declared that the + ancient cutlers of Bilbao owed much of their fame to the use of this + mineral in the careful process of conversion. + </p> + <p> + “I can make a living out of it, and that is all I want,” said Bert, who + was moderately sanguine still. “I know a manufacturer who has faith in me, + and is doing all he can against the supremacy of Sheffield. If I can make + arrangements with him, we will settle here, and keep to our own affairs + for the future.” + </p> + <p> + He built him a cottage in lonely snugness, far in the waste, and outside + even of the range of title-deeds, though he paid a small rent to the + manor, to save trouble, and to satisfy his conscience of the mineral + deposit. By right of discovery, lease, and user, this became entirely his, + as nobody else had ever heard of it. So by the fine irony of facts it came + to pass, first, that the squanderer of three fortunes united his lot with + a Jewess; next, that a great “cosmopolitan” hugged a strict corner of + jealous monopoly; and again, that a champion of communism insisted upon + his exclusive right to other people's property. However, for all that, it + might not be easy to find a more consistent man. + </p> + <p> + Here Maunder, the surviving son, grew up, and Insie, their last child, was + born; and the land enjoyed peace for twenty years, because it was of + little value. A man who had been about the world so loosely must have + found it hard to be boxed up here, except for the lowering of strength and + pride by sorrow of affection, and sore bodily affliction. But the air of + the moorland is good for such troubles. Bert possessed a happy nature; and + perhaps it was well that his children could say, “We are nine; but only + two to feed.” + </p> + <p> + It must have been the whistling wind, a long memorial sound, which sent + him, upon this snowy December night, back among the echoes of the past; + for he always had plenty of work to do, even in the winter evenings, and + was not at all given to folded arms. And before he was tired of his short + warm rest, his wife asked, “Where is Maunder?” + </p> + <p> + “I left him doing his work,” he replied; “he had a great heap still to + clear. He understands his work right well. He will not go to bed till he + has done it. We must not be quite snowed up, my dear.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Bert shook her head: having lost so many children, she was anxious + about the rest of them. But before she could speak again, a heavy leap + against the door was heard; the strong latch rattled, and the timbers + creaked. Insie jumped up to see what it meant, but her father stopped her, + and went himself. When he opened the door, a whirl of snow flew in, and + through the glitter and the flutter a great dog came reeling, and rolled + upon the floor, a mighty lump of bristled whiteness. Mrs. Bert was + terrified, for she thought it was a wolf, not having found it in her power + to believe that there could be such a desert place without wolves in the + winter-time. + </p> + <p> + “Why, Saracen!” said Insie; “I declare it is! You poor old dog, what can + have brought you out this weather?” + </p> + <p> + Both her parents were surprised to see her sit down on the floor and throw + her arms around the neck of this self-invited and very uncouth visitor. + For the girl forgot all of her trumpery concealments in the warmth of her + feeling for a poor lost dog. + </p> + <p> + Saracen looked at her, with a view to dignity. He had only seen her once + before, when Pet brought him down (both for company and safeguard), and he + was not a dog who would dream of recognizing a person to whom he had been + rashly introduced. And he knew that he was in a mighty difficulty now, + which made self-respect all the more imperative. However, on the whole, he + had been pleased with Insie at their first interview, and had patronized + her—for she had an honest fragrance, and a little taste of salt—and + now with a side look he let her know that he did not wish to hurt her + feelings, although his business was not with her. But if she wanted to + give him some refreshment, she might do so, while he was considering. + </p> + <p> + The fact was, though he could not tell it, and would scorn to do so if he + could, that he had not had one bit to eat for more hours than he could + reckon. That wicked hostler at Middleton had taken his money and disbursed + it upon beer, adding insult to injury by remarking, in the hearing of + Saracen (while strictly chained), that he was a deal too fat already. So + vile a sentiment had deepened into passion the dog's ever dominant love of + home; and when the darkness closed upon him in an unknown hungry hole, + without even a horse for company, any other dog would have howled; but + this dog stiffened his tail with self-respect. He scraped away all the + straw to make a clear area for his experiment, and then he stood up like a + pillar, or a fine kangaroo, and made trial of his weight against the + chain. Feeling something give, or show propensity toward giving, he said + to himself that here was one more triumph for him over the presumptuous + intellect of man. The chain might be strong enough to hold a ship, and the + great leathern collar to secure a bull; but the fastening of chain to + collar was unsound, by reason of the rusting of a rivet. + </p> + <p> + Retiring to the manger for a better length of rush, he backed against the + wall for a fulcrum to his spring, while the roll of his chest and the + breadth of his loins quivered with tight muscle. Then off like the charge + of a cannon he dashed, the loop of the collar flew out of the rivet, and + the chain fell clanking on the paving-bricks. With grim satisfaction the + dog set off in the track of the horse for Scargate Hall. And now he sat + panting in the cottage of the gill, to tell his discovery and to crave for + help. + </p> + <p> + “Where do you come from, and what do you want?” asked Bert, as the dog, + soon beginning to recover, looked round at the door, and then back again + at him, and jerked up his chin impatiently, “Insie, you seem to know this + fine fellow. Where have you met him? And whose dog is he? Saracen! Why, + that is the name of the dog who is everybody's terror at Scargate.” + </p> + <p> + “I gave him some water one day,” said Insie, “when he was terribly + thirsty. But he seems to know you, father, better than me. He wants you to + do something, and he scorns me.” + </p> + <p> + For Saracen, failing of articulate speech, was uttering volumes of + entreaty with his eyes, which were large, and brown, and full of clear + expression under eyebrows of rich tan; and then he ran to the door, put up + one heavy paw and shook it, and ran back, and pushed the master with his + nozzle, and then threw back his great head and long velvet ears, and + opening his enormous jaws, gave vent to a mighty howl which shook the + roof. + </p> + <p> + “Oh, put him out, put him out! open the door!” exclaimed Mrs. Bert, in + fresh terror. “If he is not a wolf, he is a great deal worse.” + </p> + <p> + “His master is out in the snow,” cried Bert; “perhaps buried in the snow, + and he is come to tell us. Give me my hat, child, and my thick coat. See + how delighted he is, poor fellow! Oh, here comes Maunder! Now lead the + way, my friend. Maunder, go and fetch the other shovel. There is somebody + lost in the snow, I believe. We must follow this dog immediately.” + </p> + <p> + “Not till you both have had much plenty food,” the mother said: “out upon + the moors, this bad, bad night, and for leagues possibly to travel. My son + and my husband are much too good. You bad dog, why did you come, + pestilent? But you shall have food also. Insie, provide him. While I make + to eat your father and your brother.” + </p> + <p> + Saracen would hardly wait, starving as he was; but seeing the men prepare + to start, he made the best of it, and cleared out a colander of victuals + in a minute. + </p> + <p> + “Put up what is needful for a starving traveller,” Mr. Bert said to the + ladies. “We shall want no lantern; the snow gives light enough, and the + moon will soon be up. Keep a kettle boiling, and some warm clothes ready. + Perhaps we shall be hours away; but have no fear. Maunder is the boy for + snow-drifts.” + </p> + <p> + The young man being of a dark and silent nature, quite unlike his + father's, made no reply, nor even deigned to give a smile, but seemed to + be wonderfully taken with the dog, who in many ways resembled him. Then he + cast both shovels on his shoulder at the door, and strode forth, and + stamped upon the path that he had cleared. His father took a stout stick, + the dog leaped past them, and led them out at once upon the open moor. + </p> + <p> + “We are in for a night of it,” said Mr. Bert, and his son did not + contradict him. + </p> + <p> + “The dog goes first, then I, then you,” he said to his father, with his + deep slow tone. And the elderly man, whose chief puzzle in life—since + he had given up the problem of the world—was the nature of his only + son, now wondered again, as he seldom ceased from wondering, whether this + boy despised or loved him. The young fellow always took the very greatest + care of his father, as if he were a child to be protected, and he never + showed the smallest sign of disrespect. Yet Maunder was not the true son + of his father, but of some ancestor, whose pride sprang out of dust at the + outrageous idea of a kettle-mending Bert, and embodied itself in this + Maunder. + </p> + <p> + The large-minded father never dreamed of such a trifle, but felt in such + weather, with the snow above his leggings, that sometimes it is good to + have a large-bodied son. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0042" id="link2HCH0042"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLII + </h2> + <h3> + A CLEW OF BUTTONS + </h3> + <p> + When Jack o' the Smithies met his old commander, as related by himself, at + the house of Mr. Mordacks, everything seemed to be going on well for Sir + Duncan, and badly for his sisters. The general factor, as he hinted long + ago, possessed certain knowledge which the Middleton lawyer fondly + supposed to be confined to himself and his fair clients. Sir Duncan + refused to believe that the ladies could ever have heard of such a + document as that which, if valid, would simply expel them; for, said he, + “If they know of it, they are nothing less than thieves to conceal it and + continue in possession. Of a lawyer I could fancy it, but never of a + lady.” + </p> + <p> + “My good sir,” answered the sarcastic Mordacks, “a lady's conscience is + not the same as a gentleman's, but bears more resemblance to a lawyer's. A + lady's honor is of the very highest standard; but the standard depends + upon her state of mind; and that, again, depends upon the condition of her + feelings. You must not suppose me to admit the faintest shadow of + disrespect toward your good sisters; but ladies are ladies, and facts are + facts; and the former can always surmount the latter; while a man is + comparatively helpless. I know that Mr. Jellicorse, their man of law, is + thoroughly acquainted with this interesting deed; his first duty was to + apprise them of it; and that, you may be quite sure, he has done.” + </p> + <p> + “I hope not. I am sure not. A lawyer does not always employ hot haste in + an unwelcome duty.” + </p> + <p> + “True enough, Sir Duncan. But the duty here was welcome. Their knowledge + of that deed, and of his possession of it, would make him their master, if + he chose to be so. Not that old Jellicorse would think of such a thing. He + is a man of high principle like myself, of a lofty conscience, and even + sentimental. But lawyers are just like the rest of mankind. Their first + consideration is their bread and cheese; though some of them certainly + seem ready to accept it even in the toasted form.” + </p> + <p> + “You may say what you like, Mordacks, my sister Philippa is far too + upright, and Eliza too good, for any such thing to be possible. However, + that question may abide. I shall not move until I have some one to do it + for. I have no great affection for a home which cast me forth, whether it + had a right to do so or not. But if we succeed in the more important + matter, it will be my duty to recover the estates, for the benefit of + another. You are sure of your proofs that it is the boy?” + </p> + <p> + “As certain as need be. And we will make it surer when you meet me there + the week after next. For the reasons I have mentioned, we must wait till + then. Your yacht is at Yarmouth. You have followed my advice in + approaching by sea, and not by land, and in hiring at Yarmouth for the + purpose. But you never should have come to York, Sir Duncan; this is a + very great mistake of yours. They are almost sure to hear of it. And even + your name given in our best inn! But luckily they never see a newspaper at + Scargate.” + </p> + <p> + “I follow the tactics with which you succeed—all above-board, and no + stratagems. Your own letter brought me; but perhaps I am too old to be so + impatient. Where shall I meet you, and on what day?” + </p> + <p> + “This day fortnight, at the Thornwick Inn, I shall hope to be with you at + three o'clock, and perhaps bring somebody with me. If I fixed an earlier + day, I should only disappoint you. For many things have to be delicately + managed; and among them, the running of a certain cargo, without serious + consequence. For that we may trust a certain very skillful youth. For the + rest you must trust to a clumsier person, your humble land-agent and + surveyor—titles inquired into and verified, at a tenth of + solicitors' charges.” + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said Sir Duncan, “you shall verify mine, as soon as you have + verified my son, and my title to him. Good-by, Mordacks. I am sure you + mean me well, but you seem to be very long about it.” + </p> + <p> + “Hot climates breed impatience, sir. A true son of Yorkshire is never in a + hurry. The general complaint of me is concerning my wild rapidity.” + </p> + <p> + “You are like the grocer, whose goods, if they have any fault at all, have + the opposite one to what the customer finds in them. Well, good-by, + Mordacks. You are a trusty friend, and I thank you.” + </p> + <p> + These words from Sir Duncan Yordas were not merely of commonplace. For he + was a man of great self-reliance, quick conclusion, and strong resolve. + These had served him well in India, and insured his fortune; while early + adversity and bitter losses had tempered the arrogance of his race. After + the loss of his wife and child, and the breach with all his relatives, he + had led a life of peril and hard labor, varied with few pleasures. When + first he learned from Edinburgh that the ship conveying his only child to + the care of the mother's relatives was lost, with all on board, he did all + in his power to make inquiries. But the illness and death of his wife, to + whom he was deeply attached, overwhelmed him. For while with some people + “one blow drives out another,” with some the second serves only to drive + home, deepen, and aggravate the first. For years he was satisfied to + believe both losses irretrievable. And so he might still have gone on + believing, except for a queer little accident. + </p> + <p> + Being called to Calcutta upon government business, he happened to see a + pair of English sailors, lazily playing, in a shady place by the side of + the road, at hole-penny. One of them seemed to have his pocket cleared + out, for just as Sir Duncan was passing, he cried, “Here, Jack, you give + me change of one of them, and I'll have at you again, my boy. As good as a + guinea with these blessed niggers. Come back to their home, I b'lieve they + are, same as I wish I was; rale gold—ask this gen'leman.” + </p> + <p> + The other swore that they were “naught but brass, and not worth a copper + farden”; until the tars, being too tipsy for much fighting, referred the + question to Sir Duncan. + </p> + <p> + Three hollow beads of gold were what they showed him, and he knew them at + once for his little boy's buttons, the workmanship being peculiar to one + village of his district, and one family thereof. The sailor would + thankfully have taken one rupee apiece for them; but Sir Duncan gave him + thirty for the three—their full metallic value—upon his + pledging honor to tell all he knew about them, and make affidavit, if + required. Then he told all he knew, to the best of his knowledge, and + swore to it when sober, accepted a refresher, and made oath to it again, + with some lively particulars added. And the facts that he deposed to, and + deposited, were these: + </p> + <p> + Being down upon his luck, about a twelvemonth back, he thought of keeping + company with a nice young woman, and settling down until a better time + turned up; and happening to get a month's wages from a schooner of + ninety-five tons at Scarborough, he strolled about the street a bit, and + kept looking down the railings for a servant-girl who might have got her + wages in her work-box. Clean he was, and taut, and clever, beating up + street in Sunday rig, keeping sharp look-out for a consort, and in three + or four tacks he hailed one. As nice a young partner as a lad could want, + and his meaning was to buckle to for the winter. But the night before the + splicing-day, what happened to him he never could tell after. He was + bousing up his jib, as a lad is bound to do, before he takes the breakers. + And when he came to, he was twenty leagues from Scarborough, on board of + his Majesty's recruiting brig the Harpy. He felt in his pocket for the + wedding-ring, and instead of that, there were these three beads. + </p> + <p> + Sir Duncan was sorry for his sad disaster, and gave him ten more rupees to + get over it. And then he discovered that the poor forsaken maiden's name + was Sally Watkins. Sally was the daughter of a rich pawnbroker, whose + frame of mind was sometimes out of keeping with its true contents. He had + very fine feelings, and real warmth of sympathy; but circumstances seemed + sometimes to lead them into the wrong channel, and induced him to kick his + children out of doors. In the middle of the family he kicked out Sally, + almost before her turn was come; and she took a place at 4 pounds a year, + to disgrace his memory—as she said—carrying off these buttons, + and the jacket, which he had bestowed upon her, in a larger interval. + </p> + <p> + There was no more to be learned than this from the intercepted bridegroom. + He said that he might have no objection to go on with his love again, as + soon as the war was over, leastways, if it was made worth his while; but + he had come across another girl, at the Cape of Good Hope, and he believed + that this time the Lord was in it, for she had been born in a caul, and he + had got it. With such a dispensation Sir Duncan Yordas saw no right to + interfere, but left the course of true love to itself, after taking down + the sailor's name—“Ned Faithful.” + </p> + <p> + However, he resolved to follow out the clew of beads, though without much + hope of any good result. Of the three in his possession he kept one, and + one he sent to Edinburgh, and the third to York, having heard of the great + sagacity, vigor, and strict integrity of Mr. Mordacks, all of which he + sharpened by the promise of a large reward upon discovery. Then he went + back to his work, until his time of leave was due, after twenty years of + arduous and distinguished service. In troublous times, no private affairs, + however urgent, should drive him from his post. + </p> + <p> + Now, eager as he was when in England once again, he was true to his + character and the discipline of life. He had proof that the matter was in + very good hands, and long command had taught him the necessity of + obedience. Any previous Yordas would have kicked against the pricks, + rushed forward, and scattered everything. But Sir Duncan was now of a + different fibre. He left York at once, as Mordacks advised, and posted to + Yarmouth, before the roads were blocked with snow, and while Jack o' the + Smithies was returning to his farm. And from Yarmouth he set sail for + Scarborough, in a sturdy little coaster, which he hired by the week. From + Scarborough he would run down to Bridlington—not too soon, for fear + of setting gossip going, but in time to meet Mordacks at Flamborough, as + agreed upon. + </p> + <p> + That gentleman had other business in hand, which must not be neglected; + but he gave to this matter a very large share of his time, and paid + five-and-twenty pounds for the trusty roadster, who liked the taste of + Flamborough pond, and the salt air on the oats of Widow Tapsy's stable, + and now regularly neighed and whisked his tail as soon as he found himself + outside Monk Bar. By favor of this horse and of his own sword and pistols, + Mordacks spent nearly as much time now at Flamborough as he did in York; + but unluckily he had been obliged to leave on the very afternoon before + the run was accomplished, and Carroway slain so wickedly; for he hurried + home to meet Sir Duncan, and had not heard the bad news when he met him. + </p> + <p> + That horrible murder was a sad blow to him, not only as a man of + considerable kindness and desire to think well of every one—so far + as experience allows it—but also because of the sudden apparition of + the law rising sternly in front of him. Justice in those days was not as + now: her truer name was Nemesis. After such an outrage to the dignity of + the realm, an example must be made, without much consideration whether it + were the right one. If Robin Lyth were caught, there would be the form of + trial, but the principal point would be to hang him. Like the rest of the + world, Mr. Mordacks at first believed entirely in his guilt; but unlike + the world, he did not desire to have him caught, and brought straightway + to the gallows. Instead of seeking him, therefore, he was now compelled to + avoid him, when he wanted him most; for it never must be said that a + citizen of note had discoursed with such a criminal, and allowed him to + escape. On the other hand, here he had to meet Sir Duncan, and tell him + that all those grand promises were shattered, that in finding his only son + all he had found was a cowardly murderer flying for his life, and far + better left at the bottom of the sea. For once in a way, as he dwelt upon + all this, the general factor became down-hearted, his vigorous face lost + the strong lines of decision, and he even allowed his mouth to open + without anything to put into it. + </p> + <p> + But it was impossible for this to last. Nature had provided Mordacks with + an admirably high opinion of himself, enlivened by a sprightly good-will + toward the world, whenever it wagged well with him. He had plenty of + business of his own, and yet could take an amateur delight in the concerns + of everybody; he was always at liberty to give good advice, and never + under duty to take it; he had vigor of mind, of memory, of character, and + of digestion; and whenever he stole a holiday from self-denial, and + launched out after some favorite thing, there was the cash to do it with, + and the health to do it pleasantly. + </p> + <p> + Such a man is not long depressed by a sudden misadventure. Dr. Upround's + opinion in favor of Robin did not go very far with him; for he looked upon + the rector as a man who knew more of divine than of human nature. But that + fault could scarcely be found with a woman; or at any rate with a widow + encumbered with a large family hanging upon the dry breast of the + government. And though Mr. Mordacks did not invade the cottage quite so + soon as he should have done, if guided by strict business, he thought + himself bound to get over that reluctance, and press her upon a most + distressing subject, before he kept appointment with his principal. + </p> + <p> + The snow, which by this time had blockaded Scargate, impounded Jordas, and + compelled Mr. Jellicorse to rest and be thankful for a hot mince-pie, + although it had visited this eastern coast as well, was not deep enough + there to stop the roads. Keeping head-quarters at the “Hooked Cod” now, + and encouraging a butcher to set up again (who had dropped all his money, + in his hurry to get on), Geoffrey Mordacks began to make way into the + outer crust of Flamborough society. In a council of the boats, upon a + Sunday afternoon, every boat being garnished for its rest upon the flat, + and every master fisherman buttoned with a flower—the last flowers + of the year, and bearing ice-marks in their eyes—a resolution had + been passed that the inland man meant well, had naught to do with Revenue, + or Frenchmen either, or what was even worse, any outside fishers, such as + often-time came sneaking after fishing grounds of Flamborough. Mother + Tapsy stood credit for this strange man, and he might be allowed to go + where he was minded, and to take all the help he liked to pay for. + </p> + <p> + Few men could have achieved such a triumph, without having married a + Flamborough lass, which must have been the crown of all human ambition, if + difficulty crowns it. Even to so great a man it was an added laurel, and + strengthened him much in his opinion of himself. In spite of all + disasters, he recovered faith in fortune, so many leading Flamborough men + began to touch their hats to him! And thus he set forth before a bitter + eastern gale, with the head of his seasoned charger bent toward the + melancholy cot at Bridlington. + </p> + <p> + Having granted a new life of slaughter to that continually insolvent + butcher, who exhibited the body of a sheep once more, with an eye to the + approach of Christmas, this universal factor made it a point of duty to + encourage him. In either saddle-bag he bore a seven-pound leg of mutton—a + credit to a sheep of that district then—and to show himself no + traitor to the staple of the place, he strapped upon his crupper, in some + oar-weed and old netting, a twenty-pound cod, who found it hard to breathe + his last when beginning to enjoy horse-exercise. + </p> + <p> + “There is a lot of mouths to fill,” said Mr. Mordacks, with a sigh, while + his landlady squeezed a brown loaf of her baking into the nick of his big + sword-strap; “and you and I are capable of entering into the condition of + the widow and the fatherless.” + </p> + <p> + “Hoonger is the waa of them, and victuals is the cure for it. Now mind you + coom home afore dark,” cried the widow, to whom he had happened to say, + very sadly, that he was now a widower. “To my moind, a sight o' more snaw + is a-coomin'; and what mah sard or goon foight again it? Captain + Moordocks, coom ye home arly. T' hare sha' be doon to a toorn be fi' + o'clock. Coom ye home be that o'clock, if ye care for deener.” + </p> + <p> + “I must have made a tender impression on her heart,” Mr. Mordacks said to + himself, as he kissed his hand to the capacious hostess. “Such is my + fortune, to be loved by everybody, while aiming at the sternest rectitude. + It is sweet, it is dangerously sweet; but what a comfort! How that + large-hearted female will baste my hare!” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0043" id="link2HCH0043"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLIII + </h2> + <h3> + A PLEASANT INTERVIEW + </h3> + <p> + Cumbered as he was of body, and burdened with some cares of mind, the + general factor ploughed his way with his usual resolution. A scowl of dark + vapor came over the headlands, and under-ran the solid snow-clouds with a + scud, like bonfire smoke. The keen wind following the curves of land, and + shaking the fringe of every white-clad bush, piped (like a boy through a + comb) wherever stock or stub divided it. It turned all the coat of the + horse the wrong way, and frizzed up the hair of Mr. Mordacks, which was as + short as a soldier's, and tossed up his heavy riding cape, and got into + him all up the small of his back. Being fond of strong language, he + indulged in much; but none of it warmed him, and the wind whistled over + his shoulders, and whirled the words out of his mouth. + </p> + <p> + When he came to the dip of the road, where it crosses the Dane's Dike, he + pulled up his horse for a minute, in the shelter of shivering fir-trees. + “What a cursed bleak country! My fish is frozen stiff, and my legs are as + dead as the mutton in the saddle-bags. Geoffrey, you are a fool,” he said. + “Charity is very fine, and business even better; but a good coal fire is + the best of all. But in for a penny of it, in for a pound. Hark! I hear + some fellow-fool equally determined to be frozen. I'll go at once and hail + him; perhaps the sight of him will warm me.” + </p> + <p> + He turned his horse down a little lane upon the left, where snow lay deep, + with laden bushes overhanging it, and a rill of water bridged with bearded + ice ran dark in the hedge-trough. And here he found a stout lusty man, + with shining red cheeks and keen blue eyes, hacking and hewing in a mighty + maze of brambles. + </p> + <p> + “My friend, you seem busy. I admire your vast industry,” Mr. Mordacks + exclaimed, as the man looked at him, but ceased not from swinging his long + hedge-hook. “Happy is the land that owns such men.” + </p> + <p> + “The land dothn't own me; I own the land. I shall be pleased to learn what + your business is upon it.” + </p> + <p> + Farmer Anerley hated chaff, as a good agriculturist should do. Moreover, + he was vexed by many little griefs to-day, and had not been out long + enough to work them off. He guessed pretty shrewdly that this sworded man + was “Moreducks”—as the leading wags of Flamborough were gradually + calling him—and the sight of a sword upon his farm (unless of an + officer bound to it) was already some disquietude to an English farmer's + heart. That was a trifle; for fools would be fools, and might think it a + grand thing to go about with tools they were never born to the handling + of; but a fellow who was come to take up Robin Lyth's case, and strive to + get him out of his abominable crime, had better go back to the rogue's + highway, instead of coming down the private road to Anerley. + </p> + <p> + “Upon my word I do believe,” cried Mordacks, with a sprightly joy, “that I + have the pleasure of meeting at last the well-known Captain Anerley! My + dear sir, I can not help commending your prudence in guarding the entrance + to your manor; but not in this employment of a bill-hook. From all that I + hear, it is a Paradise indeed. What a haven in such weather as the + present! Now, Captain Anerley, I entreat you to consider whether it is + wise to take the thorn so from the rose. If I had so sweet a place, I + would plant brambles, briers, blackthorn, furze, crataegus, every kind of + spinous growth, inside my gates, and never let anybody lop them. Captain, + you are too hospitable.” + </p> + <p> + Farmer Anerley gazed with wonder at this man, who could talk so fast for + the first time of seeing a body. Then feeling as if his hospitality were + challenged, and desiring more leisure for reflection, “You better come + down the lane, sir,” he said. + </p> + <p> + “Am I to understand that you invite me to your house, or only to the gate + where the dogs come out? Excuse me: I always am a most plain-spoken man.” + </p> + <p> + “Our dogs never bite nobody but rogues.” + </p> + <p> + “In that case, Captain Anerley, I may trust their moral estimate. I knew a + farmer once who was a thorough thief in hay; a man who farmed his own + land, and trimmed his own hedges; a thoroughly respectable and solid + agriculturist. But his trusses of hay were always six pounds short, and if + ever anybody brought a sample truss to steelyard, he had got a little dog, + just seven pounds weight, who slipped into the core of it, being just a + good hay-color. He always delivered his hay in the twilight, and when it + swung the beam, he used to say, 'Come, now, I must charge you for + overweight.' Now, captain, have you got such an honest dog as that?” + </p> + <p> + “I would have claimed him, that I would, if such a clever dog were weighed + to me. But, sir, you have got the better of me. What a man for stories you + be, for sure! Come in to our fire-place.” Farmer Anerley was conquered by + this tale, which he told fifty times every year he lived thereafter, never + failing to finish with, “What rogues they be, up York way!” + </p> + <p> + Master Mordacks was delighted with this piece of luck on his side. Many + times he had been longing to get in at Anerley, not only from the + reputation of good cheer there, but also from kind curiosity to see the + charming Mary, who was now becoming an important element of business. + Since Robin had given him the slip so sadly—a thing it was + impossible to guard against—the best chance of hearing what became + of him would be to get into the good graces of his sweetheart. + </p> + <p> + “We have been very sadly for a long time now,” said the farmer, as he + knocked at his own porch door with the handle of his bill-hook. “There + used to be one as was always welcome here; and a pleasure it was to see + him make himself so pleasant, sir. But ever since the Lord took him home + from his family, without a good-by, as a man might say, my wife hath taken + to bar the doors whiles I am away and out of sight.” Stephen Anerley + knocked harder, as he thus explained the need of it; for it grieved him to + have his house shut up. + </p> + <p> + “Very wise of them all to bar out such weather,” said Mordacks, who read + the farmer's thoughts like print, “Don't relax your rules, sir, until the + weather changes. Ah, that was a very sad thing about the captain. As + gallant an officer, and as single-minded, as ever killed a Frenchman in + the best days of our navy.” + </p> + <p> + “Single-minded is the very word to give him, sir. I sought about for it + ever since I heard of him coming to an end like that, and doing of his + duty in the thick of it. If I could only get a gentleman to tell me, or an + officer's wife would be better still, what the manners is when a poor lady + gets her husband shot, I'll be blest if I wouldn't go straight and see + her, though they make such a distance betwixt us and the regulars.—Oh, + then, ye've come at last! No thief, no thief.” + </p> + <p> + “Father,” cried Mary, bravely opening all the door, of which the ruffian + wind made wrong by casting her figure in high relief—and yet a + pardonable wrong—“father, you are quite wise to come home, before + your dear nose is quite cut off.—Oh, I beg your pardon, sir; I never + saw you.” + </p> + <p> + “My fate in life is to be overlooked,” Mr. Mordacks answered, with a + martial stride; “but not always, young lady, with such exquisite revenge. + What I look at pays fiftyfold for being overlooked.” + </p> + <p> + “You are an impudent, conceited man,” thought Mary to herself, with gross + injustice; but she only blushed and said, “I beg your pardon, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “You see, sir,” quoth the farmer, with some severity, tempered, however, + with a smile of pride, “my daughter, Mary Anerley.” + </p> + <p> + “And I take off my hat,” replied audacious Mordacks, among whose faults + was no false shame, “not only to salute a lady, sir, but also to have a + better look.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, well,” said the farmer, as Mary ran away; “your city ways are high + polite, no doubt, but my little lass is strange to them. And I like her + better so, than to answer pert with pertness. Now come you in, and warm + your feet a bit. None of us are younger than we used to be.” + </p> + <p> + This was not Master Anerley's general style of welcoming a guest, but he + hated new-fangled Frenchified manners, as he told his good wife, when he + boasted by-and-by how finely he had put that old coxcomb down. “You never + should have done it,” was all the praise he got. “Mr. Mordacks is a + business man, and business men always must relieve their minds.” For no + sooner now was the general factor introduced to Mistress Anerley than she + perceived clearly that the object of his visit was not to make speeches to + young chits of girls, but to seek the advice of a sensible person, who + ought to have been consulted a hundred times for once that she even had + been allowed to open her mouth fairly. Sitting by the fire, he convinced + her that the whole of the mischief had been caused by sheer neglect of her + opinion. Everything she said was so exactly to the point that he could not + conceive how it should have been so slighted, and she for her part begged + him to stay and partake of their simple dinner. + </p> + <p> + “Dear madam, it can not be,” he replied; “alas! I must not think of it. My + conscience reproaches me for indulging, as I have done, in what is far + sweeter than even one of your dinners—a most sensible lady's + society. I have a long bitter ride before me, to comfort the fatherless + and the widow. My two legs of mutton will be thawed by this time in the + genial warmth of your stable. I also am thawed, warmed, feasted I may say, + by happy approximation to a mind so bright and congenial. Captain Anerley, + madam, has shown true kindness in allowing me the privilege of exclusive + speech with you. Little did I hope for such a piece of luck this morning. + You have put so many things in a new and brilliant light, that my road + becomes clear before me. Justice must be done; and you feel quite sure + that Robin Lyth committed this atrocious murder because poor Carroway + surprised him so when making clandestine love, at your brother Squire + Popplewell's, to a beautiful young lady who shall be nameless. And deeply + as you grieve for the loss of such a neighbor, the bravest officer of the + British navy, who leaped from a strictly immeasurable height into a French + ship, and scattered all her crew, and has since had a baby about three + months old, as well as innumerable children, you feel that you have reason + to be thankful sometimes that the young man's character has been so + clearly shown, before he contrived to make his way into the bosom of + respectable families in the neighborhood.” + </p> + <p> + “I never thought it out quite so clear as that, sir; for I feel so sorry + for everybody, and especially those who have brought him up, and those he + has made away with.” + </p> + <p> + “Quite so, my dear madam; such are your fine feelings, springing from the + goodness of your nature. Pardon my saying that you could have no other, + according to my experience of a most benevolent countenance. Part of my + duty, and in such a case as yours, one of the pleasantest parts of it, is + to study the expression of a truly benevolent—” + </p> + <p> + “I am not that old, sir, asking of your pardon, to pretend to be + benevolent. All that I lay claim to is to look at things sensible.” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly, yet with a tincture of high feeling. Now if it should happen + that this poor young man were of very high birth, perhaps the highest in + the county, and the heir to very large landed property, and a title, and + all that sort of nonsense, you would look at him from the very same point + of view?” + </p> + <p> + “That I would, sir, that I would. So long as he was proclaimed for + hanging. But naturally bound, of course, to be more sorry for him.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, from sense of all the good things he must lose. There seems, + however, to be strong ground for believing—as I may tell you, in + confidence, Dr. Upround does—that he had no more to do with it than + you or I, ma'am. At first I concluded as you have done. I am going to see + Mrs. Carroway now. Till then I suspend my judgment.” + </p> + <p> + “Now that is what nobody should do, Mr. Mordacks. I have tried, but never + found good come of it. To change your mind is two words against yourself; + and you go wrong both ways, before and after.” + </p> + <p> + “Undoubtedly you do, ma'am. I never thought of that before. But you must + remember that we have not the gift of hitting—I might say of making—the + truth with a flash or a dash, as you ladies have. May I be allowed to come + again?” + </p> + <p> + “To tell you the truth, sir, I am heartily sorry that you are going away + at all. I could have talked to you all the afternoon; and how seldom I get + the chance now, Lord knows. There is that in your conversation which makes + one feel quite sure of being understood; not so much in what you say, sir—if + you understand my meaning—as in the way you look, quite as if my + meaning was not at all too quick for you. My good husband is of a greater + mind than I am, being nine-and-forty inches round the chest; but his mind + seems somehow to come after mine, the same as the ducks do, going down to + our pond.” + </p> + <p> + “Mistress Anerley, how thankful you should be! What a picture of conjugal + felicity! But I thought that the drake always led the way?” + </p> + <p> + “Never upon our farm, sir. When he doth, it is a proof of his being + crossed with wild-ducks. The same as they be round Flamborough.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, now I see the truth. How slow I am! It improves their flavor, at the + expense of their behavior. But seriously, madam, you are fit to take the + lead. What a pleasant visit I have had! I must brace myself up for a very + sad one now—a poor lady, with none to walk behind her.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, to be sure! It is very fine of me to talk. But if I was left without + my husband, I should only care to walk after him. Please to give her my + kind love, sir; though I have only seen her once. And if there is anything + that we can do—” + </p> + <p> + “If there is anything that we can do,” said the farmer, coming out of his + corn-chamber, “we won't talk about it, but we'll do it, Mr. Moreducks.” + </p> + <p> + The factor quietly dispersed this rebuke, by waving his hand at his two + legs of mutton and the cod, which had thawed in the stable. “I knew that I + should be too late,” he said; “her house will be full of such little + things as these, so warm is the feeling of the neighborhood. I guessed as + much, and arranged with my butcher to take them back in that case; and he + said they would eat all the better for the ride. But as for the cod, + perhaps you will accept him. I could never take him back to Flamborough.” + </p> + <p> + “Ride away, sir, ride away,” said the farmer, who had better not have + measured swords with Mordacks. “I were thinking of sending a cart over + there, so soon as the weather should be opening of the roads up. But the + children might be hankerin' after meat, the worse for all the snow-time.” + </p> + <p> + “It is almost impossible to imagine such a thing. Universally respected, + suddenly cut off, enormous family with hereditary hunger, all the + neighbors well aware of straitened circumstances, the kindest-hearted + county in Great Britain—sorrow and abundance must have cloyed their + appetites, as at a wealthy man's funeral. What a fool I must have been not + to foresee all that!” + </p> + <p> + “Better see than foresee,” replied the farmer, who was crusty from + remembering that he had done nothing. “Neighbors likes to wait for + neighbors to go in; same as two cows staring at a new-mown meadow.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0044" id="link2HCH0044"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLIV + </h2> + <h3> + THE WAY OF THE WORLD + </h3> + <p> + Cliffs snow-mantled, and storm-ploughed sands, and dark gray billows + frilled with white, rolling and roaring to the shrill east wind, made the + bay of Bridlington a very different sight from the smooth fair scene of + August. Scarcely could the staggering colliers, anchored under Flamborough + Head (which they gladly would have rounded if they could), hold their own + against wind and sea, although the outer spit of sand tempered as yet the + full violence of waves. + </p> + <p> + But if everything looked cold and dreary, rough, and hard, and bare of + beauty, the cottage of the late lieutenant, standing on the shallow bluff, + beaten by the wind, and blinded of its windows from within, of all things + looked the most forlorn, most desolate, and freezing. The windward side + was piled with snow, on the crest of which foam pellets lay, looking + yellow by comparison, and melting small holes with their brine. At the + door no foot-mark broke the drift; and against the vaporous sky no warmer + vapor tufted the chimney-pots. + </p> + <p> + “I am pretty nearly frozen again,” said Mordacks; “but that place sends + another shiver down my back. All the poor little devils must be icicles at + least.” + </p> + <p> + After peeping through a blind, he turned pale betwixt his blueness, and + galloped to the public-house abutting on the quay. Here he marched into + the parlor, and stamped about, till a merry-looking landlord came to him. + “Have a glass of hot, sir; how blue your nose is!” the genial master said + to him. The reply of the factor can not be written down in these days of + noble language. Enough that it was a terse malediction of the landlord, + the glass of hot, and even his own nose. Boniface was no Yorkshireman, + else would he have given as much as he got, at least in lingual currency. + As it was, he considered it no affair of his if a guest expressed his + nationality. “You must have better orders than that to give, I hope, sir.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir, I have. And you have got the better of me; which has happened + to me three times this day already, because of the freezing of my wits, + young man. Now you go in to your best locker, and bring me your very best + bottle of Cognac—none of your government stuff, you know, but a + sample of your finest bit of smuggling. Why did I swear at a glass of hot? + Why, because you are all such a set of scoundrels. I want a glass of hot + as much as man ever did. But how can I drink it, when women and children + are dying—perhaps dead, for all I know—for want of warmth and + victuals? Your next-door neighbors almost, and a woman, whose husband has + just been murdered! And here you are swizzling, and rattling your coppers. + Good God, sir! The Almighty from heaven would send orders to have His own + commandment broken.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Mordacks was excited, and the landlord saw no cause for it. “What + makes you carry on like this?” he said; “it was only last night we was + talking in the tap-room of getting a subscription up, downright liberal. I + said I was good for a crown, and take it out of the tick they owes me. And + when you come to think of these hard times—” + </p> + <p> + “Take that, and then tell me if you find them softer.” Suiting the action + to the word, the universal factor did something omitted on his card in the + list of his comprehensive functions. As the fat host turned away, to rub + his hands, with a phosphoric feeling of his future generosity, a set of + highly energetic toes, prefixed with the toughest York leather, and + tingling for exercise, made him their example. The landlord flew up among + his own pots and glasses, his head struck the ceiling, which declined too + long a taste of him, and anon a silvery ring announced his return to his + own timbers. + </p> + <p> + “Accept that neighborly subscription, my dear friend, and acknowledge its + promptitude,” said Mr. Mordacks; “and now be quick about your orders, + peradventure a second flight might be less agreeable. Now don't show any + airs; you have been well treated, and should be thankful for the + facilities you have to offer. I know a poor man without any legs at all, + who would be only too glad if he could do what you have done.” + </p> + <p> + “Then his taste must be a queer one,” the landlord replied, as he + illustrated sadly the discovery reserved for a riper age—that human + fingers have attained their present flexibility, form, and skill by habit + of assuaging, for some millions of ages, the woes of the human body. + </p> + <p> + “Now don't waste my time like that,” cried Mordacks; and seeing him draw + near again, his host became right active. “Benevolence must be + inculcated,” continued the factor, following strictly in pursuit. “I have + done you a world of good, my dear friend; and reflection will compel you + to heap every blessing on me.” + </p> + <p> + “I don't know about that,” replied the landlord. It is certain, however, + that this exhibition of philanthropic vigor had a fine effect. In five + minutes all the resources of the house were at the disposal of this rapid + agent, who gave his orders right and left, clapped down a bag of cash, and + took it up again, and said, “Now just you mind my horse, twice as well as + you mind your fellow-creatures. Take a leg of mutton out, and set it + roasting. Have your biggest bed hot for a lot of frozen children. By the + Lord, if you don't look alive, I'll have you up for murder.” As he spoke, + a stout fish-woman came in from the quay; and he beckoned to her, and took + her with him. + </p> + <p> + “You can't come in,” said a little weak voice, when Mr. Mordacks, having + knocked in vain, began to prise open the cottage door. “Mother is so + poorly; and you mustn't think of coming in. Oh, whatever shall I do, if + you won't stop when I tell you?” + </p> + <p> + “Where are all the rest of you? Oh, in the kitchen, are they? You poor + little atomy, how many of you are dead?” + </p> + <p> + “None of us dead, sir; without it is the baby;” here Geraldine burst into + a wailing storm of tears. “I gave them every bit,” she sobbed—“every + bit, sir, but the rush-lights; and them they wouldn't eat, sir, or I never + would have touched them. But mother is gone off her head, and baby + wouldn't eat it.” + </p> + <p> + “You are a little heroine,” said Mordacks, looking at her—the + pinched face, and the hollow eyes, and the tottering blue legs of her. + “You are greater than a queen. No queen forgets herself in that way.” + </p> + <p> + “Please, sir, no; I ate almost a box of rush-lights, and they were only + done last night. Oh, if baby would have took to them!” + </p> + <p> + “Hot bread and milk in this bottle; pour it out; feed her first, Molly,” + Mr. Mordacks ordered. “The world can't spare such girls as this. Oh, you + won't eat first! Very well; then the others shall not have a morsel till + your mouth is full. And they seem to want it bad enough. Where is the dead + baby?” + </p> + <p> + In the kitchen, where now they stood, not a spark of fire was lingering, + but some wood-ash still retained a feeble memory of warmth; and three + little children (blest with small advance from babyhood) were huddling + around, with hands, and faces, and sharp grimy knees poking in for + lukewarm corners; while two rather senior young Carroways were lying fast + asleep, with a jack-towel over them. But Tommy was not there; that gallant + Tommy, who had ridden all the way to Filey after dark, and brought his + poor father to the fatal place. + </p> + <p> + Mordacks, with his short, bitter-sweet smile, considered all these little + ones. They were not beautiful, nor even pretty; one of them was too + literally a chip of the old block, for he had reproduced his dear father's + scar; and every one of them wanted a “wash and brush up,” as well as a + warming and sound victualling. Corruptio optimi pessima. These children + had always been so highly scrubbed, that the great molecular author of + existence, dirt, resumed parental sway, with tenfold power of attachment + and protection, the moment soap and flannel ceased their wicked + usurpation. + </p> + <p> + “Please, sir, I couldn't keep them clean, I couldn't,” cried Geraldine, + choking, both with bread and milk, and tears. “I had Tommy to feed through + the coal-cellar door; and all the bits of victuals in the house to hunt + up; and it did get so dark, and it was so cold. I am frightened to think + of what mother will say for my burning up all of her brushes, and the + baskets. But please, sir, little Cissy was a-freezing at the nose.” + </p> + <p> + The three little children at the grate were peeping back over the pits in + their shoulders, half frightened at the tall, strange man, and half ready + to toddle to him for protection; while the two on the floor sat up and + stared, and opened their mouths for their sister's bread and milk. Then + Jerry flew to them, and squatted on the stones, and very nearly choked + them with her spoon and basin. + </p> + <p> + “Molly, take two in your apron, and be off,” said the factor to the stout + fish-woman—who was simply full of staring, and of crying out “Oh + lor!”—“pop them into the hot bed at once; they want warmth first, + and victuals by-and-by. Our wonderful little maid wants food most. I will + come after you with the other three. But I must see my little queen fill + her own stomach first.” + </p> + <p> + “But, please, sir, won't you let our Tommy out first?” cried Jerry, as the + strong woman lapped up the two youngest in her woolsey apron and ran off + with them. “He has been so good, and he was too proud to cry so soon as + ever he found out that mother couldn't hear him. And I gave him the most + to eat of anybody else, because of him being the biggest, sir. It was all + as black as ink, going under the door; but Tommy never minded.” + </p> + <p> + “Wonderful merit! While you were eating tallow! Show me the coal-cellar, + and out he comes. But why don't you speak of your poor mother, child?” + </p> + <p> + The child, who had been so brave, and clever, self-denying, laborious, and + noble, avoided his eyes, and began to lick her spoon, as if she had had + enough, starving though she was. She glanced up at the ceiling, and then + suddenly withdrew her eyes, and the blue lids trembled over them. Mordacks + saw that it was childhood's dread of death. “Show me where little Tommy + is,” he said; “we must not be too hard upon you, my dear. But what made + your mother lock you up, and carry on so?” + </p> + <p> + “I don't know at all, sir,” said Geraldine. + </p> + <p> + “Now don't tell a story,” answered Mr. Mordacks. “You were not meant for + lies; and you know all about it. I shall just go away if you tell + stories.” + </p> + <p> + “Then all I know is this,” cried Jerry, running up to him, and desperately + clutching at his riding coat; “the very night dear father was put into the + pit-hole—oh, hoo, oh, hoo, oh, hoo!” + </p> + <p> + “Now we can't stop for that,” said the general factor, as he took her up + and kissed her, and the tears, which had vainly tried to stop, ran out of + young eyes upon well-seasoned cheeks; “you have been a wonder; I am like a + father to you. You must tell me quickly, or else how can I cure it? We + will let Tommy out then, and try to save your mother.” + </p> + <p> + “Mother was sitting in the window, sir,” said the child, trying strongly + to command herself, “and I was to one side of her, and Tommy to the other, + and none of us was saying anything. And then there came a bad, wicked face + against the window, and the man said, 'What was it you said to-day, + ma'am?' And mother stood up—she was quite right then—and she + opened the window, and she looked right at him, and she said, 'I spoke the + truth, John Cadman. Between you and your God it rests.' And the man said, + 'You shut your black mouth up, or you and your brats shall all go the same + way. Mind one thing—you've had your warning.' Then mother fell away, + for she was just worn out; and she lay upon the floor, and she kept on + moaning, 'There is no God! there is no God!' after all she have taught us + to say our prayers to. And there was nothing for baby to draw ever since.” + </p> + <p> + For once in his life Mr. Mordacks held his tongue; and his face, which was + generally fiercer than his mind, was now far behind it in ferocity. He + thought within himself, “Well, I am come to something, to have let such + things be going on in a matter which pertains to my office—pigeon-hole + 100! This comes of false delicacy, my stumbling-block perpetually! No more + of that. Now for action.” + </p> + <p> + Geraldine looked up at him, and said, “Oh, please, sir.” And then she ran + off, to show the way toward little Tommy. + </p> + <p> + The coal-cellar flew open before the foot of Mordacks; but no Tommy + appeared, till his sister ran in. The poor little fellow was quite dazzled + with the light; and the grime on his cheeks made the inrush of fresh air + come like wasps to him. “Now, Tommy, you be good,” said Geraldine; + “trouble enough has been made about you.” + </p> + <p> + The boy put out his under lip, and blinked with great amazement. After + such a quantity of darkness and starvation, to be told to be good was a + little too bad. His sense of right and wrong became fluid with confusion; + he saw no sign of anything to eat; and the loud howl of an injured heart + began to issue from the coaly rampart of neglected teeth. + </p> + <p> + “Quite right, my boy,” Mr. Mordacks said. “You have had a bad time, and + are entitled to lament. Wipe your nose on your sleeve, and have at it + again.” + </p> + <p> + “Dirty, dirty things I hear. Who is come into my house like this? My house + and my baby belong to me. Go away all of you. How can I bear this noise?” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carroway stood in the passage behind them, looking only fit to die. + One of her husband's watch-coats hung around her, falling nearly to her + feet; and the long clothes of her dead baby, which she carried, hung over + it, shaking like a white dog's tail. She was standing with her bare feet + well apart, and that swing of hip and heel alternate which mothers for a + thousand generations have supposed to lull their babies into sweet sleep. + </p> + <p> + For once in his life the general factor had not the least idea of the + proper thing to do. Not only did he not find it, but he did not even seek + for it, standing aside rather out of the way, and trying to look like a + calm spectator. But this availed him to no account whatever. He was the + only man there, and the woman naturally fixed upon him. + </p> + <p> + “You are the man,” she said, in a quiet and reasonable voice, and coming + up to Mordacks with the manner of a lady; “you are the gentleman, I mean, + who promised to bring back my husband. Where is he? Have you fulfilled + your promise?” + </p> + <p> + “My dear madam, my dear madam, consider your children, and how cold you + are. Allow me to conduct you to a warmer place. You scarcely seem to enter + into the situation.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh yes, I do, sir; thoroughly, thoroughly. My husband is in his grave; my + children are going after him; and the best place for them. But they shall + not be murdered. I will lock them up, so that they never shall be + murdered.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear lady, I agree with you entirely. You do the very wisest thing in + these bad times. But you know me well. I have had the honor of making your + acquaintance in a pleasant manner. I feel for your children, quite as if I + was—I mean, ma'am, a very fine old gentleman's affection. Geraldine, + come and kiss me, my darling. Tommy, you may have the other side; never + mind the coal, my boy; there is a coal-wharf quite close to my windows at + home.” + </p> + <p> + These children, who had been hiding behind Mr. Mordacks and Molly (who was + now come back), immediately did as he ordered them; or rather Jerry led + the way, and made Tommy come as well, by a signal which he never durst + gainsay. But while they saluted the general factor (who sat down upon a + box to accommodate them), from the corners of their eyes they kept a + timid, trembling, melancholy watch upon their own mother. + </p> + <p> + Poor Mrs. Carroway was capable of wondering. Her power of judgment was not + so far lost as it is in a dream—where we wonder at nothing, but cast + off skeptic misery—and for the moment she seemed to be brought home + from the distance of roving delusion, by looking at two of her children + kissing a man who was hunting in his pocket for his card. + </p> + <p> + “Circumstances, madam,” said Mr. Mordacks, “have deprived me of the + pleasure of producing my address. It should be in two of my pockets; but + it seems to have strangely escaped from both of them. However, I will + write it down, if required. Geraldine dear, where is your school slate? Go + and look for it, and take Tommy with you.” + </p> + <p> + This surprised Mrs. Carroway, and began to make her think. These were her + children—she was nearly sure of that—her own poor children, + who were threatened from all sides with the likelihood of being done away + with. Yet here was a man who made much of them, and kissed them; and they + kissed him without asking her permission! + </p> + <p> + “I scarcely know what it is about,” she said; “and my husband is not here + to help me.” + </p> + <p> + “You have hit the very point, ma'am. You must take it on yourself. How + wonderfully clever the ladies always are! Your family is waiting for a + government supply; everybody knows that everybody in the world may starve + before government thinks of supplying supply. I do not belong to the + government—although if I had my deserts I should have done so—but + fully understanding them, I step in to anticipate their action. I see that + the children of a very noble officer, and his admirable wife, have been + neglected, through the rigor of the weather and condition of the roads. I + am a very large factor in the neighborhood, who make a good thing out of + all such cases. I step in; circumstances favor me; I discover a good + stroke of business; my very high character, though much obscured by + diffidence, secures me universal confidence. The little dears take to me, + and I to them. They feel themselves safe under my protection from their + most villainous enemies. They are pleased to kiss a man of strength and + spirit, who represents the government.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carroway scarcely understood a jot of this. Such a rush of words made + her weak brain go round, and she looked about vainly for her children, who + had gladly escaped upon the chance afforded. But she came to the + conclusion she was meant to come to—that this gentleman before her + was the government. + </p> + <p> + “I will do whatever I am told,” she said, looking miserably round, as if + for anything to care about; “only I must count my children first, or the + government might say there was not the proper number.” + </p> + <p> + “Of all points that is the very one that I would urge,” Mordacks answered, + without dismay. “Molly, conduct this good lady to her room. Light a good + fire, as the Commissioners have ordered; warm the soup sent from the + arsenal last night, but be sure that you put no pepper in it. The lady + will go with you, and follow our directions. She sees the importance of + having all her faculties perfectly clear when we make our schedule, as we + shall do in a few hours' time, of all the children; every one, with the + date of their birth, and their Christian names, which nobody knows so well + as their own dear mother. Ah, how very sweet it is to have so many of + them; and to know the pride, the pleasure, the delight, which the nation + feels in providing for the welfare of every little darling!” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0045" id="link2HCH0045"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLV + </h2> + <h3> + THE THING IS JUST + </h3> + <p> + “Was there ever such a man?” said Mr. Mordacks to himself, as he rode back + to Flamborough against the bitter wind, after “fettling” the affairs of + the poor Carroways, as well as might be for the present. “As if I had not + got my hands too full already, now I am in for another plaguesome + business, which will cost a lot of money, instead of bringing money in. + How many people have I now to look after? In the first place, two vile + wretches—Rickon Goold, the ship-scuttler, and John Cadman, the + murderer—supposing that Dr. Upandown and Mrs. Carroway are right. + Then two drunken tars, with one leg between them, who may get scared of + the law, and cut and run. Then an outlawed smuggler, who has cut and run + already; and a gentleman from India, who will be wild with disappointment + through the things that have happened since I saw him last. After that a + lawyer, who will fight tooth and nail of course, because it brings grist + to his mill. That makes seven; and now to all these I have added number + eight, and that the worst of all—not only a woman, but a downright + mad one, as well as seven starving children. Charity is a thing that pays + so slowly! That this poor creature should lose her head just now is most + unfortunate. I have nothing whatever to lay before Sir Duncan, when I tell + him of this vile catastrophe, except the boy's own assertion, and the + opinion of Dr. Upandown. Well, well, 'faint heart,' etc. I must nurse the + people round; without me they would all have been dead. Virtue is its own + reward. I hope the old lady has not burned my hare to death.” + </p> + <p> + The factor might well say that without his aid that large family must have + perished. Their neighbors were not to be blamed for this, being locked out + of the house, and having no knowledge of the frost and famine that + prevailed within. Perhaps, when the little ones began to die, Geraldine + might heave escaped from a window, and got help in time to save some of + them, if she herself had any strength remaining; but as it was, she + preferred to sacrifice herself, and obey her mother. “Father always told + me,” she had said to Mr. Mordacks, when he asked her how so sharp a child + could let things come to such a pitch, “that when he was out of the way, + the first thing I was to mind always was to do what mother told me; and + now he can't come back no more, to let me off from doing it.” + </p> + <p> + By this time the “Cod with the Hook in his Gills” was as much at the mercy + of Mr. Mordacks as if he had landed and were crimping him. Widow Precious + was a very tough lady to get over, and she liked to think the worst she + could of everybody—which proves in the end the most charitable + course, because of the good-will produced by explanation—and for + some time she had stood in the Flamburian attitude of doubt toward the + factor. But even a Flamburian may at last be pierced; and then (as with + other pachydermatous animals) the hole, once made, is almost certain to + grow larger. So by dint of good offices here and there, kind interest, and + great industry among a very simple and grateful race, he became the St. + Oswald of that ancient shrine (as already has been hinted), and might do + as he liked, even on the Sabbath-day. And as one of the first things he + always liked to do was to enter into everybody's business, he got into an + intricacy of little knowledge too manifold even for his many-fibred brain. + But some of this ran into and strengthened his main clew, leading into the + story he was laboring to explore, and laying before him, as bright as a + diamond, even the mystery of ear-rings. + </p> + <p> + “My highly valued hostess and admirable cook,” he said to Widow Precious, + after making noble dinner, which his long snowy ride and work at + Bridlington had earned, “in your knowledge of the annals of this + interesting town, happen you to be able to recall the name of a certain + man, John Cadman?” + </p> + <p> + “Ah, that ah deah,” Widow Tapsy answered, with a heavy sigh, which rattled + all the dishes on the waiter; “and sma' gude o' un, sma' gude, whativer. + Geroot wi' un!” + </p> + <p> + The landlady shut her firm lips with a smack, which Mordacks well knew by + this time though seldom foreclosed by it now, as he had been before he + became a Danish citizen. He was sure that she had some good reason for her + silence; and the next day he found that the girl who had left her home, + through Cadman's villainy, was akin by her mother's side to Mistress + Precious. But he had another matter to discuss with her now, which caused + him some misgivings, yet had better be faced manfully. In the safe + philosophical distance of York from this strong landlady he had (for good + reasons of his own) appointed the place of meeting with Sir Duncan Yordas + at the rival hostelry, the inn of Thornwick. Widow Precious had a mind of + uncommonly large type, so lofty and pure of all petty emotions, that if + any one spoke of the Thornwick Inn, even upon her back premises, her + dignity stepped in and said, “I can't abide the stinkin' naam o' un.” + </p> + <p> + Of this persistently noble regard of a lower institution Mr. Mordacks was + well aware; and it gave him pause, in his deep anxiety to spare a tender + heart, and maintain the high standard of his breakfast kidneys. “Madam,” + he began, and then he rubbed his mouth with the cross-cut out of the + jack-towel by the sink, newly set on table, to satisfy him for a dinner + napkin—“madam, will you listen, while I make an explanation?” + </p> + <p> + The landlady looked at him with dark suspicions gathering. + </p> + <p> + “Joost spak' oot,” she said, “whativer's woorkin' i' thah mahnd.” + </p> + <p> + “I am bound to meet a gentleman near Flamborough to-morrow,” Mr. Mordacks + continued, with the effrontery of guilt, “who will come from the sea. And + as it would not suit him to walk far inland, he has arranged for the + interview at a poor little place called the Thorny Wick, or the Stubby + Wick, or something of that sort. I thought it was due to you, madam, to + explain the reason of my entering, even for a moment—” + </p> + <p> + “Ah dawn't care. Sitha—they mah fettle thee there, if thow's + fondhead enew.” + </p> + <p> + Without another word she left the room, clattering her heavy shoes at the + door; and Mordacks foresaw a sad encounter on the morrow, without a good + breakfast to “fettle” him for it. It was not in his nature to dread + anything much, and he could not see where he had been at all to blame; but + gladly would he have taken ten per cent off his old contract, than meet + Sir Duncan Yordas with the news he had to tell him. + </p> + <p> + One cause of the righteous indignation felt by the good mother Tapsy, was + her knowledge that nobody could land just now in any cove under the + Thornwick Hotel. With the turbulent snow-wind bringing in the sea, as now + it had been doing for several days, even the fishermen's cobles could not + take the beach, much less any stranger craft. Mr. Mordacks was sharp; but + an inland factor is apt to overlook such little facts marine. + </p> + <p> + Upon the following day he stood in the best room of the Thornwick Inn—which + even then was a very decent place to any eyes uncast with envy—and + he saw the long billows of the ocean rolling before the steady blowing of + the salt-tongued wind, and the broad white valleys that between them lay, + and the vaporous generation of great waves. They seemed to have little + gift of power for themselves, and no sign of any heed of purport; only to + keep at proper distance from each other, and threaten to break over long + before they meant to do it. But to see what they did at the first + opposition of reef, or crag, or headland bluff, was a cure for any + delusion about them, or faith in their liquid benevolence. For spouts of + wild fury dashed up into the clouds; and the shore, wherever any sight of + it was left, weltered in a sadly frothsome state, like the chin of a Titan + with a lather-brush at work. + </p> + <p> + “Why, bless my heart!” cried the keen-eyed Mordacks; “this is a check I + never thought of. Nobody could land in such a surf as that, even if he had + conquered all India. Landlord, do you mean to tell me any one could land? + And if not, what's the use of your inn standing here?” + </p> + <p> + “Naw, sir, nawbody cud laun' joost neaw. Lee-ast waas, nut to ca' fur naw + yell to dry hissen.” + </p> + <p> + The landlord was pleased with his own wit—perhaps by reason of its + scarcity—and went out to tell it in the tap-room while fresh; and + Mordacks had made up his mind to call for something—for the good of + the house and himself—and return with a sense of escape to his own + inn, when the rough frozen road rang with vehement iron, and a horse was + pulled up, and a man strode in. The landlord having told his own joke + three times, came out with the taste of it upon his lips; but the stern + dark eyes looking down into his turned his smile into a frightened stare. + He had so much to think of that he could not speak—which happens not + only at Flamborough—but his visitor did not wait for the solution of + his mental stutter. Without any rudeness he passed the mooning host, and + walked into the parlor, where he hoped to find two persons. + </p> + <p> + Instead of two, he found one only, and that one standing with his back to + the door, and by the snow-flecked window, intent upon the drizzly distance + of the wind-struck sea. The attitude and fixed regard were so unlike the + usual vivacity of Mordacks, that the visitor thought there must be some + mistake, till the other turned round and looked at him. + </p> + <p> + “You see a defeated but not a beaten man,” said the factor, to get through + the worst of it. “Thank you, Sir Duncan, I will not shake hands. My + ambition was to do so, and to put into yours another hand, more near and + dear to it. Sir, I have failed. It is open to you to call me by any hard + name that may occur to you. That will do you good, be a hearty relief, and + restore me rapidly to self-respect, by arousing my anxiety to vindicate + myself.” + </p> + <p> + “It is no time for joking; I came here to meet my son. Have you found him, + or have you not?” + </p> + <p> + Sir Duncan sat down and gazed steadfastly at Mordacks. His self-command + had borne many hard trials; but the prime of his life was over now; and + strong as he looked, and thought himself, the searching wind had sought + and found weak places in a sun-beaten frame. But no man would be of noble + aspect by dwelling at all upon himself. + </p> + <p> + The quick intelligence of Mordacks—who was of smaller though + admirable type—entered into these things at a flash. And throughout + their interview he thought less of himself and more of another than was at + all habitual with him, or conducive to good work. + </p> + <p> + “You must bear with a very heavy blow,” he said; “and it goes to my heart + to have to deal it.” + </p> + <p> + Sir Duncan Yordas bowed, and said, “The sooner the better, my good + friend.” + </p> + <p> + “I have found your son, as I promised you I would,” replied Mordacks, + speaking rapidly; “healthy, active, uncommonly clever; a very fine sailor, + and as brave as Nelson; of gallant appearance—as might be expected; + enterprising, steadfast, respected, and admired; benevolent in private + life, and a public benefactor. A youth of whom the most distinguished + father might be proud. But—but—” + </p> + <p> + “Will you never finish?” + </p> + <p> + “But by the force of circumstances, over which he had no control, he + became in early days a smuggler, and rose to an eminent rank in that + profession.” + </p> + <p> + “I do not care two pice for that; though I should have been sorry if he + had not risen.” + </p> + <p> + “He rose to such eminence as to become the High Admiral of smugglers on + this coast, and attain the honors of outlawry.” + </p> + <p> + “I look upon that as a pity. But still we may be able to rescind it. Is + there anything more against my son?” + </p> + <p> + “Unluckily there is. A commander of the Coastguard has been killed in + discharge of his duty; and Robin Lyth has left the country to escape a + warrant.” + </p> + <p> + “What have we to do with Robin Lyth? I have heard of him everywhere—a + villain and a murderer.” + </p> + <p> + “God forbid that you should say so! Robin Lyth is your only son.” + </p> + <p> + The man whose word was law to myriads rose without a word for his own + case; he looked at his agent with a stern, calm gaze, and not a sign of + trembling in his lull broad frame, unless, perhaps, his under lip gave a + little soft vibration to the grizzled beard grown to meet the change of + climate. + </p> + <p> + “Unhappily so it is,” said Mordacks, firmly meeting Sir Duncan's eyes. “I + have proved the matter beyond dispute; and I wish I had better news for + you.” + </p> + <p> + “I thank you, sir. You could not well have worse. I believe it upon your + word alone. No Yordas ever yet had pleasure of a son. The thing is quite + just. I will order my horse.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir Duncan, allow me a few minutes first. You are a man of large judicial + mind. Do you ever condemn any stranger upon rumor? And will you, upon + that, condemn your son?” + </p> + <p> + “Certainly not. I proceed upon my knowledge of the fate between father and + son in our race.” + </p> + <p> + “That generally has been the father's fault. In this case, you are the + father.” + </p> + <p> + Sir Duncan turned back, being struck with this remark. Then he sat down + again; which his ancestors had always refused to do, and had rued it. He + spoke very gently, with a sad faint smile. + </p> + <p> + “I scarcely see how, in the present case, the fault can be upon the + father's side.” + </p> + <p> + “Not as yet, I grant you. But it would be so if the father refused to hear + out the matter, and joined in the general outcry against his son, without + even having seen him, or afforded him a chance of self-defense.” + </p> + <p> + “I am not so unjust or unnatural as that, sir. I have heard much about + this—sad occurrence in the cave. There can be no question that the + smugglers slew the officer. That—that very unfortunate young man may + not have done it himself—I trust in God that he did not even mean + it. Nevertheless, in the eye of the law, if he were present, he is as + guilty as if his own hand did it. Can you contend that he was not + present?” + </p> + <p> + “Unhappily I can not. He himself admits it; and if he did not, it could be + proved most clearly.” + </p> + <p> + “Then all that I can do,” said Sir Duncan, rising with a heavy sigh, and a + violent shiver caused by the chill of his long bleak ride, “is first to + require your proofs, Mr. Mordacks, as to the identity of my child who + sailed from India with this—this unfortunate youth; then to give you + a check for 5000 pounds, and thank you for skillful offices, and great + confidence in my honor. Then I shall leave with you what sum you may think + needful for the defense, if he is ever brought to trial. And probably + after that—well, I shall even go back to end my life in India.” + </p> + <p> + “My proofs are not arranged yet, but they will satisfy you. I shall take + no 5000 pounds from you, Sir Duncan, though strictly speaking I have + earned it. But I will take one thousand to cover past and future outlay, + including the possibility of a trial. The balance I shall live to claim + yet, I do believe, and you to discharge it with great pleasure. For that + will not be until I bring you a son, not only acquitted, but also + guiltless; as I have good reason for believing him to be. But you do not + look well; let me call for something.” + </p> + <p> + “No, thank you. It is nothing. I am quite well, but not quite seasoned to + my native climate yet. Tell me your reasons for believing that.” + </p> + <p> + “I can not do that in a moment. You know what evidence is a hundred times + as well as I do. And in this cold room you must not stop. Sir Duncan, I am + not a coddler any more than you are. And I do not presume to dictate to + you. But I am as resolute a man as yourself. And I refuse to go further + with this subject, until you are thoroughly warmed and refreshed.” + </p> + <p> + “Mordacks, you shall have your way,” said his visitor, after a heavy + frown, which produced no effect upon the factor. “You are as kind-hearted + as you are shrewd. Tell me once more what your conviction is; and I will + wait for your reasons, till—till you are ready.” + </p> + <p> + “Then, sir, my settled conviction is that your son is purely innocent of + this crime, and that we shall be able to establish that.” + </p> + <p> + “God bless you for thinking so, my dear friend. I can bear a great deal; + and I would do my duty. But I did love that boy's mother so.” + </p> + <p> + The general factor always understood his business; and he knew that no + part of it compelled him now to keep watch upon the eyes of a stern, proud + man. + </p> + <p> + “Sir, I am your agent, and I magnify mine office,” he said, as he took up + his hat to go forth. “One branch of my duty is to fettle your horse; and + in Flamborough they fettle them on stale fish.” Mr. Mordacks strode with a + military tramp, and a loud shout for the landlord, who had finished his + joke by this time, and was paying the penalties of reaction. “Gil Beilby, + thoo'st nobbut a fondhead,” he was saying to himself. “Thoo mun hev thy + lahtel jawk, thof it crack'th thy own pure back.” For he thought that he + was driving two great customers away, by the flashing independence of too + brilliant a mind; and many clever people of his native place had told him + so. “Make a roaring fire in that room,” said Mordacks. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0046" id="link2HCH0046"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLVI + </h2> + <h3> + STUMPED OUT + </h3> + <p> + “I think, my dear, that you never should allow mysterious things to be + doing in your parish, and everybody full of curiosity about them, while + the only proper person to explain their meaning is allowed to remain + without any more knowledge than a man locked up in York Castle might have. + In spite of all the weather, and the noise the sea makes, I feel quite + certain that important things, which never have any right to happen in our + parish, are going on here, and you never interfere; which on the part of + the rector, and the magistrate of the neighborhood, to my mind is not a + proper course of action. I am sure that I have not the very smallest + curiosity; I feel very often that I should have asked questions, when it + has become too late to do so, and when anybody else would have put them at + the moment, and not had to be sorry afterward.” + </p> + <p> + “I understand that feeling,” Dr. Upround answered, looking at his wife for + the third cup of coffee to wind up his breakfast as usual, “and without + hesitation I reply that it naturally arises in superior natures. Janetta, + you have eaten up that bit of broiled hake that I was keeping for your + dear mother!” + </p> + <p> + “Now really, papa, you are too crafty. You put my mother off with a + wretched generality, because you don't choose to tell her anything; and to + stop me from coming to the rescue, you attack me with a miserable little + personality. I perceive by your face, papa, every trick that rises; and + without hesitation I reply that they naturally arise in inferior natures.” + </p> + <p> + “Janetta, you never express yourself well.” Mrs. Upround insisted upon + filial respect. “When I say 'well,' I mean—Well, well, well, you + know quite well what I mean, Janetta.” + </p> + <p> + “To be sure, mamma, I always do. You always mean the very best meaning in + the world; but you are not up to half of papa's tricks yet.” + </p> + <p> + “This is too bad!” cried the father, with a smile. + </p> + <p> + “A great deal too bad!” said the mother, with a frown. “I am sure I would + never have asked a word of anything, if I could ever have imagined such + behavior. Go away, Janetta, this very moment; your dear father evidently + wants to tell me something. Now, my dear, you were too sleepy last night; + but your peace of mind requires you to unburden itself at once of all + these very mysterious goings on.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, perhaps I shall have no peace of mind unless I do,” said the + rector, with a slight sarcasm, which missed her altogether; “only it might + save trouble, my dear, if you would first specify the points which oppress + your—or rather I should say, perhaps, my mind so much.” + </p> + <p> + “In the first place, then,” began Mrs. Upround, drawing nearer to the + doctor, “who is that highly distinguished stranger who can not get away + from the Thornwick Inn? What made him come to such a place in dreadful + weather; and if he is ill, why not send for Dr. Stirbacks? Dr. Stirbacks + will think it most unkind of you; and after all he did for dear Janetta. + And then, again, what did the milkman from Sewerby mean by the way he + shook his head this morning, about something in the family at Anerley + Farm? And what did that most unaccountable man, who calls himself Mr. + Mordacks—though I don't believe that is his name at all—” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, it is, my dear; you never should say such things. He is well known + at York, and for miles around; and I entertain very high respect for him.” + </p> + <p> + “So you may, Dr. Upround. You do that too freely; but Janetta quite agrees + with me about him. A man with a sword, that goes slashing about, and kills + a rat, that was none of his business! A more straightforward creature than + himself, I do believe, though he struts like a soldier with a ramrod. And + what did he mean, in such horrible weather, by dragging you out to take a + deposition in a place even colder than Flamborough itself—that vile + rabbit-warren on the other side of Bempton? Deposition of a man who had + drunk himself to death—and a Methodist too, as you could not help + saying.” + </p> + <p> + “I said it, I know; and I am ashamed of saying it. I was miserably cold, + and much annoyed about my coat.” + </p> + <p> + “You never say anything to be ashamed of. It is when you do not say things + that you should rather blame yourself. For instance, I feel no curiosity + whatever, but a kind-hearted interest, in the doings of my neighbors. We + very seldom get any sort of excitement; and when exciting things come all + together, quite within the hearing of our stable bell, to be left to guess + them out, and perhaps be contradicted, destroys one's finest feelings, and + produces downright fidgets.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, my dear, you really should endeavor to emancipate yourself from + such small ideas.” + </p> + <p> + “Large words shall never divert me from my duty. My path of duty is + distinctly traced; and if a thwarting hand withdraws me from it, it must + end in a bilious headache.” + </p> + <p> + This was a terrible menace to the household, which was always thrown out + of its course for three days when the lady became thus afflicted. + </p> + <p> + “My first duty is to my wife,” said the rector. “If people come into my + parish with secrets, which come to my knowledge without my desire, and + without official obligation, and the faithful and admirable partner of my + life threatens to be quite unwell—” + </p> + <p> + “Ill, dear, very ill—is what would happen to me.” + </p> + <p> + “—then I consider that my duty is to impart to her everything that + can not lead to mischief.” + </p> + <p> + “How could you have any doubt of it, my dear? And as to the mischief, I am + the proper judge of that.” + </p> + <p> + Dr. Upround laughed in his quiet inner way; and then, as a matter of form, + he said, “My dear, you must promise most faithfully to keep whatever I + tell you as the very strictest secret.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Upround looked shocked at the mere idea of her ever doing otherwise; + which indeed, as she said, was impossible. Her husband very nearly looked + as if he quite believed her; and then they went into his snug + sitting-room, while the maid took away the breakfast things. + </p> + <p> + “Now don't keep me waiting,” said the lady. + </p> + <p> + “Well, then, my dear,” the rector began, after crossing stout legs + stoutly, “you must do your utmost not to interrupt me, and, in short—to + put it courteously—you must try to hold your tongue, and suffer much + astonishment in silence. We have a most distinguished visitor in + Flamborough setting up his staff at the Thornwick Hotel.” + </p> + <p> + “Lord Nelson! I knew it must be. Janetta is so quick at things.” + </p> + <p> + “Janetta is too quick at things; and she is utterly crazy about Nelson. + No; it is the famous Sir Duncan Yordas.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir Duncan Yordas! Why, I never heard of him.” + </p> + <p> + “You will find that you have heard of him when you come to think, my dear. + Our Harry is full of his wonderful doings. He is one of the foremost men + in India, though perhaps little heard of in this country yet. He belongs + to an ancient Yorkshire family, and is, I believe, the head of it. He came + here looking for his son, but has caught a most terrible chill, instead of + him; and I think we ought to send him some of your rare soup.” + </p> + <p> + “How sensible you are! It will be the very thing. But first of all, what + character does he bear? They do such things in India.” + </p> + <p> + “His character is spotless; I might say too romantic. He is a man of + magnificent appearance, large mind, and lots of money.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, my dear, he must never stay there. I shudder to think of it, + this weather. A chill is a thing upon the kidneys always. You know my + electuary; and if we bring him round, it is high time for Janetta to begin + to think of settling.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear!” said Dr. Upround; “well, how suddenly you jump! I must put on + my spectacles to look at you. This gentleman must be getting on for + fifty!” + </p> + <p> + “Janetta should have a man of some discretion, somebody she would not dare + to snap at. Her expressions are so reckless, that a young man would not + suit her. She ought to have some one to look up to; and you know how she + raves about fame, and celebrity, and that. She really seems to care for + very little else.” + </p> + <p> + “Then she ought to have fallen in love with Robin Lyth, the most famous + man in all this neighborhood.” + </p> + <p> + “Dr. Upround, you say things on purpose to provoke me when my remarks are + unanswerable. Robin Lyth indeed! A sailor, a smuggler, a common + working-man! And under that terrible accusation!” + </p> + <p> + “An objectionable party altogether; not even desirable as a grandson. + Therefore say nothing more of Janetta and Sir Duncan.” + </p> + <p> + “Sometimes, my dear, the chief object of your existence seems to be to + irritate me. What can poor Robin have to do with Sir Duncan Yordas?” + </p> + <p> + “Simply this. He is his only son. The proofs were completed, and deposited + with me for safe custody, last night, by that very active man of business, + Geoffrey Mordacks, of York city.” + </p> + <p> + “Well!” cried Mrs. Upround, with both hands lifted, and a high color + flowing into her unwrinkled cheeks; “from this day forth I shall never + have any confidence in you again. How long—if I may dare to put any + sort of question—have you been getting into all this very secret + knowledge? And why have I never heard a word of it till now? And not even + now, I do believe, through any proper urgency of conscience on your part, + but only because I insisted upon knowing. Oh, Dr. Upround, for shame! for + shame!” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, you have no one but yourself to blame,” her husband replied, + with a sweet and placid smile. “Three times I have told you things that + were to go no further, and all three of them went twenty miles within + three days. I do not complain of it; far less of you. You may have felt it + quite as much your duty to spread knowledge as I felt it mine to restrict + it. And I never should have let you get all this out of me now, if it had + been at all incumbent upon me to keep it quiet.” + </p> + <p> + “That means that I have never got it out of you at all. I have taken all + this trouble for nothing.” + </p> + <p> + “No, my dear, not at all. You have worked well, and have promised not to + say a word about it. You might not have known it for a week at least, + except for my confidence in you.” + </p> + <p> + “Much of it I thank you for. But don't be cross, my dear, because you have + behaved so atrociously. You have not answered half of my questions yet.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, there were so many, that I scarcely can remember them. Let me see: + I have told you who the great man is, and the reason that brought him to + Flamborough. Then about the dangerous chill he has taken; it came through + a bitter ride from Scarborough; and if Dr. Stirbacks came, he would + probably make it still more dangerous. At least so Mordacks says; and the + patient is in his hands, and out of mine; so that Stirbacks can not be + aggrieved with us. On the other hand, as to the milkman from Sewerby. I + really do not know why he shook his head. Perhaps he found the big pump + frozen. He is not of my parish, and may shake his head without asking my + permission. Now I think that I have answered nearly all your questions.” + </p> + <p> + “Not at all; I have not had time to ask them yet, because I feel so much + above them. But if the milkman meant nothing, because of his not belonging + to our parish, the butcher does, and he can have no excuse. He says that + Mr. Mordacks takes all the best meanings of a mutton-sheep every other day + to Burlington.” + </p> + <p> + “I know he does. And it ought to put us to the blush that a stranger + should have to do so. Mordacks is finding clothes, food, and firing for + all the little creatures poor Carroway left, and even for his widow, who + has got a wandering mind. Without him there would not have been one left. + The poor mother locked in all her little ones, and starved them, to save + them from some quite imaginary foe. The neighbors began to think of + interfering, and might have begun to do it when it was all over. Happily, + Mordacks arrived just in time. His promptitude, skill, and generosity + saved them. Never say a word against that man again.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, I will not,” Mrs. Upround answered, with tears coming into her + kindly eyes. “I never heard of anything more pitiful. I had no idea Mr. + Mordacks was so good. He looks more like an evil spirit. I always regarded + him as an evil spirit; and his name sounds like it, and he jumps about so. + But he ought to have gone to the rector of the parish.” + </p> + <p> + “It is a happy thing that he can jump about. The rector of the parish can + not do so, as you know; and he lives two miles away from them, and had + never even heard of it. People always talk about the rector of a parish as + if he could be everywhere and see to everything. And few of them come near + him in their prosperous times. Have you any other questions to put to me, + my dear?” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, a quantity of things which I can not think of now. How it was that + little boy—I remember it like yesterday—came ashore here, and + turned out to be Robin Lyth; or at least to be no Robin Lyth at all, but + the son of Sir Duncan Yordas. And what happened to the poor man in Bempton + Warren.” + </p> + <p> + “The poor man died a most miserable death, but I trust sincerely penitent. + He had led a sad, ungodly life, and he died at last of wooden legs. He was + hunted to his grave, he told us, by these wooden legs; and he recognized + in them Divine retribution, for the sin of his life was committed in + timber. No sooner did any of those legs appear—and the poor fellow + said they were always coming—than his heart began to patter, and his + own legs failed him, and he tried to stop his ears, but his conscience + would not let him.” + </p> + <p> + “Now there!” cried Mrs. Upround; “what the power of conscience is! He had + stolen choice timber, perhaps ready-made legs.” + </p> + <p> + “A great deal worse than that, my dear; he had knocked out a knot as large + as my shovel-hat from the side of a ship home bound from India, because he + was going to be tried for mutiny upon their arrival at Leith, it was, I + think. He and his partners had been in irons, but unluckily they were just + released. The weather was magnificent, a lovely summer's night, soft fair + breeze, and every one rejoicing in the certainty of home within a few + short hours. And they found home that night, but it was in a better + world.” + </p> + <p> + “You have made me creep all over. And you mean to say that a wretch like + that has any hope of heaven! How did he get away himself?” + </p> + <p> + “Very easily. A little boat was towing at the side. There were only three + men upon deck, through the beauty of the weather, and two of those were + asleep. They bound and gagged the waking one, lashed the wheel, and made + off in the boat wholly unperceived. There was Rickon Goold, the + ringleader, and four others, and they brought away a little boy who was + lying fast asleep, because one of them had been in the service of his + father, and because of the value of his Indian clothes, which his ayah + made him wear now in his little cot for warmth. The scoundrels took good + care that none should get away to tell the tale. They saw the poor + Golconda sink with every soul on board, including the captain's wife and + babies; then they made for land, and in the morning fog were carried by + the tide toward our North Landing. One of them knew the coast as well as + need be; but they durst not land until their story was concocted, and + everything fitted in to suit it. The sight of the rising sun, scattering + the fog, frightened them, as it well might do; and they pulled into the + cave, from which I always said, as you may now remember, Robin must have + come—the cave which already bears his name. + </p> + <p> + “Here they remained all day, considering a plausible tale to account for + themselves, without making mention of any lost ship, and trying to remove + every trace of identity from the boat they had stolen. They had brought + with them food enough to last three days, and an anker of rum from the + steward's stores; and as they grew weary of their long confinement, they + indulged more freely than wisely in the consumption of that cordial. In a + word, they became so tipsy that they frightened the little helpless boy; + and when they began to fight about his gold buttons, which were claimed by + the fellow who had saved his life, he scrambled from the side of the boat + upon the rock, and got along a narrow ledge, where none of them could + follow him. They tried to coax him back; but he stamped his feet, and + swore at them, being sadly taught bad language by the native servants, I + dare say. Rickon Goold wanted to shoot him, for they had got a gun with + them, and he feared to leave him there. But Sir Duncan's former boatman + would not allow it; and at dark they went away and left him there. And the + poor little fellow, in his dark despair, must have been led by the hand of + the Lord through crannies too narrow for a man to pass. There is a + well-known land passage out of that cave; but he must have crawled out by + a smaller one, unknown even to our fishermen, slanting up the hill, and + having outlet in the thicket near the place where the boats draw up. And + so he was found by Robin Cockscroft in the morning. They had fed the child + with biscuit soaked in rum, which accounts for his heavy sleep and + wonderful exertions, and may have predisposed him for a contraband + career.” + </p> + <p> + “And perhaps for the very bad language which he used,” said Mrs. Upround, + thoughtfully. “It is an extraordinary tale, my dear. But I suppose there + can be no doubt of it. But such a clever child should have known his own + name. Why did he call himself 'Izunsabe'?” + </p> + <p> + “That is another link in the certainty of proof. On board that unfortunate + ship, and perhaps even before he left India, he was always called the + 'Young Sahib,' and he used, having proud little ways of his own, to shout, + if anybody durst provoke him, 'I'se young Sahib, I'se young Sahib;' which + we rendered into 'Izunsabe.' But his true name is Wilton Bart Yordas, I + believe, and the initials can be made out upon his gold beads, Mr. + Mordacks tells me, among heathen texts.” + </p> + <p> + “That seems rather shocking to good principles, my dear. I trust that Sir + Duncan is a Christian at least; or he shall never set foot in this house.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, I can not tell. How should I know? He may have lapsed, of + course, as a good many of them do, from the heat of the climate, and bad + surroundings. But that happens mostly from their marrying native women. + And this gentleman never has done that, I do believe.” + </p> + <p> + “They tell me that he is a very handsome man, and of most commanding + aspect—the very thing Janetta likes so much. But what became of + those unhappy sadly tipsy sailors?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, they managed very cleverly, and made success of tipsiness. As soon + as it was dark that night, and before the child had crawled away, they + pushed out of the cave, and let the flood-tide take them round the Head. + They meant to have landed at Bridlington Quay, with a tale of escape from + a Frenchman; but they found no necessity for going so far. A short-handed + collier was lying in the roads; and the skipper, perceiving that they were + in liquor, thought it a fine chance, and took some trouble to secure them. + They told him that they had been trying to run goods, and were chased by a + revenue boat, and so on. He was only too glad to be enabled to make sail, + and by dawn they were under way for the Thames; and that was the end of + the Golconda.” + </p> + <p> + “What an awful crime! But you never mean to tell me that the Lord let + those men live and prosper?” + </p> + <p> + “That subject is beyond our view, my dear. There were five of them, and + Rickon Goold believed himself the last of them. But being very penitent, + he might have exaggerated. He said that one was swallowed by a shark, at + least his head was, and one was hanged for stealing sheep, and one for a + bad sixpence; but the fate of the other (too terrible to tell you) brought + this man down here, to be looking at the place, and to divide his time + between fasting, and drinking, and poaching, and discoursing to the + thoughtless. The women flocked to hear him preach, when the passion was + upon him; and he used to hint at awful sins of his own, which made him + earnest. I hope that he was so, and I do believe it. But the wooden-legged + sailors, old Joe and his son, who seem to have been employed by Mordacks, + took him at his own word for a 'miserable sinner'—which, as they + told their master, no respectable man would call himself—and in the + most business-like manner they set to to remove him to a better world; and + now they have succeeded.” + </p> + <p> + “Poor man! After all, one must be rather sorry for him. If old Joe came + stumping after me for half an hour, I should have no interest in this life + left.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear, they stumped after him the whole day long, and at night they + danced a hornpipe outside his hut. He became convinced that the Prince of + Evil was come, in that naval style, to fetch him; and he drank everything + he could lay hands on, to fortify him for the contest. The end, as you + know, was extremely sad for him, but highly satisfactory to them, I fear. + They have signified their resolution to attend his funeral; and Mordacks + has said, with unbecoming levity, that if they never were drunk before—which + seems to me an almost romantic supposition—that night they shall be + drunk, and no mistake.” + </p> + <p> + “All these things, my dear,” replied Mrs. Upround, who was gifted with a + fine vein of moral reflection, “are not as we might wish if we ordered + them ourselves. But still there is this to be said in their favor, that + they have a large tendency toward righteousness.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0047" id="link2HCH0047"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLVII + </h2> + <h3> + A TANGLE OF VEINS + </h3> + <p> + Human resolution, energy, experience, and reason in its loftiest form may + fight against the doctor; but he beats them all, maintains at least his + own vitality, and asserts his guineas. Two more resolute men than Mr. + Mordacks and Sir Duncan Yordas could scarcely be found in those resolute + times. They sternly resolved to have no sort of doctor; and yet within + three days they did have one; and, more than that, the very one they had + positively vowed to abstain from. + </p> + <p> + Dr. Stirbacks let everybody know that he never cared two flips of his + thumb for anybody. If anybody wanted him, they must come and seek him, and + be thankful if he could find time to hear their nonsense. For he + understood not the system only, but also the nature of mankind. The people + at the Thornwick did not want him. Very good, so much the better for him + and for them; because the more they wanted him, the less would he go near + them. Tut! tut! tut! he said; what did he want with crack-brained + patients? + </p> + <p> + All this compelled him, with a very strong reluctance, to be dragged into + that very place the very same day; and he saw that he was not come an hour + too soon. Sir Duncan was lying in a bitterly cold room, with the fire gone + out, and the spark of his life not very far from following it. Mr. + Mordacks was gone for the day upon business, after leaving strict orders + that a good fire must be kept, and many other things attended to. But the + chimney took to smoking, and the patient to coughing, and the landlady + opened the window wide, and the fire took flight into the upper air. Sir + Duncan hated nothing more than any fuss about himself. He had sent a man + to Scarborough for a little chest of clothes, for his saddle-kit was + exhausted; and having promised Mordacks that he would not quit the house, + he had nothing to do except to meditate and shiver. + </p> + <p> + Gil Beilby's wife Nell, coming up to take orders for dinner, “got a + dreadful turn” from what she saw, and ran down exclaiming that the very + best customer that ever drew their latch was dead. Without waiting to + think, the landlord sent a most urgent message for Dr. Stirbacks. That + learned man happened to be round the corner, although he lived at Bempton; + he met the messenger, cast to the winds all sense of wrong, and rushed to + the succor of humanity. + </p> + <p> + That night, when the general factor returned, with the hunger excited by + feeding the hungry, he was met at the door by Dr. Stirbacks, saying, + “Hush, my good sir,” before he had time to think of speaking. “You!” cried + Mr. Mordacks, having met this gentleman when Rickon Goold was near his + last. “You! Then it must be bad indeed!” + </p> + <p> + “It is bad, and it must have been all over, sir, but for my being + providentially at the cheese shop. I say nothing to wound any gentleman's + feelings who thinks that he understands everything; but our poor patient, + with the very best meaning, no doubt, has been all but murdered.” + </p> + <p> + “Dr. Stirbacks, you have got him now, and of course you will make the best + of him. Don't let him slip through your fingers, doctor; he is much too + good for that.” + </p> + <p> + “He shall not slip through my fingers,” said the little doctor, with a + twinkle of self-preservation. “I have got him, sir, and I shall keep him, + sir; and you ought to have put him in my hands long ago.” + </p> + <p> + The sequel of this needs no detail. Dr. Stirbacks came three times a day; + and without any disrespect to the profession, it must be admitted that he + earned his fees. For Sir Duncan's case was a very strange one, and beyond + the best wisdom of the laity. If that chill had struck upon him when his + spirit was as usual, he might have cast it off, and gone on upon his + business. But coming as it did, when the temperature of his heart was + lowered by nip of disappointment, it went into him, as water on a duck's + back is not cast away when his rump gland is out of order. + </p> + <p> + “A warm room, good victuals, and cheerful society—these three are + indispensable,” said Dr. Stirbacks to Mr. Mordacks, over whom he began to + try to tyrannize; “and admirable as you are, my good sir, I fear that your + society is depressing. You are always in a fume to be doing something—a + stew, I might say, without exaggeration—a wonderful pattern of an + active mind. But in a case of illness we require the passive voice. + Everything suggestive of rapid motion must be removed, and never spoken + of. You are rapid motion itself, my dear sir. We get a relapse every time + you come in.” + </p> + <p> + “You want me out of the way. Very well. Let me know when you have killed + my friend. I suppose your office ends with that. I will come down and see + to his funeral.” + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Mordacks, you may be premature in such prevision. Your own may come + first, sir. Look well at your eyes the next time you shave, and I fear you + will descry those radiant fibres in the iris which always co-exist with + heart-disease. I can tell you fifty cases, if you have time to listen.” + </p> + <p> + “D—n your prognostics, sir!” exclaimed the factor, rudely; but he + seldom lathered himself thenceforth without a little sigh of self-regard. + “Now, Dr. Stirbacks,” he continued, with a rally, “you may find my society + depressing, but it is generally considered to be elevating; and that, sir, + by judges of the highest order, and men of independent income. The head of + your profession in the northern half of England, who takes a hundred + guineas for every one you take, rejoices, sir—rejoices is not too + strong a word to use—in my very humble society. Of course he may be + wrong; but when he hears that Mr. Stirbacks, of Little Under-Bempton—is + that the right address, sir?—speaks of my society as depressing—” + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Mordacks, you misunderstood my meaning. I spoke with no reference to + you whatever, but of all male society as enervating—if you dislike + the word 'depressing'—relaxing, emollient, emasculating, from want + of contradictory element; while I was proceeding to describe the need of + strictly female society. The rector offers this; he was here just now. His + admiration for you is unbounded. He desires to receive our distinguished + patient, with the vast advantage of ladies' society, double-thick walls, + and a southern aspect, if you should consider it advisable.” + </p> + <p> + “Undoubtedly I do. If the moving can be done without danger; and of that + you are the proper judge, of course.” + </p> + <p> + Thus they composed their little disagreement, with mutual respect, and + some approaches to good-will; and Sir Duncan Yordas, being skillfully + removed, spent his Christmas (without knowing much about it) in the best + and warmest bedroom in the rectory. But Mordacks returned, as an honest + man should do, to put the laurel and the mistletoe on his proper household + gods. And where can this be better done than in that grand old city, York? + But before leaving Flamborough, he settled the claims of business and + charity, so far as he could see them, and so far as the state of things + permitted. + </p> + <p> + Foiled as he was in his main object by the murder of the revenue officer, + and the consequent flight of Robin Lyth, he had thoroughly accomplished + one part of his task, the discovery of the Golconda's fate, and the + history of Sir Duncan's child. Moreover, his trusty agents, Joe of the + Monument, and Bob his son, had relieved him of one thorny care, by the + zeal and skill with which they worked. It was to them a sweet instruction + to watch, encounter, and drink down a rogue who had scuttled a ship, and + even defeated them at their own weapons, and made a text of them to teach + mankind. Dr. Upround had not exaggerated the ardor with which they + discharged their duty. + </p> + <p> + But Mordacks still had one rogue on hand, and a deeper one than Rickon + Goold. In the course of his visits to Bridlington Quay, he had managed to + meet John Cadman, preferring, as he always did, his own impressions to + almost any other evidence. And his own impressions had entirely borne out + the conviction of Widow Carroway. But he saw at once that this man could + not be plied with coarse weapons, like the other worn-out villain. He + reserved him as a choice bit for his own skill, and was careful not to + alarm him yet. Only two things concerned him, as immediate in the matter—to + provide against Cadman's departure from the scene, and to learn all the + widow had to tell about him. + </p> + <p> + The widow had a great deal to say about that man; but had not said it yet, + from want of power so to do. Mordacks himself had often stopped her, when + she could scarcely stop herself; for until her health should be set up + again, any stir of the mind would be dangerous. But now, with the many + things provided for her, good nursing, and company, and the kindness of + the neighbors (who jealously rushed in as soon as a stranger led the way), + and the sickening of Tommy with the measles—which he had caught in + the coal-cellar—she began to be started in a different plane of + life; to contemplate the past as a golden age (enshrining a diamond statue + of a revenue officer in full uniform), and to look upon the present as a + period of steel, when a keen edge must be kept against the world, for a + defense of all the little seed of diamonds. + </p> + <p> + Now the weather was milder, as it generally is at Christmas time, and the + snow all gone, and the wind blowing off the land again, to the great + satisfaction of both cod and conger. The cottage, which had looked such a + den of cold and famine, with the blinds drawn down, and the snow piled up + against the door, and not a single child-nose against the glass, was now + quite warm again, and almost as lively as if Lieutenant Carroway were + coming home to dinner. The heart of Mr. Mordacks glowed with pride as he + said to himself that he had done all this; and the glow was reflected on + the cheeks of Geraldine, as she ran out to kiss him, and then jumped upon + his shoulder. For, in spite of his rigid aspect and stern nose, the little + lass had taken kindly to him; while he admired her for eating candles. + </p> + <p> + “If you please, you can come in here,” said Jerry. “Oh, don't knock my + head against the door.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carroway knew what he was come for; and although she had tried to + prepare herself for it, she could not help trembling a little. The factor + had begged her to have some friend present, to encourage and help her in + so grievous an affair; but she would not hear of it, and said she had no + friend. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Mordacks sat down, as he was told to do, in the little room sacred to + the poor lieutenant, and faithful even yet to the pious memory of his + pipe. When the children were shut out, he began to look around, that the + lady might have time to cry. But she only found occasion for a little dry + sob. + </p> + <p> + “It is horrible, very, very horrible,” she murmured, with a shudder, as + her eyes were following his; “but for his sake I endure it.” + </p> + <p> + “A most sad and bitter trial, ma'am, as ever I have heard of. But you are + bound to bear in mind that he is looking down on you.” + </p> + <p> + “I could not put up with it, without the sense of that, sir. But I say to + myself how much he loved it; and that makes me put up with it.” + </p> + <p> + “I am quite at a loss to understand you, madam. We seem to be at + cross-purposes. I was speaking of—of a thing it pains me to mention; + and you say how much he loved—” + </p> + <p> + “Dirt, sir, dirt. It was his only weakness. Oh, my darling Charles, my + blessed, blessed Charley! Sometimes I used to drive him almost to his end + about it; but I never thought his end would come; I assure you I never + did, sir. But now I shall leave everything as he would like to see it—every + table and every chair, that he could write his name on it. And his + favorite pipe with the bottom in it. That is what he must love to see, if + the Lord allows him to look down. Only the children mustn't see it, for + the sake of bad example.” + </p> + <p> + “Mrs. Carroway, I agree with you most strictly. Children must be taught + clean ways, even while they revere their father. You should see my + daughter Arabella, ma'am. She regards me with perfect devotion. Why? + Because I never let her do the things that I myself do. It is the only + true principle of government for a nation, a parish, a household. How + beautifully you have trained pretty Geraldine! I fear that you scarcely + could spare her for a month, in the spring, and perhaps Tommy after his + measles; but a visit to York would do them good, and establish their + expanding minds, ma'am.” + </p> + <p> + “Mr. Mordacks, I know not where we may be then. But anything that you + desire is a law to us.” + </p> + <p> + “Well said! Beautifully said! But I trust, my dear madam, that you will be + here. Indeed, it would never do for you to go away. Or rather, I should + put it thus—for the purposes of justice, and for other reasons also, + it is most important that you should not leave this place. At least you + will promise me that, I hope? Unless, of course, unless you find the + memories too painful. And even so, you might find comfort in some inland + house, not far.” + </p> + <p> + “Many people might not like to stop,” the widow answered, simply; “but to + me it would be a worse pain to go away. I sit, in the evening, by the + window here. Whenever there is light enough to show the sea, and the beach + is fit for landing on, it seems to my eyes that I can see the boat, with + my husband standing up in it. He had a majestic way of standing, with one + leg more up than the other, sir, through one of his daring exploits; and + whenever I see him, he is just like that; and the little children in the + kitchen peep and say, 'Here's daddy coming at last; we can tell by mammy's + eyes;' and the bigger ones say, 'Hush! You might know better.' And I look + again, wondering which of them is right; and then there is nothing but the + clouds and sea. Still, when it is over, and I have cried about it, it does + me a little good every time. I seem to be nearer to Charley, as my heart + falls quietly into the will of the Lord.” + </p> + <p> + “No doubt of it whatever. I can thoroughly understand it, although there + is not a bit of resignation in me. I felt that sort of thing, to some + extent, when I lost my angelic wife, ma'am, though naturally departed to a + sphere more suited for her. And I often seem to think that still I hear + her voice when a coal comes to table in a well-dish. Life, Mrs. Carroway, + is no joke to bandy back, but trouble to be shared. And none share it + fairly but the husband and the wife, ma'am.” + </p> + <p> + “You make it very hard for me to get my words,” she said, without minding + that her tears ran down, so long as she spoke clearly. “I am not of the + lofty sort, and understand no laws of things; though my husband was + remarkable for doing so. He took all the trouble of the taxes off, though + my part was to pay for them. And in every other way he was a wonder, sir; + not at all because now he is gone above. That would be my last motive.” + </p> + <p> + “He was a wonder, a genuine wonder,” Mordacks replied, without irony. “He + did his duty, ma'am, with zeal and ardor; a shining example upon very + little pay. I fear that it was his integrity and zeal, truly British + character and striking sense of discipline, that have so sadly brought him + to—to the condition of an example.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, Mr. Mordacks, it was all that. He never could put up with a lazy + man, as anybody, to live, must have to do. He kept all his men, as I used + to do our children, to word of command, and no answer. Honest men like it; + but wicked men fly out. And all along we had a very wicked man here.” + </p> + <p> + “So I have heard from other good authority—a deceiver of women, a + skulk, a dog. I have met with many villains; and I am not hot. But my + tendency is to take that fellow by the throat with both hands, and + throttle him. Having thoroughly accomplished that, I should prepare to + sift the evidence. Unscientific, illogical, brutal, are such desires, as + you need not tell me. And yet, madam, they are manly. I hate slow justice; + I like it quick—quick, or none at all, I say, so long as it is + justice. Creeping justice is, to my mind, little better than slow revenge. + My opinions are not orthodox, but I hope they do not frighten you.” + </p> + <p> + “They do indeed, sir; or at least your face does; though I know how quick + and just you are. He is a bad man—too well I know it—but, as + my dear husband used to say, he has a large lot of children.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, Mrs. Carroway, I admire you the more, for considering what he has + not considered. Let us put aside that. The question is—guilty or not + guilty? If he is guilty, shall he get off, and innocent men be hanged for + him? Six men are in jail at this present moment for the deed which we + believe he did. Have they no wives, no fathers and mothers, no children—not + to speak of their own lives? The case is one in which the Constitution of + the realm must be asserted. Six innocent men must die unless the crime is + brought home to the guilty one. Even that is not all as regards yourself. + You may not care for your own life, but you are bound to treasure it seven + times over for the sake of your seven children. While John Cadman is at + large, and nobody hanged instead of him, your life is in peril, ma'am. He + knows that you know him, and have denounced him. He has tried to scare you + into silence; and the fright caused your sad illness. I have reason to + believe that he, by scattering crafty rumors, concealed from the neighbors + your sad plight, and that of your dear children. If so, he is worse than + the devil himself. Do you see your duty now, and your interest also?” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Carroway nodded gently. Her strength of mind was not come back yet, + after so much illness. The baby lay now on its father's breast, and the + mother's had been wild for it. + </p> + <p> + “I am sorry to have used harsh words,” resumed Mordacks; “but I always + have to do so. They seem to put things clearer; and without that, where + would business be? Now I will not tire you if I can help it, nor ask a + needless question. What provocation had this man? What fanciful cause for + spite, I mean?” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, none, Mr. Mordacks, none whatever. My husband rebuked him for being + worthless, and a liar, and a traitor; and he threatened to get him removed + from the force; and he gave him a little throw down from the cliff—but + what little was done was done entirely for his good.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, I see. And, after that, was Cadman ever heard to threaten him?” + </p> + <p> + “Many times, in a most malicious way, when he thought that he was not + heeded. The other men may fear to bear witness. But my Geraldine has heard + him.” + </p> + <p> + “There could be no better witness. A child, especially a pretty little + girl, tells wonderfully with a jury. But we must have a great deal more + than that. Thousands of men threaten, and do nothing, according to the + proverb. A still more important point is—how did the muskets in the + boat come home? They were all returned to the station, I presume. Were + they all returned with their charges in them?” + </p> + <p> + “I am sure I can not say how that was. There was nobody to attend to that. + But one of them had been lost altogether.” + </p> + <p> + “One of the guns never came back at all!” Mordacks almost shouted. “Whose + gun was it that did not come back?” + </p> + <p> + “How can we say? There was such confusion. My husband would never let them + nick the guns, as they do at some of the stations, for every man to know + his own. But in spite of that, each man had his own, I believe. Cadman + declares that he brought home his; and nobody contradicted him. But if I + saw the guns, I should know whether Cadman's is among them.” + </p> + <p> + “How can you possibly pretend to know that, ma'am? English ladies can do + almost anything. But surely you never served out the guns?” + </p> + <p> + “No, Mr. Mordacks. But I have cleaned them. Not the inside, of course; + that I know nothing of; and nobody sees that, to be offended. But several + times I have observed, at the station, a disgraceful quantity of dust upon + the guns—dust and rust and miserable blotches, such as bad girls + leave in the top of a fish-kettle; and I made Charley bring them down, and + be sure to have them empty; because they were so unlike what I have seen + on board of the ship where he won his glory, and took the bullet in his + nineteenth rib.” + </p> + <p> + “My dear madam, what a frame he must have had! But this is most + instructive. No wonder Geraldine is brave. What a worthy wife for a naval + hero! A lady who could handle guns!” + </p> + <p> + “I knew, sir, quite from early years, having lived near a very large + arsenal, that nothing can make a gun go off unless there is something in + it. And I could trust my husband to see to that; and before I touched one + of them I made him put a brimstone match to the touch-hole. And I found it + so pleasant to polish them, from having such wicked things quite at my + mercy. The wood was what I noticed most, because of understanding chairs. + One of them had a very curious tangle of veins on the left cheek behind + the trigger; and I just had been doing for the children's tea what they + call 'crinkly-crankly'—treacle trickled (like a maze) upon the + bread; and Tommy said, 'Look here! it is the very same upon this gun.' And + so it was; just the same pattern on the wood! And while I was doing it + Cadman came up, in his low surly way, and said, 'I want my gun, missus; I + never shoot with no other gun than that. Captain says I may shoot a + sea-pye, for the little ones.' And so I always called it 'Cadman's gun.' I + have not been able to think much yet. But if that gun is lost, I shall + know who it was that lost a gun that dreadful night.” + </p> + <p> + “All this is most strictly to the purpose,” answered Mordacks, “and may + prove most important. We could never hope to get those six men off, + without throwing most grave suspicion elsewhere; and unless we can get + those six men off, their captain will come and surrender himself, and be + hanged, to a dead certainty. I doubted his carrying the sense of right so + far, until I reflected upon his birth, dear madam. He belongs, as I may + tell you now, to a very ancient family, a race that would run their heads + into a noose out of pure obstinacy, rather than skulk off. I am of very + ancient race myself, though I never take pride in the matter, because I + have seen more harm than good of it. I always learned Latin at school so + quickly through being a grammatical example of descent. According to our + pedigree, Caius Calpurnius Mordax Naso was the Governor of Britain under + Pertinax. My name means 'biting'; and bite I can, whether my dinner is + before me, or my enemy. In the present case I shall not bite yet, but + prepare myself for doing so. I watch the proceedings of the government, + who are sure to be slow, as well as blundering. There has been no + appointment to this command as yet, because of so many people wanting it. + This patched-up peace, which may last about six months (even if it is ever + signed), is producing confusion everywhere. You have an old fool put in + charge of this station till a proper successor is appointed.” + </p> + <p> + “He is not like Captain Carroway, sir. But that concerns me little now. + But I do wish, for my children's sake, that they would send a little + money.” + </p> + <p> + “On no account think twice of that. That question is in my hands, and + affords me one of the few pleasures I derive from business. You are under + no sort of obligation about it. I am acting under authority. A man of + exalted position and high office—but never mind that till the proper + time comes; only keep your mind in perfect rest, and attend to your + children and yourself. I am obliged to proceed very warily, but you shall + not be annoyed by that scoundrel. I will provide for that before I leave; + also I will see the guns still in store, without letting anybody guess my + motive. I have picked up a very sharp fellow here, whose heart is in the + business thoroughly; for one of the prisoners is his twin brother, and he + lost his poor sweetheart through Cadman's villainy—a young lass who + used to pick mussels, or something. He will see that the rogue does not + give us the slip, and I have looked out for that in other ways as well. I + am greatly afraid of tiring you, my dear madam; but have you any other + thing to tell me of this Cadman?” + </p> + <p> + “No, Mr. Mordacks, except a whole quantity of little things that tell a + great deal to me, but to anybody else would have no sense. For instance, + of his looks, and turns, and habits, and tricks of seeming neither the one + thing nor the other, and jumping all the morning, when the last man was + hanged—” + </p> + <p> + “Did he do that, madam? Are you quite sure?” + </p> + <p> + “I had it on the authority of his own wife. He beats her, but still she + can not understand him. You may remember that the man to be suspended was + brought to the place where—where—” + </p> + <p> + “Where he earned his doom. It is quite right. Things of that sort should + be done upon a far more liberal scale. Example is better than a thousand + precepts. Let us be thankful that we live in such a country. I have + brought some medicine for brave Tommy from our Dr. Stirbacks. Be sure that + you stroke his throat when he takes it. Boys are such rogues—” + </p> + <p> + “Well, Mr. Mordacks, I really hope that I know how to make my little boy + take medicine!” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0048" id="link2HCH0048"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLVIII + </h2> + <h3> + SHORT SIGHS, AND LONG ONES + </h3> + <p> + Now it came to pass that for several months this neighborhood, which had + begun to regard Mr. Mordacks as its tutelary genius—so great is the + power of bold energy—lost him altogether; and with brief lamentation + began to do very well without him. So fugitive is vivacious stir, and so + well content is the general world to jog along in its old ruts. The + Flamborough butcher once more subsided into a piscitarian; the postman, + who had been driven off his legs, had time to nurse his grain again; Widow + Tapsy relapsed into the very worst of taps, having none to demand good + beverage; and a new rat, sevenfold worse than the mighty net-devourer + (whom Mordacks slew; but the chronicle has been cut out, for the sake of + brevity), took possession of his galleries, and made them pay. All + Flamborough yearned for the “gentleman as did things,” itself being rather + of the contemplative vein, which flows from immemorial converse with the + sea. But the man of dry hand-and-heel activity came not, and the lanes + forgot the echo of his Roman march. + </p> + <p> + The postman (with a wicked endeavor of hope to beget faith from sweet + laziness) propagated a loose report that Death had claimed the general + factor, through fear of any rival in activity. The postman did not put it + so, because his education was too good for long words to enter into it; + but he put his meaning in a shorter form than a smattering of distant + tongues leaves to us. The butcher (having doubt of death, unless by man + administered) kicked the postman out of his expiring shop, where large + hooks now had no sheep for bait; and Widow Tapsy, filled with softer + liquid form of memory, was so upset by the letter-man's tale that she let + off a man who owed four gallons, for beating him as flat as his own bag. + To tell of these things may take time, but time is thoroughly well spent + if it contributes a trifle toward some tendency, on anybody's part, to + hope that there used to be, even in this century, such a thing as + gratitude. + </p> + <p> + But why did Mr. Mordacks thus desert his favorite quest and quarters, and + the folk in whom he took most delight—because so long inaccessible? + The reason was as sound as need be: important business of his own had + called him away into Derbyshire. Like every true son of stone and crag, he + required an annual scratch against them, and hoped to rest among them when + the itch of life was over. But now he had hopes of even more than that—of + owning a good house and fair estate, and henceforth exerting his + remarkable powers of agency on his own behalf. For his cousin, Calpurnius + Mordacks, the head of the family, was badly ailing, and having lost his + only son in the West Indies, had sent for this kinsman to settle matters + with him. His offer was generous and noble; to wit, that Geoffrey should + take, not the property alone, but also his second cousin, fair Calpurnia, + though not without her full consent. Without the lady, he was not to have + the land, and the lady's consent must be secured before her father ceased + to be a sound testator. + </p> + <p> + Now if Calpurnia had been kept in ignorance of this arrangement, a man + possessing the figure, decision, stature, self-confidence, and other high + attributes of our Mordacks, must have triumphed in a week at latest. But + with that candor which appears to have been so strictly entailed in the + family, Colonel Calpurnius called them in; and there (in the presence of + the testator and of each other) they were fully apprised of this rather + urgent call upon their best and most delicate emotions. And the worst of + it was (from the gentleman's point of view), that the contest was unequal. + The golden apples were not his to cast, but Atalanta's. The lady was to + have the land, even without accepting love. Moreover, he was fifty per + cent beyond her in age, and Hymen would make her a mamma without + invocation of Lucina. But highest and deepest woe of all, most mountainous + of obstacles, was the lofty skyline of his nose, inherited from the Roman. + If the lady's corresponding feature had not corresponded—in other + words, if her nose had been chubby, snub, or even Greek—his bold + bridge must have served him well, and even shortened access to rosy lips + and tender heart. But, alas! the fair one's nose was also of the fine + imperial type, truly admirable in itself, but (under one of nature's + strictest laws) coy of contact with its own male expression. Love, whose + joy and fierce prank is to buckle to the plated pole ill-matched forms and + incongruous spirits, did not fail of her impartial freaks. Mr. Mordacks + had to cope with his own kin, and found the conflict so severe that not a + breath of time was left him for anybody's business but his own. + </p> + <p> + If luck was against him in that quarter (although he would not own it + yet), at York and Flamborough it was not so. No crisis arose to demand his + presence; no business went amiss because of his having to work so hard at + love. There came, as there sometimes does in matters pressing, tangled, + and exasperating, a quiet period, a gentle lull, a halcyon time when the + jaded brain reposes, and the heart may hatch her own mares'-nests. + Underneath that tranquil spell lay fond Joe and Bob (with their cash to + spend), Widow Precious (with her beer laid in), and Widow Carroway, with a + dole at last extorted from the government; while Anerley Farm was content + to hearken the creak of wagon and the ring of flail, and the rector of + Flamborough once more rejoiced in the bloodless war that breeds good-will. + </p> + <p> + For Sir Duncan Yordas was a fine chess-player, as many Indian officers of + that time were; and now that he was coming to his proper temperature + (after three months of barbed stab of cold, and the breach of the seal of + the seventy-seventh phial of Dr. Stirbacks), in gratitude for that + miraculous escape, he did his very best to please everybody. To Dr. + Upround he was an agreeable and penetrative companion; to Mrs. Upround, a + gallant guest, with a story for every slice of bread and butter; to + Janetta, a deity combining the perfections of Jupiter, Phoebus, Mars, and + Neptune (because of his yacht), without any of their drawbacks; and to + Flamborough, more largely speaking, a downright good sort of gentleman, + combining a smoke with a chaw—so they understood cigars—and + not above standing still sometimes for a man to say some sense to him. + </p> + <p> + But before Mr. Mordacks left his client under Dr. Upround's care, he had + done his best to provide that mischief should not come of gossip; and the + only way to prevent that issue is to preclude the gossip. Sir Duncan + Yordas, having lived so long in a large commanding way, among people who + might say what they pleased of him, desired no concealment here, and + accepted it unwillingly. But his agent was better skilled in English life, + and rightly foresaw a mighty buzz of nuisance—without any honey to + be brought home—from the knowledge of the public that the Indian + hero had begotten the better-known apostle of free trade. Yet it might + have been hard to persuade Sir Duncan to keep that great fact to himself, + if his son had been only a smuggler, or only a fugitive from a false + charge of murder. But that which struck him in the face, as soon as he was + able to consider things, was the fact that his son had fled and vanished, + leaving his underlings to meet their fate. “The smuggling is a trifle,” + exclaimed the sick man; “our family never was law-abiding, and used to be + large cattle-lifters; even the slaying of a man in hot combat is no more + than I myself have done, and never felt the worse for it. But to run away, + and leave men to be hanged, after bringing them into the scrape himself, + is not the right sort of dishonor for a Yordas. If the boy surrenders, I + shall be proud to own him. But until he does that, I agree with you, + Mordacks, that he does not deserve to know who he is.” + </p> + <p> + This view of the case was harsh, perhaps, and showed some ignorance of + free-trade questions, and of English justice. If Robin Lyth had been + driven, by the heroic view of circumstances, to rush into embrace + constabular, would that have restored the other six men to family + sinuosities? Not a chance of it. Rather would it treble the pangs of jail—where + they enjoyed themselves—to feel that anxiety about their pledges to + fortune from which the free Robin relieved them. Money was lodged and paid + as punctual as the bank for the benefit of all their belongings. There + were times when the sailors grumbled a little because they had no ropes to + climb; but of any unfriendly rope impending they were too wise to have + much fear. They knew that they had not done the deed, and they felt + assured that twelve good men would never turn round in their box to + believe it. + </p> + <p> + Their captain took the same view of the case. He had very little doubt of + their acquittal if they were defended properly; and of that a far + wealthier man than himself, the Chancellor of the Exchequer of free trade, + Master Rideout of Malton, would take good care, if the money left with Dr. + Upround failed. The surrender of Robin would simply hurt them, unless they + were convicted, and in that case he would yield himself. Sir Duncan did + not understand these points, and condemned his son unjustly. And Mordacks + was no longer there to explain such questions in his sharp clear way. + </p> + <p> + Being in this sadly disappointed state, and not thoroughly delivered from + that renal chill (which the northeast wind, coming over the leather of his + valise, had inflicted), this gentleman, like a long-pendulous grape with + the ventilators open, was exposed to the delicate insidious billing of + little birds that love something good. It might be wrong—indeed, it + must be wrong, and a foul slur upon fair sweet love—to insinuate + that Indian gold, or rank, or renown, or vague romance, contributed toward + what came to pass. Miss Janetta Upround, up to this time of her life, had + laughed at all the wanton tricks of Cupid; and whenever the married women + told her that her time would be safe to come, and then she might + understand their behavior, they had always been ordered to go home and do + their washing. And this made it harder for her to be mangled by the very + tribulation she had laughed at. + </p> + <p> + Short little sighs were her first symptom, and a quiet way of going up the + stairs—which used to be a noisy process with her—and then a + desire to know something of history, and a sudden turn of mind toward + soup. Sir Duncan had a basin every day at twelve o'clock, and Janetta had + orders to see him do it, by strict institution of Stirbacks. Those orders + she carried out with such zeal that she even went so far as to blow upon + the spoon; and she did look nice while doing it. In a word—as there + is no time for many—being stricken, she did her best to strike, as + the manner of sweet women is. + </p> + <p> + Sir Duncan Yordas received it well. Being far on toward her futurity in + years, and beyond her whole existence in experience and size, he smiled at + her ardor and short vehemence to please him, and liked to see her go + about, because she turned so lightly. Then the pleasant agility of thought + began to make him turn to answer it; and whenever she had the best of him + in words, her bright eyes fell, as if she had the worst. “She doesn't even + know that she is clever,” said the patient to himself, “and she is the + first person I have met with yet who knows which side of the line Calcutta + is.” + </p> + <p> + The manner of those benighted times was to keep from young ladies + important secrets which seemed to be no concern of theirs. Miss Upround + had never been told what brought this visitor to Flamborough, and although + she had plenty of proper curiosity, she never got any reward for it. Only + four Flamburians knew that Sir Duncan was Robin Lyth's papa—or, as + they would put it (having faster hold of the end of the stick next to + them), that Robin Lyth was the son of Sir Duncan. And those four were, by + force of circumstance, Robin Cockscroft and Joan his wife, the rector and + the rectoress. Even Dr. Stirbacks (organically inquisitive as he was, and + ill content to sniff at any bottle with the cork tied down), by mastery of + Mordacks and calm dignity of rector, was able to suspect a lot of things, + but to be sure of none of them; and suspicion, according to its usual + manner, never came near the truth at all. Miss Upround, therefore, had no + idea that if she became Lady Yordas, which she very sincerely longed to + be, she would, by that event, be made the step-mother of a widely + celebrated smuggler; while her Indian hero, having no idea of her + flattering regard as yet, was not bound to enlighten her upon that point. + </p> + <p> + At Anerley Farm the like ignorance prevailed; except that Mistress + Anerley, having a quick turn for romance, and liking to get her + predictions confirmed, recalled to her mind (and recited to her husband in + far stronger language) what she had said, in the clover-blossom time, to + the bravest man that ever lived, the lamented Captain Carroway. Captain + Carroway's dauntless end, so thoroughly befitting his extraordinary + exploits, for which she even had his own authority, made it the clearest + thing in all the world that every word she said to him must turn out + Bible-true. And she had begged him—and one might be certain that he + had told it, as a good man must, to his poor dear widow—not to shoot + at Robin Lyth; because he would get a thousand pounds, instead of a + hundred for doing it. She never could have dreamed to find her words come + true so suddenly; but here was an Indian Prince come home, who employed + the most pleasant-spoken gentleman; and he might know who it was he had to + thank that even in the cave the captain did not like to shoot that + long-lost heir; and from this time out there was no excuse for Stephen if + he ever laughed at anything that his wife said. Only on no account must + Mary ever hear of it; for a bird in the hand was worth fifty in the bush; + and the other gone abroad, and under accusation, and very likely born of a + red Indian mother. Whereas Harry Tanfield's father, George, had been as + fair as a foal, poor fellow; and perhaps if the church books had been as + he desired, he might have kept out of the church-yard to this day. + </p> + <p> + “And me in it,” the farmer answered, with a laugh—“dead for love of + my wife, Sophy; as wouldn't 'a been my wife, nor drawn nigh upon fi' + pounds this very week for feathers, fur, and ribbon stuff. Well, well, + George would 'a come again, to think of it. How many times have I seen him + go with a sixpence in the palm of 's hand, and think better of the king + upon it, and worser of the poor chap as were worn out, like the tail of + it! Then back go the sixpence into George's breeches; and out comes my + shilling to the starving chap, on the sly, and never mentioned. But for + all that, I think, like enow, old George mought 'a managed to get up to + heaven.” + </p> + <p> + “Stephen, I wish to hear nothing of that. The question concerns his + family, not ours, as Providence has seen fit to arrange. Now what is your + desire to have done with Mary? William has made his great discovery at + last; and if we should get the 10,000 pounds, nobody need look down on + us.” + </p> + <p> + “I should like to see any one look down on me,” Master Anerley said, with + his back set straight; “a' mought do so once, but a' would be sorry + afterward. Not that I would hinder him of 's own way; only that he better + keep out of mine. Sometimes, when you go thinking of your own ideas, you + never seem to bear in mind what my considerations be.” + </p> + <p> + “Because you can not follow out the quickness of the way I think. You + always acknowledge that, my dear.” + </p> + <p> + “Well, well. Quick churn spoileth butter. Like Willie with his perpetual + motion. What good to come of it, if he hath found out? And a' might, if + ever a body did, from the way he goeth jumping about forever, and never + hold fast to anything. A nice thing 'twould be for the fools to say, + perpetual motion come from Anerley Farm!” + </p> + <p> + “You never will think any good of him, Stephen, because his mind comes + from my side. But wait till you see the 10,000 pounds.” + </p> + <p> + “That I will; and thank the Lord to live so long. But, to come to + common-sense—how was Mary and Harry a-carrying on this afternoon?” + </p> + <p> + “Not so very bad, father; and nothing good to speak of. He kept on very + well from the corners of his eyes; but she never corresponded, so to speak—same + as—you know.” + </p> + <p> + “The same as you used to do when you was young. Well, manners may be + higher stylish now. Did he ask her about the hay-rick?” + </p> + <p> + “That he did. Three or four times over; exactly as you said it to him. He + knew that was how you got the upper hand of me, according to your memory, + but not mine; and he tried to do it the very same way; but the Lord makes + a lot of change in thirty years of time. Mary quite turned her nose up at + any such riddle, and he pulled his spotted handkerchief out of that new + hat of his, and the fagot never saw fit to heed even the color of his poor + red cheeks. Stephen, you would have marched off for a week if I had + behaved to you so.” + </p> + <p> + “And the right way too; I shall put him up to that. Long sighs only leads + to turn-up noses. He plays too knuckle-down at it. You should go on with + your sweetheart very mild at first; just a-feeling for her finger-tips; + and emboldening of her to believe that you are frightened, and bringing + her to peep at you as if you was a blackbird, ready to pop out of sight. + That makes 'em wonderful curious and eager, and sticks you into 'em, like + prickly spinach. But you mustn't stop too long like that. You must come + out large, as a bull runs up to gate; and let them see that you could + smash it if you liked, but feel a goodness in your heart that keeps you + out of mischief. And then they comes up, and they says, 'poor fellow!'” + </p> + <p> + “Stephen, I do not approve of such expressions, or any such low opinions. + You may know how you went on. Such things may have answered once; because + of your being—yourself, you know. But Mary, although she may not + have my sense, must have her own opinions. And the more you talk of what + we used to do—though I never remember your trotting up, like a great + bull roaring, to any kind of gate—the less I feel inclined to force + her. And who is Harry Tanfield, after all?” + </p> + <p> + “We know all about him,” the farmer answered; “and that is something to + begin with. His land is worth fifteen shillings an acre less than ours, + and full of kid-bine. But, for all that, he can keep a family, and is a + good home-dweller. However, like the rest of us, in the way of women, he + must bide his bolt, and bode it.” + </p> + <p> + “Father,” the mistress of the house replied, “I shall never go one step + out of my way to encourage a young man who makes you speak so lightly of + those you owe so much to. Harry Tanfield may take his chance for me.” + </p> + <p> + “So a' may for me, mother—so a' may for me. If a' was to have our + Mary, his father George would be coming up between us, out of his peace in + churchyard, more than he doth a'ready; and a' comes too much a'ready.—Why, + poppet, we were talking of you—fie, fie, listening!” + </p> + <p> + “No, now, father,” Mary Anerley answered, with a smile at such a low idea; + “you never had that to find fault with me, I think. And if you are + plotting against me for my good—as mother loves to put it—it + would be the best way to shut me out before you begin to do it.” + </p> + <p> + “Why, bless my heart and soul,” exclaimed the farmer, with a most crafty + laugh—for he meant to kill two birds with one stone—“if the + lass hathn't got her own dear mother's tongue, and the very same way of + turning things! There never hath been such a time as this here. The + childer tell us what to do, and their mothers tell us what not to do. + Better take the business off my hands, and sell all they turnips as is + rotting. Women is cheats, and would warrant 'em sound, with the best to + the top of the bury. But mind you one thing—if I retires from + business, like Brother Popplewell, I shall expect to be supported; cheap, + but very substantial.” + </p> + <p> + “Mary, you are wicked to say such things,” Mistress Anerley began, as he + went out, “when you know that your dear father is such a substantial + silent man.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0049" id="link2HCH0049"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XLIX + </h2> + <h3> + A BOLD ANGLER + </h3> + <p> + As if in vexation at being thwarted by one branch of the family, Cupid + began to work harder at the other, among the moors and mountains. Not that + either my lady Philippa or gentle Mistress Carnaby fell back into the + snares of youth, but rather that youth, contemptuous of age, leaped up, + and defied everybody but itself, and cried tush to its own welfare. + </p> + <p> + For as soon as the trance of snow was gone, and the world, emboldened to + behold itself again, smiled up from genial places; and the timid step of + peeping spring awoke a sudden flutter in the breast of buds; and streams + (having sent their broken anger to the sea) were pleased to be murmuring + clearly again, and enjoyed their own flexibility; and even stern mountains + and menacing crags allowed soft light to play with them—at such a + time prudence found very narrow house-room in the breast of young + Lancelot, otherwise “Pet.” + </p> + <p> + “If Prudence be present, no Divinity is absent,” according to high + authority; but the author of the proverb must have first excluded Love + from the list of Divinities. Pet's breast, or at any rate his chest, had + grown under the expansive enormity of love; his liver, moreover (which, + according to poets, both Latin and Greek, is the especial throne of love), + had quickened its proceedings, from the exercise he took; from the same + cause, his calves increased so largely that even Jordas could not pull the + agate buttons of his gaiters through their holes. In a word, he gained + flesh, muscle, bone, and digestion, and other great bodily blessings, from + the power believed by the poets to upset and annihilate every one of them. + However, this proves nothing anti-poetical, for the essence of that youth + was to contradict experience. + </p> + <p> + Jordas had never, in all his born days, not even in the thick of the + snow-drift, found himself more in a puzzle than now; and he could not even + fly for advice in this matter to Lawyer Jellicorse. The first great gift + of nature, expelled by education, is gratitude. A child is full of + gratitude, or at least has got the room for it; but no full-grown mortal, + after good education, has been known to keep the rudiments of + thankfulness. But Jordas had a stock of it—as much as can remain to + any one superior to the making of a cross. + </p> + <p> + Now the difficulty of it was that Jordas called to mind, every morning + when he saw snow, and afterward when he saw anything white, that he must + have required a grave, and not got it (in time to be any good to him), + without the hard labor, strong endurance, and brotherly tendance of the + people of the gill. Even the three grand fairy gifts of Lawyer Jellicorse + himself might scarcely have saved him, although they were no less than as + follows, in virtue: the tip of a tongue that had never told a lie (because + it belonged to a bullock slain young), a flask of old Scotch whiskey, and + a horn comfit-box of Irish snuff. All these three had stood him in good + stead, especially the last, which kept him wide-awake, and enabled him to + sneeze a yellow hole in the drift, whenever it threatened to ingulf his + beard. Without those three he could never have got on; but, with all the + three, he could never have got out, if Bat and Maunder of the gill had not + come to his succor in the very nick of time. Not only did they work hard + for hours under the guidance of Saracen (who was ready to fly at them if + they left off), but when at length they came on Jordas, in his last + exhaustion, with the good horse rubbing up his chin to make him warmer, + they did a sight of things, which the good Samaritan, having finer + climate, was enabled to dispense with. And when they had set him on his + legs again, finding that he could not use them yet, they hoisted him on + the back of Maunder, who was strong; and the whole of that expedition + ended at the little cottage in the gill. But the kindness of the + inhabitants was only just beginning; for when Jordas came to himself he + found that his off-foot—as Marmaduke would have called it—the + one which had ridden with a northeast aspect, was frozen as hard as a + hammer, and as blue as a pistol barrel. Mrs. Bart happened to have seen + such cases in her native country, and by her skillful treatment and + never-wearying care, the poor fellow's foot was saved and cured, though at + one time he despaired of it. Marmaduke also was restored, and sent home to + his stable some days before his rider was in a condition to mount him. + </p> + <p> + In return for all these benefits, how could the dogman, without being + worse than a dog, go and say to his ladies that mischief was breeding + between their heir and a poor girl who lived in a corner of their land? If + he had been ungrateful, or in any way a sneak, he might have found no + trouble in this thing; but being, as he was, an honest, noble-hearted + fellow, he battled severely in his mind to set up the standard of the + proper side to take. For such matters Pet cared not one jot. Crafty as he + was, he could never understand that Jordas and Welldrum were not the same + man, one half working out-of-doors, and the other in. For him it was + enough that Jordas would not tell, probably because he was afraid to do + so, and Pet resolved to make him useful. For Lancelot Carnaby was very + sharp indeed in espying what suited his purpose. His set purpose was to + marry Insie Bart, in whom he had sense enough to perceive his better, in + every respect but money and birth, in which two he was before her, or at + any rate supposed so. He was proud, as need be, of his station in life; + but he reasoned—if the process of his mind was reason—that + being so exalted, he might please himself; that his wife would rise to his + rank, instead of lowering him; that her father was a man of education and + a gentleman, although he worked with his own hands; and that Insie was a + lady, though she went to fill a pitcher. + </p> + <p> + For one happy fact the youth deserved some credit, or rather, perhaps, his + youth deserved it for him. He was madly in love with Insie, and his + passion could not be of very high spiritual order; but the idea of + obtaining her dishonorably never occurred to his mind for one moment. He + knew her to be better, purer, and nobler than himself in every way; and he + felt, though he did not want to feel it, that her nature gave a lift to + his. Insie, on the other hand, began to like him better, and to despise + him less and less; his reckless devotion to her made its way; and in spite + of all her common-sense, his beauty and his lordly style had attractions + for her young romance. And at last her heart began to bound, like his, + when they were together. “With all thy faults, I love thee still,” was the + loose condition of her youthful mind. + </p> + <p> + Into every combination, however steep and deep be the gill of its quiet + incubation, a number of people and of things peep in, and will enter, like + the cuckoo, at the glimpse of a white feather, or even without it, unless + beak and claw are shown. And now the intruder into Pet's love nest had the + right to look in, and to pull him out, neck and crop, unless he sat there + legally. Whether birds discharge fraternal duty is a question for Notes + and Queries even in the present most positive age. Sophocles says that the + clever birds feed their parents and their benefactors, and men ascribe + piety to them in fables, as a needful ensample to one another. + </p> + <p> + Be that as it may, this Maunder Bart, when his rather slow attention was + once aroused, kept a sharp watch upon his young landlord's works. It was + lucky for Pet that he meant no harm, and that Maunder had contemptuous + faith in him; otherwise Insie's brother would have shortly taken him up by + his gaiters, and softly beaten his head in against a rock. For Mr. Bart's + son was of bitter, morose, and almost savage nature, silent, moody, and as + resolute as death. He resented and darkly repined at the loss of position + and property of which he had heard, and he scorned the fine sentiments + which had led to nothing at all substantial. It was not in his power to + despise his father, for his mind felt the presence of the larger one; but + he did not love him as a son should do; neither did he speak out his + thoughts to anybody beyond a few mutters to his mother. But he loved his + gentle sister, and found in her a goodness which warmed him up to think + about getting some upon his own account. + </p> + <p> + Such thoughts, however, were fugitive, and Maunder's more general subject + of brooding was the wrong he had suffered through his father. He was + living and working like a peasant or a miner, instead of having horses, + and dogs, and men, and the right to kick out inferior people—as that + baby Lancelot Carnaby had—for no other reason, that he could find, + than the magnitude of his father's mind. He had gone into the subject with + his father long ago—for Mr. Bart felt a noble pride in his + convictions—and the son lamented with all his heart the extent of + his own father's mind. In his lonely walks, heavy hours, and hard work—which + last he never grudged, for his strength required outlet—he pondered + continually upon one thing, and now he seemed to see a chance of doing it. + The first step in his upward course would be Insie's marriage with + Lancelot. + </p> + <p> + Pet, who had no fear of any one but Maunder, tried crafty little tricks to + please him; but instead of earning many thanks, got none at all, which + made him endeavor to improve himself. Mr. Bart's opinion of him now began + to follow the course of John Smithies's, and Smithies looked at it in one + light only (ever since Pet so assaulted him, and then trusted his + good-will across the dark moors), and that light was that “when you come + to think of him, you mustn't be too hard upon him, after all.” And one + great excellence of this youth was that he cared not a doit for general + opinion, so long as he got his own special desire. + </p> + <p> + His desire was, not to let a day go by without sight and touch of Insie. + These were not to be had at a moment's notice, nor even by much care; and + five times out of six he failed of so much as a glimpse or a word of her. + For the weather and the time of year have much to say concerning the + course of the very truest love, and worse than the weather itself too + often is the cloudy caprice of maiden mind. + </p> + <p> + Insie's father must have known what attraction drew this youth to such a + cold unfurnished spot, and if he had been like other men, he would either + have nipped in the bud this passion, or, for selfish reasons, fostered it. + But being of large theoretical mind, he found his due outlet in giving + advice. + </p> + <p> + It is plain at a glance that in such a case the mother is the proper one + to give advice, and the father the one to act strenuously. But now Mrs. + Bart, who was a very good lady, and had gone through a world of trouble + from the want of money—the which she had cast away for sake of + something better—came to the forefront of this pretty little + business, as Insie's mother, vigorously. + </p> + <p> + “Christophare,” she said to her husband, “not often do I speak, between + us, of the affairs it is wise to let alone. But now of our dear child + Inesa it is just that I should insist something. Mandaro, which you call + English Maunder, already is destroyed for life by the magnitude of your + good mind. It is just that his sister should find the occasion of + reversion to her proper grade of life. For you, Christophare, I have + abandoned all, and have the good right to claim something from you. And + the only thing that I demand is one—let Inesa return to the lady.” + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said Mr. Bart, who had that sense of humor without which no man + can give his property away, “I hope that she never has departed from it. + But, my dear, as you make such a point of it, I will promise not to + interfere, unless there is any attempt to do wrong, and intrap a poor boy + who does not know his own mind. Insie is his equal by birth and education, + and perhaps his superior in that which comes foremost nowadays—the + money. Dream not that he is a great catch, my dear; I know more of that + matter than you do. It is possible that he may stand at the altar with + little to settle upon his bride except his bright waistcoat and gaiters.” + </p> + <p> + “Tush, Christophare! You are, to my mind, always an enigma.” + </p> + <p> + “That is as it should be, and keeps me interesting still. But this is a + mere boy and girl romance. If it meant anything, my only concern would be + to know whether the boy was good. If not, I should promptly kick him back + to his own door.” + </p> + <p> + “From my observation, he is very good—to attend to his rights, and + make the utmost of them.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Bart laughed, for he knew that a little hit at himself was intended; + and very often now, as his joints began to stiffen, he wished that his + youth had been wiser. He stuck to his theories still; but his practice + would have been more of the practical kind, if it had come back to be done + again. But his children and his wife had no claim to bring up anything, + because everything was gone before he undertook their business. However, + he obtained reproach—as always seems to happen—for those + doings of his early days which led to their existence. Still, he liked to + make the best of things, and laughed, instead of arguing. + </p> + <p> + For a short time, therefore, Lancelot Carnaby seemed to have his own way + in this matter, as well as in so many others. As soon as spring weather + unbound the streams, and enlarged both the spots and the appetite of trout + (which mainly thrive together), Pet became seized, by his own account, + with insatiable love of angling. The beck of the gill, running into the + Lune, was alive, in those unpoaching days, with sweet little trout of a + very high breed, playful, mischievous, and indulging (while they provoked) + good hunger. These were trout who disdained to feed basely on the ground + when they could feed upward, ennobling almost every gulp with a glimpse of + the upper creation. Mrs. Carnaby loved these “graceful creatures,” as she + always called them, when fried well; and she thought it so good and so + clever of her son to tempt her poor appetite with them. + </p> + <p> + “Philippa, he knows—perhaps your mind is absent,” she said, as she + put the fifth trout on her plate at breakfast one fine morning—“he + feels that these little creatures do me good, and to me it becomes a + sacred duty to endeavor to eat them.” + </p> + <p> + “You seem to succeed very well, Eliza.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, dear, I manage to get on a little, from a sort of sporting feeling + that appeals to me. Before I begin to lift the skins of any of these + little darlings, I can see my dear boy standing over the torrent, with his + wonderful boldness, and bright eagle eyes—” + </p> + <p> + “To pull out a fish of an ounce and a half. Without any disrespect to Pet, + whose fishing apparel has cost 20 pounds, I believe that Jordas catches + every one of them.” + </p> + <p> + Sad to say, this was even so; Lancelot tried once or twice, for some five + minutes at a time, throwing the fly as he threw a skittle-ball; but + finding no fish at once respond to his precipitance, down he cast the rod, + and left the rest of it to Jordas. But inasmuch as he brought back fish + whenever he went out fishing, and looked as brilliant and picturesque as a + salmon-fly, in his new costume, his mother was delighted, and his aunt, + being full of fresh troubles, paid small heed to him. + </p> + <p> + For as soon as the roads became safe again, and an honest attorney could + enter “horse hire” in his bill without being too chivalrous, and the ink + that had clotted in the good-will time began to form black blood again, + Mr. Jellicorse himself resolved legitimately to set forth upon a legal + enterprise. The winter had shaken him slightly—for even a + solicitor's body is vulnerable; and well for the clerk of the weather it + is that no action lies against him—and his good wife told him to be + very careful, although he looked as young as ever. She had no great + opinion of the people he was going to, and was sure that they would be too + high and mighty even to see that his bed was aired. For her part, she + hoped that the reports were true which were now getting into every honest + person's mouth; and if he would listen to a woman's common-sense, and at + once go over to the other side, it would serve them quite right, and be + the better for his family, and give a good lift to his profession. But his + honesty was stout, and vanquished even his pride in his profession. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0050" id="link2HCH0050"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER L + </h2> + <h3> + PRINCELY TREATMENT + </h3> + <p> + “This, then, is what you have to say,” cried my lady Philippa, in a tone + of little gratitude, and perhaps not purely free from wrath; “this is what + has happened, while you did nothing?” + </p> + <p> + “Madam, I assure you,” Mr. Jellicorse replied, “that no one point has been + neglected. And truly I am bold enough—though you may not perceive it—to + take a little credit to myself for the skill and activity of my + proceedings. I have a most conceited man against me; no member at all of + our honored profession; but rather inclined to make light of us. A + gentleman—if one may so describe him—of the name of Mordacks, + who lives in a den below a bridge in York, and has very long harassed the + law by a sort of cheap-jack, slap-dash, low-minded style of doing things. + 'Jobbing,' I may call it—cheap and nasty jobbing—not at all + the proper thing, from a correct point of view. 'A catch-penny fellow,' + that's the proper name for him—I was trying to think of it half the + way from Middleton.” + </p> + <p> + “And now, in your eloquence, you have hit upon it. I can easily understand + that such a style of business would not meet with your approbation. But, + Mr. Jellicorse, he seems to me to have proved himself considerably more + active in his way—however objectionable that may be—than you, + as our agent, have shown yourself.” + </p> + <p> + The cheerful, expressive, and innocent face of Mr. Jellicorse protested + now. By nature he was almost as honest as Geoffrey Mordacks himself could + be; and in spite of a very long professional career, the original element + was there, and must be charged for. + </p> + <p> + “I can not recall to my memory,” he said, “any instance of neglect on my + part. But if that impression is upon your mind, it would be better for you + to change your legal advisers at an early opportunity. Such has been the + frequent practice, madam, of your family. And but for that, none of this + trouble could exist. I must beg you either to withdraw the charge of + negligence, which I understand you to have brought, or else to appoint + some gentleman of greater activity to conduct your business.” + </p> + <p> + With the haughtiness of her headstrong race, Miss Yordas had failed as yet + to comprehend that a lawyer could be a gentleman. And even now that idea + scarcely broke upon her, until she looked hard at Mr. Jellicorse. But he, + having cast aside all deference for the moment, met her stern gaze with + such courteous indifference and poise of self-composure that she suddenly + remembered that his grandfather had been the master of a pack of + fox-hounds. + </p> + <p> + “I have made no charge of negligence; you are hasty, and misunderstand + me,” she answered, after waiting for him to begin again, as if he were a + rash aggressor. “It is possible that you desire to abandon our case, and + conceive affront where none is meant whatever.” + </p> + <p> + “God forbid!” Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed, with his legal state of mind + returning. “A finer case never came into any court of law. There is a + coarse axiom, not without some truth, that possession is nine points of + the law. We have possession. What is even more important, we have the + hostile instrument in our possession.” + </p> + <p> + “You mean that unfortunate and unjust deed, of a by-gone time, that was so + wickedly concealed? Dishonest transaction from first to last!” + </p> + <p> + “Madam, the law is not to blame for that, nor even the lawyers; but the + clients, who kept changing them. But for that, your admirable father must + have known that the will he dictated to me was waste paper. At least as + regards the main part of these demesnes.” + </p> + <p> + “What monstrous injustice! A positive premium upon filial depravity. You + regard things professionally, I suppose. But surely it must have struck + you as a flagrant dishonesty, a base and wicked crime, that a document so + vile should be allowed even to exist.” + </p> + <p> + Miss Yordas had spoken with unusual heat; and the lawyer looked at her + with an air of mild inquiry. Was it possible that she suggested to him the + destruction of the wicked instrument? Ladies had done queer things, within + his knowledge; but this lady showed herself too cautious for that. + </p> + <p> + “I know what my father would have done in such a case,” she continued, + with her tranquil smile recovered: “he would just have ridden up to his + solicitor's office, demanded the implement of robbery, brought it home, + and set it upon the hall fire, in the presence of the whole of his family + and household. But now we live in such a strictly lawful age that no crime + can be stopped, if only perpetrated legally. And you say that Mr. More—something, + 'Moresharp,' I think it was, knows of that iniquitous production?” + </p> + <p> + “Madam, we can not be certain; but I have reason to suspect that Mr. + Mordacks has got wind of that unfortunate deed of appointment.” + </p> + <p> + “Supposing that he has, and that he means to use his knowledge, he can not + force the document from your possession, can he?” + </p> + <p> + “Not without an order. But by filing affidavit, after issue of writ in + ejectment, they may compel us to produce, and allow attested copy to be + taken.” + </p> + <p> + “Then the law is disgraceful to the last degree, and it is useless to own + anything. That deed is in your charge, as our attorney, I suppose, sir?” + </p> + <p> + “By no other right, madam: we have twelve chestfuls, any one or all of + which I am bound to render up to your order.” + </p> + <p> + “Our confidence in you is unshaken. But without shaking it we might order + home any particular chest for inspection?” + </p> + <p> + “Most certainly, madam, by giving us receipt for it. For antiquarian uses, + and others, such a thing is by no means irregular. And the oldest of all + the deeds are in that box—charters from the crown, grants from + corporations, records of assay by arms—warrants that even I can not + decipher.” + </p> + <p> + “A very learned gentleman is likely soon to visit us—a man of modern + family, who spends his whole time in seeking out the stories of the older + ones. No family in Yorkshire is comparable to ours in the interest of its + annals.” + </p> + <p> + “That is a truth beyond all denial, madam. The character of your ancient + race has always been a marked one.” + </p> + <p> + “And always honorable, Mr. Jellicorse. Undeviating principle has + distinguished all my ancestors. Nothing has ever been allowed to stand + between them and their view of right.” + </p> + <p> + “You could not have put it more clearly, Mistress Yordas. Their own view + of right has been their guiding star throughout. And they never have + failed to act accordingly.” + </p> + <p> + “Alas! of how very few others can we say it! But being of a very good old + family yourself, you are able to appreciate such conduct. You would like + me, perhaps, to sign the order for that box of ancient—cartularies—is + not that the proper word for them? And it might be as well to state why + they happen to be wanted—for purposes of family history.” + </p> + <p> + “Madam, I will at once prepare a memorandum for your signature and your + sister's.” + </p> + <p> + The mind of Mr. Jellicorse was much relieved, although the relief was not + untempered with misgivings. He sat down immediately at an ancient + writing-table, and prepared a short order for delivery, to their trusty + servant Jordas, of a certain box, with the letter C upon it, and + containing title-deeds of Scargate Hall estate. + </p> + <p> + “I think it might be simpler not to put it so precisely,” my lady Philippa + suggested, “but merely to say a box containing the oldest of the + title-deeds, as required for an impending antiquarian research.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse made the amendment; and then, with the prudence of long + practice, added, “The order should be in your handwriting, madam; will it + give you too much trouble just to copy it?” “How can it signify, if it + bears our signatures?” his client asked, with a smile at such a trifle; + however, she sat down, and copied it upon another sheet of paper. Then Mr. + Jellicorse, beautifully bowing, drew near to take possession of his own + handwriting; but the lady, with a bow of even greater elegance, lifted the + cover of the standing desk, and therein placed both manuscripts; and the + lawyer perceived that he could say nothing. + </p> + <p> + “How delightful it is to be quit of business!” The hostess now looked + hospitable. “We need not recur to this matter, I do hope. That paper, + whatever it is, will be signed by both of us, and handed over to you, in + your legal head-quarters, to-morrow. We must have the pleasure of sending + you home in the morning, Mr. Jellicorse. We have bought a very wonderful + vehicle, invented for such roads as ours, and to supersede the + jumping-car. It is warranted to traverse any place a horse can travel, + with luxurious ease to the passengers, and safety of no common + description. Jordas will drive you; your horse can trot behind; and you + can send back by it whatever there may be.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse detested new inventions, and objected most strongly to any + experiment made in his own body. However, he would rather die than plead + his time of life in bar, and his faith in the dogman was unlimited. And + now the gentle Mrs. Carnaby, who had gracefully taken flight from “horrid + business,” returned in an evening dress and with a sweetly smiling + countenance, and very nearly turned the Jellicorsian head, snowy as it + was, with soft attentions and delicious deference. + </p> + <p> + “I was treated like a prince,” he said next day, when delivered safe at + home, and resting among his rather dingy household gods. “There never + could have been a more absurd idea than that notion of yours about my + being put into wet sheets, Diana. Why, I even had my night-cap warmed; and + a young woman came, with a blush upon her face, and a question whether I + would be pleased to sleep in a gross of Naples stockings! Ah, to my mind, + after all, it proves what I have always said—that there is nothing + like old blood.” + </p> + <p> + “Nothing like old blood for being made a fool of,” his wife replied, with + a coarseness which made him shiver, after Mrs. Carnaby. “They know what + they are about, I'll lay a penny. Some roguery, no doubt, that they seek + to lead you into. That is what their night-caps and stockings mean. How + low it is to make a foreground of them!” + </p> + <p> + “Hush, my dear! I can not bear such want of charity. And what is even + worse, you expose me to an action at law, with heavy damages.” + </p> + <p> + The lawyer had sundry little qualms of conscience, which were deepened by + his wife's sagacious words; and suddenly it struck him that the + new-fangled vehicle which had brought him home so quietly from Scargate + had shown a strange inability to stand still for more than two minutes at + his side door. So much had he been hurried by the apparent straits of his + charioteer that he ran out with box C without ever stopping to make an + inventory of its contents—as he intended to do—or even looking + whether the all-important deed was there. In fact, he had scarcely time to + seal up the key in a separate package, hand it to Jordas, and take the + order (now become a receipt) from the horny fist of the dogman, before + Marmaduke, rendered more dashing by snow-drift, was away like a + thunder-bolt—if such a thing there be, and if it has four legs. + </p> + <p> + “How could I have helped doing as I have done?” he whispered to himself, + uncomfortably. “Here are two ladies of high position, and they send a + joint order for their property. By-the-bye, I will just have a look at + that order, now that there is no horse to jump over me.” Upon going to the + day file, he found the order right, transcribed from his own amended copy, + and bearing two signatures, as it should do. But it struck him that the + words “Eliza Carnaby” were written too boldly for that lady's hand; and + the more he looked at them, the more he was convinced of it. That was no + concern of his, for it was not his duty, under the circumstances of the + case, to verify her signature. But this conviction drove him to an + uncomfortable conclusion—“Miss Yordas intends to destroy that deed + without her sister's knowledge. She knows that her sister's nerve is + weaker, and she does not like to involve her in the job. A very brave, + sisterly feeling, no doubt, and much the wiser course, if she means to do + it. It is a bold stroke, and well worthy of a Yordas. But I hope, with all + my heart, that she never can have thought of it. And she kept that order + in my handwriting to make it look as if the suggestion came from me! And I + am as innocent as any lamb is of the frauds that shall come to be written + on his skin. The duty of attorney toward client prevents me from opening + my lips upon the matter. But she is a deep woman, and a bold one too. May + the Lord direct things aright! I shall retire, and let Robert have the + practice, as soon as Brown's bankruptcy has worn out captious creditors. + It is the Lord alone that doeth all things well.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse knew that he had done his best; and though doubtful of the + turn which things had taken, with some exclusion of his agency, he felt + (though his conscience told him not to feel it) that here was one true + source of joy. That impudent, dashing, unprofessional man, who was always + poking his vile unarticled nose into legal business, that fellow of the + name of Mordacks, now would have no locus standi left. At least a hundred + and fifty firms, of good standing in the county, detested that man, and + even a judge would import a scintillula juris into any measure which + relieved the country of him. Meditating thus, he heard a knock. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0051" id="link2HCH0051"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER LI + </h2> + <h3> + STAND AND DELIVER + </h3> + <p> + The day was not far worn as yet; and May month having come at last, the + day could stand a good deal of wear. With Jordas burning to exhibit the + wonders of the new machine (which had been bought upon his advice), and + with Marmaduke conscious of the new gloss on his coat, all previous times + had been beaten—as the sporting writers put it; that is to say, all + previous times of the journey from Scargate to Middleton, for any man who + sat on wheels. A rider would take a shorter cut, and have many other + advantages; but for a driver the time had been the quickest upon record. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse, exulting in his safety, had imprinted the chaste salute + upon his good wife's cheek at ten minutes after one o'clock; when the + clerks in the office with laudable promptitude (not expecting him as yet) + had unanimously cast down pen, and betaken hand and foot toward knife and + fork. Instead of blaming them, this good lawyer went upon that same road + himself, with the great advantage that the road to his dinner lay through + his own kitchen. At dinner-time he had much to tell, and many large helps + to receive, of interest and of admiration, especially from his pet child + Emily (who forgot herself so largely as to lick her spoon while gazing), + and after dinner he was not without reasons for letting perhaps a little + of the time slip by. Therefore, by the time he had described all dangers, + discharged his duty to all comforts, and held the little confidential talk + with his wife and himself above recorded, the clock had made its way to + half past three. + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Jellicorse and Emily were gone forth to pay visits; the clerks, shut + away in their own room, were busy, scratching up a lovely case for nisi + prius; the cook had thrown the sifted cinders on the kitchen fire, and was + gone with the maids to exchange just a few constitutional words with the + gardener; and the whole house was drowsy with that by-time when light and + shadow seem to mix together, and far-away sounds take a faint to and fro, + as if they were the pendulum of silence. + </p> + <p> + “That is Emily's knock. Impatient child! Come back for her mother's + gloves, or something. All the people are out; I must go and let her in.” + </p> + <p> + With these words, and a little placid frown—because a soft nap was + impending on his eyelids, and yet they were always glad to open on his + favorite—the worthy lawyer rose, and took a pinch of snuff to rouse + himself; but before he could get to the door, a louder and more impatient + rap almost made him jump. + </p> + <p> + “What a hurry you are in, my dear! You really should try to learn some + little patience.” + </p> + <p> + While he was speaking, he opened the door; and behold, there was no little + girl, but a tall and stately gentleman in horseman's dress, and of strong + commanding aspect. + </p> + <p> + “What is your pleasure, sir?” the lawyer asked, while his heart began to + flutter; for exactly such a visitor had caused him scare of his life, when + stronger by a quarter of a century than now. + </p> + <p> + “My pleasure, or rather my business, is with Mr. Jellicorse, the lawyer.” + </p> + <p> + “Then, sir, you have come to the right man for it. My name is Jellicorse, + and greatly at your service. Allow me the honor of inviting you within.” + </p> + <p> + “My name is Yordas—Sir Duncan Yordas,” said the stranger, when + seated in the lawyer's private room. “My father, Philip Yordas, was a + client of yours, and of other legal gentlemen before he came to you. Upon + the day of his death, in the year 1777, you prepared his will, which you + have since found to be of no effect, except as regards his personal + estate, and about one-eighth part of the realty. Of the bulk of the land, + including Scargate Hall, he could not dispose, for the simple reason that + it had been strictly entailed by a deed executed by my grandfather and his + wife in 1751. Under that entail I take in fee, for it could not have been + barred without me; and I never concurred in any disentailing deed, and my + father never knew that such was needful.” + </p> + <p> + “Excuse me, Sir Duncan, but you seem to be wonderfully apt with the terms + of our profession.” + </p> + <p> + “I could scarcely be otherwise, after all that I have had to do with law, + in India. Our first object is to apply our own laws, and our second to + spread our religion. But no more of that. Do you admit the truth of a + matter so stated that you can not fail to grasp it?” + </p> + <p> + Sir Duncan Yordas, as he put this question, fixed large, unwavering, and + piercing eyes (against which no spectacles were any shelter) upon the + mild, amiable, and, generally speaking, very honest orbs of sight which + had lighted the path of the elder gentleman to good repute and competence. + But who may turn a lawyer's hand from the Heaven-sped legal plough? + </p> + <p> + “Am I to understand, Sir Duncan Yordas, that your visit to me is of an + amicable nature, and intended (without prejudice to other interests) to + ascertain, so far as may be compatible with professional rules, how far my + clients are acquainted with documents alleged or imagined to be in + existence, and how far their conduct might be guided by desire to afford + every reasonable facility?” + </p> + <p> + “You are to understand simply this, that as the proper owner of Scargate + Hall, and the main part of the estates held with it, I require you to sign + a memorandum that you hold all the title-deeds on my behalf, and to + deliver at once to me that entailing instrument of 1751, under which I + make my claim.” + </p> + <p> + “You speak, sir, as if you had already brought your action, and entered + verdict. Legal process may be dispensed with in barbarous countries, but + not here. The title-deeds and other papers of Scargate Hall were placed in + my custody neither by you nor on your behalf, sir. I hold them on behalf + of those at present in possession; and until I receive due instructions + from them, or a final order from a court of law, I should be guilty of a + breach of trust if I parted with a dog's-ear of them.” + </p> + <p> + “You distinctly refuse my requirements, and defy me to enforce them?” + </p> + <p> + “Not so, Sir Duncan. I do nothing more than declare what my view of my + duty is, and decline in any way to depart from it.” + </p> + <p> + “Upon that score I have nothing more to say. I did not expect you to give + up the deeds, though in 'barbarous countries,' as you call them, we have + peremptory ways. I will say more than that, Mr. Jellicorse—I will + say that I respect you for clinging to what you must know better than + anybody else to be the weaker side.” + </p> + <p> + The lawyer bowed his very best bow, but was bound to enter protest against + the calm assumption of the claimant. + </p> + <p> + “Let us leave that question,” Sir Duncan said; “the time would fail us to + discuss that now. But one thing I surely may insist upon as the proper + heir of my grandfather. I may desire you to produce for my inspection that + deed in pursuance of his marriage settlement, which has for so many years + lain concealed.” + </p> + <p> + “With pleasure I will do so, Sir Duncan Yordas (presuming that any such + deed exists), upon the production of an order from the Court either of + King's Bench or of Common Pleas.” + </p> + <p> + “In that case you would be obliged to produce it, and would earn no thanks + of mine. But I ask you to lay aside the legal aspect; for no action is + pending, and perhaps never will be. I ask you, as a valued adviser of the + family, and a trustworthy friend to its interests—as a gentleman, in + fact, rather than a mere lawyer—to do a wise and amicable thing. You + can not in any way injure your case, if a law case is to come of it, + because we know all about the deed already. We even have an abstract of it + as clear as you yourself could make, and we have discovered that one of + the witnesses is still alive. I have come to you myself in preference to + employing a lawyer, because I hope, if you meet me frankly, to put things + in train for a friendly and fair settlement. I am not a young man; I have + been disappointed of any one to succeed me, and I wish to settle my + affairs in this country, and return to India, which suits me better, and + where I am more useful. My sisters have not behaved kindly to me; but that + I must try to forgive and forget. I have thought matters over, and am + quite prepared to offer very liberal terms—in short, to leave them + in possession of Scargate, upon certain conditions and in a certain + manner.” + </p> + <p> + “Really, Sir Duncan,” Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed, “allow me to offer you a + pinch of snuff. You are pleased with it? Yes, it is of quite superior + quality. It saved the life of a most admirable fellow, a henchman of your + family—in fact, poor Jordas. The power of this snuff alone supported + him from freezing—” + </p> + <p> + “At another time I may be highly interested in that matter,” the visitor + replied, without meaning to be rude, but knowing that the man of law was + making passes to gain time; “just at present I must ask you to say yes or + no. If you wish me to set my offer plainly before you, and so relieve the + property of the cost of a hopeless struggle—for I have taken the + opinion of the first real property counsel of the age—you will, as a + token of good faith and of common-sense, produce for my inspection that + deed-poll of November 15, 1751.” + </p> + <p> + Poor Mr. Jellicorse was desperately driven. He looked round the room, to + seek for any interruption. He went to the window, and pretended to see + another visitor knocking at the door. But no help came; he must face it + out himself; and Sir Duncan, with his quiet resolution, looked more stern + than his violent father. + </p> + <p> + “I think that before we proceed any further,” said the lawyer, at last + sitting down, and taking up a pen and trying what the nib was like, “we + really should understand a little where we are already. My own desire to + avoid litigation is very strong—almost unprofessionally so—though + the first thing consulted by all of us naturally is the pocket of our + client—” + </p> + <p> + “Whether it will hold out, I suppose.” Sir Duncan Yordas departed from his + dignity in saying this, and was sorry as soon as he had said it. + </p> + <p> + “That is the vulgar impression about us, which it is our duty to disdain. + But without losing time upon that question, let me ask, what shall I put + down as your proposition, sir?” + </p> + <p> + “There is nothing to put down. That is just the point. I do not come here + with any formal proposition. If that had been my object, I would have + brought a lawyer. What I say is that I have the right to see that deed. It + forms no part of my sisters' title-deeds, but even destroys their title. + It belongs to me, it is my property, and only through fraud is it now in + your hands. Of course we can easily wrest it from you, and must do so if + you defy me. It rests with you to take that risk. But I prefer to cut + things short. I pledge myself to two things—first, to leave the + document in your possession; and next, to offer fair and even handsome + terms when you have met me thus fairly. Why should you object? For we know + all about it. Never mind how.” + </p> + <p> + Those last three words decided the issue. Even worse than the fear of + breach of trust was the fear of treason in the office, and the lawyer's + only chance of getting clew to that was to keep on terms with this Sir + Duncan Yordas. There had been no treason whatever in the office; neither + had anything come out through the proctorial firm in York, or Sir Walter + Carnaby's solicitors; but a note among longheaded Duncombe's papers had + got into the hands of Mordacks. Of that, however, Mr. Jellicorse had no + idea. + </p> + <p> + “Sir Duncan Yordas, I will meet you as you come,” he said, with his good, + fresh-colored face, as honest as the sun when the clouds roll off. “It is + an unusual step on my part, and perhaps irregular. But rather than destroy + the prospect of a friendly compromise, I will strain a point, and candidly + admit that there is an instrument open to an interpretation which might, + or might not, be in your favor.” + </p> + <p> + “That I knew long ago, and more than that. My demand is—to see it, + and to satisfy myself.” + </p> + <p> + “Under the circumstances, I am half inclined to think that I should be + disposed to allow you that privilege if the document were in my + possession.” + </p> + <p> + “Now, Mr. Jellicorse,” Sir Duncan answered, showing his temper in his eyes + alone, “how much longer will you trifle with me? Where is that deed?” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse drew forth his watch, took off his spectacles, and dusted + them carefully with a soft yellow handkerchief; then restored them to + their double sphere of usefulness, and perused, with some diligence, the + time of day. By the law which compels a man to sneeze when another man + sets the example, Sir Duncan also drew forth his watch. + </p> + <p> + “I am trying to make my reply as accurate,” said the lawyer, beginning to + enjoy the position as a man, though not quite as a lawyer—“as + accurate as your candor and confidence really deserve, Sir Duncan. The box + containing that document, to which you attach so much importance (whether + duly or otherwise is not for me to say until counsel's opinion has been + taken on our side), considering the powers of the horse, that box should + be about Stormy Gap by this time. A quarter to four by me. What does your + watch say, sir?” + </p> + <p> + “The deed has been sent for, post-haste, has it? And you know for what + purpose?” + </p> + <p> + “You must draw a distinction between the deed and the box containing it, + Sir Duncan. Or, to put it more accurately, betwixt that deed and its + casual accompaniments. It happens to be among very old charters, which + happen to be wanted for certain excellent antiquarian purposes. Such + things are not in my line, I must confess, although so deeply interesting. + But a very learned man seems to have expressed—” + </p> + <p> + “Rubbish. Excuse me, but you are most provoking. You know, as well as I + do, that robbery is intended, and you allow yourself to be made a party to + it.” + </p> + <p> + This was the simple truth; and the lawyer, being (by some strange + inversion of professional excellence) honest at the bottom, was deeply + pained at having such words used, as to, for, about, or in anywise + concerning him. + </p> + <p> + “I think, Sir Duncan, that you will be sorry,” he answered, with much + dignity, “for employing such language where it can not be resented. Your + father was a violent man, and we all expect violence of your family.” + </p> + <p> + “There is no time to go into that question now. If I have wronged you, I + will beg your pardon. A very few hours will prove how that is. How and by + whom have you sent the box?” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Jellicorse answered, rather stiffly, that his clients had sent a + trusty servant with a light vehicle to fetch the box, and that now he must + be half way toward home. + </p> + <p> + “I shall overtake him,” said Sir Duncan, with a smile; “I have a good + horse, and I know the shortcuts. Hoofs without wheels go a yard to a foot + upon such rocky collar-work.” + </p> + <p> + Without another word, except “Good-by,” Sir Duncan Yordas left the house, + walked rapidly to the inn, and cut short the dinner his good horse was + standing up to. In a very few minutes he was on Tees bridge, with his face + toward the home of his ancestors. + </p> + <p> + It may be supposed that neither his thoughts nor those of the lawyer were + very cheerful. Mr. Jellicorse was deeply anxious as to the conflict which + must ensue, and as to the figure his fair fame might cut, if this strange + transaction should be exposed and calumniated by evil tongues. In these + elderly days, and with all experience, he had laid himself open, not + legally perhaps, but morally, to the heavy charge of connivance at a + felonious act, and even some contribution toward it. He told himself + vainly that he could not help it, that the documents were in his charge + only until he was ordered to give them up, and that it was no concern of + his to anticipate what might become of them. His position had truly been + difficult, but still he might have escaped from it with clearer + conscience. His duty was to cast away drawing-room manners, and warn Miss + Yordas that the document she hated so was not her own to deal with, but + belonged (in equity at least) to those who were entitled under it, and + that to take advantage of her wrongful possession, and destroy the foe, + was a crime, and, more than that, a shabby one. The former point might not + have stopped her; but the latter would have done so without fail, for her + pride was equal to her daring. But poor Mr. Jellicorse had felt the power + of a will more resolute than his own, and of grand surroundings and + exalted style; and his desire to please had confused, and thereby + overcome, his perception of the right. But now these reflections were all + too late, and the weary brain found comfort only in the shelter of its + night-cap. + </p> + <p> + If a little slip had brought a very good man to unhappiness, how much + harder was it for Sir Duncan Yordas, who had committed no offense at all! + No Yordas had ever cared a tittle for tattle—to use their own + expression—but deeper mischief than tattle must ensue, unless great + luck prevented it. The brother knew well that his sister inherited much of + the reckless self-will which had made the name almost a by-word, and which + had been master of his own life until large experience of the world, and + the sense of responsible power, curbed it. He had little affection for + that sister left—for she had used him cruelly, and even now was + imbittering the injury—but he still had some tender feeling for the + other, who had always been his favorite. And though cut off, by his + father's act, from due headship of the family, he was deeply grieved, in + this more enlightened age, to expose their uncivilized turbulence. + </p> + <p> + Therefore he spurred his willing horse against the hill, and up the + many-winding ruggedness of road, hoping, at every turn, to descry in the + distance the vehicle carrying that very plaguesome box. If his son had + been there, he might have told him, on the ridge of Stormy Gap (which + commanded high and low, rough and smooth, dark and light, for miles + ahead), that Jordas was taking the final turn, by the furthest gleam of + the water-mist, whence the stone road labored up to Scargate. But Sir + Duncan's eyes—though as keen as an eagle's while young—had now + seen too much of the sun to make out that gray atom gliding in the sunset + haze. + </p> + <p> + Upon the whole, it was a lucky thing that he could not overtake the car; + for Jordas would never have yielded his trust while any life was in him; + and Sir Duncan having no knowledge of him, except as a boy-of-all-work + about the place, might have been tempted to use the sword, without which + no horseman then rode there. Or failing that, a struggle between two + equally resolute men must have followed, with none at hand to part them. + </p> + <p> + When the horseman came to the foot of the long steep pull leading up to + the stronghold of his race, he just caught a glimpse of the car turning in + at the entrance of the court-yard. “They have half an hour's start of me,” + he thought, as he drew up behind a rock, that the house might not descry + him; “if I ride up in full view, I hurry the mischief. Philippa will + welcome me with the embers of my title. She must not suspect that the + matter is so urgent. Nobody shall know that I am coming. For many reasons + I had better try the private road below the Scarfe.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0052" id="link2HCH0052"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER LII + </h2> + <h3> + THE SCARFE + </h3> + <p> + Jordas, without suspicion of pursuit, had allowed no grass to grow under + the feet of Marmaduke on the homeward way. His orders were to use all + speed, to do as he had done at the lawyer's private door, and then, + without baiting his horse, to drive back, reserving the nose-bag for some + very humpy halting-place. There is no such man, at the present time of + day, to carry out strict orders, as the dogman was, and the chance of + there being such a one again diminishes by very rapid process. Marmaduke, + as a horse, was of equal quality, reasoning not about his orders, but + about the way to do them. + </p> + <p> + There was no special emergency now, so far as my lady Philippa knew; but + the manner of her mind was to leave no space between a resolution and its + execution. This is the way to go up in the world, or else to go down + abruptly; and to her the latter would have been far better than to halt + between two opinions. Her plan had been shaped and set last night, and, + like all great ideas, was the simplest of the simple. And Jordas, who had + inklings of his own, though never admitted to confidence, knew how to + carry out the outer part. + </p> + <p> + “When the turbot comes,” she said to Welldrum, as soon as her long sight + showed her the trusty Jordas beginning the home ascent, “it is to be taken + first out of the car, and to my sister's sitting-room; the other things + Jordas will see to. I may be going for a little walk. But you will at once + carry up the turbot. Mrs. Carnaby's appetite is delicate.” + </p> + <p> + The butler had his own opinion upon that interesting subject. But in her + presence it must be his own. Any attempt at enlargement of her mind by + exchange of sentiment—such as Mrs. Carnaby permitted and enjoyed—would + have sent him flying down the hill, pursued by square-toed men prepared to + add elasticity to velocity. Therefore Welldrum made a leg in silence, and + retreated, while his mistress prepared for her intended exploit. She had + her beaver hat and mantle ready by the shrubbery door—as a little + quiet postern of her own was called—and in the heavy standing desk, + or “secretary,” of her private room she had stored a flat basket, or + frail, of stout flags, with a heavy clock weight inside it. + </p> + <p> + “Much better to drown the wretched thing than burn it,” she had been + saying to herself, “especially at this time of year, when fires are weak + and telltale. And parchment makes such a nasty smell; Eliza might come in + and suspect it. But the Scarfe is a trusty confidant.” + </p> + <p> + Mistress Yordas, while sure that her sister (having even more than herself + at stake) would approve and even applaud her scheme, was equally sure that + it must be kept from her, both for its own sake and for hers. And the + sooner it was done, the less the chance of disturbing poor Eliza's mind. + </p> + <p> + The Scarfe is a deep pool, supposed to have no bottom (except, perhaps, in + the very bowels of the earth), upon one of the wildest head-waters of the + Tees. A strong mountain torrent from a desolate ravine springs forth with + great ferocity, and sooner than put up with any more stabs from the rugged + earth, casts itself on air. For a hundred and twenty feet the water is + bright, in the novelty and the power of itself, striking out freaks of + eccentric flashes, and even little sun-bows, in fine weather. But the + triumph is brief; and a heavy retribution, created by its violence, awaits + below. From the tossing turmoil of the fall two white volumes roll away, + with a clash of waves between them, and sweeping round the craggy basin, + meet (like a snowy wreath) below, and rush back in coiling eddies flaked + with foam. All the middle is dark deep water, looking on the watch for + something to suck down. + </p> + <p> + What better duty, or more pious, could a hole like this perform, than that + of swallowing up a lawyer; or, if no such morsel offered, then at least a + lawyer's deeds? Many a sheep had been there ingulfed, and never saluted by + her lambs again; and although a lawyer by no means is a sheep (except in + his clothing, and his eyes perhaps), yet his doings appear upon the skin + thereof, and enhance its value more than drugs of Tyre. And it is to be + feared that some fleeced clients will not feel the horror which they ought + to feel at the mode pursued by Mistress Yordas in the delivery of her act + and deed. + </p> + <p> + She came down the dell, from the private grounds of Scargate, with a + resolute face, and a step of strength. The clock weight, that should know + time no more, was well imbosomed in the old deed-poll, and all stitched + firmly in the tough brown frail, whose handles would help for a long + strong cast. Towering crags, and a ridge of jagged scaurs, shut out the + sunset, while a thicket of dwarf oak, and the never-absent bramble, + aproned the yellow dugs of shale with brown. In the middle was the caldron + of the torrent, called the “Scarfe,” with the sheer trap-rock, which is + green in the sunlight, like black night flung around it, while a snowy + wreath of mist (like foam exhaling) circled round the basined steep, or + hovered over the chasm. + </p> + <p> + Miss Yordas had very stanch nerves, but still, for reasons of her own, she + disliked this place, and never came near it for pleasure's sake, although + in dry summers, when the springs were low, the fury of the scene passed + into grandeur, and even beauty. But a Yordas (long ago gone to answer for + it) had flung a man, who plagued him with the law, into this hole. And + what was more disheartening, although of less importance, a favorite maid + of this lady, upon the exile of her sweetheart, hearing that his feet were + upside down to hers, and that this hole went right through the earth, had + jumped into it, in a lonely moment, instead of taking lessons in + geography. Philippa Yordas was as brave as need be; but now her heart + began to creep as coldly as the shadows crept. + </p> + <p> + For now she was out of sight of home, and out of hearing of any sound, + except the roaring of the force. The Hall was half a mile away, behind a + shoulder of thick-ribbed hill; and it took no sight of this torrent, until + it became a quiet river by the downward road. “I must be getting old,” + Miss Yordas thought, “or else this path is much rougher than it used to + be. Why, it seems to be getting quite dangerous! It is too bad of Jordas + not to see to things better. My father used to ride this way sometimes. + But how could a horse get along here now?” + </p> + <p> + There used to be a bridle-road from the grounds of Scargate to a ford + below the force, and northward thence toward the Tees; or by keeping down + stream, and then fording it again, a rider might hit upon the Middleton + road, near the rock that warned the public of the blood-hounds. This + bridle-road kept a great distance from the cliffs overhanging the perilous + Scarfe; and the only way down to a view of the fall was a scrambling + track, over rocks and trunks, unworthy to be called a foot-path. The lady + with the bag had no choice left but to follow this track, or else abandon + her intention. For a moment she was sorry that she had not been satisfied + with some less troublesome destruction of her foe, even at the risk of + chance suspicions. But having thus begun it, she would not turn back, and + be angry with her idle fears when she came to think of them. + </p> + <p> + With hereditary scorn of second thoughts she cast away doubt, and went + down the steep, and stood on the brow of sheer rock, to recover her breath + and strength for a long bold cast. The crag beneath her feet was trembling + with the power of the flood below, and the white mist from the deep moved + slowly, shrouding now, and now revealing, the black gulf and its slippery + walls. For the last few months Miss Yordas had taken very little exercise, + and seldom tasted the open air; therefore the tumult and terror of the + place, in the fading of the sky and darkening of the earth, got hold of + her more than they should have done. + </p> + <p> + With the frail in her right hand, poised upon three fingers (for the + fourth had been broken in her childhood), she planted the sole of her left + foot on the brink, and swung herself for the needful cast. + </p> + <p> + A strong throw was needful to reach the black water that never gave up + anything: if the bag were dropped in the foaming race, it might be carried + back to the heel of the fall. She was proud of her bodily strength, which + was almost equal to that of a muscular man, and her long arm swelled with + the vigor of the throw. But just when the weight should have been + delivered, and flown with a hiss into the bottomless abyss, a loose flag + of the handle twisted on her broken finger. Instead of being freed, the + bag fell back, struck her in the chest, and threw her back, for the clock + weight was a heavy one. Her balance was lost, her feet flew up, she fell + upon her back, and the smooth beaver cloak began sliding upon the slippery + rock. Horrible death was pulling at her; not a stick nor a stone was in + reach of her hands, and the pitiless crags echoed one long shriek above + all the roar of the water-fall. She strove to turn over and grasp the + ground, but only felt herself going faster. Her bright boots were flashing + against the white mist—a picture in her mind forever—her body + was following, inch by inch. With elbow and shoulder, and even hair coils, + she strove to prolong the descent into death; but the descent increased + its speed, and the sky itself was sliding. + </p> + <p> + Just when the balance was inclining downward, and the plunge hanging on a + hair's-breadth, powerful hands fell upon her shoulders; a grating of a + drag against the grain was the last thing she was conscious of; and Sir + Duncan Yordas, having made a strong pull, at the imminent risk of his + life, threw back his weight on the heels of his boots, and they helped + him. His long Indian spurs, which had no rowel, held their hold like a + falcon's hind talon; and he drew back the lady without knowing who she + was, having leaped from his horse at her despairing scream. From his + knowledge of the place he concluded that it was some person seeking + suicide, but recoiling from the sight of death; and without another + thought he risked his life to save. + </p> + <p> + Breathless himself—for the transit of years and of curry-powder had + not improved his lungs—he labored at the helpless form, and laid it + at last in a place of safety. + </p> + <p> + “What a weight the lady is!” was his first idea; “it can not be want of + food that has driven her, nor of money either; her cloak would fetch a + thousand rupees in Calcutta. And a bag full of something—precious + also, to judge by the way she clings to it. Poor thing! Can I get any + water for her? There used to be a spring here, where the woodcocks came. + Is it safe to leave her? Certainly not, with her head like that; she might + even have apoplexy. Allow me, madam. I will not steal it. It is only for a + cushion.” + </p> + <p> + The lady, however, though still in a stupor, kept her fingers clinched + upon the handle of the bag; and without using violence he could not move + them. Then the stitching of the frail gave way, and Sir Duncan espied a + roll of parchment. Suddenly the lady opened large dark eyes, which + wandered a little, and then (as he raised her head) met his, and turned + away. + </p> + <p> + “Philippa!” he said, and she faintly answered “Yes,” being humbled and + shaken by her deadly terror, and scarcely sure of safety yet, for the roar + and the chasm were in sight and hearing still. + </p> + <p> + “Philippa, are you better? Never mind what you were thinking of. All shall + be right about that, Philippa. What is land in comparison with life? Look + up at me. Don't be afraid to look. Surely you know your only brother! I am + Duncan, who ran away, and has lived for years in India. I used to be very + kind to you when we were children, and why should I alter from it now? I + remember when you tumbled in the path down there, and your knee was + bleeding, and I tied it up with a dock leaf and my handkerchief. Can you + remember? It was primrose time.” + </p> + <p> + “To be sure I do,” she said, looking up with cheerfulness; “and you + carried me all the way home almost, and Eliza was dreadfully jealous.” + </p> + <p> + “That she always was, and you not much better. But now we are getting on + in life, and we need not have much to do with one another. Still, we may + try not to kill one another by trumpery squabbles about property. Stay + where you are for a moment, sister, and you shall see the end of that.” + </p> + <p> + Sir Duncan took the bag, with the deed inside it, returned in three steps + to the perilous shelf, and with one strong hurl sent forth the load, which + cleft the white mist, and sank forever in the waves of the whirlpool. + </p> + <p> + “No one can prosecute me for that,” he said, returning with a smile, + “though Mordacks may be much aggrieved. Now, Philippa, although I can not + carry you well, from the additions time has made to you, I can help you + home, my dear; and then on upon my business.” + </p> + <p> + The pride and self-esteem of Miss Yordas had never been so crushed before. + She put both hands upon her brother's shoulders, and burst into a flood of + tears. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0053" id="link2HCH0053"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER LIII + </h2> + <h3> + BUTS REBUTTED + </h3> + <p> + Sir Duncan Yordas was a man of impulse, as almost every man must be who + sways the wills of other men. But he had not acted upon mere impulse in + casting away his claim to Scargate. He knew that he could never live in + that bleak spot, after all his years in India; he disliked the place, + through his father's harshness; he did not care that any son of his, who + had lain under charge of a foul crime, and fled instead of meeting it, + should become a “Yordas of Scargate Hall,” although that description by no + means involved any very strict equity of conduct. And besides these + reasons, he had another, which will appear very shortly. But whatever the + secondary motives were, it was a large and generous act. + </p> + <p> + When Mrs. Carnaby saw her brother, she was sure that he was come to turn + her out, and went through a series of states of mind natural to an adoring + mother with a frail imagination of an appetite—as she poetically + described it. She was not very swift of apprehension, although so promptly + alive to anything tender, refined, and succulent. Having too strong a + sense of duty to be guilty of any generosity, she could not believe, + either then or thereafter, that her brother had cast away anything at all, + except a mere shred of a lawsuit. And without any heed of chronology—because + (as she justly inquired), what two clocks are alike?—she was certain + that if he did anything at all to drive off those horrible lawyers from + the house, there was no credit due to any one but Pet. It was the noble + way Pet looked at him! + </p> + <p> + Pet, being introduced to his uncle, after dinner, when he came home from + fishing, certainly did look nobly at him, if a long stare is noble. Then + he went up to him, with a large and liberal sniff, and an affable inquiry, + as a little dog goes up to a big one. Sir Duncan was amused, having heard + already some little particulars about this youth, whose nature he was able + to enter into as none but a Yordas could rightly do. However, he was bound + to make the best of him, and did so; discovering not only room for + improvement, but some hope of that room being occupied. + </p> + <p> + “The boy has been shockingly spoiled,” he said to his sister Philippa that + evening; “also he is dreadfully ignorant. None of us are very great at + scholarship, and never have much occasion for it. But things are becoming + very different now. Everybody is beginning to be expected to know + everything. Very likely, as soon as I am no more wanted, I shall be voted + a blockhead. Luckily the wars keep people from being too choice, when + their pick goes every minute. And this may stop the fuss, that comes from + Scotland mainly, about universal distribution—or some big words—of + education. 'Pet,' as you call him, is a very clever fellow, with much more + shape of words about him than ever I was blessed with. In spelling I saw + that he was my master; and so I tried him with geography, and all he knew + of India was that it takes its name from India rubber!” + </p> + <p> + “Now I call that clever of him,” said Miss Yordas; “for I really might + have forgotten even that. But the fatal defect in his education has been + the want of what you grow, chiefly in West India perhaps—the cane, + Duncan, the sugar-cane. I have read all about it; you can tell me nothing. + You suck it, you smoke it, and you beat your children with it.” + </p> + <p> + “Well,” said Sir Duncan, who was not quite sure, in the face of such + authority, “I disremember; but perhaps they do in some parts, because the + country is so large. But it is not the ignorance of Pet I care for—such + a fault is natural and unavoidable; and who is there to pick holes in it? + The boy knows a great deal more than I did at his age, because he is so + much younger. But, Philippa, unless you do something with him, he will + never be a gentleman.” + </p> + <p> + “Duncan, you are hard. You have seen so much.” + </p> + <p> + “The more we see, the softer we become. The one thing we harden against is + lying—the seed, the root, and the substance of all vileness. I am + sorry to say your Pet is a liar.” + </p> + <p> + “He does not always tell the truth, I know. But bear in mind, Duncan, that + his mother did not insist—and, in fact, she does not herself always—” + </p> + <p> + “I know it; I am grieved that it should come from our side. I never cared + for his father much, because he went against me; but this I will say for + him, Lance Carnaby would sooner cut his tongue out that put it to a lie. + When I am at home, my dealings are with fellows who could not speak the + truth if they tried for dear life, simply through want of practice. They + are like your lower class of horse-dealers, but with infinitely more + intelligence. It is late to teach poor Pet the first of all lessons; and + for me to stop to do it is impossible. But will you try to save further + disgrace to a scapegrace family, but not a mean one?” + </p> + <p> + “I feel it as much as you do—perhaps more,” Miss Yordas answered, + forgetting altogether about the deed-box and her antiquary. “You need not + tell me how very sad it is. But how can it be cured? His mother is his + mother. She never would part with him; and her health is delicate.” + </p> + <p> + “Stronger than either yours or mine, unless she takes too much + nourishment. Philippa, her will is mere petulance. For her own good, we + must set it aside. And if you agree with me, it can be done. He must go + into a marching regiment at once, ordered abroad, with five shillings in + his pocket, earn his pay, and live upon it. This patched-up peace will + never last six months. The war must be fought out till France goes down, + or England. I can get him a commission; and I know the colonel, a man of + my own sort, who sees things done, instead of talking. It would be the + making of Lancelot. He has plenty of courage, but it has been milched. At + Oxford or Cambridge he would do no good, but simply be ruined by having + his own way. Under my friend Colonel Thacker, he will have a hard time of + it, and tell no lies.” + </p> + <p> + Thus it was settled. There was a fearful outcry, hysterics of an elegant + order, and weepings enough to produce summer spate in the Tees. But the + only result was the ordering of the tailor, the hosier, the boot-maker, + and the scissors-grinder to put a new edge upon Squire Philip's razors, + that Pet might practice shaving. “Cold-blooded cruelty, savage homicide; + cannibalism itself is kinder,” said poor Mrs. Carnaby, when she saw the + razors; but Pet insisted upon having them, made lather, and practiced with + the backs, till he began to understand them. + </p> + <p> + “He promises well; I have great hopes of him,” Sir Duncan said to himself. + “He has pride; and no proud boy can be long a liar. I will go and consult + my dear old friend Bart.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Bart, who was still of good bodily strength, but becoming less + resolute in mind than of yore, was delighted to see his old friend again; + and these two men, having warm, proud hearts, preserved each other from + self-contempt by looking away through the long hand-clasp. For each of + them was to the other almost the only man really respected in the world. + </p> + <p> + Betwixt them such a thing as concealment could not be. The difference in + their present position was a thing to laugh at. Sir Duncan looked up to + Bart as being the maker of his character, and Bart admired Sir Duncan as a + newer and wiser edition of himself. They dispatched the past in a cheery + talk; for the face of each was enough to show that it might have been + troublous—as all past is—but had slidden into quiet + satisfaction now, and a gentle flow of experience. Then they began to + speak of present matters, and the residue of time before them; and among + other things, Sir Duncan Yordas spoke of his nephew Lancelot. + </p> + <p> + “Lancelot Yordas Carnaby,” said Bart, with the smile of a gray-beard at + young love's dream, “has done us the honor to fall in love, for ever and + ever, with our little Insie. And the worst of it is that she likes him.” + </p> + <p> + “What an excellent idea!” his old friend answered; “I was sure there was + something of that sort going on. Now betwixt love and war we shall make a + man of Pet.” + </p> + <p> + As shortly as possible he told Mr. Bart what his plan about his nephew + was, and how he had carried it against maternal, and now must carry it + against maiden, love. If Lancelot had any good stuff in him, any + vertebrate embryo of honesty, to be put among men, and upon his mettle + (with a guardian angel in the distance of sweet home), would stablish all + the man in him, and stint the beast. Mr. Bart, though he hated hard + fighting, admitted that for weak people it was needful; and was only too + happy so to cut the knot of his own home entanglements with the ruthless + sword. For a man of liberal education, and much experience in spending + money, who can put a new bottom to his own saucepan, is not the one to + feel any despair of his fellow-creatures mending. + </p> + <p> + Then arose the question, who should bell the cat, or rather, who should + lead the cat to the belling. Pet must be taken, under strong duress, to + the altar—as his poor mother said, and shrieked—whereat he was + to shed his darling blood. His heart was in his mouth when his uniform + came; and he gave his sacred honor to fly, straight as an arrow, to the + port where his regiment was getting into boats; but Sir Duncan shook his + grizzled head. “Somebody must see him into it,” he said. “Not a lady; no, + no, my dear Eliza. I can not go myself; but it must be a man of rigidity, + a stern agent. Oh, I know! how stupid of me!” + </p> + <p> + “You mean poor dear Mr. Jellicorse,” suggested Mrs. Carnaby, with a short + hot sob. “But, Duncan, he has not the heart for it. For anything honest + and loyal and good, kind people may trust him with their lives. But to + tyranny, rapine, and manslaughter, he never could lend his fine honorable + face.” + </p> + <p> + “I mean a man of a very different cast—a man who knows what time is + worth; a man who is going to be married on a Sunday, that he may not lose + the day. He has to take three days' holiday, because the lady is an + heiress; otherwise he might get off with one. But he hopes to be at work + again on Wednesday, and we will have him here post-haste from York on + Thursday. It will be the very job to suit him—a gentleman of Roman + ancestry, and of the name of Mordacks.” + </p> + <p> + “My heart was broken already; and now I can feel the poor pieces flying + into my brain. Oh, why did I ever have a babe for monsters of the name of + Mordacks to devour?” + </p> + <p> + Mordacks was only too glad to come. On the very day after their union, + Calpurnia (likewise of Roman descent) had exhibited symptoms of a strong + will of her own. + </p> + <p> + Mordacks had temporized during their courtship; but now she was his, and + must learn the great fact. He behaved very well, and made no attempt at + reasoning (which would have been a fatal course), but promptly donned + cloak, boots, and spurs while his horse was being saddled, and then set + off, with his eyes fixed firmly upon business. A crow could scarcely make + less than fifty miles from York to Scargate, and the factor's trusty + roadster had to make up his mind to seventy. So great, however, is + sometimes the centrifugal force of Hymen, that upon the third day Mr. + Mordacks was there, vigorous, vehement, and fit for any business. + </p> + <p> + When he heard what it was, it liked him well; for he bore a fine grudge + against Lancelot for setting the dogs at him three years ago, when he came + (as an agent for adjoining property) to the house of Yordas, and when Mr. + Jellicorse scorned to meet an illegal meddler with legal matters. If + Mordacks had any fault—and he must have had some, in spite of his + resolute conviction to the contrary—it was that he did not + altogether scorn revenge. + </p> + <p> + Lives there man, or even woman, capable of describing now the miseries, + the hardships, the afflictions beyond groaning, which, like electric hail, + came down upon the sacred head of Pet? He was in the grasp of three strong + men—his uncle, Mr. Bart, worst of all, that Mordacks—escape + was impossible, lamentation met with laughter, and passion led to + punishment. Even stern Maunder was sorry for him, although he despised him + for feeling it. The only beam of light, the only spark of pleasure, was + his royal uniform; and to know that Insie's laugh thereat was hollow, and + would melt away to weeping when he was out of sight, together with the + sulky curiosity of Maunder, kept him up a little, in this time of bitter + sacrifice. + </p> + <p> + Enough that he went off, at last, in the claws of that Roman hippogriff—as + Mrs. Carnaby savagely called poor Mordacks—and the visitor's flag + hung half-mast high, and Saracen and the other dogs made a howling dirge, + with such fine hearts (as the poor mother said, between her sobs) that + they got their dinners upon china plates. + </p> + <p> + Sir Duncan had left before this, and was back under Dr. Upround's + hospitable roof. He had made up his mind to put his fortune, or rather his + own value, to the test, in a place of deep interest to him now, the heart + of the fair Janetta. He knew that, according to popular view, he was much + too old for this young lady; but for popular view he cared not one doit, + if her own had the courage and the will to go against it. For years he had + sternly resisted all temptation of second marriage, toward which shrewd + mothers and nice maidens had labored in vain to lead him. But the bitter + disappointment about his son, and that long illness, and the tender + nursing (added to the tenderness of his own sides, from lying upon them, + with a hard dry cough), had opened some parts of his constitution to + matrimonial propensities. Miss Upround was of a playful nature, and teased + everybody she cared about; and although Sir Duncan was a great hero to + her, she treated him sometimes as if he were her doll. Being a grave man, + he liked this, within the bounds of good taste and manners; and the young + lady always knew where to stop. From being amused with her, he began to + like her; and from liking her, he went on to miss her; and from missing + her to wanting her was no long step. + </p> + <p> + However, Sir Duncan was not at all inclined to make a fool of himself + herein. He liked the lady very much, and saw that she would suit him, and + help him well in the life to which he was thinking of returning. For + within the last fortnight a very high post at Calcutta had been offered to + him by the powers in Leadenhall Street, upon condition of sailing at once, + and foregoing the residue of his leave. If matters had been to his liking + in England, he certainly would have declined it; but after his sad + disappointment, and the serious blow to his health, he resolved to accept + it, and set forth speedily. The time was an interlude of the war, and + ships need not wait for convoy. + </p> + <p> + This had induced him to take his Yorkshire affairs (which Mordacks had + been forced to intermit during his Derbyshire campaign) into his own + hands, and speed the issue, as above related. And part of his plan was to + quit all claim to present possession of Scargate; that if the young lady + should accept his suit, it might not in any way be for the sake of the + landed interest. As it happened, he had gone much further than this, and + cast away his claim entirely, to save his sister from disgrace and the + family property from lawyers. And now having sought Dr. Upround's leave + (which used to be thought the proper thing to do), he asked Janetta + whether she would have him, and she said, “No, but he might have her.” + Upon this he begged permission to set the many drawbacks before her, and + she nodded her head, and told him to begin. + </p> + <p> + “I am of a Yorkshire family. But, I am sorry to say that their temper is + bad, and they must have their own way too much.” + </p> + <p> + “But, that suits me; and I understand it. Because I must have my own way + too.” + </p> + <p> + “But, I have parted with my inheritance, and have no place in this country + now.” + </p> + <p> + “But, I am very glad of that. Because I shall be able to go about.” + </p> + <p> + “But, India is a dreadfully hot country; many creatures tease you, and you + get tired of almost everything.” + </p> + <p> + “But, that will make it all the more refreshing not to be tired of you, + perhaps.” + </p> + <p> + “But, I have a son as old as you, or older.” + </p> + <p> + “But, you scarcely suppose that I can help that!” + </p> + <p> + “But, my hair is growing gray, and I have great crow's-feet, and everybody + will begin to say—” + </p> + <p> + “But, I don't believe a word of it, and I won't have it; and I don't care + a pin's head what all the world says put together, so long as you don't + belong to it.” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0054" id="link2HCH0054"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER LIV + </h2> + <h3> + TRUE LOVE + </h3> + <p> + About a month after Sir Duncan's marriage, when he and his bride were in + London, with the lady's parents come to help, in the misery of outfit, a + little boy ran through a field of wheat, early in the afternoon, and hid + himself in a blackthorn hedge to see what was going on at Anerley. Nothing + escaped him, for his eyes were sharp, being of true Danish breed. He saw + Captain Anerley trudging up the hill, with a pipe in his mouth, to the + bean field, where three or four men were enjoying the air, without any of + the greedy gulps produced by too great exertion of the muscles; then he + saw the mistress of the house throw wide a lattice, and shake out a cloth + for the birds, who skipped down from the thatch by the dozen instantly; + and then he saw Mary, with a basket and a wooden measure, going round the + corner of the house, and clucking for the fowls to rally from their + scratching-places. These came zealously, with speed of leg and wing, from + straw-rick, threshing-floor, double hedge, or mixen; and following their + tails, the boy slipped through the rick-yard, and tossed a note to Mary + with a truly Flamburian delivery. + </p> + <p> + Although it was only a small-sized boy, no other than the heir of the + “Cod-fish,” a brighter rose flew into Mary's cheeks than the master-cock + of all the yard could show upon comb or wattle. Contemptuous of twopence, + which Mary felt for, the boy disappeared like a rabbit; and the fowls came + and helped themselves to the tail-wheat, while their mistress was thinking + of her letter. It was short and sweet—at least in promise—being + no more than these few words: “Darling, the dike where first we met, an + hour after sunset.” + </p> + <p> + Mary never doubted that her duty was to go; and at the time appointed she + was there, with firm knowledge of her own mind, being now a loving and + reasonable woman. It was just a year since she had saved the life of + Robin; and patience, and loneliness, and opposition, had enlarged and + ennobled her true and simple heart. No lord in the land need have looked + for a purer or sweeter example of maidenhood than this daughter of a + Yorkshire farmer was, in her simple dress, and with the dignity of love. + The glen was beginning to bestrew itself with want of light, instead of + shadows; and bushy places thickened with the imperceptible growth of + night. Mary went on, with excitement deepening, while sunset deepened into + dusk; and the color of her clear face flushed and fleeted under the + anxious touch of love, as the tint of a delicate finger-nail, with any + pressure, varies. But not very long was she left in doubt. + </p> + <p> + “How long you have been! And oh, where have you been? And how much longer + will you be?” Among many other words and doings she insisted chiefly on + these points. + </p> + <p> + “I am a true-blue, as you may see, and a warrant-officer already,” he + said, with his old way of smiling at himself. “When the war begins again + (as it must—please God!—before many weeks are over), I shall + very soon get my commission, and go up. I am quite fit already to command + a frigate.” + </p> + <p> + Mary was astonished at his modesty; she thought that he ought to be an + admiral at least, and so she told him; however, he knew better. + </p> + <p> + “You must bear in mind,” he replied, with a kindly desire to spare her + feelings, “that until a change for the better comes, I am under + disadvantages. Not only as an outlaw—which has been upon the whole a + comfort—but as a suspected criminal, with warrant against him, and + reward upon him. Of course I am innocent; and everybody knows it, or at + least I hope so, except the one who should have known it best.” + </p> + <p> + “I am the person who should know it best of all,” his true love answered, + with some jealousy. “Explain yourself, Robin, if you please.” + </p> + <p> + “No Robin, so please you, but Mr. James Blyth, captain of the foretop, + then cockswain of the barge, and now master's mate of H. M. ship of the + line Belleisle. But the one who should have trusted me, next to my own + love, is my father, Sir Duncan Yordas.” + </p> + <p> + “How you are talking! You have such a reckless way. A warrant-officer, an + arrant criminal! And your father, Sir Duncan Yordas, that very strange + gentleman, who could never get warm! Oh, Robin, you always did talk + nonsense, when—whenever I would let you. But you should not try to + make my head go round.” + </p> + <p> + “Every word of it is true,” the young sailor answered, applying a prompt + remedy for vertigo. “It had been clearly proved to his knowledge, long + before the great fact was vouchsafed to me, that I am the only son of Sir + Duncan Yordas, or, at any rate, his only son for the present. The + discovery gratified him so little, that he took speedy measures to + supplant me.” + </p> + <p> + “The very rich gentleman from India,” said Mary, “that married Miss + Upround lately; and her dress was all made of spun diamonds, they say, as + bright as the dew in the morning. Oh, then you will have to give me up; + Robin, you must give up me!” + </p> + <p> + Clasping her hands, she looked up at him with courage, keeping down all + sign of tears. She felt that her heart would not hold out long, and yet + she was prouder than to turn away. “Speak,” she said; “it is better to + speak plainly; you know that it must be so.” + </p> + <p> + “Do I? why?” Robin Lyth asked, calmly, being well contented to prolong her + doubts, that he might get the benefit thereafter. + </p> + <p> + “Because you belong to great people, and I am just a farmer's daughter, + and no more, and quite satisfied to remain so. Such things never answer.” + </p> + <p> + “A little while ago you were above me, weren't you? When I was nobody's + son, and only a castaway, with a nickname.” + </p> + <p> + “That has nothing to do with it. We must take things exactly as we find + them at the time.” + </p> + <p> + “And you took me as you found me at the time; only that you made me out so + much better. Mary, I am not worthy of you. What has birth to do with it? + And so far as that goes, yours is better, though mine may seem the + brighter. In every other way you are above me. You are good, and I am + wicked. You are pure, and I am careless. You are sweet, and I am violent. + In truth alone can I ever vie with you; and I must be a pitiful scoundrel, + Mary, if I did not even try to do that, after all that you have done for + me.” + </p> + <p> + “But,” said Mary, with her lovely eyes gleaming with the glittering shade + of tears, “I like you very much to do it—but not exactly as a duty, + Robin.” + </p> + <p> + “You look at me like that, and you talk of duty! Duty, duty; this is my + duty. I should like to be discharging it forever and a day.” + </p> + <p> + “I did not come here for ideas of this kind,” said Mary, with her lips as + red as pyracanthine berries; “free trade was bad enough, but the Royal + Navy worse, it seems. Now, Robin dear, be sensible, and tell me what I am + to do.” + </p> + <p> + “To listen to me, and then say whether I deserve what my father has done + to me. He came back from India—as you must understand—with no + other object in life, that I can hear of (for he had any quantity of + money), than to find out me, his only child, and the child of the only + wife he ever could put up with. For twenty years he had believed me to be + drowned, when the ship he sent me home in to be educated was supposed to + have foundered, with all hands. But something made him fancy that I might + have escaped; and as he could not leave India then, he employed a + gentleman of York, named Mordacks, to hunt out all about it. Mordacks, who + seems to be a wonderful man, and most kind-hearted to everybody, as poor + Widow Carroway says of him with tears, and as he testifies of himself—he + set to work, and found out in no time all about me and my ear-rings, and + my crawling from the cave that will bear my name, they say, and more + things than I have time to tell. He appointed a meeting with Sir Duncan + Yordas here at Flamborough, and would have brought me to him, and + everything might have been quite happy. But in the mean while that + horrible murder of poor Carroway came to pass, and I was obliged to go + into hiding, as no one knows better than you, my dear. My father (as I + suppose I must call him) being bound, as it seems that they all are, to + fall out with their children, took a hasty turn against me at once. + Mordacks, whom I saw last week, trusting myself to his honor, tells me + that Sir Duncan would not have cared twopence about my free-trade work, + and so on, or even about my having killed the officer in fair conflict, + for he is used to that. But he never will forgive me for absconding, and + leaving my fellows, as he puts it, to bear the brunt. He says that I am a + dastard and a skulk, and unworthy to bear the name of Yordas.” + </p> + <p> + “What a wicked, unnatural man he must be!” cried Mary. “He deserves to + have no children.” + </p> + <p> + “No; I am told that he is a very good man, but stiff-necked and + disdainful. He regards me with scorn, because he knows no better. He may + know our laws, but he knows nothing of our ways, to suppose that my men + were in any danger. If I had been caught while the stir was on, a gibbet + on the cliff would have been set up, even before my trial—such is + the reward of eminence—but no Yorkshire jury would turn round in the + box, with those poor fellows before them. 'Not guilty, my lord,' was on + their tongues, before he had finished charging them.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, I am so glad! They have been acquitted, and you were there to see + it!” + </p> + <p> + “To be sure. I was in the court, as Harry Ombler's father. Mr. Mordacks + got it up; and it told on the jury even more than could have been + expected. Even the judge wiped his eyes as he looked at me, for they say + he has a scapegrace son; and Harry was the only one of all the six in + danger, according to the turn of the evidence. My poor eyes have scarcely + come round yet from the quantity of sobbing that I had to do, and the + horrible glare of my goggles. And then I had a crutch that I stumped with + as I sighed, so that all the court could hear me; and whenever I did it, + all the women sighed too, and even the hardest hearts were moved. Mr. + Mordacks says that it was capital.” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, but, Robin, how shocking, though you make me laugh! If the verdict + had been otherwise—oh, what then?” + </p> + <p> + “Well, then, Harry Ombler had a paper in his hand, done in printing + letters by myself, because he is a very tidy scholar, and signed by me; + the which he was to read before receiving sentence, saying that Robin Lyth + himself was in York town, and would surrender to that court upon condition + that mercy should be warranted to the prisoners.” + </p> + <p> + “And you would have given yourself up? And without consulting me about + it!” + </p> + <p> + “Bad, I admit,” Robin answered, with a smile; “but not half so bad as to + give up you—which you calmly proposed just now, dear heart. However, + there is no need for any trouble now, except that I am forced to keep out + of sight until other evidence is procured. Mordacks has taken to me, like + a better father, mainly from his paramount love of justice, and of daring + gallantry, as he calls it.” + </p> + <p> + “So it was, and ten times more; heroic self-devotion is a much more proper + term.” + </p> + <p> + “Now don't,” said Robin. “If you make me blush, you may guess what I shall + do to hide it—carry the war into the sweet land of the enemy. But + truly, my darling, there was very little danger. And I am up for a much + better joke this time. My august Roman father, who has cast me off, sails + as a very great Indian gun, in a ship of the line, from Spithead, early in + September. The Belleisle is being paid off now, and I have my certificate, + as well as lots of money. Next to his lass, every sailor loves a spree; + and mine, instead of emptying, shall fill the locker. With this disgusting + peace on, and no chance of prize-money, and plenty in their pockets for a + good spell ashore, blue-jackets will be scarce when Sir Duncan Yordas + sails. If I can get a decent berth as a petty officer, off I go for + Calcutta, and watch (like the sweet little cherub that sits up aloft) for + the safety of my dear papa and mamma, as the Frenchmen are teaching us to + call them. What do you think of such filial devotion?” + </p> + <p> + “It would be a great deal more than he deserves,” Mary answered, with + sweet simplicity. “But what could you do, if he found out who you are?” + </p> + <p> + “Not the smallest fear of that, my dear. I have never had the honor of an + introduction. My new step-mother, who might have been my sweetheart if I + had not seen somebody a hundred times as good, a thousand times as gentle, + and a million times as lovely—” + </p> + <p> + “Oh, Robin, do leave off such very dreadful stories! I saw her in the + church, and she looked beautiful.” + </p> + <p> + “Fine feathers make fine birds. However, she is well enough in her way; + and I love her father. But, for all that, she has no business to be my + step-mother; and of course it was only the money that did it. She has a + little temper of her own, I can assure you; and I wish Sir Duncan joy of + her when they get among mosquitoes. But, as I was going to say, the only + risk of my being caught is from her sharp eyes. Even of that there is not + much danger, for we common sailors need not go within hail of those + grandees, unless it comes to boat-work. And even if Miss Janetta—I + beg her pardon, Lady Yordas—should chance to recognize me, I am sure + she would never tell her husband. No, no; she would be too jealous; and + for fifty other reasons. She is very cunning, let me tell you.” + </p> + <p> + “Well,” cried Mary, with a smile of wisdom, “I hope that I may never live + to be a step-mother. The way those poor things get abused—” + </p> + <p> + “You would have more principle, I should hope, than to marry anybody after + me. However, I have told you nearly all my news, and in a few minutes I + must be off. Only two things more. In the first place, Mordacks has taken + a very great fancy to me, and has turned against my father. He and Widow + Carroway and I had a long talk after the trial, and we all agreed that the + murder was committed by a villain called 'John Cadman,' a sneak and a + skulk, whom I knew well, as one of Carroway's own men. Among other things, + they chanced to say that Cadman's gun was missing, and that the poor widow + can swear to it. I asked if any one had searched for it; and Mordacks said + no, it would be hopeless. I told them that if I were only free to show + myself and choose my time, I would lay my life upon finding it, if thrown + away (as it most likely was) in some part of that unlucky cave. Mordacks + caught at this idea, and asked me a number of questions, and took down my + answers; for no one else knows the cave as I do. I would run all risks + myself, and be there to do it, if time suited. But only certain tides will + serve, even with the best of weather; and there may be no such tide for + months—I mean tide, weather, and clear water combined, as they must + be for the job. Therefore I am not to wait, but go about my other + business, and leave this to Mordacks, who loves to be captain of + everything. Mr. Mordacks talked of a diving-bell, and some great American + inventions; but nothing of the kind can be used there, nor even + grappling-irons. The thing must not be heard of even, until it has been + accomplished. Whatever is done, must be done by a man who can swim and + dive as I can, and who knows the place almost as well. I have told him + where to find the man, when the opportunity comes for it; and I have shown + my better father, Robin Cockscroft, the likely spot. So now I have nothing + more to do with that.” + </p> + <p> + “How wonderfully you can throw off cares!” his sweetheart answered, + softly. “But I shall be miserable till I know what happens. Will they let + me be there? Because I understand so much about tides, and I can hold my + tongue.” + </p> + <p> + “That you have shown right well, my Mary; but your own sense will tell you + that you could not be there. Now one thing more: here is a ring, not + worthy—although it is the real stuff—to go upon your precious + hand, yet allow me to put it on; no, not there; upon your wedding finger. + Now do you know what that is for?” + </p> + <p> + “For me, I suppose,” she answered, blushing with pleasure and admiration; + “but it is too good, too beautiful, too costly.” + </p> + <p> + “Not half good enough. Though, to tell you the truth, it can not be + matched easily; any more than you can. But I know where to get those + things. Now promise me to wear it, when you think of me; and the one habit + will confirm the other. But the more important part is this, and the last + thing for me to say to you. Your father still hates my name, I fear. Tell + him every word I have told you, and perhaps it will bring him half way + round. Sooner or later he must come round; and the only way to do it is to + work him slowly. When he sees in how many ways I have been wronged, and + how beautifully I have borne it all, he will begin to say to himself, 'Now + this young man may be improving.' But he never will say, 'He hath no need + of it.'” + </p> + <p> + “I should rather think not, you conceited Robin, or whatever else I am to + call you now. But I bargain for one thing—whatever may happen, I + shall never call you anything else but Robin. It suits you, and you look + well with it. Yordas, indeed, or whatever it may be—” + </p> + <p> + “No bargain is valid without a seal,” etc., etc. In the old but ever-vivid + way they went on, until they were forced to part, at the very lips of the + house itself, after longing lingerings. The air of the fields was sweet + with summer fragrance and the breath of night; the world was ripe with + soft repose, whose dreams were hope and happiness; and the heaven spread + some gentle stars, to show mankind the way to it. Then a noble perfume + strewed the ambient air with stronger presence, as the farmer, in his + shirt sleeves, came, with a clay pipe, and grumbled, “Wherever is our Mary + all this time?” + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0055" id="link2HCH0055"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER LV + </h2> + <h3> + NICHOLAS THE FISH + </h3> + <p> + Five hundred years ago there was a great Italian swimmer, even greater + than our Captain Webb; inasmuch as he had what the wags of the age + unjustly ascribe to our hero, that is to say, web toes and fingers. This + capable man could, if history be true, not only swim for a week without + ceasing (reassuring solid nature now and then by a gulp of live fish), but + also could expand his chest so considerably that it held enough air for a + day's consumption. Fortified thus, he explored Charybdis and all the + Liparic whirlpools, and could have found Cadman's gun anywhere, if it had + only been there. But at last the sea had its revenge upon him, through the + cruel insistence of his king. + </p> + <p> + No man so amphibious has since arisen through the unfathomed tide of time. + But a swimmer and diver of great repute was now living not far from + Teesmouth. That is to say, he lived there whenever the state of the + weather or the time of year stranded him in dry misery. Those who have + never come across a man of this description might suppose that he was + happy and content at home with his wife and growing family, assuaging the + brine in the delightful manner commended by Hero to Leander. But, alas! it + was not so at all. The temper of the man was very slow to move, as + generally happens with deep-chested men, and a little girl might lead him + with her finger on the shore; and he liked to try to smell land flowers, + which in his opinion were but weeds. But if a man can not control his + heart, in the very middle of his system, how can he hope to command his + skin, that unscientific frontier of his frame? + </p> + <p> + “Nicholas the fish,” as his neighbors (whenever, by coming ashore, he had + such treasures) contemptuously called him, was endowed from his birth with + a peculiar skin, and by exercise had improved it. Its virtue was excessive + thickness—such as a writer should pray for—protected also by + powerful hairiness—largely admired by those with whom it is + restricted to the head. + </p> + <p> + Unhappily for Nicholas, the peremptory poises of nature struck a line with + him, and this was his line of flotation. From perpetual usage this was + drawn, obliquely indeed, but as definitely as it is upon a ship of uniform + displacement—a yacht, for instance, or a man-of-war. Below that line + scarcely anything could hurt him; but above it he was most sensitive, + unless he were continually wetted; and the flies, and the gnats, and many + other plagues of England, with one accord pitched upon him, and pitched + into him, during his short dry intervals, with a bracing sense of saline + draught. Also the sun, and the wind, and even the moon, took advantage of + him when unwetted. + </p> + <p> + This made his dry periods a purgatory to him; and no sooner did he hear + from Mr. Mordacks of a promising job under water than he drew breath + enough for a ten-fathom dive, and bursting from long despair, made a great + slap at the flies beneath his collar-bone. The sound was like a drum which + two men strike; and his wife, who was devoted to him, hastened home from + the adjoining parish with a sad presentiment of parting. And this was + speedily verified; for the champion swimmer and diver set forth that very + day for Bempton Warren, where he was to have a private meeting with the + general factor. + </p> + <p> + Now it was a great mistake to think—as many people at this time did, + both in Yorkshire and Derbyshire—that the gulf of connubial cares + had swallowed the great Roman hero Mordacks. Unarmed, and even without his + gallant roadster to support him, he had leaped into that Curtian lake, and + had fought a good fight at the bottom of it. The details are highly + interesting, and the chronicle might be useful; but, alas! there is no + space left for it. It is enough, and a great thing too, to say that he + emerged triumphant, reduced his wife into very good condition, and + obtained the due mastery of her estates, and lordship of the household. + </p> + <p> + Refreshed and recruited by the home campaign, and having now a double base + for future operations—York city with the fosse of Ouse in the east, + and Pretorian Hill, Derbyshire, westward—Mordacks returned, with a + smack of lip more dry than amontilladissimo, to the strict embrace of + business. So far as the needs of the body were concerned, he might have + done handsomely without any business; but having no flesh fit to weigh + against his mind, he gave preference to the latter. Now the essence of his + nature was to take strong views; not hastily—if he could help it—nor + through narrow aspect of prejudice, but with power of insight (right or + wrong), and stern fixity thereafter. He had kept his opinion about Sir + Duncan Yordas much longer than usual pending, being struck with the fame + of the man, and his manner, and generous impulsive nature. All these he + still admired, but felt that the mind was far too hasty, and, to put it in + his own strong way, Sir Duncan (whatever he might be in India) had been + but a fool in England. Why had he cast away his claim on Scargate, and + foiled the factor's own pet scheme for a great triumph over the lawyers? + And why condemn his only son, when found with such skill and at heavy + expense, without even hearing both sides of the tale? Last, but not least, + what induced him to marry, when amply old enough to know better, a girl + who might be well enough in her way, but had no family estate to bring, + was shrewdly suspected of a cutting tongue, and had more than once been + anything but polite to Geoffrey Mordacks? + </p> + <p> + Although this gentleman was not a lawyer, and indeed bore a tyrannous hate + against that gentle and most precious class, he shared the solicitor's + just abhorrence of the word “farewell,” when addressed to him by any one + of good substance. He resolved that his attentions should not cease, + though undervalued for the moment, but should be continued to the son and + heir—whose remainder in tail subsisted still, though it might be + hard to substantiate—and when his cousin Lancelot should come into + possession, he might find a certain factor to grapple him. Mr. Mordacks + hated Lancelot, and had carried out his banishment with intense enjoyment, + holding him as in a wrench-hammer all the way, silencing his squeaks with + another turn of the screw, and as eager to crack him as if he were a nut, + the first that turns auburn in September. + </p> + <p> + This being the condition of so powerful a mind, facts very speedily shaped + themselves thereto, as they do when the power of an eminent orator lays + hold of them and crushes them, and they can not even squeak. Or even as a + still more eminent 'bus driver, when the street is blocked, and there + seems to be no room for his own thumb, yet (with a gentle whistle and a + wink) solves the jostling stir and balk, makes obstructive traffic slide, + like an eddy obsequious, beside him and behind, and comes forth as the + first of an orderly procession toward the public-house of his true love. + </p> + <p> + Now if anything beyond his own conviction were wanted to set this great + agent upon action, soon it was found in York Summer Assizes, and the + sudden inrush of evidence, which—no matter how a case has been + prepared—gets pent up always for the Bar and Bench. Then Robin Lyth + came, with a gallant dash, and offered himself as a sacrifice, if needful, + which proved both his courage and his common-sense in waiting till due + occasion demanded him. Mordacks was charmed with this young man, not only + for proving his own judgment right, but also for possessing a quickness of + decision akin to his own, and backing up his own ideas. + </p> + <p> + With vigor thus renewed by many interests and motives, the general and + generous factor kept his appointment in Bempton Warren. Since the + distressing, but upon the whole desirable, decease of that poor Rickon + Goold, the lonely hut in which he breathed his last had not been by any + means a popular resort. There were said to be things heard, seen, and + felt, even in the brightest summer day, which commended the spot to the + creatures that fear mankind, but not their spectres. The very last of all + to approach it now would have been the two rollicking tars who had trodden + their wooden-legged watch around it. Nicholas the fish was superstitious + also, as it behooved him well to be; but having heard nothing of the story + of the place, and perceiving no gnats in the neighborhood, he thankfully + took it for his short dry spells. + </p> + <p> + Mr. Mordacks met him, and the two men were deeply impressed with one + another. The diver admired the sharp, terse style and definite expression + of the factor, while the factor enjoyed the large ponderous roll and + suggestive reservations of the diver. For this was a man who had met great + beings, and faced mighty wonders in deep places; and he thought of them + more than he liked to say, because he had to get his living. + </p> + <p> + Nothing could be settled to a nicety between them, not even as to pounds, + shillings, and pence. For the nature of the job depended wholly upon the + behavior of the weather; and the weather must be not only at its best, but + also setting meekly in the right direction at the right moment of big + springtide. The diver was afraid that he might ask too little, and the + factor disliked the risk of offering too much, and possibly spoiling + thereby a noble nature. But each of them realized (to some extent) the + honesty of the other, and neither of them meant to be unreasonable. + </p> + <p> + “Give and take, is what I say,” said the short man with the monstrous + chest, looking up at the tall man with the Roman nose; “live and let live. + Ah! that's it.” + </p> + <p> + Mr. Mordacks would have said, “Right you are,” if that elegant expression + had been in vogue; but as that brilliance had not yet risen, he was + content to say, “Just so.” Then he added, “Here you have everything you + want. Madam Precious will send you twice a day, to the stone at the bottom + of the lane, a gallon of beer, and victuals in proportion. Your duty is to + watch the tides and weather, keep your boat going, and let me know; and + here I am in half an hour.” + </p> + <p> + Calpurnia Mordacks was in her duty now, and took her autumn holiday at + Flamborough. And though Widow Precious felt her heart go pitapat at first + sight of another Mrs. Mordacks, she made up her mind, with a gulp, not to + let this cash go to the Thornwick. As a woman she sighed; but as a + landlady she smiled, and had visions of hoisting a flag on her roof. + </p> + <p> + When Mordacks, like a victorious general, conqueror of this Danish town, + went forth for his evening stroll to see his subjects and be saluted, a + handsome young sailor came up from the cliffs, and begged to have a few + quiet words with him. “Say on, my lad; all my words are quiet,” replied + the general factor. Then this young man up and told his tale, which was + all in the well-trodden track of mankind. He had run away to sea, full of + glorious dreams—valor, adventure, heroism, rivers of paradise, and + lands of heaven. Instead of that, he had been hit upon the head, and in + places of deeper tenderness, frequently roasted, and frozen yet more + often, basted with brine when he had no skin left, scorched with thirst, + and devoured by creatures whose appetites grew dainty when his own was + ravening. + </p> + <p> + “Excellent youth,” Mr. Mordacks said, “your tale might move a heart of + flint. All who know me have but one opinion. I am benevolence itself. But + my balance is low at my banker's.” + </p> + <p> + “I want no money, sir,” the sailor answered, simply offering benevolence + itself a pipeful of tobacco from an ancient bit of bladder; “I have not + got a farthing, but I am with good people who never would take it if I had + it, and that makes everything square between us. I might have a hatful of + money if I chose, but I find myself better without it, and my constitution + braces up. If I only chose to walk a league sou'west, there would be + bonfires burning. But I vowed I would go home a captain, and I will.” + </p> + <p> + “Ha!” cried Mr. Mordacks, with his usual quickness, and now knowing all + about everybody; “you are Mr. John Anerley, the son of the famous Captain + Anerley.” + </p> + <p> + “Jack Anerley, sir, till better times; and better they never will be, till + I make them. But not a word to any one about me, if you please. It would + break my mother's heart (for she doth look down upon people, without + asking) to hear that Robin Cockscroft was supporting of me. But, bless + you, I shall pay him soon, a penny for a guinea.” + </p> + <p> + Truth, which struggles through the throng of men to get out and have a + little breath sometimes, now and then succeeds, by accident, or the stupid + misplacement of a word. A penny for a guinea was as much as Robin + Cockscroft was likely ever to see for his outlay upon this very fine young + fellow. Jack Anerley accepted the situation with the large philosophy of a + sailor; and all he wanted from Mr. Mordacks was leave to be present at the + diving job. This he obtained, as he promised to be useful, and a fourth + oar was likely to be needed. + </p> + <p> + It was about an hour before noon of a beautifully soft September day, when + little Sam Precious, the same boy that carried Robin Lyth's note to Mary, + came up to Mr. Mordacks with a bit of plaited rushes, the scytale of + Nicholas the fish, who was happy enough not to know his alphabet. The + factor immediately put on his hat, girded himself with his riding sword + and pistol belt, and told his good wife that business might take him away + for some hours. Then he hastened to Robin Cockscroft's house, after + sending the hostler, on his own horse, with a letter to Bridlington + coast-guard station, as he had arranged with poor Carroway's successor. + </p> + <p> + The Flamborough fishermen were out at sea; and without any fuss, Robin's + boat was launched, and manned by that veteran himself, together with old + Joe and Bob, who had long been chewing the quid of expectation, and at the + bow oar Jack Anerley. Their orders were to slip quietly round, and wait in + the Dovecote till the diver came. Mordacks saw them on their way; and then + he strode up the deserted path, and struck away toward a northern cove, + where the diver's little boat was housed. There he found Nicholas the + fish, spread out in all his glory, like a polypod awash, or a basking + turtle, or a well-fed calf of Proteus. Laid on his back, where the + wavelets broke, and beaded a silver fringe upon the golden ruff of sand, + he gave his body to soft lullaby, and his mind to perfect holiday. His + breadth, and the spring of fresh air inside it, kept him gently up and + down; and his calm enjoyment was enriched by the baffled wrath of his + enemies. For flies, of innumerable sorts and sizes, held a hopeless buzz + above him, being put upon their mettle to get at him, and perishing + sweetly in the vain attempt. + </p> + <p> + With a grunt of reluctance he awoke to business, swam for his boat, and + embarking Mr. Mordacks, pulled him across the placid bay to the cave where + his forces were assembled. + </p> + <p> + “Let there be no mistake about it,” the factor shouted from the mermaids' + shelf, having promised his Calpurnia to keep upon dry land whenever the + water permitted him; “our friend the great diver will first ascertain + whether the thing which we seek is here. If so, he will leave it where it + is until the arrival of the Preventive boat. You all understand that we + wish to put the matter so that even a lawyer can not pick any hole in the + evidence. Light no links until I tell you. Now, Nicholas the fish, go down + at once.” + </p> + <p> + Without a word the diver plunged, having taken something between his teeth + which he would not let the others see. The watery floor of the cavern was + as smooth as a mill-pond in July, and he plunged so neatly that he made no + splash; nothing but a flicker of reflection on the roof, and a lapping + murmur round the sides, gave token that a big man was gone into the deep. + For several minutes no one spoke, but every eye was strained upon the + glassy dimness, and every ear intent for the first break of sound. + </p> + <p> + “T' goop ha' got un,” cried old Robin, indignant at this outrage by a + stranger to his caves, “God niver mahd mon to pree intil 's ain warks.” + </p> + <p> + Old Joe and Bob grunted approbation, and Mordacks himself was beginning to + believe that some dark whirlpool or coil of tangles had drowned the poor + diver, when a very gentle noise, like a dabchick playing beneath a bridge, + came from the darkest corner. Nicholas was there, inhaling air, not in + greedy gulps and gasps, like a man who has had no practice, but leisurely + encouraging his lungs with little doses, as a doctor gives soup to a + starved boat crew. Being hailed by loud voices, he answered not, for his + nature was by no means talkative; but presently, with very little breach + of water, he swam to the middle, and asked for his pipe. + </p> + <p> + “Have you found the gun?” cried Mordacks, whose loftiest feelings had + subsided in a quarter of a minute to the business level. Nicholas made no + reply until the fire of his pipe was established, while he stood in the + water quite as if he were on land, supporting himself by nothing more than + a gentle movement of his feet, while the glow of the touch-paper lit his + round face and yellow leather skull-cap. “In coorse I has,” he said at + last, blowing a roll of smoke along the gleaming surface; “over to yon + little cornder.” + </p> + <p> + “And you can put your hand upon it in a moment?” The reply was a nod and + another roll of smoke. “Admirable! Now, then, Joe, and Bob the son of Joe, + do what I told you, while Master Cockscroft and our nimble young friend + get the links all ready.” + </p> + <p> + The torches were fixed on the rocky shelf, as they had been upon the fatal + night; but they were not lit until Joe and his son, sent forth in the + smaller boat to watch, came back with news that the Preventive gig was + round the point, and approaching swiftly, with a lady in the stern, whose + dress was black. + </p> + <p> + “Right!” cried Mr. Mordacks, with a brisk voice ringing under the + ponderous brows of rock. “Men, I have brought you to receive a lesson. You + shall see what comes of murder. Light the torches. Nicholas, go under, + with the exception of your nose, or whatever it is you breathe with. When + I lift my hand, go down; and do as I have ordered you.” + </p> + <p> + The cavern was lit with the flare of fire, and the dark still water heaved + with it, when the coast-guard boat came gliding in. The crew, in white + jerseys, looked like ghosts flitting into some magic scene. Only the + officer, darkly clad, and standing up with the tiller-lines in hand, and + the figure of a woman sitting in the stern, relieved their spectral + whiteness. + </p> + <p> + “Commander Hardlock, and men of the coastguard,” shouted Mr. Mordacks, + when the wash of ripples and the drip of oars and the creak of wood gave + silence, “the black crime committed upon this spot shall no longer go + unpunished. The ocean itself has yielded its dark secret to the + perseverance of mankind, and the humble but not unskillful efforts which + it has been my privilege to conduct. A good man was slain here, in cold + blood slain—a man of remarkable capacity and zeal, gallantry, + discipline, and every noble quality, and the father of a very large + family. The villain who slew him would have slain six other harmless men + by perjury if an enlightened English jury had been fools enough to believe + him. Now I will show you what to believe. I am not eloquent, I am not a + man of words; my motto is strict business. And business with me is a + power, not a name. I lift my hand; you wait for half a minute; and then, + from the depths of this abyss, arises the gun used in the murder.” + </p> + <p> + The men understood about half of this, being honest fellows in the main, + and desiring time to put heads together about the meaning; but one there + was who knew too well that his treacherous sin had found him out. He + strove to look like the rest, but felt that his eyes obeyed heart more + than brain; and then the widow, who had watched him closely through her + black veil, lifted it, and fixed her eyes on his. Deadly terror seized + him, and he wished that he had shot himself. + </p> + <p> + “Stand up, men,” the commander shouted, “until we see the end of this. The + crime has been laid upon our force. We scorn the charge of such treachery. + Stand up, men, and face, like innocent men, whatever can be shown against + you.” + </p> + <p> + The men stood up, and the light of the torches fell upon their faces. All + were pale with fear and wonder, but one was white as death itself. Calling + up his dogged courage, and that bitterness of malice which had made him do + the deed, and never yet repent of it, he stood as firmly as the rest, but + differed from them in three things. His face wore a smile; he watched one + place only; and his breath made a noise, while theirs was held. + </p> + <p> + Then, from the water, without a word, or sign of any hand that moved it, a + long gun rose before John Cadman, and the butt was offered to his hand. He + stood with his arms at his sides, and could not lift them to do anything. + Neither could he speak, nor make defense, but stood like an image that is + fastened by the feet. + </p> + <p> + “Hand me that,” cried the officer, sharply; but instead of obeying, the + man stared malignantly, and then plunged over the gun into the depth. + </p> + <p> + Not so, however, did he cheat the hangman; Nicholas caught him (as a + water-dog catches a worn-out glove), and gave him to any one that would + have him. “Strap him tight,” the captain cried; and the men found relief + in doing it. At the next jail-delivery he was tried, and the jury did + their duty. His execution restored good-will, and revived that faith in + justice which subsists upon so little food. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0056" id="link2HCH0056"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER LVI + </h2> + <h3> + IN THE THICK OF IT + </h3> + <p> + One of the greatest days in all the history of England, having no sense of + its future fame, and being upon a hostile coast, was shining rather + dismally. And one of England's greatest men, the greatest of all her sons + in battle—though few of them have been small at that—was out + of his usual mood, and full of calm presentiment and gloomy joy. He knew + that he would see the sun no more; yet his fear was not of that, but only + of losing the light of duty. As long as the sun endures, he shall never + see duty done more brilliantly. + </p> + <p> + The wind was dropping, to give the storm of human fury leisure; and while + a sullen swell was rolling, canvas flapped and timbers creaked. Like a + team of mallards in double column, plunging and lifting buoyant breasts to + right and left alternately, the British fleet bore down upon the swan-like + crescent of the foe. These were doing their best to fly, but failing of + that luck, put helm alee, and shivered in the wind, and made fine + speeches, proving that they must win the day. + </p> + <p> + “For this I have lived, and for this it would be worth my while to die, + having no one left, I dare say now, in all the world to care for me.” + </p> + <p> + Thus spake the junior lieutenant of that British ship, the Victory—a + young man after the heart of Nelson, and gazing now on Nelson's face. No + smarter sailor could be found in all that noble fleet than this Lieutenant + Blyth, who once had been the captain of all smugglers. He had fought his + way up by skill, and spirit, and patience, and good temper, and the + precious gift of self-reliance, failing of which all merit fails. He had + always thought well of himself, but never destroyed the good of it by + saying so; and whoever praised him had to do it again, to outspeak his + modesty. But without good fortune all these merits would never have been + successes. One of Robin's truest merits was that he generally earned good + luck. + </p> + <p> + However, his spirits were not in their usual flow of jocundity just now, + and his lively face was dashed with care. Not through fear of lead, or + steel, or wooden splinter, or a knock upon the head, or any other human + mode of encouraging humanity. He hoped to keep out of the way of these, as + even the greatest heroes do; for how could the world get on if all its + bravest men went foremost? His mind meant clearly, and with trust in + proper Providence, to remain in its present bodily surroundings, with + which it had no fault to find. Grief, however—so far as a man having + faith in his luck admits that point—certainly was making some little + hole into a heart of corky fibre. For Robin Lyth had heard last night, + when a schooner joined the fleet with letters, that Mary Anerley at last + was going to marry Harry Tanfield. He told himself over and over again + that if it were so, the fault was his own, because he had not taken proper + care about the safe dispatch of letters. Changing from ship to ship and + from sea to sea for the last two years or more, he had found but few + opportunities of writing, and even of those he had not made the utmost. To + Mary herself he had never once written, knowing well that her father + forbade it, while his letters to Flamborough had been few, and some of + those few had miscarried. For the French had a very clever knack just now + of catching the English dispatch-boats, in most of which they found + accounts of their own thrashings, as a listener catches bad news of + himself. But none of these led them to improve their conduct. + </p> + <p> + Flamborough (having felt certain that Robin could never exist without free + trade, and missing many little courtesies that flowed from his liberal + administration), was only too ready to lament his death, without insisting + on particulars. Even as a man who has foretold a very destructive gale of + wind tempers with the pride of truth the sorrow which he ought to feel for + his domestic chimney-pots (as soon as he finds them upon his lawn), so + Little Denmark, while bewailing, accepted the loss as a compliment to its + own renowned sagacity. + </p> + <p> + But Robin knew not until last night that he was made dead at Flamborough, + through the wreck of a ship which he had quitted a month before she was + cast away. And now at last he only heard that news by means of his + shipmate, Jack Anerley. Jack was a thorough-going sailor now, easy, and + childish, and full of the present, leaving the past to cure and the future + to care for itself as might be. He had promised Mr. Mordacks and Robin + Cockscroft to find out Robin Lyth, and tell him all about the conviction + of John Cadman; and knowing his name in the navy and that of his ship, he + had done so after in-and-out chase. But there for the time he had rested + from his labors, and left “Davy Jones” to send back word about it; which + that Pelagian Davy fails to do, unless the message is enshrined in a + bottle, for which he seems to cherish true naval regard. + </p> + <p> + In this state of things the two brothers-in-law—as they fully + intended to be by-and-by—were going into this tremendous battle: + Jack as a petty officer, and Robin as a junior lieutenant of Lord Nelson's + ship. Already had Jack Anerley begun to feel for Robin—or Lieutenant + Blyth, as he now was called—that liking of admiration which his + clear free manner, and quickness of resource, and agreeable smile in the + teeth of peril, had won for him before he had the legal right to fight + much. And Robin—as he shall still be called while the memory of + Flamborough endures—regarded Jack Anerley with fatherly affection, + and hoped to put strength into his character. + </p> + <p> + However, one necessary step toward that is to keep the character + surviving; and in the world's pell-mell now beginning, the uproar alone + was enough to kill some, and the smoke sufficient to choke the rest. Many + a British sailor who, by the mercy of Providence, survived that day, never + could hear a word concerning any other battle (even though a son of his + own delivered it down a trumpet), so furious was the concussion of the + air, the din of roaring metal, and the clash of cannon-balls which met in + the air, and split up into founts of iron. + </p> + <p> + No less than seven French and Spanish ships agreed with one accord to fall + upon and destroy Lord Nelson's ship. And if they had only adopted a + rational mode of doing it, and shot straight, they could hardly have + helped succeeding. Even as it was, they succeeded far too well; for they + managed to make England rue the tidings of her greatest victory. + </p> + <p> + In the storm and whirl and flame of battle, when shot flew as close as the + teeth of a hay-rake, and fire blazed into furious eyes, and then with a + blow was quenched forever, and raging men flew into pieces—some of + which killed their dearest friends—who was he that could do more + than attend to his own business? Nelson had known that it would be so, and + had twice enjoined it in his orders; and when he was carried down to die, + his dying mind was still on this. Robin Lyth was close to him when he + fell, and helped to bear him to his plank of death, and came back with + orders not to speak, but work. + </p> + <p> + Then ensued that crowning effort of misplaced audacity—the attempt + to board and carry by storm the ship that still was Nelson's. The captain + of the Redoubtable saw through an alley of light, between walls of smoke, + that the quarter-deck of the Victory had plenty of corpses, but scarcely a + life upon it. Also he felt (from the comfort to his feet, and the + increasing firmness of his spinal column) that the heavy British guns upon + the lower decks had ceased to throb and thunder into his own poor ship. + With a bound of high spirits he leaped to a pleasing conclusion, and + shouted, “Forward, my brave sons; we will take the vessel of war of that + Nielson!” + </p> + <p> + This, however, proved to be beyond his power, partly through the inborn + absurdity of the thing, and partly, no doubt, through the quick perception + and former vocation of Robin Lyth. What would England have said if her + greatest hero had breathed his last in French arms, and a captive to the + Frenchman? Could Nelson himself have departed thus to a world in which he + never could have put the matter straight? The wrong would have been + redressed very smartly here, but perhaps outside his knowledge. Even to + dream of it awakes a shudder; yet outrages almost as great have triumphed, + and nothing is quite beyond the irony of fate. + </p> + <p> + But if free trade can not be shown as yet to have won for our country any + other blessing, it has earned the last atom of our patience and fortitude + by its indirect benevolence at this great time. Without free trade—in + its sweeter and more innocent maidenhood of smuggling—there never + could have been on board that English ship the Victory, a man, unless he + were a runagate, with a mind of such laxity as to understand French. But + Robin Lyth caught the French captain's words, and with two bounds, and a + holloa, called up Britons from below. By this time a swarm of brave + Frenchmen was gathered in the mizzen-chains and gangways of their ship, + waiting for a lift of the sea to launch them into the English outworks. + And scarcely a dozen Englishmen were alive within hail to encounter them. + Not even an officer, till Robin Lyth returned, was there to take command + of them. The foremost and readiest there was Jack Anerley, with a + boarder's pike, and a brace of ship pistols, and his fine ruddy face + screwed up as firm as his father's, before a big sale of wheat. “Come on, + you froggies; we are ready for you,” he shouted, as if he had a hundred + men in ambush. + </p> + <p> + They, for their part, failed to enter into the niceties of his language—which + difficulty somehow used never to be felt among classic warriors—yet + from his manner and position they made out that he offered let and + hinderance. To remove him from their course, they began to load guns, or + to look about for loaded ones, postponing their advance until he should + cease to interfere, so clear at that time was the Gallic perception of an + English sailor's fortitude. Seeing this to be so, Jack (whose mind was not + well balanced) threw a powder-case amongst them, and exhibited a dance. + But this was cut short by a hand-grenade, and, before he had time to + recover from that, the deck within a yard of his head flew open, and a + stunning crash went by. + </p> + <p> + Poor Jack Anerley lay quite senseless, while ten or twelve men (who were + rushing up, to repel the enemy) fell and died in a hurricane of splinters. + A heavy round shot, fired up from the enemy's main-deck, had shattered all + before it; and Jack might thank the grenade that he lay on his back while + the havoc swept over. Still, his peril was hot, for a volley of musketry + whistled and rang around him; and at least a hundred and fifty men were + watching their time to leap down on him. + </p> + <p> + Everything now looked as bad as could be, with the drifting of the smoke, + and the flare of fire, and the pelting of bullets, and of grapnel from + coehorns, and the screams of Frenchmen exulting vastly, with scarcely any + Englishmen to stop them. It seemed as if they were to do as they pleased, + level the bulwarks of English rights, and cover themselves with more glory + than ever. But while they yet waited to give one more scream, a very + different sound arose. Powder, and metal, and crash of timber, and even + French and Spanish throats at their very highest pressure, were of no + avail against the onward vigor and power of an English cheer. This cheer + had a very fine effect. Out of their own mouths the foreigners at once + were convicted of inferior stuff, and their two twelve-pounders crammed + with grapnel, which ought to have scattered mortality, banged upward, as + harmless as a pod discharging seed. + </p> + <p> + In no account of this great conflict is any precision observed concerning + the pell-mell and fisticuff parts of it. The worst of it is that on such + occasions almost everybody who was there enlarges his own share of it; and + although reflection ought to curb this inclination, it seems to do quite + the contrary. This may be the reason why nobody as yet (except Mary + Anerley and Flamborough folk) seems even to have tried to assign fair + importance to Robin Lyth's share in this glorious encounter. It is now too + late to strive against the tide of fortuitous clamor, whose deposit is + called history. Enough that this Englishman came up, with fifty more + behind him, and carried all before him, as he was bound to do. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0057" id="link2HCH0057"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER LVII + </h2> + <h3> + MARY LYTH + </h3> + <p> + Conquests, triumphs, and slaughterous glory are not very nice till they + have ceased to drip. After that extinction of the war upon the waves, the + nation which had won the fight went into general mourning. Sorrow, as deep + as a maiden's is at the death of her lover, spread over the land; and + people who had married their romance away, and fathered off their + enthusiasm, abandoned themselves to even deeper anguish at the insecurity + of property. So deeply had England's faith been anchored into the tenacity + of Nelson. The fall of the funds when the victory was announced outspoke a + thousand monuments. + </p> + <p> + From sires and grandsires Englishmen have learned the mood into which + their country fell. To have fought under Nelson in his last fight was a + password to the right hands of men, and into the hearts of women. Even a + man who had never been known to change his mind began to condemn other + people for being obstinate. Farmer Anerley went to church in his Fencible + accoutrements, with a sash of heavy crape, upon the first day of the + Christian year. To prove the largeness of his mind, he harnessed the + white-nosed horse, and drove his family away from his own parish, to St. + Oswald's Church at Flamborough, where Dr. Upround was to preach upon the + death of Nelson. This sermon was of the noblest order, eloquent, spirited, + theological, and yet so thoroughly practical, that seven Flamborough boys + set off on Monday to destroy French ships of war. Mary did her very utmost + not to cry—for she wanted so particularly to watch her father—but + nature and the doctor were too many for her. And when he came to speak of + the distinguished part played (under Providence) by a gallant son of + Flamborough, who, after enduring with manly silence evil report and + unprecious balms, stood forward in the breach, like Phineas, and, with the + sword of Gideon, defied Philistia to enter the British ark; and when he + went on to say that but for Flamborough's prowess on that day, and the + valor of the adjoining parish (which had also supplied a hero), England + might be mourning her foremost <i>promachos</i>, her very greatest fighter in + the van, without the consolation of burying him, and embalming him in a + nation's tears—for the French might have fired the magazine—and + when he proceeded to ask who it was that (under the guiding of a gracious + hand) had shattered the devices of the enemy, up stood Robin Cockscroft, + with a score of equally ancient captains, and remembering where they were, + touched their forelocks, and answered—“Robin Lyth, sir!” + </p> + <p> + Then Mary permitted the pride of her heart, which had long been painful + with the tight control, to escape in a sob, which her mother had foreseen; + and pulling out the stopper from her smelling-bottle, Mistress Anerley + looked at her husband as if he were Bonaparte himself. He, though aware + that it was inconsistent of her, felt (as he said afterward) as if he had + been a Frenchman; and looked for his hat, and fumbled about for the button + of the pew, to get out of it. But luckily the clerk, with great presence + of mind, awoke, and believing the sermon to be over, from the number of + men who were standing up, pronounced “Amen” decisively. + </p> + <p> + During the whole of the homeward drive Farmer Anerley's countenance was + full of thought; but he knew that it was watched, and he did not choose to + let people get in front of him with his own brains. Therefore he let his + wife and daughter look at him, to their hearts' content, while he looked + at the ledges, and the mud, and the ears of his horse, and the weather; + and he only made two observations of moment, one of which was “gee!” and + the other was “whoa!” + </p> + <p> + With females jolting up and down, upon no springs—except those of + jerksome curiosity—conduct of this character was rude in the + extreme. But knowing what he was, they glanced at one another, not meaning + in any sort of way to blame him, but only that he would be better + by-and-by, and perhaps try to make amends handsomely. And this, beyond any + denial, he did as soon as he had dined, and smoked his pipe on the butt of + the tree by the rick-yard. Nobody knew where he kept his money, or at + least his good wife always said so, when any one made bold to ask her. And + even now he was right down careful to go to his pot without anybody + watching; so that when he came into the Sunday parlor there was not one of + them who could say, even at a guess, where he last had been. + </p> + <p> + Master Simon Popplewell, gentleman-tanner (called out of his name, and + into the name of “Johnny,” even by his own wife, because there was no sign + of any Simon in him), he was there, and his good wife Debby, and Mistress + Anerley in her best cap, and Mary, dressed in royal navy blue, with bars + of black (for Lord Nelson's sake), according to the kind gift of aunt and + uncle; also Willie, looking wonderfully handsome, though pale with the + failure of “perpetual motion,” and inclined to be languid, as great genius + should be in its intervals of activity. Among them a lively talk was + stirring; and the farmer said, “Ah! You was talking about me.” + </p> + <p> + “We mought be; and yet again we mought not,” Master Popplewell returned, + with a glance at Mrs. Deborah, who had just been describing to the company + how much her husband excelled in jokesomeness. “Brother Stephen, a good + man seeks to be spoken of, and a bad one objects to it, in vain.” + </p> + <p> + “Very well. You shall have something for your money. Mary, you know where + the old Mydeary wine is that come from your godfathers and godmothers when + you was called in baptism. Take you the key from your mother, child, and + bring you up a bottle, and brother Popplewell will open it, for such + things is beyond me.” + </p> + <p> + “Well done, our side!” exclaimed the tanner; for if he had a weakness it + was for Madeira, which he always declared to have a musky smack of tan; + and a waggish customer had told him once that the grapes it was made of + were always tanned first. The others kept silence, foreseeing great + events. + </p> + <p> + Then Mr. Popplewell, poised with calm discretion, and moving with the nice + precision of a fine watchmaker, shed into the best decanter (softly as an + angel's tears) liquid beauty, not too gaudy, not too sparkling with + shallow light, not too ruddy with sullen glow, but vivid—like a + noble gem, a brown cairngorm—with mellow depth of lustre. “That's + your sort!” the tanner cried, after putting his tongue, while his wife + looked shocked, to the lip of the empty bottle. + </p> + <p> + “Such things is beyond my knowledge,” answered Farmer Anerley, as soon as + he saw the best glasses filled; “but nothing in nature is too good to + speak a good man's health in. Now fill you up a little glass for Mary; + and, Perpetual Motion, you stand up, which is more than your machines can + do. Now here I stand, and I drink good health to a man as I never clapped + eyes on yet, and would have preferred to keep the door between us; but the + Lord hath ordered otherwise. He hath wiped out all his faults against the + law; he hath fought for the honor of old England well; and he hath saved + the life of my son Jack. Spite of all that, I might refuse to unspeak my + words, which I never did afore, if it had not been that I wronged the man. + I have wronged the young fellow, and I am man enough to say so. I called + him a murderer and a sneak, and time hath proved me to have been a liar. + Therefore I ask his pardon humbly; and, what will be more to his liking, + perhaps, I say that he shall have my daughter Mary, if she abides + agreeable. And I put down these here twenty guineas, for Mary to look as + she ought to look. She hath been a good lass, and hath borne with me + better than one in a thousand would have done. Mary, my love to you; and + with leave all round, here's the very good health of Robin Lyth!” + </p> + <p> + “Here's the health of Robin Lyth!” shouted Mr. Popplewell, with his fat + cheeks shining merrily. “Hurrah for the lad who saved Nelson's death from + a Frenchman's grins, and saved our Jack boy! Stephen Anerley, I forgive + you. This is the right stuff, and no mistake. Deborah, come and kiss the + farmer.” + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Popplewell obeyed her husband, as the manner of good wives is. And + over and above this fleeting joy, solid satisfaction entered into noble + hearts, which felt that now the fruit of laborious years, and the cash of + many a tanning season, should never depart from the family. And to make an + end of any weak misgivings, even before the ladies went—to fill the + pipes for the gentlemen—the tanner drew with equal care, and even + better nerve, the second bottle's cork, and expressed himself as follows: + </p> + <p> + “Brother Steve hath done the right thing. We hardly expected it of him, by + rights of his confounded stubbornness. But when a shut-up man repenteth, + he is equal to a hoyster, or this here bottle. What good would this 'a + been without it was sealed over? Now mark my words. I'll not be behind no + man when it comes to the right side up. I may be a poor man, a very poor + man; and people counting otherwise might find themselves mistaken. I likes + to be liked for myself only. But the day our Mary goes to church with + Robin Lyth she shall have 500 pounds tied upon her back, or else my name's + not Popplewell.” + </p> + <p> + Mary had left the room long ago, after giving her father a gentle kiss, + and whispering to Willie that he should have half of her twenty guineas + for inventing things; which is a most expensive process, and should be + more highly encouraged. Therefore she could not express at the moment her + gratitude to Squire Popplewell; but as soon as she heard of his + generosity, it lifted a great weight off her mind, and enabled her to + think about furnishing a cottage. But she never told even her mother of + that. Perhaps Robin might have seen some one he liked better. Perhaps he + might have heard that stupid story about her having taken up with poor + Harry Tanfield; and that might have driven him to wed a foreign lady, and + therefore to fight so desperately. None, however, of these perhapses went + very deeply into her heart, which was equally trusting and trusty. + </p> + <p> + Now some of her confidence in the future was justified that very moment + almost, by a sudden and great arrival, not of Jack Anerley and Robin Lyth + (who were known to be coming home together), but of a gentleman whose + skill and activity deserved all thanks for every good thing that had + happened. + </p> + <p> + “Well! I am in the very nick of time. It is my nature,” cried Mr. + Mordacks, seated in the best chair by the fire. “Why? you inquire, with + your native penetration. Simply because in very early days I acquired the + habit of punctuality. This holding good where an appointment is, holds + good afterward, from the force of habit, in matters that are of luck + alone. The needle-eye of time gets accustomed to be hit, and turns itself + up, without waiting for the clew. Wonderful Madeira! Well, Captain + Anerley, no wonder that you have discouraged free trade with your cellars + full of this! It is twenty years since I have tasted such wine. Mistress + Anerley, I have the honor of quaffing this glass to your very best health, + and that of a very charming young lady, who has hitherto failed to + appreciate me.” + </p> + <p> + “Then, sir, I am here to beg your pardon,” said Mary, coming up, with a + beautiful blush. “When I saw you first I did not enter into your—your—” + </p> + <p> + “My outspoken manner and short business style. But I hope that you have + come to like me better. All good persons do, when they come to know me.” + </p> + <p> + “Yes, sir; I was quite ashamed of myself, when I came to learn all that + you have done for somebody, and your wonderful kindness at Bridlington.” + </p> + <p> + “Famously said! You inherit from your mother the power and the charm of + expression. And now, my dear lady, good Mistress Anerley, I shall undo all + my great merits by showing that I am like the letter-writers, who never + write until they have need of something. Captain Anerley, it concerns you + also, as a military man, and loyal soldier of King George. A gallant young + officer (highly distinguished in his own way, and very likely to get on, + in virtue of high connection) became of age some few weeks back; and being + the heir to large estates, determined to entail them. I speak as in a + parable. My meaning is one which the ladies will gracefully enter into. + Being a large heir, he is not selfish, but would fain share his blessings + with a little one. In a word, he is to marry a very beautiful young lady + to-morrow, and under my agency. But he has a very delightful mother, and + an aunt of a lofty and commanding mind, whose views, however, are + comparatively narrow. For a hasty, brief season, they will be wroth; and + it would be unjust to be angry with them. But love's indignation is soon + cured by absence, and tones down rapidly into desire to know how the + sinner is getting on. In the present case, a fortnight will do the + business; or if for a month, so much the better. Heroes are in demand just + now; and this young gentleman took such a scare in his very first fight + that he became a hero, and so has behaved himself ever since. Ladies, I am + astonished at your goodness in not interrupting me. Your minds must be as + practical as my own. Now this lovely young pair, being married to-morrow, + will have to go hunting for the honey in the moon, to which such + enterprises lead.” + </p> + <p> + “Sir, you are very right,” Squire Popplewell replied; and, “That is Bible + truth,” said the farmer. + </p> + <p> + “Our minds are enlarged by experience,” resumed the genial factor, + pleasantly, and bowing to the ladies, who declined to say a word until a + better opportunity, “and we like to see the process going on with others. + But a nest must be found for these young doves—a quiet one, a simple + one, a place where they may learn to put up with one another's cookery. + The secret of happiness in this world is not to be too particular. I have + hit upon the very place to make them thankful by-and-by, when they come to + look back upon it—a sweet little hole, half a league away from + anybody. All is arranged—a frying-pan, a brown-ware tea-pot, a skin + of lard, a cock and a hen, to lay some eggs; a hundredweight of ship + biscuits, warranted free from weevil, and a knife and fork. Also a way to + the sea, and a net, for them to fish together. Nothing more delightful can + be imagined. Under such circumstances, they will settle, in three days, + which is to be the master—which I take to be the most important of + all marriage settlements. And, unless I am very much mistaken, it will be + the right one—the lady. My little heroine, Jerry Carroway, is + engaged as their factotum, and every auspice is favorable. But without + your consent, all is knocked on the head; for the cottage is yours, and + the tenant won't go out, even under temptation of five guineas, without + your written order. Mistress Anerley, I appeal to you. Captain, say + nothing. This is a lady's question.” + </p> + <p> + “Then I like to have a little voice sometimes, though it is not often that + I get it. And, Mr. Mordacks, I say 'Yes.' And out of the five guineas we + shall get our rent, or some of it, perhaps, from Poacher Tim, who owes us + nigh upon two years now.” + </p> + <p> + The farmer smiled at his wife's good thrift, and, being in a pleasant + mood, consented, if so be the law could not be brought against him, and if + the young couple would not stop too long, or have any family to fall upon + the rates. The factor assured him against all evils; and then created + quite a brisk sensation by telling them, in strict confidence, that the + young officer was one Lancelot Yordas, own first cousin to the famous + Robin Lyth, and nephew to Sir Duncan Yordas. And the lady was the daughter + of Sir Duncan's oldest friend, the very one whose name he had given to his + son. Wonder never ceased among them, when they thought how things came + round. + </p> + <p> + Things came round not only thus, but also even better afterward. Mordacks + had a very beautiful revenge of laughter at old Jellicorse, by + outstripping him vastly in the family affairs. But Mr. Jellicorse did not + care, so long as he still had eleven boxes left of title-deeds to Scargate + Hall, no liability about the twelfth, and a very fair prospect of a + lawsuit yet for the multiplication of the legal race. And meeting Mr. + Mordacks in the highest legal circles, at Proctor Brigant's, in Crypt + Court, York, he acknowledged that he never met a more delightful + gentleman, until he found out what his name was. And even then he offered + him a pinch of snuff, and they shook hands very warmly without anything to + pay. + </p> + <p> + When Robin Lyth came home he was dissatisfied at first—so difficult + is mankind to please—because his good luck had been too good. No + scratch of steel, no permanent scorch of powder, was upon him, and England + was not in the mood to value any unwounded valor. But even here his good + luck stood him in strong stead, and cured his wrong. For when the body of + the lamented hero arrived at Spithead, in spirits of wine, early in + December, it was found that the Admiralty had failed to send down any + orders about it. Reports, however, were current of some intention that the + hero should lie in state, and the battered ship went on with him. And when + at last proper care was shown, and the relics of one of the noblest men + that ever lived upon the tide of time were being transferred to a yacht at + the Nore, Robin Lyth, in a sad and angry mood, neglected to give a wide + berth to a gun that was helping to keep up the mourning salute, and a + piece of wad carried off his starboard whisker. + </p> + <p> + This at once replaced him in the popular esteem, and enabled him to land + upon the Yorkshire coast with a certainty of glorious welcome. Mr. + Mordacks himself came down to meet him at the Northern Landing, with Dr. + Upround and Robin Cockscroft, and nearly all the men, and entirely all the + women and children, of Little Denmark. Strangers also from outlandish + parts, Squire Popplewell and his wife Deborah, Mrs. Carroway (with her + Tom, and Jerry, and Cissy, and lesser Carroways, for her old aunt Jane was + gone to Paradise at last, and had left her enough to keep a + pony-carriage), and a great many others, and especially a group of four + distinguished persons, who stood at the top of the slide, because of the + trouble of getting back if they went down. + </p> + <p> + These had a fair and double-horsed carriage in the lane, at the spot where + fish face their last tribunal; and scarcely any brains but those of + Flamborough could have absorbed such a spectacle as this, together with + the deeper expectations from the sea. Of these four persons, two were + young enough, and two not so young as they had been, but still very + lively, and well pleased with one another. These were Mrs. Carnaby and Mr. + Bart; the pet of the one had united his lot with the darling of the other; + for good or for bad, there was no getting out of it, and the only thing + was to make the best of it. And being good people, they were doing this + successfully. Poor Mrs. Carnaby had said to Mr. Bart, as soon as Mr. + Mordacks let her know about the wedding, “Oh, but, Mr. Bart, you are a + gentleman; now, are you not? I am sure you are, though you do such things! + I am sure of it by your countenance.” + </p> + <p> + “Madam,” Mr. Bart replied, with a bow that was decisive, “if I am not, it + is my own fault, as it is the fault of every man.” + </p> + <p> + At this present moment they were standing with their children, Lancelot + and Insie, who had nicely recovered from matrimony, and began to be too + high-spirited. They all knew, by virtue of Mr. Mordacks, who Robin Lyth + was; and they wanted to see him, and be kind to him, if he made no claim + upon them. And Mr. Bart desired, as his father's friend, to shake hands + with him, and help him, if help were needed. + </p> + <p> + But Robin, with a grace and elegance which he must have imported from + foreign parts, declined all connection and acquaintance with them, and + declared his set resolve to have nothing to do with the name of “Yordas.” + They were grieved, as they honestly declared, to hear it, but could not + help owning that his pride was just; and they felt that their name was the + richer for not having any poor people to share it. + </p> + <p> + Yet Captain Lyth—as he now was called, even by revenue officers—in + no way impoverished his name by taking another to share it with him. The + farmer declared that there should be no wedding until he had sold seven + stacks of wheat, for his meaning was to do things well. But this obstacle + did not last long, for those were times when corn was golden, not in + landscape only. + </p> + <p> + So when the spring was fair with promise of green for the earth, and of + blue for heaven, and of silver-gray upon the sea, the little church close + to Anerley Farm filled up all the complement of colors. There was scarlet, + of Dr. Upround's hood (brought by the Precious boy from Flamborough); a + rich plum-color in the coat of Mordacks; delicate rose and virgin white in + the blush and the brow of Mary; every tint of the rainbow on her mother's + part; and gold, rich gold, in a great tanned bag, on behalf of Squire + Popplewell. His idea of a “settlement” was cash down, and he put it on the + parish register. + </p> + <p> + Mary found no cause to repent of the long endurance of her truth, and the + steadfast power of quiet love. Robin was often in the distance still, far + beyond the silvery streak of England's new salvation. But Mary prayed for + his safe return; and safe he was, by the will of the Lord, which helps the + man who helps himself, and has made his hand bigger than his tongue. When + the war was over, Captain Lyth came home, and trained his children in the + ways in which he should have walked, and the duties they should do and + pay. + </p> + <p> + THE END. <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mary Anerley, by R. D. 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Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: Mary Anerley + +Author: R. D. Blackmore + +Release Date: November, 2004 [EBook #6824] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on January 28, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY ANERLEY *** + + + + +Produced by Don Lainson. + + + + + +MARY ANERLEY + + +by + + +R. D. Blackmore + + + +1880 + + + +CHAPTER I + +HEADSTRONG AND HEADLONG + + +Far from any house or hut, in the depth of dreary moor-land, a +road, unfenced and almost unformed, descends to a rapid river. The +crossing is called the "Seven Corpse Ford," because a large party +of farmers, riding homeward from Middleton, banded together and +perhaps well primed through fear of a famous highwayman, came down +to this place on a foggy evening, after heavy rain-fall. One of +the company set before them what the power of the water was, but +they laughed at him and spurred into it, and one alone spurred out +of it. Whether taken with fright, or with too much courage, they +laid hold of one another, and seven out of eight of them, all large +farmers, and thoroughly understanding land, came never upon it +alive again; and their bodies, being found upon the ridge that cast +them up, gave a dismal name to a place that never was merry in the +best of weather. + +However, worse things than this had happened; and the country is +not chary of its living, though apt to be scared of its dead; and +so the ford came into use again, with a little attempt at +improvement. For those farmers being beyond recall, and their +families hard to provide for, Richard Yordas, of Scargate Hall, the +chief owner of the neighborhood, set a long heavy stone up on +either brink, and stretched a strong chain between them, not only +to mark out the course of the shallow, whose shelf is askew to the +channel, but also that any one being washed away might fetch up, +and feel how to save himself. For the Tees is a violent water +sometimes, and the safest way to cross it is to go on till you come +to a good stone bridge. + +Now forty years after that sad destruction of brave but not well- +guided men, and thirty years after the chain was fixed, that their +sons might not go after them, another thing happened at "Seven +Corpse Ford," worse than the drowning of the farmers. Or, at any +rate, it made more stir (which is of wider spread than sorrow), +because of the eminence of the man, and the length and width of his +property. Neither could any one at first believe in so quiet an +end to so turbulent a course. Nevertheless it came to pass, as +lightly as if he were a reed or a bubble of the river that belonged +to him. + +It was upon a gentle evening, a few days after Michaelmas of 1777. +No flood was in the river then, and no fog on the moor-land, only +the usual course of time, keeping the silent company of stars. The +young moon was down, and the hover of the sky (in doubt of various +lights) was gone, and the equal spread of obscurity soothed the +eyes of any reasonable man. + +But the man who rode down to the river that night had little love +of reason. Headstrong chief of a headlong race, no will must +depart a hair's-breadth from his; and fifty years of arrogant port +had stiffened a neck too stiff at birth. Even now in the dim light +his large square form stood out against the sky like a cromlech, +and his heavy arms swung like gnarled boughs of oak, for a storm of +wrath was moving him. In his youth he had rebelled against his +father; and now his own son was a rebel to him. + +"Good, my boy, good!" he said, within his grizzled beard, while his +eyes shone with fire, like the flints beneath his horse; "you have +had your own way, have you, then? But never shall you step upon an +acre of your own, and your timber shall be the gallows. Done, my +boy, once and forever." + +Philip, the squire, the son of Richard, and father of Duncan +Yordas, with fierce satisfaction struck the bosom of his heavy +Bradford riding-coat, and the crackle of parchment replied to the +blow, while with the other hand he drew rein on the brink of the +Tees sliding rapidly. + +The water was dark with the twinkle of the stars, and wide with the +vapor of the valley, but Philip Yordas in the rage of triumph +laughed and spurred his reflecting horse. + +"Fool!" he cried, without an oath--no Yordas ever used an oath +except in playful moments--"fool! what fear you? There hangs my +respected father's chain. Ah, he was something like a man! Had I +ever dared to flout him so, he would have hanged me with it." + +Wild with his wrong, he struck the rowel deep into the flank of his +wading horse, and in scorn of the depth drove him up the river. +The shoulders of the swimming horse broke the swirling water, as he +panted and snorted against it; and if Philip Yordas had drawn back +at once, he might even now have crossed safely. But the fury of +his blood was up, the stronger the torrent the fiercer his will, +and the fight between passion and power went on. The poor horse +was fain to swerve back at last; but he struck him on the head with +a carbine, and shouted to the torrent: + +"Drown me, if you can. My father used to say that I was never born +to drown. My own water drown me! That would be a little too much +insolence." + +"Too much insolence" were his last words. The strength of the +horse was exhausted. The beat of his legs grew short and faint, +the white of his eyes rolled piteously, and the gurgle of his +breath subsided. His heavy head dropped under water, and his +sodden crest rolled over, like sea-weed where a wave breaks. The +stream had him all at its mercy, and showed no more than his savage +master had, but swept him a wallowing lump away, and over the reef +of the crossing. With both feet locked in the twisted stirrups, +and right arm broken at the elbow, the rider was swung (like the +mast of a wreck) and flung with his head upon his father's chain. +There he was held by his great square chin--for the jar of his +backbone stunned him--and the weight of the swept-away horse broke +the neck which never had been known to bend. In the morning a +peasant found him there, not drowned but hanged, with eyes wide +open, a swaying corpse upon a creaking chain. So his father +(though long in the grave) was his death, as he often had promised +to be to him; while he (with the habit of his race) clutched fast +with dead hand on dead bosom the instrument securing the starvation +of his son. + +Of the Yordas family truly was it said that the will of God was +nothing to their will--as long as the latter lasted--and that every +man of them scorned all Testament, old or new, except his own. + + + +CHAPTER II + +SCARGATE HALL + + +Nearly twenty-four years had passed since Philip Yordas was carried +to his last (as well as his first) repose, and Scargate Hall had +enjoyed some rest from the turbulence of owners. For as soon as +Duncan (Philip's son, whose marriage had maddened his father) was +clearly apprised by the late squire's lawyer of his disinheritance, +he collected his own little money and his wife's, and set sail for +India. His mother, a Scotchwoman of good birth but evil fortunes, +had left him something; and his bride (the daughter of his father's +greatest foe) was not altogether empty-handed. His sisters were +forbidden by the will to help him with a single penny; and +Philippa, the elder, declaring and believing that Duncan had killed +her father, strictly obeyed the injunction. But Eliza, being of a +softer kind, and herself then in love with Captain Carnaby, would +gladly have aided her only brother, but for his stern refusal. In +such a case, a more gentle nature than ever endowed a Yordas might +have grown hardened and bitter; and Duncan, being of true Yordas +fibre (thickened and toughened with slower Scotch sap), was not of +the sort to be ousted lightly and grow at the feet of his +supplanters. + +Therefore he cast himself on the winds, in search of fairer soil, +and was not heard of in his native land; and Scargate Hall and +estates were held by the sisters in joint tenancy, with remainder +to the first son born of whichever it might be of them. And this +was so worded through the hurry of their father to get some one +established in the place of his own son. + +But from paltry passions, turn away a little while to the things +which excite, but are not excited by them. + +Scargate Hall stands, high and old, in the wildest and most rugged +part of the wild and rough North Riding. Many are the tales about +it, in the few and humble cots, scattered in the modest distance, +mainly to look up at it. In spring and summer, of the years that +have any, the height and the air are not only fine, but even fair +and pleasant. So do the shadows and the sunshine wander, elbowing +into one another on the moor, and so does the glance of smiling +foliage soothe the austerity of crag and scaur. At such time, +also, the restless torrent (whose fury has driven content away +through many a short day and long night) is not in such desperate +hurry to bury its troubles in the breast of Tees, but spreads them +in language that sparkles to the sun, or even makes leisure to turn +into corners of deep brown-study about the people on its banks-- +especially, perhaps, the miller. + +But never had this impetuous water more reason to stop and reflect +upon people of greater importance, who called it their own, than +now when it was at the lowest of itself, in August of the year +1801. + +From time beyond date the race of Yordas had owned and inhabited +this old place. From them the river, and the river's valley, and +the mountain of its birth, took name, or else, perhaps, gave name +to them; for the history of the giant Yordas still remains to be +written, and the materials are scanty. His present descendants did +not care an old song for his memory, even if he ever had existence +to produce it. Piety (whether in the Latin sense or English) never +had marked them for her own; their days were long in the land, +through a long inactivity of the Decalogue. + +And yet in some manner this lawless race had been as a law to +itself throughout. From age to age came certain gifts and certain +ways of management, which saved the family life from falling out of +rank and land and lot. From deadly feuds, exhausting suits, and +ruinous profusion, when all appeared lost, there had always arisen +a man of direct lineal stock to retrieve the estates and reprieve +the name. And what is still more conducive to the longevity of +families, no member had appeared as yet of a power too large and an +aim too lofty, whose eminence must be cut short with axe, outlawry, +and attainder. Therefore there ever had been a Yordas, good or bad +(and by his own showing more often of the latter kind), to stand +before heaven, and hold the land, and harass them that dwelt +thereon. But now at last the world seemed to be threatened with +the extinction of a fine old name. + +When Squire Philip died in the river, as above recorded, his death, +from one point of view, was dry, since nobody shed a tear for him, +unless it was his child Eliza. Still, he was missed and lamented +in speech, and even in eloquent speeches, having been a very strong +Justice of the Peace, as well as the foremost of riotous gentlemen +keeping the order of the county. He stood above them in his firm +resolve to have his own way always, and his way was so crooked that +the difficulty was to get out of it and let him have it. And when +he was dead, it was either too good or too bad to believe in; and +even after he was buried it was held that this might be only +another of his tricks. + +But after his ghost had been seen repeatedly, sitting on the chain +and swearing, it began to be known that he was gone indeed, and the +relief afforded by his absence endeared him to sad memory. +Moreover, his good successors enhanced the relish of scandal about +him by seeming themselves to be always so dry, distant, and +unimpeachable. Especially so did "My Lady Philippa," as the elder +daughter was called by all the tenants and dependents, though the +family now held no title of honor. + +Mistress Yordas, as she was more correctly styled by usage of the +period, was a maiden lady of fine presence, uncumbered as yet by +weight of years, and only dignified thereby. Stately, and +straight, and substantial of figure, firm but not coarse of +feature, she had reached her forty-fifth year without an ailment or +a wrinkle. Her eyes were steadfast, clear, and bright, well able +to second her distinct calm voice, and handsome still, though their +deep blue had waned into a quiet, impenetrable gray; while her +broad clear forehead, straight nose, and red lips might well be +considered as comely as ever, at least by those who loved her. Of +these, however, there were not many; and she was content to have it +so. + +Mrs. Carnaby, the younger sister, would not have been content to +have it so. Though not of the weak lot which is enfeoffed to +popularity, she liked to be regarded kindly, and would rather win a +smile than exact a courtesy. Continually it was said of her that +she was no genuine Yordas, though really she had all the pride and +all the stubbornness of that race, enlarged, perhaps, but little +weakened, by severe afflictions. This lady had lost a beloved +husband, Colonel Carnaby, killed in battle; and after that four +children of the five she had been so proud of. And the waters of +affliction had not turned to bitterness in her soul. + +Concerning the outward part--which matters more than the inward at +first hand--Mrs. Carnaby had no reason to complain of fortune. She +had started well as a very fine baby, and grown up well into a +lovely maiden, passing through wedlock into a sightly matron, +gentle, fair, and showing reason. For generations it had come to +pass that those of the Yordas race who deserved to be cut off for +their doings out-of-doors were followed by ladies of decorum, self- +restraint, and regard for their neighbor's landmark. And so it was +now with these two ladies, the handsome Philippa and the fair Eliza +leading a peaceful and reputable life, and carefully studying their +rent-roll. + +It was not, however, in the fitness of things that quiet should +reign at Scargate Hall for a quarter of a century; and one strong +element of disturbance grew already manifest. Under the will of +Squire Philip the heir-apparent was the one surviving child of Mrs. +Carnaby. + +If ever a mortal life was saved by dint of sleepless care, warm +coddling, and perpetual doctoring, it was the precious life of +Master Lancelot Yordas Carnaby. In him all the mischief of his +race revived, without the strong substance to carry it off. +Though his parents were healthy and vigorous, he was of weakly +constitution, which would not have been half so dangerous to him if +his mind also had been weakly. But his mind (or at any rate that +rudiment thereof which appears in the shape of self-will even +before the teeth appear) was a piece of muscular contortion, tough +as oak and hard as iron. "Pet" was his name with his mother and +his aunt; and his enemies (being the rest of mankind) said that pet +was his name and his nature. + +For this dear child could brook no denial, no slow submission to +his wishes; whatever he wanted must come in a moment, punctual as +an echo. In him re-appeared not the stubbornness only, but also +the keen ingenuity of Yordas in finding out the very thing that +never should be done, and then the unerring perception of the way +in which it could be done most noxiously. Yet any one looking at +his eyes would think how tender and bright must his nature be! "He +favoreth his forebears; how can he help it?" kind people exclaimed, +when they knew him. And the servants of the house excused +themselves when condemned for putting up with him, "Yo know not +what 'a is, yo that talk so. He maun get 's own gait, lestwise yo +wud chok' un." + +Being too valuable to be choked, he got his own way always. + + + +CHAPTER III + +A DISAPPOINTING APPOINTMENT + + +For the sake of Pet Carnaby and of themselves, the ladies of the +house were disquieted now, in the first summer weather of a wet +cold year, the year of our Lord 1801. And their trouble arose as +follows: + +There had long been a question between the sisters and Sir Walter +Carnaby, brother of the late colonel, about an exchange of outlying +land, which would have to be ratified by "Pet" hereafter. Terms +being settled and agreement signed, the lawyers fell to at the +linked sweetness of deducing title. The abstract of the Yordas +title was nearly as big as the parish Bible, so in and out had +their dealings been, and so intricate their pugnacity. + +Among the many other of the Yordas freaks was a fatuous and +generally fatal one. For the slightest miscarriage they discharged +their lawyer, and leaped into the office of a new one. Has any man +moved in the affairs of men, with a grain of common-sense or half a +pennyweight of experience, without being taught that an old tenter- +hook sits easier to him than a new one? And not only that, but in +shifting his quarters he may leave some truly fundamental thing +behind. + +Old Mr. Jellicorse, of Middleton in Teesdale, had won golden +opinions every where. He was an uncommonly honest lawyer, highly +incapable of almost any trick, and lofty in his view of things, +when his side of them was the legal one. He had a large collection +of those interesting boxes which are to a lawyer and his family +better than caskets of silver and gold; and especially were his +shelves furnished with what might be called the library of the +Scargate title-deeds. He had been proud to take charge of these +nearly thirty years ago, and had married on the strength of them, +though warned by the rival from whom they were wrested that he must +not hope to keep them long. However, through the peaceful +incumbency of ladies, they remained in his office all those years. + +This was the gentleman who had drawn and legally sped to its +purport the will of the lamented Squire Philip, who refused very +clearly to leave it, and took horse to flourish it at his +rebellious son. Mr. Jellicorse had done the utmost, as behooved +him, against that rancorous testament; but meeting with silence +more savage than words, and a bow to depart, he had yielded; and +the squire stamped about the room until his job was finished. + +A fact accomplished, whether good or bad, improves in character +with every revolution of this little world around the sun, that +heavenly example of subservience. And now Mr. Jellicorse was well +convinced, as nothing had occurred to disturb that will, and the +life of the testator had been sacrificed to it, and the devisees +under it were his own good clients, and some of his finest turns of +words were in it, and the preparation, execution, and attestation, +in an hour and ten minutes of the office clock, had never been +equalled in Yorkshire before, and perhaps never honestly in London-- +taking all these things into conscious or unconscious balance, Mr. +Jellicorse grew into the clear conviction that "righteous and wise" +were the words to be used whenever this will was spoken of. + +With pleasant remembrance of the starveling fees wherewith he used +to charge the public, ere ever his golden spurs were won, the +prosperous lawyer now began to run his eye through a duplicate of +an abstract furnished upon some little sale about forty years +before. This would form the basis of the abstract now to be +furnished to Sir Walter Carnaby, with little to be added but the +will of Philip Yordas, and statement of facts to be verified. Mr. +Jellicorse was fat, but very active still; he liked good living, +but he liked to earn it, and could not sit down to his dinner +without feeling that he had helped the Lord to provide these +mercies. He carried a pencil on his chain, and liked to use it ere +ever he began with knife and fork. For the young men in the +office, as he always said, knew nothing. + +The day was very bright and clear, and the sun shone through soft +lilac leaves on more important folios, while Mr. Jellicorse, with +happy sniffs--for his dinner was roasting in the distance--drew a +single line here, or a double line there, or a gable on the margin +of the paper, to show his head clerk what to cite, and in what +letters, and what to omit, in the abstract to be rendered. For the +good solicitor had spent some time in the chambers of a famous +conveyancer in London, and prided himself upon deducing title, +directly, exhaustively, and yet tersely, in one word, scientifically, +and not as the mere quill-driver. The title to the hereditaments, +now to be given in exchange, went back for many generations; but as +the deeds were not to pass, Mr. Jellicorse, like an honest man, +drew a line across, and made a star at one quite old enough to +begin with, in which the little moorland farm in treaty now was +specified. With hum and ha of satisfaction he came down the +records, as far as the settlement made upon the marriage of Richard +Yordas, of Scargate Hall, Esquire, and Eleanor, the daughter of Sir +Fursan de Roos. This document created no entail, for strict +settlements had never been the manner of the race; but the property +assured in trust, to satisfy the jointure, was then declared subject +to joint and surviving powers of appointment limited to the issue of +the marriage, with remainder to the uses of the will of the +aforesaid Richard Yordas, or, failing such will, to his right heirs +forever. + +All this was usual enough, and Mr. Jellicorse heeded it little, +having never heard of any appointment, and knowing that Richard, +the grandfather of his clients, had died, as became a true Yordas, +in a fit of fury with a poor tenant, intestate, as well as +unrepentant. The lawyer, being a slightly pious man, afforded a +little sigh to this remembrance, and lifted his finger to turn the +leaf, but the leaf stuck a moment, and the paper being raised at +the very best angle to the sun, he saw, or seemed to see, a faint +red line, just over against that appointment clause. And then the +yellow margin showed some faint red marks. + +"Well, I never," Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed--"certainly never saw +these marks before. Diana, where are my glasses?" + +Mrs. Jellicorse had been to see the potatoes on (for the new cook +simply made "kettlefuls of fish" of every thing put upon the fire), +and now at her husband's call she went to her work-box for his +spectacles, which he was not allowed to wear except on Sundays, for +fear of injuring his eyesight. Equipped with these, and drawing +nearer to the window, the lawyer gradually made out this: first a +broad faint line of red, as if some attorney, now a ghost, had cut +his finger, and over against that in small round hand the letters +"v. b. c." Mr. Jellicorse could swear that they were "v. b. c." + +"Don't ask me to eat any dinner to-day," he exclaimed, when his +wife came to fetch him. "Diana, I am occupied; go and eat it up +without me." + +"Nonsense, James," she answered, calmly; "you never get any clever +thoughts by starving." + +Moved by this reasoning, he submitted, fed his wife and children +and own good self, and then brought up a bottle of old Spanish wine +to strengthen the founts of discovery. Whose writing was that upon +the broad marge of verbosity? Why had it never been observed +before? Above all, what was meant by "v. b. c."? + +Unaided, he might have gone on forever, to the bottom of a butt of +Xeres wine; but finding the second glass better than the first, he +called to Mrs. Jellicorse, who was in the garden gathering striped +roses, to come and have a sip with him, and taste the yellow +cherries. And when she came promptly, with the flowers in her +hand, and their youngest little daughter making sly eyes at the +fruit, bothered as he was, he could not help smiling and saying, +"Oh, Diana, what is 'v. b. c.'?" + +"Very black currants, papa!" cried Emily, dancing a long bunch in +the air. + +"Hush, dear child, you are getting too forward," said her mother, +though proud of her quickness. "James, how should I know what 'v. +b. c.' is? But I wish most heartily that you would rid me of my +old enemy, box C. I want to put a hanging press in that corner, +instead of which you turn the very passages into office." + +"Box C? I remember no box C." + +"You may not have noticed the letter C upon it, but the box you +must know as well as I do. It belongs to those proud Yordas +people, who hold their heads so high, forsooth, as if nobody but +themselves belonged to a good old county family! That makes me +hate the box the more." + +"I will take it out of your way at once. I may want it. It should +be with the others. I know it as well as I know my snuff-box. It +was Aberthaw who put it in that corner; but I had forgotten that it +was lettered. The others are all numbered." + +Of course Mr. Jellicorse was not weak enough to make the partner of +his bosom the partner of his business; and much as she longed to +know why he had put an unusual question to her, she trusted to the +future for discovery of that point. She left him, and he with no +undue haste--for the business, after all, was not his own--began to +follow out his train of thought, in manner much as follows: + +"This is that old Duncombe's writing--'Dunder-headed Duncombe,' as +he used to be called in his lifetime, but 'Long-headed Duncombe' +afterward. None but his wife knew whether he was a wise man, or a +wiseacre. Perhaps either, according to the treatment he received. +Richard Yordas treated him badly; that may have made him wiser. V. +b. c. means 'vide box C,' unless I am greatly mistaken. He wrote +those letters as plainly and clearly as he could against this power +of appointment as recited here. But afterward, with knife and +pounce, he scraped them out, as now becomes plain with this +magnifying-glass; probably he did so when all these archives, as he +used to call them, were rudely ordered over to my predecessor. A +nice bit of revenge, if my suspicions are correct; and a pretty +confusion will follow it." + +The lawyer's suspicions proved too correct. He took that box to +his private room, and with some trouble unlocked it. A damp and +musty smell came forth, as when a man delves a potato-bury; and +then appeared layers of parchment yellow and brown, in and out with +one another, according to the curing of the sheep-skin, perhaps, or +the age of the sheep when he began to die; skins much older than +any man's who handled them, and drier than the brains of any +lawyer, + +"Anno Jacobi tertio, and Quadragesimo Elisabethae! How nice it +sounds!" Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed; "they ought all to go in, and be +charged for. People to be satisfied with sixty years' title! Why, +bless the Lord, I am sixty-eight myself, and could buy and sell the +grammar school at eight years old. It is no security, no security +at all. What did the learned Bacupiston say--'If a rogue only +lives to be a hundred and eleven, he may have been for ninety years +disseized, and nobody alive to know it!'" + +Older and older grew the documents as the lawyer's hand travelled +downward; any flaw or failure must have been healed by lapse of +time long and long ago; dust and grime and mildew thickened, ink +became paler, and contractions more contorted; it was rather an +antiquary's business now than a lawyer's to decipher them. + +"What a fool I am!" the solicitor thought. "My cuffs will never +wash white again, and all I have found is a mare's-nest. However, +I'll go to the bottom now. There may be a gold seal--they used to +put them in with the deeds three hundred years ago. A charter of +Edward the Fourth, I declare! Ah, the Yordases were Yorkists-- +halloa! what is here? By the Touchstone of Shepherd, I was right +after all! Well done, Long-headed Duncombe!" + +From the very bottom of the box he took a parchment comparatively +fresh and new, indorsed "Appointment by Richard Yordas, Esquire, +and Eleanor his wife, of lands and heredits at Scargate and +elsewhere in the county of York, dated Nov. 15th, A.D. 1751." +Having glanced at the signatures and seals, Mr. Jellicorse spread +the document, which was of moderate compass, and soon convinced +himself that his work of the morning had been wholly thrown away. +No title could be shown to Whitestone Farm, nor even to Scargate +Hall itself, on the part of the present owners. + +The appointment was by deed-poll, and strictly in accordance with +the powers of the settlement. Duly executed and attested, clearly +though clumsily expressed, and beyond all question genuine, it +simply nullified (as concerned the better half of the property) the +will which had cost Philip Yordas his life. For under this +limitation Philip held a mere life-interest, his father and mother +giving all men to know by those presents that they did thereby from +and after the decease of their said son Philip grant limit and +appoint &c. all and singular the said lands &c. to the heirs of his +body lawfully begotten &c. &c. in tail general, with remainder +over, and final remainder to the right heirs of the said Richard +Yordas forever. From all which it followed that while Duncan +Yordas, or child, or other descendant of his, remained in the land +of the living, or even without that if he having learned it had +been enabled to bar the entail and then sell or devise the lands +away, the ladies in possession could show no title, except a +possessory one, as yet unhallowed by the lapse of time. + +Mr. Jellicorse was a very pleasant-looking man, also one who took a +pleasant view of other men and things; but he could not help +pulling a long and sad face as he thought of the puzzle before him. +Duncan Yordas had not been heard of among his own hills and valleys +since 1778, when he embarked for India. None of the family ever +had cared to write or read long letters, their correspondence (if +any) was short, without being sweet by any means. It might be a +subject for prayer and hope that Duncan should be gone to a better +world, without leaving hostages to fortune here; but sad it is to +say that neither prayer nor hope produces any faith in the counsel +who prepares "requisitions upon title." + +On the other hand, inquiry as to Duncan's history since he left his +native land would be a delicate and expensive work, and perhaps +even dangerous, if he should hear of it, and inquire about the +inquirers. For the last thing to be done from a legal point of +view--though the first of all from a just one--was to apprise the +rightful owner of his unexpected position. Now Mr. Jellicorse was +a just man; but his justice was due to his clients first. + +After a long brown-study he reaped his crop of meditation thus: +"It is a ticklish job; and I will sleep three nights upon it." + + + +CHAPTER IV + +DISQUIETUDE + + +The ladies of Scargate Hall were uneasy, although the weather was +so fine, upon this day of early August, in the year now current. +It was a remarkable fact, that in spite of the distance they slept +asunder, which could not be less than five-and-thirty yards, both +had been visited by a dream, which appeared to be quite the same +dream until examined narrowly, and being examined, grew more +surprising in its points of difference. They were much above +paying any heed to dreams, though instructed by the patriarchs to +do so; and they seemed to be quite getting over the effects, when +the lesson and the punishment astonished them. + +Lately it had been established (although many leading people went +against it, and threatened to prosecute the man for trespass) that +here in these quiet and reputable places, where no spy could be +needed, a man should come twice every week with letters, and in the +name of the king be paid for them. Such things were required in +towns, perhaps, as corporations and gutters were; but to bring them +where people could mind their own business, and charge them two +groats for some fool who knew their names, was like putting a tax +upon their christening. So it was the hope of many, as well as +every one's belief, that the postman, being of Lancastrian race, +would very soon be bogged, or famished, or get lost in a fog, or +swept off by a flood, or go and break his own neck from a +precipice. + +The postman, however, was a wiry fellow, and as tough as any +native, and he rode a pony even tougher than himself, whose cradle +was a marsh, and whose mother a mountain, his first breath a fog, +and his weaning meat wire-grass, and his form a combination of +sole-leather and corundum. He wore no shoes for fear of not making +sparks at night, to know the road by, and although his bit had been +a blacksmith's rasp, he would yield to it only when it suited him. +The postman, whose name was George King (which confounded him with +King George, in the money to pay), carried a sword and blunderbuss, +and would use them sooner than argue. + +Now this man and horse had come slowly along, without meaning any +mischief, to deliver a large sealed packet, with sixteen pence to +pay put upon it, "to Mistress Philippa Yordas, etc., her own hands, +and speed, speed, speed;" which they carried out duly by stop, +stop, stop, whensoever they were hungry, or saw any thing to look +at. None the less for that, though with certainty much later, they +arrived in good trim, by the middle of the day, and ready for the +comfort which they both deserved. + +As yet it was not considered safe to trust any tidings of +importance to the post in such a world as this was; and even were +it safe, it would be bad manners from a man of business. Therefore +Mr. Jellicorse had sealed up little, except his respectful +consideration and request to be allowed to wait upon his honored +clients, concerning a matter of great moment, upon the afternoon of +Thursday then next ensuing. And the post had gone so far, to give +good distance for the money, that the Thursday of the future came +to be that very day. + +The present century opened with a chilly and dark year, following +three bad seasons of severity and scarcity. And in the northwest +of Yorkshire, though the summer was now so far advanced, there had +been very little sunshine. For the last day or two, the sun had +labored to sweep up the mist and cloud, and was beginning to +prevail so far that the mists drew their skirts up and retired into +haze, while the clouds fell away to the ring of the sky, and there +lay down to abide their time. Wherefore it happened that "Yordas +House" (as the ancient building was in old time called) had a +clearer view than usual of the valley, and the river that ran away, +and the road that tried to run up to it. Now this was considered a +wonderful road, and in fair truth it was wonderful, withstanding +all efforts of even the Royal Mail pony to knock it to pieces. In +its rapidity down hill it surpassed altogether the river, which +galloped along by the side of it, and it stood out so boldly with +stones of no shame that even by moonlight nobody could lose it, +until it abruptly lost itself. But it never did that, until the +house it came from was two miles away, and no other to be seen; and +so why should it go any further? + +At the head of this road stood the old gray house, facing toward +the south of east, to claim whatever might come up the valley, sun, +or storm, or columned fog. In the days of the past it had claimed +much more--goods, and cattle, and tribute of the traffic going +northward--as the loop-holed quadrangle for impounded stock, and +the deeply embrasured tower, showed. At the back of the house rose +a mountain spine, blocking out the westering sun, but cut with one +deep portal where a pass ran into Westmoreland--the scaur-gate +whence the house was named; and through this gate of mountain +often, when the day was waning, a bar of slanting sunset entered, +like a plume of golden dust, and hovered on a broad black patch of +weather-beaten fir-trees. The day was waning now, and every steep +ascent looked steeper, while down the valley light and shade made +longer cast of shuttle, and the margin of the west began to glow +with a deep wine-color, as the sun came down--the tinge of many +mountains and the distant sea--until the sun himself settled +quietly into it, and there grew richer and more ripe (as old +bottled wine is fed by the crust), and bowed his rubicund farewell, +through the postern of the scaur-gate, to the old Hall, and the +valley, and the face of Mr. Jellicorse. + +That gentleman's countenance did not, however, reply with its usual +brightness to the mellow salute of evening. Wearied and shaken by +the long, rough ride, and depressed by the heavy solitude, he hated +and almost feared the task which every step brought nearer. As the +house rose higher and higher against the red sky, and grew darker, +and as the sullen roar of blood-hounds (terrors of the neighborhood) +roused the slow echoes of the crags, the lawyer was almost fain to +turn his horse's head, and face the risks of wandering over the moor +by night. But the hoisting of a flag, the well-known token +(confirmed by large letters on a rock) that strangers might safely +approach, inasmuch as the savage dogs were kennelled--this, and the +thought of such an entry for his day-book, kept Mr. Jellicorse from +ignominious flight. He was in for it now, and must carry it +through. + +In a deep embayed window of leaded glass Mistress Yordas and her +widowed sister sat for an hour, without many words, watching the +zigzag of shale and rock which formed their chief communication +with the peopled world. They did not care to improve their access, +or increase their traffic; not through cold morosity, or even proud +indifference, but because they had been so brought up, and so +confirmed by circumstance. For the Yordas blood, however hot and +wild and savage in the gentlemen, was generally calm and good, +though steadfast, in the weaker vessels. For the main part, +however, a family takes it character more from the sword than the +spindle; and their sword hand had been like Esau's. + +Little as they meddled with the doings of the world, of one thing +at least these stately Madams--as the baffled squires of the Riding +called them--were by no means heedless. They dressed themselves +according to their rank, or perhaps above it. Many a nobleman's +wife in Yorkshire had not such apparel; and even of those so richly +gifted, few could have come up to the purpose better. Nobody, +unless of their own sex, thought of their dresses when looking at +them. + +"He rides very badly," Philippa said; "the people from the lowlands +always do. He may not have courage to go home tonight. But he +ought to have thought of that before." + +"Poor man! We must offer him a bed, of course," Mrs. Carnaby +answered; "but he should have come earlier in the day. What shall +we do with him, when he has done his business?" + +"It is not our place to amuse our lawyer. He might go and smoke in +the Justice-room, and then Welldrum could play bagatelle with him." + +"Philippa, you forget that the Jellicorses are of a good old county +stock. His wife is a stupid, pretentious thing; but we need not +treat him as we must treat her. And it may be as well to make much +of him, perhaps, if there really is any trouble coming." + +"You are thinking of Pet. By-the-bye, are you certain that Pet can +not get at Saracen? You know how he let him loose last Easter, +when the flag was flying, and the poor man has been in his bed ever +since." + +"Jordas will see to that. He can be trusted to mind the dogs well, +ever since you fined him in a fortnight's wages. That was an +excellent thought of yours." + +Jordas might have been called the keeper, or the hind, or the +henchman, or the ranger, or the porter, or the bailiff, or the +reeve, or some other of some fifty names of office, in a place of +more civilization, so many and so various were his tasks. But here +his professional name was the "dogman;" and he held that office +according to an ancient custom of the Scargate race, whence also +his surname (if such it were) arose. For of old time and in +outlandish parts a finer humanity prevailed, and a richer practical +wisdom upon certain questions. Irregular offsets of the stock, +instead of being cast upon the world as waifs and strays, were +allowed a place in the kitchen-garden or stable-yard, and +flourished there without disgrace, while useful and obedient. Thus +for generations here the legitimate son was Yordas, and took the +house and manors; the illegitimate became Jordas, and took to the +gate, and the minding of the dogs, and any other office of +fidelity. + +The present Jordas was, however, of less immediate kin to the +owners, being only the son of a former Jordas, and in the enjoyment +of a Christian name, which never was provided for a first-hand +Jordas; and now as his mistress looked out on the terrace, his +burly figure came duly forth, and his keen eyes ranged the walks +and courts, in search of Master Lancelot, who gave him more trouble +in a day, sometimes, than all the dogs cost in a twelvemonth. With +a fine sense of mischief, this boy delighted to watch the road for +visitors, and then (if barbarously denied his proper enjoyment and +that of the dogs) he still had goodly devices of his own for +producing little tragedies. + +Mr. Jellicorse knew Jordas well, and felt some pity for him, +because, if his grandmother had been wiser, he might have been the +master now; and the lawyer, having much good feeling, liked not to +make a groom of him. Jordas, however, knew his place, and touched +his hat respectfully, then helped the solicitor to dismount, the +which was sorely needed. + +"You came not by the way of the ford, Sir?" the dogman asked, while +considering the leathers. "The water is down; you might have saved +three miles." + +"Better lose thirty than my life. Will any of your men, Master +Jordas, show me a room, where I may prepare to wait upon your +ladies?" + +Mr. Jellicorse walked through the old arched gate of the reever's +court, and was shown to a room, where he unpacked his valise, and +changed his riding clothes, and refreshed himself. A jug of +Scargate ale was brought to him, and a bottle of foreign wine, with +the cork drawn, lest he should hesitate; also a cold pie, bread and +butter, and a small case-bottle of some liqueur. He was not +hungry, for his wife had cared to victual him well for the journey; +but for fear of offense he ate a morsel, found it good, and ate +some more. Then after a sip or two of the liqueur, and a glance or +two at his black silk stockings, buckled shoes, and best small- +clothes, he felt himself fit to go before a duchess, as once upon a +time he had actually done, and expressed himself very well indeed, +according to the dialogue delivered whenever he told the story +about it every day. + +Welldrum, the butler, was waiting for him--a man who had his own +ideas, and was going to be put upon by nobody. "If my father could +only come to life for one minute, he would spend it in kicking that +man," Mrs. Carnaby had exclaimed, about him, after carefully +shutting the door; but he never showed airs before Miss Yordas. + +"Come along, Sir," Welldrum said, after one professional glance at +the tray, to ascertain his residue. "My ladies have been waiting +this half hour; and for sure, Sir, you looks wonderful! This way, +Sir, and have a care of them oak fagots. My ladies, Lawyer +Jellicorse!" + + + +CHAPTER V + +DECISION + + +The sun was well down and away behind the great fell at the back of +the house, and the large and heavily furnished room was feebly lit +by four wax candles, and the glow of the west reflected as a gleam +into eastern windows. The lawyer was pleased to have it so, and to +speak with a dimly lighted face. The ladies looked beautiful; that +was all that Mr. Jellicorse could say, when cross-examined by his +wife next day concerning their lace and velvet. Whether they wore +lace or net was almost more than he could say, for he did not heed +such trifles; but velvet was within his knowledge (though not the +color or the shape), because he thought it hot for summer, until he +remembered what the climate was. Really he could say nothing more, +except that they looked beautiful; and when Mrs. Jellicorse jerked +her head, he said that he only meant, of course, considering their +time of life. + +The ladies saw his admiration, and felt that it was but natural. +Mrs. Carnaby came forward kindly, and offered him a nice warm hand; +while the elder sister was content to bow, and thank him for +coming, and hope that he was well. As yet it had not become proper +for a gentleman, visiting ladies, to yawn, and throw himself into +the nearest chair, and cross his legs, and dance one foot, and ask +how much the toy-terrier cost. Mr. Jellicorse made a fine series +of bows, not without a scrape or two, which showed his goodly calf; +and after that he waited for the gracious invitation to sit down. + +"If I understood your letter clearly," Mistress Yordas began, when +these little rites were duly accomplished, "you have something +important to tell us concerning our poor property here. A small +property, Mr. Jellicorse, compared with that of the Duke of +Lunedale, but perhaps a little longer in one family." + +"The duke is a new-fangled interloper," replied hypocritical +Jellicorse, though no other duke was the husband of the duchess of +whom he indited daily; "properties of that sort come and go, and +only tradesmen notice it. Your estates have been longer in the +seisin of one family, madam, than any other in the Riding, or +perhaps in Yorkshire." + +"We never seized them!" cried Mrs. Carnaby, being sensitive as to +ancestral thefts, through tales about cattle-lifting. "You must be +aware that they came to us by grant from the Crown, or even before +there was any Crown to grant them." + +"I beg your pardon for using a technical word, without explaining +it. Seisin is a legal word, which simply means possession, or +rather the bodily holding of a thing, and is used especially of +corporeal hereditaments. You ladies have seisin of this house and +lands, although you never seized them." + +"The last thing we would think of doing," answered Mrs. Carnaby, +who was more impulsive than her sister, also less straightforward. +"How often we have wished that our poor lost brother had not been +deprived of them! But our father's will was sacred, and you told +us we were helpless. We struggled, as you know; but we could do +nothing." + +"That is the question which brought me here," the lawyer said, very +quietly, at the same time producing a small roll of parchment +sealed in cartridge paper. "Last week I discovered a document +which I am forced to submit to your judgment. Shall I read it to +you, or tell its purport briefly?" + +"Whatever it may be, it can not in any way alter our conclusions. +Our conclusions have never varied, however deeply they may have +grieved us. We were bound to do justice to our dear father." + +"Certainly, madam; and you did it. Also, as I know, you did it as +kindly as possible toward other relatives, and you only met with +perversity. I had the honor of preparing your respected father's +will, a model of clearness and precision, considering--considering +the time afforded, and other disturbing influences. I know for a +fact that a copy was laid before the finest draftsman in London, +by--by those who were displeased with it, and his words were: +'Beautiful! beautiful! Every word of it holds water.' Now that, +madam, can not he said of many; indeed, of not one in--" + +"Pardon, me for interrupting you, but I have always understood you +to speak highly of it. And in such a case, what can be the +matter?" + +"The matter of all matters, madam, is that the testator should have +disposing power." + +"He could dispose of his own property as he was disposed, you +mean." + +"You misapprehend me." Mr. Jellicorse now was in his element, for +he loved to lecture--an absurdity just coming into vogue. "Indulge +me one moment. I take this silver dish, for instance; it is in my +hands, I have the use of it; but can I give it to either of you +ladies?" + +"Not very well, because it belongs to us already." + +"You misapprehend me. I can not give it because it is not mine to +give." Mrs. Carnaby looked puzzled. + +"Eliza, allow me," said Mistress Yordas, in her stiffer manner, and +now for the first time interfering. "Mr. Jellicorse assures us +that his language is a model of clearness and precision; perhaps he +will prove it by telling us now, in plain words, what his meaning +is." + +"What I mean, madam, is that your respected father could devise you +a part only of this property, because the rest was not his to +devise. He only had a life-interest in it." + +"His will, therefore, fails as to some part of the property? How +much, and what part, if you please?" + +"The larger and better part of the estates, including this house +and grounds, and the home-farm." + +Mrs. Carnaby started and began to speak; but her sister moved only +to stop her, and showed no signs of dismay or anger. + +"For fear of putting too many questions at once," she said, with a +slight bow and a smile, "let me beg you to explain, as shortly as +possible, this very surprising matter." + +Mr. Jellicorse watched her with some suspicion, because she called +it so surprising, yet showed so little surprise herself. For a +moment he thought that she must have heard of the document now in +his hands; but he very soon saw that it could not be so. It was +only the ancient Yordas pride, perversity, and stiffneckedness. +And even Mrs. Carnaby, strengthened by the strength of her sister, +managed to look as if nothing more than a tale of some tenant were +pending. But this, or ten times this, availed not to deceive Mr. +Jellicorse. That gentleman, having seen much of the world, +whispered to himself that this was all "high jinks," felt himself +placed on the stool of authority, and even ventured upon a pinch of +snuff. This was unwise, and cost him dear, for the ladies would +not have been true to their birth if they had not stored it against +him. + +He, however, with a friendly mind, and a tap now and then upon his +document, to give emphasis to his story, recounted the whole of it, +and set forth how much was come of it already, and how much it +might lead to. To Scargate Hall, and the better part of the +property always enjoyed therewith, Philippa Yordas and Eliza +Carnaby had no claim whatever, except on the score of possession, +until it could be shown that their brother Duncan was dead, without +any heirs or assignment (which might have come to pass through a +son adult), and even so, his widow might come forward and give +trouble. Concerning all that, there was time enough to think; but +something must be done at once to cancel the bargain with Sir +Walter Carnaby, without letting his man of law get scent of the +fatal defect in title. And now that the ladies knew all, what did +they say? + +In answer to this, the ladies were inclined to put the whole blame +upon him, for not having managed matters better; and when he had +shown that the whole of it was done before he had any thing to do +with it, they were firmly convinced that he ought to have known it, +and found a proper remedy. And in the finished manner of well-born +ladies they gave him to know, without a strong expression, that +such an atrocity was a black stain on every legal son of Satan, +living, dead, or still to issue from Gerizim. + +"That can not affect the title now--I assure you, madam, that it +can not," the unfortunate lawyer exclaimed at last; "and as for +damages, poor old Duncombe has left no representatives, even if an +action would lie now, which is simply out of the question. On my +part no neglect can be shown, and indeed for your knowledge of the +present state of things, if humbly I may say so, you are wholly +indebted to my zeal." + +"Sir, I heartily wish," Mrs. Carnaby replied, "that your zeal had +been exhausted on your own affairs." + +"Eliza, Mr. Jellicorse has acted well, and we can not feel too much +obliged to him." Miss Yordas, having humor of a sort, smiled +faintly at the double meaning of her own words, which was not +intended. "Whatever is right must be done, of course, according to +the rule of our family. In such a case it appears to me that mere +niceties of laws, and quips and quirks, are entirely subordinate to +high sense of honor. The first consideration must be thoroughly +unselfish and pure justice." + +The lawyer looked at her with admiration. He was capable of large +sentiments. And yet a faint shadow of disappointment lingered in +the folios of his heart--there might have been such a very grand +long suit, upon which his grandson (to be born next month) might +have been enabled to settle for life, and bring up a legal family. +Justice, however, was justice, and more noble than even such +prospects. So he bowed his head, and took another pinch of snuff. + +But Mrs. Carnaby (who had wept a little, in a place beyond the +candle-light) came back with a passionate flush in her eyes, and a +resolute bearing of her well-formed neck. + +"Philippa, I am amazed at you," she said, "Mr. Jellicorse, my share +is equal with my sister's, and more, because my son comes after me. +Whatever she may do, I will never yield a pin's point of my rights, +and leave my son a beggar. Philippa, would you make Pet a beggar? +And his turtle in bed, before the sun is on the window, and his +sturgeon jelly when he gets out of bed! There never was any one, +by a good Providence, less sent into the world to be a beggar." + +Mrs. Carnaby, having discharged her meaning, began to be overcome +by it. She sat down, in fear of hysteria, but with her mind made +up to stop it; while the gallant Jellicorse was swept away by her +eloquence, mixed with professional views. But it came home to him, +from experience with his wife, that the less he said the wiser. +But while he moved about, and almost danced, in his strong desire +to be useful, there was another who sat quite still, and meant to +have the final say. + +"From some confusion of ideas, I suppose, or possibly through my +own fault," Philippa Yordas said, with less contempt in her voice +than in her mind, "it seems that I can not make my meaning clear, +even to my own sister. I said that we first must do the right, and +scorn all legal subtleties. That we must maintain unselfish +justice, and high sense of honor. Can there be any doubt what +these dictate? What sort of daughters should we be if we basely +betrayed our own father's will?" + +"Excellent, madam," the lawyer said; "that view of the case never +struck me. But there is a great deal in it." + +"Oh, Philippa, how noble you are!" her sister Eliza cried; and +cried no more, so far as tears go, for a long time afterward. + + + +CHAPTER VI + +ANERLEY FARM + + +On the eastern coast of the same great county, at more than ninety +miles of distance for a homing pigeon, and some hundred and twenty +for a carriage from the Hall of Yordas, there was in those days, +and there still may be found, a property of no vast size--snug, +however, and of good repute--and called universally "Anerley Farm." +How long it has borne that name it knows not, neither cares to moot +the question; and there lives no antiquary of enough antiquity to +decide it. A place of smiling hope, and comfort, and content with +quietude; no memory of man about it runneth to the contrary; while +every ox, and horse, and sheep, and fowl, and frisky porker, is +full of warm domestic feeling and each homely virtue. + +For this land, like a happy country, has escaped, for years and +years, the affliction of much history. It has not felt the +desolating tramp of lawyer or land-agent, nor been bombarded by +fine and recovery, lease and release, bargain and sale, Doe and Roe +and Geoffrey Styles, and the rest of the pitiless shower of slugs, +ending with a charge of Demons. Blows, and blights, and plagues of +that sort have not come to Anerley, nor any other drain of nurture +to exhaust the green of meadow and the gold of harvest. Here +stands the homestead, and here lies the meadow-land; there walk the +kine (having no call to run), and yonder the wheat in the hollow of +the hill, bowing to the silvery stroke of the wind, is touched with +the promise of increasing gold. + +As good as the cattle and the crops themselves are the people that +live upon them; or at least, in a fair degree, they try to be so; +though not of course so harmless, or faithful, or peaceful, or +charitable. But still, in proportion, they may be called as good; +and in fact they believe themselves much better. And this from no +conceit of any sort, beyond what is indispensable; for nature not +only enables but compels a man to look down upon his betters. + +From generation to generation, man, and beast, and house, and land, +have gone on in succession here, replacing, following, renewing, +repairing and being repaired, demanding and getting more support, +with such judicious give-and-take, and thoroughly good understanding, +that now in the August of this year, when Scargate Hall is full of +care, and afraid to cart a load of dung, Anerley farm is quite at +ease, and in the very best of heart, man, and horse, and land, and +crops, and the cock that crows the time of day. Nevertheless, no +acre yet in Yorkshire, or in the whole wide world, has ever been so +farmed or fenced as to exclude the step of change. + +From father to son the good lands had passed, without even a will +to disturb them, except at distant intervals; and the present owner +was Stephen Anerley, a thrifty and well-to-do Yorkshire farmer of +the olden type. Master Anerley was turned quite lately of his +fifty-second year, and hopeful (if so pleased the Lord) to turn a +good many more years yet, as a strong horse works his furrow. For +he was strong and of a cheerful face, ruddy, square, and steadfast, +built up also with firm body to a wholesome stature, and able to +show the best man on the farm the way to swing a pitchfork. Yet +might he be seen, upon every Lord's day, as clean as a new-shelled +chestnut; neither at any time of the week was he dirtier than need +be. Happy alike in the place of his birth, his lot in life, and +the wisdom of the powers appointed over him, he looked up with a +substantial faith, yet a solid reserve of judgment, to the Church, +the Justices of the Peace, spiritual lords and temporal, and above +all His Majesty George the Third. Without any reserve of judgmemt, +which could not deal with such low subjects, he looked down upon +every Dissenter, every pork-dealer, and every Frenchman. What he +was brought up to, that he would abide by; and the sin beyond +repentance, to his mind, was the sin of the turncoat. + +With all these hard-set lines of thought, or of doctrine (the +scabbard of thought, which saves its edge, and keeps it out of +mischief), Stephen Anerley was not hard, or stern, or narrow- +hearted. Kind, and gentle, and good to every one who knew "how to +behave himself," and dealing to every man full justice--meted by +his own measure--he was liable even to generous acts, after being +severe and having his own way. But if any body ever got the better +of him by lies, and not fair bettering, that man had wiser not +begin to laugh inside the Riding. Stephen Anerley was slow but +sure; not so very keen, perhaps, but grained with kerns of maxim'd +thought, to meet his uses as they came, and to make a rogue uneasy. +To move him from such thoughts was hard; but to move him from a +spoken word had never been found possible. + +The wife of this solid man was solid and well fitted to him. In +early days, by her own account, she had possessed considerable +elegance, and was not devoid of it even now, whenever she received +a visitor capable of understanding it. But for home use that gift +had been cut short, almost in the honey-moon, by a total want of +appreciation on the part of her husband. And now, after five-and- +twenty years of studying and entering into him, she had fairly +earned his firm belief that she was the wisest of women. For she +always agreed with him, when he wished it; and she knew exactly +when to contradict him, and that was before he had said a thing at +all, and while he was rolling it slowly in his mind, with a strong +tendency against it. In out-door matters she never meddled, +without being specially consulted by the master; but in-doors she +governed with watchful eyes, a firm hand, and a quiet tongue. + +This good woman now was five-and-forty years of age, vigorous, +clean, and of a very pleasant look, with that richness of color +which settles on fair women when the fugitive beauty of blushing is +past. When the work of the morning was done, and the clock in the +kitchen was only ten minutes from twelve, and the dinner was fit +for the dishing, then Mistress Anerley remembered as a rule the +necessity of looking to her own appearance. She went up stairs, +with a quarter of an hour to spare, but not to squander, and she +came down so neat that the farmer was obliged to be careful in +helping the gravy. For she always sat next to him, as she had done +before there came any children, and it seemed ever since to be the +best place for her to manage their plates and their manners as +well. + +Alas! that the kindest and wisest of women have one (if not twenty) +blind sides to them; and if any such weakness is pointed out, it is +sure to have come from their father. Mistress Anerley's weakness +was almost conspicuous to herself--she worshipped her eldest son, +perhaps the least worshipful of the family. + +Willie Anerley was a fine young fellow, two inches taller than his +father, with delicate features, and curly black hair, and cheeks as +bright as a maiden's. He had soft blue eyes, and a rich clear +voice, with a melancholy way of saying things, as if he were above +all this. And yet he looked not like a fool; neither was he one +altogether, when he began to think of things. The worst of him was +that he always wanted something new to go on with. He never could +be idle; and yet he never worked to the end which crowns the task. +In the early stage he would labor hard, be full of the greatness of +his aim, and demand every body's interest, exciting, also, mighty +hopes of what was safe to come of it. And even after that he +sometimes carried on with patience; but he had not perseverance. +Once or twice he had been on the very nick of accomplishing +something, and had driven home his nail; but then he let it spring +back without clinching. "Oh, any fool can do that!" he cried, and +never stood to it, to do it again, or to see that it came not +undone. In a word, he stuck to nothing, but swerved about, here, +there, and every where. + +His father, being of so different a cast, and knowing how often the +wisest of men must do what any fool can do, was bitterly vexed at +the flighty ways of Willie, and could do no more than hope, with a +general contempt, that when the boy grew older he might be a wiser +fool. But Willie's dear mother maintained, with great consistency, +that such a perfect wonder could never be expected to do any thing +not wonderful. To this the farmer used to listen with a grim, +decorous smile; then grumbled, as soon as he was out of hearing, +and fell to and did the little jobs himself. + +Sore jealousy of Willie, perhaps, and keen sense of injustice, as +well as high spirit and love of adventure, had driven the younger +son, Jack, from home, and launched him on a sea-faring life. With +a stick and a bundle he had departed from the ancestral fields and +lanes, one summer morning about three years since, when the cows +were lowing for the milk pail, and a royal cutter was cruising off +the Head. For a twelvemonth nothing was heard of him, until there +came a letter beginning, "Dear and respected parents," and ending, +"Your affectionate and dutiful son, Jack." The body of the letter +was of three lines only, occupied entirely with kind inquiries as +to the welfare of every body, especially his pup, and his old pony, +and dear sister Mary. + +Mary Anerley, the only daughter and the youngest child, well +deserved the best remembrance of the distant sailor, though Jack +may have gone too far in declaring (as he did till he came to his +love-time) that the world contained no other girl fit to hold a +candle to her. No doubt it would have been hard to find a girl +more true and loving, more modest and industrious; but hundreds and +hundreds of better girls might be found perhaps even in Yorkshire. + +For this maiden had a strong will of her own, which makes against +absolute perfection; also she was troubled with a strenuous hate of +injustice--which is sure, in this world, to find cause for an +outbreak--and too active a desire to rush after what is right, +instead of being well content to let it come occasionally. And so +firm could she be, when her mind was set, that she would not take +parables, or long experience, or even kindly laughter, as a power +to move her from the thing she meant. Her mother, knowing better +how the world goes on, promiscuously, and at leisure, and how the +right point slides away when stronger forces come to bear, was very +often vexed by the crotchets of the girl, and called her wayward, +headstrong, and sometimes nothing milder than "a saucy miss." + +This, however, was absurd, and Mary scarcely deigned to cry about +it, but went to her father, as she always did when any weight lay +on her mind. Nothing was said about any injustice, because that +might lead to more of it, as well as be (from a proper point of +view) most indecorous. Nevertheless, it was felt between them, +when her pretty hair was shed upon his noble waistcoat, that they +two were in the right, and cared very little who thought otherwise. + +Now it was time to leave off this; for Mary (without heed almost of +any but her mother) had turned into a full-grown damsel, comely, +sweet, and graceful. She was tall enough never to look short, and +short enough never to seem too tall, even when her best feelings +were outraged; and nobody, looking at her face, could wish to do +any thing but please her--so kind was the gaze of her deep blue +eyes, so pleasant the frankness of her gentle forehead, so playful +the readiness of rosy lips for a pretty answer or a lovely smile. +But if any could be found so callous and morose as not to be +charmed or nicely cheered by this, let him only take a longer look, +not rudely, but simply in a spirit of polite inquiry; and then +would he see, on the delicate rounding of each soft and dimpled +cheek, a carmine hard to match on palette, morning sky, or flower +bed. + +Lovely people ought to be at home in lovely places; and though this +can not be so always, as a general rule it is. At Anerley Farm the +land was equal to the stock it had to bear, whether of trees, or +corn, or cattle, hogs, or mushrooms, or mankind. The farm was not +so large or rambling as to tire the mind or foot, yet wide enough +and full of change--rich pasture, hazel copse, green valleys, +fallows brown, and golden breast-lands pillowing into nooks of +fern, clumps of shade for horse or heifer, and for rabbits sandy +warren, furzy cleve for hare and partridge, not without a little +mere for willows and for wild-ducks. And the whole of the land, +with a general slope of liveliness and rejoicing, spread itself +well to the sun, with a strong inclination toward the morning, to +catch the cheery import of his voyage across the sea. + +The pleasure of this situation was the more desirable because of +all the parts above it being bleak and dreary. Round the shoulders +of the upland, like the arch of a great arm-chair, ran a barren +scraggy ridge, whereupon no tree could stand upright, no cow be +certain of her own tail, and scarcely a crow breast the violent air +by stooping ragged pinions, so furious was the rush of wind when +any power awoke the clouds; or sometimes, when the air was jaded +with continual conflict, a heavy settlement of brackish cloud lay +upon a waste of chalky flint. + +By dint of persevering work there are many changes for the better +now, more shelter and more root-hold; but still it is a battle- +ground of winds, which rarely change their habits, for this is the +chump of the spine of the Wolds, which hulks up at last into +Flamborough Head. + +Flamborough Head, the furthest forefront of a bare and jagged +coast, stretches boldly off to eastward--a strong and rugged +barrier. Away to the north the land falls back, with coving bends, +and some straight lines of precipice and shingle, to which the +German Ocean sweeps, seldom free from sullen swell in the very best +of weather. But to the southward of the Head a different spirit +seems to move upon the face of every thing. For here is spread a +peaceful bay, and plains of brighter sea more gently furrowed by +the wind, and cliffs that have no cause to be so steep, and +bathing-places, and scarcely freckled sands, where towns may lay +their drain-pipes undisturbed. In short, to have rounded that +headland from the north is as good as to turn the corner of a +garden wall in March, and pass from a buffeted back, and bare +shivers, to a sunny front of hope all as busy as a bee, with pears +spurring forward into creamy buds of promise, peach-trees already +in a flush of tasselled pink, and the green lobe of the apricot +shedding the snowy bloom. + +Below this point the gallant skipper of the British collier, +slouching with a heavy load of grime for London, or waddling back +in ballast to his native North, alike is delighted to discover +storms ahead, and to cast his tarry anchor into soft gray calm. +For here shall he find the good shelter of friends like-minded with +himself, and of hospitable turn, having no cause to hurry any more +than he has, all too wise to command their own ships; and here will +they all jollify together while the sky holds a cloud or the locker +a drop. Nothing here can shake their ships, except a violent east +wind, against which they wet the other eye; lazy boats visit them +with comfort and delight, while white waves are leaping, in the +offing; they cherish their well-earned rest, and eat the lotus--or +rather the onion--and drink ambrosial grog; they lean upon the +bulwarks, and contemplate their shadows--the noblest possible +employment for mankind--and lo! if they care to lift their eyes, in +the south shines the quay of Bridlington, inland the long ridge of +Priory stands high, and westward in a nook, if they level well a +clear glass (after holding on the slope so many steamy ones), they +may espy Anerley Farm, and sometimes Mary Anerley herself. + +For she, when the ripple of the tide is fresh, and the glance of +the summer morn glistening on the sands, also if a little rocky +basin happens to be fit for shrimping, and only some sleepy ships +at anchor in the distance look at her, fearless she--because all +sailors are generally down at breakfast--tucks up her skirt and +gayly runs upon the accustomed play-ground, with her pony left to +wait for her. The pony is old, while she is young (although she +was born before him), and now he belies his name, "Lord Keppel," by +starting at every soft glimmer of the sea. Therefore now he is +left to roam at his leisure above high-water mark, poking his nose +into black dry weed, probing the winnow casts of yellow drift for +oats, and snorting disappointment through a gritty dance of sand- +hoppers. + +Mary has brought him down the old "Dane's Dike" for society rather +than service, and to strengthen his nerves with the dew of the +salt, for the sake of her Jack who loved him. He may do as he +likes, as he always does. If his conscience allows him to walk +home, no one will think the less of him. Having very little +conscience at his time of life (after so much contact with +mankind), he considers convenience only. To go home would suit him +very well, but his crib would be empty till his young mistress +came; moreover, there is a little dog that plagues him when his +door is open; and in spite of old age, it is something to be free, +and in spite of all experience, to hope for something good. +Therefore Lord Keppel is as faithful as the rocks; he lifts his +long heavy head, and gazes wistfully at the anchored ships, and +Mary is sure that the darling pines for his absent master. + +But she, with the multitudinous tingle of youth, runs away +rejoicing. The buoyant power and brilliance of the morning are +upon her, and the air of the bright sea lifts and spreads her, like +a pillowy skate's egg. The polish of the wet sand flickers like +veneer of maple-wood at every quick touch of her dancing feet. Her +dancing feet are as light as nature and high spirits made them, not +only quit of spindle heels, but even free from shoes and socks left +high and dry on the shingle. And lighter even than the dancing +feet the merry heart is dancing, laughing at the shadows of its own +delight; while the radiance of blue eyes springs like a fount of +brighter heaven; and the sunny hair falls, flows, or floats, to +provoke the wind for playmate. + +Such a pretty sight was good to see for innocence and largeness. +So the buoyancy of nature springs anew in those who have been +weary, when they see her brisk power inspiring the young, who never +stand still to think of her, but are up and away with her, where +she will, at the breath of her subtle encouragement. + + + +CHAPTER VII + +A DANE IN THE DIKE + + +Now, whether spy-glass had been used by any watchful mariner, or +whether only blind chance willed it, sure it is that one fine +morning Mary met with somebody. And this was the more remarkable, +when people came to think of it, because it was only the night +before that her mother had almost said as much. + +"Ye munna gaw doon to t' sea be yersell," Mistress Anerley said to +her daughter; "happen ye mought be one too many." + +Master Anerley's wife had been at "boarding-school," as far south +as Suffolk, and could speak the very best of Southern English (like +her daughter Mary) upon polite occasion. But family cares and +farm-house life had partly cured her of her education, and from +troubles of distant speech she had returned to the ease of her +native dialect. + +"And if I go not to the sea by myself," asked Mary, with natural +logic, "why, who is there now to go with me?" She was thinking of +her sadly missed comrade, Jack. + +"Happen some day, perhaps, one too many." + +The maiden was almost too innocent to blush; but her father took +her part as usual. + +"The little lass sall gaw doon," he said, "wheniver sha likes." +And so she went down the next morning. + +A thousand years ago the Dane's Dike must have been a very grand +intrenchment, and a thousand years ere that perhaps it was still +grander; for learned men say that it is a British work, wrought out +before the Danes had even learned to build a ship. Whatever, +however, may be argued about that, the wise and the witless do +agree about one thing--the stronghold inside it has been held by +Danes, while severed by the Dike from inland parts; and these Danes +made a good colony of their own, and left to their descendants +distinct speech and manners, some traces of which are existing even +now. The Dike, extending from the rough North Sea to the calmer +waters of Bridlington Bay, is nothing more than a deep dry trench, +skillfully following the hollows of the ground, and cutting off +Flamborough Head and a solid cantle of high land from the rest of +Yorkshire. The corner, so intercepted, used to be and is still +called "Little Denmark;" and the in-dwellers feel a large contempt +for all their outer neighbors. And this is sad, because Anerley +Farm lies wholly outside of the Dike, which for a long crooked +distance serves as its eastern boundary. + +Upon the morning of the self-same day that saw Mr. Jellicorse set +forth upon his return from Scargate Hall, armed with instructions +to defy the devil, and to keep his discovery quiet--upon a lovely +August morning of the first year of a new century, Mary Anerley, +blithe and gay, came riding down the grassy hollow of this ancient +Dane's Dike. This was her shortest way to the sea, and the tide +would suit (if she could only catch it) for a take of shrimps, and +perhaps even prawns, in time for her father's breakfast. And not +to lose this, she arose right early, and rousing Lord Keppel, set +forth for the spot where she kept her net covered with sea-weed. +The sun, though up and brisk already upon sea and foreland, had not +found time to rout the shadows skulking in the dingles. But even +here, where sap of time had breached the turfy ramparts, the hover +of the dew-mist passed away, and the steady light was unfolded. + +For the season was early August still, with beautiful weather come +at last; and the green world seemed to stand on tiptoe to make the +extraordinary acquaintance of the sun. Humble plants which had +long lain flat stood up with a sense of casting something off; and +the damp heavy trunks which had trickled for a twelvemonth, or been +only sponged with moss, were hailing the fresher light with keener +lines and dove-colored tints upon their smoother boles. Then, +conquering the barrier of the eastern land crest, rose the glorious +sun himself, strewing before him trees and crags in long steep +shadows down the hill. Then the sloping rays, through furze and +brush-land, kindling the sparkles of the dew, descended to the +brink of the Dike, and scorning to halt at petty obstacles, with a +hundred golden hurdles bridged it wherever any opening was. + +Under this luminous span, or through it where the crossing gullies +ran, Mary Anerley rode at leisure, allowing her pony to choose his +pace. That privilege he had long secured, in right of age, wisdom, +and remarkable force of character. Considering his time of life, +he looked well and sleek, and almost sprightly; and so, without any +reservation, did his gentle and graceful rider. The maiden looked +well in a place like that, as indeed in almost any place; but now +she especially set off the color of things, and was set off by +them. For instance, how could the silver of the dew-cloud, and +golden weft of sunrise, playing through the dapples of a partly +wooded glen, do better (in the matter of variety) than frame a +pretty moving figure in a pink checked frock, with a skirt of +russet murrey, and a bright brown hat? Not that the hat itself was +bright, even under the kiss of sunshine, simply having seen already +too much of the sun, but rather that its early lustre seemed to be +revived by a sense of the happy position it was in; the clustering +hair and the bright eyes beneath it answering the sunny dance of +life and light. Many a handsomer face, no doubt, more perfect, +grand, and lofty, received--at least if it was out of bed--the +greeting of that morning sun; but scarcely any prettier one, or +kinder, or more pleasant, so gentle without being weak, so good- +tempered without looking void of all temper at all. + +Suddenly the beauty of the time and place was broken by sharp angry +sound. Bang! bang! came the roar of muskets fired from the shore +at the mouth of the Dike, and echoing up the winding glen. At the +first report the girl, though startled, was not greatly frightened; +for the sound was common enough in the week when those most gallant +volunteers entitled the "Yorkshire Invincibles" came down for their +annual practice of skilled gunnery against the French. Their habit +was to bring down a red cock, and tether him against a chalky +cliff, and then vie with one another in shooting at him. The same +cock had tested their skill for three summers, but failed hitherto +to attest it, preferring to return in a hamper to his hens, with a +story of moving adventures. + +Mary had watched those Invincibles sometimes from a respectful +distance, and therefore felt sure (when she began to think) that +she had not them to thank for this little scare. For they always +slept soundly in the first watch of the morning; and even supposing +they had jumped up with nightmare, where was the jubilant crow of +the cock? For the cock, being almost as invincible as they were, +never could deny himself the glory of a crow when the bullet came +into his neighborhood. He replied to every volley with an elevated +comb, and a flapping of his wings, and a clarion peal, which rang +along the foreshore ere the musket roar died out. But before the +girl had time to ponder what it was, or wherefore, round the corner +came somebody, running very swiftly. + +In a moment Mary saw that this man had been shot at, and was making +for his life away; and to give him every chance she jerked her pony +aside, and called and beckoned; and without a word he flew to her. +Words were beyond him, till his breath should come back, and he +seemed to have no time to wait for that. He had outstripped the +wind, and his own wind, by his speed. + +"Poor man!" cried Mary Anerley, "what a hurry you are in! But I +suppose you can not help it. Are they shooting at you?" + +The runaway nodded, for he could not spare a breath, but was deeply +inhaling for another start, and could not even bow without +hinderance. But to show that he had manners, he took off his hat. +Then he clapped it on his head and set off again. + +"Come back!" cried the maid; "I can show you a place. I can hide +you from your enemies forever." + +The young fellow stopped. He was come to that pitch of exhaustion +in which a man scarcely cares whether he is killed or dies. And +his face showed not a sign of fear. + +"Look! That little hole--up there--by the fern. Up at once, and +this cloth over you!" + +He snatched it, and was gone, like the darting lizard, up a little +puckering side issue of the Dike, at the very same instant that +three broad figures and a long one appeared at the lip of the +mouth. The quick-witted girl rode on to meet them, to give the +poor fugitive time to get into his hole and draw the brown skirt +over him. The dazzle of the sun, pouring over the crest, made the +hollow a twinkling obscurity; and the cloth was just in keeping +with the dead stuff around. The three broad men, with heavy fusils +cocked, came up from the sea mouth of the Dike, steadily panting, +and running steadily with a long-enduring stride. Behind them a +tall bony man with a cutlass was swinging it high in the air, and +limping, and swearing with great velocity. + +"Coast-riders," thought Mary, "and he a free-trader! Four against +one is cowardice." + +"Halt!" cried the tall man, while the rest were running past her; +"halt! ground arms; never scare young ladies." Then he flourished +his hat, with a grand bow to Mary. "Fair young Mistress Anerley, I +fear we spoil your ride. But his Majesty's duty must be done. +Hats off, fellows, at the name of your king! Mary, my dear, the +most daring villain, the devil's own son, has just run up here-- +scarcely two minutes--you must have seen him. Wait a minute; tell +no lies--excuse me, I mean fibs. Your father is the right sort. +He hates those scoundrels. In the name of his Majesty, which way +is he gone?" + +"Was it--oh, was it a man, if you please? Captain Carroway, don't +say so." + +"A man? Is it likely that we shot at a woman? You are trifling. +It will be the worse for you. Forgive me--but we are in such a +hurry. Whoa! whoa! pony." + +"You always used to be so polite, Sir, that you quite surprise me. +And those guns look so dreadful! My father would be quite +astonished to see me not even allowed to go down to the sea, but +hurried back here, as if the French had landed." + +"How can I help it, if your pony runs away so?" For Mary all this +time had been cleverly contriving to increase and exaggerate her +pony's fear, and so brought the gunners for a long way up the Dike, +without giving them any time to spy at all about. She knew that +this was wicked from a loyal point of view; not a bit the less she +did it. "What a troublesome little horse it is!" she cried. "Oh, +Captain Carroway, hold him just a moment. I will jump down, and +then you can jump up, and ride after all his Majesty's enemies." + +"The Lord forbid! He slews all out of gear, like a carronade with +rotten lashings. If I boarded him, how could I get out of his way? +No, no, my dear, brace him up sharp, and bear clear." + +"But you wanted to know about some enemy, captain. An enemy as bad +as my poor Lord Keppel?" + +"Mary, my dear, the very biggest villain! A hundred golden guineas +on his head, and half for you. Think of your father, my dear, and +Sunday gowns. And you must have a young man by-and-by, you know-- +such a beautiful maid as you are. And you might get a leather +purse, and give it to him. Mary, on your duty, now?" + +"Captain, you drive me so, what can I say? I can not bear the +thought of betraying any body." + +"Of course not, Mary dear; nobody asks you. He must be half a mile +off by this time. You could never hurt him now; and you can tell +your father that you have done your duty to the king." + +"Well, Captain Carroway, if you are quite sure that it is too late +to catch him, I can tell you all about him. But remember your word +about the fifty guineas." + +"Every farthing, every farthing, Mary, whatever my wife may say to +it. Quick! quick! Which way did he run, my dear?" + +"He really did not seem to me to be running at all; he was too +tired." + +"To be sure, to be sure, a worn-out fox! We have been two hours +after him; he could not run; no more can we. But which way did he +go, I mean?" + +"I will not say any thing for certain, Sir; even for fifty guineas. +But he may have come up here--mind, I say not that he did--and if +so, he might have set off again for Sewerby. Slowly, very slowly, +because of being tired. But perhaps, after all, he was not the man +you mean." + +"Forward, double-quick! We are sure to have him!" shouted the +lieutenant--for his true rank was that--flourishing his cutlass +again, and setting off at a wonderful pace, considering his limp. +"Five guineas every man Jack of you. Thank you, young mistress-- +most heartily thank you. Dead or alive, five guineas!" + +With gun and sword in readiness, they all rushed off; but one of +the party, named John Cadman, shook his head and looked back with +great mistrust at Mary, having no better judgment of women than +this, that he never could believe even his own wife. And he knew +that it was mainly by the grace of womankind that so much +contraband work was going on. Nevertheless, it was out of his +power to act upon his own low opinions now. + +The maiden, blushing deeply with the sense of her deceit, was +informed by her guilty conscience of that nasty man's suspicions, +and therefore gave a smack with her fern whip to Lord Keppel, +impelling him to join, like a loyal little horse, the pursuit of +his Majesty's enemies. But no sooner did she see all the men +dispersed, and scouring the distance with trustful ardor, than she +turned her pony's head toward the sea again, and rode back round +the bend of the hollow. What would her mother say if she lost the +murrey skirt, which had cost six shillings at Bridlington fair? +And ten times that money might be lost much better than for her +father to discover how she lost it. For Master Stephen Anerley was +a straight-backed man, and took three weeks of training in the Land +Defense Yeomanry, at periods not more than a year apart, so that +many people called him "Captain" now; and the loss of his +suppleness at knee and elbow had turned his mind largely to +politics, making him stiffly patriotic, and especially hot against +all free-traders putting bad bargains to his wife, at the cost of +the king and his revenue. If the bargain were a good one, that was +no concern of his. + +Not that Mary, however, could believe, or would even have such a +bad mind as to imagine, that any one, after being helped by her, +would be mean enough to run off with her property. And now she +came to think of it, there was something high and noble, she might +almost say something downright honest, in the face of that poor +persecuted man. And in spite of all his panting, how brave he must +have been, what a runner, and how clever, to escape from all those +cowardly coast-riders shooting right and left at him! Such a man +steal that paltry skirt that her mother made such a fuss about! +She was much more likely to find it in her clothes-press filled +with golden guineas. + +Before she was as certain as she wished to be of this (by reason of +shrewd nativity), and while she believed that the fugitive must +have seized such a chance and made good his escape toward North Sea +or Flamborough, a quick shadow glanced across the long shafts of +the sun, and a bodily form sped after it. To the middle of the +Dike leaped a young man, smiling, and forth from the gully which +had saved his life. To look at him, nobody ever could have guessed +how fast he had fled, and how close he had lain hid. For he stood +there as clean and spruce and careless as even a sailor can be +wished to be. Limber yet stalwart, agile though substantial, and +as quick as a dart while as strong as a pike, he seemed cut out by +nature for a true blue-jacket; but condition had made him a +smuggler, or, to put it more gently, a free-trader. Britannia, +being then at war with all the world, and alone in the right (as +usual), had need of such lads, and produced them accordingly, and +sometimes one too many. But Mary did not understand these laws. + +This made her look at him with great surprise, and almost doubt +whether he could be the man, until she saw her skirt neatly folded +in his hand, and then she said, "How do you do, Sir?" + +The free-trader looked at her with equal surprise. He had been in +such a hurry, and his breath so short, and the chance of a fatal +bullet after him so sharp, that his mind had been astray from any +sense of beauty, and of every thing else except the safety of the +body. But now he looked at Mary, and his breath again went from +him. + +"You can run again now; I am sure of it," said she; "and if you +would like to do any thing to please me, run as fast as possible." + +"What have I to run away from now?" he answered, in a deep sweet +voice. "I run from enemies, but not from friends." + +"That is very wise. But your enemies are still almost within call +of you. They will come back worse than ever when they find you are +not there." + +"I am not afraid, fair lady, for I understand their ways. I have +led them a good many dances before this; though it would have been +my last, without your help. They will go on, all the morning, in +the wrong direction, even while they know it. Carroway is the most +stubborn of men. He never turns back; and the further he goes, the +better his bad leg is. They will scatter about, among the fields +and hedges, and call one another like partridges. And when they +can not take another step, they will come back to Anerley for +breakfast." + +"I dare say they will; and we shall be glad to see them. My father +is a soldier, and his duty is to nourish and comfort the forces of +the king." + +"Then you are young Mistress Anerley? I was sure of it before. +There are no two such. And you have saved my life. It is +something to owe it so fairly." + +The young sailor wanted to kiss Mary's hand; but not being used to +any gallantry, she held out her hand in the simplest manner to take +back her riding skirt; and he, though longing in his heart to keep +it, for a token or pretext for another meeting, found no excuse for +doing so. And yet he was not without some resource. + +For the maiden was giving him a farewell smile, being quite content +with the good she had done, and the luck of recovering her +property; and that sense of right which in those days formed a part +of every good young woman said to her plainly that she must be off. +And she felt how unkind it was to keep him any longer in a place +where the muzzle of a gun, with a man behind it, might appear at +any moment. But he, having plentiful breath again, was at home +with himself to spend it. + +"Fair young lady," he began, for he saw that Mary liked to be +called a lady, because it was a novelty, "owing more than I ever +can pay you already, may I ask a little more? Then it is that, on +your way down to the sea, you would just pick up (if you should +chance to see it) the fellow ring to this, and perhaps you will +look at this to know it by. The one that was shot away flew +against a stone just on the left of the mouth of the Dike, but I +durst not stop to look for it, and I must not go back that way now. +It is more to me than a hatful of gold, though nobody else would +give a crown for it." + +"And they really shot away one of your ear-rings? Careless, cruel, +wasteful men! What could they have been thinking of?" + +"They were thinking of getting what is called 'blood-money.' One +hundred pounds for Robin Lyth. Dead or alive--one hundred pounds." + +"It makes me shiver, with the sun upon me. Of course they must +offer money for--for people. For people who have killed other +people, and bad things--but to offer a hundred pounds for a free- +trader, and fire great guns at him to get it--I never should have +thought it of Captain Carroway." + +"Carroway only does his duty. I like him none the worse for it. +Carroway is a fool, of course. His life has been in my hands fifty +times; but I will never take it. He must be killed sooner or +later, because he rushes into every thing. But never will it be my +doing." + +"Then are you the celebrated Robin Lyth--the new Robin Hood, as +they call him? The man who can do almost any thing?" + +"Mistress Anerley, I am Robin Lyth; but, as you have seen, I can +not do much. I can not even search for my own earring." + +"I will search for it till I find it. They have shot at you too +much. Cowardly, cowardly people! Captain Lyth, where shall I put +it, if I find it?" + +"If you could hide it for a week, and then--then tell me where to +find it, in the afternoon, toward four o'clock, in the lane toward +Bempton Cliffs. We are off tonight upon important business. We +have been too careless lately, from laughing at poor Carroway." + +"You are very careless now. You quite frighten me almost. The +coast-riders might come back at any moment. And what could you do +then?" + +"Run away gallantly, as I did before; with this little difference, +that I should be fresh, while they are as stiff as nut-cracks. +They have missed the best chance they ever had at me; it will make +their temper very bad. If they shot at me again, they could do no +good. Crooked mood makes crooked mode." + +"You forget that I should not see such things. You may like very +much to be shot at; but--but you should think of other people." + +"I shall think of you only--I mean of your great kindness, and your +promise to keep my ring for me. Of course you will tell nobody, +Carroway will have me like a tiger if you do. Farewell, young +lady--for one week farewell." + +With a wave of his hat he was gone, before Mary had time to retract +her promise; and she thought of her mother, as she rode on slowly +to look for the smuggler's trinket. + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +CAPTAIN CARROWAY + + +Fame, that light-of-love trusted by so many, and never a wife till +a widow--fame, the fair daughter of fuss and caprice, may yet take +the phantom of bold Robin Lyth by the right hand, and lead it to a +pedestal almost as lofty as Robin Hood's, or she may let it vanish +like a bat across Lethe--a thing not bad enough for eminence. + +However, at the date and in the part of the world now dealt with, +this great free-trader enjoyed the warm though possibly brief +embrace of fame, having no rival, and being highly respected by all +who were unwarped by a sense of duty. And blessed as he was with a +lively nature, he proceeded happily upon his path in life, +notwithstanding a certain ticklish sense of being shot at +undesirably. This had befallen him now so often, without producing +any tangible effect, that a great many people, and especially the +shooters (convinced of the accuracy of their aim), went far to +believe that he possessed some charm against wholesome bullet and +gunpowder. And lately even a crooked sixpence dipped in holy water +(which was still to be had in Yorkshire) confirmed and doubled the +faith of all good people, by being declared upon oath to have +passed clean through him, as was proved by its being picked up +quite clean. + +This strong belief was of great use to him; for, like many other +beliefs, it went a very long way to prove itself. Steady left +hands now grew shaky in the level of the carbine, and firm +forefingers trembled slightly upon draught of trigger, and the +chief result of a large discharge was a wale upon the marksman's +shoulder. Robin, though so clever and well practiced in the world, +was scarcely old enough yet to have learned the advantage of +misapprehension, which, if well handled by any man, helps him, in +the cunning of paltry things, better than a truer estimate. But +without going into that, he was pleased with the fancy of being +invulnerable, which not only doubled his courage, but trebled the +discipline of his followers, and secured him the respect of all +tradesmen. However, the worst of all things is that just when they +are establishing themselves, and earning true faith by continuance, +out of pure opposition the direct contrary arises, and begins to +prove itself. And to Captain Lyth this had just happened in the +shot which carried off his left ear-ring. + +Not that his body, or any fleshly member, could be said directly to +have parted with its charm, but that a warning and a diffidence +arose from so near a visitation. All genuine sailors are blessed +with strong faith, as they must be, by nature's compensation. +Their bodies continually going up and down upon perpetual fluxion, +they never could live if their minds did the same, like the minds +of stationary landsmen. Therefore their minds are of stanch +immobility, to restore the due share of firm element. And not only +that, but these men have compressed (through generations of +circumstance), from small complications, simplicity. Being out in +all weathers, and rolling about so, how can they stand upon +trifles? Solid stays, and stanchions, and strong bulwarks are +their need, and not a dance of gnats in gossamer; hating all fogs, +they blow not up with their own breath misty mysteries, and gazing +mainly at the sky and sea, believe purely in God and the devil. In +a word, these sailors have religion. + +Some of their religion is not well pronounced, but declares itself +in overstrong expressions. However, it is in them, and at any +moment waiting opportunity of action--a shipwreck or a grape-shot; +and the chaplain has good hopes of them when the doctor has given +them over. + +Now one of their principal canons of faith, and the one best +observed in practice, is (or at any rate used to be) that a man is +bound to wear ear-rings. For these, as sure tradition shows, and +no pious mariner would dare to doubt, act as a whetstone in all +weathers to the keen edge of the eyes. Semble--as the lawyers say-- +that this idea was born of great phonetic facts in the days when a +seaman knew his duty better than the way to spell it; and when, if +his outlook were sharpened by a friendly wring from the captain of +the watch, he never dreamed of a police court. + +But Robin Lyth had never cared to ask why he wore ear-rings. His +nature was not meditative. Enough for him that all the other men +of Flamborough did so; and enough for them that their fathers had +done it. Whether his own father had done so, was more than he +could say, because he knew of no such parent; and of that other +necessity, a mother, he was equally ignorant. His first appearance +at Flamborough, though it made little stir at the moment in a place +of so many adventures, might still be considered unusual, and in +some little degree remarkable. So that Mistress Anerley was not +wrong when she pressed upon Lieutenant Carroway how unwise it might +be to shoot him, any more than Carroway himself was wrong in +turning in at Anerley gate for breakfast. + +This he had not done without good cause of honest and loyal +necessity. Free-trading Robin had predicted well the course of his +pursuers. Rushing eagerly up the Dike, and over its brim, with +their muskets, that gallant force of revenue men steadily scoured +the neighborhood; and the further they went, the worse they fared. +There was not a horse standing down by a pool, with his stiff legs +shut up into biped form, nor a cow staring blandly across an old +rail, nor a sheep with a pectoral cough behind a hedge, nor a +rabbit making rustle at the eyebrow of his hole, nor even a moot, +that might either be a man or hold a man inside it, whom or which +those active fellows did not circumvent and poke into. In none of +these, however, could they find the smallest breach of the +strictest laws of the revenue; until at last, having exhausted +their bodies by great zeal both of themselves and of mind, they +braced them again to the duty of going, as promptly as possible, to +breakfast. + +For a purpose of that kind few better places, perhaps, could be +found than this Anerley Farm, though not at the best of itself just +now, because of the denials of the season. It is a sad truth about +the heyday of the year, such as August is in Yorkshire--where they +have no spring--that just when a man would like his victuals to +rise to the mark of the period, to be simple yet varied, +exhilarating yet substantial, the heat of the summer day defrauds +its increased length for feeding. For instance, to cite a very +trifling point--at least in some opinions--August has banished that +bright content and most devout resignation which ensue the removal +of a petted pig from this troublous world of grunt. The fat pig +rolls in wallowing rapture, defying his friends to make pork of him +yet, and hugs with complacence unpickleable hams. The partridge +among the pillared wheat, tenderly footing the way for his chicks, +and teaching little balls of down to hop, knows how sacred are +their lives to others as well as to himself; and the less paternal +cock-pheasant scratches the ridge of green-shouldered potatoes, +without fear of keeping them company at table. + +But though the bright glory of the griddle remains in suspense for +the hoary mornings, and hooks that carried woodcocks once, and hope +to do so yet again, are primed with dust instead of lard, and the +frying-pan hangs on the cellar nail with a holiday gloss of raw +mutton suet, yet is there still some comfort left, yet dappled +brawn, and bacon streaked, yet golden-hearted eggs, and mushrooms +quilted with pink satin, spiced beef carded with pellucid fat, +buckstone cake, and brown bread scented with the ash of gorse +bloom--of these, and more that pave the way into the good-will of +mankind, what lack have fine farm-houses? + +And then, again, for the liquid duct, the softer and more +sensitive, the one that is never out of season, but perennially +clear--here we have advantage of the gentle time that mellows +thirst. The long ride of the summer sun makes men who are in +feeling with him, and like him go up and down, not forego the moral +of his labor, which is work and rest. Work all day, and light the +rounded land with fruit and nurture, and rest at evening, looking +through bright fluid, as the sun goes down. + +But times there are when sun and man, by stress of work, or clouds, +or light, or it may be some Process of the Equinox, make draughts +upon the untilted day, and solace themselves in the morning. For +lack of dew the sun draws lengthy sucks of cloud quite early, and +men who have labored far and dry, and scattered the rime of the +night with dust, find themselves ready about 8 A.M. for the golden +encouragement of gentle ale. + +The farm-house had an old porch of stone, with a bench of stone on +either side, and pointed windows trying to look out under brows of +ivy; and this porch led into the long low hall, where the breakfast +was beginning. To say what was on the table would be only waste of +time, because it has all been eaten so long ago; but the farmer was +vexed because there were no shrimps. Not that he cared half the +clip of a whisker for all the shrimps that ever bearded the sea, +only that he liked to seem to love them, to keep Mary at work for +him. The flower of his flock, and of all the flocks of the world +of the universe to his mind, was his darling daughter Mary: the +strength of his love was upon her, and he liked to eat any thing of +her cooking. + +His body was too firm to fidget; but his mind was out of its usual +comfort, because the pride of his heart, his Mary, seemed to be +hiding something from him. And with the justice to be expected +from far clearer minds than his, being vexed by one, he was ripe +for the relief of snapping at fifty others. Mary, who could read +him, as a sailor reads his compass, by the corner of one eye, +awaited with good content the usual result--an outbreak of words +upon the indolent Willie, whenever that young farmer should come +down to breakfast, then a comforting glance from the mother at her +William, followed by a plate kept hot for him, and then a fine +shake of the master's shoulders, and a stamp of departure for +business. But instead of that, what came to pass was this. + +In the first place, a mighty bark of dogs arose; as needs must be, +when a man does his duty toward the nobler animals; for sure it is +that the dogs will not fail of their part. Then an inferior noise +of men, crying, "Good dog! good dog!" and other fulsome flatteries, +in the hope of avoiding any tooth-mark on their legs; and after +that a shaking down and settlement of sounds, as if feet were +brought into good order, and stopped. Then a tall man, with a body +full of corners, and a face of grim temper, stood in the doorway. + +"Well, well, captain, now!" cried Stephen Anerley, getting up after +waiting to be spoken to, "the breath of us all is hard to get, with +doing of our duty, Sir. Come ye in, and sit doon to table, and his +Majesty's forces along o' ye." + +"Cadman, Ellis, and Dick, be damned!" the lieutenant shouted out to +them; "you shall have all the victuals you want, by-and-by. Cross +legs, and get your winds up. Captain of the coast-defense, I am +under your orders, in your own house." Carroway was starving, as +only a man with long and active jaws can starve; and now the +appearance of the farmer's mouth, half full of a kindly relish, +made the emptiness of his own more bitter. But happen what might, +he resolved, as usual, to enforce strict discipline, to feed +himself first, and his men in proper order. + +"Walk in gentlemen, all walk in," Master Anerley shouted, as if all +men were alike, and coming to the door with a hospitable stride; +"glad to see all of ye, upon my soul I am. Ye've hit upon the +right time for coming, too; though there might 'a been more upon +the table. Mary, run, that's a dear, and fetch your grandfather's +big Sabbath carver. Them peaky little clams a'most puts out all my +shoulder-blades, and wunna bite through a twine of gristle. Plates +for all the gentlemen, Winnie lass! Bill, go and drah the black +jarge full o' yell." + +The farmer knew well enough that Willie was not down yet; but this +was his manner of letting people see that he did not approve of +such hours. + +"My poor lad Willie," said the mistress of the house, returning +with a courtesy the brave lieutenant's scrape, "I fear he hath the +rheum again, overheating of himself after sungate." + +"Ay, ay, I forgot. He hath to heat himself in bed again, with the +sun upon his coverlid. Mary lof, how many hours was ye up?" + +"Your daughter, Sir," answered the lieutenant, with a glance at the +maiden over the opal gleam of froth, which she had headed up for +him--"your daughter has been down the Dike before the sun was, and +doing of her duty by the king and by his revenue. Mistress +Anerley, your good health! Master Anerley, the like to you, and +your daughter, and all of your good household." Before they had +finished their thanks for this honor, the quart pot was set down +empty. "A very pretty brew, Sir--a pretty brew indeed! Fall back, +men! Have heed of discipline. A chalked line is what they want, +Sir. Mistress Anerley, your good health again. The air is now +thirsty in the mornings. If those fellows could be given a bench +against the wall--a bench against the wall is what they feel for +with their legs. It comes so natural to their--yes, yes, their +legs, and the crook of their heels, ma'am, from what they were +brought up to sit upon. And if you have any beer brewed for +washing days, ma'am, that is what they like, and the right thing +for their bellies. Cadman, Ellis, and Dick Hackerbody, sit down +and be thankful." + +"But surely, Captain Carroway, you would never be happy to sit down +without them. Look at their small-clothes, the dust and the dirt! +And their mouths show what you might make of them." + +"Yes, madam, yes; the very worst of them is that. They are always +looking out, here, there, and every where, for victuals +everlasting. Let them wait their proper time, and then they do it +properly." + +"Their proper time is now, Sir. Winnie, fill their horns up. +Mary, wait you upon the officer. Captain Carroway, I will not have +any body starve in my house." + +"Madam, you are the lawgiver in your own house. Men of the coast- +guard, fall to upon your victuals." + +The lieutenant frowned horribly at his men, as much as to say, +"Take no advantage, but show your best manners;" and they touched +their forelocks with a pleasant grin, and began to feed rapidly; +and verily their wives would have said that it was high time for +them. Feeding, as a duty, was the order of the day, and discipline +had no rank left. Good things appeared and disappeared, with the +speedy doom of all excellence. Mary, and Winnie the maid, flitted +in and out like carrier-pigeons. + +"Now when the situation comes to this," said the farmer at last, +being heartily pleased with the style of their feeding and +laughing, "his Majesty hath made an officer of me, though void of +his own writing. Mounted Fencibles, Filey Briggers, called in the +foreign parts 'Brigadiers.' Not that I stand upon sermonry about +it, except in the matter of his Majesty's health, as never is due +without ardent spirits. But my wife hath a right to her own way, +and never yet I knowed her go away from it." + +"Not so, by any means," the mistress said, and said it so quietly +that some believed her; "I never was so much for that. Captain, +you are a married man. But reason is reason, in the middle of us +all, and what else should I say to my husband? Mary lass, Mary +lof, wherever is your duty? The captain hath the best pot empty!" + +With a bright blush Mary sprang up to do her duty. In those days +no girl was ashamed to blush; and the bloodless cheek savored of +small-pox. + +"Hold up your head, my lof," her father said aloud, with a smile of +tidy pride, and a pat upon her back; "no call to look at all +ashamed, my dear. To my mind, captain, though I may be wrong, +however, but to my mind, this little maid may stan' upright in the +presence of downright any one." + +"There lies the very thing that never should be said. Captain, you +have seven children, or it may be eight of them justly. And the +pride of life--Mary, you be off!" + +Mary was glad to run away, for she liked not to be among so many +men. But her father would not have her triumphed over. + +"Speak for yourself, good wife," he said. "I know what you have +got behind, as well as rooks know plough-tail. Captain, you never +heard me say that the lass were any booty, but the very same as God +hath made her, and thankful for straight legs and eyes. Howsoever, +there might be worse-favored maidens, without running out of the +Riding." + +"You may ride all the way to the city of London," the captain +exclaimed, with a clinch of his fist, "or even to Portsmouth, where +my wife came from, and never find a maid fit to hold a candle for +Mary to curl her hair by." + +The farmer was so pleased that he whispered something; but Carroway +put his hand before his mouth, and said, "Never, no, never in the +morning!" But in spite of that, Master Anerley felt in his pocket +for a key, and departed. + +"Wicked, wicked, is the word I use," protested Mrs. Anerley, "for +all this fribble about rooks and looks, and holding of candles, and +curling of hair. When I was Mary's age--oh dear! It may not be so +for your daughters, captain; but evil for mine was the day that +invented those proud swinging-glasses." + +"That you may pronounce, ma'am, and I will say Amen. Why, my +eldest daughter, in her tenth year now--" + +"Come, Captain Carroway," broke in the farmer, returning softly +with a square old bottle, "how goes the fighting with the Crappos +now? Put your legs up, and light your pipe, and tell us all the +news." + +"Cadman, and Ellis, and Dick Hackerbody," the lieutenant of the +coast-guard shouted, "you have fed well. Be off, men; no more +neglect of duty! Place an outpost at fork of the Sewerby road, and +strictly observe the enemy, while I hold a council of war with my +brother officer, Captain Anerley. Half a crown for you, if you +catch the rogue, half a crown each, and promotion of twopence. +Attention, eyes right, make yourselves scarce! Well, now the +rogues are gone, let us make ourselves at home. Anerley, your +question is a dry one. A dry one; but this is uncommonly fine +stuff! How the devil has it slipped through our fingers? Never +mind that, inter amicos--Sir, I was at school at Shrewsbury--but as +to the war, Sir, the service is going to the devil, for the want of +pure principle." + +The farmer nodded; and his looks declared that to some extent he +felt it. He had got the worst side of some bargains that week; but +his wife had another way of thinking. + +"Why, Captain Carroway, whatever could be purer? When you were at +sea, had you ever a man of the downright principles of Nelson?" + +"Nelson has done very well in his way; but he is a man who has +risen too fast, as other men rise too slowly. Nothing in him; no +substance, madam; I knew him as a youngster, and I could have +tossed him on a marling-spike. And instead of feeding well, Sir, +he quite wore himself away. To my firm knowledge, he would +scarcely turn the scale upon a good Frenchman of half of the peas. +Every man should work his own way up, unless his father did it for +him. In my time we had fifty men as good, and made no fuss about +them." + +"And you not the last of them, captain, I dare say. Though I do +love to hear of the Lord's Lord Nelson, as the people call him. If +ever a man fought his own way up--" + +"Madam, I know him, and respect him well. He would walk up to the +devil, with a sword between his teeth, and a boarder's pistol in +each hand. Madam, I leaped, in that condition, a depth of six +fathoms and a half into the starboard mizzen-chains of the French +line-of-battle ship Peace and Thunder." + +"Oh, Captain Carroway, how dreadful! What had you to lay hold +with?" + +"At such times a man must not lay hold. My business was to lay +about; and I did it to some purpose. This little slash, across my +eyes struck fire, and it does the same now by moonlight." + +One of the last men in the world to brag was Lieutenant Carroway. +Nothing but the great thirst of this morning, and strong necessity +of quenching it, could ever have led him to speak about himself, +and remember his own little exploits. But the farmer was pleased, +and said, "Tell us some more, Sir." + +"Mistress Anerley," the captain answered, shutting up the scar, +which he was able to expand by means of a muscle of excitement, +"you know that a man should drop these subjects when he has got a +large family. I have been in the Army and the Navy, madam, and now +I am in the Revenue; but my duty is first to my own house." + +"Do take care, Sir; I beg you to be careful. Those free-traders +now are come to such a pitch that any day or night they may shoot +you." + +"Not they, madam. No, they are not murderers. In a hand-to-hand +conflict they might do it, as I might do the same to them. This +very morning my men shot at the captain of all smugglers, Robin +Lyth, of Flamborough, with a hundred guineas upon his head. It was +no wish of mine; but my breath was short to stop them, and a man +with a family like mine can never despise a hundred guineas." + +"Why, Sophy," said the farmer, thinking slowly, with a frown, "that +must have been the noise come in at window, when I were getting up +this morning. I said, 'Why, there's some poacher fellow popping at +the conies!' and out I went straight to the warren to see. Three +gun-shots, or might 'a been four. How many men was you shooting +at?" + +"The force under my command was in pursuit of one notorious +criminal--that well-known villain, Robin Lyth." + +"Captain, your duty is to do your duty. But without your own word +for it, I never would believe that you brought four gun muzzles +down upon one man." + +"The force under my command carried three guns only. It was not in +their power to shoot off four." + +"Captain, I never would have done it in your place. I call it no +better than unmanly. Now go you not for to stir yourself amiss. +To look thunder at me is what I laugh at. But many things are done +in a hurry, Captain Carroway, and I take it that this was one of +them." + +"As to that, no! I will not have it. All was in thorough good +order. I was never so much as a cable's length behind, though the +devil, some years ago, split my heel up, like his own, Sir." + +"Captain, I see it, and I ask your pardon. Your men were out of +reach of hollering. At our time of life the wind dies quick, from +want of blowing oftener." + +"Stuff!" cried the captain. "Who was the freshest that came to +your hospitable door, Sir? I will foot it with any man for six +leagues, but not for half a mile, ma'am. I depart from nothing. I +said, 'Fire!' and fire they did, and they shall again. What do +Volunteers know of the service?" + +"Stephen, you shall not say a single other word;" Mistress Anerley +stopped her husband thus; "these matters are out of your line +altogether; because you have never taken any body's blood. The +captain here is used to it, like all the sons of Belial, brought up +in the early portions of the Holy Writ." + +Lieutenant Carroway's acquaintance with the Bible was not more +extensive than that of other officers, and comprised little more +than the story of Joseph, and that of David and Goliath; so he +bowed to his hostess for her comparison, while his gaunt and +bristly countenance gave way to a pleasant smile. For this officer +of the British Crown had a face of strong features, and upon it +whatever he thought was told as plainly as the time of day is told +by the clock in the kitchen. At the same time, Master Anerley was +thinking that he might have said more than a host should say +concerning a matter which, after all, was no particular concern of +his; whereas it was his special place to be kind to any visitor. +All this he considered with a sound grave mind, and then stretched +forth his right hand to the officer. + +Carroway, being a generous man, would not be outdone in apologies. +So these two strengthened their mutual esteem, without any +fighting--which generally is the quickest way of renewing respect-- +and Mistress Anerley, having been a little frightened, took credit +to herself for the good words she had used. Then the farmer, who +never drank cordials, although he liked to see other people do it, +set forth to see a man who was come about a rick, and sundry other +business. But Carroway, in spite of all his boasts, was stiff, +though he bravely denied that he could be; and when the good +housewife insisted on his stopping to listen to something that was +much upon her mind, and of great importance to the revenue, he +could not help owning that duty compelled him to smoke another +pipe, and hearken. + + + +CHAPTER IX + +ROBIN COCKSCROFT + + +Nothing ever was allowed to stop Mrs. Anerley from seeing to the +bedrooms. She kept them airing for about three hours at this time +of the sun-stitch--as she called all the doings of the sun upon the +sky--and then there was pushing, and probing, and tossing, and +pulling, and thumping, and kneading of knuckles, till the rib of +every feather was aching; and then (like dough before the fire) +every well-belabored tick was left to yeast itself a while. +Winnie, the maid, was as strong as a post, and wore them all out in +bed-making. Carroway heard the beginning of this noise, but none +of it meddled at all with his comfort; he lay back nicely in a +happy fit of chair, stretched his legs well upon a bench, and +nodded, keeping slow time with the breathings of his pipe, and +drawing a vapory dream of ease. He had fared many stony miles +afoot that morning; and feet, legs, and body were now less young +than they used to be once upon a time. Looking up sleepily, the +captain had idea of a pretty young face hanging over him, and a +soft voice saying, "It was me who did it all," which was very good +grammar in those days; "will you forgive me? But I could not help +it, and you must have been sorry to shoot him." + +"Shoot every body who attempts to land," the weary man ordered, +drowsily. "Mattie, once more, you are not to dust my pistols." + +"I could not be happy without telling you the truth," the soft +voice continued, "because I told you such a dreadful story. And +now--Oh! here comes mother!" + +"What has come over you this morning, child? You do the most +extraordinary things, and now you can not let the captain rest. Go +round and look for eggs this very moment. You will want to be +playing fine music next. Now, captain, I am at your service, if +you please, unless you feel too sleepy." + +"Mistress Anerley, I never felt more wide-awake in all my life. We +of the service must snatch a wink whenever we can, but with one eye +open; and it is not often that we see such charming sights." + +The farmer's wife having set the beds to "plump," had stolen a look +at the glass, and put on her second-best Sunday cap, in honor of a +real officer; and she looked very nice indeed, especially when she +received a compliment. But she had seen too much of life to be +disturbed thereby. + +"Ah, Captain Carroway, what ways you have of getting on with simple +people, while you are laughing all the time at them! It comes of +the foreign war experience, going on so long that in the end we +shall all be foreigners. But one place there is that you never can +conquer, nor Boneypart himself, to my belief." + +"Ah, you mean Flamborough--Flamborough, yes! It is a nest of +cockatrices." + +"Captain, it is nothing of the sort. It is the most honest place +in all the world. A man may throw a guinea on the crossroads in +the night, and have it back from Dr. Upandown any time within seven +years. You ought to know by this time what they are, hard as it is +to get among them." + +"I only know that they can shut their mouths; and the devil +himself--I beg your pardon, madam--Old Nick himself never could +unscrew them." + +"You are right, Sir. I know their manner well. They are open as +the sky with one another, but close as the grave to all the world +outside them, and most of all to people of authority like you." + +"Mistress Anerley, you have just hit it. Not a word can I get out +of them. The name of the king--God bless him!--seems to have no +weight among them." + +"And you can not get at them, Sir, by any dint of money, or even by +living in the midst of them. The only way to do it is by kin of +blood, or marriage. And that is how I come to know more about them +than almost any body else outside. My master can scarcely win a +word of them even, kind as he is, and well-spoken; and neither +might I, though my tongue was tenfold, if it were not for Joan +Cockscroft. But being Joan's cousin, I am like one of themselves." + +"Cockscroft! Cockscroft? I have heard that name. Do they keep +the public-house there?" + +The lieutenant was now on the scent of duty, and assumed his most +knowing air, the sole effect of which was to put every body upon +guard against him. For this was a man of no subtlety, but +straightforward, downright, and ready to believe; and his cleverest +device was to seem to disbelieve. + +"The Cockscrofts keep no public-house," Mrs. Anerley answered, with +a little flush of pride. "Why, she was half-niece to my own +grandmother, and never was beer in the family. Not that it would +have been wrong, if it was. Captain, you are thinking of Widow +Precious, licensed to the Cod with the hook in his gills. I should +have thought, Sir, that you might have known a little more of your +neighbors having fallen below the path of life by reason of bad +bank-tokens. Banking came up in her parts like dog-madness, as it +might have done here, if our farmers were the fools to handle their +cash with gloves on. And Joan became robbed by the fault of her +trustees, the very best bakers in Scarborough, though Robin never +married her for it, thank God! Still it was very sad, and scarcely +bears describing of, and pulled them in the crook of this world's +swing to a lower pitch than if they had robbed the folk that robbed +and ruined them. And Robin so was driven to the fish again, which +he always had hankered after. It must have been before you heard +of this coast, captain, and before the long war was so hard on us, +that every body about these parts was to double his bags by +banking, and no man was right to pocket his own guineas, for fear +of his own wife feeling them. And bitterly such were paid out for +their cowardice and swindling of their own bosoms." + +"I have heard of it often, and it served them right. Master +Anerley knew where his money was safe, ma'am!" + +"Neither Captain Robin Cockscroft nor his wife was in any way to +blame," answered Mrs. Anerley. "I have framed my mind to tell you +about them; and I will do it truly, if I am not interrupted. Two +hammers never yet drove a nail straight, and I make a rule of +silence when my betters wish to talk." + +"Madam, you remind me of my own wife. She asks me a question, and +she will not let me answer." + +"That is the only way I know of getting on. Mistress Carroway must +understand you, captain. I was at the point of telling you how my +cousin Joan was married, before her money went, and when she was +really good-looking. I was quite a child, and ran along the shore +to see it. It must have been in the high summer-time, with the +weather fit for bathing, and the sea as smooth as a duck-pond. And +Captain Robin, being well-to-do, and established with every thing +except a wife, and pleased with the pretty smile and quiet ways of +Joan--for he never had heard of her money, mind--put his oar into +the sea and rowed from Flamborough all the way to Filey Brigg, with +thirty-five fishermen after him; for the Flamborough people make a +point of seeing one another through their troubles. And Robin was +known for the handsomest man and the uttermost fisher of the +landing, with three boats of his own, and good birth, and long sea- +lines. And there at once they found my cousin Joan, with her +trustees, come overland, four wagons and a cart in all of them; and +after they were married, they burned sea-weed, having no fear in +those days of invasions. And a merry day they made of it, and +rowed back by the moonshine. For every one liked and respected +Captain Cockscroft on account of his skill with the deep-sea lines, +and the openness of his hands when full--a wonderful quiet and +harmless man, as the manner is of all great fishermen. They had +bacon for breakfast whenever they liked, and a guinea to lend to +any body in distress. + +"Then suddenly one morning, when his hair was growing gray and his +eyes getting weary of the night work, so that he said his young +Robin must grow big enough to learn all the secrets of the fishes, +while his father took a spell in the blankets, suddenly there came +to them a shocking piece of news. All his wife's bit of money, and +his own as well, which he had been putting by from year to year, +was lost in a new-fangled Bank, supposed as faithful as the Bible. +Joan was very nearly crazed about it; but Captain Cockscroft never +heaved a sigh, though they say it was nearly seven hundred guineas. +'There are fish enough still in the sea,' he said; 'and the Lord +has spared our children. I will build a new boat, and not think of +feather-beds.' + +"Captain Carroway, he did so, and every body knows what befell him. +The new boat, built with his own hands, was called the Mercy Robin, +for his only son and daughter, little Mercy and poor Robin. The +boat is there as bright as ever, scarlet within and white outside; +but the name is painted off, because the little dears are in their +graves. Two nicer children were never seen, clever, and sprightly, +and good to learn; they never even took a common bird's nest, I +have heard, but loved all the little things the Lord has made, as +if with a foreknowledge of going early home to Him. Their father +came back very tired one morning, and went up the hill to his +breakfast, and the children got into the boat and pushed off, in +imitation of their daddy. It came on to blow, as it does down +there, without a single whiff of warning; and when Robin awoke for +his middle-day meal, the bodies of his little ones were lying on +the table. And from that very day Captain Cockscroft and his wife +began to grow old very quickly. The boat was recovered without +much damage; and in it he sits by the hour on dry land, whenever +there is no one on the cliffs to see him, with his hands upon his +lap, and his eyes upon the place where his dear little children +used to sit. Because he has always taken whatever fell upon him +gently; and of course that makes it ever so much worse when he +dwells upon the things that come inside of him." + +"Madam, you make me feel quite sorry for him," the lieutenant +exclaimed, as she began to cry, "If even one of my little ones was +drowned, I declare to you, I can not tell what I should be like. +And to lose them all at once, and as his own wife perhaps would +say, because he was thinking of his breakfast! And when he had +been robbed, and the world all gone against him! Madam, it is a +long time, thank God, since I heard so sad a tale." + +"Now you would not, captain, I am sure you would not," said +Mistress Anerley, getting up a smile, yet freshening his perception +of a tear as well--"you would never have the heart to destroy that +poor old couple by striking the last prop from under them. By the +will of the Lord they are broken down enough. They are quietly +hobbling to their graves, and would you be the man to come and +knock them on their heads at once?" + +"Mistress Anerley, have you ever heard that I am a brute and +inhuman? Madam, I have no less than seven children, and I hope to +have fourteen." + +"I hope with all my heart you may. And you will deserve them all, +for promising so very kindly not to shoot poor Robin Lyth." + +"Robin Lyth! I never spoke of him, madam. He is outlawed, +condemned, with a fine reward upon him. We shot at him to-day; we +shall shoot at him again; and before very long we must hit him. +Ma'am, it is my duty to the king, the Constitution, the service I +belong to, and the babes I have begotten." + +"Blood-money poisons all innocent mouths, Sir, and breaks out for +generations. And for it you will have to take three lives-- +Robin's, the captain's, and my dear old cousin Joan's." + +"Mistress Anerley, you deprive me of all satisfaction. It is just +my luck, when my duty was so plain, and would pay so well for doing +of." + +"Listen now, captain. It is my opinion, and I am generally borne +out by the end, that instead of a hundred pounds for killing Robin +Lyth, you may get a thousand for preserving him alive. Do you know +how he came upon this coast, and how he has won his extraordinary +name?" + +"I have certainly heard rumors; scarcely any two alike. But I took +no heed of them. My duty was to catch him; and it mattered not a +straw to me who or what he was. But now I must really beg to know +all about him, and what makes you think such things of him. Why +should that excellent old couple hang upon him? and what can make +him worth such a quantity of money? Honestly, of course, I mean; +honestly worth it, ma'am, without any cheating of his Majesty." + +"Captain Carroway," his hostess said, not without a little blush, +as she thought of the king and his revenue, "cheating of his +Majesty is a thing we leave for others. But if you wish to hear +the story of that young man, so far as known, which is not so even +in Flamborough, you must please to come on Sunday, Sir; for Sunday +is the only day that I can spare for clacking, as the common people +say. I must be off now; I have fifty things to see to. And on +Sunday my master has his best things on, and loves no better than +to sit with his legs up, and a long clay pipe lying on him down +below his waist (or, to speak more correctly, where it used to be, +as he might, indeed, almost say the very same to me), and then not +to speak a word, but hear other folk tell stories, that might not +have made such a dinner as himself. And as for dinner, Sir, if you +will do the honor to dine with them that are no more than in the +Volunteers, a saddle of good mutton fit for the Body-Guards to ride +upon, the men with the skins around them all turned up, will be +ready just at one o'clock, if the parson lets us out." + +"My dear madam, I shall scarcely care to look at any slice of +victuals until one o'clock on Sunday, by reason of looking +forward." + +After all, this was not such a gross exaggeration, Anerley Farm +being famous for its cheer; whereas the poor lieutenant, at the +best of times, had as much as he could do to make both ends meet; +and his wife, though a wonderful manager, could give him no better +than coarse bread, and almost coarser meat. + +"And, Sir, if your good lady would oblige us also--" + +"No, madam, no!" he cried, with vigorous decision, having found +many festive occasions spoiled by excess of loving vigilance; "we +thank you most truly; but I must say 'no.' She would jump at the +chance; but a husband must consider. You may have heard it +mentioned that the Lord is now considering about the production of +an eighth little Carroway." + +"Captain, I have not, or I should not so have spoken. But with all +my heart I wish you joy." + +"I have pleasure, I assure you, in the prospect, Mistress Anerley. +My friends make wry faces, but I blow them away, 'Tush,' I say, +'tush, Sir; at the rate we now are fighting, and exhausting all +British material, there can not be too many, Sir, of mettle such as +mine!' What do you say to that, madam?" + +"Sir, I believe it is the Lord's own truth. And true it is also +that our country should do more to support the brave hearts that +fight for it." + +Mrs. Anerley sighed, for she thought of her younger son, by his own +perversity launched into the thankless peril of fighting England's +battles. His death at any time might come home, if any kind person +should take the trouble even to send news of it; or he might lie at +the bottom of the sea unknown, even while they were talking. But +Carroway buttoned up his coat and marched, after a pleasant and +kind farewell. In the course of hard service he had seen much +grief, and suffered plenty of bitterness, and he knew that it is +not the part of a man to multiply any of his troubles but children. +He went about his work, and he thought of all his comforts, which +need not have taken very long to count, but he added to their score +by not counting them, and by the self-same process diminished that +of troubles. And thus, upon the whole, he deserved his Sunday +dinner, and the tale of his hostess after it, not a word of which +Mary was allowed to hear, for some subtle reason of her mother's. +But the farmer heard it all, and kept interrupting so, when his +noddings and the joggings of his pipe allowed, or, perhaps one +should say, compelled him, that merely for the courtesy of saving +common time it is better now to set it down without them. +Moreover, there are many things well worthy of production which she +did not produce, for reasons which are now no hinderance. And the +foremost of those reasons is that the lady did not know the things; +the second that she could not tell them clearly as a man might; and +the third, and best of all, that if she could, she would not do so. +In which she certainly was quite right; for it would have become +her very badly, as the cousin of Joan Cockscroft (half removed, and +upon the mother's side), and therefore kindly received at +Flamborough, and admitted into the inner circle, and allowed to buy +fish at wholesale prices, if she had turned round upon all these +benefits, and described all the holes to be found in the place, for +the teaching of a revenue officer. + +Still, it must be clearly understood that the nature of the people +is fishing. They never were known to encourage free-trading, but +did their very utmost to protect themselves; and if they had +produced the very noblest free-trader, born before the time of Mr. +Cobden, neither the credit nor the blame was theirs. + + + +CHAPTER X + +ROBIN LYTH + + +Half a league to the north of bold Flamborough Head the billows +have carved for themselves a little cove among cliffs which are +rugged, but not very high. This opening is something like the +grain shoot of a mill, or a screen for riddling gravel, so steep is +the pitch of the ground, and so narrow the shingly ledge at the +bottom. And truly in bad weather and at high tides there is no +shingle ledge at all, but the crest of the wave volleys up the +incline, and the surf rushes on to the top of it. For the cove, +though sheltered from other quarters, receives the full brunt of +northeasterly gales, and offers no safe anchorage. But the hardy +fishermen make the most of its scant convenience, and gratefully +call it "North Landing," albeit both wind and tide must be in good +humor, or the only thing sure of any landing is the sea. The long +desolation of the sea rolls in with a sound of melancholy, the gray +fog droops its fold of drizzle in the leaden-tinted troughs, the +pent cliffs overhang the flapping of the sail, and a few yards of +pebble and of weed are all that a boat may come home upon +harmlessly. Yet here in the old time landed men who carved the +shape of England; and here even in these lesser days, are landed +uncommonly fine cod. + +The difficulties of the feat are these: to get ashore soundly, and +then to make it good; and after that to clinch the exploit by +getting on land, which is yet a harder step. Because the steep of +the ground, like a staircase void of stairs, stands facing you, and +the cliff upon either side juts up close, to forbid any flanking +movement, and the scanty scarp denies fair start for a rush at the +power of the hill front. Yet here must the heavy boats beach +themselves, and wallow and yaw in the shingly roar, while their +cargo and crew get out of them, their gunwales swinging from side +to side, in the manner of a porpoise rolling, and their stem and +stern going up and down like a pair of lads at seesaw. + +But after these heavy boats have endured all that, they have not +found their rest yet without a crowning effort. Up that gravelly +and gliddery ascent, which changes every groove and run at every +sudden shower, but never grows any the softer--up that the heavy +boats must make clamber somehow, or not a single timber of their +precious frames is safe. A big rope from the capstan at the summit +is made fast as soon as the tails of the jackasses (laden with +three cwt. of fish apiece) have wagged their last flick at the brow +of the steep; and then with "yo-heave-ho" above and below, through +the cliffs echoing over the dull sea, the groaning and grinding of +the stubborn tug begins. Each boat has her own special course to +travel up, and her own special berth of safety, and she knows every +jag that will gore her on the road, and every flint from which she +will strike fire. By dint of sheer sturdiness of arms, legs, and +lungs, keeping true time with the pant and the shout, steadily goes +it with hoist and haul, and cheerily undulates the melody of call +that rallies them all with a strong will together, until the steep +bluff and the burden of the bulk by masculine labor are conquered, +and a long row of powerful pinnaces displayed, as a mounted +battery, against the fishful sea. With a view to this clambering +ruggedness of life, all of these boats receive from their cradle a +certain limber rake and accommodating curve, instead of a straight +pertinacity of keel, so that they may ride over all the scandals of +this arduous world. And happen what may to them, when they are at +home, and gallantly balanced on the brow line of the steep, they +make a bright show upon the dreariness of coast-land, hanging as +they do above the gullet of the deep. Painted outside with the +brightest of scarlet, and inside with the purest white, at a little +way off they resemble gay butterflies, preening their wings for a +flight into the depth. + +Here it must have been, and in the middle of all these, that the +very famous Robin Lyth--prophetically treating him, but free as yet +of fame or name, and simply unable to tell himself--shone in the +doubt of the early daylight (as a tidy-sized cod, if forgotten, +might have shone) upon the morning of St. Swithin, A.D. 1782. + +The day and the date were remembered long by all the good people of +Flamborough, from the coming of the turn of a long bad luck and a +bitter time of starving. For the weather of the summer had been +worse than usual--which is no little thing to say--and the fish had +expressed their opinion of it by the eloquent silence of absence. +Therefore, as the whole place lives on fish, whether in the fishy +or the fiscal form, goodly apparel was becoming very rare, even +upon high Sundays; and stomachs that might have looked well beneath +it, sank into unobtrusive grief. But it is a long lane that has no +turning; and turns are the essence of one very vital part. + +Suddenly over the village had flown the news of a noble arrival of +fish. From the cross-roads, and the public-house, and the licensed +head-quarters of pepper and snuff, and the loop-hole where a sheep +had been known to hang, in times of better trade, but never could +dream of hanging now; also from the window of the man who had had a +hundred heads (superior to his own) shaken at him because he set up +for making breeches in opposition to the women, and showed a few +patterns of what he could do if any man of legs would trade with +him--from all these head-centres of intelligence, and others not so +prominent but equally potent, into the very smallest hole it went +(like the thrill in a troublesome tooth) that here was a chance +come of feeding, a chance at last of feeding. For the man on the +cliff, the despairing watchman, weary of fastening his eyes upon +the sea, through constant fog and drizzle, at length had discovered +the well-known flicker, the glassy flaw, and the hovering of gulls, +and had run along Weighing Lane so fast, to tell his good news in +the village, that down he fell and broke his leg, exactly opposite +the tailor's shop. And this was on St. Swithin's Eve. + +There was nothing to be done that night, of course, for mackerel +must be delicately worked; but long before the sun arose, all +Flamborough, able to put leg in front of leg, and some who could +not yet do that, gathered together where the land-hold was, above +the incline for the launching of the boats. Here was a medley, not +of fisher-folk alone, and all their bodily belongings, but also of +the thousand things that have no soul, and get kicked about and +sworn at much because they can not answer. Rollers, buoys, nets, +kegs, swabs, fenders, blocks, buckets, kedges, corks, buckie-pots, +oars, poppies, tillers, sprits, gaffs, and every kind of gear (more +than Theocritus himself could tell) lay about, and rolled about, +and upset their own masters, here and there and everywhere, upon +this half acre of slip and stumble, at the top of the boat channel +down to the sea, and in the faint rivalry of three vague lights, +all making darkness visible. + +For very ancient lanterns, with a gentle horny glimmer, and loop- +holes of large exaggeration at the top, were casting upon anything +quite within their reach a general idea of the crinkled tin that +framed them, and a shuffle of inconstant shadows, but refused to +shed any light on friend or stranger, or clear up suspicions, more +than three yards off. In rivalry with these appeared the pale disk +of the moon, just setting over the western highlands, and "drawing +straws" through summer haze; while away in the northeast over the +sea, a slender irregular wisp of gray, so weak that it seemed as if +it were being blown away, betokened the intention of the sun to +restore clear ideas of number and of figure by-and-by. But little +did anybody heed such things; every one ran against everybody else, +and all was eagerness, haste, and bustle for the first great launch +of the Flamborough boats, all of which must be taken in order. + +But when they laid hold of the boat No. 7, which used to be the +Mercy Robin, and were jerking the timber shores out, one of the men +stooping under her stern beheld something white and gleaming. He +put his hand down to it, and, lo! it was a child, in imminent peril +of a deadly crush, as the boat came heeling over. "Hold hard!" +cried the man, not in time with his voice, but in time with his +sturdy shoulder, to delay the descent of the counter. Then he +stooped underneath, while they steadied the boat, and drew forth a +child in a white linen dress, heartily asleep and happy. + +There was no time to think of any children now, even of a man's own +fine breed, and the boat was beginning much to chafe upon the rope, +and thirty or forty fine fellows were all waiting, loath to hurry +Captain Robin (because of the many things he had dearly lost), yet +straining upon their own hearts to stand still. And the captain +could not find his wife, who had slipped aside of the noisy scene, +to have her own little cry, because of the dance her children would +have made if they had lived to see it. + +There were plenty of other women running all about to help, and to +talk, and to give the best advice to their husbands and to one +another; but most of them naturally had their own babies, and if +words came to action, quite enough to do to nurse them. On this +account, Cockscroft could do no better, bound as he was to rush +forth upon the sea, than lay the child gently aside of the stir, +and cover him with an old sail, and leave word with an ancient +woman for his wife when found. The little boy slept on calmly +still, in spite of all the din and uproar, the song and the shout, +the tramp of heavy feet, the creaking of capstans, and the thump of +bulky oars, and the crush of ponderous rollers. Away went these +upon their errand to the sea, and then came back the grating roar +and plashy jerks of launching, the plunging, and the gurgling, and +the quiet murmur of cleft waves. + +That child slept on, in the warm good luck of having no boat keel +launched upon him, nor even a human heel of bulk as likely to prove +fatal. And the ancient woman fell asleep beside him, because at +her time of life it was unjust that she should be astir so early. +And it happened that Mrs. Cockscroft followed her troubled husband +down the steep, having something in her pocket for him, which she +failed to fetch to hand. So everybody went about its own business +(according to the laws of nature), and the old woman slept by the +side of the child, without giving him a corner of her scarlet +shawl. + +But when the day was broad and brave, and the spirit of the air was +vigorous, and every cliff had a color of its own, and a character +to come out with; and beautiful boats, upon a shining sea, flashed +their oars, and went up waves which clearly were the stairs of +heaven; and never a woman, come to watch her husband, could be sure +how far he had carried his obedience in the matter of keeping his +hat and coat on; neither could anybody say what next those very +clever fishermen might be after--nobody having a spy-glass--but +only this being understood all round, that hunger and salt were the +victuals for the day, and the children must chew the mouse-trap +baits until their dads came home again; and yet in spite of all +this, with lightsome hearts (so hope outstrips the sun, and soars +with him behind her) and a strong will, up the hill they went, to +do without much breakfast, but prepare for a glorious supper. For +mackerel are good fish that do not strive to live forever, but seem +glad to support the human race. + +Flamburians speak a rich burr of their own, broadly and handsomely +distinct from that of outer Yorkshire. The same sagacious contempt +for all hot haste and hurry (which people of impatient fibre are +too apt to call "a drawl") may here be found, as in other +Yorkshire, guiding and retarding well that headlong instrument the +tongue. Yet even here there is advantage on the side of +Flamborough--a longer resonance, a larger breadth, a deeper power +of melancholy, and a stronger turn up of the tail of discourse, by +some called the end of a sentence. Over and above all these there +dwell in "Little Denmark" many words foreign to the real +Yorkshireman. But, alas! these merits of their speech can not be +embodied in print without sad trouble, and result (if successful) +still more saddening. Therefore it is proposed to let them speak +in our inferior tongue, and to try to make them be not so very long +about it. For when they are left to themselves entirely, they have +so much solid matter to express, and they ripen it in their minds +and throats with a process so deliberate, that strangers might +condemn them briefly, and be off without hearing half of it. +Whenever this happens to a Flamborough man, he finishes what he +proposed to say, and then says it all over again to the wind. + +When the "lavings" of the village (as the weaker part, unfit for +sea, and left behind, were politely called, being very old men, +women, and small children), full of conversation, came, upon their +way back from the tide, to the gravel brow now bare of boats, they +could not help discovering there the poor old woman that fell +asleep because she ought to have been in bed, and by her side a +little boy, who seemed to have no bed at all. The child lay above +her in a tump of stubbly grass, where Robin Cockscroft had laid +him; he had tossed the old sail off, perhaps in a dream, and he +threatened to roll down upon the granny. The contrast between his +young, beautiful face, white raiment, and readiness to roll, and +the ancient woman's weary age (which it would be ungracious to +describe), and scarlet shawl which she could not spare, and +satisfaction to lie still--as the best thing left her now to do-- +this difference between them was enough to take anybody's notice, +facing the well-established sun. + +"Nanny Pegler, get oop wi' ye!" cried a woman even older, but of +tougher constitution. "Shame on ye to lig aboot so. Be ye browt +to bed this toime o' loife?" + +"A wonderful foine babby for sich an owd moother," another +proceeded with the elegant joke; "and foine swaddles too, wi' solid +gowd upon 'em!" + +"Stan' ivery one o' ye oot o' the way," cried ancient Nanny, now as +wide-awake as ever; "Master Robin Cockscroft gie ma t' bairn, an' +nawbody sall hev him but Joan Cockscroft." + +Joan Cockscroft, with a heavy heart, was lingering far behind the +rest, thinking of the many merry launches, when her smart young +Robin would have been in the boat with his father, and her pretty +little Mercy clinging to her hand upon the homeward road, and +prattling of the fish to be caught that day; and inasmuch as Joan +had not been able to get face to face with her husband on the +beach, she had not yet heard of the stranger child. But soon the +women sent a little boy to fetch her, and she came among them, +wondering what it could be. For now a debate of some vigor was +arising upon a momentous and exciting point, though not so keen by +a hundredth part as it would have been twenty years afterward. For +the eldest old woman had pronounced her decision. + +"Tell ye wat, ah dean't think bud wat yon bairn mud he a Frogman." + +This caused some panic and a general retreat; for though the +immortal Napoleon had scarcely finished changing his teeth as yet, +a chronic uneasiness about Crappos haunted that coast already, and +they might have sent this little boy to pave the way, being capable +of almost everything. + +"Frogman!" cried the old woman next to her by birth, and believed +to have higher parts, though not yet ripe. "Na, na; what Frogman +here? Frogmen ha' skinny shanks, and larks' heels, and holes down +their bodies like lamperns. No sign of no frog aboot yon bairn. +As fair as a wench, and as clean as a tyke. A' mought a'most been +born to Flaambro'. And what gowd ha' Crappos got, poor divils?" + +This opened the gate for a clamor of discourse; for there surely +could be no denial of her words. And yet while her elder was alive +and out of bed, the habit of the village was to listen to her say, +unless any man of equal age arose to countervail it. But while +they were thus divided, Mrs. Cockscroft came, and they stood aside. +For she had been kind to everybody when her better chances were; +and now in her trouble all were grieved because she took it so to +heart. Joan Cockscroft did not say a word, but glanced at the +child with some contempt. In spite of white linen and yellow gold, +what was he to her own dead Robin? + +But suddenly this child, whatever he was, and vastly soever +inferior, opened his eyes and sent home their first glance to the +very heart of Joan Cockscroft. It was the exact look--or so she +always said--of her dead angel, when she denied him something, for +the sake of his poor dear stomach. With an outburst of tears, she +flew straight to the little one, snatched him in her arms, and +tried to cover him with kisses. + +The child, however, in a lordly manner, did not seem to like it. +He drew away his red lips, and gathered up his nose, and passion +flew out of his beautiful eyes, higher passion than that of any +Cockscroft. And he tried to say something which no one could make +out. And women of high consideration, looking on, were wicked +enough to be pleased at this, and say that he must be a young lord, +and they had quite foreseen it. But Joan knew what children are, +and soothed him down so with delicate hands, and a gentle look, and +a subtle way of warming his cold places, that he very soon began to +cuddle into her, and smile. Then she turned round to the other +people, with both of his arms flung round her neck, and his cheek +laid on her shoulder, and she only said, "The Lord hath sent him." + + + +CHAPTER XI + +DR. UPANDOWN + + +The practice of Flamborough was to listen fairly to anything that +might be said by any one truly of the native breed, and to receive +it well into the crust of the mind, and let it sink down slowly. +But even after that, it might not take root, unless it were fixed +in its settlement by their two great powers--the law, and the Lord. + +They had many visitations from the Lord, as needs must be in such a +very stormy place; whereas of the law they heard much less; but +still they were even more afraid of that; for they never knew how +much it might cost. + +Balancing matters (as they did their fish, when the price was worth +it, in Weigh Lane), they came to the set conclusion that the law +and the Lord might not agree concerning the child cast among them +by the latter. A child or two had been thrown ashore before, and +trouble once or twice had come of it; and this child being cast, no +one could say how, to such a height above all other children, he +was likely enough to bring a spell upon their boats, if anything +crooked to God's will were done; and even to draw them to their +last stocking, if anything offended the providence of law. + +In any other place it would have been a point of combat what to say +and what to do in such a case as this. But Flamborough was of all +the wide world happiest in possessing an authority to reconcile all +doubts. The law and the Lord--two powers supposed to be at +variance always, and to share the week between them in proportions +fixed by lawyers--the holy and unholy elements of man's brief +existence, were combined in Flamborough parish in the person of its +magisterial rector. He was also believed to excel in the arts of +divination and medicine too, for he was a full Doctor of Divinity. +Before this gentleman must be laid, both for purse and conscience' +sake, the case of the child just come out of the fogs. + +And true it was that all these powers were centred in one famous +man, known among the laity as "Parson Upandown." For the Reverend +Turner Upround, to give him his proper name, was a doctor of +divinity, a justice of the peace, and the present rector of +Flamborough. Of all his offices and powers, there was not one that +he overstrained; and all that knew him, unless they were thorough- +going rogues and vagabonds, loved him. Not that he was such a +soft-spoken man as many were, who thought more evil; but because of +his deeds and nature, which were of the kindest. He did his +utmost, on demand of duty, to sacrifice this nature to his stern +position as pastor and master of an up-hill parish, with many wrong +things to be kept under. But while he succeeded in the form now +and then, he failed continually in the substance. + +This gentleman was not by any means a fool, unless a kind heart +proves folly. At Cambridge he had done very well, in the early +days of the tripos, and was chosen fellow and tutor of Gonville and +Caius College. But tiring of that dull round in his prime, he +married, and took to a living; and the living was one of the many +upon which a perpetual faster can barely live, unless he can go +naked also, and keep naked children. Now the parsons had not yet +discovered the glorious merits of hard fasting, but freely enjoyed, +and with gratitude to God, the powers with which He had blessed +them. Happily Dr. Upround had a solid income of his own, and (like +a sound mathematician) he took a wife of terms coincident. So, +without being wealthy, they lived very well, and helped their +poorer neighbors. + +Such a man generally thrives in the thriving of his flock, and does +not harry them. He gives them spiritual food enough to support +them without daintiness, and he keeps the proper distinction +between the Sunday and the poorer days. He clangs no bell of +reproach upon a Monday, when the squire is leading the lady in to +dinner, and the laborer sniffing at his supper pot; and he lets the +world play on a Saturday, while he works his own head to find good +ends for the morrow. Because he is a wise man who knows what other +men are, and how seldom they desire to be told the same thing more +than a hundred and four times in a year. Neither did his clerical +skill stop here; for Parson Upround thought twice about it before +he said anything to rub sore consciences, even when he had them at +his mercy, and silent before him, on a Sunday. He behaved like a +gentleman in this matter, where so much temptation lurks, looking +always at the man whom he did not mean to hit, so that the guilty +one received it through him, and felt himself better by comparison. +In a word, this parson did his duty well, and pleasantly for all +his flock; and nothing imbittered him, unless a man pretended to +doctrine without holy orders. + +For the doctor reasoned thus--and sound it sounds--if divinity is a +matter for Tom, Dick, or Harry, how can there be degrees in it? He +held a degree in it, and felt what it had cost; and not the parish +only, but even his own wife, was proud to have a doctor every +Sunday. And his wife took care that his rich red hood, kerseymere +small-clothes, and black silk stockings upon calves of dignity, +were such that his congregation scorned the surgeons all the way to +Beverley. + +Happy in a pleasant nature, kindly heart, and tranquil home, he was +also happy in those awards of life in which men are helpless. He +was blessed with a good wife and three good children, doing well, +and vigorous and hardy as the air and clime and cliffs. His wife +was not quite of his own age, but old enough to understand and +follow him faithfully down the slope of years. A wife with mind +enough to know that a husband is not faultless, and with heart +enough to feel that if he were, she would not love him so. And +under her were comprised their children--two boys at school, and a +baby-girl at home. + +So far, the rector of this parish was truly blessed and blessing. +But in every man's lot must be some crook, since this crooked world +turned round. In Parson Upround's lot the crook might seem a very +small one; but he found it almost too big for him. His dignity and +peace of mind, large good-will of ministry and strong Christian +sense of magistracy, all were sadly pricked and wounded by a very +small thorn in the flesh of his spirit. + +Almost every honest man is the rightful owner of a nickname. When +he was a boy at school he could not do without one, and if the +other boys valued him, perhaps he had a dozen. And afterward, when +there is less perception of right and wrong and character, in the +weaker time of manhood, he may earn another, if the spirit is +within him. + +But woe is him if a nasty foe, or somebody trying to be one, +annoyed for the moment with him, yet meaning no more harm than +pepper, smite him to the quick, at venture, in his most retired and +privy-conscienced hole. And when this is done by a Nonconformist +to a Doctor of Divinity, and the man who does it owes some money to +the man he does it to, can the latter gentleman take a large and +genial view of his critics. + +This gross wrong and ungrateful outrage was inflicted thus. A +leading Methodist from Filey town, who owed the doctor half a +guinea, came one summer and set up his staff in the hollow of a +limekiln, where he lived upon fish for change of diet, and because +he could get it for nothing. This was a man of some eloquence, and +his calling in life was cobbling, and to encourage him therein, and +keep him from theology, the rector not only forgot his half guinea, +but sent him three or four pairs of riding-boots to mend, and let +him charge his own price, which was strictly heterodox. As a part +of the bargain, this fellow came to church, and behaved as well as +could be hoped of a man who had received his money. He sat by a +pillar, and no more than crossed his legs at the worst thing that +disagreed with him. And it might have done him good, and made a +decent cobbler of him, if the parson had only held him when he got +him on the hook. But this is the very thing which all great +preachers are too benevolent to do. Dr. Upround looked at this +sinner, who was getting into a fright upon his own account, though +not a bad preacher when he could afford it; and the cobbler could +no more look up to the doctor than when he charged him a full crown +beyond the contract. In his kindness for all who seemed convinced +of sin, the good preacher halted, and looked at Mr. Jobbins with a +soft, relaxing gaze. Jobbins appeared as if he would come to +church forever, and never cheat any sound clergyman again; +whereupon the generous divine omitted a whole page of menaces +prepared for him, and passed prematurely to the tender strain which +always winds up a good sermon. + +Now what did Jobbins do in return for all this magnanimous mercy? +Invited to dine with the senior church-warden upon the strength of +having been at church, and to encourage him for another visit, and +being asked, as soon as ever decency permitted, what he thought of +Parson Upround's doctrine, between two crackles of young griskin +(come straight from the rectory pig-sty), he was grieved to express +a stern opinion long remembered at Flamborough: + +"Ca' yo yon mon 'Dr. Uproond?' I ca' un 'Dr. Upandoon.'" + +From that day forth the rector of the parish was known far and wide +as "Dr. Upandown," even among those who loved him best. For the +name well described his benevolent practice of undoing any harsh +thing he might have said, sometimes by a smile, and very often with +a shilling, or a basket of spring cabbages. So that Mrs. Upround, +when buttoning up his coat--which he always forgot to do for +himself--did it with the words, "My dear, now scold no one; really +it is becoming too expensive." "Shall I abandon duty," he would +answer, with some dignity, "while a shilling is sufficient to +enforce it?" + +Dr. Upround's people had now found out that their minister and +magistrate discharged his duty toward his pillow, no less than to +his pulpit. His parish had acquired, through the work of +generations, a habit of getting up at night, and being all alive at +cock-crow; and the rector (while very new amongst them) tried to +bow--or rather rise--to night-watch. But a little of that exercise +lasted him for long; and he liked to talk of it afterward, but for +the present was obliged to drop it. For he found himself pale, +when his wife made him see himself; and his hours of shaving were +so dreadful; and scarcely a bit of fair dinner could be got, with +the whole of the day thrown out so. In short, he settled it wisely +that the fishers of fish must yield to the habits of fish, which +can not be corrected; but the fishers of men (who can live without +catching them) need not be up to all their hours, but may take them +reasonably. + +His parishioners--who could do very well without him, as far as +that goes, all the week, and by no means wanted him among their +boats--joyfully left him to his own time of day, and no more +worried him out of season than he worried them so. It became a +matter of right feeling with them not to ring a big bell, which the +rector had put up to challenge everybody's spiritual need, until +the stable clock behind the bell had struck ten and finished +gurgling. + +For this reason, on St. Swithin's morn, in the said year 1782, the +grannies, wives, and babes of Flamborough, who had been to help the +launch, but could not pull the laboring oar, nor even hold the +tiller, spent the time till ten o'clock in seeing to their own +affairs--the most laudable of all pursuits for almost any woman. +And then, with some little dispute among them (the offspring of the +merest accident), they arrived in some force at the gate of Dr. +Upround, and no woman liked to pull the bell, and still less to let +another woman do it for her. But an old man came up who was quite +deaf, and every one asked him to do it. + +In spite of the scarcity of all good things, Mrs. Cockscroft had +thoroughly fed the little stranger, and washed him, and undressed +him, and set him up in her own bed, and wrapped him in her woollen +shawl, because he shivered sadly; and there he stared about with +wondering eyes, and gave great orders--so far as his new nurse +could make out--but speaking gibberish, as she said, and flying +into a rage because it was out of Christian knowledge. But he +seemed to understand some English, although he could only pronounce +two words, both short, and in such conjunction quite unlawful for +any except the highest Spiritual Power. Mrs. Cockscroft, being a +pious woman, hoped that her ears were wrong, or else that the words +were foreign and meant no harm, though the child seemed to take in +much of what was said, and when asked his name, answered, +wrathfully, and as if everybody was bound to know, "Izunsabe! +Izunsabe!" + +But now, when brought before Dr. Upround, no child of the very best +English stock could look more calm and peaceful. He could walk +well enough, but liked better to be carried; and the kind woman who +had so taken him up was only too proud to carry him. Whatever the +rector and magistrate might say, her meaning was to keep this +little one, with her husband's good consent, which she was sure of +getting. + +"Set him down, ma'am," the doctor said, when he had heard from half +a dozen good women all about him; "Mistress Cockscroft, put him on +his legs, and let me question him." + +But the child resisted this proceeding. With nature's inborn and +just loathing of examination, he spun upon his little heels, and +swore with all his might, at the same time throwing up his hands +and twirling his thumbs in a very odd and foreign way. + +"What a shocking child!" cried Mrs. Upround, who was come to know +all about it. "Jane, run away with Miss Janetta." + +"The child is not to blame," said the rector, "but only the people +who have brought him up. A prettier or more clever little head I +have never seen in all my life; and we studied such things at +Cambridge. My fine little fellow, shake hands with me." + +The boy broke off his vicious little dance, and looked up at this +tall gentleman with great surprise. His dark eyes dwelt upon the +parson's kindly face, with that power of inquiry which the very +young possess, and then he put both little hands into the +gentleman's, and burst into a torrent of the most heart-broken +tears. + +"Poor little man!" said the rector, very gently, taking him up in +his arms and patting the silky black curls, while great drops fell, +and a nose was rubbed on his shoulder; "it is early for you to +begin bad times. Why, how old are you, if you please?" + +The little boy sat up on the kind man's arm, and poked a small +investigating finger into the ear that was next to him, and the +locks just beginning to be marked with gray; and then he said, +"Sore," and tossed his chin up, evidently meaning, "Make your best +of that." And the women drew a long breath, and nudged at one +another. + +"Well done! Four years old, my dear. You see that he understands +English well enough," said the parson to his parishioners: "he will +tell us all about himself by-and-by, if we do not hurry him. You +think him a French child. I do not, though the name which he gives +himself, 'Izunsabe,' has a French aspect about it. Let me think. +I will try him with a French interrogation: 'Parlez-vous Francais, +mon enfan?'" + +Dr. Upround watched the effect of his words with outward calm, but +an inward flutter. For if this clever child should reply in +French, the doctor could never go on with it, but must stand there +before his congregation in a worse position than when he lost his +place, as sometimes happened, in a sermon. With wild temerity he +had given vent to the only French words within his knowledge; and +he determined to follow them up with Latin if the worst came to the +worst. + +But luckily no harm came of this, but, contrariwise, a lasting +good. For the child looked none the wiser, while the doctor's +influence was increased. + +"Aha!" the good parson cried. "I was sure that he was no +Frenchman. But we must hear something about him very soon, for +what you tell me is impossible. If he had come from the sea, he +must have been wet; it could never be otherwise. Whereas, his +linen clothes are dry, and even quite lately fullered--ironed you +might call it." + +"Please your worship," cried Mrs. Cockscroft, who was growing wild +with jealousy, "I did up all his little things, hours and hours ere +your hoose was up." + +"Ah, you had night-work! To be sure! Were his clothes dry or wet +when you took them off?" + +"Not to say dry, your worship; and yet not to say very wet. +Betwixt and between, like my good master's, when he cometh from a +pour of rain, or a heavy spray. And the color of the land was upon +them here and there. And the gold tags were sewn with something +wonderful. My best pair of scissors would not touch it. I was +frightened to put them to the tub, your worship; but they up and +shone lovely like a tailor's buttons. My master hath found him, +Sir; and it lies with him to keep him. And the Lord hath taken +away our Bob." + +"It is true," said Dr. Upround, gently, and placing the child in +her arms again, "the Almighty has chastened you very sadly. This +child is not mine to dispose of, nor yours; but if he will comfort +you, keep him till we hear of him. I will take down in writing the +particulars of the case, when Captain Robin has come home and had +his rest--say, at this time to-morrow, or later; and then you will +sign them, and they shall be published. For you know, Mrs. +Cockscroft, however much you may be taken with him, you must not +turn kidnapper. Moreover, it is needful, as there may have been +some wreck (though none of you seem to have heard of any), that +this strange occurrence should be made known. Then, if nothing is +heard of it, you can keep him, and may the Lord bless him to you!" + +Without any more ado, she kissed the child, and wanted to carry him +straight away, after courtesying to his worship; but all the other +women insisted on a smack of him, for pity's sake, and the pleasure +of the gold, and to confirm the settlement. And a settlement it +was, for nothing came of any publication of the case, such as in +those days could be made without great expense and exertion. + +So the boy grew up, tall, brave, and comely, and full of the spirit +of adventure, as behooved a boy cast on the winds. So far as that +goes, his foster-parents would rather have found him more steady +and less comely, for if he was to step into their lost son's shoes, +he might do it without seeming to outshine him. But they got over +that little jealousy in time, when the boy began to be useful, and, +so far as was possible, they kept him under by quoting against him +the character of Bob, bringing it back from heaven of a much higher +quality than ever it was upon the earth. In vain did this living +child aspire to such level; how can an earthly boy compare with one +who never did a wrong thing, as soon as he was dead? + +Passing that difficult question, and forbearing to compare a boy +with angels, be he what he will, his first need (after that of +victuals) is a name whereby his fellow-boys may know him. Is he to +be shouted at with, "Come here, what's your name?" or is he to be +called (as if in high rebuke), "Boy?" And yet there are grown-up +folk who do all this without hesitation, failing to remember their +own predicament at a by-gone period. Boys are as useful, in their +way, as any other order; and if they can be said to do some +mischief, they can not be said to do it negligently. It is their +privilege and duty to be truly active; and their Maker, having +spread a dull world before them, has provided them with gifts of +play while their joints are supple. + +The present boy, having been born without a father or a mother (so +far as could yet be discovered), was driven to do what our +ancestors must have done when it was less needful. That is to say, +to work his own name out by some distinctive process. When the +parson had clearly shown him not to be a Frenchman, a large +contumely spread itself about, by reason of his gold, and eyes, and +hair, and name (which might be meant for Isaak), that he was sprung +from a race more honored now than a hundred years ago. But the +women declared that it could not be; and the rector desiring to +christen him, because it might never have been done before, refused +point-blank to put any "Isaac" in, and was satisfied with "Robin" +only, the name of the man who had saved him. + +The rector showed deep knowledge of his flock, which looked upon +Jews as the goats of the Kingdom; for any Jew must die for a world +of generations ere ever a Christian thinks much of him. But +finding him not to be a Jew, the other boys, instead of being +satisfied, condemned him for a Dutchman. + +Whatever he was, the boy throve well, and being so flouted by his +playmates, took to thoughts and habits and amusements of his own. +In-door life never suited him at all, nor too much of hard +learning, although his capacity was such that he took more +advancement in an hour than the thick heads of young Flamborough +made in a whole leap-year of Sundays. For any Flamburian boy was +considered a "Brain Scholar," and a "Head-Languager," when he could +write down the parson's text, and chalk up a fish on the weigh- +board so that his father or mother could tell in three guesses what +manner of fish it was. And very few indeed had ever passed this +trial. + +For young Robin it was a very hard thing to be treated so by the +other boys. He could run, or jump, or throw a stone, or climb a +rock with the best of them; but all these things he must do by +himself, simply because he had no name. A feeble youth would have +moped, but Robin only grew more resolute. Alone he did what the +other boys would scarcely in competition dare. No crag was too +steep for him, no cave too dangerous and wave-beaten, no race of +the tide so strong and swirling as to scare him of his wits. He +seemed to rejoice in danger, having very little else to rejoice in; +and he won for himself by nimble ways and rapid turns on land and +sea, the name of "Lithe," or "Lyth," and made it famous even far +inland. + +For it may be supposed that his love of excitement, versatility, +and daring demanded a livelier outlet than the slow toil of deep- +sea fishing. To the most patient, persevering, and long-suffering +of the arts, Robin Lyth did not take kindly, although he was so +handy with a boat. Old Robin vainly strove to cast his angling +mantle over him. The gifts of the youth were brighter and higher; +he showed an inborn fitness for the lofty development of free +trade. Eminent powers must force their way, as now they were doing +with Napoleon; and they did the same with Robin Lyth, without +exacting tithe in kind of all the foremost human race. + + + +CHAPTER XII + +IN A LANE, NOT ALONE + + +Stephen Anerley's daughter was by no means of a crooked mind, but +open as the day in all things, unless any one mistrusted her, and +showed it by cross-questioning. When this was done, she resented +it quickly by concealing the very things which she would have told +of her own accord; and it so happened that the person to whom of +all she should have been most open, was the one most apt to check +her by suspicious curiosity. And now her mother already began to +do this, as concerned the smuggler, knowing from the revenue +officer that Mary must have seen him. Mary, being a truthful +damsel, told no lies about it; but, on the other hand, she did not +rush forth with all the history, as she probably would have done if +left unexamined. And so she said nothing about the ear-ring, or +the run that was to come off that week, or the riding-skirt, or a +host of little things, including her promise to visit Bempton Lane. + +On the other hand, she had a mind to tell her father, and take his +opinion about it all. But he was a little cross that evening, not +with her, but with the world at large; and that discouraged her; +and then she thought that being an officer of the king--as he liked +to call himself sometimes--he might feel bound to give information +about the impending process of free trade; which to her would be a +breach of honor, considering how she knew of it. + +Upon the whole, she heartily wished that she never had seen that +Robin Lyth; and then she became ashamed of herself for indulging +such a selfish wish. For he might have been lying dead but for +her; and then what would become of the many poor people whose +greatest comfort he was said to be? And what good could arise from +his destruction, if cruel people compassed it? Free trade must be +carried on, for the sake of everybody, including Captain Carroway +himself; and if an old and ugly man succeeded a young and generous +one as leader of the free-trade movement, all the women in the +country would put the blame on her. + +Looking at these things loftily, and with a strong determination +not to think twice of what any one might say who did not understand +the subject, Mary was forced at last to the stern conclusion that +she must keep her promise. Not only because it was a promise-- +although that went a very long way with her--but also because there +seemed no other chance of performing a positive duty. Simple +honesty demanded that she should restore to the owner a valuable, +and beyond all doubt important, piece of property. Two hours had +she spent in looking for it, and deprived her dear father of his +breakfast shrimps; and was all this trouble to be thrown away, and +herself, perhaps, accused of theft, because her mother was so short +and sharp in wanting to know everything, and to turn it her own +way? + +The trinket, which she had found at last, seemed to be a very +uncommon and precious piece of jewelry; it was made of pure gold, +minutely chased and threaded with curious workmanship, in form like +a melon, and bearing what seemed to be characters of some foreign +language: there might be a spell, or even witchcraft, in it, and +the sooner it was out of her keeping the better. Nevertheless she +took very good care of it, wrapping it in lamb's-wool, and peeping +at it many times a day, to be sure that it was safe, until it made +her think of the owner so much, and the many wonders she had heard +about him, that she grew quite angry with herself and it, and +locked it away, and then looked at it again. + +As luck would have it, on the very day when Mary was to stroll down +Bempton Lane (not to meet any one, of course, but simply for the +merest chance of what might happen), her father had business at +Driffield corn market, which would keep him from home nearly all +the day. When his daughter heard of it she was much cast down; for +she hoped that he might have been looking about on the northern +part of the farm, as he generally was in the afternoon; and +although he could not see Bempton Lane at all, perhaps, without +some newly acquired power of seeing round sharp corners, still it +would have been a comfort and a strong resource for conscience to +have felt that he was not so very far away. And this feeling of +want made his daughter resolve to have some one at any rate near +her. If Jack had only been at home, she need have sought no +further, for he would have entered into all her thoughts about it, +and obeyed her orders beautifully. But Willie was quite different, +and hated any trouble, being spoiled so by his mother and the +maidens all around them. + +However, in such a strait, what was there to do but to trust in +Willie, who was old enough, being five years in front of Mary, and +then to try to make him sensible? Willie Anerley had no idea that +anybody--far less his own sister--could take such a view of him. +He knew himself to be, and all would say the same of him, superior +in his original gifts, and his manner of making use of them, to the +rest of the family put together. He had spent a month in Glasgow, +when the whole place was astir with the ferment of many great +inventions, and another month in Edinburgh, when that noble city +was aglow with the dawn of large ideas; also, he had visited +London, foremost of his family, and seen enough new things there to +fill all Yorkshire with surprise; and the result of such wide +experience was that he did not like hard work at all. Neither +could he even be content to accept and enjoy, without labor of his +own, the many good things provided for him. He was always trying +to discover something which never seemed to answer, and continually +flying after something new, of which he never got fast hold. In a +word, he was spoiled, by nature first, and then by circumstances, +for the peaceful life of his ancestors, and the unacknowledged +blessings of a farmer. + +"Willie dear, will you come with me?" Mary said to him that day, +catching him as he ran down stairs to air some inspiration. "Will +you come with me for just one hour? I wish you would; and I would +be so thankful." + +"Child, it is quite impossible," he answered, with a frown which +set off his delicate eyebrows and high but rather narrow forehead; +"you always want me at the very moment when I have the most +important work in hand. Any childish whim of yours matters more +than hours and hours of hard labor." + +"Oh, Willie, but you know how I try to help you, and all the +patterns I cut out last week! Do come for once, Willie; if you +refuse, you will never, never forgive yourself." + +Willie Anerley was as good-natured as any self-indulged youth can +be; he loved his sister in his way, and was indebted to her for +getting out of a great many little scrapes. He saw how much she +was in earnest now, and felt some desire to know what it was about. +Moreover--which settled the point--he was getting tired of sticking +to one thing for a time unusually long with him. But he would not +throw away the chance of scoring a huge debt of gratitude. + +"Well, do what you like with me," he answered, with a smile; "I +never can have my own way five minutes. It serves me quite right +for being so good-natured." + +Mary gave him a kiss, which must have been an object of ambition to +anybody else; but it only made him wipe his mouth; and presently +the two set forth upon the path toward Bempton. + +Robin Lyth had chosen well his place for meeting Mary. The lane +(of which he knew every yard as well as he knew the rocks +themselves) was deep and winding, and fringed with bushes, so that +an active and keen-eyed man might leap into thicket almost before +there was a fair chance of shooting him. He knew well enough that +he might trust Mary; but he never could be sure that the bold +"coast-riders," despairing by this time of catching him at sea, and +longing for the weight of gold put upon his head, might not be +setting privy snares to catch him in his walks abroad. They had +done so when they pursued him up the Dike; and though he was +inclined to doubt the strict legality of that proceeding, he could +not see his way to a fair discussion of it, in case of their +putting a bullet through him. And this consideration made him +careful. + +The brother and sister went on well by the foot-path over the +uplands of the farm, and crossing the neck of the Flamburn +peninsula, tripped away merrily northward. The wheat looked +healthy, and the barley also, and a four-acre patch of potatoes +smelled sweetly (for the breeze of them was pleasant in their +wholesome days), and Willie, having overworked his brain, according +to his own account of it, strode along loftily before his sister, +casting over his shoulder an eddy of some large ideas with which he +had been visited before she interrupted him. But as nothing ever +came of them, they need not here be stated. From a practical point +of view, however, as they both had to live upon the profits of the +farm, it pleased them to observe what a difference there was when +they had surmounted the chine and began to descend toward the north +upon other people's land. Here all was damp and cold and slow; and +chalk looked slimy instead of being clean; and shadowy places had +an oozy cast; and trees (wherever they could stand) were facing the +east with wrinkled visage, and the west with wiry beards. Willie +(who had, among other great inventions, a scheme for improvement of +the climate) was reminded at once of all the things he meant to do +in that way; and making, as he always did, a great point of getting +observations first--a point whereon he stuck fast mainly--without +any time for delay he applied himself to a rapid study of the +subject. He found some things just like other things which he had +seen in Scotland, yet differing so as to prove, more clearly than +even their resemblance did, the value of his discovery. + +"Look!" he cried; "can anything be clearer? The cause of all these +evils is not (as an ignorant person might suppose) the want of +sunshine, or too much wet, but an inadequate movement of the air--" + +"Why, I thought it was always blowing up here. The very last time +I came, my bonnet strings were split." + +"You do not understand me; you never do. When I say inadequate, I +mean, of course, incorrect, inaccurate, unequable. Now the air is +a fluid; you may stare as you like, Mary, but the air has been +proved to be a fluid. Very well; no fluid in large bodies moves +with an equal velocity throughout. Part of it is rapid and part +quite stagnant. The stagnant places of the air produce this green +scum, this mossy, unwholesome, and injurious stuff; while the +overrapid motion causes this iron appearance, this hard surface, +and general sterility. By the simplest of simple contrivances, I +make this evil its own remedy. An equable impulse given to the air +produces an adequate uniform flow, preventing stagnation in one +place, and excessive vehemence in another. And the beauty of it is +that by my new invention I make the air itself correct and regulate +its own inequalities." + +"How clever you are, to be sure!" exclaimed Mary, wondering that +her father could not see it. "Oh, Willie, you will make your +fortune by it! However do you do it?" + +"The simplicity of it is such that even you can understand it. All +great discoveries are simple. I fix in a prominent situation a +large and vertically revolving fan, of a light and vibrating +substance. The movement of the air causes this to rotate by the +mere force of the impact. The rotation and the vibration of the +fan convert an irregular impulse into a steady and equable +undulation; and such is the elasticity of the fluid called, in +popular language, 'the air,' that for miles around the rotation of +this fan regulates the circulation, modifies extremes, annihilates +sterility, and makes it quite impossible for moss and green scum +and all this sour growth to live. Even you can see, Mary, how +beautiful it is." + +"Yes, that I can," she answered, simply, as they turned the corner +upon a large windmill, with arms revolving merrily; "but, Willie +dear, would not Farmer Topping's mill, perpetually going as it is, +answer the same purpose? And yet the moss seems to be as thick as +ever here, and the ground as naked." + +"Tush!" cried Willie. "Stuff and nonsense! When will you girls +understand? Good-by! I will throw away no more time on you." + +Without stopping to finish his sentence he was off and out of sight +both of the mill and Mary, before the poor girl, who had not the +least intention of offending him, could even beg his pardon, or say +how much she wanted him; for she had not dared as yet to tell him +what was the purpose of her walk, his nature being such that no +one, not even his own mother, could tell what conclusion he might +come to upon any practical question. He might rush off at once to +put the revenue men on the smuggler's track, or he might stop his +sister from going, or he might (in the absence of his father) order +a feast to be prepared, and fetch the outlaw to be his guest. So +Mary had resolved not to tell him until the last moment, when he +could do none of these things. + +But now she must either go on all alone, or give up her purpose and +break her promise. After some hesitation she determined to go on, +for the place would scarcely seem so very lonely now with the +windmill in view, which would always remind her henceforth of her +dear brother William. It was perfectly certain that Captain Robert +Lyth, whose fame for chivalry was everywhere, and whose character +was all in all to him with the ladies who bought his silks and +lace, would see her through all danger caused by confidence in him; +and really it was too bad of her to admit any paltry misgivings. +But reason as she might, her young conscience told her that this +was not the proper thing to do, and she made up her mind not to do +it again. Then she laughed at the notion of being ever even asked, +and told herself that she was too conceited; and to cut the matter +short, went very bravely down the hill. + +The lane, which came winding from the beach up to the windmill, was +as pretty a lane as may anywhere be found in any other county than +that of Devon. With a Devonshire lane it could not presume to vie, +having little of the glorious garniture of fern, and nothing of the +crystal brook that leaps at every corner; no arches of tall ash, +keyed with dog-rose, and not much of honeysuckle, and a sight of +other wants which people feel who have lived in the plenitude of +everything. But in spite of all that, the lane was very fine for +Yorkshire. + +On the other hand, Mary had prettier ankles, and a more graceful +and lighter walk, than the Devonshire lanes, which like to echo +something, for the most part seem accustomed to; and the short +dress of the time made good such favorable facts when found. Nor +was this all that could be said, for the maiden (while her mother +was so busy pickling cabbage, from which she drove all intruders) +had managed to forget what the day of the week was, and had opened +the drawer that should be locked up until Sunday. To walk with +such a handsome tall fellow as Willie compelled her to look like +something too, and without any thought of it she put her best hat +on, and a very pretty thing with some French name, and made of a +delicate peach-colored silk, which came down over her bosom, and +tied in the neatest of knots at the small of her back, which at +that time of life was very small. All these were the gifts of her +dear uncle Popplewell, upon the other side of Filey, who might have +been married for forty years, but nobody knew how long it was, +because he had no children, and so he made Mary his darling. And +this ancient gentleman had leanings toward free trade. + +Whether these goods were French or not--which no decent person +could think of asking--no French damsel could have put them on +better, or shown a more pleasing appearance in them; for Mary's +desire was to please all people who meant no harm to her--as nobody +could--and yet to let them know that her object was only to do what +was right, and to never think of asking whether she looked this, +that, or the other. Her mother, as a matter of duty, told her how +plain she was almost every day; but the girl was not of that +opinion; and when Mrs. Anerley finished her lecture (as she did +nine times in ten) by turning the glass to the wall, and declaring +that beauty was a snare skin-deep, with a frown of warning instead +of a smile of comfort, then Mary believed in her looking-glass +again, and had the smile of comfort on her own face. + +However, she never thought of that just now, but only of how she +could do her duty, and have no trouble in her own mind with +thinking, and satisfy her father when she told him all, as she +meant to do, when there could be no harm done to any one; and this, +as she heartily hoped, would be to-morrow. And truly, if there did +exist any vanity at all, it was not confined to the sex in which it +is so much more natural and comely. + +For when a very active figure came to light suddenly, at a little +elbow of the lane, and with quick steps advanced toward Mary, she +was lost in surprise at the gayety, not to say grandeur, of its +apparel. A broad hat, looped at the side, and having a pointed +black crown, with a scarlet feather and a dove-colored brim, sat +well upon the mass of crisp black curls. A short blue jacket of +the finest Flemish cloth, and set (not too thickly) with embossed +silver buttons, left properly open the strong brown neck, while a +shirt of pale blue silk, with a turned-down collar of fine needle- +work, fitted, without a wrinkle or a pucker, the broad and amply +rounded chest. Then a belt of brown leather, with an anchor clasp, +and empty loops for either fire-arm or steel, supported true +sailor's trousers of the purest white and the noblest man-of-war +cut; and where these widened at the instep shone a lovely pair of +pumps, with buckles radiant of best Bristol diamonds. The wearer +of all these splendors smiled, and seemed to become them as they +became him. + +"Well," thought Mary, "how free trade must pay! What a pity that +he is not in the Royal Navy!" + +With his usual quickness, and the self-esteem which added such +lustre to his character, the smuggler perceived what was passing in +her mind, but he was not rude enough to say so. + +"Young lady," he began--and Mary, with all her wisdom, could not +help being fond of that--"young lady, I was quite sure that you +would keep your word." + +"I never do anything else," she answered, showing that she scarcely +looked at him. "I have found this for you, and then good-by." + +"Surely you will wait to hear my thanks, and to know what made me +dare to ask you, after all you had done for me already, to begin +again for me. But I am such an outcast that I never should have +done it." + +"I never saw any one look more thoroughly unlike an outcast," Mary +said; and then she was angry with herself for speaking, and +glancing, and, worst of all, for smiling, + +"Ladies who live on land can never understand what we go through," +Robin replied, in his softest voice, as rich as the murmur of the +summer sea. "When we expect great honors, we try to look a little +tidy, as any one but a common boor would do; and we laugh at +ourselves for trying to look well, after all the knocking about we +get. Our time is short--we must make the most of it." + +"Oh, please not to talk in such a dreadful way," said Mary. + +"You remind me of my dear friend Dr. Upround--the very best man in +the whole world, I believe. He always says to me, 'Robin, Robin-- +'" + +"What! is Dr. Upandown a friend of yours?" Mary exclaimed, in +amazement, and with a stoppage of the foot that was poised for +quick departure. + +"Dr. Upandown, as many people call him," said the smuggler, with a +tone of condemnation, "is the best and dearest friend I have, next +to Captain and Mistress Cockscroft, who may have been heard of at +Anerley Manor. Dr. Upround is our magistrate and clergyman, and he +lets people say what they like against me, while he honors me with +his friendship. I must not stay long to thank you even, because I +am going to the dear old doctor's for supper at seven o'clock and a +game of chess." + +"Oh dear! oh dear! And he is such a Justice! And yet they shot at +you last week! It makes me wonder when I hear such things." + +"Young lady, it makes everybody wonder. In my opinion there never +could be a more shameful murder than to shoot me; and yet but for +you it would surely have been done." + +"You must not dwell upon such things," said Mary; "they may have a +very bad effect upon your mind. But good-by, Captain Lyth; I +forgot that I was robbing Dr. Upround of your society." + +"Shall I be so ungrateful as not to see you safe upon your own land +after all your trouble? My road to Flamborough lies that way. +Surely you will not refuse to hear what made me so anxious about +this bauble, which now will be worth ten times as much. I never +saw it look so bright before." + +"It--it must be the sand has made it shine," the maiden stammered, +with a fine bright blush; "it does the same to my shrimping net." + +"Ah, shrimping is a very fine pursuit! There is nothing I love +better; what pools I could show you, if I only might; pools where +you may fill a sack with large prawns in a single tide--pools known +to nobody but myself. When do you think of going shrimping next?" + +"Perhaps next summer I may try again, if Captain Carroway will come +with me." + +"That is too unkind of you. How very harsh you are to me! I could +hardly have believed it after all that you have done. And you +really do not care to hear the story of this relic?" + +"If I could stop, I should like it very much. But my brother, who +came with me, may perhaps be waiting for me." Mary knew that this +was not very likely; still, it was just possible, for Willie's ill +tempers seldom lasted very long; and she wanted to let the smuggler +know that she had not come all alone to meet him. + +"I shall not be two minutes," Robin Lyth replied; "I have been +forced to learn short talking. May I tell you about this trinket?" + +"Yes, if you will only begin at once, and finish by the time we get +to that corner." + +"That is very short measure for a tale," said Robin, though he +liked her all the better for such qualities; "however, I will try; +only walk a little slower. Nobody knows where I was born, any more +than they know how or why. Only when I came upon this coast as a +very little boy, and without knowing anything about it, they say +that I had very wonderful buttons of gold upon a linen dress, +adorned with gold-lace, which I used to wear on Sundays. Dr. +Upround ordered them to keep those buttons, and was to have had +them in his own care; but before that, all of them were lost save +two. My parents, as I call them from their wonderful goodness, +kinder than the ones who have turned me on the world (unless +themselves went out of it), resolved to have my white coat done up +grandly, when I grew too big for it, and to lay it by in lavender; +and knowing of a great man in the gold-lace trade, as far away as +Scarborough, they sent it by a fishing-smack to him, with people +whom they knew thoroughly. That was the last of it ever known +here. The man swore a manifest that he never saw it, and +threatened them with libel; and the smack was condemned, and all +her hands impressed, because of some trifle she happened to carry; +and nobody knows any more of it. But two of the buttons had fallen +off, and good mother had put them by, to give a last finish to the +coat herself; and when I grew up, and had to go to sea at night, +they were turned into a pair of ear-rings. There, now, Miss +Anerley, I have not been long, and you know all about it." + +"How very lonesome it must be for you," said Mary, with a gentle +gaze, which, coming from such lovely eyes, went straight into his +heart, "to have no one belonging to you by right, and to seem to +belong to nobody! I am sure I can not tell whatever I should do +without any father, or mother, or uncle, or even a cousin to be +certain of." + +"All the ladies seem to think that it is rather hard upon me," +Robin answered, with an excellent effort at a sigh; "but I do my +very best to get on without them. And one thing that helps me most +of all is when kind ladies, who have good hearts, allow me to talk +to them as if I had a sister. This makes me forget what I am +sometimes." + +"You never should try to forget what you are. Everybody in the +world speaks well of you. Even that cruel Lieutenant Carroway can +not help admiring you. And if you have taken to free trade, what +else could you do, when you had no friends, and even your coat was +stolen?" + +"High-minded people take that view of it, I know. But I do not +pretend to any such excuse. I took to free trade for the sake of +my friends--to support the old couple who have been so good to me." + +"That is better still; it shows such good principle. My uncle +Popplewell has studied the subject of what they call 'political +economy,' and he says that the country requires free trade, and the +only way to get it is to go on so that the government must give way +at last. However, I need not instruct you about that; and you must +not stop any longer." + +"Miss Anerley, I will not encroach upon your kindness. You have +said things that I never shall forget. On the Continent I meet +very many ladies who tell me good things, and make me better; but +not at all as you have done. A minute of talk with you is worth an +hour with anybody else. But I fear that you laugh at me all the +while, and are only too glad to be rid of me. Good-by. May I kiss +your hand? God bless you!" + +Mary had no time to say a single word, or even to express her ideas +by a look, before Robin Lyth, with all his bright apparel, was +"conspicuous by his absence." As a diving bird disappears from a +gun, or a trout from a shadow on his hover, or even a debtor from +his creditor, so the great free-trader had vanished into lightsome +air, and left emptiness behind him. + +The young maid, having been prepared to yield him a few yards more +of good advice, if he held out for another corner, now could only +say to herself that she never had met such a wonderful man. So +active, strong, and astonishingly brave; so thoroughly acquainted +with foreign lands, yet superior to their ladies; so able to see +all the meaning of good words, and to value them when offered +quietly; so sweet in his manner, and voice, and looks; and with all +his fame so unpretending, and--much as it frightened her to think +it--really seeming to be afraid of her. + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +GRUMBLING AND GROWLING + + +While these successful runs went on, and great authorities smiled +at seeing the little authorities set at naught, and men of the +revenue smote their breasts for not being born good smugglers, and +the general public was well pleased, and congratulated them +cordially upon their accomplishment of naught, one man there was +whose noble spirit chafed and knew no comfort. He strode up and +down at Coast-guard Point, and communed with himself, while Robin +held sweet converse in the lane. + +"Why was I born?" the sad Carroway cried; "why was I thoroughly +educated and trained in both services of the king, expected to +rise, and beginning to rise, till a vile bit of splinter stopped +me, and then sent down to this hole of a place to starve, and be +laughed at, and baffled by a boy? Another lucky run, and the +revenue bamboozled, and the whole of us sent upon a wild-goose +chase! Every gapper-mouth zany grinning at me, and scoundrels +swearing that I get my share! And the only time I have had my +dinner with my knees crook'd, for at least a fortnight, was at +Anerley Farm on Sunday. I am not sure that even they wouldn't turn +against me; I am certain that pretty girl would. I've a great mind +to throw it up--a great mind to throw it up. It is hardly the work +for a gentleman born, and the grandson of a rear-admiral. Tinkers' +and tailors' sons get the luck now; and a man of good blood is put +on the back shelf, behind the blacking-bottles. A man who has +battled for his country--" + +"Charles, are you coming to your dinner, once more?" + +"No, I am not. There's no dinner worth coming to. You and the +children may eat the rat pie. A man who has battled for his +country, and bled till all his veins were empty, and it took two +men to hold him up, and yet waved his Sword at the head of them--it +is the downright contradiction of the world in everything for him +to poke about with pots and tubs, like a pig in a brewery, grain- +hunting." + +"Once more, Charles, there is next to nothing left. The children +are eating for their very lives. If you stay out there another +minute, you must take the consequence." + +"Alas, that I should have so much stomach, and so little to put +into it! My dear, put a little bit under a basin, if any of them +has no appetite. I wanted just to think a little." + +"Charles, they have all got tremendous appetites. It is the way +the wind is. You may think by-and-by, but if you want to eat, you +must do it now, or never." + +"'Never' never suits me in that matter," the brave lieutenant +answered. "Matilda, put Geraldine to warm the pewter plate for me. +Geraldine darling, you can do it with your mouth full." + +The commander of the coast-guard turned abruptly from his long +indignant stride, and entered the cottage provided for him, and +which he had peopled so speedily. + +Small as it was, it looked beautifully clean and neat, and +everybody used to wonder how Mrs. Carroway kept it so. But in +spite of all her troubles and many complaints, she was very proud +of this little house, with its healthful position and beautiful +outlook over the bay of Bridlington. It stood in a niche of the +low soft cliff, where now the sea-parade extends from the northern +pier of Bridlington Quay; and when the roadstead between that and +the point was filled with a fleet of every kind of craft, or, +better still, when they all made sail at once--as happened when a +trusty breeze arose--the view was lively, and very pleasant, and +full of moving interest. Often one of his Majesty's cutters, +Swordfish, Kestrel, or Albatross, would swoop in with all sail set, +and hover, while the skipper came ashore to see the "Ancient +Carroway," as this vigilant officer was called; and sometimes even +a sloop of war, armed brigantine, or light corvette, prowling for +recruits, or cruising for their training, would run in under the +Head, and overhaul every wind-bound ship with a very high hand. + +"Ancient Carroway"--as old friends called him, and even young +people who had never seen him--was famous upon this coast now for +nearly three degrees of latitude. He had dwelled here long, and in +highly good content, hospitably treated by his neighbors, and +himself more hospitable than his wife could wish, until two +troubles in his life arose, and from year to year grew worse and +worse. One of these troubles was the growth of mouths in number +and size, that required to be filled; and the other trouble was the +rampant growth of smuggling, and the glory of that upstart Robin +Lyth. Now let it be lawful to take that subject first. + +Fair Robin, though not at all anxious for fame, but modestly +willing to decline it, had not been successful--though he worked so +much by night--in preserving sweet obscurity. His character was +public, and set on high by fortune, to be gazed at from wholly +different points of view. From their narrow and lime-eyed outlook +the coast-guard beheld in him the latest incarnation of Old Nick; +yet they hated him only in an abstract manner, and as men feel +toward that evil one. Magistrates also, and the large protective +powers, were arrayed against him, yet happy to abstain from laying +hands, when their hands were their own, upon him. And many of the +farmers, who should have been his warmest friends and best +customers, were now so attached to their king and country, by +bellicose warmth and army contracts, that instead of a guinea for a +four-gallon anker, they would offer three crowns, or the exciseman. +And not only conscience, but short cash, after three bad harvests, +constrained them. + +Yet the staple of public opinion was sound, as it must be where +women predominate. The best of women could not see why they should +not have anything they wanted for less than it cost the maker. To +gaze at a sister woman better dressed at half the money was simply +to abjure every lofty principle. And to go to church with a +counterfeit on, when the genuine lace was in the next pew on a body +of inferior standing, was a downright outrage to the congregation, +the rector, and all religion. A cold-blooded creature, with no +pin-money, might reconcile it with her principles, if any she had, +to stand up like a dowdy and allow a poor man to risk his life by +shot and storm and starvation, and then to deny him a word or a +look, because of his coming with the genuine thing at a quarter the +price fat tradesmen asked, who never stirred out of their shops +when it rained, for a thing that was a story and an imposition. +Charity, duty, and common honesty to their good husbands in these +bad times compelled them to make the very best of bargains; of +which they got really more and more, as those brave mariners +themselves bore witness, because of the depression in the free +trade now and the glorious victories of England. Were they bound +to pay three times the genuine value, and then look a figure, and +be laughed at? + +And as for Captain Carroway, let him scold, and threaten, and +stride about, and be jealous, because his wife dare not buy true +things, poor creature--although there were two stories also about +that, and the quantities of things that he got for nothing, +whenever he was clever enough to catch them, which scarcely ever +happened, thank goodness! Let Captain Carroway attend to his own +business; unless he was much belied, he had a wife who would keep +him to it. Who was Captain Carroway to come down here, without +even being born in Yorkshire, and lay down the law, as if he owned +the manor? + +Lieutenant Carroway had heard such questions, but disdained to +answer them. He knew who he was, and what his grandfather had +been, and he never cared a--short word--what sort of stuff long +tongues might prate of him. Barbarous broad-drawlers, murderers of +his Majesty's English, could they even pronounce the name of an +officer highly distinguished for many years in both of the royal +services? That was his description, and the Yorkshire yokels might +go and read it--if read they could--in the pages of authority. + +Like the celebrated calf that sucked two cows, Carroway had drawn +royal pay, though in very small drains, upon either element, +beginning with a skeleton regiment, and then, when he became too +hot for it, diving off into a frigate as a recommended volunteer. +Here he was more at home, though he never ceased longing to be a +general; and having the credit of fighting well ashore, he was +looked at with interest when he fought a fight at sea. He fought +it uncommonly well, and it was good, and so many men fell that he +picked up his commission, and got into a fifty-two-gun ship. After +several years of service, without promotion--for his grandfather's +name was worn out now, and the wars were not properly constant-- +there came a very lively succession of fights, and Carroway got +into all of them, or at least into all the best of them. And he +ought to have gone up much faster than he did, and he must have +done so but for his long lean jaws, the which are the worst things +that any man can have. Not only because of their own consumption +and slow length of leverage, but mainly on account of the sadness +they impart, and the timid recollection of a hungry wolf, to the +man who might have lifted up a fatter individual. + +But in Rodney's great encounter with the Spanish fleet, Carroway +showed such a dauntless spirit, and received such a wound, that it +was impossible not to pay him some attention. His name was near +the bottom of a very long list, but it made a mark on some one's +memory, depositing a chance of coming up some day, when he should +be reported hit again. And so good was his luck that he soon was +hit again, and a very bad hit it was; but still he got over it +without promotion, because that enterprise was one in which nearly +all our men ran away, and therefore required to be well pushed up +for the sake of the national honor. When such things happen, the +few who stay behind must be left behind in the Gazette as well. +That wound, therefore, seemed at first to go against him, but he +bandaged it, and plastered it, and hoped for better luck. And his +third wound truly was a blessed one, a slight one, and taken in the +proper course of things, without a slur upon any of his comrades. +This set him up again with advancement and appointment, and enabled +him to marry and have children seven. + +The lieutenant was now about fifty years of age, gallant and lively +as ever, and resolute to attend to his duty and himself as well. +His duty was now along shore, in command of the Coast-guard of the +East District; for the loss of a good deal of one heel made it hard +for him to step about as he should do when afloat. The place +suited him, and he was fond of it, although he grumbled sometimes +about his grandfather, and went on as if his office was beneath +him. He abused all his men, and all the good ones liked him, and +respected him for his clear English. And he enjoyed this free +exercise of language out-of-doors, because inside his threshold he +was on his P's and Q's. To call him "ugly Carroway," as coarse +people did, because of a scar across his long bold nose, was petty +and unjust, and directly contradicted by his own and his wife's +opinion. For nobody could have brighter eyes, or a kindlier smile, +and more open aspect in the forepart of the week, while his Sunday +shave retained its influence, so far as its limited area went, for +he kept a long beard always. By Wednesday he certainly began to +look grim, and on Saturday ferocious, pending the advent of the +Bridlington barber, who shaved all the Quay every Sunday. But his +mind was none the worse, and his daughters liked him better when he +rasped their young cheeks with his beard, and paid a penny. For to +his children he was a loving and tender-hearted father, puzzled at +their number, and sometimes perplexed at having to feed and clothe +them, yet happy to give them his last and go without, and even +ready to welcome more, if Heaven should be pleased to send them. + +But Mrs. Carroway, most fidgety of women, and born of a well-shorn +family, was unhappy from the middle to the end of the week that she +could not scrub her husband's beard off. The lady's sense of human +crime, and of everything hateful in creation, expressed itself +mainly in the word "dirt." Her rancor against that nobly tranquil +and most natural of elements inured itself into a downright +passion. From babyhood she had been notorious for kicking her +little legs out at the least speck of dust upon a tiny red shoe. +Her father--a clergyman--heard so much of this, and had so many +children of a different stamp, that when he came to christen her, +at six months of age (which used to be considered quite an early +time of life), he put upon her the name of "Lauta," to which she +thoroughly acted up; but people having ignorance of foreign tongues +said that he always meant "Matilda." + +Such was her nature, and it grew upon her; so that when a young and +gallant officer, tall and fresh, and as clean as a frigate, was +captured by her neat bright eyes, very clean run, and sharp cut- +water, she began to like to look at him. Before very long, his +spruce trim ducks, careful scrape of Brunswick-leather boots, clean +pocket-handkerchiefs, and fine specklessness, were making and +keeping a well-swept path to the thoroughly dusted store-room of +her heart. How little she dreamed, in those virgin days, that the +future could ever contain a week when her Charles would decline to +shave more than once, and then have it done for him on a Sunday! + +She hesitated, for she had her thoughts--doubts she disdained to +call them--but still he forgot once to draw his boots sideways, +after having purged the toe and heel, across the bristle of her +father's mat. With the quick eye of love he perceived her frown, +and the very next day he conquered her. His scheme was unworthy, +as it substituted corporate for personal purity; still it +succeeded, as unworthy schemes will do. On the birthday of his +sacred Majesty, Charles took Matilda to see his ship, the 48-gun +frigate Immaculate, commanded by a well-known martinet. Her spirit +fell within her, like the Queen of Sheba's, as she gazed, but +trembled to set down foot upon the trim order and the dazzling +choring. She might have survived the strict purity of all things, +the deck lines whiter than Parian marble, the bulwarks brighter +than the cheek-piece of a grate, the breeches of the guns like +goodly gold, and not a whisker of a rope's end curling the wrong +way, if only she could have espied a swab, or a bucket, or a flake +of holy-stone, or any indicament of labor done. "Artis est celare +artem;" this art was unfathomable. + +Matilda was fain to assure herself that the main part of this might +be superficial, like a dish-cover polished with the spots on, and +she lost her handkerchief on purpose to come back and try a little +test-work of her own. This was a piece of unstopped knotting in +the panel of a hatchway, a resinous hole that must catch and keep +any speck of dust meandering on the wayward will of wind. Her +cambric came out as white as it went in! + +She surrendered at discretion, and became the prize of Carroway. + +Now people at Bridlington Quay declared that the lieutenant, though +he might have carried off a prize, was certainly not the prize- +master; and they even went so far as to say that "he could scarcely +call his soul his own." The matter was no concern of theirs, +neither were their conclusions true. In little things the gallant +officer, for the sake of discipline and peace, submitted to due +authority; and being so much from home, he left all household +matters to a firm control. In return for this, he was always +thought of first, and the best of everything was kept for him, and +Mrs. Carroway quoted him to others as a wonder, though she may not +have done so to himself. And so, upon the whole, they got on very +well together. + +Now on this day, when the lieutenant had exhausted a grumble of +unusual intensity, and the fair Geraldine (his eldest child) had +obeyed him to the letter, by keeping her mouth full while she +warmed a plate for him, it was not long before his usual luck +befell the bold Carroway. Rap, rap, came a knock at the side door +of his cottage--a knock only too familiar; and he heard the gruff +voice of Cadman--"Can I see his honor immediately?" + +"No, you can not," replied Mrs. Carroway. "One would think you +were all in a league to starve him. No sooner does he get half a +mouthful--" + +"Geraldine, put it on the hob, my dear, and a basin over it. +Matilda, my love, you know my maxim--'Duty first, dinner +afterward.' Cadman, I will come with you." + +The revenue officer took up his hat (which had less time now than +his dinner to get cold) and followed Cadman to the usual place for +holding privy councils. This was under the heel of the pier (which +was then about half as long as now) at a spot where the outer wall +combed over, to break the crest of the surges in the height of a +heavy eastern gale. At neap tides, and in moderate weather, this +place was dry, with a fine salt smell; and with nothing in front of +it but the sea, and nothing behind it but solid stone wall, any one +would think that here must be commune sacred, secret, and secluded +from eavesdroppers. And yet it was not so, by reason of a very +simple reason. + +Upon the roadway of the pier, and over against a mooring-post, +where the parapet and the pier itself made a needful turn toward +the south, there was an equally needful thing, a gully-hole with an +iron trap to carry off the rain that fell, or the spray that broke +upon the fabric; and the outlet of this gully was in the face of +the masonry outside. Carroway, not being gifted with a crooked +mind, had never dreamed that this little gut might conduct the +pulses of the air, like the Tyrant's Ear, and that the trap at the +end might be a trap for him. Yet so it was; and by gently raising +the movable iron frame at the top, a well-disposed person might +hear every word that was spoken in the snug recess below. Cadman +was well aware of this little fact, but left his commander to find +it out. + +The officer, always thinly clad (both through the state of his +wardrobe and his dread of effeminate comfort), settled his bony +shoulders against the rough stonework, and his heels upon a groyne, +and gave his subordinate a nod, which meant, "Make no fuss, but out +with it." Cadman, a short square fellow with crafty eyes, began to +do so. + +"Captain, I have hit it off at last. Hackerbody put me wrong last +time, through the wench he hath a hankering after. This time I got +it, and no mistake, as right as if the villain lay asleep 'twixt +you and me, and told us all about it with his tongue out; and a +good thing for men of large families like me." + +"All that I have heard such a number of times," his commander +answered, crustily, "that I whistle, as we used to do in a dead +calm, Cadman. An old salt like you knows how little comes of +that." + +"There I don't quite agree with your honor. I have known a +hurricane come from whistling. But this time there is no woman +about it, and the penny have come down straightforrard. New moon +Tuesday next, and Monday we slips first into that snug little cave. +He hath a' had his last good run." + +"How much is coming this time, Cadman? I am sick and tired of +those three caves. It is all old woman's talk of caves, while they +are running south, upon the open beach." + +"Captain, it is a big venture--the biggest of all the summer, I do +believe. Two thousand pounds, if there is a penny, in it. The +schooner, and the lugger, and the ketch, all to once, of purpose to +send us scattering. But your honor knows what we be after most. +No woman in it this time, Sir. The murder has been of the women, +all along. When there is no woman, I can see my way. We have got +the right pig by the ear this time." + +"John Cadman, your manner of speech is rude. You forget that your +commanding officer has a wife and family, three-quarters of which +are female. You will give me your information without any rude +observations as to sex, of which you, as a married man, should be +ashamed. A man and his wife are one flesh, Cadman, and therefore +you are a woman yourself, and must labor not to disgrace yourself. +Now don't look amazed, but consider these things. If you had not +been in a flurry, like a woman, you would not have spoiled my +dinner so. I will meet you at the outlook at six o'clock. I have +business on hand of importance." + +With these words Carroway hastened home, leaving Cadman to mutter +his wrath, and then to growl it, when his officer was out of ear- +shot. + +"Never a day, nor an hour a'most, without he insulteth of me. A +woman, indeed! Well, his wife may be a man, but what call hath he +to speak of mine so? John Cadman a woman, and one flesh with his +wife! Pretty news that would be for my missus!" + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +SERIOUS CHARGES + + +"Stephen, if it was anybody else, you would listen to me in a +moment," said Mrs. Anerley to her lord, a few days after that +little interview in the Bempton Lane; "for instance, if it was poor +Willie, how long would you be in believing it? But because it is +Mary, you say 'pooh! pooh!' And I may as well talk to the old +cracked churn." + +"First time of all my born days," the farmer answered, with a +pleasant smile, "that ever I was resembled to a churn. But a man's +wife ought to know best about un." + +"Stephen, it is not the churn--I mean you; and you never should +attempt to ride off in that sort of way. I tell you Mary hath a +mischief on her mind; and you never ought to bring up old churns to +me. As long as I can carry almost anything in mind, I have been +considered to be full of common-sense. And what should I use it +upon, Captain Anerley, without it was my own daughter?" + +The farmer was always conquered when she called him "Captain +Anerley." He took it to point at him as a pretender, a coxcomb +fond of titles, a would-be officer who took good care to hold aloof +from fighting. And he knew in his heart that he loved to be called +"Captain Anerley" by every one who meant it. + +"My dear," he said, in a tone of submission, and with a look that +grieved her, "the knowledge of such things is with you. I can not +enter into young maids' minds, any more than command a company." + +"Stephen, you could do both, if you chose, better than ten of +eleven who do it. For, Stephen, you have a very tender mind, and +are not at all like a churn, my dear. That was my manner of +speech, you ought to know, because from my youngest days I had a +crowd of imagination. You remember that, Stephen, don't you?" + +"I remember, Sophy, that in the old time you never resembled me to +a churn, let alone a cracked one. You used to christen me a +pillar, and a tree, and a rock, and a polished corner; but there, +what's the odds, when a man has done his duty? The names of him +makes no difference." + +"'Twist you and me, my dear," she said, "nothing can make any +difference. We know one another too well for that. You are all +that I ever used to call you, before I knew better about you, and +when I used to dwell upon your hair and your smile. You know what +I used to say of them, now, Stephen?" + +"Most complimentary--highly complimentary! Another young woman +brought me word of it, and it made me stick firm when my mind was +doubtful." + +"And glad you ought to be that you did stick firm. And you have +the Lord to thank for it, as well as your own sense. But no time +to talk of our old times now. They are coming up again, with those +younkers, I'm afraid. Willie is like a Church; and Jack--no chance +of him getting the chance of it; but Mary, your darling of the lot, +our Mary--her mind is unsettled, and a worry coming over her; the +same as with me when I saw you first." + +"It is the Lord that directs those things," the farmer answered, +steadfastly; "and Mary hath the sense of her mother, I believe. +That it is maketh me so fond on her. If the young maid hath taken +a fancy, it will pass, without a bit of substance to settle on. +Why, how many fancies had you, Sophy, before you had the good luck +to clap eyes on me?" + +"That is neither here nor there," his wife replied, audaciously; +"how many times have you asked such questions, which are no concern +of yours? You could not expect me, before ever I saw you, not to +have any eyes or ears. I had plenty to say for myself; and I was +not plain; and I acted accordingly." + +Master Anerley thought about this, because he had heard it and +thought of it many times before. He hated to think about anything +new, having never known any good come of it; and his thoughts would +rather flow than fly, even in the fugitive brevity of youth. And +now, in his settled way, his practice was to tread thought deeper +into thought, as a man in deep snow keeps the track of his own +boots, or as a child writes ink on pencil in his earliest copy- +books. "You acted according," he said; "and Mary might act +according to you, mother." + +"How can you talk so, Stephen? That would be a different thing +altogether. Young girls are not a bit like what they used to be in +my time. No steadiness, no diligence, no duty to their parents. +Gadding about is all they think of, and light-headed chatter, and +saucy ribbons." + +"May be so with some of them. But I never see none of that in +Mary." + +"Mary is a good girl, and well brought up," her mother could not +help admitting, "and fond of her home, and industrious. But for +all that, she must be looked after sharply. And who can look after +a child like her mother? I can tell you one thing, Master Stephen: +your daughter Mary has more will of her own than the rest of your +family all put together, including even your own good wife." + +"Prodigious!" cried the farmer, while he rubbed his hands and +laughed--"prodigious, and a man might say impossible. A young lass +like Mary, such a coaxing little poppet, as tender as a lambkin, +and as soft as wool!" + +"Flannel won't only run one way; no more won't Mary," said her +mother. "I know her better a long sight than you do; and I say if +ever Mary sets her heart on any one, have him she will, be he +cowboy, thief, or chimney-sweep. So now you know what to expect, +Master Anerley." + +Stephen Anerley never made light of his wife's opinions in those +few cases wherein they differed from his own. She agreed with him +so generally that in common fairness he thought very highly of her +wisdom, and the present subject was one upon which she had an +especial right to be heard. + +"Sophy," he said, as he set up his coat to be off to a cutting of +clover on the hill--for no reaping would begin yet for another +month--"the things you have said shall abide in my mind. Only you +be a-watching of the little wench. Harry Tanfield is the man I +would choose for her of all others. But I never would force any +husband on a lass; though stern would I be to force a bad one off, +or one in an unfit walk of life. No inkle in your mind who it is, +or wouldst have told me?" + +"Well, I may, or I may not. I never like to speak promiscuous. +You have the first right to know what I think. But I beg you to +let me be a while. Not even to you, Steve, would I say it, without +more to go upon than there is yet. I might do the lass a great +wrong in my surmising; and then you would visit my mistake on me, +for she is the apple of your eye, no doubt." + +"There is never such another maid in all York County, nor in +England, to my thinking." + +"She is my daughter as well as yours, and I would be the last to +make cheap of her. I will not say another word until I know. But +if I am right--which the Lord forbid--we shall both be ashamed of +her, Stephen." + +"The Lord forbid! The Lord forbid! Amen. I will not hear another +word." The farmer snatched up his hat, and made off with a haste +unusual for him, while his wife sat down, and crossed her arms, and +began to think rather bitterly. For, without any dream of such a +possibility, she was jealous sometimes of her own child. Presently +the farmer rushed back again, triumphant with a new idea. His eyes +were sparkling, and his step full of spring, and a brisk smile +shone upon his strong and ruddy face. + +"What a pair of stupes we must be to go on so!" he cried, with a +couple of bright guineas in his hand. "Mary hath not had a new +frock even, going on now for a year and a half. Sophy, it is +enough to turn a maid into thinking of any sort of mischief. Take +you these and make everything right. I was saving them up for her +birthday, but maybe another will turn up by that. My dear, you +take them, and never be afeared." + +"Stephen, you may leave them, if you like. I shall not be in any +haste to let them go. Either give them to the lass yourself, or +leave it to me purely. She shall not have a sixpence, unless it is +deserved." + +"Of course I leave it in your hands, wife. I never come between +you and your children. But young folk go piping always after money +now; and even our Mary might be turning sad without it." + +He hastened off again, without hearing any more; for he knew that +some hours of strong labor were before him, and to meet them with a +heavy heart would be almost a new thing for him. Some time ago he +had begun to hold the plough of heaviness, through the difficult +looseness of Willie's staple, and the sudden maritime slope of +Jack; yet he held on steadily through all this, with the strength +of homely courage. But if in the pride of his heart, his Mary, he +should find no better than a crooked furrow, then truly the labor +of his latter days would be the dull round of a mill horse. + +Now Mary, in total ignorance of that council held concerning her, +and even of her mother's bad suspicions, chanced to come in at the +front porch door soon after her father set off to his meadows by +way of the back yard. Having been hard at work among her flowers, +she was come to get a cupful of milk for herself, and the cheery +content and general goodwill encouraged by the gardener's gentle +craft were smiling on her rosy lips and sparkling in her eyes. Her +dress was as plain as plain could be--a lavender twill cut and +fitted by herself--and there was not an ornament about her that +came from any other hand than Nature's. But simple grace of +movement and light elegance of figure, fair curves of gentle face +and loving kindness of expression, gladdened with the hope of +youth--what did these want with smart dresses, golden brooches, and +two guineas? Her mother almost thought of this when she called +Mary into the little parlor. And the two guineas lay upon the +table. + +"Mary, can you spare a little time to talk with me? You seem +wonderfully busy, as usual." + +"Mother, will you never make allowance for my flowers? They depend +upon the weather, and they must have things accordingly." + +"Very well; let them think about what they want next, while you sit +down a while and talk with me." + +The girl was vexed; for to listen to a lecture, already manifest in +her mother's eyes, was a far less agreeable job than gardening. +And the lecture would have done as well by candle-light, which +seldom can be said of any gardening. However, she took off her +hat, and sat down, without the least sign of impatience, and +without any token of guilt, as her mother saw, and yet stupidly +proceeded just the same. + +"Mary," she began, with a gaze of stern discretion, which the girl +met steadfastly and pleasantly, "you know that I am your own +mother, and bound to look after you well, while you are so very +young; for though you are sensible some ways, Mary, in years and in +experience what are you but a child? Of the traps of the world and +the wickedness of people you can have no knowledge. You always +think the best of everybody; which is a very proper thing to do, +and what I have always brought you up to, and never would dream of +discouraging. And with such examples as your father and your +mother, you must be perverse to do otherwise. Still, it is my duty +to warn you, Mary--and you are getting old enough to want it--that +the world is not made up of fathers and mothers, brothers and +sisters, and good uncles. There are always bad folk who go +prowling about like wolves in--wolves in--what is it--" + +"Sheep's clothing," the maiden suggested, with a smile, and then +dropped her eyes maliciously. + +"How dare you be pert, miss, correcting your own mother? Do I ever +catch you reading of your Bible? But you seem to know so much +about it, perhaps you have met some of them?" + +"How can I tell, mother, when you won't tell me?" + +"I tell you, indeed! It is your place to tell me, I think. And +what is more, I insist at once upon knowing all about it. What +makes you go on in the way that you are doing? Do you take me for +a drumledore, you foolish child? On Tuesday afternoon I saw you +sewing with a double thread. Your father had potato-eyes upon his +plate on Sunday; and which way did I see you trying to hang up a +dish-cover? But that is nothing; fifty things you go wandering +about in; and always out, on some pretense, as if the roof you were +born under was not big enough for you. And then your eyes--I have +seen your eyes flash up, as if you were fighting; and the bosom of +your Sunday frock was loose in church two buttons; it was not hot +at all to speak of, and there was a wasp next pew. All these +things make me unhappy, Mary. My darling, tell me what it is." + +Mary listened with great amazement to this catalogue of crimes. At +the time of their commission she had never even thought of them, +although she was vexed with herself when she saw one eye--for in +verity that was all--of a potato upon her father's plate. Now she +blushed when she heard of the buttons of her frock--which was only +done because of tightness, and showed how long she must have worn +it; but as to the double thread, she was sure that nothing of that +sort could have happened. + +"Why, mother dear," she said, quite softly, coming up in her +coaxing way, which nobody could resist, because it was true and +gentle lovingness, "you know a hundred times more than I do. I +have never known of any of the sad mistakes you speak of, except +about the potato-eye, and then I had a round-pointed knife. But I +want to make no excuses, mother; and there is nothing the matter +with me. Tell me what you mean about the wolves." + +"My child," said her mother, whose face she was kissing, while they +both went on with talking, "it is no good trying to get over me. +Either you have something on your mind, or you have not--which is +it?" + +"Mother, what can I have on my mind? I have never hurt any one, +and never mean to do it. Every one is kind to me, and everybody +likes me, and of course I like them all again. And I always have +plenty to do, in and out, as you take very good care, dear mother. +My father loves me, and so do you, a great deal more than I +deserve, perhaps. I am happy in a Sunday frock that wants more +stuff to button; and I have only one trouble in all the world. +When I think of the other girls I see--" + +"Never mind them, my dear. What is your one trouble?" + +"Mother, as if you could help knowing! About my dear brother Jack, +of course. Jack was so wonderfully good to me! I would walk on my +hands and knees all the way to York to get a single glimpse of +him." + +"You would never get as far as the rick-yard hedge. You children +talk such nonsense. Jack ran away of his own free-will, and out of +downright contrariness. He has repented of it only once, I dare +say, and that has been ever since he did it, and every time he +thought of it. I wish he was home again, with all my heart, for I +can not bear to lose my children. And Jack was as good a boy as +need be, when he got everything his own way. Mary, is that your +only trouble? Stand where I can see you plainly, and tell me every +word the truth. Put your hair back from your eyes now, like the +catechism." + +"If I were saying fifty catechisms, what more could I do than speak +the truth?" Mary asked this with some little vexation, while she +stood up proudly before her mother, and clasped her hands behind +her back. "I have told you everything I know, except one little +thing, which I am not sure about." + +"What little thing, if you please? and how can you help being sure +about it, positive as you are about everything?" + +"Mother, I mean that I have not been sure whether I ought to tell +you; and I meant to tell my father first, when there could be no +mischief." + +"Mary, I can scarcely believe my ears. To tell your father before +your mother, and not even him until nothing could be done to stop +it, which you call 'mischief!' I insist upon knowing at once what +it is. I have felt that you were hiding something. How very +unlike you, how unlike a child of mine!" + +"You need not disturb yourself, mother dear. It is nothing of any +importance to me, though to other people it might be. And that is +the reason why I kept it to myself." + +"Oh, we shall come to something by-and-by! One would really think +you were older than your mother. Now, miss, if you please, let us +judge of your discretion. What is it that you have been hiding so +long?" + +Mary's face grew crimson now, but with anger rather than with +shame; she had never thought twice about Robin Lyth with anything +warmer than pity, but this was the very way to drive her into +dwelling in a mischievous manner upon him. + +"What I have been hiding," she said, most distinctly, and +steadfastly looking at her mother, "is only that I have had two +talks with the great free-trader Robin Lyth." + +"That arrant smuggler! That leader of all outlaws! You have been +meeting him on the sly!" + +"Certainly not. But I met him once by chance; and then, as a +matter of business, I was forced to meet him again, dear mother." + +"These things are too much for me," Mrs. Anerley said, decisively. +"When matters have come to such a pass, I must beg your dear father +to see to them." + +"Very well, mother; I would rather have it so. May I go now and +make an end of my gardening?" + +"Certainly--as soon as you have made an end of me, as you must +quite have laid your plans to do. I have seen too much to be +astonished any more. But to think that a child of mine, my one and +only daughter, who looks as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth, +should be hand in glove with the wickedest smuggler of the age, the +rogue everybody shoots at--but can not hit him, because he was born +to be hanged---the by-name, the by-word, the by-blow, Robin Lyth!" +Mrs. Anerley covered her face with both hands. + +"How would you like your own second cousin," said Mary, plucking up +her spirit, "your own second cousin, Mistress Cockscroft, to hear +you speak so of the man that supports them at the risk of his life, +every hour of it? He may be doing wrong--it is not for me to say-- +but he does it very well, and he does it nobly. And what did you +show me in your drawer, dear mother? And what did you wear when +that very cruel man, Captain Carroway, came here to dine on +Sunday?" + +"You wicked, undutiful child! Go away! I wish to have nothing +more to say to you." + +"No, I will not go away," cried Mary, with her resolute spirit in +her eyes and brow; "when false and cruel charges are brought +against me, I have the right to speak, and I will use it. I am not +hand in glove with Robin Lyth, or any other Robin. I think a +little more of myself than that. If I have done any wrong, I will +meet it, and be sorry, and submit to any punishment. I ought to +have told you before, perhaps; that is the worst you can say of it. +But I never attached much importance to it; and when a man is +hunted so, was I to join his enemies? I have only seen him twice: +the first time by purest accident, and the second time to give him +back a piece of his own property. And I took my brother with me; +but he ran away, as usual." + +"Of course, of course. Every one to blame but you, miss. However, +we shall see what your father has to say. You have very nearly +taken all my breath away; but I shall expect the whole sky to +tumble in upon us if Captain Anerley approves of Robin Lyth as a +sweetheart for his daughter." + +"I never thought of Captain Lyth; and Captain Lyth never thought of +me. But I can tell you one thing, mother--if you wanted to make me +think of him, you could not do it better than by speaking so +unjustly." + +"After that perhaps you will go back to your flowers. I have heard +that they grow very fine ones in Holland. Perhaps you have got +some smuggled tulips, my dear." + +Mary did not condescend to answer, but said to herself, as she went +to work again, "Tulips in August! That is like the rest of it. +However, I am not going to be put out, when I feel that I have not +done a single bit of harm." And she tried to be happy with her +flowers, but could not enter into them as before. + +Mistress Anerley was as good as her word, at the very first +opportunity. Her husband returned from the clover-stack tired and +hungry, and angry with a man who had taken too much beer, and ran +at him with a pitchfork; angry also with his own son Willie for not +being anywhere in the way to help. He did not complain; and his +wife knew at once that he ought to have done so, to obtain relief. +She perceived that her own discourse about their daughter was still +on his mind, and would require working off before any more was said +about it. And she felt as sure as if she saw it that in his +severity against poor Willie--for not doing things that were +beneath him--her master would take Mary's folly as a joke, and fall +upon her brother, who was so much older, for not going on to +protect and guide her. So she kept till after supper-time her +mouthful of bad tidings. + +And when the farmer heard it all, as he did before going to sleep +that night, he had smoked three pipes of tobacco, and was calm; he +had sipped (for once in a way) a little Hollands, and was hopeful. +And though he said nothing about it, he felt that without any order +of his, or so much as the faintest desire to be told of it, neither +of these petty comforts would bear to be rudely examined of its +duty. He hoped for the best, and he believed the best, and if the +king was cheated, why, his loyal subject was the same, and the +women were their masters. + +"Have no fear, no fear," he muttered back through the closing gate +of sleep; "Mary knows her business--business--" and he buzzed it off +into a snore. + +In the morning, however, he took a stronger and more serious view +of the case, pronouncing that Mary was only a young lass, and no +one could ever tell about young lasses. And he quite fell into his +wife's suggestion, that the maid could be spared till harvest-time, +of which (even with the best of weather) there was little chance +now for another six weeks, the season being late and backward. So +it was resolved between them both that the girl should go on the +following day for a visit to her uncle Popplewell, some miles the +other side of Filey. No invitation was required; for Mr. and Mrs. +Popplewell, a snug and comfortable pair, were only too glad to have +their niece, and had often wanted to have her altogether; but the +farmer would never hear of that. + + + +CHAPTER XV + +CAUGHT AT LAST + + +While these little things were doing thus, the coast from the mouth +of the Tees to that of Humber, and even the inland parts, were in a +great stir of talk and work about events impending. It must not be +thought that Flamborough, although it was Robin's dwelling-place-- +so far as he had any--was the principal scene of his operations, or +the stronghold of his enterprise. On the contrary, his liking was +for quiet coves near Scarborough, or even to the north of Whitby, +when the wind and tide were suitable. And for this there were many +reasons which are not of any moment now. + +One of them showed fine feeling and much delicacy on his part. He +knew that Flamborough was a place of extraordinary honesty, where +every one of his buttons had been safe, and would have been so +forever; and strictly as he believed in the virtue of his own free +importation, it was impossible for him not to learn that certain +people thought otherwise, or acted as if they did so. From the +troubles which such doubts might cause, he strove to keep the +natives free. + +Flamburians scarcely understood this largeness of good-will to +them. Their instincts told them that free trade was every Briton's +privilege; and they had the finest set of donkeys on the coast for +landing it. But none the more did any of them care to make a +movement toward it. They were satisfied with their own old way--to +cast the net their father cast, and bait the hook as it was baited +on their good grandfather's thumb. + +Yet even Flamborough knew that now a mighty enterprise was in hand. +It was said, without any contradiction, that young Captain Robin +had laid a wager of one hundred guineas with the worshipful mayor +of Scarborough and the commandant of the castle, that before the +new moon he would land on Yorkshire coast, without firing pistol or +drawing steel, free goods to the value of two thousand pounds, and +carry them inland safely. And Flamborough believed that he would +do it. + +Dr. Upround's house stood well, as rectories generally contrive to +do. No place in Flamborough parish could hope to swindle the wind +of its vested right, or to embezzle much treasure of the sun, but +the parsonage made a good effort to do both, and sometimes for +three days together got the credit of succeeding. And the dwellers +therein, who felt the edge of the difference outside their own +walls, not only said but thoroughly believed that they lived in a +little Goshen. + +For the house was well settled in a wrinkle of the hill expanding +southward, and encouraging the noon. From the windows a pleasant +glimpse might be obtained of the broad and tranquil anchorage, +peopled with white or black, according as the sails went up or +down; for the rectory stood to the southward of the point, as the +rest of Flamborough surely must have stood, if built by any other +race than armadillos. But to see all those vessels, and be sure +what they were doing, the proper place was a little snug "gazebo," +chosen and made by the doctor himself, near the crest of the gully +he inhabited. + +Here upon a genial summer day--when it came, as it sometimes dared +to do--was the finest little nook upon the Yorkshire coast for +watching what Virgil calls "the sail-winged sea." Not that a man +could see round the Head, unless his own were gifted with very +crooked eyes; but without doing that (which would only have +disturbed the tranquillity of his prospect) there was plenty to +engage him in the peaceful spread of comparatively waveless waters. +Here might he see long vessels rolling, not with great misery, but +just enough to make him feel happy in the firmness of his bench, +and little jolly-boats it was more jolly to be out of, and faraway +heads giving genial bobs, and sea-legs straddled in predicaments +desirable rather for study than for practice. All was highly +picturesque and nice, and charming for the critic who had never got +to do it. + +"Now, papa, you must come this very moment," cried Miss Janetta +Upround, the daughter of the house, and indeed the only daughter, +with a gush of excitement, rushing into the study of this deeply +read divine; "there is something doing that I can not understand. +You must bring up the spy-glass at once and explain. I am sure +that there is something very wrong." + +"In the parish, my dear?" the rector asked, with a feeble attempt +at malice, for he did not want to be disturbed just now, and for +weeks he had tried (with very poor success) to make Janetta useful; +for she had no gift in that way. + +"No, not in the parish at all, papa, unless it runs out under +water, as I am certain it ought to do, and make every one of those +ships pay tithe. If the law was worth anything, they would have to +do it. They get all the good out of our situation, and they save +whole thousands of pounds at a time, and they never pay a penny, +nor even hoist a flag, unless the day is fine, and the flag wants +drying. But come along, papa, now. I really can not wait; and +they will have done it all without us." + +"Janetta, take the glass and get the focus. I will come presently, +presently. In about two minutes--by the time that you are ready." + +"Very well, papa. It is very good of you. I see quite clearly +what you want to do; and I hope you will do it. But you promise +not to play another game now?" + +"My dear, I will promise that with pleasure. Only do please be off +about your business." + +The rector was a most inveterate and insatiable chess-player. In +the household, rather than by it, he was, as a matter of lofty +belief, supposed to be deeply engaged with theology, or magisterial +questions of almost equal depth, or (to put it at the lowest) +parochial affairs, the while he was solidly and seriously engaged +in getting up the sound defense to some Continental gambit. And +this, not only to satisfy himself upon some point of theory, but +from a nearer and dearer point of view--for he never did like to be +beaten. + +At present he was laboring to discover the proper defense to a new +and slashing form of the Algaier gambit, by means of which Robin +Lyth had won every game in which he had the move, upon their last +encounter. The great free-trader, while a boy, had shown an +especial aptitude for chess, and even as a child he had seemed to +know the men when first, by some accident, he saw them. The rector +being struck by this exception to the ways of childhood--whose +manner it is to take chess-men for "dollies," or roll them about +like nine-pins--at once included in the education of "Izunsabe," +which he took upon himself, a course of elemental doctrine in the +one true game. And the boy fought his way up at such a pace that +he jumped from odds of queen and rook to pawn and two moves in less +than two years. And now he could almost give odds to his tutor, +though he never presumed to offer them; and trading as he did with +enlightened merchants of large Continental sea-ports, who had +plenty of time on their hands and played well, he imported new +openings of a dash and freedom which swallowed the ground up under +the feet of the steady-going players, who had never seen a book +upon their favorite subject. Of course it was competent to all +these to decline such fiery onslaught; but chivalry and the true +love of analysis (which without may none play chess) compelled the +acceptance of the challenge, even with a trembling forecast of the +taste of dust. + +"Never mind," said Dr. Upround, as he rose and stretched himself, a +good straight man of threescore years, with silver hair that shone +like silk; "it has not come to me yet; but it must, with a little +more perseverance. At Cambridge I beat everybody; and who is this +uncircumcised--at least, I beg his pardon, for I did myself baptize +him--but who is Robin Lyth, to mate his pastor and his master? All +these gambits are like a night attack. If once met properly and +expelled, you are in the very heart of the enemy's camp. He has +left his own watch-fires to rush at yours. The next game I play, I +shall be sure to beat him." + +Fully convinced of this great truth, he took a strong oak staff and +hastened to obey his daughter. Miss Janetta Upround had not only +learned by nature, but also had been carefully taught by her +parents, and by every one, how to get her own way always, and to be +thanked for taking it. But she had such a happy nature, full of +kindness and good-will, that other people's wishes always seemed to +flow into her own, instead of being swept aside. Over her father +her government was in no sort constitutional, nor even a quiet +despotism sweetened with liberal illusions, but as pure a piece of +autocracy as the Continent could itself contain, in the time of +this first Napoleon. + +"Papa, what a time you have been, to be sure!" she exclaimed, as +the doctor came gradually up, probing his way in perfect leisure, +and fragrant still of that gambit; "one would think that your +parish was on dry land altogether, while the better half of it, as +they call themselves--though the women are in righteousness the +better half a hundredfold--" + +"My dear, do try to talk with some little sense of arithmetic, if +no other. A hundredfold the half would be the unit multiplied by +fifty. Not to mention that there can be no better half--" + +"Yes, there can, papa, ever so many; and you may see one in mamma +every day. Now you put one eye to this glass, and the half is +better than the whole. With both, you see nothing; with one, +you see better, fifty times better, than with both before. Don't +talk of arithmetic after that. It is algebra now, and quod +demonstrandum." + +"To reason with the less worthy gender is degeneration of reason. +What would they have said in the Senate-house, Janetta? However, I +will obey your orders. What am I to look at?" + +"A tall and very extraordinary man, striking his arms out, thus and +thus. I never saw any one looking so excited; and he flourishes a +long sword now and again, as if he would like to cut everybody's +head off. There he has been going from ship to ship, for an hour +or more, with a long white boat, and a lot of men jumping after +him. Every one seems to be scared of him, and he stumps along the +deck just as if he were on springs, and one spring longer than the +other. You see that heavy brig outside the rest, painted with ten +port-holes; well, she began to make sail and run away, but he fired +a gun--quite a real cannon--and she had to come back again and drop +her colors. Oh, is it some very great admiral, papa? Perhaps Lord +Nelson himself; I would go and be seasick for three days to see +Lord Nelson. Papa, it must be Lord Nelson." + +"My dear, Lord Nelson is a little, short man, with a very brisk +walk, and one arm gone. Now let me see who this can be. +Whereabout is he now, Janetta?" + +"Do you see that clumsy-looking schooner, papa, just behind a +pilot-boat? He is just in front of her foremast--making such a +fuss--" + +"What eyes you have got, my child! You see better without the +glass than I do with it.--Oh, now I have him! Why, I might have +guessed. Of course it is that very active man and vigilant officer +Lieutenant Carroway." + +"Captain Carroway from Bridlington, papa? Why, what can he be +doing with such authority? I have often heard of him, but I +thought he was only a coast-guard." + +"He is, as you say, showing great authority, and, I fear, using +very bad language, for which he is quite celebrated. However, the +telescope refuses to repeat it, for which it is much to be +commended. But every allowance must be made for a man who has to +deal with a wholly uncultivated race, and not of natural piety, +like ours." + +"Well, papa, I doubt if ours have too much, though you always make +the best of them. But let me look again, please; and do tell me +what he can be doing there." + +"You know that the revenue officers must take the law into their +own hands sometimes. There have lately been certain rumors of some +contraband proceedings on the Yorkshire coast. Not in Flamborough +parish, of course, and perhaps--probably, I may say--a long way +off---" + +"Papa dear, will you never confess that free trade prevails and +flourishes greatly even under your own dear nose?" + +"Facts do not warrant me in any such assertion. If the fact were +so, it must have been brought officially before me. I decline to +listen to uncharitable rumors. But however that matter may be, +there are officers on the spot to deal with it. My commission as a +justice of the peace gives me no cognizance of offenses--if such +there are--upon the high seas. Ah! you see something particular; +my dear, what is it?" + +"Captain Carroway has found something, or somebody, of great +importance. He has got a man by the collar, and he is absolutely +dancing with delight. Ah! there he goes, dragging him along the +deck as if he were a cod-fish or a conger. And now, I declare, he +is lashing his arms and legs with a great thick rope. Papa, is +that legal, without even a warrant?" + +"I can hardly say how far his powers may extend, and he is just the +man to extend them farther. I only hope not to be involved in the +matter. Maritime law is not my province." + +"But, papa, it is much within three miles of the shore, if that has +got anything to do with it. My goodness me! They are all coming +here; I am almost sure that they will apply to you. Yes, two boat- +loads of people, racing to get their oars out, and to be here +first. Where are your spectacles, dear papa? You had better go +and get up the law before they come. You will scarcely have time, +they are coming so fast--a white boat and a black boat. The +prisoner is in the white boat, and the officer has got him by the +collar still. The men in the white boat will want to commit him, +and the men in the black boat are his friends, no doubt, coming for +a habeas corpus--" + +"My dear, what nonsense you do talk! What has a simple justice of +the peace--" + +"Never mind that, papa; my facts are sound--sounder than yours +about smuggling, I fear. But do hurry in, and get up the law. +I will go and lock both gates, to give you more time." + +"Do nothing of the kind, Janetta. A magistrate should be +accessible always; and how can I get up the law, without knowing +what it is to be about--or even a clerk to help me? And perhaps +they are not coming here at all. They may be only landing their +prisoner." + +"If that were it, they would not be coming so, but rowing toward +the proper place, Bridlington Quay, where their station-house is. +Papa, you are in for it, and I am getting eager. May I come and +hear all about it? I should be a great support to you, you know. +And they would tell the truth so much better!" + +"Janetta, what are you dreaming of? It may even be a case of +secrecy." + +"Secrecy, papa, with two boat-loads of men and about thirty ships +involved in it! Oh, do let me hear all about it!" + +"Whatever it may be, your presence is not required, and would be +improper. Unless I should happen to want a book; and in that case +I might ring for you." + +"Oh, do, papa, do! No one else can ever find them. Promise me now +that you will want a book. If I am not there, there will be no +justice done. I wish you severely to reprimand, whatever the facts +of the case may be, and even to punish, if you can, that tall, +lame, violent, ferocious man, for dragging the poor fellow about +like that, and cutting him with ropes, when completely needless, +and when he was quite at his mercy. It is my opinion that the +other man does not deserve one bit of it; and whatever the law may +be, papa, your duty is to strain it benevolently, and question +every syllable upon the stronger side." + +"Perhaps I had better resign, my dear, upon condition that you +shall be appointed in the stead of me. It might be a popular +measure, and would secure universal justice." + +"Papa, I would do justice to myself--which is a thing you never do. +But here, they are landing; and they hoist him out as if he were a +sack, or a thing without a joint. They could scarcely be harder +with a man compelled to be hanged to-morrow morning." + +"Condemned is what you mean, Janetta. You never will understand +the use of words. What a nice magistrate you would make!" + +"There can be no more correct expression. Would any man be hanged +if he were not compelled? Papa, you say the most illegal things +sometimes. Now please to go in and get up your legal points. Let +me go and meet those people for you. I will keep them waiting till +you are quite ready." + +"My dear, you will go to your room, and try to learn a little +patience. You begin to be too pat with your own opinions, which in +a young lady is ungraceful. There, you need not cry, my darling, +because your opinions are always sensible, and I value them very +highly; but still you must bear in mind that you are but a girl." + +"And behave accordingly, as they say. Nobody can do more so. But +though I am only a girl, papa, can you put your hand upon a better +one?" + +"Certainly not, my dear; for going down hill, I can always depend +on you." + +Suiting the action to the word, Dr. Upround, whose feet were a +little touched with gout, came down from his outlook to his +kitchen-garden, and thence through the shrubbery back to his own +study, where, with a little sigh, he put away his chess-men, and +heartily hoped that it might not be his favorite adversary who was +coming before him to be sent to jail. For although the good rector +had a warm regard, and even affection, for Robin Lyth, as a waif +cast into his care, and then a pupil wonderfully apt (which breeds +love in the teacher), and after that a most gallant and highly +distinguished young parishioner--with all this it was a difficulty +for him to be ignorant that the law was adverse. More than once he +had striven hard to lead the youth into some better path of life, +and had even induced him to "follow the sea" for a short time in +the merchant service. But the force of nature and of circumstances +had very soon prevailed again, and Robin returned to his old +pursuits with larger experience, and seamanship improved. + +A violent ringing at the gate bell, followed by equal urgency upon +the front door, apprised the kind magistrate of a sharp call on his +faculties, and perhaps a most unpleasant one. "The poor boy!" he +said to himself--"poor boy! From Carroway's excitement I greatly +fear that it is indeed poor Robin. How many a grand game have we +had! His new variety of that fine gambit scarcely beginning to be +analyzed; and if I commit him to the meeting next week, when shall +we ever meet again? It will seem as if I did it because he won +three games; and I certainly was a little vexed with him. However, +I must be stern, stern, stern. Show them in, Betsy; I am quite +prepared." + +A noise, and a sound of strong language in the hall, and a dragging +of something on the oil-cloth, led up to the entry of a dozen rough +men, pushed on by at least another dozen. + +"You will have the manners to take off your hats," said the +magistrate, with all his dignity; "not from any undue deference to +me, but common respect to his Majesty." + +"Off with your covers, you sons of"--something, shouted a loud +voice; and then the lieutenant, with his blade still drawn, stood +before them. + +"Sheathe your sword, Sir," said Dr. Upround, in a voice which +amazed the officer. + +"I beg your Worship's pardon," he began, with his grim face +flushing purple, but his sword laid where it should have been; "but +if you knew half of the worry I have had, you would not care to +rebuke me. Cadman, have you got him by the neck? Keep your +knuckles into him, while I make my deposition." + +"Cast that man free, I receive no depositions with a man half +strangled before me." + +The men of the coast-guard glanced at their commander, and +receiving a surly nod, obeyed. But the prisoner could not stand as +yet; he gasped for breath, and some one set him on a chair. + +"Your Worship, this is a mere matter of form," said Carroway, still +keeping eyes on his prey; "if I had my own way, I would not trouble +you at all, and I believe it to be quite needless. For this man is +an outlaw felon, and not entitled to any grace of law; but I must +obey my orders." + +"Certainly you must, Lieutenant Carroway, even though you are +better acquainted with the law. You are ready to be sworn? Take +this book, and follow me." + +This being done, the worthy magistrate prepared to write down what +the gallant officer might say, which, in brief, came to this, that +having orders to seize Robin Lyth wherever he might find him, and +having sure knowledge that said Robin was on board of a certain +schooner vessel, the Elizabeth, of Goole, the which he had laden +with goods liable to duty, he, Charles Carroway, had gently laid +hands on him, and brought him to the nearest justice of the peace, +to obtain an order of commitment. + +All this, at fifty times the length here given, Lieutenant Carroway +deposed on oath, while his Worship, for want of a clerk, set it +down in his own very neat handwriting. But several very coaly- +looking men, who could scarcely be taught to keep silence, observed +that the magistrate smiled once or twice; and this made them wait a +bit, and wink at one another. + +"Very clear indeed, Lieutenant Carroway," said Dr. Upround, with +spectacles on nose. "Good Sir, have the kindness to sign your +deposition. It may become my duty to commit the prisoner, upon +identification. Of that I must have evidence, confirmatory +evidence. But first we will hear what he has to say. Robin Lyth, +stand forward." + +"Me no Robin Lyth, Sar; no Robin man or woman," cried the captive, +trying very hard to stand; "me only a poor Francais, make liberty +to what you call--row, row, sweem, sweem, sail, sail, from la belle +France; for why, for why, there is no import to nobody." + +"Your Worship, he is always going on about imports," Cadman said, +respectfully; "that is enough to show who he is." + +"You may trust me to know him," cried Lieutenant Carroway. "My +fine fellow, no more of that stuff! He can pass himself off for +any countryman whatever. He knows all their jabber, Sir, better +than his own. Put a cork between his teeth, Hackerbody. I never +did see such a noisy rogue. He is Robin Lyth all over." + +"I'll be blest if he is, nor under nayther," cried the biggest of +the coaly men; "this here froggy come out of a Chaise and Mary as +had run up from Dunkirk. I know Robin Lyth as well as our own +figure-head. But what good to try reason with that there revenue +hofficer?" + +At this, all his friends set a good laugh up, and wanted to give +him a cheer for such a speech; but that being hushed, they were +satisfied with condemning his organs of sight and their own quite +fairly. + +"Lieutenant Carroway," his Worship said, amidst an impressive +silence, "I greatly fear that you have allowed zeal, my dear Sir, +to outrun discretion. Robin Lyth is a young, and in many ways +highly respected, parishioner of mine. He may have been guilty of +casual breaches of the laws concerning importation--laws which +fluctuate from year to year, and require deep knowledge of +legislation both to observe and to administer. I heartily trust +that you may not suffer from having discharged your duty in a +manner most truly exemplary, if only the example had been the right +one. This gentleman is no more Robin Lyth than I am." + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +DISCIPLINE ASSERTED + + +As soon as his troublesome visitors were gone, the rector sat down +in his deep arm-chair, laid aside his spectacles, and began to +think. His face, while he thought, lost more and more of the calm +and cheerful expression which made it so pleasant a face to gaze +upon; and he sighed, without knowing it, at some dark ideas, and +gave a little shake of his grand old head. The revenue officer had +called his favorite pupil and cleverest parishioner "a felon +outlaw;" and if that were so, Robin Lyth was no less than a +convicted criminal, and must not be admitted within his doors. +Formerly the regular penalty for illicit importation had been the +forfeiture of the goods when caught, and the smugglers (unless they +made resistance or carried fire-arms) were allowed to escape and +retrieve their bad luck, which they very soon contrived to do. And +as yet, upon this part of the coast, they had not been guilty of +atrocious crimes, such as the smugglers of Sussex and Hampshire-- +who must have been utter fiends--committed, thereby raising all the +land against them. Dr. Upround had heard of no proclamation, +exaction, or even capias issued against this young free-trader; and +he knew well enough that the worst offenders were not the bold +seamen who contracted for the run, nor the people of the coast who +were hired for the carriage, but the rich indwellers who provided +all the money, and received the lion's share of all the profits. +And with these the law never even tried to deal. However, the +magistrate-parson resolved that, in spite of all the interest of +tutorship and chess-play, and even all the influence of his wife +and daughter (who were hearty admirers of brave smuggling), he must +either reform this young man, or compel him to keep at a distance, +which would be very sad. + +Meanwhile the lieutenant had departed in a fury, which seemed to be +incapable of growing any worse. Never an oath did he utter all the +way to the landing where his boat was left; and his men, who knew +how much that meant, were afraid to do more than just wink at one +another. Even the sailors of the collier schooner forbore to jeer +him, until he was afloat, when they gave him three fine rounds of +mock cheers, to which the poor Frenchman contributed a shriek. For +this man had been most inhospitably treated, through his strange +but undeniable likeness to a perfidious Briton. + +"Home!" cried the officer, glowering at those fellows, while his +men held their oars, and were ready to rush at them. "Home, with a +will! Give way, men!" And not another word he spoke, till they +touched the steps at Bridlington. Then he fixed stern eyes upon +Cadman, who vainly strove to meet them, and he said, "Come to me in +one hour and a half." Cadman touched his hat without an answer, +saw to the boat, and then went home along the quay. + +Carroway, though of a violent temper, especially when laughed at, +was not of that steadfast and sedentary wrath which chews the cud +of grievances, and feeds upon it in a shady place. He had a good +wife--though a little overclean--and seven fine-appetited children, +who gave him the greatest pleasure in providing victuals. Also, he +had his pipe, and his quiet corners, sacred to the atmosphere and +the private thoughts of Carroway. And here he would often be +ambitious even now, perceiving no good reason why he might not yet +command a line-of-battle ship, and run up his own flag, and nobly +tread his own lofty quarter-deck. If so, he would have Mrs. +Carroway on board, and not only on the boards, but at them; so that +a challenge should be issued every day for any other ship in all +the service to display white so wholly spotless, and black so void +of streakiness. And while he was dwelling upon personal matters-- +which, after all, concerned the nation most--he had tried very hard +to discover any reason (putting paltry luck aside) why Horatio +Nelson should be a Lord, and what was more to the purpose, an +admiral, while Charles Carroway (his old shipmate, and in every way +superior, who could eat him at a mouthful, if only he were good +enough) should now be no more than a 'long-shore lieutenant, and a +Jonathan Wild of the revenue. However, as for envying Nelson, the +Lord knew that he would not give his little Geraldine's worst frock +for all the fellow's grand coat of arms, and freedom in a snuff- +box, and golden shields, and devices, this, that, and the other, +with Bona Robas to support them. + +To this conclusion he was fairly come, after a good meal, and with +the second glass of the finest Jamaica pine-apple rum--which he +drank from pure principle, because it was not smuggled--steaming +and scenting the blue curls of his pipe, when his admirable wife +came in to say that on no account would she interrupt him. + +"My dear, I am busy, and am very glad to hear it. Pish! where have +I put all those accounts?" + +"Charles, you are not doing any accounts. When you have done your +pipe and glass, I wish to say a quiet word or two. I am sure that +there is not a woman in a thousand--" + +"Matilda, I know it. Nor one in fifty thousand. You are very good +at figures: will you take this sheet away with you? Eight o'clock +will be quite time enough for it." + +"My dear, I am always too pleased to do whatever I can to help you. +But I must talk to you now; really I must say a few words about +something, tired as you may be, Charles, and well deserving of a +little good sleep, which you never seem able to manage in bed. You +told me, you know, that you expected Cadman, that surly, dirty +fellow, who delights to spoil my stones, and would like nothing +better than to take the pattern out of our drawing-room +Kidderminster. Now I have a reason for saying something. Charles, +will you listen to me once, just once?" + +"I never do anything else," said the husband, with justice, and +meaning no mischief. + +"Ah! how very seldom you hear me talk; and when I do, I might just +as well address the winds! But for once, my dear, attend, I do +implore you. That surly, burly Cadman will be here directly, and I +know that you are much put out with him. Now I tell you he is +dangerous, savagely dangerous; I can see it in his unhealthy skin. +Oh, Charles, where have you put down your pipe? I cleaned that +shelf this very morning! How little I thought when I promised to +be yours that you ever would knock out your ashes like that! But +do bear in mind, dear, whatever you do, if anything happened to +you, what ever would become of all of us? All your sweet children +and your faithful wife--I declare you have made two great rings +with your tumbler upon the new cover of the table." + +"Matilda, that has been done ever so long. But I am almost certain +this tumbler leaks." + +"So you always say; just as if I would allow it. You never will +think of simply wiping the rim every time you use it; when I put +you a saucer for your glass, you forget it; there never was such a +man, I do believe. I shall have to stop the rum and water +altogether." + +"No, no, no. I'll do anything you like. I'll have a tumbler made +with a saucer to it--I'll buy a piece of oil-cloth the size of a +foretop-sail--I'll--" + +"Charles, no nonsense, if you please: as if I were ever +unreasonable! But your quickness of temper is such that I dread +what you may say to that Cadman. Remember what opportunities he +has, dear. He might shoot you in the dark any night, my darling, +and put it upon the smugglers. I entreat you not to irritate the +man, and make him your enemy. He is so spiteful; and I should be +in terror the whole night long." + +"Matilda, in the house you may command me as you please--even in my +own cuddy here. But as regards my duty, you know well that I +permit no interference. And I should have expected you to have +more sense. A pretty officer I should be if I were afraid of my +own men! When a man is to blame, I tell him so, in good round +language, and shall do so now. This man is greatly to blame, and I +doubt whether to consider him a fool or a rogue. If it were not +that he has seven children, as we have, I would discharge him this +very night." + +"Charles, I am very sorry for his seven children, but our place is +to think of our own seven first. I beg you, I implore you, to +discharge the man; for he has not the courage to harm you, I +believe, except with the cowardly advantage he has got. Now +promise me either to say nothing to him, or to discharge him, and +be done with him." + +"Matilda, of such things you know nothing; and I can not allow you +to say any more." + +"Very well, very well. I know my duty. I shall sit up and pray +every dark night you are out, and the whole place will go to the +dogs, of course. Of the smugglers I am not afraid one bit, nor of +any honest fighting, such as you are used to. But oh, my dear +Charles, the very bravest man can do nothing against base +treachery." + +"To dream of such things shows a bad imagination," Carroway +answered, sternly; but seeing his wife's eyes fill with tears, he +took her hand gently, and begged her pardon, and promised to be +very careful, "I am the last man to be rash," he said, "after +getting so many more kicks than coppers. I never had a fellow +under my command who would lift a finger to harm me. And you must +remember, my darling Tilly, that I command Englishmen, not +Lascars." + +With this she was forced to be content, to the best of her ability; +and Geraldine ran bouncing in from school to fill her father's pipe +for him; so that by the time John Cadman came, his commander had +almost forgotten the wrath created by the failure of the morning. +But unluckily Cadman had not forgotten the words and the look he +received before his comrades. + +"Here I am, Sir, to give an account of myself," he said, in an +insolent tone, having taken much liquor to brace him for the +meeting. "Is it your pleasure to say out what you mean?" + +"Yes, but not here. You will follow me to the station." The +lieutenant took his favorite staff, and set forth, while his wife, +from the little window, watched him with a very anxious gaze. She +saw her husband stride in front with the long rough gait she knew +so well, and the swing of his arms which always showed that his +temper was not in its best condition; and behind him Cadman +slouched along, with his shoulders up and his red hands clinched. +And the poor wife sadly went back to work, for her life was a truly +anxious one. + +The station, as it was rather grandly called, was a hut, about the +size of a four-post bed, upon the low cliff, undermined by the sea, +and even then threatened to be swept away. Here was a tall flag- +staff for signals, and a place for a beacon-light when needed, and +a bench with a rest for a spy-glass. In the hut itself were signal +flags, and a few spare muskets, and a keg of bullets, with maps and +codes hung round the wall, and flint and tinder, and a good many +pipes, and odds and ends on ledges. Carroway was very proud of +this place, and kept the key strictly in his own pocket, and very +seldom allowed a man to pass through the narrow doorway. But he +liked to sit inside, and see them looking desirous to come in. + +"Stand there, Cadman," he said, as soon as he had settled himself +in the one hard chair; and the man, though thoroughly primed for +revolt, obeyed the old habit, and stood outside. + +"Once more you have misled me, Cadman, and abused my confidence. +More than that, you have made me a common laughing-stock for scores +of fools, and even for a learned gentleman, magistrate of divinity. +I was not content with your information until you confirmed it by +letters you produced from men well known to you, as you said, and +even from the inland trader who had contracted for the venture. +The schooner Elizabeth, of Goole, disguised as a collier, was to +bring to, with Robin Lyth on board of her, and the goods in her +hold under covering of coal, and to run the goods at the South +Flamborough landing this very night. I have searched the Elizabeth +from stem to stern, and the craft brought up alongside of her; and +all I have found is a wretched Frenchman, who skulked so that I +made sure of him, and not a blessed anker of foreign brandy, nor +even a forty-pound bag of tea. You had that packet of letters in +your neck-tie. Hand them to me this moment--" + +"If your Honor has made up your mind to think that a sailor of the +Royal Navy--" + +"Cadman, none of that! No lick-spittle lies to me; those letters, +that I may establish them! You shall have them back, if they are +right. And I will pay you a half crown for the loan." + +"If I was to leave they letters in your hand, I could never hold +head up in Burlington no more." + +"That is no concern of mine. Your duty is to hold up your head +with me, and those who find you in bread and butter." + +"Precious little butter I ever gets, and very little bread to speak +of. The folk that does the work gets nothing. Them that does +nothing gets the name and game." + +"Fellow, no reasoning, but obey me!" Carroway shouted, with his +temper rising. "Hand over those letters, or you leave the +service." + +"How can I give away another man's property?" As he said these +words, the man folded his arms, as who should say, "That is all you +get out of me." + +"Is that the way you speak to your commanding officer? Who owns +those letters, then, according to your ideas?" + +"Butcher Hewson; and he says that you shall have them as soon as he +sees the money for his little bill." + +This was a trifle too much for Carroway. Up he jumped with +surprising speed, took one stride through the station door, and +seizing Cadman by the collar, shook him, wrung his ear with the +left hand, which was like a pair of pincers, and then with the +other flung him backward as if he were an empty bag. The fellow +was too much amazed to strike, or close with him, or even swear, +but received the vehement impact without any stay behind him. So +that he staggered back, hat downward, and striking one heel on a +stone, fell over the brink of the shallow cliff to the sand below. + +The lieutenant, who never had thought of this, was terribly scared, +and his wrath turned cold. For although the fall was of no great +depth, and the ground at the bottom so soft, if the poor man had +struck it poll foremost, as he fell, it was likely that his neck +was broken. Without any thought of his crippled heel, Carroway +took the jump himself. + +As soon as he recovered from the jar, which shook his stiff joints +and stiffer back, he ran to the coast-guardsman and raised him, and +found him very much inclined to swear. This was a good sign, and +the officer was thankful, and raised him in the gravelly sand, and +kindly requested him to have it out, and to thank the Lord as soon +as he felt better. But Cadman, although he very soon came round, +abstained from every token of gratitude. Falling with his mouth +wide open in surprise, he had filled it with gravel of inferior +taste, as a tidy sewer pipe ran out just there, and at every +execration he discharged a little. + +"What can be done with a fellow so ungrateful?" cried the +lieutenant, standing stiffly up again; "nothing but to let him come +back to his manners. Hark you, John Cadman, between your bad +words, if a glass of hot grog will restore your right wits, you can +come up and have it, when your clothes are brushed." + +With these words Carroway strode off to his cottage, without even +deigning to look back, for a minute had been enough to show him +that no very serious harm was done. + +The other man did not stir until his officer was out of sight; and +then he arose and rubbed himself, but did not care to go for his +rummer of hot grog. + +"I must work this off," the lieutenant said, as soon as he had told +his wife, and received his scolding; "I can not sit down; I must do +something. My mind is becoming too much for me, I fear. Can you +expect me to be laughed at? I shall take a little sail in the +boat; the wind suits, and I have a particular reason. Expect me, +my dear, when you see me." + +In half an hour the largest boat, which carried a brass swivel-gun +in her bows, was stretching gracefully across the bay, with her +three white sails flashing back the sunset. The lieutenant +steered, and he had four men with him, of whom Cadman was not one, +that worthy being left at home to nurse his bruises and his +dudgeon. These four men now were quite marvellously civil, having +heard of their comrade's plight, and being pleased alike with that +and with their commander's prowess. For Cadman was by no means +popular among them, because, though his pay was the same as theirs, +he always tried to be looked up to; the while his manners were not +distinguished, and scarcely could be called polite, when a supper +required to be paid for. In derision of this, and of his desire +for mastery, they had taken to call him "Boatswain Jack," or "John +Boatswain," and provoked him by a subscription to present him with +a pig-whistle. For these were men who liked well enough to receive +hard words from their betters who were masters of their business, +but saw neither virtue nor value in submitting to superior airs +from their equals. + +The Royal George, as this boat was called, passed through the fleet +of quiet vessels, some of which trembled for a second visitation; +but not deigning to molest them, she stood on, and rounding +Flamborough Head, passed by the pillar rocks called King and Queen, +and bore up for the North Landing cove. Here sail was taken in, +and oars were manned; and Carroway ordered his men to pull in to +the entrance of each of the well-known caves. + +To enter these, when any swell is running, requires great care and +experience; and the Royal George had too much beam to do it +comfortably, even in the best of weather. And now what the sailors +call a "chopping sea" had set in with the turn of the tide, +although the wind was still off-shore; so that even to lie to at +the mouth made rather a ticklish job of it. The men looked at one +another, and did not like it, for a badly handled oar would have +cast them on the rocks, which are villainously hard and jagged, and +would stave in the toughest boat, like biscuit china. However, +they durst not say that they feared it; and by skill and steadiness +they examined all three caves quite enough to be certain that no +boat was in them. + +The largest of the three, and perhaps the finest, was the one they +first came to, which already was beginning to be called the cave of +Robin Lyth. The dome is very high, and sheds down light when the +gleam of the sea strikes inward. From the gloomy mouth of it, as +far as they could venture, the lapping of the wavelets could be +heard all round it, without a boat, or even a balk of wood to break +it. Then they tried echo, whose clear answer hesitates where any +soft material is; but the shout rang only of hard rock and glassy +water. To make assurance doubly sure, they lit a blue-light, and +sent it floating through the depths, while they held their position +with two boat-hooks and a fender. The cavern was lit up with a +very fine effect, but not a soul inside of it to animate the scene. +And to tell the truth, the bold invaders were by no means grieved +at this; for if there had been smugglers there, it would have been +hard to tackle them. + +Hauling off safely, which was worse than running in, they pulled +across the narrow cove, and rounding the little headland, examined +the Church Cave and the Dovecote likewise, and with a like result. +Then heartily tired, and well content with having done all that man +could do, they set sail again in the dusk of the night, and forged +their way against a strong ebb-tide toward the softer waters of +Bridlington, and the warmer comfort of their humble homes. + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +DELICATE INQUIRIES + + +A genuine summer day pays a visit nearly once in the season to +Flamborough; and when it does come, it has a wonderful effect. +Often the sun shines brightly there, and often the air broods hot +with thunder; but the sun owes his brightness to sweep of the wind, +which sweeps away his warmth as well; while, on the other hand, the +thunder-clouds, like heavy smoke capping the headland, may oppress +the air with heat, but are not of sweet summer's beauty. + +For once, however, the fine day came, and the natives made haste to +revile it. Before it was three hours old they had found a hundred +and fifty faults with it. Most of the men truly wanted a good +sleep, after being lively all the night upon the waves, and the +heat and the yellow light came in upon their eyes, and set the +flies buzzing all about them. And even the women, who had slept +out their time, and talked quietly, like the clock ticking, were +vexed with the sun, which kept their kettles from good boiling, and +wrote upon their faces the years of their life. But each made +allowance for her neighbor's appearance, on the strength of the +troubles she had been through. For the matter of that, the sun +cared not the selvage of a shadow what was thought of him, but went +his bright way with a scattering of clouds and a tossing of vapors +anywhere. Upon the few fishermen who gave up hope of sleep, and +came to stand dazed in their doorways, the glare of white walls and +chalky stones, and dusty roads, produced the same effect as if they +had put on their fathers' goggles. Therefore they yawned their way +back to their room, and poked up the fire, without which, at +Flamborough, no hot weather would be half hot enough. + +The children, however, were wide-awake, and so were the washer- +women, whose turn it had been to sleep last night for the labors of +the morning. These were plying hand and tongue in a little field +by the three cross-roads, where gaffers and gammers of by-gone time +had set up troughs of proven wood, and the bilge of a long storm- +beaten boat, near a pool of softish water. Stout brown arms were +roped with curd, and wedding rings looked slippery things, and +thumb-nails bordered with inveterate black, like broad beans ripe +for planting, shone through a hubbub of snowy froth; while sluicing +and wringing and rinsing went on over the bubbled and lathery turf; +and every handy bush or stub, and every tump of wiry grass, was +sheeted with white, like a ship in full sail, and shining in the +sun-glare. + +From time to time these active women glanced back at their +cottages, to see that the hearth was still alive, or at their +little daughters squatting under the low wall which kept them from +the road, where they had got all the babies to nurse, and their +toes and other members to compare, and dandelion chains to make. +But from their washing ground the women could not see the hill that +brings to the bottom of the village the crooked road from Sewerby. +Down that hill came a horseman slowly, with nobody to notice him, +though himself on the watch for everybody; and there in the bottom +below the first cottage he allowed his horse to turn aside and cool +hot feet and leathery lips, in a brown pool spread by Providence +for the comfort of wayworn roadsters. + +The horse looked as if he had labored far, while his rider was +calmly resting; for the cross-felled sutures of his flank were +crusted with gray perspiration, and the runnels of his shoulders +were dabbled; and now it behooved him to be careful how he sucked +the earthy-flavored water, so as to keep time with the heaving of +his barrel. In a word, he was drinking as if he would burst--as +his hostler at home often told him--but the clever old roadster +knew better than that, and timing it well between snorts and +coughs, was tightening his girths with deep pleasure. + +"Enough, my friend, is as good as a feast," said his rider to him, +gently, yet strongly pulling up the far-stretched head, "and too +much is worse than a famine." + +The horse, though he did not belong to this gentleman, but was +hired by him only yesterday, had already discovered that, with him +on his back, his own judgment must lie dormant, so that he quietly +whisked his tail and glanced with regret at the waste of his drip, +and then, with a roundabout step, to prolong the pleasure of this +little wade, sadly but steadily out he walked, and, after the +necessary shake, began his first invasion of the village. His +rider said nothing, but kept a sharp look-out. + +Now this was Master Geoffrey Mordacks, of the ancient city of York, +a general factor and land agent. What a "general factor" is, or is +not, none but himself can pretend to say, even in these days of +definition, and far less in times when thought was loose; and +perhaps Mr. Mordacks would rather have it so. But any one who paid +him well could trust him, according to the ancient state of things. +To look at him, nobody would even dare to think that money could be +a consideration to him, or the name of it other than an insult. So +lofty and steadfast his whole appearance was, and he put back his +shoulders so manfully. Upright, stiff, and well appointed with a +Roman nose, he rode with the seat of a soldier and the decision of +a tax-collector. From his long steel spurs to his hard coned hat +not a soft line was there, nor a feeble curve. Stern honesty and +strict purpose stamped every open piece of him so strictly that a +man in a hedge-row fostering devious principles, and resolved to +try them, could do no more than run away, and be thankful for the +chance of it. + +But in those rough and dangerous times, when thousands of people +were starving, the view of a pistol-butt went further than sternest +aspect of strong eyes. Geoffrey Mordacks well knew this, and did +not neglect his knowledge. The brown walnut stock of a heavy +pistol shone above either holster, and a cavalry sword in a +leathern scabbard hung within easy reach of hand. Altogether this +gentleman seemed not one to be rashly attacked by daylight. + +No man had ever dreamed as yet of coming to this outlandish place +for pleasure of the prospect. So that when this lonely rider was +descried from the washing field over the low wall of the lane, the +women made up their minds at once that it must be a justice of the +peace, or some great rider of the Revenue, on his way to see Dr. +Upandown, or at the least a high constable concerned with some +great sheep-stealing. Not that any such crime was known in the +village itself of Flamborough, which confined its operations to the +sea; but in the outer world of land that malady was rife just now, +and a Flamborough man, too fond of mutton, had farmed some sheep on +the downs, and lost them, which was considered a judgment on him +for willfully quitting ancestral ways. + +But instead of turning at the corner where the rector was trying to +grow some trees, the stranger kept on along the rugged highway, and +between the straggling cottages, so that the women rinsed their +arms, and turned round to take a good look at him, over the +brambles and furze, and the wall of chalky flint and rubble. + +"This is just what I wanted," thought Geoffrey Mordacks: "skill +makes luck, and I am always lucky. Now, first of all, to recruit +the inner man." + +At this time Mrs. Theophila Precious, generally called "Tapsy," the +widow of a man who had been lost at sea, kept the "Cod with a Hook +in his Gills," the only hostelry in Flamborough village, although +there was another toward the Landing. The cod had been painted +from life--or death--by a clever old fisherman who understood him, +and he looked so firm, and stiff, and hard, that a healthy man, +with purse enough to tire of butcher's-meat, might grow in appetite +by gazing. Mr. Mordacks pulled up, and fixed steadfast eyes upon +this noble fish, the while a score of sharp eyes from the green and +white meadow were fixed steadfastly on him. + +"How he shines with salt-water! How firm he looks, and his gills +as bright as a rose in June! I have never yet tasted a cod at +first hand. It is early in the day, but the air is hungry. My +expenses are paid, and I mean to live well, for a strong mind will +be required. I will have a cut out of that fish, to begin with." + +Inditing of this, and of matters even better, the rider turned into +the yard of the inn, where an old boat (as usual) stood for a +horse-trough, and sea-tubs served as buckets. Strong sunshine +glared upon the oversaling tiles, and white buckled walls, and +cracky lintels; but nothing showed life, except an old yellow cat, +and a pair of house-martins, who had scarcely time to breathe, such +a number of little heads flipped out with a white flap under the +beak of each, demanding momentous victualling. At these the yellow +cat winked with dreamy joyfulness, well aware how fat they would be +when they came to tumble out. + +"What a place of vile laziness!" grumbled Mr. Mordacks, as he got +off his horse, after vainly shouting "Hostler!" and led him to the +byre, which did duty for a stable. "York is a lazy hole enough, +but the further you go from it, the lazier they get. No energy, no +movement, no ambition, anywhere. What a country! what a people! I +shall have to go back and enlist the washer-women." + +A Yorkshireman might have answered this complaint, if he thought it +deserving of an answer, by requesting Master Mordacks not to be so +overquick, but to bide a wee bit longer before he made so sure of +the vast superiority of his own wit, for the long heads might prove +better than the sharp ones in the end of it. However, the general +factor thought that he could not have come to a better place to get +all that he wanted out of everybody. He put away his saddle, and +the saddlebags and sword, in a rough old sea-chest with a padlock +to it, and having a sprinkle of chaff at the bottom. Then he +calmly took the key, as if the place were his, gave his horse a +rackful of long-cut grass, and presented himself, with a lordly +aspect, at the front door of the silent inn. Here he made noise +enough to stir the dead; and at the conclusion of a reasonable +time, during which she had finished a pleasant dream to the +simmering of the kitchen pot, the landlady showed herself in the +distance, feeling for her keys with one hand, and rubbing her eyes +with the other. This was the head-woman of the village, but seldom +tyrannical, unless ill-treated, Widow Precious, tall and square, +and of no mean capacity. + +"Young mon," with a deep voice she said, "what is tha' deein' wi' +aw that clatter?" + +"Alas, my dear madam, I am not a young man; and therefore time is +more precious to me. I have lived out half my allotted span, and +shall never complete it unless I get food." + +"T' life o' mon is aw a hoory," replied Widow Precious, with slow +truth. "Young mon, what 'll ye hev?" + +"Dinner, madam; dinner at the earliest moment. I have ridden far, +and my back is sore, and my substance is calling for renewal." + +"Ate, ate, ate, that's t' waa of aw menkins. Bud ye maa coom in, +and crack o' it." + +"Madam, you are most hospitable; and the place altogether seems to +be of that description. What a beautiful room! May I sit down? I +perceive a fine smell of most delicate soup. Ah, you know how to +do things at Flamborough." + +"Young mon, ye can ha' nune of yon potty. Yon's for mesell and t' +childer." + +"My excellent hostess, mistake me not. I do not aspire to such +lofty pot-luck. I simply referred to it as a proof of your +admirable culinary powers." + +"Yon's beeg words. What 'll ye hev te ate?" + +"A fish like that upon your sign-post, madam, or at least the upper +half of him; and three dozen oysters just out of the sea, swimming +in their own juice, with lovely melted butter." + +"Young mon, hast tha gotten t' brass? Them 'at ates offens forgets +t' reck'nin'." + +"Yes, madam, I have the needful in abundance. Ecce signum! Which +is Latin, madam, for the stamps of the king upon twenty guineas. +One to be deposited in your fair hand for a taste, for a sniff, +madam, such as I had of your pot." + +"Na, na. No tokkins till a' airned them. What ood your Warship be +for ating when a' boileth?" + +The general factor, perceiving his way, was steadfast to the +shoulder cut of a decent cod; and though the full season was +scarcely yet come, Mrs. Precious knew where to find one. Oysters +there were none, but she gave him boiled limpets, and he thought it +the manner of the place that made them tough. After these things +he had a duck of the noblest and best that live anywhere in +England. Such ducks were then, and perhaps are still, the most +remarkable residents of Flamborough. Not only because the air is +fine, and the puddles and the dabblings of extraordinary merit, and +the wind fluffs up their pretty feathers while alive, as the +eloquent poulterer by-and-by will do; but because they have really +distinguished birth, and adventurous, chivalrous, and bright blue +Norman blood. To such purpose do the gay young Vikings of the +world of quack pour in (when the weather and the time of year +invite), equipped with red boots and plumes of purple velvet, to +enchant the coy lady ducks in soft water, and eclipse the familiar +and too legal drake. For a while they revel in the change of +scene, the luxury of unsalted mud and scarcely rippled water, and +the sweetness and culture of tame dilly-ducks, to whom their +brilliant bravery, as well as an air of romance and billowy peril, +commends them too seductively. The responsible sire of the pond is +grieved, sinks his unappreciated bill into his back, and vainly +reflects upon the vanity of love. + +From a loftier point of view, however, this is a fine provision; +and Mr. Mordacks always took a lofty view of everything. + +"A beautiful duck, ma'am; a very grand duck!" in his usual loud and +masterful tone, he exclaimed to Widow Precious. "I understand your +question now as to my ability to pay for him. Madam, he is worth a +man's last shilling. A goose is a smaller and a coarser bird. In +what manner do you get them?" + +"They gets their own sells, wi' the will of the Lord. What will +your Warship be for ating, come after?" + +"None of your puddings and pies, if you please, nor your excellent +jellies and custards. A red Dutch cheese, with a pat of fresh +butter, and another imperial pint of ale." + +"Now yon is what I call a man," thought Mrs. Precious, having +neither pie nor pudding, as Master Mordacks was well aware; "aisy +to please, and a' knoweth what a' wants. A' mought 'a been born i' +Flaambro. A' maa baide for a week, if a' hath the tokkins." + +Mr. Mordacks felt that he had made his footing; but he was not the +man to abide for a week where a day would suit his purpose. His +rule was never to beat about the bush when he could break through +it, and he thought that he saw his way to do so now. Having +finished his meal, he set down his knife with a bang, sat upright +in the oaken chair, and gazed in a bold yet pleasant manner at the +sturdy hostess. + +"You are wondering what has brought me here. That I will tell you +in a very few words. Whatever I do is straightforward, madam; and +all the world may know it. That has been my character throughout +life; and in that respect I differ from the great bulk of mankind. +You Flamborough folk, however, are much of the very same nature as +I am. We ought to get on well together. Times are very bad--very +bad indeed. I could put a good trifle of money in your way; but +you tell the truth without it, which is very, very noble. Yet +people with a family have duties to discharge to them, and must +sacrifice their feelings to affection. Fifty guineas is a tidy +little figure, ma'am. With the famine growing in the land, no +parent should turn his honest back upon fifty guineas. And to get +the gold, and do good at the same time, is a very rare chance +indeed." + +This speech was too much for Widow Precious to carry to her settled +judgment, and get verdict in a breath. She liked it, on the whole, +but yet there might be many things upon the other side; so she did +what Flamborough generally does, when desirous to consider things, +as it generally is. That is to say, she stood with her feet well +apart, and her arms akimbo, and her head thrown back to give the +hinder part a rest, and no sign of speculation in her eyes, +although they certainly were not dull. When these good people are +in this frame of mind and body, it is hard to say whether they look +more wise or foolish. Mr. Mordacks, impatient as he was, even +after so fine a dinner, was not far from catching the infection of +slow thought, which spreads itself as pleasantly as that of slow +discourse. + +"You are heeding me, madam; you have quick wits," he said, without +any sarcasm, for she rescued the time from waste by affording a +study of the deepest wisdom; "you are wondering how the money is to +come, and whether it brings any risk with it. No, Mistress +Precious, not a particle of risk. A little honest speaking is the +one thing needed." + +"The money cometh scores of times more freely fra wrong-doing." + +"Your observation, madam, shows a deep acquaintance with the human +race. Too often the money does come so; and thus it becomes mere +mammon. On such occasions we should wash our hands, and not forget +the charities. But the beauty of money, fairly come by, is that we +can keep it all. To do good in getting it, and do good with it, +and to feel ourselves better in every way, and our dear children +happier--this is the true way of considering the question. I saw +some pretty little dears peeping in, and wanted to give them a +token or two, for I do love superior children. But you called them +away, madam. You are too stern." + +Widow Precious had plenty of sharp sense to tell her that her +children were by no means "pretty dears" to anybody but herself, +and to herself only when in a very soft state of mind; at other +times they were but three gew-mouthed lasses, and two looby loons +with teeth enough for crunching up the dripping-pan. + +"Your Warship spaketh fair," she said; "a'most too fair, I'm +doubting. Wad ye say what the maning is, and what name goeth +pledge for the fafty poon, Sir?" + +"Mistress Precious, my meaning always is plainer than a pikestaff; +and as to pledges, the pledge is the hard cash down upon the nail, +ma'am." + +"Bank-tokkins, mayhap, and I prummeese to paa, with the sign of the +Dragon, and a woman among sheeps." + +"Madam, a bag of solid gold that can be weighed and counted. Fifty +new guineas from the mint of King George, in a water-proof bag just +fit to be buried at the foot of a tree, or well under the thatch, +or sewn up in the sacking of your bedstead, ma'am. Ah, pretty +dreams, what pretty dreams, with a virtuous knowledge of having +done the right! Shall we say it is a bargain, ma'am, and wet it +with a glass, at my expense, of the crystal spring that comes under +the sea?" + +"Naw, Sir, naw!--not till I knaw what. I niver trafficks with the +divil, Sir. There wur a chap of Flaambro deed--" + +"My good madam, I can not stop all day. I have far to ride before +night-fall. All that I want is simply this, and having gone so +far, I must tell you all, or make an enemy of you. I want to match +this; and I have reason to believe that it can be matched in +Flamborough. Produce me the fellow, and I pay you fifty guineas." + +With these words Mr. Mordacks took from an inner pocket a little +pill-box, and thence produced a globe, or rather an oblate +spheroid, of bright gold, rather larger than a musket-ball, but +fluted or crenelled like a poppy-head, and stamped or embossed with +marks like letters. Widow Precious looked down at it, as if to +think what an extraordinary thing it was, but truly to hide from +the stranger her surprise at the sudden recognition. For Robin +Lyth was a foremost favorite of hers, and most useful to her +vocation; and neither fifty guineas nor five hundred should lead +her to do him an injury. At a glance she had known that this bead +must belong to the set from which Robin's ear-rings came; and +perhaps it was her conscience which helped her to suspect that a +trap was being laid for the free-trade hero. To recover herself, +and have time to think, as well as for closer discretion, she +invited Master Mordacks to the choice guest-chamber. + +"Set ye doon, Sir, hereaboot," she said, opening a solid door into +the inner room; "neaver gain no fear at aw o' crackin' o' the +setties; fairm, fairm anoo' they be, thoo sketterish o' their +lukes, Sir. Set ye doon, your Warship; fafty poons desarveth a +good room, wi'oot ony lugs o' anemees." + +"What a beautiful room!" exclaimed Mr. Mordacks; "and how it savors +of the place! I never should have thought of finding art and taste +of such degree in a little place like Flamborough. Why, madam, you +must have inherited it direct from the Danes themselves." + +"Naw, Sir, naw. I fetched it aw oop fra the breck of the say and +the cobbles. Book-folk tooneth naw heed o' what we do." + +"Well, it is worth a great deal of heed. Lovely patterns of sea- +weed on the floor--no carpet can compare with them; shelves of--I +am sure I don't know what--fished up from the deep, no doubt; and +shells innumerable, and stones that glitter, and fish like glass, +and tufts like lace, and birds with most wonderful things in their +mouths: Mistress Precious, you are too bad. The whole of it ought +to go to London, where they make collections!" + +"Lor, Sir, how ye da be laffin' at me. But purty maa be said of +'em wi'out ony lees." + +The landlady smiled as she set for him a chair, toward which he +trod gingerly, and picking every step, for his own sake as well as +of the garniture. For the black oak floor was so oiled and +polished, to set off the pattern of the sea-flowers on it (which +really were laid with no mean taste and no small sense of color), +that for slippery boots there was some peril. + +"This is a sacred as well as beautiful place," said Mr. Mordacks. +"I may finish my words with safety here. Madam, I commend your +prudence as well as your excellent skill and industry. I should +like to bring my daughter Arabella here: what a lesson she would +gain for tapestry! But now, again, for business. What do you say? +Unless I am mistaken, you have some knowledge of the matter +depending on this bauble. You must not suppose that I came to you +at random. No, madam, no; I have heard far away of your great +intelligence, caution, and skill, and influence in this important +town. 'Mistress Precious is the Mayor of Flamborough,' was said to +me only last Saturday; 'if you would study the wise people there, +hang up your hat in her noble hostelry.' Madam, I have taken that +advice, and heartily rejoice at doing so. I am a man of few words, +very few words--as you must have seen already--but of the strictest +straightforwardness in deeds. And now again, what do you say, +ma'am?" + +"Your Warship hath left ma nowt to saa. Your Warship hath had the +mooth aw to yosell." + +"Now Mistress, Mistress Precious, truly that is a little too bad of +you. It is out of my power to help admiring things which are +utterly beyond me to describe, and a dinner of such cooking may +enlarge the tongue, after all the fine things it has been rolling +in. But business is my motto, in the fewest words that may be. +You know what I want; you will keep it to yourself, otherwise other +people might demand the money. Through very simple channels you +will find out whether the fellow thing to this can be found here or +elsewhere; and if so, who has got it, and how it was come by, and +everything else that can be learned about it; and when you know +all, you just make a mark on this piece of paper, ready folded and +addressed; and then you will seal it, and give it to the man who +calls for the letters nearly twice a week. And when I get that, I +come and eat another duck, and have oysters with my cod-fish, which +to-day we could not have, except in the form of mussels, ma'am." + +"Naw, not a moosel--they was aw gude flithers." + +"Well, ma'am, they may have been unknown animals; but good they +were, and as fresh as the day. Now, you will remember that my +desire is to do good. I have nothing to do with the revenue, nor +the magistrates, nor his Majesty. I shall not even go to your +parson, who is the chief authority, I am told; for I wish this +matter to be kept quiet, and beside the law altogether. The whole +credit of it shall belong to you, and a truly good action you will +have performed, and done a little good for your own good self. As +for this trinket, I do not leave it with you, but I leave you this +model in wax, ma'am, made by my daughter, who is very clever. From +this you can judge quite as well as from the other. If there are +any more of these things in Flamborough, as I have strong reason to +believe, you will know best where to find them, and I need not tell +you that they are almost certain to be in the possession of a +woman. You know all the women, and you skillfully inquire, without +even letting them suspect it. Now I shall just stretch my legs a +little, and look at your noble prospect, and in three hours' time a +little more refreshment, and then, Mistress Precious, you see the +last of your obedient servant, until you demand from him fifty gold +guineas." + +After seeing to his horse again, he set forth for a stroll, in the +course of which he met with Dr. Upround and his daughter. The +rector looked hard at this distinguished stranger, as if he desired +to know his name, and expected to be accosted by him, while quick +Miss Janetta glanced with undisguised suspicion, and asked her +father, so that Mr. Mordacks overheard it, what business such a man +could have, and what could he come spying after, in their quiet +parish? The general factor raised his hat, and passed on with a +tranquil smile, taking the crooked path which leads along and +around the cliffs, by way of the light-house, from the north to the +southern landing. The present light-house was not yet built, but +an old round tower, which still exists, had long been used as a +signal station, for semaphore by day, and at night for beacon, in +the times of war and tumult; and most people called it the +"Monument." This station was now of very small importance, and +sometimes did nothing for a year together; but still it was very +good and useful, because it enabled an ancient tar, whose feet had +been carried away by a cannon-ball, to draw a little money once a +month, and to think himself still a fine British bulwark. + +In the summer-time this hero always slung his hammock here, with +plenty of wind to rock him off to sleep, but in winter King AEolus +himself could not have borne it. "Monument Joe," as almost +everybody called him, was a queer old character of days gone by. +Sturdy and silent, but as honest as the sun, he made his rounds as +regularly as that great orb, and with equally beneficent object. +For twice a day he stumped to fetch his beer from Widow Precious, +and the third time to get his little pannikin of grog. And now the +time was growing for that last important duty, when a stranger +stood before him with a crown piece in his hand. + +"Now don't get up, captain, don't disturb yourself," said Mr. +Mordacks, graciously; "your country has claimed your activity, I +see, and I hope it makes amends to you. At the same time I know +that it very seldom does. Accept this little tribute from the +admiration of a friend." + +Old Joe took the silver piece and rung it on his tin tobacco-box, +then stowed it inside, and said, "Gammon! What d'ye want of me?" + +"Your manners, my good Sir, are scarcely on a par with your merits. +I bribe no man; it is the last thing I would ever dream of doing. +But whenever a question of memory arises, I have often observed a +great failure of that power without--without, if you will excuse +the expression, the administration of a little grease." + +"Smooggling? Aught about smooggling?" Old Joe shut his mouth +sternly; for he hated and scorned the coast-guards, whose wages +were shamefully above his own, and who had the impudence to order +him for signals; while, on the other hand, he found free trade a +policy liberal, enlightening, and inspiriting. + +"No, captain, no; not a syllable of that. You have been in this +place about sixteen years. If you had only been here four years +more, your evidence would have settled all I want to know. No +wreck can take place here, of course, without your knowledge?" + +"Dunno that. B'lieve one have. There's a twist of the tide here-- +but what good to tell landlubbers?" + +"You are right. I should never understand such things. But I find +them wonderfully interesting. You are not a native of this place, +and knew nothing of Flamborough before you came here?" + +Monument Joe gave a grunt at this, and a long squirt of tobacco +juice. "And don't want," he said. + +"Of course, you are superior, in every way superior. You find +these people rough, and far inferior in manners. But either, my +good friend, you will re-open your tobacco-box, or else you will +answer me a few short questions, which trespass in no way upon your +duty to the king, or to his loyal smugglers." + +Old Joe looked up, with weather-beaten eyes, and saw that he had no +fool to deal with, in spite of all soft palaver. The intensity of +Mr. Mordacks's eyes made him blink, and mutter a bad word or two, +but remain pretty much at his service. And the last intention he +could entertain was that of restoring this fine crown piece. +"Spake on, Sir," he said; "and I will spake accordin'." + +"Very good. I shall give you very little trouble. I wish to know +whether there was any wreck here, kept quiet perhaps, but still +some ship lost, about three or four years before you came to this +station. It does not matter what ship, any ship at all, which may +have gone down without any fuss at all. You know of none such? +Very well. You were not here; and the people of this place are +wonderfully close. But a veteran of the Royal Navy should know how +to deal with them. Make your inquiries without seeming to inquire. +The question is altogether private, and can not in any way bring +you into trouble. Whereas, if you find out anything, you will be a +made man, and live like a gentleman. You hate the lawyers? All +the honest seamen do. I am not a lawyer, and my object is to fire +a broadside into them. Accept this guinea; and if it would suit +you to have one every week for the rest of your life, I will pledge +you my word for it, paid in advance, if you only find out for me +one little fact, of which I have no doubt whatever, that a merchant +ship was cast away near this Head just about nineteen years agone." + +That ancient sailor was accustomed to surprises; but this, as he +said, when he came to think of it, made a clean sweep of him, fore +and aft. Nevertheless, he had the presence of mind required for +pocketing the guinea, which was too good for his tobacco-box; and +as one thing at a time was quite enough upon his mind, he probed +away slowly, to be sure there was no hole. Then he got up from his +squatting form, with the usual activity of those who are supposed +to have none left, and touched his brown hat, standing cleverly. +"What be I to do for all this?" he asked. + +"Nothing more than what I have told you. To find out slowly, and +without saying why, in the way you sailors know how to do, whether +such a thing came to pass, as I suppose. You must not be stopped +by the lies of anybody. Of course they will deny it, if they got +some of the wrecking; or it is just possible that no one even heard +of it; and yet there may be some traces. Put two and two together, +my good friend, as you have the very best chance of doing; and soon +you may put two to that in your pocket, and twenty, and a hundred, +and as much as you can hold." + +"When shall I see your good honor again, to score log-run, and come +to a reckoning?" + +"Master Joseph, work a wary course. Your rating for life will +depend upon that. You may come to this address, if you have +anything important. Otherwise you shall soon hear of me again. +Good-by." + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +GOYLE BAY + + +While all the world was at cross-purposes thus--Mr. Jellicorse +uneasy at some rumors he had heard; Captain Carroway splitting his +poor heel with indignation at the craftiness of free-traders; +Farmer Anerley vexed at being put upon by people, without any +daughter to console him, or catch shrimps; Master Mordacks pursuing +a noble game, strictly above-board, as usual; Robin Lyth troubled +in his largest principles of revolt against revenue by a nasty +little pain that kept going to his heart, with an emptiness there, +as for another heart; and last, and perhaps of all most important, +the rector perpetually pining for his game of chess, and utterly +discontented with the frigid embraces of analysis--where was the +best, and most simple, and least selfish of the whole lot, Mary +Anerley? + +Mary was in as good a place as even she was worthy of. A place not +by any means so snug and favored by nature as Anerley Farm, but +pretty well sheltered by large trees of a strong and hardy order. +And the comfortable ways of good old folk, who needed no labor to +live by spread a happy leisure and a gentle ease upon everything +under their roof-tree. Here was no necessity for getting up until +the sun encouraged it; and the time for going to bed depended upon +the time of sleepiness. Old Johnny Popplewell, as everybody called +him, without any protest on his part, had made a good pocket by the +tanning business, and having no children to bring up to it, and +only his wife to depend upon him, had sold the good-will, the yard, +and the stock as soon as he had turned his sixtieth year. "I have +worked hard all my life," he said, "and I mean to rest for the rest +of it." + +At first he was heartily miserable, and wandered about with a +vacant look, having only himself to look after. And he tried to +find a hole in his bargain with the man who enjoyed all the smells +he was accustomed to, and might even be heard through a gap in the +fence rating the men as old Johnny used to do, at the same time of +day, and for the same neglect, and almost in the self-same words +which the old owner used, but stronger. Instead of being happy, +Master Popplewell lost more flesh in a month than he used to lay on +in the most prosperous year; and he owed it to his wife, no doubt, +as generally happens, that he was not speedily gathered to the +bosom of the hospitable Simon of Joppa. For Mrs. Popplewell said, +"Go away; Johnny, go away from this village; smell new smells, and +never see a hide without a walking thing inside of it. Sea-weed +smells almost as nice as tan; though of course it is not so +wholesome." The tanner obeyed, and bought a snug little place +about ten miles from the old premises, which he called, at the +suggestion of the parson, "Byrsa Cottage." + +Here was Mary, as blithe as a lark, and as petted as a robin- +redbreast, by no means pining, or even hankering, for any other +robin. She was not the girl to give her heart before it was even +asked for; and hitherto she had regarded the smuggler with pity +more than admiration. For in many points she was like her father, +whom she loved foremost of the world; and Master Anerley was a law- +abiding man, like every other true Englishman. Her uncle +Popplewell was also such, but exerted his principles less strictly. +Moreover, he was greatly under influence of wife, which happens +more freely to a man without children, the which are a source of +contradiction. And Mistress Popplewell was a most thorough and +conscientious free-trader. + +Now Mary was from childhood so accustomed to the sea, and the +relish of salt breezes, and the racy dance of little waves that +crowd on one another, and the tidal delivery of delightful rubbish, +that to fail of seeing the many works and plays and constant +variance of her never wearying or weary friend was more than she +could long put up with. She called upon Lord Keppel almost every +day, having brought him from home for the good of his health, to +gird up his loins, or rather get his belly girths on, and come +along the sands with her, and dig into new places. But he, though +delighted for a while with Byrsa stable, and the social charms of +Master Popplewell's old cob, and a rick of fine tan-colored clover +hay and bean haulm, when the novelty of these delights was passed, +he pined for his home, and the split in his crib, and the knot of +hard wood he had polished with his neck, and even the little dog +that snapped at him. He did not care for retired people--as he +said to the cob every evening--he liked to see farm-work going on, +or at any rate to hear all about it, and to listen to horses who +had worked hard, and could scarcely speak, for chewing, about the +great quantity they had turned of earth, and how they had answered +very bad words with a bow. In short, to put it in the mildest +terms, Lord Keppel was giving himself great airs, unworthy of his +age, ungrateful to a degree, and ungraceful, as the cob said +repeatedly; considering how he was fed, and bedded, and not a thing +left undone for him. But his arrogance soon had to pay its own +costs. + +For, away to the right of Byrsa Cottage, as you look down the +hollow of the ground toward the sea, a ridge of high scrubby land +runs up to a forefront of bold cliff, indented with a dark and +narrow bay. "Goyle Bay," as it is called, or sometimes "Basin +Bay," is a lonely and rugged place, and even dangerous for unwary +visitors. For at low spring tides a deep hollow is left dry, +rather more than a quarter of a mile across, strewn with kelp and +oozy stones, among which may often be found pretty shells, weeds +richly tinted and of subtle workmanship, stars, and flowers, and +love-knots of the sea, and sometimes carnelians and crystals. But +anybody making a collection here should be able to keep one eye +upward and one down, or else in his pocket to have two things--a +good watch and a trusty tide-table. + +John and Deborah Popplewell were accustomed to water in small +supplies, such as that of a well, or a road-side pond, or their own +old noble tan-pits; but to understand the sea it was too late in +life, though it pleased them, and gave them fine appetites now to +go down when it was perfectly calm, and a sailor assured them that +the tide was mild. But even at such seasons they preferred to keep +their distance, and called out frequently to one another. They +looked upon their niece, from all she told them, as a creature +almost amphibious; but still they were often uneasy about her, and +would gladly have kept her well inland. She, however, laughed at +any such idea; and their discipline was to let her have her own +way. But now a thing happened which proved forever how much better +old heads are than young ones. + +For Mary, being tired of the quiet places, and the strands where +she knew every pebble, resolved to explore Goyle Bay at last, and +she chose the worst possible time for it. The weather had been +very fine and gentle, and the sea delightfully plausible, without a +wave--tide after tide--bigger than the furrow of a two-horse +plough; and the maid began to believe at last that there never were +any storms just here. She had heard of the pretty things in Goyle +Bay, which was difficult of access from the land, but she resolved +to take opportunity of tide, and thus circumvent the position; she +would rather have done it afoot, but her uncle and aunt made a +point of her riding to the shore, regarding the pony as a safe +companion, and sure refuge from the waves. And so, upon the +morning of St. Michael, she compelled Lord Keppel, with an adverse +mind, to turn a headland they had never turned before. + +The tide was far out and ebbing still, but the wind had shifted, +and was blowing from the east rather stiffly, and with increasing +force. Mary knew that the strong equinoctial tides were running at +their height; but she had timed her visit carefully, as she +thought, with no less than an hour and a half to spare. And even +without any thought of tide, she was bound to be back in less time +than that, for her uncle had been most particular to warn her to be +home without fail at one o'clock, when the sacred goose, to which +he always paid his duties, would be on the table. And if anything +marred his serenity of mind, it was to have dinner kept waiting. + +Without any misgivings, she rode into Basin Bay, keeping within the +black barrier of rocks, outside of which wet sands were shining. +She saw that these rocks, like the bar of a river, crossed the +inlet of the cove; but she had not been told of their peculiar +frame and upshot, which made them so treacherous a rampart. At the +mouth of the bay they formed a level crescent, as even as a set of +good teeth, against the sea, with a slope of sand running up to +their outer front, but a deep and long pit inside of them. This +pit drained itself very nearly dry when the sea went away from it, +through some stony tubes which only worked one way, by the closure +of their mouths when the tide returned; so that the volume of the +deep sometimes, with tide and wind behind it, leaped over the brim +into the pit, with tenfold the roar, a thousandfold the power, and +scarcely less than the speed, of a lion. + +Mary Anerley thought what a lovely place it was, so deep and +secluded from anybody's sight, and full of bright wet colors. Her +pony refused, with his usual wisdom, to be dragged to the bottom of +the hole, but she made him come further down than he thought just, +and pegged him by the bridle there. He looked at her sadly, and +with half a mind to expostulate more forcibly, but getting no +glimpse of the sea where he stood, he thought it as well to put up +with it; and presently he snorted out a tribe of little creatures, +which puzzled him and took up his attention. + +Meanwhile Mary was not only puzzled, but delighted beyond +description. She never yet had come upon such treasures of the +sea, and she scarcely knew what to lay hands upon first. She +wanted the weeds of such wonderful forms, and colors yet more +exquisite, and she wanted the shells of such delicate fabric that +fairies must have made them, and a thousand other little things +that had no names; and then she seemed most of all to want the +pebbles. For the light came through them in stripes and patterns, +and many of them looked like downright jewels. She had brought a +great bag of strong canvas, luckily, and with both hands she set to +to fill it. + +So busy was the girl with the vast delight of sanguine acquisition-- +this for her father, and that for her mother, and so much for +everybody she could think of--that time had no time to be counted +at all, but flew by with feathers unheeded. The mutter of the sea +became a roar, and the breeze waxed into a heavy gale, and spray +began to sputter through the air like suds; but Mary saw the +rampart of the rocks before her, and thought that she could easily +get back around the point. And her taste began continually to grow +more choice, so that she spent as much time in discarding the +rubbish which at first she had prized so highly as she did in +collecting the real rarities, which she was learning to distinguish. +But unluckily the sea made no allowance for all this. + +For just as Mary, with her bag quite full, was stooping with a long +stretch to get something more--a thing that perhaps was the very +best of all, and therefore had got into a corner--there fell upon +her back quite a solid lump of wave, as a horse gets the bottom of +the bucket cast at him. This made her look up, not a minute too +soon; and even then she was not at all aware of danger, but took it +for a notice to be moving. And she thought more of shaking that +saltwater from her dress than of running away from the rest of it. + +But as soon as she began to look about in earnest, sweeping back +her salted hair, she saw enough of peril to turn pale the roses and +strike away the smile upon her very busy face. She was standing +several yards below the level of the sea, and great surges were +hurrying to swallow her. The hollow of the rocks received the +first billow with a thump and a slush, and a rush of pointed +hillocks in a fury to find their way back again, which failing, +they spread into a long white pool, taking Mary above her pretty +ankles. "Don't you think to frighten me," said Mary; "I know all +your ways, and I mean to take my time." + +But even before she had finished her words, a great black wall +(doubled over at the top with whiteness, that seemed to race along +it like a fringe) hung above the rampart, and leaped over, casting +at Mary such a volley that she fell. This quenched her last +audacity, although she was not hurt; and jumping up nimbly, she +made all haste through the rising water toward her pony. But as +she would not forsake her bag, and the rocks became more and more +slippery, towering higher and higher surges crashed in over the +barrier, and swelled the yeasty turmoil which began to fill the +basin; while a scurry of foam flew like pellets from the rampart, +blinding even the very best young eyes. + +Mary began to lose some of her presence of mind and familiar +approval of the sea. She could swim pretty well, from her frequent +bathing; but swimming would be of little service here, if once the +great rollers came over the bar, which they threatened to do every +moment. And when at length she fought her way to the poor old +pony, her danger and distress were multiplied. Lord Keppel was in +a state of abject fear; despair was knocking at his fine old heart; +he was up to his knees in the loathsome brine already, and being so +twisted up by his own exertions that to budge another inch was +beyond him, he did what a horse is apt to do in such condition--he +consoled himself with fatalism. He meant to expire; but before he +did so he determined to make his mistress feel what she had done. +Therefore, with a sad nudge of white old nose, he drew her +attention to his last expression, sighed as plainly as a man could +sigh, and fixed upon her meek eyes, telling volumes. + +"I know, I know that it is all my fault," cried Mary, with the +brine almost smothering her tears, as she flung her arms around his +neck; "but I never will do it again, my darling. And I never will +run away and let you drown. Oh, if I only had a knife! I can not +even cast your bridle off; the tongue has stuck fast, and my hands +are cramped. But, Keppel, I will stay, and be drowned with you." + +This resolve was quite unworthy of Mary's common-sense; for how +could her being drowned with Keppel help him? However, the mere +conception showed a spirit of lofty order; though the body might +object to be ordered under. Without any thought of all that, she +stood, resolute, tearful, and thoroughly wet through, while she +hunted in her pocket for a penknife. + +The nature of all knives is, not to be found; and Mary's knife was +loyal to its kind. Then she tugged at her pony, and pulled out his +bit, and labored again at the obstinate strap; but nothing could be +done with it. Keppel must be drowned, and he did not seem to care, +but to think that the object of his birth was that. If the stupid +little fellow would have only stepped forward, the hands of his +mistress, though cramped and benumbed, might perhaps have unbuckled +his stiff and sodden reins, or even undone their tangle; on the +other hand, if he would have jerked with all his might, something +or other must have given way; but stir he would not from one +fatuous position, which kept all his head-gear on the strain, but +could not snap it. Mary even struck him with her heavy bag of +stones, to make him do something; but he only looked reproachful. + +"Was there ever such a stupid?" the poor girl cried, with the water +rising almost to her waist, and the inner waves beginning to dash +over her, while the outer billows threatened to rush in and crush +them both. "But I will not abuse you any more, poor Keppel. What +will dear father say? Oh, what will he think of it?" + +Then she burst into a fit of sobs, and leaned against the pony, to +support her from a rushing wave which took her breath away, and she +thought that she would never try to look up any more, but shut her +eyes to all the rest of it. But suddenly she heard a loud shout +and a splash, and found herself caught up and carried like an +infant. + +"Lie still. Never mind the pony: what is he? I will go for him +afterward. You first, you first of all the world, my Mary." + +She tried to speak, but not a word would come; and that was all the +better. She was carried quick as might be through a whirl of +tossing waters, and gently laid upon a pile of kelp; and then Robin +Lyth said, "You are quite safe here, for at least another hour. I +will go and get your pony." + +"No, no; you will be knocked to pieces," she cried; for the pony, +in the drift and scud, could scarcely be seen but for his helpless +struggles. But the young man was half way toward him while she +spoke, and she knelt upon the kelp, and clasped her hands. + +Now Robin was at home in a matter such as this. He had landed many +kegs in a sea as strong or stronger, and he knew how to deal with +the horses in a surf. There still was a break of almost a fathom +in the level of the inner and the outer waves, for the basin was so +large that it could not fill at once; and so long as this lasted, +every roller must comb over at the entrance, and mainly spend +itself. "At least five minutes to spare," he shouted back, "and +there is no such thing as any danger." But the girl did not +believe him. + +Rapidly and skillfully he made his way, meeting the larger waves +sideways, and rising at their onset; until he was obliged to swim +at last where the little horse was swimming desperately. The +leather, still jammed in some crevice at the bottom, was jerking +his poor chin downward; his eyes were screwed up like a new-born +kitten's, and his dainty nose looked like a jelly-fish. He thought +how sad it was that he should ever die like this, after all the +good works of his life--the people he had carried, and the chaise +that he had drawn, and all his kindness to mankind. Then he turned +his head away to receive the stroke of grace, which the next wave +would administer. + +No! He was free. He could turn his honest tail on the sea, which +he always had detested so; he could toss up his nose and blow the +filthy salt out, and sputter back his scorn, while he made off for +his life. So intent was he on this that he never looked twice to +make out who his benefactor was, but gave him just a taste of his +hind-foot on the elbow, in the scuffle of his hurry to be round +about and off. "Such is gratitude!" the smuggler cried; but a clot +of salt-water flipped into his mouth, and closed all cynical +outlet. Bearing up against the waves, he stowed his long knife +away, and then struck off for the shore with might and main. + +Here Mary ran into the water to meet him, shivering as she was with +fright and cold, and stretched out both hands to him as he waded +forth; and he took them and clasped them, quite as if he needed +help. Lord Keppel stood afar off, recovering his breath, and +scarcely dared to look askance at the execrable sea. + +"How cold you are!" Robin Lyth exclaimed. "You must not stay a +moment. No talking, if you please--though I love your voice so. +You are not safe yet. You can not get back round the point. See +the waves dashing up against it! You must climb the cliff, and +that is no easy job for a lady, in the best of weather. In a +couple of hours the tide will be over the whole of this beach a +fathom deep. There is no boat nearer than Filey; and a boat could +scarcely live over that bar. You must climb the cliff, and begin +at once, before you get any colder." + +"Then is my poor pony to be drowned, after all? If he is, he had +better have been drowned at once." + +The smuggler looked at her with a smile, which meant, "Your +gratitude is about the same as his;" but he answered, to assure +her, though by no means sure himself: + +"There is time enough for him; he shall not be drowned. But you +must be got out of danger first. When you are off my mind, I will +fetch up pony. Now you must follow me step by step, carefully and +steadily. I would carry you up if I could; but even a giant could +scarcely do that, in a stiff gale of wind, and with the crag so +wet." + +Mary looked up with a shiver of dismay. She was brave and nimble +generally, but now so wet and cold, and the steep cliff looked so +slippery, that she said: "It is useless; I can never get up there. +Captain Lyth, save yourself, and leave me." + +"That would be a pretty thing to do!" he replied; "and where should +I be afterward? I am not at the end of my devices yet. I have got +a very snug little crane up there. It was here we ran our last +lot, and beat the brave lieutenant so. But unluckily I have no +cave just here. None of my lads are about here now, or we would +make short work of it. But I could hoist you very well, if you +would let me." + +"I would never think of such a thing. To come up like a keg! +Captain Lyth, you must know that I never would be so disgraced." + +"Well, I was afraid that you might take it so, though I can not see +why it should be any harm. We often hoist the last man so." + +"It is different with me," said Mary. "It may be no harm; but I +could not have it." + +The free-trader looked at her bright eyes and color, and admired +her spirit, which his words had roused. + +"I pray your forgiveness, Miss Anerley," he said; "I meant no harm. +I was thinking of your life. But you look now as if you could do +anything almost." + +"Yes, I am warm again. I have no fear. I will not go up like a +keg, but like myself. I can do it without help from anybody." + +"Only please to take care not to cut your little hands," said +Robin, as he began the climb; for he saw that her spirit was up to +do it. + +"My hands are not little; and I will cut them if I choose. Please +not even to look back at me. I am not in the least afraid of +anything." + +The cliff was not of the soft and friable stuff to be found at +Bridlington, but of hard and slippery sandstone, with bulky ribs +oversaling here and there, and threatening to cast the climber +back. At such spots nicks for the feet had been cut, or broken +with a hammer, but scarcely wider than a stirrup-iron, and far less +inviting. To surmount these was quite impossible except by a +process of crawling; and Mary, with her heart in her mouth, +repented of her rash contempt for the crane sling. Luckily the +height was not very great, or, tired as she was, she must have +given way; for her bodily warmth had waned again in the strong wind +buffeting the cliff. Otherwise the wind had helped her greatly by +keeping her from swaying outward; but her courage began to fail at +last, and very near the top she called for help. A short piece of +lanyard was thrown to her at once, and Robin Lyth landed her on the +bluff, panting, breathless, and blushing again. + +"Well done!" he cried, gazing as she turned her face away. "Young +ladies may teach even sailors to climb. Not every sailor could get +up this cliff. Now back to Master Popplewell's as fast as you can +run, and your aunt will know what to do with you." + +"You seem well acquainted with my family affairs," said Mary, who +could not help smiling. "Pray how did you even know where I am +staying?" + +"Little birds tell me everything, especially about the best, and +most gentle, and beautiful of all birds." + +The maiden was inclined to be vexed; but remembering how much he +had done, and how little gratitude she had shown, she forgave him, +and asked him to come to the cottage. + +"I will bring up the little horse. Have no fear," he replied. "I +will not come up at all unless I bring him. But it may take two or +three hours." + +With no more than a wave of his hat, he set off, as if the coast- +riders were after him, by the path along the cliffs toward Filey, +for he knew that Lord Keppel must be hoisted by the crane, and he +could not manage it without another man, and the tide would wait +for none of them. Upon the next headland he found one of his men, +for the smugglers maintained a much sharper look-out than did the +forces of his Majesty, because they were paid much better; and +returning, they managed to strap Lord Keppel, and hoist him like a +big bale of contraband goods. For their crane had been left in a +brambled hole, and they very soon rigged it out again. The little +horse kicked pretty freely in the air, not perceiving his own +welfare; but a cross-beam and pulley kept him well out from the +cliff, and they swung him in over handsomely, and landed him well +up on the sward within the brink. Then they gave him three cheers +for his great adventure, which he scarcely seemed to appreciate. + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +A FARM TO LET + + +That storm on the festival of St. Michael broke up the short summer +weather of the north. A wet and tempestuous month set in, and the +harvest, in all but the very best places, lay flat on the ground, +without scythe or sickle. The men of the Riding were not disturbed +by this, as farmers would have been in Suffolk; for these were +quite used to walk over their crops, without much occasion to lift +their feet. They always expected their corn to be laid, and would +have been afraid of it if it stood upright. Even at Anerley Farm +this salam of the wheat was expected in bad seasons; and it suited +the reapers of the neighborhood, who scarcely knew what to make of +knees unbent, and upright discipline of stiff-cravated ranks. + +In the northwest corner of the county, where the rocky land was +mantled so frequently with cloud, and the prevalence of western +winds bore sway, an upright harvest was a thing to talk of, as the +legend of a century, credible because it scarcely could have been +imagined. And this year it would have been hard to imagine any +more prostrate and lowly position than that of every kind of crop. +The bright weather of August and attentions of the sun, and gentle +surprise of rich dews in the morning, together with abundance of +moisture underneath, had made things look as they scarcely ever +looked--clean, and straight, and elegant. But none of them had +found time to form the dry and solid substance, without which +neither man nor his staff of life can stand against adversity. + +"My Lady Philippa," as the tenants called her, came out one day to +see how things looked, and whether the tenants were likely to pay +their Michaelmas rents at Christmas. Her sister, Mrs. Carnaby, +felt like interest in the question, but hated long walks, being +weaker and less active, and therefore rode a quiet pony. Very +little wheat was grown on their estates, both soil and climate +declining it; but the barley crop was of more importance, and +flourished pretty well upon the southern slopes. The land, as a +rule, was poor and shallow, and nourished more grouse than +partridges; but here and there valleys of soft shelter and fair +soil relieved the eye and comforted the pocket of the owner. These +little bits of Goshen formed the heart of every farm; though +oftentimes the homestead was, as if by some perversity, set up in +bleak and barren spots, outside of comfort's elbow. + +The ladies marched on, without much heed of any other point than +one--would the barley crop do well? They had many tenants who +trusted chiefly to that, and to the rough hill oats, and wool, to +make up in coin what part of their rent they were not allowed to +pay in kind. For as yet machinery and reeking factories had not +besmirched the country-side. + +"How much further do you mean to go, Philippa?" asked Mrs. Carnaby, +although she was not travelling by virtue of her own legs. "For my +part, I think we have gone too far already." + +"Your ambition is always to turn back. You may turn back now if +you like. I shall go on." Miss Yordas knew that her sister would +fail of the courage to ride home all alone. + +Mrs. Carnaby never would ride without Jordas or some other serving- +man behind her, as was right and usual for a lady of her position; +but "Lady Philippa" was of bolder strain, and cared for nobody's +thoughts, words, or deeds. And she had ordered her sister's +servant back for certain reasons of her own. + +"Very well, very well. You always will go on, and always on the +road you choose yourself. Although it requires a vast deal of +knowledge to know that there is any road here at all." + +The widow, who looked very comely for her age, and sat her pony +prettily, gave way (as usual) to the stronger will; though she +always liked to enter protest, which the elder scarcely ever +deigned to notice. But hearing that Eliza had a little cough at +night, and knowing that her appetite had not been as it ought to +be, Philippa (who really was wrapped up in her sister, but never or +seldom let her dream of such a fact) turned round graciously and +said: + +"I have ordered the carriage here for half past three o'clock. We +will go back by the Scarbend road, and Heartsease can trot behind +us." + +"Heartsease, uneasy you have kept my heart by your shufflings and +trippings perpetual. Philippa, I want a better-stepping pony. Pet +has ruined Heartsease." + +"Pet ruins everything and everybody; and you are ruining him, +Eliza. I am the only one who has the smallest power over him. And +he is beginning to cast off that. If it comes to open war between +us, I shall be sorry for Lancelot." + +"And I shall be sorry for you, Philippa. In a few years Pet will +be a man. And a man is always stronger than a woman; at any rate +in our family." + +"Stronger than such as you, Eliza. But let him only rebel against +me, and he will find himself an outcast. And to prove that, I have +brought you here." + +Mistress Yordas turned round, and looked in a well-known manner at +her sister, whose beautiful eyes filled with tears, and fell. + +"Philippa," she said, with a breath like a sob, "sometimes you look +harder than poor dear papa, in his very worst moments, used to +look. I am sure that I do not at all deserve it. All that I pray +for is peace and comfort; and little do I get of either." + +"And you will get less, as long as you pray for them, instead of +doing something better. The only way to get such things is to make +them." + +"Then I think that you might make enough for us both, if you had +any regard for them, or for me, Philippa." + +Mistress Yordas smiled, as she often did, at her sister's style of +reasoning. And she cared not a jot for the last word, so long as +the will and the way were left to her. And in this frame of mind +she turned a corner from the open moor track into a little lane, or +rather the expiring delivery of a lane, which was leading a better +existence further on. + +Mrs. Carnaby followed dutifully, and Heartsease began to pick up +his feet, which he scorned to do upon the negligence of sward. And +following this good lane, they came to a gate, corded to an ancient +tree, and showing up its foot, as a dog does when he has a thorn in +it. This gate seemed to stand for an ornament, or perhaps a +landmark; for the lane, instead of submitting to it, passed by upon +either side, and plunged into a dingle, where a gray old house was +sheltering. The lonely moorside farm--if such a wild and desolate +spot could be a farm--was known as "Wallhead," from the relics of +some ancient wall; and the folk who lived there, or tried to live, +although they possessed a surname--which is not a necessary +consequence of life--very seldom used it, and more rarely still had +it used for them. For the ancient fashion still held ground of +attaching the idea of a man to that of things more extensive and +substantial. So the head of the house was "Will o' the Wallhead;" +his son was "Tommy o' Will o' the Wallhead;" and his grandson, +"Willy o' Tommy o' Will o' the Wallhead." But the one their great +lady desired to see was the unmarried daughter of the house, "Sally +o' Will o' the Wallhead." + +Mistress Yordas knew that the men of the house would be out upon +the land at this time of day, while Sally would be full of +household work, and preparing their homely supper. So she walked +in bravely at the open door, while her sister waited with the pony +in the yard. Sally was clumping about in clog-shoes, with a child +or two sprawling after her (for Tommy's wife was away with him at +work), and if the place was not as clean as could be, it seemed as +clean as need be. + +The natives of this part are rough in manner, and apt to regard +civility as the same thing with servility. Their bluntness does +not proceed from thickness, as in the south of England, but from a +surety of their own worth, and inferiority to no one. And to deal +with them rightly, this must be entered into. + +Sally o' Will o' the Wallhead bobbed her solid and black curly +head, with a clout like a jelly on the poll of it, to the owner of +their land, and a lady of high birth; but she vouchsafed no +courtesy, neither did Mistress Yordas expect one. But the active +and self-contained woman set a chair in the low dark room, which +was their best, and stood waiting to be spoken to. + +"Sally," said the lady, who also possessed the Yorkshire gift of +going to the point, "you had a man ten years ago; you behaved badly +to him, and he went into the Indian Company." + +"A' deed," replied the maiden, without any blush, because she had +been in the right throughout; "and noo a' hath coom in a better +moind." + +"And you have come to know your own mind about him. You have been +steadfast to him for ten years. He has saved up some money, and is +come back to marry you." + +"I heed nane o' the brass. But my Jack is back again." + +"His father held under us for many years. He was a thoroughly +honest man, and paid his rent as often as he could. Would Jack +like to have his father's farm? It has been let to his cousin, as +you know; but they have been going from bad to worse; and +everything must be sold off, unless I stop it." + +Sally was of dark Lancastrian race, with handsome features and fine +brown eyes. She had been a beauty ten years ago, and could still +look comely, when her heart was up. + +"My lady," she said, with her heart up now, at the hope of soon +having a home of her own, and something to work for that she might +keep, "such words should not pass the mouth wi'out bin meant." + +What she said was very different in sound, and not to be rendered +in echo by any one born far away from that country, where three +dialects meet and find it hard to guess what each of the others is +up to. Enough that this is what Sally meant to say, and that +Mistress Yordas understood it. + +"It is not my custom to say a thing without meaning it," she +answered; "but unless it is taken up at once, it is likely to come +to nothing. Where is your man Jack?" + +"Jack is awaa to the minister to tell of us cooming tegither." +Sally made no blush over this, as she might have done ten years +ago. + +"He must be an excellent and faithful man. He shall have the farm +if he wishes it, and can give some security at going in. Let him +come and see Jordas tomorrow." + +After a few more words, the lady left Sally full of gratitude, very +little of which was expressed aloud, and therefore the whole was +more likely to work, as Mistress Yordas knew right well. + +The farm was a better one than Wallhead, having some good barley +land upon it; and Jack did not fail to present himself at Scargate +upon the following morning. But the lady of the house did not +think fit herself to hold discourse with him. Jordas was bidden to +entertain him, and find out how he stood in cash, and whether his +character was solid; and then to leave him with a jug of ale, and +come and report proceedings. The dogman discharged this duty well, +being as faithful as the dogs he kept, and as keen a judge of human +nature. + +"The man hath no harm in him," he said, touching his hair to the +ladies, as he entered the audit-room. "A' hath been knocked aboot +a bit in them wars i' Injury, and hath only one hand left; but a' +can lay it upon fifty poon, and get surety for anither fifty." + +"Then tell him, Jordas, that he may go to Mr. Jellicorse to-morrow, +to see about the writings, which he must pay for. I will write +full instructions for Mr. Jellicorse, and you go and get your +dinner; and then take my letter, that he may have time to consider +it. Wait a moment. There are other things to be done in +Middleton, and it would be late for you to come back to-night, the +days are drawing in so. Sleep at our tea-grocer's; he will put you +up. Give your letter at once into the hands of Mr. Jellicorse, and +he will get forward with the writings. Tell this man Jack that he +must be there before twelve o'clock to-morrow, and then you can +call about two o'clock, and bring back what there may be for +signature; and be careful of it. Eliza, I think I have set forth +your wishes." + +"But, my lady, lawyers do take such a time; and who will look after +Master Lancelot? I fear to have my feet two moiles off here--" + +"Obey your orders, without reasoning; that is for those who give +them. Eliza, I am sure that you agree with me. Jordas, make this +man clearly understand, as you can do when you take the trouble. +But you first must clearly understand the whole yourself. I will +repeat it for you." + +Philippa Yordas went through the whole of her orders again most +clearly, and at every one of them the dogman nodded his large head +distinctly, and counted the nods on his fingers to make sure; for +this part is gifted with high mathematics. And the numbers stick +fast like pegs driven into clay. + +"Poor Jordas! Philippa, you are working him too hard. You have +made great wrinkles in his forehead. Jordas, you must have no +wrinkles until you are married." + +While Mrs. Carnaby spoke so kindly, the dogman took his fingers off +their numeral scale, and looked at her. By nature the two were +first cousins, of half blood; by law and custom, and education, and +vital institution, they were sundered more widely than black and +white. But, for all that, the dogman loved the lady, at a faithful +distance. + +"You seem to me now to have it clearly, Jordas," said the elder +sister, looking at him sternly, because Eliza was so soft; "you +will see that no mischief can be done with the dogs or horses while +you are away; and Mr. Jellicorse will give you a letter for me, to +say that everything is right. My desire is to have things settled +promptly, because your friend Jack has been to set the banns up; +and the Church is more speedy in such matters than the law. Now +the sooner you are off, the better." + +Jordas, in his steady but by no means stupid way, considered at his +leisure what such things could mean. He knew all the property, and +the many little holdings, as well as, and perhaps a great deal +better than, if they had happened to be his own. But he never had +known such a hurry made before, or such a special interest shown +about the letting of any tenement, of perhaps tenfold the value. +However, he said, like a sensible man (and therefore to himself +only), that the ways of women are beyond compute, and must be +suitably carried out, without any contradiction. + + + +CHAPTER XX + +AN OLD SOLDIER + + +Now Mr. Jellicorse had been taking a careful view of everything. +He wished to be certain of placing himself both on the righteous +side and the right one; and in such a case this was not to be done +without much circumspection. He felt himself bound to his present +clients, and could not even dream of deserting them; but still +there are many things that may be done to conciliate the adversary +of one's friend, without being false to the friend himself. And +some of these already were occurring to the lawyer. + +It was true that no adversary had as yet appeared, nor even shown +token of existence; but some little sign of complication had +arisen, and one serious fact was come to light. The solicitors of +Sir Ulphus de Roos (the grandson of Sir Fursan, whose daughter had +married Richard Yordas) had pretty strong evidence, in some old +letters, that a deed of appointment had been made by the said +Richard, and Eleanor his wife, under the powers of their +settlement. Luckily they had not been employed in the matter, and +possessed not so much as a draft or a letter of instructions; and +now it was no concern of theirs to make, or meddle, or even move. +Neither did they know that any question could arise about it; for +they were a highly antiquated firm, of most rigid respectability, +being legal advisers to the Chapter of York, and clerks of the +Prerogative Court, and able to charge twice as much as almost any +other firm, and nearly three times as much as poor Jellicorse. + +Mr. Jellicorse had been most skillful and wary in sounding these +deep and silent people; for he wanted to find out how much they +knew, without letting them suspect that there was anything to know. +And he proved an old woman's will gratis, or at least put it down +to those who could afford it--because nobody meant to have it +proved--simply for the sake of getting golden contact with Messrs. +Akeborum, Micklegate, and Brigant. Right craftily then did he +fetch a young member of the firm, who delighted in angling, to take +his holiday at Middleton, and fish the goodly Tees; and by gentle +and casual discourse of gossip, in hours of hospitality, out of him +he hooked and landed all that his firm knew of the Yordas race. +Young Brigant thought it natural enough that his host, as the +lawyer of that family, and their trusted adviser for five-and- +twenty years, should like to talk over things of an elder date, +which now could be little more than trifles of genealogical +history. He got some fine fishing and good dinners, and found +himself pleased with the river and the town, and his very kind host +and hostess; and it came into his head that if Miss Emily grew up +as pretty and lively as she promised to be, he might do worse than +marry her, and open a connection with such a fishing station. At +any rate he left her as a "chose in action," which might be reduced +into possession some fine day. + +Such was the state of affairs when Jordas, after a long and muddy +ride, sent word that he would like to see the master, for a minute +or two, if convenient. The days were grown short, and the candles +lit, and Mr. Jellicorse was fast asleep, having had a good deal to +get through that day, including an excellent supper. The lawyer's +wife said: "Let him call in the morning. Business is over, and +the office is closed. Susanna, your master must not be disturbed." +But the master awoke, and declared that he would see him. + +Candles were set in the study, while Jordas was having a trifle of +refreshment; and when he came in, Mr. Jellicorse was there, with +his spectacles on, and full of business. + +"Asking of your pardon. Sir, for disturbing of you now," said the +dogman, with the rain upon his tarred coat shining, in a little +course of drainage from his great brown beard, "my orders wur to +lay this in your own hand, and seek answer to-morrow by dinner- +time, if may be." + +"Master Jordas, you shall have it, if it can be. Do you know +anybody who can promise more than that?" + +"Plenty, Sir, to promise it, as you must know by this time; but +never a body to perform so much as half. But craving of your +pardon again, and separate, I wud foin spake a word or two of +myself." + +"Certainly, Jordas, I shall listen with great pleasure. A fine- +looking fellow like you must have affairs. And the lady ought to +make some settlement. It shall all be done for you at half price." + +"No, Sir, it is none o' that kind of thing," the dogman answered, +with a smile, as if he might have had such opportunities, but would +trouble no lawyer about them; "and I get too much of half price at +home. It is about my ladies I desire to make speech. They keep +their business too tight, master." + +"Jordas, you have been well taught and trained; and you are a man +of sagacity. Tell me faithfully what you mean. It shall go no +further. And it may be of great service to your ladies." + +"It is not much, Master Jellicoose; and you may make less than that +of it. But a lie shud be met and knocked doon, Sir, according to +my opinion." + +"Certainly, Jordas, when an action will not lie; and sometimes even +where it does, it is wise to commit a defensible assault, and so to +become the defendant. Jordas, you are big enough to do that." + +"Master Jellicoose, you are a pleasant man; but you twist my +maning, as a lawyer must. They all does it, to keep their hand in. +I am speaking of the stories, Sir, that is so much about. And I +think that my ladies should be told of them right out, and come +forward, and lay their hands on them. The Yordases always did +wrong, of old time; but they never was afraid to jump on it." + +"My friend, you speak in parables. What stories have arisen to be +jumped upon?" + +"Well, Sir, for one thing, they do tell that the proper owner of +the property is Sir Duncan, now away in India. A man hath come +home who knows him well, and sayeth that he is like a prince out +there, with command of a country twice as big as Great Britain, and +they up and made 'Sir Duncan' of him, by his duty to the king. And +if he cometh home, all must fall before him." + +"Even the law of the land, I suppose, and the will of his own +father. Pretty well, so far, Jordas. And what next?" + +"Nought, Sir, nought. But I thought I wur duty-bound to tell you +that. What is women before a man Yordas?" + +"My good friend, we will not despair. But you are keeping back +something; I know it by your feet. You are duty-bound to tell me +every word now, Jordas." + +"The lawyers is the devil," said the dogman to himself; and being +quite used to this reflection, Mr. Jellicorse smiled and nodded; +"but if you must have it all, Sir, it is no more than this. Jack +o' the Smithies, as is to marry Sally o' Will o' the Wallhead, is +to have the lease of Shipboro' farm, and he is the man as hath told +it all." + +"Very well. We will wish him good luck with his farm," Mr. +Jellicorse answered, cheerfully; "and what is even rarer nowadays, +I fear, good luck of his wife, Master Jordas." + +But as soon as the sturdy retainer was gone, and the sound of his +heavy boots had died away, Mr. Jellicorse shook his head very +gravely, and said, as he opened and looked through his packet, +which confirmed the words of Jordas, "Sad indiscretion--want of +legal knowledge--headstrong women--the very way to spoil it all! +My troubles are beginning, and I had better go to bed." + +His good wife seconded this wise resolve; and without further +parley it was put into effect, and proclaimed to be successful by a +symphony of snores. For this is the excellence of having other +people's cares to carry (with the carriage well paid), that they +sit very lightly on the springs of sleep. That well-balanced +vehicle rolls on smoothly, without jerk, or jar, or kick, so long +as it travels over alien land. + +In the morning Mr. Jellicorse was up to anything, legitimate, +legal, and likely to be paid for. Not that he would stir half the +breadth of one wheat corn, even for the sake of his daily bread, +from the straight and strict line of integrity. He had made up his +mind about that long ago, not only from natural virtue, strong and +dominant as that was, but also by dwelling on his high repute, and +the solid foundations of character. He scarcely knew anybody, when +he came to think of it, capable of taking such a lofty course; but +that simply confirmed him in his stern resolve to do what was right +and expedient. + +It was quite one o'clock before Jack o' the Smithies rang the bell +to see about his lease. He ought to have done it two hours sooner, +if he meant to become a humble tenant; and the lawyer, although he +had plenty to do of other people's business, looked upon this as a +very bad sign. Then he read his letter of instructions once more, +and could not but admire the nice brevity of these, and the +skillful style of hinting much and declaring very little. + +For after giving full particulars about the farm, and the rent, and +the covenants required, Mistress Yordas proceeded thus: + +"The new tenant is the son of a former occupant, who proved to be a +remarkably honest man, in a case of strong temptation. As happens +too often with men of probity, he was misled and made bankrupt, and +died about twelve years ago, I think. Please to verify this by +reference. The late tenant was his nephew, and has never perceived +the necessity of paying rent. We have been obliged to distrain, as +you know; and I wish John Smithies to buy in what he pleases. He +has saved some capital in India, where I am told that he fought +most gallantly. Singular to say, he has met with, and perhaps +served under, our lamented and lost brother Duncan, of whom and his +family he may give us interesting particulars. You know how this +neighborhood excels in idle talk, and if John Smithies becomes our +tenant, his discourse must be confined to his own business. But he +must not hesitate to impart to you any facts you may think it right +to ask about. Jordas will bring us your answer, under seal." + +"Skillfully put, up to that last word, which savors too much of +teaching me my own business. Aberthaw, are you quite ready with +that lease? It is wanted rather in a hurry." + +As Mr. Jellicorse thought the former, and uttered the latter part +of these words, it was plain to see that he was fidgety. He had +put on superior clothes to get up with; and the clerks had +whispered to one another that it must be his wedding day, and ought +to end in a half-holiday all round, and be chalked thenceforth on +the calendar; but instead of being joyful and jocular, like a man +who feels a saving Providence over him, the lawyer was as dismal, +and unsettled and splenetic, as a prophet on the brink of wedlock. +But the very last thing that he ever dreamed of doubting was his +power to turn this old soldier inside out. + +Jack o' the Smithies was announced at last; and the lawyer, being +vexed with him for taking such a time, resolved to let him take a +little longer, and kept him waiting, without any bread and cheese, +for nearly half an hour. The wisdom of doing this depended on the +character of the man, and the state of his finances. And both of +these being strong enough to stand, to keep him so long on his legs +was unwise. At last he came in, a very sturdy sort of fellow, +thinking no atom the less of himself because some of his anatomy +was honorably gone. + +"Servant, Sir," he said, making a salute; "I had orders to come to +you about a little lease." + +"Right, my man, I remember now. You are thinking of taking to your +father's farm, after knocking about for some years in foreign +parts. Ah, nothing like old England after all. And to tread the +ancestral soil, and cherish the old associations, and to nurture a +virtuous family in the fear of the Lord, and to be ready with the +rent--" + +"Rent is too high, Sir; I must have five pounds off. It ought to +be ten, by right. Cousin Joe has taken all out, and put nought +in." + +"John o' the Smithies, you astonish me. I have strong reason for +believing that the rent is far too low. I have no instructions to +reduce it." + +"Then I must try for another farm, Sir. I can have one of better +land, under Sir Walter; only I seemed to hold on to the old place; +and my Sally likes to be under the old ladies." + +"Old ladies! Jack, what are you come to? Beautiful ladies in the +prime of life--but perhaps they would be old in India. I fear that +you have not learned much behavior. But at any rate you ought to +know your own mind. Is it your intention to refuse so kind an +offer (which was only made for your father's sake, and to please +your faithful Sally) simply because another of your family has not +been honest in his farming?" + +"I never have took it in that way before," the steady old soldier +answered, showing that rare phenomenon, the dawn of a new opinion +upon a stubborn face. "Give me a bit to turn it over in my mind, +Sir. Lawyers be so quick, and so nimble, and all-cornered." + +"Turn it over fifty times, Master Smithies. We have no wish to +force the farm upon you. Take a pinch of snuff, to help your sense +of justice. Or if you would like a pipe, go and have it in my +kitchen. And if you are hungry, cook will give you eggs and +bacon." + +"No, Sir; I am very much obliged to you. I never make much o' my +thinking. I go by what the Lord sends right inside o' me, whenever +I have decent folk to deal with. And spite of your cloth, Sir, you +have a honest look." + +"You deserve another pinch of snuff for that. Master Smithies, you +have a gift of putting hard things softly. But this is not +business. Is your mind made up?" + +"Yes, Sir. I will take the farm, at full rent, if the covenants +are to my liking. They must be on both sides--both sides, mind +you." + +Mr. Jellicorse smiled as he began to read the draft prepared from a +very ancient form which was firmly established on the Scargate Hall +estates. The covenants, as usual, were all upon one side, the +lessee being bound to a multitude of things, and the lessor to +little more than acceptance of the rent. But such a result is in +the nature of the case. Yet Jack o' the Smithies was not well +content. In him true Yorkshire stubbornness was multiplied by the +dogged tenacity of a British soldier, and the aggregate raised to +an unknown power by the efforts of shrewd ignorance; and at last +the lawyer took occasion to say, + +"Master John Smithies, you are worthy to serve under the colors of +a Yordas." + +"That I have, Sir, that I have," cried the veteran, taken unawares, +and shaking the stump of his arm in proof; "I have served under Sir +Duncan Yordas, who will come home some day and claim his own; and +he won't want no covenants of me." + +"You can not have served under Duncan Yordas," Mr. Jellicorse +answered, with a smile of disbelief, craftily rousing the pugnacity +of the man; "because he was not even in the army of the Company, or +any other army. I mean, of course, unless there was some other +Duncan Yordas." + +"Tell me!" Jack o' Smithies almost shouted--"tell me about Duncan +Yordas, indeed! Who he was, and what he wasn't! And what do +lawyers know of such things? Why, you might have to command a +regiment, and read covenants to them out there! Sir Duncan was not +our colonel, nor our captain; but we was under his orders all the +more; and well he knew how to give them. Not one in fifty of us +was white; but he made us all as good as white men; and the enemy +never saw the color of our backs. I wish I was out there again, I +do, and would have staid, but for being hoarse of combat; though +the fault was never in my throat, but in my arm." + +"There is no fault in your throat, John Smithies, except that it is +a great deal too loud. I am sorry for Sally, with a temper such as +yours." + +"That shows how much you know about it. I never lose my temper, +without I hearken lies. And for you to go and say that I never saw +Sir Duncan--" + +"I said nothing of the kind, my friend. But you did not come here +to talk about Duncan, or Captain, or Colonel, or Nabob, or Rajah, +or whatever potentate he may be--of him we desire to know nothing +more--a man who ran away, and disgraced his family, and killed his +poor father, knows better than ever to set his foot on Scargate +land again. You talk about having a lease from him, a man with +fifty wives, I dare say, and a hundred children! We all know what +they are out there." + +There are very few tricks of the human face divine more forcibly +expressive of contempt than the lowering of the eyelids so that +only a narrow streak of eye is exposed to the fellow-mortal, and +that streak fixed upon him steadfastly; and the contumely is +intensified when (as in the present instance) the man who does it +is gifted with yellow lashes on the under lid. Jack o' the +Smithies treated Mr. Jellicorse to a gaze of this sort; and the +lawyer, whose wrath had been feigned, to rouse the other's, and so +extract full information, began to feel his own temper rise. And +if Jack had known when to hold his tongue, he must have had the +best of it. But the lawyer knew this, and the soldier did not. + +"Master Jellicorse," said the latter, with his forehead deeply +wrinkled, and his eyes now opened to their widest, "in saying of +that you make a liar of yourself. Lease or no lease--that you do. +Leasing stands for lying in the Bible, and a' seemeth to do the +same thing in Yorkshire. Fifty wives, and a hundred children! Sir +Duncan hath had one wife, and lost her, through the Neljan fever +and her worry; and a Yorkshire lady, as you might know--and never +hath he cared to look at any woman since. There now, what you make +of that--you lawyers that make out every man a rake, and every +woman a light o' love? Get along! I hate the lot o' you." + +"What a strange character you are! You must have had jungle fever, +I should think. No, Diana, there is no danger"--for Jack o' the +Smithies had made such a noise that Mrs. Jellicorse got frightened +and ran in: "this poor man has only one arm; and if he had two, he +could not hurt me, even if he wished it. Be pleased to withdraw, +Diana. John Smithies, you have simply made a fool of yourself. I +have not said a word against Sir Duncan Yordas, or his wife, or his +son--" + +"He hath no son, I tell you; and that was partly how he lost his +wife." + +"Well, then, his daughters, I have said no harm of them." + +"And very good reason--because he hath none. You lawyers think you +are so clever; and you never know anything rightly. Sir Duncan +hath himself alone to see to, and hundreds of thousands of darkies +to manage, with a score of British bayonets. But he never heedeth +of the bayonets, not he." + +"I have read of such men, but I never saw them," Mr. Jellicorse +said, as if thinking to himself; "I always feel doubt about the +possibility of them." + +"He hath ten elephants," continued Soldier Smithies, resolved to +crown the pillar of his wonders while about it--"ten great +elephants that come and kneel before him, and a thousand men ready +to run to his thumb; and his word is law--better law than is in +England--for scores and scores of miles on the top of hundreds." + +"Why did you come away, John Smithies? Why did you leave such a +great prince, and come home?" + +"Because it was home, Sir. And for sake of Sally." + +"There is some sense in that, my friend. And now if you wish to +make a happy life for Sally, you will do as I advise you. Will you +take my advice? My time is of value; and I am not accustomed to +waste my words." + +"Well, Sir, I will hearken to you. No man that meaneth it can say +more than that." + +"Jack o' the Smithies, you are acute. You have not been all over +the world for nothing. But if you have made up your mind to +settle, and be happy in your native parts, one thing must be +attended to. It is a maxim of law, time-honored and of the highest +authority, that the tenant must never call in question the title of +his landlord. Before attorning, you may do so; after that you are +estopped. Now is it or is it not your wish to become the tenant of +the Smithies farm, which your father held so honorably? Farm +produce is fetching great prices now; and if you refuse this offer, +we can have a man, the day after to-morrow, who will give my ladies +10 pounds more, and who has not been a soldier, but a farmer all his +life." + +"Lawyer Jellicorse, I will take it; for Sally hath set her heart on +it; and I know every crumple of the ground better than the wisest +farmer doth. Sir, I will sign the articles." + +"The lease will be engrossed by next market day; and the sale will +be stopped until you have taken whatever you wish at a valuation. +But remember what I said--you are not to go prating about this +wonderful Sir Duncan, who is never likely to come home, if he lives +in such grand state out there, and who is forbidden by his father's +will from taking an acre of the property. And as he has no heirs, +and is so wealthy, it can not matter much to him." + +"That is true," said the soldier; "but he might love to come home, +as all our folk in India do; and if he doth, I will not deny him. +I tell you fairly, Master Jellicorse." + +"I like you for being an outspoken man, and true to those who have +used you well. You could do him no good, and you might do harm to +others, and unsettle simple minds, by going on about him among the +tenants." + +"His name hath never crossed my lips till now, and shall not again +without good cause. Here is my hand upon it, Master Lawyer." + +The lawyer shook hands with him heartily, for he could not but +respect the man for his sturdiness and sincerity. And when Jack +was gone, Mr. Jellicorse played with his spectacles and his snuff- +box for several minutes before he could make up his mind how to +deal with the matter. Then hearing the solid knock of Jordas, who +was bound to take horse for Scargate House pretty early at this +time of year (with the weakening of the day among the mountains), +he lost a few moments in confusion. The dogman could not go +without any answer; and how was any good answer to be given in half +an hour, at the utmost? A time had been when the lawyer studied +curtness and precision under minds of abridgment in London. But +the more he had labored to introduce rash brevity into Yorkshire, +and to cut away nine words out of ten, when all the ten meant one +thing only, the more of contempt for his ignorance he won, and the +less money he made out of it. And no sooner did he marry than he +was forced to give up that, and, like a respectable butcher, put in +every pennyweight of fat that could be charged for. Thus had he +thriven and grown like a goodly deed of fine amplification; and if +he had made Squire Philip's will now, it would scarcely have gone +into any breast pocket. Unluckily it is an easier thing to make a +man's will than to carry it out, even though fortune be favorable. + +In the present case obstacles seemed to be arising which might at +any moment require great skill and tact to surmount them; and the +lawyer, hearing Jordas striding to and fro impatiently in the +waiting-room, was fain to win time for consideration by writing a +short note to say that he proposed to wait upon the ladies the very +next day. For he had important news which seemed expedient to +discuss with them. In the mean time he begged them not to be at +all uneasy, for his news upon the whole was propitious. + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +JACK AND JILL GO DOWN THE GILL + + +Upon a little beck that runs away into the Lune, which is a +tributary of the Tees, there stood at this time a small square +house of gray stone, partly greened with moss, or patched with +drip, and opening to the sun with small dark windows. It looked as +if it never could be warm inside, by sunshine or by fire-glow, and +cared not, although it was the only house for miles, whether it +were peopled or stood empty. But this cold, hard-looking place +just now was the home of some hot and passionate hearts. + +The people were poor; and how they made their living would have +been a mystery to their neighbors, if there had been any. They +rented no land, and they followed no trade, and they took no alms +by land or post; for the begging-letter system was not yet +invented. For the house itself they paid a small rent, which +Jordas received on behalf of his ladies, and always found it ready; +and that being so, he had nothing more to ask, and never meddled +with them. They had been there before he came into office, and it +was not his place to seek into their history; and if it had been, +he would not have done it. For his sympathies were (as was natural +and native to a man so placed) with all outsiders, and the people +who compress into one or two generations that ignorance of lineage +which some few families strive to defer for centuries, showing +thereby unwise insistence, if latter-day theories are correct. + +But if Master Jordas knew little of these people, somebody else +knew more about them, and perhaps too much about one of them. +Lancelot Carnaby, still called "Pet," in one of those rushes after +random change which the wildness of his nature drove upon him, had +ridden his pony to a stand-still on the moor one sultry day of that +August. No pity or care for the pony had he, but plenty of both +for his own dear self. The pony might be left for the crows to +pick his bones, so far as mattered to Pet Carnaby; but it mattered +very greatly to a boy like him to have to go home upon his own +legs. Long exertion was hateful to him, though he loved quick +difficulty; for he was one of the many who combine activity with +laziness. And while he was wondering what he should do, and +worrying the fine little animal, a wave of the wind carried into +his ear the brawling of a beck, like the humming of a hive. The +boy had forgotten that the moor just here was broken by a narrow +glen, engrooved with sliding water. + +Now with all his strength, which was not much, he tugged the +panting and limping little horse to the flat breach, and then down +the steep of the gill, and let him walk into the water and begin to +slake off a little of the crust of thirst. But no sooner did he +see him preparing to rejoice in large crystal draughts (which his +sobs had first forbidden) than he jerked him with the bit, and made +a bad kick at him, because he could bear to see nothing happy. The +pony had sense enough to reply, weary as he was, with a stronger +kick, which took Master Lancelot in the knee, and discouraged him +for any further contest. Bully as he was, the boy had too much of +ancient Yordas pith in him to howl, or cry, or even whimper, but +sat down on a little ridge to nurse his poor knee, and meditate +revenge against the animal with hoofs. Presently pain and wrath +combined became too much for the weakness of his frame, and he fell +back and lay upon the hard ground in a fainting fit. + +At such times, as everybody said (especially those whom he knocked +about in his lively moments), this boy looked wonderfully lovely. +His features were almost perfect; and he had long eyelashes like an +Andalusian girl, and cheeks more exquisite than almost any doll's, +a mouth of fine curve, and a chin of pert roundness, a neck of the +mould that once was called "Byronic," and curly dark hair flying +all around, as fine as the very best peruke. In a word, he was +just what a boy ought not to be, who means to become an Englishman. + +Such, however, was not the opinion of a creature even more +beautiful than he, in the truer points of beauty. Coming with a +pitcher for some water from the beck, Insie of the Gill (the +daughter of Bat and Zilpie of the Gill) was quite amazed as she +chanced round a niche of the bank upon this image. An image fallen +from the sun, she thought it, or at any rate from some part of +heaven, until she saw the pony, who was testing the geology of the +district by the flavor of its herbage. Then Insie knew that here +was a mortal boy, not dead, but sadly wounded; and she drew her +short striped kirtle down, because her shapely legs were bare. + +Lancelot Carnaby, coming to himself (which was a poor return for +him), opened his large brown eyes, and saw a beautiful girl looking +at him. As their eyes met, his insolent languor fell--for he +generally awoke from these weak lapses into a slow persistent rage-- +and wonder and unknown admiration moved something in his nature +that had never moved before. His words, however, were scarcely up +to the high mark of the moment. "Who are you?" was all he said. + +"I am called 'Insie of the Gill.' My father is Bat of the Gill, +and my mother Zilpie of the Gill. You must be a stranger, not to +know us." + +"I never heard of you in all my life; although you seem to be +living on my land. All the land about here belongs to me; though +my mother has it for a little time." + +"I did not know," she answered, softly, and scarcely thinking what +she said, "that the land belonged to anybody, besides the birds and +animals. And is the water yours as well?" + +"Yes; every drop of it, of course. But you are quite welcome to a +pitcherful." This was the rarest affability of Pet; and he +expected extraordinary thanks. + +But Insie looked at him with surprise. "I am very much obliged to +you," she said; "but I never asked any one to give it me, unless it +is the beck itself; and the beck never seems to grudge it." + +"You are not like anybody I ever saw. You speak very different +from the people about here; and you look very different ten times +over." + +Insie reddened at his steadfast gaze, and turned her sweet soft +face away. And yet she wanted to know more. "Different means a +great many things. Do you mean that I look better, or worse?" + +"Better, of course; fifty thousand times better! Why, you look +like a beautiful lady. I tell you, I have seen hundreds of ladies; +perhaps you haven't, but I have. And you look better than all of +them." + +"You say a great deal that you do not think," Insie answered, +quietly, yet turning round to show her face again. "I have heard +that gentlemen always do; and I suppose that you are a young +gentleman." + +"I should hope so indeed. Don't you know who I am? I am Lancelot +Yordas Carnaby." + +"Why, you look quite as if you could stop the river," she answered, +with a laugh, though she felt his grandeur. "I suppose you +consider me nobody at all. But I must get my water." + +"You shall not carry water. You are much too pretty. I will carry +it for you." + +Pet was not "introspective;" otherwise he must have been astonished +at himself. His mother and aunt would have doubted their own eyes +if they had beheld this most dainty of the dainty, and mischievous +of the mischievous (with pain and passion for the moment +vanquished), carefully carrying an old brown pitcher. Yet this he +did, and wonderfully well, as he believed; though Insie only +laughed to see him. For he had on the loveliest gaiters in the +world, of thin white buckskin with agate buttons, and breeches of +silk, and a long brocaded waistcoat, and a short coat of rich +purple velvet, also a riding hat with a gray ostrich plume. And +though he had very little calf inside his gaiters, and not much +chest to fill out his waistcoat, and narrower shoulders than a +velvet coat deserved, it would have been manifest, even to a +tailor, that the boy had lineal, if not lateral, right to his rich +habiliments. + +Insie of the Gill (who seemed not to be of peasant birth, though so +plainly dressed), came gently down the steep brook-side to see what +was going to be done for her. + +She admired Lancelot, both for bravery of apparel and of action; +and she longed to know how he would get a good pitcher of water +without any splash upon his clothes. So she stood behind a little +bush, pretending not to be at all concerned, but amused at having +her work done for her. But Pet was too sharp to play cat's-paw for +nothing. + +"Smile, and say 'thank you,'" he cried, "or I won't do it. I am +not going up to my middle for nothing; I know that you want to +laugh at me." + +"You must have a very low middle," said Insie; "why, it never comes +half way to my knees." + +"You have got no stockings, and no new gaiters," Lancelot answered, +reasonably; and then, like two children, they set to and laughed, +till the gill almost echoed with them. + +"Why, you're holding the mouth of the pitcher down stream!" Insie +could hardly speak for laughing. "Is that how you go to fill a +pitcher?" + +"Yes, and the right way too," he answered; "the best water always +comes up the eddies. You ought to be old enough to know that." + +"I don't know anything at all--except that you are ruining your +best clothes." + +"I don't care twopence for such rubbish. You ought to see me on a +Sunday, Insie, if you want to know what is good. There, you never +drew such a pitcher as that. And I believe there is a fish in the +bottom of it." + +"Oh, if there is a fish, let me have him in my hands. I can nurse +a fish on dry land, until he gets quite used to it. Are you sure +that there is a little fish?" + +"No, there is no fish; and I am soaking wet. But I never care what +anybody thinks of me. If they say what I don't like, I kick them." + +"Ah, you are accustomed to have your own way. That any one might +know by looking at you. But I have got a quantity of work to do. +You can see that by my fingers." + +The girl made a courtesy, and took the pitcher from him, because he +was knocking it against his legs; but he could not be angry when he +looked into her eyes, though the habit of his temper made him try +to fume. + +"Do you know what I think?" she said, fixing bright hazel eyes upon +him; "I think that you are very passionate sometimes." + +"Well, if I am, it is my own business. Who told you anything about +it? Whoever it was shall pay out for it." + +"Nobody told me, Sir. You must remember that I never even heard of +your name before." + +"Oh, come, I can't quite take down that. Everybody knows me for +fifty miles or more; and I don't care what they think of me." + +"You may please yourself about believing me," she answered, without +concern about it. "No one who knows me doubts my word, though I am +not known for even five miles away." + +"What an extraordinary girl you are! You say things on purpose to +provoke me. Nobody ever does that; they are only too glad to keep +me in a good temper." + +"If you are like that, Sir, I had better run away. My father will +be home in about an hour, and he might think that you had no +business here." + +"I! No business upon my own land! This place must be bewitched, I +think. There is a witch upon the moors, I know, who can take +almost any shape; but--but they say she is three hundred years of +age, or more." + +"Perhaps, then, I am bewitched," said Insie; "or why should I stop +to talk with you, who are only a rude boy, after all, even +according to your own account?" + +"Well, you can go if you like. I suppose you live in that queer +little place down there?" + +"The house is quite good enough for me and my father and mother and +brother Maunder. Good-by; and please never to come here again." + +"You don't understand me. I have made you cry. Oh, Insie, let me +have hold of your hand. I would rather make anybody cry than you. +I never liked anybody so before." + +"Cry, indeed! Who ever heard me cry? It is the way you splashed +the water up. I am not in the habit of crying for a stranger. +Good-by, now; and go to your great people. You say that you are +bad; and I fear it is too true." + +"I am not bad at all. It is only what everybody says, because I +never want to please them. But I want to please you. I would give +anything to do it; if you would only tell me how." + +The girl having cleverly dried her eyes, poured all their bright +beauty upon him, and the heart of the youth was enlarged with a +new, very sweet, and most timorous feeling. Then his dark eyes +dropped, and he touched her gently, and only said, "Don't go away." + +"But I must go away," Insie answered, with a blush, and a look as +of more tears lurking in her eyes. "I have stopped too long; I +must go away at once." + +"But when may I come again? I will hold you, and fight for you +with everybody in the world, unless you tell me when to come +again." + +"Hush! I am quite ashamed to hear you talk so. I am a poor girl, +and you a great young gentleman." + +"Never mind that. That has nothing to do with it. Would you like +to make me miserable, and a great deal more wicked than I ever was +before? Do you hate me so much as all that, Insie?" + +"No. You have been very kind to me. Only my father would be +angry, I am sure; and my brother Maunder is dreadful. They all go +away every other Friday, and that is the only free time I have." + +"Every other Friday! What a long time, to be sure! Won't you come +again for water this day fortnight?" + +"Yes; I come for water three or four times every day. But if they +were to see you, they would kill you first, and then lock me up +forever. The only wise plan is for you to come no more." + +"You can not be thinking for a moment what you say. I will tell +you what; if you don't come, I will march up to the house, and beat +the door in. The landlord can do that, according to law." + +"If you care at all for me," said Insie, looking as if she had +known him for ten years, "you will do exactly what I tell you. You +will think no more about me for a fortnight; and then if you fancy +that I can do you good by advice about your bad temper, or by +teaching you how to plait reeds for a bat, and how to fill a +pitcher--perhaps I might be able to come down the gill again." + +"I wish it was to-morrow. I shall count the days. But be sure to +come early, if they go away all day. I shall bring my dinner with +me; and you shall have the first help, and I will carve. But I +should like one thing before I go; and it is the first time I ever +asked anybody, though they ask me often enough, I can tell you." + +"What would you like? You seem to me to be always wanting +something." + +"I should like very much--very much indeed--just to give you one +kiss, Insie." + +"It can not be thought of for a moment," she replied; "and the +first time of my ever seeing you, Sir!" + +Before he could reason in favor of a privilege which goes +proverbially by favor, the young maid was gone upon the winding +path, with the pitcher truly balanced on her well-tressed head. +Then Pet sat down and watched her; and she turned round in the +distance, and waved him a kiss at decorous interval. + +Not more than three days after this, Mrs. Carnaby came into the +drawing-room with a hasty step, and a web of wrinkles upon her +generally smooth, white forehead. + +"Eliza," asked her sister, "what has put you out so? That chair is +not very strong, and you are rather heavy. Do you call that +gracefully sinking on a seat, as we used to learn the way to do at +school?" + +"No, I do not call it anything of the kind. And if I am heavy, I +only keep my heart in countenance, Philippa. You know not the +anxieties of a mother." + +"I am thankful to say that I do not. I have plenty of larger cares +to attend to, as well as the anxieties of an aunt and sister. But +what is this new maternal care?" + +"Poor Pet's illness--his serious illness. I am surprised that you +have not noticed it, Philippa; it seems so unkind of you." + +"There can not be anything much amiss with him. I never saw any +one eat a better breakfast. What makes you fancy that the boy must +be unwell?" + +"It is no fancy. He must be very ill. Poor dear! I can not bear +to think of it. He has done no mischief for quite three days." + +"Then he must indeed be at the point of death. Oh, if we could +only keep him always so, Eliza!" + +"My dear sister, you will never understand him. He must have his +little playful ways. Would you like him to be a milksop?" + +"Certainly not. But I should like him first to be a manly boy, and +then a boyish man. The Yordases always have been manly boys; +instead of puling, and puking, and picking this, that, and the +other." + +"The poor child can not help his health, Philippa. He never had +the Yordas constitution. He inherits his delicate system from his +poor dear gallant father." + +Mrs. Carnaby wiped away a tear; and her sister (who never was hard +to her) spoke gently, and said there were many worse boys than he, +and she liked him for many good and brave points of character, and +especially for hating medicine. + +"Philippa, you are right; he does hate medicine," the good mother +answered, with a soft, sad sigh; "and he kicked the last apothecary +in the stomach, when he made certain of its going down. But such +things are trifles, dear, in comparison with now. If he would only +kick Jordas, or Welldrum, or almost any one who would take it +nicely, I should have some hope that he was coming to himself. But +to see him sit quiet is so truly sad. He gets up a tree with his +vast activity, and there he sits moping by the hour, and gazing in +one fixed direction. I am almost sure that he has knocked his leg; +but he flew into a fury when I wanted to examine it; and when I +made a poultice, there was Saracen devouring it; and the nasty dog +swallowed one of my lace handkerchiefs." + +"Then surely you are unjust, Eliza, in lamenting all lack of +mischief. But I have noticed things as well as you. And yesterday +I saw something more portentous than anything you have told me. I +came upon Lancelot suddenly, in the last place where I should have +looked for him. He was positively in the library, and reading-- +reading a real book." + +"A book, Phillppa! Oh, that settles everything. He must have gone +altogether out of his sane mind." + +"Not only was it a book, but even a book of what people call +poetry. You have heard of that bold young man over the mountains, +who is trying to turn poetry upside down, by making it out of every +single thing he sees; and who despises all the pieces that we used +to learn at school. I can not remember his name; but never mind. +I thought that we ought to encourage him, because he might know +some people in this neighborhood; and so I ordered a book of his. +Perhaps I told you; and that is the very book your learned boy was +reading." + +"Philippa, it seems to me impossible almost. He must have been +looking at the pictures. I do hope he was only looking at the +pictures." + +"There is not a picture in the hook of any sort. He was reading +it, and saying it quite softly to himself; and I felt that if you +saw him, you would send for Dr. Spraggs." + +"Ring the bell at once, dear, if you will be kind enough. I hope +there is a fresh horse in the stable. Or the best way would be to +send the jumping-car; then he would be certain to come back at +once." + +"Do as you like. I begin to think that we ought to take proper +precautions. But when that is done, I will tell you what I think +he may be up the tree for." + +A man with the jumping-car was soon dispatched, by urgency of +Jordas, for Dr. Spraggs, who lived several miles away, in a hamlet +to the westward, inaccessible to anything that could not jump right +nimbly. But the ladies made a slight mistake: they caught the +doctor, but no patient. + +For Pet being well up in his favorite tree--poring with great +wonder over Lyrical Ballads, which took his fancy somehow--thence +descried the hateful form of Dr. Spraggs, too surely approaching in +the seat of honor of the jumping-car. Was ever any poesy of such +power as to elevate the soul above the smell of physic? The lofty +poet of the lakes and fells fell into Pet's pocket anyhow, and down +the off side of the tree came he, with even his bad leg ready to be +foremost in giving leg-bail to the medical man. The driver of the +jumping-car espied this action; but knowing that he would have done +the like, grinned softly, and said nothing. And long after Dr. +Spraggs was gone, leaving behind him sage advice, and a vast +benevolence of bottles, Pet returned, very dirty and hungry, and +cross, and most unpoetical. + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +YOUNG GILLY FLOWERS + + +"Drum," said Pet, in his free and easy style, about ten days after +that escape, to a highly respected individual, Mr. Welldrum, the +butler--"Drum, you have heard perhaps about my being poorly." + +"Ay, that I have, and too much of it," replied the portly butler, +busy in his office with inferior work, which he never should have +had to do, if rightly estimated. "What you wants, Master Lancelot, +is a little more of this here sort of thing--sleeves up--elbow +grease--scrub away at hold ancient plate, and be blowed up if you +puts a scratch on it; and the more you sweats, the less thanks you +gets." + +"Drum, when you come to be my butler, you shall have all the keys +allowed you, and walk about with them on a great gold ring, with a +gold chain down to your breeches pocket. You shall dine when you +like, and have it cooked on purpose, and order it directly after +breakfast; and you shall have the very best hot-water plates; +because you hate grease, don't you, Drum?" + +"That I do; especial from young chaps as wants to get something out +of me." + +"I am always as good as my word; come, now." + +"That you are, Sir; and nothing very grand to say, considering the +hepithets you applies to me sometimes. But you han't insulted me +for three days now; and that proves to my mind that you can't be +quite right." + +"But you would like to see me better. I am sure you would. There +is nobody so good to you as I am, Drum; and you are very crusty at +times, you know. Your daughter shall be the head cook; and then +everything must be to your liking." + +"Master Lancelot, you speaks fair. What can I have the honor of +doing for you, Sir, to set you up again in your poor dear 'ealth?" + +"Well, you hate physic, don't you, Drum? And you make a strict +point of never taking it." + +"I never knew no good to come out of no bottle, without it were a +bottle of old crusted port-wine. Ah! you likes that, Master +Lancelot." + +"I'll tell you what it is, Drum; I am obliged to be very careful. +The reason why I don't get on is from taking my meals too much in- +doors. There is no fresh air in these old rooms. I have got a man +who says--I could read it to you; but perhaps you don't care to +hear poetry, Drum?" The butler made a face, and put the leather to +his ears. "Very well, then; I am only just beginning; and it's +like claret, you must learn to come to it. But from what he says, +and from my own stomach, I intend to go and dine out-of-doors to- +day." + +"Lord! Master Lancelot, you must be gone clean daft. How ever +could you have hot gravy, Sir? And all the Yordases hales cold +meat. Your poor dear grandfather--ah! he was a man." + +"So am I. And I have got half a guinea. Now, Drum, you do just +what I tell you; and mind, not a word to any one. It will be the +last coin you ever see of mine, either now or in all my life, +remember, if you let my mamma ever hear of it. You slip down to +the larder and get me a cold grouse, and a cold partridge, and two +of the hearth-stone cakes, and a pat of butter, and a pinch of +salt, and put them in my army knapsack Aunt Philippa gave me; also +a knife and fork and plate; and--let me see--what had I better have +to drink?" + +"Well, Sir, if I might offer an opinion, a pint bottle of dry port, +or your grandfather's Madeira." + +"Young ladies--young gentlemen I mean, of course--never take strong +wines in the middle of the day. Bucellas, Drum--Bucellas is the +proper thing. And when you have got it all together, turn the old +cat into the larder, and get away cleverly by your little door, and +put my knapsack in the old oak-tree, the one that was struck by +lightning. Now do you understand all about it? It must all be +ready in half an hour. And if I make a good dinner out on the +moor, why, you might get another half guinea before long." And +with these words away strode Pet. + +"Well, well," the butler began muttering to himself; "what +wickedness are you up to next? A lassie in his head, and his dear +mammy thought he was sickening over his wisdom-teeth! He is +beginning airly, and no mistake. But the gals are a coarse ugly +lot about here"--Master Welldrum was not a Yorkshireman--"and the +lad hath good taste in the matter of wine; although he is that +contrairy, Solomon's self could not be upsides with him. Fall +fair, fall foul, I must humor the boy, or out of this place I go, +neck and crop." + +Accordingly, Pet found all that he had ordered, and several little +things which he had not thought of, especially a corkscrew and a +glass; and forgetting half his laziness, he set off briskly, +keeping through the trees where no window could espy him, and down +a little side glen, all afoot; for it seemed to him safer to forego +his pony. + +The gill (or "ghyll," as the poet writes it), from which the lonely +family that dwelt there took their name, was not upon the bridle- +road from Scargate Hall toward Middleton, nor even within eye or +reach of any road at all; but overlooked by kites alone, and +tracked with thoroughfare of nothing but the mountain streamlet. +The four who lived there--"Bat and Zilpic, Maunder and Insie, of +the Gill"--had nothing to do with, and little to say to, any of the +scatterling folk about them, across the blue distance of the moor. +They ploughed no land, they kept no cattle, they scarcely put spade +in the ground, except for about a fortnight in April, when they +broke up a strip of alluvial soil new every season, and abutting on +the brook; and there sowed or planted their vegetable crop, and +left it to the clemency of heaven. Yet twice every year they were +ready with their rent when it suited Master Jordas to come for it, +since audits at the hall, and tenants' dinners, were not to their +liking. The rent was a trifle; but Jordas respected them highly +for handing it done up in white paper, without even making him +leave the saddle. How many paid less, or paid nothing at all, yet +came to the dinners under rent reservation of perhaps one mark, +then strictly reserved their rent, but failed not to make the most +punctual and liberal marks upon roast beef and plum-pudding! + +But while the worthy dogman got his little bit of money, sealed up +and so correct that (careful as he was) he never stopped now to +count it, even his keen eyes could make nothing of these people, +except that they stood upon their dignity. To him they appeared to +be of gypsy race; or partly of wild and partly perhaps of +Lancastrian origin; for they rather "featured" the Lancashire than +the Yorkshire type of countenance, yet without any rustic +coarseness, whether of aspect, voice, or manners. The story of +their settlement in this glen had flagged out of memory of gossip +by reason of their calm obscurity, and all that survived was the +belief that they were queer, and the certainty that they would not +be meddled with. + +Lancelot Yordas Carnaby was brave, both in the outward and the +inward boy, when he struck into the gill from a trackless spread of +moor, not far from the source of the beck that had shaped or been +shaped by this fissure. He had made up his mind to learn all about +the water that filled sweet Insie's pitcher; and although the great +poet of nature as yet was only in early utterance, some of his +words had already touched Pet as he had never been touched before; +but perhaps that fine effect was due to the sapping power of first +love. + +Yet first love, however it may soften and enlarge a petulant and +wayward nature, instead of increasing, cuts short and crisp the +patience of the patient. When Lancelot was as near as manners and +prudence allowed to that lonesome house, he sat down quietly for a +little while in a little niche of scrubby bush whence he could spy +the door. For a short time this was very well; also it was well to +be furnishing his mind with a form for the beautiful expressions in +it, and prepare it for the order of their coming out. And when he +was sure that these were well arranged, and could not fail at any +crisis, he found a further pastime in considering his boots, then +his gaiters and small-clothes (which were of lofty type), and his +waistcoat, elegant for anybody's bosom. But after a bit even this +began to pall; and when one of his feet went fast asleep, in spite +of its beautiful surroundings, he jumped up and stamped, and was +not so very far from hot words as he should have been. For his +habit was not so much to want a thing as to get it before he wanted +it, which is very poor training for the trials of the love-time. + +But just as he was beginning to resolve to be wise, and eat his +victuals, now or never, and be sorry for any one who came too late-- +there came somebody by another track, whose step made the heart +rise, and the stomach fall. Lancelot's mind began to fail him all +at once; and the spirit that was ready with a host of words +fluttered away into a quaking depth of silence. Yet Insie tripped +along as if the world held no one to cast a pretty shadow from the +sun beside her own. + +Even the youngest girls are full of little tricks far beyond the +oldest boy's comprehension. But the wonder of all wonders is, they +have so pure a conscience as never to be thinking of themselves at +all, far less of any one who thinks too much of them. "I declare, +she has forgotten that she ever saw me!" Lancelot muttered to the +bush in which he trembled. "It would serve her right, if I walked +straight away." But he looked again, and could not help looking +more than many times again, so piercing (as an ancient poet puts +it) is the shaft from the eyes of the female women. And Insie was +especially a female girl--which has now ceased to be tautology--so +feminine were her walk, and way, and sudden variety of unreasonable +charm. + +"Dear me! I never thought to see you any more, Sir;" said she, +with a bright blush, perhaps at such a story, as Pet jumped out +eagerly, with hands stretched forth. "It is the most surprising +thing. And we might have done very well with rain-water." + +"Oh, Insie! don't be so cold-hearted. Who can drink rain-water? I +have got something very good for you indeed. I have carried it all +the way myself; and only a strong man could have done it. Why, you +have got stockings on, I declare; but I like you much better +without them." + +"Then, Master Lancelot Yordas Carnaby, you had better go home with +all your good things." + +"You are totally mistaken about that. I could never get these +things into the house again, without being caught out to a +certainty. It shows how little girls know of anything." + +"A girl can not be expected," she answered, looking most innocently +at him, "to understand anything sly or cunning. Why should +anything of that sort be?" + +"Well, if it comes to that," cried Pet, who (like all unreasonable +people) had large rudiments of reasoning, "why should not I come up +to your door, and knock, and say, 'I want to see Miss Insie; I am +fond of Miss Insie, and have got something good for her'? That is +what I shall do next time." + +"If you do, my brother Maunder will beat you dreadfully--so +dreadfully that you will never walk home. But don't let us talk of +such terrible things. You must never come here, if you think of +such things. I would not have you hurt for all the world; for +sometimes I think that I like you very much." + +The lovely girl looked at the handsome boy, as if they were at +school together, learning something difficult, which must be +repeated to the other's eyes, with a nod, or a shake of the head, +as may be. A kind, and pure, and soft gaze she gave him, as if she +would love his thoughts, if he could explain them. And Pet turned +away, because he could not do so. + +"I'll tell you what it is," he said, bravely, while his heart was +thrilling with desire to speak well; "we will set to at once, and +have a jolly good spread. I told my man to put up something very +good, because I was certain that you would be very hungry." + +"Surely you were not so foolish as to speak of me?" + +"No, no, no; I know a trick worth two of that. I was not such a +fool as to speak of you, of course. But--" + +"But I would never condescend to touch one bit. You were ashamed +to say a word about me, then, were you?" + +"Insie, now, Insie, too bad of you it is. You can have no idea +what those butlers and footmen are, if ever you tell them anything. +They are worse than the maids; they go down stairs, and they get +all the tidbits out of the cook, and sit by the girl they like +best, on the strength of having a secret about their master." + +"Well, you are cunning!" cried the maiden, with a sigh. "I thought +that your nature was loftier than that. No, I do not know anything +of butlers and footmen; and I think that the less I know of you the +better." + +"Oh, Insie, darling Insie, if you run away like that--I have got +both your hands, and you shall not run away. Do you want to kill +me, Insie? They have had the doctor for me." + +"Oh, how very dreadful! that does sound dreadful. I am not at all +crying, and you need not look. But what did he say? Please to +tell me what he said." + +"He said, 'Salts and senna.' But I got up a high tree. Let us +think of nicer things. It is enough to spoil one's dinner. Oh, +Insie, what is anything to eat or drink, compared with looking at +you, when you are good? If I could only tell you the things that I +have felt, all day and all night, since this day fortnight, how +sorry you would be for having evil thoughts of me!" + +"I have no evil thoughts; I have no thoughts at all. But it +puzzles me to think what on earth you have been thinking. There, I +will sit down, and listen for a moment." + +"And I may hold one of your hands? I must, or you would never +understand me. Why, your hands are much smaller than mine, I +declare! And mine are very small; because of thinking about you. +Now you need not laugh--it does spoil everything to laugh so. It +is more than a fortnight since I laughed at all. You make me feel +so miserable. But would you like to know how I felt? Mind, I +would rather cut my head off than tell it to any one in the world +but you." + +"Now I call that very kind of you. If you please, I should like to +know how you have been feeling." With these words Insie came quite +close up to his side, and looked at him so that he could hardly +speak. "You may say it in a whisper, if you like," she said; +"there is nobody coming for at least three hours, and so you may +say it in a whisper." + +"Then I will tell you; it was just like this. You know that I +began to think how beautiful you were at the very first time I +looked at you. But you could not expect me so to love you all at +once as I love you now, dear Insie." + +"I can not understand any meaning in such things." But she took a +little distance, quite as if she did. + +"Well, I went away without thinking very much, because I had a bad +place in my knee--a blue place bigger than the new half crown, +where you saw that the pony kicked me. I had him up, and thrashed +him, when I got home; but that has got nothing to do with it--only +that I made him know who was his master. And then I tried to go on +with a lot of things as usual; but somehow I did not care at all. +There was a great rat hunt that I had been thinking of more than +three weeks, when they got the straddles down, to be ready for the +new ricks to come instead. But I could not go near it; and it made +them think that the whole of my inside was out of order. And it +must have been. I can see by looking back; it must have been so, +without my knowing it. I hit several people with my holly on their +shins, because they knew more than I did. But that was no good; +nor was anything else. I only got more and more out of sorts, and +could not stay quiet anywhere; and yet it was no good to me to try +to make a noise. All day I went about as if I did not care whether +people contradicted me or not, or where I was, or what time I +should get back, or whether there would be any dinner. And I +tucked up my feet in my nightgown every night; but instead of +stopping there, as they always used to do, they were down in cold +places immediately; and instead of any sleep, I bit holes by the +hundred in the sheets, with thinking. I hated to be spoken to, and +I hated everybody; and so I do now, whenever I come to think about +them!" + +"Including even poor me, I suppose?" Insie had wonderfully pretty +eyebrows, and a pretty way of raising them, and letting more light +into her bright hazel eyes. + +"No, I never seemed to hate you; though I often was put out, +because I could never make your face come well. I was thinking of +you always, but I could not see you. Now tell me whether you have +been like that." + +"Not at all; but I have thought of you once or twice, and wondered +what could make you want to come and see me. If I were a boy, +perhaps I could understand it." + +"I hate boys; I am a man all over now. I am old enough to have a +wife; and I mean to have you. How much do you suppose my waistcoat +cost? Well, never mind, because you are not rich. But I have got +money enough for both of us to live well, and nobody can keep me +out of it. You know what a road is, I suppose--a good road leading +to a town? Have you ever seen one? A brown place, with hedges on +each side, made hard and smooth for horses to go upon, and wheels +that make a rumble. Well, if you will have me, and behave well to +me, you shall sit up by yourself in a velvet dress, with a man +before you and a man behind, and believe that you are flying." + +"But what would become of my father, and my mother, and my brother +Maunder?" + +"Oh, they must stop here, of course. We shouldn't want them. But +I would give them all their house rent-free, and a fat pig every +Christmas. Now you sit there and spread your lap, that I may help +you properly. I want to see you eat; you must learn to eat like a +lady of the highest quality; for that you are going to be, I can +tell you." + +The beautiful maid of the gill smiled sweetly, sitting on the low +bank with the grace of simple nature and the playfulness of +girlhood. She looked up at Lancelot, the self-appointed man, with +a bright glance of curious contemplation; and contemplation (of any +other subject than self) is dangerously near contempt. She thought +very little of his large, free brag, of his patronizing manner, and +fine self-content, reference of everything to his own standard, +beauty too feminine, and instead of female gentleness, highly +cultivated waywardness. But in spite of all that, she could not +help liking, and sometimes admiring him, when he looked away. And +now he was very busy with the high feast he had brought. + +"To begin with," he said, when his good things were displayed, "you +must remember that nothing is more vulgar than to be hungry. A +gentleman may have a tremendous appetite, but a lady never." + +"But why? but why? That does seem foolish. I have read that the +ladies are always helped first. That must be because of their +appetites." + +"Insie, I tell you things, not the reasons of them. Things are +learned by seeing other people, and not by arguing about them." + +"Then you had better eat your dinner first, and let me sit and +watch you. And then I can eat mine by imitation; that is to say, +if there is any left." + +"You are one of the oddest people I have ever seen. You go round +the corner of all that I say, instead of following properly. When +we are married, you will always make me laugh. At one time they +kept a boy to make me laugh; but I got tired of him. Now I help +you first, although I am myself so hungry. I do it from a lofty +feeling, which my aunt Philippa calls 'chivalry.' Ladies talk +about it when they want to get the best of us. I have given you +all the best part, you see; and I only keep the worst of it for +myself." + +If Pet had any hope that his self-denial would promptly be denied +to him, he made a great mistake; for the damsel of the gill had a +healthy moorland appetite, and did justice to all that was put +before her; and presently he began, for the first time in his life, +to find pleasure in seeing another person pleased. But the wine +she would not even taste, in spite of persuasion and example; the +water from the brook was all she drank, and she drank as prettily +as a pigeon. Whatever she did was done gracefully and well. + +"I am very particular," he said at last; "but you are fit to dine +with anybody. How have you managed to learn it all? You take the +best of everything, without a word about it, as gently as great +ladies do. I thought that you would want me to eat the nicest +pieces; but instead of that, you have left me bones and +drumsticks." + +He gave such a melancholy look at these that Insie laughed quite +merrily. "I wanted to see you practice chivalry," she said. + +"Well, never mind; I shall know another time. Instead of two +birds, I shall order four, and other things in proportion. But now +I want to know about your father and your mother. They must be +respectable people, to judge by you. What is their proper name, +and how much have they got to live upon?" + +"More than you--a great deal more than you," she answered, with +such a roguish smile that he forgot his grievances, or began to +lose them in the mist of beauty. + +"More than me! And they live in such a hole, where only the crows +come near them?" + +"Yes, more than you, Sir. They have their wits to live upon, and +industry, and honesty." + +Pet was not old enough yet in the world to say, "What is the use of +all those? All their income is starvation." He was young enough +to think that those who owned them had advantage of him, for he +knew that he was very lazy. Moreover, he had heard of such people +getting on--through the striking power of exception, so much more +brilliant than the rule--when all the blind virtues found luck to +lead them. Industry, honesty, and ability always get on in story- +books, and nothing is nicer than to hear a pretty story. But in +some ways Pet was sharp enough. + +"Then they never will want that house rent-free, nor the fat pig, +nor any other presents. Oh, Insie, how very much better that will +be! I find it so much nicer always to get thing's than to give +them. And people are so good-natured, when they have done it, and +can talk of it. Insie, they shall give me something when I marry +you, and as often as they like afterward." + +"They will give you something you will not like," she answered, +with a laugh, and a look along the moor, "if you stay here too long +chattering with me. Do you know what o'clock it is? I know +always, whether the sun is out or in. You need show no gold watch +to me." + +"Oh, that comes of living in a draught all day. The out-door +people grow too wise. What do you see about ten miles off? It +must be ten miles to that hill." + +"That hill is scarcely five miles off, and what I see is not half +of that. I brought you up here to be quite safe. Maunder's eyes +are better than mine. But he will not see us, for another mile, if +you cover your grand waistcoat, because we are in the shadows. +Slip down into the gill again, and keep below the edge of it, and +go home as fast as possible." + +Lancelot felt inclined to do as he was told, and keep to safe +obscurity. The long uncomfortable loneliness of prospect, and dim +airy distance of the sinking sun, and deeply silent emptiness of +hollows, where great shadows began to crawl--in the waning of the +day, and so far away from home--all these united to impress upon +the boy a spiritual influence, whose bodily expression would be the +appearance of a clean pair of heels. But, to meet this sensible +impulse, there arose the stubborn nature of his race, which hated +to be told to do anything, and the dignity of his new-born love-- +such as it was--and the thought of looking small. + +"Why should I go?" he said. "I will meet them, and tell them that +I am their landlord, and have a right to know all about them. My +grandfather never ran away from anybody. And they have got a +donkey with them." + +"They will have two, if you stop," cried Insie, although she +admired his spirit. "My father is a very quiet man. But Maunder +would take you by the throat and cast you down into the beck." + +"I should like to see him try to do it. I am not so very strong, +but I am active as a cat. I have no idea of being threatened." + +"Then will you be coaxed? I do implore you, for my sake, to go, or +it will be too late. Never, never, will you see me again, unless +you do what I beseech of you." + +"I will not stir one peg, unless you put your arms round my neck +and kiss me, and say that you will never have anybody else." + +Insie blushed deeply, and her bright eyes flashed with passion not +of loving kind. But it went to her heart that he was brave, and +that he loved her truly. She flung her comely arms round his neck, +and touched her rosy lips with his; and before he could clasp her +she was gone, with no more comfort than these words: + +"Now if you are a gentleman, you must go, and never come near this +place again." + +Not a moment too soon he plunged into the gill, and hurried up its +winding course; but turning back at the corner, saw a sweet smile +in the distance, and a wave of the hand, that warmed his heart. + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +LOVE MILITANT + + +So far so good. But that noble and exalted condition of the +youthful mind which is to itself pure wisdom's zenith, but to folk +of coarse maturity and tough experience "calf-love," superior as it +is to words and reason, must be left to its own course. The +settled resolve of a middle-aged man, with seven large-appetited +children, and an eighth approaching the shores of light, while +baby-linen too often transmitted betrays a transient texture, and +hose has ripened into holes, and breeches verify their name, and a +knock at the door knocks at the heart--the fixed resolution of such +a man to strike a bold stroke, for the sake of his home, is +worthier of attention than the flitting fancy of boy and girl, who +pop upon one another, and skip through zigzag vernal ecstasy, like +the weathery dalliance of gnats. + +Lieutenant Carroway had dealt and done with amorous grace and +attitude, soaring rapture, and profundity of sigh, suspense (more +agonizing than suspension), despair, prostration, grinding of the +teeth, the hollow and spectral laugh of a heart forever broken, and +all the other symptoms of an annual bill of vitality; and every new +pledge of his affections sped him toward the pledge-shop. But +never had he crossed that fatal threshold; the thought of his +uniform and dignity prevailed; and he was not so mean as to send a +child to do what the father was ashamed of. + +So it was scarcely to be expected that even as a man he should +sympathize deeply with the tender passion, and far less, as a +coast-guardsman, with the wooing of a smuggler. Master Robin Lyth, +by this time, was in the contraband condition known to the +authorities as love; Carroway had found out this fact; but instead +of indulging in generous emotion, he made up his mind to nab him +through it. For he reasoned as follows; and granting that reason +has any business on such premises, the process does not seem amiss. + +A man in love has only got one-eighth part of his wits at home to +govern the doings of his arms, legs, and tongue. A large half is +occupied with his fancy, in all the wanderings of that creature, +dreamy, flimsy, anchoring with gossamer, climbing the sky with +steps of fog, cast into abysms (as great writers call it) by +imaginary demons, and even at its best in a queer condition, +pitiful, yet exceeding proud. A quarter of the mental power is +employed in wanting to know what the other people think; an eighth +part ought to be dwelling upon the fair distracting object; and +only a small eighth can remain to attend to the business of the +solid day. But in spite of all this, such lads get on about as +well as usual. If Bacchus has a protective power, Venus has no +less of it, and possibly is more active, as behooves a female. + +And surely it was a cold-blooded scheme, which even the Revenue +should have excised from an honest scale of duties, to catch a poor +fellow in the meshes of love, because he was too sharp otherwise. +This, however, was the large idea ripening in the breast of +Carroway. + +"To-night I shall have him," he said to his wife, who was inditing +of softer things, her eighth confinement, and the shilling she had +laid that it would be a boy this time. "The weather is stormy, yet +the fellow makes love between the showers in a barefaced way. That +old fool of a tanner knows it, and has no more right feeling than +if he were a boy. Aha, my Robin, fine robin as you are, I shall +catch you piping with your Jenny Wren tonight!" The lieutenant +shared the popular ignorance of simplest natural history. + +"Charles, you never should have told me of it. Where is your +feeling for the days gone by? And as for his coming between the +showers, what should I have thought of you if you had made a point +of bringing your umbrella? My dear, it is wrong. And I beg you, +for my sake, not to catch him with his true love, but only with his +tubs." + +"Matilda, your mind is weakened by the coming trial of your nerves. +I would rather have him with his tubs, of course; they would set us +up for several years, and his silks would come in for your +churching. But everything can not be as we desire. And he carries +large pistols when he is not courting. Do you wish me to be shot, +Matilda?" + +"Captain Carroway, how little thought you have, to speak to me in +that way! And I felt before dinner that I never should get over +it. Oh, who would have the smugglers on her mind, at such a time?" + +"My dear, I beg your pardon. Pray exert your strength of mind, and +cast such thoughts away from you--or perhaps it will be a smuggler. +And yet if it were, how much better it would pay!" + +"Then I hope it will, Charles; I heartily hope it will be. It +would serve you quite right to be snaring your own son, after +snaring a poor youth through his sweetheart." + +"Well, well, time will show. Put me up the flat bottle, Tilly, and +the knuckle of pork that was left last night. Goodness knows when +I shall be back; and I never like to rack my mind upon an empty +stomach." + +The revenue officer had far to go, and was wise in providing +provender. And the weather being on the fall toward the equinox, +and the tides running strong and uncertain, he had made up his mind +to fare inland, instead of attempting the watery ways. He felt +that he could ride, as every sailor always feels; and he had a fine +horse upon hire from his butcher, which the king himself would pay +for. The inferior men had been sent ahead on foot, with orders to +march along and hold their tongues. And one of these men was John +Cadman, the self-same man who had descended the cliff without any +footpath. They were all to be ready, with hanger and pistol, in a +hole toward Byrsa Cottage. + +Lieutenant Carroway enjoyed his ride. There are men to whom +excitement is an elevation of the sad and slow mind, which +otherwise seems to have nothing to do. And what finer excitement +can a good mind have than in balancing the chances of its body +tumbling out of the saddle, and evicting its poor self? + +The mind of Charles Carroway was wide awake to this, and tenderly +anxious about the bad foot in which its owner ended--because of the +importance of the stirrups--and all the sanguine vigor of the heart +(which seemed to like some thumping) conveyed to the seat of reason +little more than a wish to be well out of it. The brave lieutenant +holding place, and sticking to it through a sense of duty, and of +the difficulty of getting off, remembered to have heard, when quite +a little boy, that a man who gazes steadily between his horse's +ears can not possibly tumble off the back. The saying in its +wisdom is akin to that which describes the potency of salt upon a +sparrow's tail. + +While Carroway gloomily pounded the road, with reflection a +dangerous luxury, things of even deeper interest took their course +at the goal of his endeavors. Mary Anerley, still an exile in the +house of the tanner, by reason of her mother's strict coast-guard, +had long been thinking that more injustice is done in the world +than ought to be; and especially in the matter of free trade she +had imbibed lax opinions, which may not be abhorrent to a tanner's +nature, but were most unbecoming to the daughter of a farmer +orthodox upon his own land, and an officer of King's Fencibles. +But how did Mary make this change, and upon questions of public +policy chop sides, as quickly as a clever journal does? She did it +in the way in which all women think, whose thoughts are of any +value, by allowing the heart to go to work, being the more active +organ, and create large scenery, into which the tempted mind must +follow. To anybody whose life has been saved by anybody else, +there should arise not only a fine image of the preserver, but a +high sense of the service done to the universe, which must have +gone into deepest mourning if deprived of No. One. And then, +almost of necessity, succeeds the investment of this benefactor to +the world at large with all the great qualities needed for an +exploit so stupendous. He has done a great deed, he has proved +himself to be gallant, generous, magnanimous; shall I, who exist +through his grand nobility, listen to his very low enemies? +Therefore Robin was an angel now, and his persecutors must be +demons. + +Captain Lyth had not been slow to enter into his good luck. He +knew that Master Popplewell had a cultivated taste for rare old +schnapps, while the partner of his life, and labor, and repose, +possessed a desire for the finer kinds of lace. Attending to these +points, he was always welcome; and the excellent couple encouraged +his affection and liberal goodwill toward them. But Mary would +accept no presents from him, and behaved for a long time very +strangely, and as if she would rather keep out of his way. Yet he +managed to keep on running after her, as much as she managed to run +away; for he had been down now into the hold of his heart, +searching it with a dark lantern, and there he had discovered +"Mary," "Mary," not only branded on the hullage of all things, but +the pith and pack of everything; and without any fraud upon +charter-party, the cargo entire was "Mary." + +Who can tell what a young maid feels, when she herself is doubtful? +Somehow she has very large ideas, which only come up when she +begins to think; and too often, after some very little thing, she +exclaims that all is rubbish. The key-note of her heart is high, +and a lot of things fall below harmony, and notably (if she is not +a stupe), some of her own dear love's expressions before she has +made up her soul to love him. This is a hard time for almost any +man, who feels his random mind dipped into with a spirit-gauge and +a saccharometer. But in spite of all these indications, Robin Lyth +stuck to himself, which is the right way to get credit for +sticking. + +"Johnny, my dear," said Deborah Popplewell to her valued husband, +just about the time when bold Carroway was getting hot and sore +upon the Filey Road, yet steadily enlarging all the penance of +return, "things ought to be coming to a point, I think. We ought +not to let them so be going on forever. Young people like to be +married in the spring; the birds are singing, and the price of coal +goes down. And they ought to be engaged six months at least. We +were married in the spring, my dear, the Tuesday but one that comes +next from Easter-day. There was no lilac out, but there ought to +have been, because it was not sunny. And we have never repented +it, you know." + +"Never as long as I live shall I forget that day," said Popplewell; +"they sent me home a suit of clothes as were made for kidney-bean +sticks. I did want to look nice at church, and crack, crack, crack +they went, and out came all the lining. Debby, I had good legs in +those days, and could crunch down bark like brewers' grains." + +"And so you could now, my dear, every bit as well. Scarcely any of +the young men have your legs. How thankful we ought to be for +them--and teeth! But everything seems to be different now, and +nobody has any dignity of mind. We sowed broad beans, like a +pigeon's foot-tread, out and in, all the way to church." + +"The folk can never do such things now; we must not expect it of +such times, my dear. Five-and-forty years ago was ninety times +better than these days, Debby, except that you and I was steadfast, +and mean to be so to the end, God willing. Lord! what are the +lasses that He makes now?" + +"Johnny, they try to look their best; and we must not be hard upon +them. Our Mary looks well enow, when she hath a color, though my +eyes might 'a been a brighter blue if I never hadn't took to +spectacles. Johnny, I am sure a'most that she is in her love-time. +She crieth at night, which is nobody's business; the strings of her +night-cap run out of their starch; and there looks like a channel +on the pillow, though the sharp young hussy turns it upside down. +I shall be upsides with her, if you won't." + +"Certainly it shall be left to you; you are the one to do it best. +You push her on, and I will stir him up. I will smuggle some +schnapps into his tea to-night, to make him look up bolder; as mild +as any milk it is. When I was taken with your cheeks, Debby, and +your bit of money, I was never that long in telling you." + +"That's true enow, Johnny; you was sarcy. But I'm thinking of the +trouble we may get into over at Anerley about it." + +"I'll carry that, lass. My back's as broad as Stephen's. What +more can they want for her than a fine young fellow, a credit to +his business and the country? Lord! how I hate them rough coast- +riders! it wouldn't be good for them to come here." + +"Then they are here, I tell you, and much they care. You seem to +me to have shut your eyes since ever you left off tanning. How +many times have I told you, John, that a sneaking fellow hath got +in with Sue? I saw him with my own eyes last night skulking past +the wicket-gate; and the girl's addle-pate is completely turned. +You think her such a wonder, that you won't hearken. But I know +the women best, I do." + +"Out of this house she goes, neck and crop, if what you say is +true, Deb. Don't say it again, that's a kind, good soul; it spoils +my pipe to think of it." + +Toward sundown Robin Lyth appeared, according to invitation. Dandy +as he generally was, he looked unusually smart this time, with +snow-white ducks and a velvet waistcoat, pumps like a dressing- +glass, lace to his shirt, and a blue coat with gold buttons. His +keen eyes glanced about for Mary, and sparkled as soon as she came +down; and when he took her hand she blushed, and was half afraid to +look at him; for she felt in her heart that he meant to say +something, if he could find occasion; but her heart did not tell +her what answer she would make, because of her father's grief and +wrath; so she tried to hope that nothing would be said, and she +kept very near her good aunt's apron-string. Such tactics, +however, were doomed to defeat. The host and hostess of Byrsa +Cottage were very proud of the tea they gave to any distinguished +visitor. Tea was a luxury, being very dear, and although large +quantities were smuggled, the quality was not, like that of other +goods so imported, equal or superior to the fair legitimate staple. +And Robin, who never was shy of his profession, confessed that he +could not supply a cup so good. + +"You shall come and have another out-of-doors, my friend," said his +entertainer, graciously. "Mary, take the captain's cup to the +bower; the rain has cleared off, and the evening will be fine. I +will smoke my pipe, and we will talk adventures. Things have +happened to me that would make you stare, if I could bring myself +to tell them. Ah yes, I have lived in stirring times. Fifty years +ago men and women knew their minds; and a dog could eat his dinner +without a damask napkin." + +Master Popplewell, who was of a good round form, and tucked his +heels over one another as he walked (which indicates a pleasant +self-esteem), now lit his long pipe and marched ahead, carefully +gazing to the front and far away; so that the young folk might have +free boot and free hand behind him. That they should have flutters +of loving-kindness, and crafty little breaths of whispering, and +extraordinary gifts of just looking at each other in time not to be +looked at again, as well as a strange sort of in and out of +feeling, as if they were patterned with the same zigzag--as the +famous Herefordshire graft is made--and above all the rest, that +they should desire to have no one in the world to look at them, was +to be expected by a clever old codger, a tanner who had realized a +competence, and eaten many "tanner's pies." The which is a good +thing; and so much the better because it costs nothing save the +crust and the coal. But instead of any pretty little goings on +such as this worthy man made room for, to tell the stupid truth, +this lad and lass came down the long walk as far apart and as +independent of one another as two stakes of an espalier. There had +not been a word gone amiss between them, nor even a thought the +wrong way of the grain; but the pressure of fear and of prickly +expectation was upon them both, and kept them mute. The lad was +afraid that he would get "nay," and the lass was afraid that she +could not give it. + +The bower was quite at the end of the garden, through and beyond +the pot-herb part, and upon a little bank which overhung a little +lane. Here in this corner a good woman had contrived what women +nearly always understand the best, a little nook of pleasure and of +perfume, after the rank ranks of the kitchen-stuff. Not that these +are to be disdained; far otherwise; they indeed are the real +business; and herein lies true test of skill. But still the +flowers may declare that they do smell better. And not only were +there flowers here, and little shrubs planted sprucely, but also +good grass, which is always softness, and soothes the impatient +eyes of men. And on this grass there stood, or hung, or flowered, +or did whatever it was meant to do, a beautiful weeping-ash, the +only one anywhere in that neighborhood. + +"I can't look at skies, and that--have seen too many of them. You +young folk, go and chirp under the tree. What I want is a little +rum and water." + +With these words the tanner went into his bower, where he kept a +good store of materials in moss; and the plaited ivy of the narrow +entrance shook with his voice, and steps, and the decision of his +thoughts. For he wanted to see things come to a point, and his +only way to do it was to get quite out of sight. Such fools the +young people of the age were now! + +While his thoughts were such, or scarcely any better, his partner +in life came down the walk, with a heap of little things which she +thought needful for the preservation of the tanner, and she waddled +a little and turned her toes out, for she as well was roundish. + +"Ah, you ought to have Sue. Where is Sue?" said Master Popplewell. +"Now come you in out of the way of the wind, Debby; you know how +your back-sinew ached with the darning before last wash." + +Mrs. Popplewell grumbled, but obeyed; for she saw that her lord had +his reasons. So Mary and Robin were left outside, quite as if they +were nothing to any but themselves. Mary was aware of all this +manoeuvring, and it brought a little frown upon her pretty +forehead, as if she were cast before the feet of Robin Lyth; but +her gentleness prevailed, because they meant her well. Under the +weeping-ash there was a little seat, and the beauty of it was that +it would not hold two people. She sat down upon it, and became +absorbed in the clouds that were busy with the sunset. + +These were very beautiful, as they so often are in the broken +weather of the autumn; but sailors would rather see fair sky, and +Robin's fair heaven was in Mary's eyes. At these he gazed with a +natural desire to learn what the symptoms of the weather were; but +it seemed as if little could be made out there, because everything +seemed so lofty: perhaps Mary had forgotten his existence. + +Could any lad of wax put up with this, least of all a daring +mariner? He resolved to run the cargo of his heart right in, at +the risk of all breakers and drawn cutlasses; and to make a good +beginning he came up and took her hand. The tanner in the bower +gave approval with a cough, like Cupid with a sneeze; then he +turned it to a snore. + +"Mary, why do you carry on like this?" the smuggler inquired, in a +very gentle voice. "I have done nothing to offend you, have I? +That would be the last thing I would ever do." + +"Captain Lyth, you are always very good; you never should think +such things of me. I am just looking at a particular cloud. And +who ever said that you might call me 'Mary'?" + +"Perhaps the particular cloud said so; but you must have been the +cloud yourself, for you told me only yesterday." + +"Then I will never say another word about it; but people should not +take advantage." + +"Who are people? How you talk! quite as if I were somebody you +never saw before. I should like you just to look round now, and +let me see why you are so different from yourself." + +Mary Anerley looked round; for she always did what people liked, +without good reason otherwise; and if her mind was full of clouds, +her eyes had little sign of them. + +"You look as lovely as you always do," said the smuggler, growing +bolder as she looked at something else. "You know long ago what my +opinion of you is, and yet you seem to take no notice. Now I must +be off, as you know, to-night; not for any reason of my own, as I +told you yesterday, but to carry out a contract. I may not see you +for many months again; and you may fall in love with a Preventive +man." + +"I never fall in love with anybody. Why should I go from one +extreme to the other? Captain Carroway has seven children, as well +as a very active wife." + +"I am not afraid of Carroway, in love or in war. He is an honest +fellow, with no more brains than this ash-tree over us. I mean the +dashing captains who come in with their cutters, and would carry +you off as soon as look." + +"Captain Lyth, you are not at all considering what you say: those +officers do not want me--they want you." + +"Then they shall get neither; they may trust me for that. But, +Mary, do tell me how your heart is; you know well how mine has been +for ever such a time. I tell you downright that I have thought of +girls before--" + +"Oh, I was not at all aware of that; surely you had better go on +with thinking of them." + +"You have not heard me out. I have only thought of them; nothing +more than thinking, in a foolish sort of way. But of you I do not +think; I seem to feel you all through me." + +"What sort of a sensation do I seem to be? A foolish one, I +suppose, like all those many others." + +"No, not at all. A very wise one; a regular knowledge that I can +not live without you; a certainty that I could only mope about a +little--" + +"And not run any more cargoes on the coast?" + +"Not a single tub, nor a quarter bale of silk; except, of course, +what is under contract now; and, if you should tell me that you can +not care about me--" + +"Hush! I am almost sure that I hear footsteps. Listen, just a +moment." + +"No, I will not listen to any one in the world but you. I beg you +not to try to put me off. Think of the winter, and the long time +coming; say if you will think of me. I must allow that I am not, +like you, of a respectable old family. The Lord alone knows where +I came from, or where I may go to. My business is a random and up- +and-down one, but no one can call it disreputable; and if you went +against it, I would throw it up. There are plenty of trades that I +can turn my hand to; and I will turn it to anything you please, if +you will only put yours inside it. Mary, only let me have your +hand; and you need not say anything unless you like." + +"But I always do like to say something, when things are brought +before me so. I have to consider my father, and my mother, and +others belonging to me. It is not as if I were all alone, and +could do exactly as I pleased. My father bears an ill-will toward +free trade; and my mother has made bad bargains, when she felt sure +of very good ones." + +"I know that there are rogues about," Robin answered, with a +judicial frown; "but foul play never should hurt fair play; and we +haul them through the water when we catch them. Your father is +terribly particular, I know, and that is the worst thing there can +be; but I do not care a groat for all objections, Mary, unless the +objection begins with you. I am sure by your eyes, and your pretty +lips and forehead, that you are not the one to change. If once any +lucky fellow wins your heart, he will have it--unless he is a fool-- +forever. I can do most things, but not that, or you never would +be thinking about the other people. What would anybody be to me in +comparison with you, if I only had the chance? I would kick them +all to Jericho. Can you see it in that way? can you get hot every +time you think of me?" + +"Really," said Mary, looking very gently at him, because of his +serious excitement, "you are very good, and very brave, and have +done wonders for me; but why should I get hot?" + +"No, I suppose it is not to be expected. When I am in great peril +I grow hot, and tingle, and am alive all over. Men of a loftier +courage grow cold; it depends upon the constitution; but I enjoy it +more than they do, and I can see things ten times quicker. Oh, how +I wish I was Nelson! how he must enjoy himself!" + +"But if you have love of continual danger, and eagerness to be +always at it," said Mary, with wide Yorkshire sense, much as she +admired this heroic type, "the proper thing for you to do is to +lead a single life. You might be enjoying all the danger very +much; but what would your wife at home be doing? Only to knit, and +sigh, and lie awake." + +Mary made a bad hit here. This picture was not at all deterrent; +so daring are young men, and so selfish. + +"Nothing of that sort should ever come to pass," cried Robin, with +the gaze of the head of a household, "supposing only that my wife +was you. I would be home regularly every night before the kitchen +clock struck eight. I would always come home with an appetite, and +kiss you, and do both my feet upon the scraper. I would ask how +the baby was, and carry him about, and go 'one, two, three,' as the +nurses do, I would quite leave the government to put on taxes, and +pay them--if I could--without a word of grumble. I would keep +every rope about the house in order, as only a sailor knows how to +do, and fettle my own mending, and carry out my orders, and never +meddle with the kitchen, at least unless my opinion was sought for +concerning any little thing that might happen to be meant for me." + +"Well," exclaimed Mary, "you quite take my breath away. I had no +idea that you were so clever. In return for all these wonders, +what should poor I have to do?" + +"Poor I would only have to say just once, 'Robin, I will have you, +and begin to try to love you.'" + +"I am afraid that it has been done long ago; and the thing that I +ought to do is to try and help it." + +What happened upon this it would be needless to report, and not +only needless, but a vast deal worse--shabby, interloping, +meddlesome and mean, undignified, unmanly, and disreputably low; +for even the tanner and his wife (who must have had right to come +forward, if anybody had) felt that their right was a shadow, and +kept back as if they were a hundred miles away, and took one +another by the hand and nodded, as much as to say: "You remember +how we did it; better than that, my dear. Here is your good +health." + +This being so, and the time so sacred to the higher emotions, even +the boldest intruder should endeavor to check his ardor for +intrusion. Without any inkling of Preventive Force, Robin and +Mary, having once done away with all that stood between them, found +it very difficult to be too near together; because of all the many +things that each had for to say. They seemed to get into an unwise +condition of longing to know matters that surely could not matter. +When did each of them first feel sure of being meant only for the +other nobler one? At first sight, of course, and with a perfect +gift of seeing how much loftier each was than the other; and what +an extraordinary fact it was that in everything imaginable they +were quite alike, except in the palpable certainty possessed by +each of the betterness of the other. What an age it seemed since +first they met, positively without thinking, and in the very middle +of a skirmish, yet with a remarkable drawing out of perceptions one +anotherward! Did Mary feel this, when she acted so cleverly, and +led away those vile pursuers? and did Robin, when his breath came +back, discover why his heart was glowing in the rabbit-hole? +Questions of such depth can not be fathomed in a moment; and even +to attempt to do any justice to them, heads must be very long laid +together. Not only so, but also it is of prime necessity to make +sure that every whisper goes into the proper ear, and abides there +only, and every subtlety of glance, and every nicety of touch, gets +warm with exclusive reciprocity. It is not too much to say that in +so sad a gladness the faculties of self-preservation are weak, when +they ought to be most active; therefore it should surprise nobody +(except those who are so far above all surprise) to become aware +that every word they said, and everything (even doubly sacred) that +they did, was well entered into, and thoroughly enjoyed, by a +liberal audience of family-minded men, who had been through pretty +scenes like this, and quietly enjoyed dry memory. + +Cadman, Ellis, and Dick Hackerbody were in comfortable places of +retirement, just under the combing of the hedge; all waiting for a +whistle, yet at leisure to enjoy the whisper, the murmur, or even +the sigh, of a genuine piece of "sweet-hearting." Unjust as it may +be, and hard, and truly narrow, there does exist in the human mind, +or at least in the masculine half of it, a strong conviction that a +man in love is a man in a scrape, in a hole, in a pitfall, in a +pitiful condition, untrue for the moment to the brotherhood of man, +and cast down among the inferior vessels. And instead of being +sorry for him, those who are all right look down, and glory over +him, with very ancient gibes. So these three men, instead of being +touched at heart by soft confessions, laid hard hands to wrinkled +noses. + +"Mary, I vow to you, as I stand here," said Robin, for the fiftieth +time, leading her nearer to the treacherous hedge, as he pressed +her trembling hand, and gazed with deep ecstasy into her truthful +eyes, "I will live only to deserve you, darling. I will give up +everything and everybody in the world, and start afresh. I will +pay king's duty upon every single tub; and set up in the tea and +spirit line, with his Majesty's arms upon the lintel. I will take +a large contract for the royal navy, who never get anything +genuine, and not one of them ever knows good from bad--" + +"That's a dirty lie, Sir. In the king's name I arrest you." + +Lieutenant Carroway leaped before them, flourishing a long sword, +and dancing with excitement, in this the supreme moment of his +life. At the same instant three men came bursting through the +hedge, drew hangers, and waited for orders. Robin Lyth, in the +midst of his love, was so amazed, that he stood like a boy under +orders to be caned. + +"Surrender, Sir! Down with your arms; you are my prisoner. Strike +to his Majesty. Hands to your side! or I run you through like Jack +Robinson! Keep back, men. He belongs to me." + +But Carroway counted his chicks too soon; or at any rate he +overlooked a little chick. For while he was making fine passes +(having learned the rudiments of swordsmanship beyond other British +officers), and just as he was executing a splendid flourish, upon +his bony breast lay Mary. She flung her arms round him, so that +move he could not without grievously tearing her; and she managed, +in a very wicked way, to throw the whole weight of two bodies on +his wounded heel. A flash of pain shot up to his very sword; and +down he went, with Mary to protect him, or at any rate to cover +him. His three men, like true Britons, stood in position, and +waited for their officer to get up and give orders. + +These three men showed such perfect discipline that Robin was +invited to knock them down, as if they had simply been three +skittles in a row; he recovered his presence of mind and did it; +and looking back at Mary, received signal to be off. Perceiving +that his brave love would take no harm--for the tanner was come +forth blustering loudly, and Mrs. Popplewell with shrieks and +screams enough to prevent the whole Preventive Service--the free- +trader kissed his hand to Mary, and was lost through the bushes, +and away into the dark. + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +LOVE PENITENT + + +"I tell you, Captain Anerley, that she knocked me down. Your +daughter there, who looks as if butter would not melt in her mouth, +knocked down Commander Carroway of his Majesty's coastguard, like a +royal Bengal tiger, Sir. I am not come to complain; such an action +I would scorn; and I admire the young lady for her spirit, Sir. +My sword was drawn; no man could have come near me; but before +I could think, Sir, I was lying on my back. Do you call that +constitutional?" + +"Mary, lof, however could you think it--to knock down Captain +Carroway?" + +"Father, I never did. He went down of himself, because he was +flourishing about so. I never thought what I was doing of at all. +And with all my heart I beg his pardon. What right had you, Sir, +to come spying after me?" + +This interview was not of the common sort. Lieutenant Carroway, in +full uniform, was come to Anerley Farm that afternoon; not for a +moment to complain of Mary, but to do his duty, and to put things +straight; while Mary had insisted upon going home at once from the +hospitable house of Uncle Popplewell, who had also insisted upon +going with her, and taking his wife to help the situation. + +A council had been called immediately, with Mistress Anerley +presiding; and before it had got beyond the crying stage, in +marched the brave lieutenant. + +Stephen Anerley was reserving his opinion--which generally means +that there is none yet to reserve--but in his case there would be a +great deal by-and-by. Master Popplewell had made up his mind and +his wife's, long ago, and confirmed it in the one-horse shay, while +Mary was riding Lord Keppel in the rear; and the mind of the tanner +was as tough as good oak bark. His premises had been intruded +upon--the property which he had bought with his own money saved by +years of honest trade, his private garden, his ornamental bower, +his wife's own pleasure-plot, at a sacred moment invaded, trampled, +and outraged by a scurvy preventive-man and his low crew. The +first thing he had done to the prostrate Carroway was to lay hold +of him by the collar, and shake his fist at him and demand his +warrant--a magistrate's warrant, or from the crown itself. The +poor lieutenant having none to show, "Then I will have the law of +you, Sir," the tanner shouted; "if it costs me two hundred and +fifty pounds. I am known for a man, Sir, who sticks to his word; +and my attorney is a genuine bulldog." + +This had frightened Carroway more than fifty broadsides. Truly he +loved fighting; but the boldest sailor bears away at prospect of an +action at law. Popplewell saw this, and stuck to his advantage, +and vowed, until bed-time, satisfaction he would have; and never +lost the sight of it until he fell asleep. + +Even now it was in his mind, as Carroway could see; his eyebrows +meant it, and his very surly nod, and the way in which he put his +hands far down into his pockets. The poor lieutenant, being well +aware that zeal had exceeded duty (without the golden amnesty of +success), and finding out that Popplewell was rich and had no +children, did his very best to look with real pleasure at him, and +try to raise a loftier feeling in his breast than damages. But the +tanner only frowned, and squared his elbows, and stuck his knuckles +sharply out of both his breeches pockets. And Mrs. Popplewell, +like a fat and most kind-hearted lady, stared at the officer as if +she longed to choke him. + +"I tell you again, Captain Anerley," cried the lieutenant, with his +temper kindling, "that no consideration moved me, Sir, except that +of duty. As for my spying after any pretty girls, my wife, who is +now down with her eighth baby, would get up sooner than hear of it. +If I intruded upon your daughter, so as to justify her in knocking +me down, Captain Anerley, it was because--well I won't say, Mary, I +won't say; we have all been young; and our place is to know +better." + +"Sir, you are a gentleman," cried Popplewell with heat; "here is my +hand, and you may trespass on my premises, without bringing any +attorney." + +"Did you say her eighth baby? Oh, Commander Carroway," Mrs. +Popplewell began to whisper; "what a most interesting situation! +Oh, I see why you have such high color, Sir." + +"Madam, it is enough to make me pale. At the same time I do like +sympathy; and my dear wife loves the smell of tan." + +"We have retired, Sir, many years ago, and purchased a property +near the seaside; and from the front gate you must have seen--But +oh, I forgot, captain, you came through the hedge, or at any rate +down the row of kidney-beans." + +"I want to know the truth," shouted Stephen Anerley, who had been +ploughing through his brow into his brain, while he kept his eyes +fixed upon his daughter's, and there found abashment, but no +abasement; "naught have I to do with any little goings on, or +whether an action was a gentleman's or not. That question belongs +to the regulars, I wand, or to the folk who have retired. Nobbut a +farmer am I, in little business; but concerning of my children I +will have my say. All of you tell me what is this about my Mary." + +As if he would drag their thoughts out of them, he went from one to +another with a hard quick glance, which they all tried to shun; for +they did not want to tell until he should get into a better frame +of mind. And they looked at Mistress Anerley, to come forth and +take his edge off; but she knew that when his eyes were so, to +interfere was mischief. But Carroway did not understand the man. + +"Come, now, Anerley," the bold lieutenant said; "what are you +getting into such a way about? I would sooner have lost the +hundred pounds twice over, and a hundred of my own--if so be I ever +had it--than get little Mary into such a row as this. Why, Lord +bless my heart, one would think that there was murder in a little +bit of sweethearting. All pretty girls do it; and the plain ones +too. Come and smoke a pipe, my good fellow, and don't terrify +her." + +For Mary was sobbing in a corner by herself, without even her +mother to come up and say a word. + +"My daughter never does it," answered Stephen Anerley; "my daughter +is not like the foolish girls and women. My daughter knows her +mind; and what she does she means to do. Mary, lof, come to your +father, and tell him that every one is lying of you. Sooner would +I trust a single quiet word of yours, than a pile, as big as +Flambro Head, sworn by all the world together against my little +Mary." + +The rest of them, though much aggrieved by such a bitter calumny, +held their peace, and let him go with open arms toward his Mary. +The farmer smiled, that his daughter might not have any terror of +his public talk; and because he was heartily expecting her to come +and tell him some trifle, and be comforted, and then go for a good +happy cry, while he shut off all her enemies. + +But instead of any nice work of that nature, Mary Anerley arose and +looked at the people in the room--which was their very best, and by +no means badly furnished--and after trying to make out, as a very +trifling matter, what their unsettled minds might be, her eyes came +home to her father's, and did not flinch, although they were so +wet. + +Master Anerley, once and forever, knew that his daughter was gone +from him. That a stronger love than one generation can have for +the one before it--pure and devoted and ennobling as that love is-- +now had arisen, and would force its way. He did not think it out +like that, for his mind was not strictly analytic--however his +ideas were to that effect, which is all that need be said about +them. + +"Every word of it is true," the girl said, gently; "father, I have +done every word of what they say, except about knocking down +Captain Carroway. I have promised to marry Robin Lyth, by-and-by, +when you agree to it." + +Stephen Anerley's ruddy cheeks grew pale, and his blue eyes +glittered with amazement. He stared at his daughter till her gaze +gave way; and then he turned to his wife, to see whether she had +heard of it. "I told you so," was all she said; and that tended +little to comfort him. But he broke forth into no passion, as he +might have done with justice and some benefit, but turned back +quietly and looked at his Mary, as if he were saying, once for all, +"good-by." + +"Oh, don't, father, don't," the girl answered with a sob; "revile +me, or beat me, or do anything but that. That is more than I can +bear." + +"Have I ever reviled you? Have I ever beaten you?" + +"Never--never once in all my life. But I beg you--I implore of you +to do it now. Oh, father, perhaps I have deserved it." + +"You know best what you deserve. But no bad word shall you have of +me. Only you must be careful for the future never to call me +'father.'" + +The farmer forgot all his visitors, and walked, without looking at +anybody, toward the porch. Then that hospitable spot re-awakened +his good manners, and he turned and smiled as if he saw them all +sitting down to something juicy. + +"My good friends, make yourselves at home," he said; "the mistress +will see to you while I look round. I shall be back directly, and +we will have an early supper." + +But when he got outside, and was alone with earth and sky, big +tears arose into his brave blue eyes, and he looked at his ricks, +and his workmen in the distance, and even at the favorite old horse +that whinnied and came to have his white nose rubbed, as if none of +them belonged to him ever any more. "A' would sooner have heard of +broken bank," he muttered to himself and to the ancient horse, +"fifty times sooner, and begin the world anew, only to have Mary +for a little child again." + +As the sound of his footsteps died away, the girl hurried out of +the room, as if she were going to run after him; but suddenly +stopped in the porch, as she saw that he scarcely even cared to +feel the cheek of Lightfoot, who made a point of rubbing up his +master's whiskers with it, "Better wait, and let him come round," +thought Mary; "I never did see him so put out." Then she ran up +the stairs to the window on the landing, and watched her dear +father grow dimmer and dimmer up the distance of the hill, with a +bright young tear for every sad old step. + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +DOWN AMONG THE DEAD WEEDS + + +Can it be supposed that all this time Master Geoffrey Mordacks, of +the city of York, land agent, surveyor, and general factor, and +maker and doer of everything whether general or particular, was +spending his days in doing nothing, and his nights in dreaming? If +so, he must have had a sunstroke on that very bright day of the +year when he stirred up the minds of the washer-women, and the +tongue of Widow Precious. But Flamborough is not at all the place +for sunstroke, although it reflects so much in whitewash; neither +had Mordacks the head to be sunstruck, but a hard, impenetrable, +wiry poll, as weather-proof as felt asphalted. At first sight +almost everybody said that he must have been a soldier, at a time +when soldiers were made of iron, whalebone, whip-cord, and ramrods. +Such opinions he rewarded with a grin, and shook his straight +shoulders straighter. If pride of any sort was not beneath him, as +a matter of strict business, it was the pride which he allowed his +friends to take in his military figure and aspect. + +This gentleman's place of business was scarcely equal to the +expectations which might have been formed from a view of the owner. +The old King's Staith, on the right hand after crossing Ouse Bridge +from the Micklegate, is a passageway scarcely to be called a +street, but combining the features of an alley, a lane, a jetty, a +quay, and a barge-walk, and ending ignominiously. Nevertheless, it +is a lively place sometimes, and in moments of excitement. Also it +is a good place for business, and for brogue of the broadest; and a +man who is unable to be happy there, must have something on his +mind unusual. Geoffrey Mordacks had nothing on his mind except +other people's business; which (as in the case of Lawyer +Jellicorse) is a very favorable state of the human constitution for +happiness. + +But though Mr. Mordacks attended so to other people's business, he +would not have anybody to attend to his. No partner, no clerk, no +pupil, had a hand in the inner breast pockets of his business; +there was nothing mysterious about his work, but he liked to follow +it out alone. Things that were honest and wise came to him to be +carried out with judgment; and he knew that the best way to carry +them out is to act with discreet candor. For the slug shall be +known by his slime; and the spider who shams death shall receive +it. + +Now here, upon a very sad November afternoon, when the Northern day +was narrowing in; and the Ouse, which is usually of a ginger-color, +was nearly as dark as a nutmeg; and the bridge, and the staith, and +the houses, and the people, resembled one another in tint and tone; +while between the Minster and the Clifford Tower there was not much +difference of outline--here and now Master Geoffrey Mordacks was +sitting in the little room where strangers were received. The live +part of his household consisted of his daughter, and a very young +Geoffrey, who did more harm than good, and a thoroughly hard- +working country maid, whose slowness was gradually giving way to +pressure. + +The weather was enough to make anybody dull, and the sap of every +human thing insipid; and the time of day suggested tea, hot cakes, +and the crossing of comfortable legs. Mordacks could well afford +all these good things, and he never was hard upon his family; but +every day he liked to feel that he had earned the bread of it, and +this day he had labored without seeming to earn anything. For +after all the ordinary business of the morning, he had been +devoting several hours to the diligent revisal of his premises and +data, in a matter which he was resolved to carry through, both for +his credit and his interest. And this was the matter which had +cost him two days' ride, from York to Flamborough, and three days +on the road home, as was natural after such a dinner as he made in +little Denmark. But all that trouble he would not have minded, +especially after his enjoyment of the place, if it had only borne +good fruit. He had felt quite certain that it must do this, and +that he would have to pay another visit to the Head, and eat +another duck, and have a flirt with Widow Precious. + +But up to the present time nothing had come of it, and so far as he +could see he might just as well have spared himself that long rough +ride. Three months had passed, and that surely was enough for even +Flamborough folk to do something, if they ever meant to do it. It +was plain that he had been misled for once, that what he suspected +had not come to pass, and that he must seek elsewhere the light +which had gleamed upon him vainly from the Danish town. To this +end he went through all his case again, while hope (being very hard +to beat, as usual) kept on rambling over everything unsettled, with +a very sage conviction that there must be something there, and +doubly sure, because there was no sign of it. + +Men at the time of life which he had reached, conducting their +bodies with less suppleness of joint, and administering food to +them with greater care, begin to have doubts about their intellect +as well, whether it can work as briskly as it used to do. And the +mind, falling under this discouragement of doubt, asserts itself +amiss, in making futile strokes, even as a gardener can never work +his best while conscious of suspicious glances through the window- +blinds. Geoffrey Mordacks told himself that it could not be the +self it used to be, in the days when no mistakes were made, but +everything was evident at half a glance, and carried out +successfully with only half a hand. In this Flamborough matter he +had felt no doubt of running triumphantly through, and being +crowned with five hundred pounds in one issue of the case, and five +thousand in the other. But lo! here was nothing. And he must +reply, by the next mail, that he had made a sad mistake. + +Suddenly, while he was rubbing his wiry head with irritation, and +poring over his letters for some clew, like a dunce going back +through his pot-hooks, suddenly a great knock sounded through the +house--one, two, three--like the thumping of a mallet on a cask, to +learn whether any beer may still be hoped for. + +"This must be a Flamborough man," cried Master Mordacks, jumping +up; "that is how I heard them do it; they knock the doors, instead +of knocking at them. It would be a very strange thing just now if +news were to come from Flamborough; but the stranger a thing is, +the more it can be trusted, as often is the case with human beings. +Whoever it is, show them up at once," he shouted down the narrow +stairs; for no small noise was arising in the passage. + +"A' canna coom oop. I wand a' canna," was the answer in Kitty's +well-known brogue; "how can a', when a' hanna got naa legs?" + +"Oh ho! I see," said Mr. Mordacks to himself; "my veteran friend +from the watch-tower, doubtless. A man with no legs would not have +come so far for nothing. Show the gentleman into the parlor, +Kitty; and Miss Arabella may bring her work up here." + +The general factor, though eager for the news, knew better than to +show any haste about it; so he kept the old mariner just long +enough in waiting to damp a too covetous ardor, and then he +complacently locked Arabella in her bedroom, and bolted off Kitty +in the basement; because they both were sadly inquisitive, and this +strange arrival had excited them, + +"Ah, mine ancient friend of the tower! Veteran Joseph, if my +memory is right," Mr. Mordacks exclaimed, in his lively way, as he +went up and offered the old tar both hands, to seat him in state +upon the sofa; but the legless sailor condemned "them swabs," and +crutched himself into a hard-bottomed chair. Then he pulled off +his hat, and wiped his white head with a shred of old flag, and +began hunting for his pipe. + +"First time I ever was in York city; and don't think much of it, if +this here is a sample." + +"Joseph, you must not be supercilious," his host replied, with an +amiable smile; "you will see things better through a glass of grog; +and the state of the weather points to something dark. You have +had a long journey, and the scenery is new. Rum shall it be, my +friend? Your countenance says 'yes.' Rum, like a ruby of the +finest water, have I; and no water shall you have with it. Said I +well? A man without legs must keep himself well above water." + +"First time I ever was in York city," the ancient watchman +answered, "and grog must be done as they does it here. A berth on +them old walls would suit me well; and no need to travel such a +distance for my beer." + +"And you would be the man of all the world for such a berth," said +Master Mordacks, gravely, as he poured the sparkling liquor into a +glass that was really a tumbler; "for such a post we want a man who +is himself a post; a man who will not quit his duty, just because +he can not, which is the only way of making sure. Joseph, your +idea is a very good one, and your beer could be brought to you at +the middle of each watch. I have interest; you shall be +appointed." + +"Sir, I am obligated to you," said the watchman; "but never could I +live a month without a wink of sea-stuff. The coming of the +clouds, and the dipping of the land, and the waiting of the +distance for what may come to be in it; let alone how they goes +changing of their color, and making of a noise that is always out +of sight: it is the very same as my beer is to me. Master, I never +could get on without it." + +"Well, I can understand a thing like that," Mordacks answered, +graciously; "my water-butt leaked for three weeks, pat, pat, all +night long upon a piece of slate, and when a man came and caulked +it up, I put all the blame upon the pillow; but the pillow was as +good as ever. Not a wink could I sleep till it began to leak +again; and you may trust a York workman that it wasn't very long. +But, Joseph, I have interest at Scarborough also. The castle needs +a watchman for fear of tumbling down; and that is not the soldiers' +business, because they are inside. There you could have quantities +of sea-stuff, my good friend; and the tap at the Hooked Cod is +nothing to it there. Cheer up, Joseph, we will land you yet. How +the devil did you manage, now, to come so far?" + +"Well, now, your honor, I had rare luck for it, as I must say, ever +since I set eyes on you. There comes a son of mine as I thought +were lost at sea; but not he, blow me! nearly all of him come back, +with a handful of guineas, and the memory of his father. Lord! I +could have cried; and he up and blubbered fairly, a trick as he +learned from ten Frenchmen he had killed. Ah! he have done his +work well, and aimed a good conduck--fourpence-halfpenny a day, so +long as ever he shall live hereafter." + +"In this world you mean, I suppose, my friend; but be not overcome; +such things will happen. But what did you do with all that money, +Joseph?" + +"We never wasted none of it, not half a groat, Sir. We finished +out the cellar at the Hooked Cod first; and when Mother Precious +made a grumble of it, we gave her the money for to fill it up +again, upon the understanding to come back when it was ready; and +then we went to Burlington, and spent the rest in poshays like two +gentlemen; and when we was down upon our stumps at last, for only +one leg there is between us both, your honor, my boy he ups and +makes a rummage in his traps; which the Lord he put it into his +mind to do so, when he were gone a few good sheets in the wind; and +there sure enough he finds five good guineas in the tail of an old +hankercher he had clean forgotten; and he says, 'Now, father, you +take care of them. Let us go and see the capital, and that good +gentleman, as you have picked up a bit of news for.' So we shaped +a course for York, on board the schooner Mary Anne, and from Goole +in a barge as far as this here bridge; and here we are, high and +dry, your honor. I was half a mind to bring in my boy Bob; but he +saith, 'Not without the old chap axes;' and being such a noisy one, +I took him at his word; though he hath found out what there was to +find--not me." + +"How noble a thing is parental love!" cried the general factor, in +his hard, short way, which made many people trust him, because it +was unpleasant; "and filial duty of unfathomable grog! Worthy +Joseph, let your narrative proceed." + +"They big words is beyond me, Sir. What use is any man to talk +over a chap's head?" + +"Then, dash your eyes, go on, Joe. Can you understand that, now?" + +"Yes, Sir, I can, and I likes a thing put sensible. If the +gentlemen would always speak like that, there need be no difference +atween us. Well, it was all along of all that money-bag of Bob's +that he and I found out anything. What good were your guinea? Who +could stand treat on that more than a night or two, and the right +man never near you? But when you keep a good shop open for a +month, as Bob and me did with Widow Tapsy, it standeth to reason +that you must have everybody, to be called at all respectable, for +miles and miles around. For the first few nights or so some on 'em +holds off--for an old chalk against them, or for doubt of what is +forrard, or for cowardliness of their wives, or things they may +have sworn to stop, or other bad manners. But only go on a little +longer, and let them see that you don't care, and send everybody +home a-singing through the lanes as merry as a voting-time for +Parliament, and the outer ones begins to shake their heads, and to +say that they are bound to go, and stop the racket of it. And so +you get them all, your honor, saints as well as sinners, if you +only keeps the tap turned long enough." + +"Your reasoning is ingenious, Joseph, and shows a deep knowledge of +human nature. But who was this tardy saint that came at last for +grog?" + +"Your honor, he were as big a sinner as ever you clap eyes on. Me +and my son was among the sawdust, spite of our three crutches, and +he spreading hands at us, sober as a judge, for lumps of ungenerous +iniquity. Mother Tapsy told us of it, the very next day, for it +was not in our power to be ackirate when he done it, and we see +everybody laffing at us round the corner. But we took the wind out +of his sails the next night, captain, you may warrant us. Here's +to your good health, Sir, afore I beats to win'ard." + +"Why, Joseph, you seem to be making up lost way for years of +taciturnity in the tower. They say there is a balance in all +things." + +"We had the balance of him next night, and no mistake, your honor. +He was one of them 'longshore beggars as turns up here, there, and +everywhere, galley-raking, like a stinking ray-fish when the tide +goes out; thundering scoundrels that make a living of it, pushing +out for roguery with their legs tucked up; no courage for +smuggling, nor honest enough, they goes on anyhow with their +children paid for. We found out what he were, and made us more +ashamed, for such a sneaking rat to preach upon us, like a regular +hordinated chaplain, as might say a word or two and mean no harm, +with the license of the Lord to do it. So my son Bob and me called +a court-martial in the old tower, so soon as we come round; and we +had a red herring, because we was thirsty, and we chawed a bit of +pigtail to keep it down. At first we was glum; but we got our +peckers up, as a family is bound to do when they comes together. +My son Bob was a sharp lad in his time, and could read in Holy +Scripter afore he chewed a quid; and I see'd a good deal of it in +his mind now, remembering of King Solomon. 'Dad,' he says, 'fetch +out that bottle as was left of French white brandy, and rouse up a +bit of fire in the old port-hole. We ain't got many toes to warm +between us'--only five, you see, your worship--'but,' says he, +'we'll warm up the currents where they used to be.' + +"According to what my son said, I done; for he leadeth me now, +being younger of the two, and still using half of a shoemaker. +However, I says to him, 'Warm yourself; it don't lay in my power to +do that for you.' He never said nothing; for he taketh after me, +in tongue and other likings; but he up with the kettle on the fire, +and put in about a fathom and a half of pigtail. 'So?' says I; and +he says, 'So!' and we both of us began to laugh, as long and as +gentle as a pair of cockles, with their tongues inside their +shells. + +"Well, your honor understands; I never spake so much before since +ever I pass my coorting-time. We boiled down the pigtail to a pint +of tidy soup, and strained it as bright as sturgeon juice; then we +got a bottle with 'Navy Supply' on a bull's-eye in the belly of it; +and we filled it with the French white brandy, and the pigtail +soup, and a noggin of molasses, and shook it all up well together; +and a better contract-rum, your honor, never come into high +admiral's stores." + +"But, Joseph, good Joseph," cried Mr. Mordacks, "do forge ahead a +little faster. Your private feelings, and the manufacture of them, +are highly interesting to you; but I only want to know what came of +it." + +"Your honor is like a child hearing of a story; you wants the end +first, and the middle of it after; but I bowls along with a hitch +and a squirt, from habit of fo'castle: and the more you crosses +hawse, the wider I shall head about, or down helm and bear off, +mayhap. I can hear my Bob a-singing: what a voice he hath! They +tell me it cometh from the timber of his leg; the same as a old +Cremony. He tuned up a many times in yonder old barge, and shook +the brown water, like a frigate's wake. He would just make our +fortin in the Minister, they said, with Black-eyed Susan and Tom +Bowline." + +"Truly, he has a magnificent voice: what power, what compass, what +a rich clear tone! In spite of the fog I will have the window up." + +Geoffrey Mordacks loved good singing, the grandest of all melody, +and, impatient as he was, he forgot all hurry; while the river, and +the buildings, and the arches of the bridge, were ringing, and +echoing, and sweetly embosoming the mellow delivery of the one- +legged tar. And old Joe was highly pleased, although he would not +show it, at such an effect upon a man so hard and dry. + +"Now, your honor, it is overbad of you," he continued, with a +softening grin, "to hasten me so, and then to hear me out o' +window, because Bob hath a sweeter pipe. Ah, he can whistle like a +blackbird, too, and gain a lot of money; but there, what good? He +sacrifices it all to the honor of his heart, first maggot that +cometh into it; and he done the very same with Rickon Goold, the +Methody galley-raker. We never was so softy when I were afloat. +But your honor shall hear, and give judgment for yourself. + +"Mother Precious was ready in her mind to run out a double-shotted +gun at Rickon, who liveth down upon the rabbit-warren, to the other +side of Bempton, because he scarcely ever doth come nigh her; and +when he do come, he putteth up both bands, to bless her for +hospitality, but neither of them into his breeches pocket. And +being a lone woman, she doth feel it. Bob and me gave her sailing +orders--'twould amaze you, captain; all was carried out as ship- +shape as the battle of the Nile. There was Rickon Goold at anchor, +with a spring upon his cable, having been converted; and he up and +hailed that he would slip, at the very first bad word we used. My +son hath such knowledge of good words that he, answered, 'Amen, so +be it.' + +"Well, your honor, we goes on decorous, as our old quartermaster +used to give the word; and we tried him first with the usual +tipple, and several other hands dropped in. But my son and me +never took a blessed drop, except from a gin-bottle full of cold +water, till we see all the others with their scuppers well awash. +Then Bob he findeth fault--Lor' how beautiful he done it!--with the +scantling of the stuff; and he shouteth out, 'Mother, I'm blest if +I won't stand that old guinea bottle of best Jamaica, the one as +you put by, with the cobwebs on it, for Lord Admiral. No Lord +Admiral won't come now. Just you send away, and hoist it up.' + +"Rickon Goold pricked up his ugly ears at this; and Mother Tapsy +did it bootiful. And to cut a long yarn short, we spliced him, +captain, with never a thought of what would come of it; only to +have our revenge, your honor. He showed himself that greedy of our +patent rum, that he never let the bottle out of his own elbow, and +the more he stowed away, the more his derrick chains was creaking; +but if anybody reasoned, there he stood upon his rights, and defied +every way of seeing different, until we was compelled to take and +spread him down, in the little room with sea-weeds over it. + +"With all this, Bob and me was as sober as two judges, though your +honor would hardly believe it, perhaps; but we left him in the +dark, to come round upon the weeds, as a galley-raker ought to do. +And now we began to have a little drop ourselves, after towing the +prize into port, and recovering the honor of the British navy; and +we stood all round to every quarter of the compass, with the bottom +of the locker still not come to shallow soundings. But sudden our +harmony was spoiled by a scream, like a whistle from the very +bottom of the sea. + +"We all of us jumped up, as if a gun had broke its lashings; and +the last day of judgment was the thoughts of many bodies; but Bob +he down at once with his button-stump gun-metal, and takes the +command of the whole of us. 'Bear a hand, all on you,' he saith, +quite steadfast; 'Rickon Goold is preaching to his own text to- +night.' And so a' was, sure enough; so a' was, your honor. + +"We thought he must have died, although he managed to claw off of +it, with confessing of his wickedness, and striking to his Maker. +All of us was frightened so, there was no laugh among us, till we +come to talk over it afterward. There the thundering rascal lay in +the middle of that there mangerie of sea-stuff, as Mother Precious +is so proud of, that the village calleth it the 'Widow's Weeds.' +Blest if he didn't think that he were a-lying at the bottom of the +sea, among the stars and cuttles, waiting for the day of judgment! + +"'Oh, Captain McNabbins, and Mate Govery,' he cries, 'the hand of +the Lord hath sent me down to keep you company down here. I never +would 'a done it, captain, hard as you was on me, if only I had +knowed how dark and cold and shivery it would be down here. I cut +the plank out; I'll not lie; no lies is any good down here, with +the fingers of the deep things pointing to me, and the black +devil's wings coming over me--but a score of years agone it were, +and never no one dreamed of it--oh, pull away, pull! for God's +sake, pull!--the wet woman and the three innocent babbies crawling +over me like congers!' + +"This was the shadows of our legs, your honor, from good Mother +Tapsy's candle; for she was in a dreadful way by this time about +her reputation and her weeds, and come down with her tongue upon +the lot of us. 'Enter all them names upon the log,' says I to Bob, +for he writeth like a scholar. But Bob says, 'Hold hard, dad; now +or never.' And with that, down he goeth on the deck himself, and +wriggleth up to Rickon through the weeds, with a hiss like a great +sea-snake, and grippeth him. 'Name of ship, you sinner!' cried +Bob, in his deep voice, like Old Nick a-hailing from a sepulchre. +'Golconda, of Calcutta,' says the fellow, with a groan as seemed to +come out of the whites of his eyes; and down goes his head again, +enough to split a cat-head. And that was the last of him we heard +that night. + +"Well, now, captain, you scarcely would believe, but although my +nob is so much older of the pair, and white where his is as black +as any coal, Bob's it was as first throwed the painter up, for a- +hitching of this drifty to the starn of your consarns. And it +never come across him till the locker was run out, and the two of +us pulling longer faces than our legs is. Then Bob, by the mercy +of the Lord, like Peter, found them guineas in the corner of his +swab--some puts it round their necks, and some into their pockets; +I never heard of such a thing till chaps run soft and watery--and +so we come to this here place to change the air and the breeding, +and spin this yarn to your honor's honor, as hath a liberal twist +in it; and then to take orders, and draw rations, and any 'rears of +pay fallen due, after all dibs gone in your service; and for Bob to +tip a stave in the Minister." + +"You have done wisely and well in coming here," said Mr, Mordacks, +cheerfully; but we must have further particulars, my friend. You +seem to have hit upon the clew I wanted, but it must be followed +very cautiously. You know where to lay your hand upon this +villain? You have had the sense not to scare him off?" + +"Sarten, your honor. I could clap the irons on him any hour you +gives that signal." + +"Capital! Take your son to see the sights, and both of you come to +me at ten to-morrow morning. Stop: you may as well take this half +guinea. But when you get drunk, drink inwards." + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +MEN OF SOLID TIMBER + + +Mr. Mordacks was one of those vivacious men who have strong faith +in their good luck, and yet attribute to their merits whatever +turns out well. In the present matter he had done as yet nothing +at all ingenious, or even to be called sagacious. The discovery of +"Monument Joe," or "Peg-leg Joe," as he was called at Flamborough, +was not the result of any skill whatever, either his own or the +factor's, but a piece of as pure luck as could be. For all that, +however, Mr. Mordacks intended to have the whole credit as his sole +and righteous due. + +"Whenever I am at all down-hearted, samples of my skill turn up," +he said to himself as soon as Joe was gone; "and happy results come +home, on purpose to rebuke my diffidence. Would any other man have +got so far as I have got by simple, straightforward, yet truly +skillful action, without a suspicion being started? Old Jellicorse +lies on his bed of roses, snoring folios of long words, without a +dream of the gathering cloud. Those insolent ladies are revelling +in the land from which they have ousted their only brother; they +are granting leases not worth a straw; they are riding the high +horse; they are bringing up that cub (who set the big dog at me) in +every wanton luxury. But wait a bit--wait a bit, my ladies; as +sure as I live I shall have you. + +"In the first place, it is clear that my conclusion was correct +concerning that poor Golconda; and why not also in the other issue? +The Indiaman was scuttled--I had never thought of that, but only of +a wreck. It comes to the same thing, only she went down more +quietly; and that explains a lot of things. She was bound for +Leith, with the boy to be delivered into the hands of his Scotch +relatives. She was spoken last off Yarmouth Roads, all well, and +under easy sail. Very good so far. I have solved her fate, which +for twenty years has been a mystery. We shall have all particulars +in proper time, by steering on one side of the law, which always +huddles up everything. A keen eye must be kept upon that +scoundrel, but he must never dream that he is watched at all; he +has committed a capital offense. But as yet there is nothing but +his own raving to convict him of barratry. The truth must be got +at by gentle means. I must not claim the 500 pounds as yet, but +I am sure of getting it. And I have excellent hopes of the 5000 +pounds." + +Geoffrey Mordacks never took three nights to sleep upon his +thoughts (as the lawyer of Middleton loved to do), but rather was +apt to overdrive his purport, with the goad of hasty action. But +now he was quite resolved to be most careful; for the high hand +would never do in such a ticklish matter, and the fewer the hands +introduced at all into it, the better the chance of coming out +clear and clean. The general factor had never done anything which, +in his opinion, was not thoroughly upright; and now, with his +reputation made, and his conscience stiffened to the shape of it, +even a large sum of money must be clean, and cleanly got at, to +make it pay for handling. + +This made him counsel with himself just now. For he was a superior +man upon the whole, and particular always in feeling sure that the +right word in anything would be upon his side. Not that he cared a +groat for anybody's gossip; only that he kept a lofty tenor of good +opinion. And sailors who made other sailors tipsy, and went +rolling about on the floor all together, whether with natural legs +or artificial, would do no credit to his stairs of office on a fine +market-day in the morning. On the other hand, while memory held +sway, no instance could be cited of two jolly sailors coming to see +the wonders of this venerable town, and failing to be wholly +intoxicated with them, before the Minster bell struck one. + +This was to be avoided, or rather forestalled, as a thing +inevitable should be. Even in York city, teeming as it is with +most delightful queerities, the approach of two sailors with three +wooden legs might be anticipated at a distant offing, so abundant +are boys there, and everywhere. Therefore it was well provided, on +the part of Master Mordacks, that Kitty, or Koity, the maid-of-all- +work, a damsel of muscular power and hard wit, should hold tryst +with these mariners in the time of early bucket, and appoint a +little meeting with her master by-and-by. This she did cleverly, +and they were not put out; because they were to dine at his expense +at a snug little chop-house in Parliament Street, and there to +remain until he came to pay the score. + +All this happened to the utmost of desires; and before they had +time to get thick-witted, Mordacks stood before them. His sharp +eyes took in Sailor Bob before the poor fellow looked twice at him, +and the general factor saw that he might be trusted not to think +much for himself. This was quite as Mr. Mordacks hoped; he wanted +a man who could hold his tongue, and do what he was told to do. + +After a few words about their dinner, and how they got on, and so +forth, the principal came to the point by saying: "Now both of you +must start to-morrow morning; such clever fellows can not be spared +to go to sleep. You shall come and see York again, with free +billet, and lashings of money in your pockets, as soon as you have +carried out your sailing orders. To-night you may jollify; but +after that you are under strict discipline, for a month at least. +What do you say to that, my men?" + +Watchman Joe looked rather glum; he had hoped for a fortnight of +stumping about, with a tail of admiring boys after him, and of +hailing every public-house the cut of whose jib was inviting; +however, he put his knife into his mouth, with a bit of fat, saved +for a soft adieu to dinner, and nodded for his son to launch true +wisdom into the vasty deep of words. + +Now Bob, the son of Joe, had striven to keep himself up to the +paternal mark. He cited his father as the miracle of the age, when +he was a long way off; and when he was nigh at hand, he showed his +sense of duty, nearly always, by letting him get tipsy first. +Still, they were very sober fellows in the main, and most +respectable, when they had no money. + +"Sir," began Bob, after jerking up his chin, as a sailor always +does when he begins to think (perhaps for hereditary counsel with +the sky), "my father and I have been hauling of it over, to do +whatever is laid down by duty, without going any way again' +ourselves. And this is the sense we be come to, that we should +like to have something handsome down, to lay by again' chances; +also a dokkyment in black and white, to bear us harmless of the +law, and enter the prize-money." + +"What a fine councillor a' would have made!" old Joe exclaimed, +with ecstasy. "He hath been round the world three times--excuseth +of him for only one leg left." + +"My friend, how you condemn yourself! You have not been round the +world at all, and yet you have no leg at all." So spake Mr. +Mordacks, wishing to confuse ideas; for the speech of Bob misliked +him. + +"The corners of the body is the Lord's good-will," old Joe +answered, with his feelings hurt; "He calleth home a piece to let +the rest bide on, and giveth longer time to it--so saith King +David." + +"It may be so; but I forget the passage. Now what has your son Bob +to say?" + +Bob was a sailor of the fine old British type, still to be found +even nowadays, and fit to survive forever. Broad and resolute of +aspect, set with prejudice as stiff as his own pigtail, truthful +when let alone, yet joyful in a lie, if anybody doubted him, +peaceable in little things through plenty of fight in great ones, +gentle with women and children, and generous with mankind in +general, expecting to be cheated, yet not duly resigned at being +so, and subject to unaccountable extremes of laziness and +diligence. His simple mind was now confused by the general +factor's appeal to him to pronounce his opinion, when he had just +now pronounced it, after great exertion. + +"Sir," he said, "I leave such things to father's opinion; he hath +been ashore some years; and I almost forget how the land lays." + +"Sea-faring Robert, you are well advised. A man may go round the +world till he has no limbs left, yet never overtake his father. So +the matter is left to my decision. Very good; you shall have no +reason to repent it. To-night you have liberty to splice the main- +brace, or whatever your expression is for getting jolly drunk; in +the morning you will be sobriety itself, sad, and wise, and aching. +But hear my proposal, before you take a gloomy view of things, such +as to-morrow's shades may bring. You have been of service to me, +and I have paid you with great generosity; but what I have done, +including dinner, is dust in the balance to what I shall do, +provided only that you act with judgment, discipline, and self- +denial, never being tipsy more than once a week, which is fair +naval average, and doing it then with only one another. Hard it +may be; but it must be so. Now before I go any further, let me ask +whether you, Joseph, as a watchman under government, have lost your +position by having left it for two months upon a private spree?" + +"Lor', no, your honor! Sure you must know more than that. I gived +a old 'ooman elevenpence a week, and a pot of beer a Sunday, to +carry out the dooties of the government." + +"You farmed out your appointment at a low figure. My opinion of +your powers and discretion is enhanced; you will return to your +post with redoubled ardor, and vigor renewed by recreation; you +will be twice the man you were, and certainly ought to get double +pay. I have interest; I may be enabled to double your salary--if +you go on well." + +This made both of them look exceeding downcast, and chew the bitter +quid of disappointment. They had laid their heads together over +glass number one, and resolved upon asking for a guinea a week; +over glass number two, they had made up their minds upon getting +two guineas weekly; and glass number three had convinced them that +they must be poor fools to accept less than three. Also they felt +that the guineas they had spent, in drinking their way up to a +great discovery, should without hesitation be made good ere ever +they had another pint of health. In this catastrophe of large +ideas, the father gazed sadly at the son, and the son reproachfully +reflected the paternal gaze. How little availed it to have come up +here, wearily going on upon yellow waters, in a barge where the +fleas could man the helm, without aid of the stouter insect, and +where a fresh run sailor was in more demand than salmon; and even +without that (which had largely enhanced the inestimable benefit of +having wooden legs), this pair of tars had got into a state of mind +to return the whole way upon horseback. No spurs could they wear, +and no stirrups could they want, and to get up would be difficult; +but what is the use of living, except to conquer difficulties? +They rejoiced all the more in the four legs of a horse, by reason +of the paucity of their own; which approves a liberal mind. But +now, where was the horse to come from, or the money to make him go? + +"You look sad," proceeded Mr. Mordacks. "It grieves me when any +good man looks sad; and doubly so when a brace of them do it. +Explain your feelings, Joe and Bob; if it lies in a human being to +relieve them, I will do it." + +"Captain, we only wants what is our due," said Bob, with his chin +up, and his strong eyes stern. "We have been on the loose; and it +is the manner of us, and encouraged by the high authorities. We +have come across, by luck of drink, a thing as seems to suit you; +and we have told you all our knowledge without no conditions. If +you takes us for a pair of fools, and want no more of us, you are +welcome, and it will be what we are used to; but if your meaning is +to use us, we must have fair wages; and even so, we would have +naught to do with it if it was against an honest man; but a rogue +who has scuttled a ship--Lor', there!" + +Bob cast out the juice of his chew into the fire, as if it were the +life-blood of such a villain, and looked at his father, who +expressed approval by the like proceeding. And Geoffrey Mordacks +was well content at finding them made of decent stuff. It was not +his manner to do things meanly; and he had only spoken so to +moderate their minds and keep them steady. + +"Mariner Bob, you speak well and wisely," he answered, with a +superior smile. "Your anxiety as to ways and means does credit to +your intellect. That subject has received my consideration. I +have studied the style of life at Flamborough, and the prices of +provisions--would that such they were in York!--and to keep you in +temperate and healthy comfort, without temptation, and with minds +alert, I am determined to allow for the two of you, over and above +all your present income from a grateful country (which pays a man +less when amputation has left less of him), the sum of one guinea +and a half per week. But remember that, to draw this stipend, both +of you must be in condition to walk one mile and a half on a +Saturday night, which is a test of character. You will both be +fitted up with solid steel ends, by the cutler at the end of Ouse +Bridge, to-morrow morning, so that the state of the roads will not +affect you, and take note of one thing, mutual support (graceful +though it always is in paternal and filial communion) will not be +allowed on a Saturday night. Each man must stand on his own +stumps." + +"Sir," replied Bob, who had much education, which led him to a +knowledge of his failings, "never you fear but what we shall do it. +Sunday will be the day of standing with a shake to it; for such, is +the habit of the navy. Father, return thanks; make a leg--no man +can do it better. Master Mordacks, you shall have our utmost duty; +but a little brass in hand would be convenient." + +"You shall have a fortnight in advance; after that you must go +every Saturday night to a place I will appoint for you. Now keep +your own counsel; watch that fellow; by no means scare him at +first, unless you see signs of his making off; but rather let him +think that you know nothing of his crime. Labor hard to make him +drink again; then terrify him like Davy Jones himself; and get +every particular out of him, especially how he himself escaped, +where he landed, and who was with him. I want to learn all about a +little boy (at least, he may be a big man now), who was on board +the ship Golconda, under the captain's special charge. I can not +help thinking that the child escaped; and I got a little trace of +something connected with him at Flamborough. I durst not make much +inquiry there, because I am ordered to keep things quiet. Still, I +did enough to convince me almost that my suspicion was an error; +for Widow Precious--" + +"Pay you no heed, Sir, to any manoeuvring of Widow Precious. We +find her no worse than the other women; but not a blamed bit +better." + +"I think highly of the female race; at least, in comparison with +the male one. I have always found reason to believe that a woman, +put upon her mettle by a secret, will find it out, or perish." + +"Your honor, everybody knows as much as that; but it doth not +follow that she tells it on again, without she was ordered not to +do so." + +"Bob, you have not been round the world for nothing. I see my +blot, and you have hit it; you deserve to know all about the matter +now. Match me that button, and you shall have ten guineas." + +The two sailors stared at the bead of Indian gold which Mordacks +pulled out of his pocket. Buttons are a subject for nautical +contempt and condemnation; perhaps because there is nobody to sew +them on at sea; while ear-rings, being altogether useless, are held +in good esteem and honor. + +"I have seen a brace of ear-rings like it," said old Joe, wading +through deep thought. "Bob, you knows who was a-wearing of 'em." + +"A score of them fishermen, like enough," cautious Bob answered; +for he knew what his father meant, but would not speak of the great +free-trader; for Master Mordacks might even be connected with the +revenue. "What use to go on about such gear? His honor wanteth to +hear of buttons, regulation buttons by the look of it, and good +enough for Lord Nelson. Will you let us take the scantle, and the +rig of it, your honor?" + +"By all means, if you can do so, my friend; but what have you to do +it with?" + +"Hold on a bit, Sir, and you shall see." With these words Bob +clapped a piece of soft York bread into the hollow of his broad +brown palm, moistened it with sugary dregs of ale, such as that +good city loves, and kneading it firmly with some rapid flits of +thumb, tempered and enriched it nobly with the mellow juice of +quid. Treated thus, it took consistence, plastic, docile, and +retentive pulp; and the color was something like that of gold which +had passed, according to its fate, through a large number of +unclean hands. + +"Now the pattern, your honor," said Bob, with a grin; "I could do +it from memory, but better from the thing." He took the bauble, +and set it on the foot of a rummer which stood on the table; and in +half a minute he had the counterpart in size, shape, and line; but +without the inscription. "A sample of them in the hollow will do, +and good enough for the nigger-body words--heathen writing, to my +mind." With lofty British intolerance, he felt that it might be a +sinful thing to make such marks; nevertheless he impressed one +side, whereon the characters were boldest, into the corresponding +groove of his paste model; then he scooped up the model on the +broad blade of his knife, and set it in the oven of the little +fire-place, in a part where the heat was moderate. + +"Well done, indeed!" cried Mr. Mordacks; "you will have a better +likeness of it than good Mother Precious. Robert, I admire your +ingenuity. But all sailors are ingenious." + +"At sea, in the trades, or in a calm, Sir, what have we to do but +to twiddle our thumbs, and practice fiddling with them? A lively +tune is what I like, and a-serving of the guns red-hot; a man must +act according to what nature puts upon him. And nature hath taken +one of my legs from me with a cannon-shot from the French line-of- +battle ship--Rights of Mankind the name of her." + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +THE PROPER WAY TO ARGUE + + +Alas, how seldom is anything done in proper time and season! +Either too fast, or too slow, is the clock of all human dealings; +and what is the law of them, when the sun (the regulator of works +and ways) has to be allowed for very often on his own meridian? +With the best intention every man sets forth to do his duty, and to +talk of it; and he makes quite sure that he has done it, and to his +privy circle boasts, or lets them do it better for him; but before +his lips are dry, his ears apprise him that he was a stroke too +late. + +So happened it with Master Mordacks, who of all born men was +foremost, with his wiry fingers spread, to pass them through the +scattery forelock of that mettlesome horse, old Time. The old +horse galloped by him unawares, and left him standing still, to +hearken the swish of the tail, and the clatter of the hoofs, and +the spirited nostrils neighing for a race, on the wide breezy down +at the end of the lane. But Geoffrey Mordacks was not to blame. +His instructions were to move slowly, until he was sure of +something worth moving for. And of this he had no surety yet, and +was only too likely to lose it altogether by any headlong action. +Therefore, instead of making any instant rush, or belting on his +pistols, and hiring the sagacious quadruped that understood his +character, content he was to advance deliberately upon one foot and +three artificial legs. + +Meanwhile, at Anerley Farm, the usual fatness of full garners, and +bright comfort of the evening hearth, the glow of peace, which +labor kindles in the mind that has earned its rest, and the +pleasant laziness of heart which comes where family love lies +careless, confident, and unassailed--the pleasure also of pitying +the people who never can get in their wheat, and the hot +benevolence of boiling down the bones for the man who has tumbled +off one's own rick--all these blisses, large and little, were not +in their usual prime. + +The master of the house was stern and silent, heavy and careless of +his customary victuals, neglectful also of his customary jokes. He +disliked the worse side of a bargain as much as in his most happy +moments; and the meditation (which is generally supposed to be +going on where speech is scarce) was not of such loftiness as to +overlook the time a man stopped round the corner. As a horse +settles down to strong collar-work better when the gloss of the +stable takes the ruffle of the air, so this man worked at his +business all the harder, with the brightness of the home joys +fading. But it went very hard with him more than once, when he +made a good stroke of salesmanship, to have to put the money in the +bottom of his pocket, without even rubbing a bright half crown, and +saying to himself, "I have a'most a mind to give this to Mary." + +Now if this settled and steadfast man (with three-quarters of his +life gone over him, and less and less time every year for +considering soft subjects), in spite of all that, was put out of +his way by not being looked at as usual--though for that matter, +perhaps, himself failed to look in search of those looks as usual-- +what, on the other hand, was likely to remain of mirth and light- +heartedness in a weaker quarter? Mary, who used to be as happy as +a bird where worms abound and cats are scarce, was now in a +grievous plight of mind, restless, lonely, troubled in her heart, +and doubtful of her conscience. Her mother had certainly shown +kind feeling, and even a readiness to take her part, which +surprised the maiden, after all her words; and once or twice they +had had a cry together, clearing and strengthening their intellects +desirably. For the more Mistress Anerley began to think about it, +the more she was almost sure that something could be said on both +sides. She never had altogether approved of the farmer's +volunteering, which took him away to drill at places where ladies +came to look at him; and where he slept out of his own bed, and got +things to eat that she had never heard of; and he never was the +better afterward. If that was the thing which set his mind against +free trade so bitterly, it went far to show that free trade was +good, and it made all the difference of a blanket. And more than +that, she had always said from the very first, and had even told +the same thing to Captain Carroway, in spite of his position, that +nobody knew what Robin Lyth might not turn out in the end to be. +He had spoken most highly of her, as Mary had not feared to +mention; and she felt obliged to him for doing so, though of course +he could not do otherwise. Still, there were people who would not +have done that, and it proved that he was a very promising young +man. + +Mary was pleased with this conclusion, and glad to have some one +who did not condemn her; hopeful, moreover, that her mother's +influence might have some effect by-and-by. But for the present it +seemed to do more harm than good; because the farmer, having quite +as much jealousy as justice, took it into silent dudgeon that the +mother of his daughter, who regularly used to be hard upon her for +next to nothing, should now turn round and take her part, from +downright womanism, in the teeth of all reason, and of her own +husband! Brave as he was, he did not put it to his wife in so +strong a way as that; but he argued it so to himself, and would let +it fly forth, without thinking twice about it, if they went on in +that style much longer, quite as if he were nobody, and they could +do better without him. Little he knew, in this hurt state of mind-- +for which he should really have been too old--how the heart of his +child was slow and chill, stupid with the strangeness he had made, +waiting for him to take the lead, or open some door for entrance, +and watching for the humors of the elder body, as the young of past +generations did. And sometimes, faithful as she was to plighted +truth and tenderness, one coaxing word would have brought her home +to the arms that used to carry her. + +But while such things were waiting to be done till they were +thought of, the time for doing them went by; and to think of them +was memory. Master Popplewell had told Captain Anerley continually +what his opinions were, fairly giving him to know on each occasion +that they were to be taken for what they were worth; that it did +not follow, from his own success in life, that he might not be +mistaken now; and that he did not care a d--n, except for Christian +feeling, whether any fool hearkened to him twice or not. He said +that he never had been far out in any opinion he had formed in all +his life; but none the more for that would he venture to foretell a +thing with cross-purposes about it. A man of sagacity and dealings +with the world might happen to be right ninety-nine times in a +hundred, and yet he might be wrong the other time. Therefore he +would not give any opinion, except that everybody would be sorry +by-and-by, when things were too late for mending. + +To this the farmer listened with an air of wisdom, not put forward +too severely; because Brother Popplewell had got a lot of money, +and must behave handsomely when in a better world. The simplest +way of treating him was just to let him talk--for it pleased him, +and could do no harm--and then to recover self-content by saying +what a fool he was when out of hearing. The tanner partly +suspected this; and it put his nature upon edge; for he always +drove his opinions in as if they were so many tenpenny nails, which +the other man must either clinch or strike back into his teeth +outright. He would rather have that than flabby silence, as if he +were nailing into dry-rot. + +"I tell you what it is," he said, the third time he came over, +which was well within a week--for nothing breeds impatience faster +than retirement from work--"you are so thick-headed in your +farmhouse ways, sometimes I am worn out with you. I do not expect +to be thought of any higher because I have left off working for +myself; and Deborah is satisfied to be called 'Debby,' and walks no +prouder than if she had got to clean her own steps daily. You can +not enter into what people think of me, counting Parson Beloe; and +therefore it is no good saying anything about it. But, Stephen, +you may rely upon it that you will be sorry afterward. That poor +girl, the prettiest girl in Yorkshire, and the kindest, and the +best, is going off her victuals, and consuming of her substance, +because you will not even look at her. If you don't want the +child, let me have her. To us she is welcome as the flowers in +May." + +"If Mary wishes it, she can go with you," the farmer answered, +sternly; and hating many words, he betook himself to work, +resolving to keep at it until the tanner should be gone. But when +he came home after dusk, his steadfast heart was beating faster +than his stubborn mind approved. Mary might have taken him at his +word, and flown for refuge from displeasure, cold voice, and dull +comfort, to the warmth, and hearty cheer, and love of the folk who +only cared to please her, spoil her, and utterly ruin her. Folk +who had no sense of fatherly duty, or right conscience; but, having +piled up dirty money, thought that it covered everything: such +people might think it fair to come between a father and his child, +and truckle to her, by backing her up in whims that were against +her good, and making light of right and wrong, as if they turned on +money; but Mary (such a prudent lass, although she was a fool just +now) must see through all such shallow tricks, such rigmarole about +Parson Beloe, who must be an idiot himself to think so much of +Simon Popplewell--for Easter offerings, no doubt--but there, if +Mary had the heart to go away, what use to stand maundering about +it? Stephen Anerley would be dashed if he cared which way it was. + +Meaning all this, Stephen Anerley, however, carried it out in a +style at variance with such reckless vigor. Instead of marching +boldly in at his own door, and throwing himself upon a bench, and +waiting to be waited upon, he left the narrow gravel-walk (which +led from the horse gate to the front door) and craftily fetched a +compass through the pleasure beds and little shrubs, upon the +sward, and in the dusk, so that none might see or hear him. Then, +priding himself upon his stealth, as a man with whom it is rare may +do, yet knowing all the time that he was more than half ashamed of +it, he began to peep in at his own windows, as if he were planning +how to rob his own house. This thought struck him, but instead of +smiling, he sighed very sadly; for his object was to learn whether +house and home had been robbed of that which he loved so fondly. +There was no Mary in the kitchen, seeing to his supper; the fire +was bright, and the pot was there, but only shadows round it. No +Mary in the little parlor; only Willie half asleep, with a stupid +book upon his lap, and a wretched candle guttering. Then, as a +last hope, he peered into the dairy, where she often went at fall +of night, to see things safe, and sang to keep the ghosts away. +She would not be singing now of course, because he was so cross +with her; but if she were there, it would be better than the +merriest song for him. But no, the place was dark and cold; tub +and pan, and wooden skimmer, and the pails hung up to drain, all +were left to themselves, and the depth of want of life was over +them. "She hathn't been there for an hour," thought he; "a reek o' +milk, and not my lassie." + +Very few human beings have such fragrance of good-will as milk. +The farmer knew that he had gone too far in speaking coarsely of +the cow, whose children first forego their food for the benefit of +ours, and then become veal to please us. "My little maid is gone," +said the lord of many cows, and who had robbed some thousand of +their dear calves. "I trow I must make up my mind to see my little +maid no more." + +Without compunction for any mortal cow (though one was bellowing +sadly in the distance, that had lost her calf that day), and +without even dreaming of a grievance there, Master Anerley sat down +to think upon a little bench hard by. His thoughts were not very +deep or subtle; yet to him they were difficult, because they were +so new and sad. He had always hoped to go through life in the +happiest way there is of it, with simply doing common work, and +heeding daily business, and letting other people think the higher +class of thought for him. To live as Nature, cultivated quite +enough for her own content, enjoys the round of months and years, +the changes of the earth and sky, and gentle slope of time +subsiding to softer shadows and milder tones. And, most of all, to +see his children, dutiful, good, and loving, able and ready to take +his place--when he should be carried from farm to church--to work +the land he loved so well, and to walk in his ways, and praise him. + +But now he thought, like Job in his sorrow, "All these things are +against me." The air was laden with the scents of autumn, rich and +ripe and soothing--the sweet fulfillment of the year. The mellow +odor of stacked wheat, the stronger perfume of clover, the brisk +smell of apples newly gathered, the distant hint of onions roped, +and the luscious waft of honey, spread and hung upon the evening +breeze. "What is the good of all this," he muttered, "when my +little lassie is gone away, as if she had no father?" + +"Father, I am not gone away. Oh, father, I never will go away, if +you will love me as you did." + +Here Mary stopped; for the short breath of a sob was threatening to +catch her words; and her nature was too like her father's to let +him triumph over her. The sense of wrong was in her heart, as firm +and deep as in his own, and her love of justice quite as strong; +only they differed as to what it was. Therefore Mary would not sob +until she was invited. She stood in the arch of trimmed yew-tree, +almost within reach of his arms; and though it was dark, he knew +her face as if the sun was on it. + +"Dearie, sit down here," he said; "there used to be room for you +and me, without two chairs, when you was my child." + +"Father, I am still your child," she answered, softly, sitting by +him. "Were you looking for me just now? Say it was me you were +looking for." + +"There is such a lot of rogues to look for; they skulk about so, +and they fire the stacks--" + +"Now, father, you never could tell a fib," she answered, sidling +closer up, and preparing for his repentance. + +"I say that I was looking for a rogue. If the cap fits--" here he +smiled a little, as much as to say, "I had you there;" and then, +without meaning it, from simple force of habit, he did a thing +equal to utter surrender. He stroked his chin, as he always used +to do when going to kiss Mary, that the bristles might lie down for +her. + +"The cap doesn't fit; nothing fits but you; you--you--you, my own +dear father," she cried, as she kissed him again and again, and put +her arms round to protect him. "And nobody fits you, but your own +Mary. I knew you were sorry. You needn't say it. You are too +stubborn, and I will let you off. Now don't say a word, father, I +can do without it. I don't want to humble you, but only to make +you good; and you are the very best of all people, when you please. +And you never must be cross again with your darling Mary. Promise +me immediately; or you shall have no supper." + +"Well," said the farmer, "I used to think that I was gifted with +the gift of argument. Not like a woman, perhaps; but still pretty +well for a man, as can't spare time for speechifying, and hath to +earn bread for self and young 'uns." + +"Father, it is that arguing spirit that has done you so much harm. +You must take things as Heaven sends them; and not go arguing about +them. For instance, Heaven has sent you me." + +"So a' might," Master Anerley replied; "but without a voice from +the belly of a fish, I wunna' believe that He sent Bob Lyth." + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +FAREWELL, WIFE AND CHILDREN DEAR + + +Now Robin Lyth held himself in good esteem; as every honest man is +bound to do, or surely the rogues will devour him. Modesty kept +him silent as to his merits very often; but the exercise of self- +examination made them manifest to himself. As the Yorkshireman +said to his minister, when pressed to make daily introspection, "I +dare na do it, sir; it sets me up so, and leaveth no chance for my +neighbors;" so the great free-trader, in charity for others, +forbore to examine himself too much. But without doing that, he +was conscious of being as good as Master Anerley; and intended, +with equal mind and manner, to state his claim to the daughter's +hand. + +It was not, therefore, as the farmer thought, any deep sense of +illegality which kept him from coming forward now, as a gallant +sailor always does; but rather the pressure of sterner business, +and the hard necessity of running goods, according to honorable +contract. After his narrow escape from outrage upon personal +privilege--for the habeas corpus of the Constitution should at +least protect a man while making love--it was clear that the field +of his duties as a citizen was padlocked against him, until next +time. Accordingly he sought the wider bosom of the ever-liberal +sea; and leaving the noble Carroway to mourn--or in stricter truth, +alas! to swear--away he sailed, at the quartering of the moon, for +the land of the genial Dutchman. + +Now this was the time when the forces of the realm were mightily +gathered together against him. Hitherto there had been much fine +feeling on the part of his Majesty's revenue, and a delicate sense +of etiquette. All the commanders of the cutters on the coast, of +whom and of which there now were three, had met at Carroway's +festive board; and, looking at his family, had one and all agreed +to let him have the first chance of the good prize-money. It was +All-saints' Day of the year gone by when they met and thus enjoyed +themselves; and they bade their host appoint his time; and he said +he should not want three months. At this they laughed, and gave +him twelve; and now the twelve had slipped away. + +"I would much rather never have him caught at all," said Carroway, +to his wife, when his year of precaption had expired, "than for any +of those fellows to nab him; especially that prig last sent down," + +"So would I, dear; so would I, of course," replied Mrs. Carroway, +who had been all gratitude for their noble self-denial when they +made the promise; "what airs they would give themselves! And what +could they do with the money? Drink it out! I am sure that the +condition of our best tumblers, after they come, is something. +People who don't know anything about it always fancy that glass +will clean. Glass won't clean, after such men as those; and as for +the table--don't talk of it." + +"Two out of the three are gone"--the lieutenant's conscience was +not void of offense concerning tables--"gone upon promotion. +Everybody gets promotion, if he only does his very best never to +deserve it. They ought to have caught Lyth long and long ago. +What are such dummies fit for?" + +"But, Charles, you know that they would have acted meanly and +dishonestly if they had done so. They promised not to catch him; +and they carried out their promise." + +"Matilda, such questions are beyond you altogether. You can not be +expected to understand the service. One of those trumpery, half- +decked craft--or they used to be half-deckers in my time--has had +three of those fresh-meat Jemmies over her in a single twelvemonth. +But of course they were all bound by the bargain they had made. As +for that, small thanks to them. How could they catch him, when I +couldn't? They chop and they change so, I forget their names; my +head is not so good as it was, with getting so much moonlight." + +"Nonsense, Charles; you know them like your fingers. But I know +what you want; you want Geraldine, you are so proud to hear her +tell it." + +"Tilly, you are worse. You love to hear her say it. Well, call +her in, and let her do it. She is making an oyster-shell cradle +over there, with two of the blessed babies." + +"Charles, how very profane you are! All babes are blest by the +Lord, in an independent parable, whether they can walk, or crawl, +or put up their feet and take nourishment. Jerry, you come in this +very moment. What are you doing with your two brothers there, and +a dead skate--bless the children! Now say the cutters and their +captains." + +Geraldine, who was a pretty little girl, as well as a good and +clever one, swept her wind-tossed hair aside, and began to repeat +her lesson; for which she sometimes got a penny when her father had +made a good dinner. + +"His Majesty's cutter Swordfish, Commander Nettlebones, senior +officer of the eastern division after my papa, although a very +young man still, carries a swivel-gun and two bow-chasers. His +Majesty's cutter Kestrel, commanded by Lieutenant Bowler, is armed +with three long-John's, or strap-guns, capable of carrying a pound +of shrapnel. His Majesty's cutter Albatross, Lieutenant Corkoran +Donovan, carries no artillery yet--" + +"Not artillery--guns, child; your mother calls them 'artillery.'" + +"Carries no guns yet, because she was captured from the foreign +enemy; and as yet she has not been reported stanch, since the +British fire made a hole in her. It is, however, expected that +those asses at the dock-yard---" + +"Geraldine, how often must I tell you that you are not to use that +word? It is your father's expression." + +"It is, however, expected that those donkeys at the dock-yard will +recommend her to be fitted with two brass howisyers." + +"Howitzers, my darling. Spell that word, and you shall have your +penny. Now you may run out and play again. Give your old father a +pretty kiss for it. I often wish," continued the lieutenant, as +his daughter flew back to the dead skate and the babies, "that I +had only got that child's clear head. Sometimes the worry is too +much for me. And now if Nettlebones catches Robin Lyth, to a +certainty I shall be superseded, and all of us go to the workhouse. +Oh, Tilly, why won't your old aunt die? We might be so happy +afterward." + +"Charles, it is not only sinful, but wicked, to show any wish to +hurry her. The Lord knows best what is good for us; and our +prayers upon such matters should be silent." + +"Well, mine would be silent and loud too, according to the best +chance of being heard. Not that I would harm the poor old soul; I +wish her every heavenly blessing; and her time is come for all of +them. But I never like to think of that, because one's own time +might come first. I have felt very much out of spirits to-day, as +my poor father did the day before he got his billet. You know, +Matilda, he was under old Boscawen, and was killed by the very +first shot fired; it must be five-and-forty years ago. How my +mother did cry, to be sure! But I was too young to understand it. +Ah, she had a bad time with us all! Matilda, what would you do +without me?" + +"Why, Charles, you are not a bit like yourself. Don't go to-night; +stay at home for once. And the weather is very uncertain, too. +They never will attempt their job to-night. Countermand the boats, +dear; I will send word to stop them. You shall not even go out of +the house yourself." + +"As if it were possible! I am not an old woman, nor even an old +man yet, I hope. In half an hour I must be off. There will be +good time for a pipe. One more pipe in the old home, Tilly. After +all I am well contented with it, although now and then I grumble; +and I don't like so much cleaning." + +"The cleaning must be done; I could never leave off that. Your +room is going to be turned out to-morrow, and before you go you +must put away your papers, unless you wish me to do it. You really +never seem to understand when things are really important. Do you +wish me to have a great fever in the house? It is a fortnight +since your boards were scrubbed; and how can you think of smoking?" + +"Very well, Tilly, I can have it by-and-by, 'upon the dancing +waves,' as little Tommy has picked up the song. Only I can not let +the men on duty; and to see them longing destroys my pleasure. +Lord, how many times I should like to pass my pipe to Dick, or +Ellis, if discipline allowed of it! A thing of that sort is not +like feeding, which must be kept apart by nature; but this by +custom only." + +"And a very good custom, and most needful," answered Mrs. Carroway. +"I never can see why men should want to do all sorts of foolish +things with tobacco--dirty stuff, and full of dust. No sooner do +they begin, like a tinder-box, than one would think that it made +them all alike. They want to see another body puffing two great +streams of reeking smoke from pipe and from mouth, as if their own +was not enough; and their good resolutions to speak truth of one +another float away like so much smoke; and they fill themselves +with bad charity. Sir Walter Raleigh deserved his head off, and +Henry the Eighth knew what was right." + +"My dear, I fancy that your history is wrong. The king only +chopped off his own wives' heads. But the moral of the lesson is +the same. I will go and put away my papers. It will very soon be +dark enough for us to start." + +"Charles, I can not bear your going. The weather is so dark, and +the sea so lonely, and the waves are making such a melancholy +sound. It is not like the summer nights, when I can see you six +miles off, with the moon upon the sails, and the land out of the +way. Let anybody catch him that has the luck. Don't go this time, +Charley." + +Carroway kissed his wife, and sent her to the baby, who was +squalling well up stairs. And when she came down he was ready to +start, and she brought the baby for him to kiss. + +"Good-by, little chap--good-by, dear wife." With his usual vigor +and flourish, he said, "I never knew how to kiss a baby, though I +have had such a lot of them." + +"Good-by, Charley dear. All your things are right; and here is the +key of the locker. You are fitted out for three days; but you must +on no account make that time of it. To-morrow I shall be very +busy, but you must be home by the evening. Perhaps there will be a +favorite thing of yours for supper. You are going a long way; but +don't be long," + +"Good-by, Tilly darling--good-by, Jerry dear--good-by, Tommy boy, +and all my countless family. I am coming home to-morrow with a +mint of money." + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +TACTICS OF DEFENSE + + +The sea at this time was not pleasant, and nobody looking at it +longed to employ upon it any members of a shorter reach than eyes. + +It was not rushing upon the land, nor running largely in the +offing, nor making white streaks on the shoals; neither in any +other places doing things remarkable. No sign whatever of coming +storm or gathering fury moved it; only it was sullen, heavy, +petulant, and out of sorts. It went about its business in a state +of lumps irregular, without long billows or big furrows, as if it +took the impulse more of distant waters than of wind; and its color +was a dirty green. Ancient fishermen hate this, and ancient +mariners do the same; for then the fish lie sulking on their +bellies, and then the ship wallows without gift of sail. + +"Bear off, Tomkins, and lay by till the ebb. I can only say, dash +the whole of it!" + +Commander Nettlebones, of the Swordfish, gave this order in disgust +at last; for the tide was against her, with a heavy pitch of sea, +and the mainsail scarcely drew the sheet. What little wind there +was came off the land, and would have been fair if it had been +firm; but often it dropped altogether where the cliffs, or the +clouds that lay upon them, held it. The cutter had slipped away +from Scarborough, as soon as it was dark last night, under orders +for Robin Hood's Bay, where the Albatross and Kestrel were to meet +her, bring tidings, and take orders. Partly by coast-riding, and +partly by coast signals, it had been arranged that these three +revenue cruisers should come together in a lonely place during the +haze of November morning, and hold privy council of importance. +From Scarborough, with any wind at all, or even with ordinary tide- +run, a coal barge might almost make sure of getting to Robin Hood's +Bay in six hours, if the sea was fit to swim in. Yet here was a +cutter that valued herself upon her sailing powers already eighteen +hours out, and headed back perpetually, like a donkey-plough. +Commander Nettlebones could not understand it, and the more +impatient he became, the less could he enter into it. The sea was +nasty, and the wind uncertain, also the tide against him; but how +often had such things combined to hinder, and yet he had made much +fairer way! Fore and aft he bestrode the planks, and cast keen +eyes at everything, above, around, or underneath, but nothing +showed him anything. Nettlebones was a Cornishman, and Cornishmen +at that time had a reverent faith in witchcraft. "Robin Lyth has +bought the powers, or ancient Carroway has done it," he said to +himself, in stronger language than is now reportable. "Old +Carroway is against us, I know, from his confounded jealousy; and +this cursed delay will floor all my plans." + +He deserved to have his best plans floored for such vile suspicion +of Carroway. Whatever the brave lieutenant did was loyal, +faithful, and well above-board. Against the enemy he had his +plans, as every great commander must, and he certainly did not +desire to have his glory stolen by Nettlebones. But that he would +have suffered, with only a grin at the bad luck so habitual; to do +any crooked thing against it was not in his nature. The cause of +the grief of Commander Nettlebones lay far away from Carroway; and +free trade was at the bottom of it. + +For now this trim and lively craft was doing herself but scanty +credit, either on or off a wind. She was like a poor cat with her +tail in a gin, which sadly obstructs her progress; even more was +she like to the little horse of wood, which sits on the edge of a +table and gallops, with a balance weight limiting his energies. +None of the crew could understand it, if they were to be believed; +and the more sagacious talked of currents and mysterious "under- +tow." And sure enough it was under-tow, the mystery of which was +simple. One of the very best hands on board was a hardy seaman +from Flamborough, akin to old Robin Cockscroft, and no stranger to +his adopted son. This gallant seaman fully entered into the value +of long leverage, and he made fine use of a plug-hole which had +come to his knowledge behind his berth. It was just above the +water-line, and out of sight from deck, because the hollow of the +run was there. And long ere the lights of Scarborough died into +the haze of night, as the cutter began to cleave watery way, the +sailor passed a stout new rope from a belaying-pin through this +hole, and then he betrayed his watch on deck by hauling the end up +with a clew, and gently returning it to the deep with a long +grappling-iron made fast to it. This had not fluke enough to lay +fast hold and bring the vessel up; for in that case it would have +been immediately discovered; but it dragged along the bottom like a +trawl, and by its weight, and a hitch every now and then in some +hole, it hampered quite sufficiently the objectionable voyage. +Instead of meeting her consorts in the cloud of early morning, the +Swordfish was scarcely abreast of the Southern Cheek by the middle +of the afternoon. No wonder if Commander Nettlebones was in a fury +long ere that, and fitted neither to give nor take the counsel of +calm wisdom; and this condition of his mind, as well as the loss of +precious time, should have been taken into more consideration by +those who condemned him for the things that followed. + +"Better late than never, as they say," he cried, when the Kestrel +and the Albatross hove in sight. "Tomkins, signal to make sail and +close. We seem to be moving more lively at last. I suppose we are +out of that infernal under-tow." + +"Well, sir, she seems like herself a little more. She've had a +witch on board of her, that's where it is. When I were a younker, +just joined his Majesty's forty-two-gun frigate--" + +"Stow that, Tomkins. No time now. I remember all about it, and +very good it is. Let us have it all again when this job is done +with. Bowler and Donovan will pick holes if they can, after +waiting for us half a day. Not a word about our slow sailing, +mind; leave that to me. They are framptious enough. Have +everything trim, and all hands ready. When they range within hail, +sing out for both to come to me." + +It was pretty to see the three cutters meet, all handled as smartly +as possible; for the Flamborough man had cast off his clog, and the +Swordfish again was as nimble as need be. Lieutenants Bowler and +Donovan were soon in the cabin of their senior officer, and durst +not question him very strictly as to his breach of rendezvous, for +his manner was short and sharp with them. + +"There is plenty of time, if we waste it not in talking," he said, +when they had finished comparing notes. "All these reports we are +bound to receive and consider; but I believe none of them. The +reason why poor Carroway has made nothing but a mess of it is that +he will listen to the country people's tales. They are all bound +together, all tarred with one brush--all stuffed with a heap of +lies, to send us wrong; and as for the fishing-boats, and what they +see, I have been here long enough already to be sure that their +fishing is a sham nine times in ten, and their real business is to +help those rogues. Our plan is to listen, and pretend to be +misled." + +"True for you, captain," cried the ardent Donovan. "You 'bout ship +as soon as you can see them out of sight." + +"My own opinion is this," said Bowler, "that we never shall catch +any fellow until we have a large sum of money placed at our +disposal. The general feeling is in their favor, and against us +entirely. Why is it in their favor? Because they are generally +supposed to run great risks, and suffer great hardships. And so +they do; but not half so much as we do, who keep the sea in all +sorts of weather, while they can choose their own. Also because +they outrun the law, which nature makes everybody long to do, and +admire the lucky ones who can. But most of all because they are +free-handed, and we can be only niggards. They rob the king with +impunity, because they pay well for doing it; and he pays badly, or +not at all, to defend himself from robbery. If we had a thousand +pounds apiece, with orders to spend it on public service, take no +receipt, and give no account, I am sure that in three months we +could stop all contraband work upon this coast." + +"Upon me sowl and so we could; and it's meself that would go into +the trade, so soon as it was stopped with the thousand pounds." + +"We have no time for talking nonsense;" answered Nettlebones, +severely, according to the universal law that the man who has +wasted the time of others gets into a flurry about his own. "Your +suggestion, Bowler, is a very wise one, and as full as possible of +common-sense. You also, Donovan, have shown with great sagacity +what might come of it thereafter. But unluckily we have to get on +as we can, without sixpence to spare for anybody. We know that the +fishermen and people on the coast, and especially the womankind, +are all to a man--as our good friend here would say--banded in +league against us. Nevertheless, this landing shall not be, at +least upon our district. What happens north of Teesmouth is none +of our business; and we should have the laugh of the old Scotchman +there, if they pay him a visit, as I hope they may; for he cuts +many jokes at our expense. But, by the Lord Harry, there shall be +no run between the Tees and Yare, this side of Christmas. If there +is, we may call ourselves three old women. Shake hands, gentlemen, +upon that point; and we will have a glass of grog to it." + +This was friendly, and rejoiced them all; for Nettlebones had been +stiff at first. Readily enough they took his orders, which seemed +to make it impossible almost for anything large to slip between +them, except in case of a heavy fog; and in that case they were to +land, and post their outlooks near the likely places. + +"We have shed no blood yet, and I hope we never shall," said the +senior officer, pleasantly. "The smugglers of this coast are too +wise, and I hope too kind-hearted, for that sort of work. They are +not like those desperate scoundrels of Sussex. When these men are +nabbed, they give up their venture as soon as it goes beyond +cudgel-play, and they never lie in wait for a murderous revenge. +In the south I have known a very different race, who would jump on +an officer till he died, or lash him to death with their long cart- +whips; such fellows as broke open Poole Custom-house, and murdered +poor Galley and Cator, and the rest, in a manner that makes human +blood run cold. It was some time back; but their sons are just as +bad. Smuggling turns them all to devils." + +"My belief is," said Bowler, who had a gift of looking at things +from an outer point of view, "that these fellows never propose to +themselves to transgress the law, but to carry it out according to +their own interpretation. One of them reasoned with me some time +ago, and he talked so well about the Constitution that I was at a +loss to answer him." + +"Me jewel, forbear," shouted Donovan; "a clout on the head is the +only answer for them Constitutionals. Niver will it go out of my +mind about the time I was last in Cark; shure, thin, and it was +holiday-time; and me sister's wife's cousin, young Tim O'Brady--Tim +says to me, 'Now, Corkoran, me lad--'" + +"Donovan," Nettlebones suddenly broke in, "we will have that story, +which I can see by the cut of your jib is too good to be hurried, +when first we come together after business done. The sun will be +down in less than half an hour, and by that time we all must be +well under way. We are watched from the land, as I need not tell +you, and we must not let them spy for nothing. They shall see us +all stand out to sea to catch them in the open, as I said in the +town-hall of Scarborough yesterday, on purpose. Everybody laughed; +but I stuck to it, knowing how far the tale would go. They take it +for a crotchet of mine, and will expect it, especially after they +have seen us standing out; and their plans will be laid +accordingly." + +"The head-piece ye have is beyont me inthirely. And if ye stand +out, how will ye lay close inshore?" + +"By returning, my good friend, before the morning breaks; each man +to his station, lying as close as can be by day, with proper +outlooks hidden at the points, but standing along the coast every +night, and communicating with sentries. Have nothing to say to any +fishing-boats--they are nearly all spies--and that puzzles them. +This Robin Hood's Bay is our centre for the present, unless there +comes change of weather. Donovan's beat is from Whitby to +Teesmouth, mine from Whitby to Scarborough, and Bowler's thence to +Flamborough. Carroway goes where he likes, of course, as the +manner of the man is. He is a little in the doldrums now, and +likely enough to come meddling. From Flamborough to Hornsea is +left to him, and quite as much as he can manage. Further south +there is no fear; our Yarmouth men will see to that. Now I think +that you quite understand. Good-by; we shall nab some of them to a +certainty this time; they are trying it on too large a scale." + +"If they runs any goods through me, then just ye may reckon the +legs of me four times over." + +"And if they slip in past me," said Bowler, "without a thick fog, +or a storm that drives me off, I will believe more than all the +wonders told of Robin Lyth." + +"Oh! concerning that fellow, by-the-bye," Commander Nettlebones +stopped his brother officers as they were making off; "you know +what a point poor Carroway has made, even before I was sent down +here, of catching the celebrated Robin for himself. He has even +let his fellows fire at him once or twice when he was quietly +departing, although we are not allowed to shoot except upon +strenuous resistance. Cannon we may fire, but no muskets, +according to wise ordinance. Luckily, he has not hit him yet; and, +upon the whole, we should be glad of it, for the young fellow is a +prime sailor, as you know, and would make fine stuff for Nelson. +Therefore we must do one thing of two--let Carroway catch him, and +get the money to pay for all the breeches and the petticoats we +saw; or if we catch him ourselves, say nothing, but draft him right +off to the Harpy. You understand me. It is below us to get blood- +money upon the man. We are gentlemen, not thief-catchers." + +The Irishman agreed to this at once, but Bowler was not well +pleased with it. "Our duty is to give him up," he said. + +"Your duty is to take my orders," answered Nettlebones, severely. +"If there is a fuss about it, lay the blame on me. I know what I +am about in what I say. Gentlemen, good-by, and good luck to you." + +After long shivers in teeth of the wind and pendulous labor of +rolling, the three cutters joyfully took the word to go. With a +creak, and a cant, and a swish of canvas, upon their light heels +they flew round, and trembled with the eagerness of leaping on +their way. The taper boom dipped toward the running hills of sea, +and the jib-foreleech drew a white arc against the darkness of the +sky to the bowsprit's plunge. Then, as each keen cut-water clove +with the pressure of the wind upon the beam, and the glistening +bends lay over, green hurry of surges streaked with gray began the +quick dance along them. Away they went merrily, scattering the +brine, and leaving broad tracks upon the closing sea. + +Away also went, at a rapid scamper, three men who had watched them +from the breast-work of the cliffs--one went northward, another to +the south, and the third rode a pony up an inland lane. Swiftly as +the cutters flew over the sea, the tidings of their flight took +wing ashore, and before the night swallowed up their distant sails, +everybody on the land whom it concerned to know, knew as well as +their steersmen what course they had laid. + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +INLAND OPINION + + +Whatever may be said, it does seem hard, from a wholly disinterested +point of view, that so many mighty men, with swift ships, armed +with villainous saltpetre and sharp steel, should have set their +keen faces all together and at once to nip, defeat, and destroy as +with a blow, liberal and well-conceived proceedings, which they had +long regarded with a larger mind. Every one who had been led to +embark soundly and kindly in this branch of trade felt it as an +outrage and a special instance of his own peculiar bad luck that +suddenly the officers should become so active. For long success +had encouraged enterprise; men who had made a noble profit nobly +yearned to treble it; and commerce, having shaken off her shackles, +flapped her wings and began to crow; so at least she had been +declared to do at a public banquet given by the Mayor of Malton, +and attended by a large grain factor, who was known as a wholesale +purveyor of illicit goods. + +This man, Thomas Rideout, long had been the head-master of the +smuggling school. The poor sea-faring men could not find money +to buy, or even hire, the craft (with heavy deposit against +forfeiture) which the breadth and turbulence of the North Sea made +needful for such ventures. Across the narrow English Channel an +open lobster boat might run, in common summer weather, without much +risk of life or goods. Smooth water, sandy coves, and shelfy +landings tempted comfortable jobs; and any man owning a boat that +would carry a sail as big as a shawl might smuggle, with heed of +the weather, and audacity. It is said that once upon the Sussex +coast a band of haymakers, when the rick was done, and their wages +in hand on a Saturday night, laid hold of a stout boat on the +beach, pushed off to sea in tipsy faith of luck, and hit upon +Dieppe with a set-fair breeze, having only a fisherman's boy for +guide. There on the Sunday they heartily enjoyed the hospitality +of the natives; and the dawn of Tuesday beheld them rapt in +domestic bliss and breakfast, with their money invested in old +Cognac; and glad would they have been to make such hay every +season. But in Yorkshire a good solid capital was needed to carry +on free importation. Without broad bottoms and deep sides, the +long and turbulent and often foggy voyage, and the rocky landing, +could scarcely be attempted by sane folk; well-to-do people found +the money, and jeopardized neither their own bodies, consciences, +nor good repute. And perhaps this fact had more to do with the +comparative mildness of the men than difference of race, superior +culture, or a loftier mould of mind; for what man will fight for +his employer's goods with the ferocity inspired by his own? A +thorough good ducking, or a tow behind a boat, was the utmost +penalty generally exacted by the victors from the vanquished. + +Now, however, it seemed too likely that harder measures must be +meted. The long success of that daring Lyth, and the large scale +of his operations, had compelled the authorities to stir at last. +They began by setting a high price upon him, and severely +reprimanding Carroway, who had long been doing his best in vain, +and becoming flurried, did it more vainly still; and now they had +sent the sharp Nettlebones down, who boasted largely, but as yet +without result. The smugglers, however, were aware of added peril, +and raised their wages accordingly. + +When the pending great venture was resolved upon, as a noble finish +to the season, Thomas Rideout would intrust it to no one but Robin +Lyth himself; and the bold young mariner stipulated that after +succeeding he should be free, and started in some more lawful +business. For Dr. Upround, possessing as he did great influence +with Robin, and shocked as he was by what Carroway had said, +refused to have anything more to do with his most distinguished +parishioner until he should forsake his ways. And for this he must +not be thought narrow-minded, strait-laced, or unduly dignified. +His wife quite agreed with him, and indeed had urged it as the only +proper course; for her motherly mind was uneasy about the impulsive +nature of Janetta; and chess-men to her were dolls, without even +the merit of encouraging the needle. Therefore, with a deep sigh, +the worthy magistrate put away his board--which came out again next +day--and did his best to endure for a night the arithmetical +torture of cribbage; while he found himself supported by a sense of +duty, and capable of preaching hard at Carroway if he would only +come for it on Sunday. + +From that perhaps an officer of revenue may abstain, through the +pressure of his duty and his purity of conscience; but a man of +less correctness must behave more strictly. Therefore, when a +gentleman of vigorous aspect, resolute step, and successful-looking +forehead marched into church the next Sunday morning, showed +himself into a prominent position, and hung his hat against a +leading pillar, after putting his mouth into it, as if for prayer, +but scarcely long enough to say "Amen," behind other hats low +whispers passed that here was the great financier of free trade, +the Chancellor of the Exchequer of smuggling, the celebrated Master +Rideout. + +That conclusion was shared by the rector, whose heart immediately +burned within him to have at this man, whom he had met before and +suspiciously glanced at in Weighing Lane, as an interloper in his +parish. Probably this was the very man whom Robin Lyth served too +faithfully; and the chances were that the great operations now +known to be pending had brought him hither, spying out all +Flamborough. The corruption of fish-folk, the beguiling of women +with foreign silks and laces, and of men with brandy, the seduction +of Robin from lawful commerce, and even the loss of his own pet +pastime, were to be laid at this man's door. While donning his +surplice, Dr. Upround revolved these things with gentle +indignation, quickened, as soon as he found himself in white, by +clerical and theological zeal. These feelings impelled him to +produce a creaking of the heavy vestry door, a well-known signal +for his daughter to slip out of the chancel pew and come to him. + +"Now, papa, what is it?" cried that quick young lady; "that +miserable Methodist that ruined your boots, has he got the +impudence to come again? Oh, please do say so, and show me where +he is; after church nobody shall stop me--" + +"Janetta, you quite forget where you are, as well as my present +condition. Be off like a good girl, as quick as you can, and bring +No. 27 of my own handwriting--'Render unto Caesar'--and put my hat +upon it. My desire is that Billyjack should not know that a change +has been made in my subject of discourse." + +"Papa, I see; it shall be done to perfection, while Billyjack is at +his very loudest roar in the chorus of the anthem. But do tell me +who it is; or how can I enjoy it? And lemon drops--lemon drops--" + +"Janetta, I must have some very serious talk with you. Now don't +be vexed, darling; you are a thoroughly good girl, only thoughtless +and careless; and remember, dear, church is not a place for high +spirits." + +The rector, as behooved him, kissed his child behind the vestry +door, to soothe all sting, and then he strode forth toward the +reading-desk; and the tuning of fiddles sank to deferential scrape. + +It was not at all a common thing, as one might know, for Widow +Precious to be able to escape from casks and taps, and the frying +pan of eggs demanded by some half-drowned fisherman, also the +reckoning of notches on the bench for the pints of the week unpaid +for, and then to put herself into her two best gowns (which she +wore in the winter, one over the other--a plan to be highly +commended to ladies who never can have dress enough), and so to +enjoy, without losing a penny, the warmth of the neighborhood of a +congregation. In the afternoon she could hardly ever do it, even +if she had so wished, with knowledge that this was common people's +time; so if she went at all, it must--in spite of the difference of +length--be managed in the morning. And this very morning here she +was, earnest, humble, and devout, with both the tap keys in her +pocket, and turning the leaves with a smack of her thumb, not only +to show her learning, but to get the sweet approval of the rector's +pew. + +Now if the good rector had sent for this lady, instead of his +daughter Janetta, the sermon which he brought would have been the +one to preach, and that about Caesar might have stopped at home; +for no sooner did the widow begin to look about, taking in the +congregation with a dignified eye, and nodding to her solvent +customers, than the wrath of perplexity began to gather on her +goodly countenance. To see that distinguished stranger was to know +him ever afterward; his power of eating, and of paying, had +endeared his memory; and for him to put up at any other house were +foul shame to the "Cod Fish." + +"Hath a' put up his beastie?" she whispered to her eldest daughter, +who came in late. + +"Naa, naa, no beastie," the child replied, and the widow's relish +of her thumb was gone; for, sooth to say, no Master Rideout, nor +any other patron of free trade was here, but Geoffrey Mordacks, of +York city, general factor, and universal agent. + +It was beautiful to see how Dr. Upround, firmly delivering his +text, and stoutly determined to spare nobody, even insisted in the +present case upon looking at the man he meant to hit, because he +was not his parishioner. The sermon was eloquent, and even +trenchant. The necessity of duties was urged most sternly; if not +of directly Divine institution (though learned parallels were +adduced which almost proved them to be so), yet to every decent +Christian citizen they were synonymous with duty. To defy or elude +them, for the sake of paltry gain, was a dark crime recoiling on +the criminal; and the preacher drew a contrast between such guilty +ways and the innocent path of the fisherman. Neither did he even +relent and comfort, according to his custom, toward the end; that +part was there, but he left it out; and the only consolation for +any poor smuggler in all the discourse was the final Amen. + +But to the rector's great amazement, and inward indignation, the +object of his sermon seemed to take it as a personal compliment. +Mr. Mordacks not only failed to wince, but finding himself +particularly fixed by the gaze of the eloquent divine, concluded +that it was from his superior intelligence, and visible gifts of +appreciation. Delighted with this--for he was not free from +vanity--what did he do but return the compliment, not indecorously, +but nodding very gently, as much as to say, "That was very good +indeed, you were quite right, sir, in addressing that to me; you +perceive that it is far above these common people. I never heard a +better sermon." + +"What a hardened rogue you are!" thought Dr. Upround; "how feebly +and incapably I must have put it! If you ever come again, you +shall have my Ahab sermon." + +But the clergyman was still more astonished a very few minutes +afterward. For, as he passed out of the church-yard gate, +receiving, with his wife and daughter, the kindly salute of the +parish, the same tall stranger stood before him, with a face as +hard as a statue's, and, making a short, quick flourish with his +hat, begged for the honor of shaking his hand. + +"Sir, it is to thank you for the very finest sermon I ever had the +privilege of hearing. My name is Mordacks, and I flatter nobody-- +except myself--that I know a good thing when I get it." + +"Sir, I am obliged to you," said Dr. Upround, stiffly, and not +without suspicion of being bantered, so dry was the stranger's +countenance, and his manner so peculiar; "and if I have been +enabled to say a good word in season, and its season lasts, it will +be a source of satisfaction to me." + +"Yes, I fear there are many smugglers here. But I am no revenue +officer, as your congregation seemed to think. May I call upon +business to-morrow, sir? Thank you; then may I say ten o'clock-- +your time of beginning, as I hear? Mordacks is my name, sir, of +York city, not unfavorably known there. Ladies, my duty to you!" + +"What an extraordinary man, my dear!" Mrs. Upround exclaimed, with +some ingratitude, after the beautiful bow she had received. "He +may talk as he likes, but he must be a smuggler. He said that he +was not an officer; that shows it, for they always run into the +opposite extreme. You have converted him, my dear; and I am sure +that we ought to be so much obliged to him. If he comes to-morrow +morning to give up all his lace, do try to remember how my little +all has been ruined in the wash, and I am sick of working at it." + +"My dear, he is no smuggler. I begin to recollect. He was down +here in the summer, and I made a great mistake. I took him for +Rideout; and I did the same to-day. When I see him to-morrow, I +shall beg his pardon. One gets so hurried in the vestry always; +they are so impatient with their fiddles! A great deal of it was +Janetta's fault." + +"It always is my fault, papa, somehow or other," the young lady +answered, with a faultless smile: and so they went home to the +early Sunday dinner. + +"Papa, I am in such a state of excitement; I am quite unfit to go +to church this afternoon," Miss Upround exclaimed, as they set +forth again. "You may put me in stocks made out of hassocks--you +may rope me to the Flodden Field man's monument, of the ominous +name of 'Constable;' but whatever you do, I shall never attend; and +I feel that it is so sinful." + +"Janetta, your mamma has that feeling sometimes; for instance, she +has it this afternoon; and there is a good deal to be said for it. +But I fear that it would grow with indulgence." + +"I can firmly fancy that it never would; though one can not be sure +without trying. Suppose that I were to try it just once, and let +you know how it feels at tea-time?" + +"My dear, we are quite round the corner of the lane. The example +would be too shocking." + +"Now don't you make any excuses, papa. Only one woman can have +seen us yet; and she is so blind she will think it was her fault. +May I go? Quick, before any one else comes." + +"If you are quite sure, Janetta, of being in a frame of mind which +unfits you for the worship of your Maker--" + +"As sure as a pike-staff, dear papa." + +"Then, by all means, go before anybody sees you, for whom it might +be undesirable; and correct your thoughts, and endeavor to get into +a befitting state of mind by tea-time." + +"Certainly, papa. I will go down on the stones, and look at the +sea. That always makes me better; because it is so large and so +uncomfortable." + +The rector went on to do his duty, by himself. A narrow-minded man +might have shaken solemn head, even if he had allowed such +dereliction. But Dr. Upround knew that the girl was good, and he +never put strain upon her honesty. So away she sped by a lonely +little foot-path, where nobody could take from her contagion of bad +morals; and avoiding the incline of boats, she made off nicely for +the quiet outer bay, and there, upon a shelfy rock, she sat and +breathed the sea. + +Flamborough, excellent place as it is, and delightful, and full of +interest for people who do not live there, is apt to grow dull +perhaps for spirited youth, in the scanty and foggy winter light. +There is not so very much of that choice product generally called +"society" by a man who has a house to let in an eligible +neighborhood, and by ladies who do not heed their own. Moreover, +it is vexatious not to have more rogues to talk about. + +That scarcity may be less lamentable now, being one that takes care +to redress itself, and perhaps any amateur purchaser of fish may +find rogues enough now for his interest. But the rector's daughter +pined for neither society nor scandal: she had plenty of interest +in her life, and in pleasing other people, whenever she could do it +with pleasure to herself, and that was nearly always. Her present +ailment was not languor, weariness, or dullness, but rather the +want of such things; which we long for when they happen to be +scarce, and declare them to be our first need, under the sweet name +of repose. + +Her mind was a little disturbed by rumors, wonders, and uncertainty. +She was not at all in love with Robin Lyth, and laughed at his +vanity quite as much as she admired his gallantry. She looked upon +him also as of lower rank, kindly patronized by her father, but not +to be treated as upon an equal footing. He might be of any rank, +for all that was known; but he must be taken to belong to those who +had brought him up and fed him. Janetta was a lively girl, of +quick perception and some discretion, though she often talked much +nonsense. She was rather proud of her position, and somewhat +disdainful of uneducated folk; though (thanks to her father) Lyth +was not one of these. Possibly love (if she had felt it) would +have swept away such barriers; but Robin was grateful to his patron, +and, knowing his own place in life, would rightly have thought it a +mean return to attempt to inveigle the daughter. So they liked one +another--but nothing more. It was not, therefore, for his sake +only, but for her father's, and that of the place, that Miss +Upround now was anxious. For days and days she had watched the sea +with unusual forebodings, knowing that a great importation was +toward, and pretty sure to lead to blows, after so much preparation. +With feminine zeal, she detested poor Carroway, whom she regarded +as a tyrant and a spy; and she would have clapped her hands at +beholding the three cruisers run upon a shoal, and there stick fast. +And as for King George, she had never believed that he was the +proper King of England. There were many stanch Jacobites still in +Yorkshire, and especially the bright young ladies. + +To-night, at least, the coast was likely to be uninvaded. +Smugglers, even if their own forces would make breach upon the day +of rest, durst not outrage the piety of the land, which would only +deal with kegs in-doors. The coast-guard, being for the most part +southerns, splashed about as usual--a far more heinous sin against +the Word of God than smuggling. It is the manner of Yorkshiremen +to think for themselves, with boldness, in the way they are brought +up to: and they made it a point of serious doubt whether the orders +of the king himself could set aside the Fourth Commandment, though +his arms were over it. + +Dr. Upround's daughter, as she watched the sea, felt sure that, +even if the goods were ready, no attempt at landing would be made +that night, though something might be done in the morning. But +even that was not very likely, because (as seemed to be widely +known) the venture was a very large one, and the landers would +require a whole night's work to get entirely through with it. + +"I wish it was over, one way or the other," she kept on saying to +herself, as she gazed at the dark, weary lifting of the sea; "it +keeps one unsettled as the waves themselves. Sunday always makes +me feel restless, because there is so little to do. It is wicked, +I suppose; but how can I help it? Why, there is a boat, I do +declare! Well, even a boat is welcome, just to break this gray +monotony. What boat can it be? None of ours, of course. And what +can they want with our Church Cave? I hope they understand its +dangers." + +Although the wind was not upon the shore, and no long rollers were +setting in, short, uncomfortable, clumsy waves were lolloping under +the steep gray cliffs, and casting up splashes of white here and +there. To enter that cave is a risky thing, except at very +favorable times, and even then some experience is needed, for the +rocks around it are like knives, and the boat must generally be +backed in, with more use of fender and hook than of oars. But the +people in the boat seemed to understand all that. There were two +men rowing, and one steering with an oar, and a fourth standing up, +as if to give directions; though in truth he knew nothing about it, +but hated even to seem to play second fiddle. + +"What a strange thing!" Janetta thought, as she drew behind a rock, +that they might not see her, "I could almost declare that the man +standing up is that most extraordinary gentleman papa preached +quite the wrong sermon at. Truly he deserves the Ahab one, for +spying our caves out on a Sunday. He must be a smuggler, after +all, or a very crafty agent of the Revenue. Well, I never! That +old man steering, as sure as I live, is Robin Cockscroft, by the +scarlet handkerchief round his head. Oh, Robin! Robin! could I +ever have believed that you would break the Sabbath so? But the +boat is not Robin's. What boat can it be? I have not staid away +from church for nothing. One of the men rowing has got no legs, +when the boat goes up and down. It must be that villain of a tipsy +Joe, who used to keep the 'Monument.' I heard that he was come +back again, to stump for his beer as usual: and his son, that sings +like the big church bell, and has such a very fine face and one +leg--why, he is the man that pulls the other oar. Was there ever +such a boat-load? But they know what they are doing." + +Truly it was, as the young lady said, an extraordinary boat's crew. +Old Robin Cockscroft, with a fringe of silver hair escaping from +the crimson silk, which he valued so much more than it, and his +face still grand (in spite of wrinkles and some weakness of the +eyes), keenly understanding every wave, its character, temper, and +complexity of influence, as only a man can understand who has for +his life stood over them. Then tugging at the oars, or rather +dipping them with a short well-practiced plunge, and very little +toil of body, two ancient sailors, one considerably older than the +other, inasmuch as he was his father, yet chips alike from a sturdy +block, and fitted up with jury-stumps. Old Joe pulled rather the +better oar, and called his son "a one-legged fiddler" when he +missed the dip of wave; while Mordacks stood with his leg's apart, +and playing the easy part of critic, had his sneers at both of +them. But they let him gibe to his liking; because they knew their +work, and he did not. And, upon the whole, they went merrily. + +The only one with any doubt concerning the issue of the job was the +one who knew most about it, and that was Robin Cockscroft. He +doubted not about want of strength, or skill, or discipline of his +oars, but because the boat was not Flamburian, but borrowed from a +collier round the Head. No Flamborough boat would ever think of +putting to sea on a Sunday, unless it were to save human life; and +it seemed to him that no strange boat could find her way into the +native caves. He doubted also whether, even with the pressure of +strong motive put upon him, which was not of money, it was a godly +thing on his part to be steering in his Sunday clothes; and he +feared to hear of it thereafter. But being in for it, he must do +his utmost. + +With genuine skill and solid patience, the entrance of the cave was +made, and the boat was lost to Janetta's view. She as well was +lost in the deeper cavern of great wonder, and waited long, and +much desired to wait even longer, to see them issue forth again, +and learn what they could have been after. But the mist out of +which they had come, and inside of which they would rather have +remained perhaps, now thickened over land and sea, and groping +dreamily for something to lay hold of, found a solid stay and rest- +hold in the jagged headlands here. Here, accordingly, the coilings +of the wandering forms began to slide into strait layers, and soft +settlement of vapor. Loops of hanging moisture marked the hollows +of the land-front, or the alleys of the waning light; and then the +mass abandoned outline, fused its shades to pulp, and melted into +one great blur of rain. Janetta thought of her Sunday frock, +forgot the boat, and sped away for home. + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +TACTICS OF ATTACK + + +"I am sorry to be troublesome, Mynheer Van Dunck, but I can not say +good-by without having your receipt in full for the old bilander." + +"Goot, it is vere good, Meester Lyth; you are te goot man for te +pisness." + +With these words the wealthy merchant of the Zuyder-Zee drew forth +his ancient inkhorn, smeared with the dirt of countless contracts, +and signed an acquittance which the smuggler had prepared. But he +signed it with a sigh, as a man declares that a favorite horse must +go at last; sighing, not for the money, but the memories that go +with it. Then, as the wind began to pipe, and the roll of the sea +grew heavier, the solid Dutchman was lowered carefully into his +shore boat, and drew the apron over his great and gouty legs. + +"I vos married in dat zhips," he shouted back, with his ponderous +fist wagging up at Robin Lyth, "Dis taime you will have de bad +luck, sir." + +"Well, mynheer, you have only to pay the difference, and the ketch +will do; the bilander sails almost as fast." + +But Master Van Dunck only heaved another sigh, and felt that his +leather bag was safe and full in his breeches pocket. Then he +turned his eyes away, and relieved his mind by swearing at his men. + +Now this was off the Isle of Texel, and the time was Sunday +morning, the very same morning which saw the general factor sitting +to be preached at. The flotilla of free trade was putting forth +upon its great emprise, and Van Dunck (who had been ship's husband) +came to speed them from their moorings. + +He took no risk, and to him it mattered little, except as a +question of commission; but still he enjoyed the relish of breaking +English law most heartily. He hated England, as a loyal Dutchman, +for generations, was compelled to do; and he held that a Dutchman +was a better sailor, a better ship-builder, and a better fighter +than the very best Englishman ever born. However, his opinions +mattered little, being (as we must feel) absurd. Therefore let him +go his way, and grumble, and reckon his guilders. It was generally +known that he could sink a ship with money; and when such a man is +insolent, who dares to contradict him? + +The flotilla in the offing soon ploughed hissing furrows through +the misty waves. There were three craft, all of different rig--a +schooner, a ketch, and the said bilander. All were laden as +heavily as speed and safety would allow, and all were thoroughly +well manned. They laid their course for the Dogger Bank, where +they would receive the latest news of the disposition of the enemy. +Robin Lyth, high admiral of smugglers, kept to his favorite +schooner, the Glimpse, which had often shown a fading wake to +fastest cutters. His squadron was made up by the ketch, Good Hope, +and the old Dutch coaster, Crown of Gold. This vessel, though +built for peaceful navigation and inland waters, had proved herself +so thoroughly at home in the roughest situations, and so swift of +foot, though round of cheek, that the smugglers gloried in her and +the good luck which sat upon her prow. They called her "the +lugger," though her rig was widely different from that, and her due +title was "bilander." She was very deeply laden now, and, having +great capacity, appeared an unusually tempting prize. + +This grand armada of invasion made its way quite leisurely. Off +the Dogger Bank they waited for the last news, and received it, and +the whole of it was to their liking, though the fisherman who +brought it strongly advised them to put back again. But Captain +Lyth had no such thought, for the weather was most suitable for the +bold scheme he had hit upon. "This is my last run," he said, "and +I mean to make it a good one." Then he dressed himself as smartly +as if he were going to meet Mary Anerley, and sent a boat for the +skippers of the Good Hope, and the Crown of Gold, who came very +promptly and held counsel in his cabin. + +"I'm thinking that your notion is a very good one, captain," said +the master of the bilander, Brown, a dry old hand from Grimsby. + +"Capital, capital; there never was a better," the master of the +ketch chimed in, "Nettlebones and Carroway--they will knock their +heads together!" + +"The plan is clever enough," replied Robin, who was free from all +mock-modesty, "But you heard what that old Van Dunck said. I wish +he had not said it." + +"Ten tousan' tuyfels--as the stingy old thief himself says--he +might have held his infernal croak. I hate to make sail with a +croak astern; 'tis as bad as a crow on forestay-sail." + +"All very fine for you to talk," grumbled the man of the bilander +to the master of the ketch; "but the bad luck is saddled upon me +this voyage. You two get the gilgoes, and I the bilboes!" + +"Brown, none of that!" Captain Lyth said, quietly, but with a look +which the other understood; "you are not such a fool as you pretend +to be. You may get a shot or two fired at you; but what is that to +a Grimsby man? And who will look at you when your hold is +broached? Your game is the easiest that any man can play--to hold +your tongue and run away." + +"Brown, you share the profits, don't you see?" the ketch man went +on, while the other looked glum; "and what risk do you take for it? +Even if they collar you, through your own clumsiness, what is there +for them to do? A Grimsby man is a grumbling man, I have heard +ever since I was that high. I'll change berths with you, if you +choose, this minute." + +"You could never do it," said the Grimsby man, with that high +contempt which abounds where he was born--"a boy like you! I +should like to see you try it." + +"Remember, both of you," said Robin Lyth, "that you are not here to +do as you please, but to obey my orders. If the coast-guard +quarrel, we do not; and that is why we beat them. You will both do +exactly as I have laid it down; and the risk of failure falls on +me. The plan is very simple, and can not fail, if you will just +try not to think for yourselves, which always makes everything go +wrong. The only thing you have to think about at all is any sudden +change of weather. If a gale from the east sets in, you both run +north, and I come after you. But there will not be any easterly +gale for the present week, to my belief; although I am not quite +sure of it." + +"Not a sign of it. Wind will hold with sunset, up to next quarter +of the moon." + +"The time I ha' been on the coast," said Brown, "and to hear the +young chaps talking over my head! Never you mind how I know, but +I'll lay a guinea with both of you--easterly gale afore Friday." + +"Brown, you may be right," said Robin; "I have had some fear of it, +and I know that you carry a weather eye. No man under forty can +pretend to that. But if it will only hold off till Friday, we +shall have the laugh of it. And even if it come on, Tom and I +shall manage. But you will be badly off in that case, Brown. +After all, you are right; the main danger is for you." + +Lyth, knowing well how important it was that each man should play +his part with true good-will, shifted his ground thus to satisfy +the other, who was not the man to shrink from peril, but liked to +have his share acknowledged. + +"Ay, ay, captain, you see clear enough, though Tom here has not got +the gumption," the man of Grimsby answered, with a lofty smile. +"Everybody knows pretty well what William Brown is. When there is +anything that needs a bit of pluck, it is sure to be put upon old +Bill Brown. And never you come across the man, Captain Lyth, as +could say that Bill Brown was not all there. Now orders is orders, +lad. Tip us your latest." + +"Then latest orders are to this effect. Toward dusk of night you +stand in first, a league or more ahead of us, according to the +daylight, Tom to the north of you, and me to the south, just within +signaling distance. The Kestrel and Albatross will come to speak +the Swordfish off Robin Hood's Bay, at that very hour, as we happen +to be aware. You sight them, even before they sight you, because +you know where to look for them, and you keep a sharper look-out, +of course. Not one of them will sight us, so far off in the +offing. Signal immediately, one, two, or three; and I heartily +hope it will be all three. Then you still stand in, as if you +could not see them; and they begin to laugh, and draw inshore; +knowing the Inlander as they do, they will hug the cliffs for you +to run into their jaws. Tom and I bear off, all sail, never +allowing them to sight us. We crack on to the north and south, and +by that time it will be nearly dark. You still carry on, till they +know that you must see them; then 'bout ship, and crowd sail to +escape. They give chase, and you lead them out to sea, and the +longer you carry on, the better. Then, as they begin to fore- +reach, and threaten to close, you 'bout ship again, as in despair, +run under their counters, and stand in for the bay. They may fire +at you; but it is not very likely, for they would not like to sink +such a valuable prize; though nobody else would have much fear of +that." + +"Captain, I laugh at their brass kettle-pots. They may blaze away +as blue as verdigris. Though an Englishman haven't no right to be +shot at, only by a Frenchman." + +"Very well, then, you hold on, like a Norfolk man, through the +thickest of the enemy. Nelson is a Norfolk man; and you charge +through as he does. You bear right on, and rig a gangway for the +landing, which puts them all quite upon the scream. All three +cutters race after you pell-mell, and it is much if they do not run +into one another. You take the beach, stem on, with the tide upon +the ebb, and by that time it ought to be getting on for midnight. +What to do then, I need not tell you; but make all the stand you +can to spare us any hurry. But don't give the knock-down blow if +you can help it; the lawyers make such a point of that, from their +intimacy with the prize-fighters." + +Clearly perceiving their duty now, these three men braced up loin, +and sailed to execute the same accordingly. For invaders and +defenders were by this time in real earnest with their work, and +sure alike of having done the very best that could be done. With +equal confidence on either side, a noble triumph was expected, +while the people on the dry land shook their heads and were +thankful to be out of it. Carroway, in a perpetual ferment, gave +no peace to any of his men, and never entered his own door; but +riding, rowing, or sailing up and down, here and there and +everywhere, set an example of unflagging zeal, which was largely +admired and avoided. And yet he was not the only remarkably active +man in the neighborhood; for that great fact, and universal factor, +Geoffrey Mordacks, was entirely here. He had not broken the heart +of Widow Precious by taking up his quarters at the Thornwick Inn, +as she at first imagined, but loyally brought himself and his horse +to her sign-post for their Sunday dinner. Nor was this all, but he +ordered the very best bedroom, and the "coral parlor"--as he +elegantly called the sea-weedy room--gave every child, whether male +or female, sixpence of new mintage, and created such impression on +her widowed heart that he even won the privilege of basting his own +duck. Whatever this gentleman did never failed to reflect equal +credit on him and itself. But thoroughly well as he basted his +duck, and efficiently as he consumed it, deeper things were in his +mind, and moving with every mouthful. If Captain Carroway labored +hard on public and royal service, no less severely did Mordacks +work, though his stronger sense of self-duty led him to feed the +labor better. On the Monday morning he had a long and highly +interesting talk with the magisterial rector, to whom he set forth +certain portions of his purpose, loftily spurning entire +concealment, according to the motto of his life. "You see, sir," +he said, as he rose to depart, "what I have told you is very +important, and in the strictest confidence, of course, because I +never do anything on the sly." + +"Mr. Mordacks, you have surprised me," answered Dr. Upround; +"though I am not so very much wiser at present. I really must +congratulate you upon your activity, and the impression you +create." + +"Not at all, sir, not at all. It is my manner of doing business, +now for thirty years or more. Moles and fools, sir, work under- +ground, and only get traps set for them; I travel entirely above- +ground, and go ten miles for their ten inches. My strategy, sir, +is simplicity. Nothing puzzles rogues so much, because they can +not believe it." + +"The theory is good; may the practice prove the same! I should be +sorry to be against you in any case you undertake. In the present +matter I am wholly with you, so far as I understand what it is. +Still, Flamborough is a place of great difficulties--" + +"The greatest difficulty of all would be to fail, as I look at it. +Especially with your most valuable aid." + +"What little I can do shall be most readily forth-coming. But +remember there is many a slip--If you had interfered but one month +ago, how much easier it might have been!" + +"Truly. But I have to grope my way; and it is a hard people, as +you say, to deal with. But I have no fear, sir; I shall overcome +all Flamborough, unless--unless, what I fear to think of, there +should happen to be bloodshed." + +"There will be none of that, Mr. Mordacks; we are too skillful, and +too gentle, for anything more than a few cracked crowns." + +"Then everything is as it ought to be. But I must be off; I have +many points to see to. How I find time for this affair is the +wonder." + +"But you will not leave us, I suppose, until--until what appears to +be expected has happened!" + +"When I undertake a thing, Dr. Upround, my rule is to go through +with it. You have promised me the honor of an interview at any +time. Good-by, sir; and pray give the compliments of Mr. Mordacks +to the ladies." + +With even more than his usual confidence and high spirits the +general factor mounted horse and rode at once to Bridlington, or +rather to the quay thereof, in search of Lieutenant Carroway. But +Carroway was not at home, and his poor wife said, with a sigh, that +now she had given up expecting him. "Have no fear, madam; I will +bring him back," Mordacks answered, as if he already held him by +the collar. "I have very good news, madam, very grand news for +him, and you, and all those lovely and highly intelligent children. +Place me, madam, under the very deepest obligation by allowing +these two little dears to take the basket I see yonder, and +accompany me to that apple stand. I saw there some fruit of a sort +which used to fit my teeth most wonderfully when they were just the +size of theirs. And here is another little darling, with a pin- +before infinitely too spotless. If you will spare her also, we +will do our best to take away that reproach, ma'am." + +"Oh, sir, you are much too kind. But to speak of good news does +one good. It is so long since there has been any, that I scarcely +know how to pronounce the words." + +"Mistress Carroway, take my word for it, that such a state of +things shall be shortly of the past. I will bring back Captain +Carroway, madam, to his sweet and most beautifully situated home, +and with tidings which shall please you." + +"It is kind of you not to tell me the good news now, sir. I shall +enjoy it so much more, to see my husband hear it. Good-by, and I +hope that you will soon be back again." + +While Mr. Mordacks was loading the children with all that they made +soft mouths at, he observed for the second time three men who +appeared to be taking much interest in his doings. They had +sauntered aloof while he called at the cottage, as if they had +something to say to him, but would keep it until he had finished +there. But they did not come up to him as he expected; and when he +had seen the small Carroways home, he rode up to ask what they +wanted with him. "Nothing, only this, sir," the shortest of them +answered, while the others pretended not to hear; "we was told that +yon was Smuggler's house, and we thought that your Honor was the +famous Captain Lyth." + +"If I ever want a man," said the general factor, "to tell a lie +with a perfect face, I shall come here and look for you, my +friend." The man looked at him, and smiled, and nodded, as much as +to say, "You might get it done worse," and then carelessly followed +his comrades toward the sea. And Mr. Mordacks, riding off with +equal jauntiness, cocked his hat, and stared at the Priory Church +as if he had never seen any such building before. + +"I begin to have a very strong suspicion," he said to himself as he +put his horse along, "that this is the place where the main attack +will be. Signs of a well-suppressed activity are manifest to an +experienced eye like mine. All the grocers, the bakers, the +candlestick-makers, and the women, who always precede the men, are +mightily gathered together. And the men are holding counsel in a +milder way. They have got three jugs at the old boat-house for the +benefit of holloaing in the open air. Moreover, the lane inland is +scored with a regular market-day of wheels, and there is no market +this side of the old town. Carroway, vigilant captain of men, why +have you forsaken your domestic hearth? Is it through jealousy of +Nettlebones, and a stern resolve to be ahead of him? Robin, my +Robin, is a genius in tactics, a very bright Napoleon of free +trade. He penetrates the counsels, or, what is more, the feelings, +of those who camp against him. He means to land this great emprise +at Captain Carroway's threshold. True justice on the man for +sleeping out of his own bed so long! But instead of bowing to the +blow, he would turn a downright maniac, according to all I hear of +him. Well, it is no concern of mine, so long as nobody is killed, +which everybody makes such a fuss about." + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + +CORDIAL ENJOYMENT + + +The poise of this great enterprise was hanging largely in the sky, +from which come all things, and to which resolved they are referred +again. The sky, to hold an equal balance, or to decline all +troublesome responsibility about it, went away, or (to put it more +politely) retired from the scene. Even as nine men out of ten, +when a handsome fight is toward, would rather have no opinion on +the merits, but abide in their breeches, and there keep their hands +till the fist of the victor is opened, so at this period the upper +firmament nodded a strict neutrality. And yet, on the whole, it +must have indulged a sneaking proclivity toward free trade; +otherwise, why should it have been as follows? + +November now was far advanced; and none but sanguine Britons hoped, +at least in this part of the world, to know (except from memory and +predictions of the almanac) whether the sun were round or square, +until next Easter-day should come. It was not quite impossible +that he might appear at Candlemas, when he is supposed to give a +dance, though hitherto a strictly private one; but even so, this +premature frisk of his were undesirable, if faith in ancient rhyme +be any. But putting him out of the question, as he had already put +himself, the things that were below him, and, from length of +practice, manage well to shape their course without him, were +moving now and managing themselves with moderation. + +The tone of the clouds was very mild, and so was the color of the +sea. A comely fog involved the day, and a decent mist restrained +the night from ostentatious waste of stars. It was not such very +bad weather; but a captious man might find fault with it, and only +a thoroughly cheerful one could enlarge upon its merits. Plainly +enough these might be found by anybody having any core of rest +inside him, or any gift of turning over upon a rigidly neutral +side, and considerably outgazing the color of his eyes. + +Commander Nettlebones was not of poetic, philosophic, or vague +mind. "What a ----- fog!" he exclaimed in the morning; and he used +the same words in the afternoon, through a speaking-trumpet, as the +two other cutters ranged up within hail. This they did very +carefully, at the appointed rendezvous, toward the fall of the +afternoon, and hauled their wind under easy sail, shivering in the +southwestern breeze. + +"Not half so bad as it was," returned Bowler, being of a cheerful +mind. "It is lifting every minute, sir. Have you had sight of +anything?" + +"Not a blessed stick, except a fishing-boat. What makes you ask, +lieutenant?" + +"Why, sir, as we rounded in, it lifted for a moment, and I saw a +craft some two leagues out, standing straight in for us." + +"The devil you did! What was she like? and where away, +lieutenant?" + +"A heavy lugger, under all sail, about E.N.E, as near as may be. +She is standing for Robin Hood's Bay, I believe. In an hour's time +she will be upon us, if the weather keeps so thick." + +"She may have seen you, and sheered off. Stand straight for her, +as nigh as you can guess. The fog is lifting, as you say. If you +sight her, signal instantly. Lieutenant Donovan, have you heard +Bowler's news?" + +"Sure an' if it wasn't for the fog, I would. Every word of it come +to me, as clear as seeing." + +"Very well. Carry on a little to the south, half a league or so, +and then stand out, but keep within sound of signal. I shall bear +up presently. It is clearing every minute, and we must nab them." + +The fog began to rise in loops and alleys, with the upward pressure +of the evening breeze, which freshened from the land in lines and +patches, according to the run of cliff. Here the water darkened +with the ruffle of the wind, and there it lay quiet, with a glassy +shine, or gentle shadows of variety. Soon the three cruisers saw +one another clearly; and then they all sighted an approaching sail. + +This was a full-bowed vessel, of quaint rig, heavy sheer, and +extraordinary build--a foreigner clearly, and an ancient one. She +differed from a lugger as widely as a lugger differs from a +schooner, and her broad spread of canvas combined the features of +square and of fore-and-aft tackle. But whatever her build or rig +might be, she was going through the water at a strapping pace, +heavily laden as she was, with her long yards creaking, and her +broad frame croaking, and her deep bows driving up the fountains of +the sea. Her enormous mainsail upon the mizzenmast--or mainmast, +for she only carried two--was hung obliquely, yet not as a +lugger's, slung at one-third of its length, but bent to a long yard +hanging fore and aft, with a long fore-end sloping down to midship. +This great sail gave her vast power, when close hauled; and she +carried a square sail on the foremast, and a square sail on either +topmast. + +"Lord, have mercy! She could run us all down if she tried!" +exclaimed Commander Nettlebones; "and what are my pop-guns against +such beam?" + +For a while the bilander seemed to mean to try it, for she carried +on toward the central cruiser as if she had not seen one of them. +Then, beautifully handled, she brought to, and was scudding before +the wind in another minute, leading them all a brave stern-chase +out to sea. + +"It must be that dare-devil Lyth himself," Nettlebones said, as the +Swordfish strained, with all canvas set, but no gain made; "no +other fellow in all the world would dare to beard us in this style. +I'd lay ten guineas that Donovan's guns won't go off, if he tries +them. Ah, I thought so--a fizz, and a stink--trust an Irishman." + +For this gallant lieutenant, slanting toward the bows of the flying +bilander, which he had no hope of fore-reaching, trained his long +swivel-gun upon her, and let go--or rather tried to let go--at her. +But his powder was wet, or else there was some stoppage; for the +only result was a spurt of smoke inward, and a powdery eruption on +his own red cheeks. + +"I wish I could have heard him swear," grumbled Nettlebones; "that +would have been worth something. But Bowler is further out. +Bowler will cross her bows, and he is not a fool. Don't be in a +hurry, my fine Bob Lyth. You are not clear yet, though you crack +on like a trooper. Well done, Bowler, you have headed him! By +Jove, I don't understand these tactics. Stand by there! She is +running back again." + +To the great amazement of all on board the cruisers, except perhaps +one or two, the great Dutch vessel, which might haply have escaped +by standing on her present course, spun round like a top, and bore +in again among her three pursuers. She had the heels of all of +them before the wind, and might have run down any intercepter, but +seemed not to know it, or to lose all nerve. "Thank the Lord in +heaven, all rogues are fools! She may double as she will, but she +is ours now. Signal Albatross and Kestrel to stand in." + +In a few minutes all four were standing for the bay; the Dutch +vessel leading with all sail set, the cruisers following warily, +and spreading, to head her from the north or south. It was plain +that they had her well in the toils; she must either surrender or +run ashore; close hauled as she was, she could not run them down, +even if she would dream of such an outrage. + +So far from showing any sign of rudeness was the smuggling vessel, +that she would not even plead want of light as excuse for want of +courtesy. For running past the royal cutters, who took much longer +to come about, she saluted each of them with deep respect for the +swallowtail of his Majesty. And then she bore on, like the +admiral's ship, with signal for all to follow her. + +"Such cursed impudence never did I see," cried every one of the +revenue skippers, as they all were compelled to obey her. +"Surrender she must, or else run upon the rocks. Does the fool +know what he is driving at?" + +The fool, who was Master James Brown of Grimsby, knew very well +what he was about. Every shoal, and sounding, and rocky gut, was +thoroughly familiar to him, and the spread of faint light on the +waves and alongshore told him all his bearings. The loud cackle of +laughter, which Grimsby men (at the cost of the rest of the world) +enjoy, was carried by the wind to the ears of Nettlebones. + +The latter set fast his teeth, and ground them; for now in the +rising of the large full moon he perceived that the beach of the +cove was black with figures gathering rapidly. "I see the +villain's game; it is all clear now," he shouted, as he slammed his +spy-glass. "He means to run in where we dare not follow: and he +knows that Carroway is out of hail. The hull may go smash for the +sake of the cargo; and his flat-bottomed tub can run where we can +not. I dare not carry after him--court-martial if I do: that is +where those fellows beat us always. But, by the Lord Harry, he +shall not prevail! Guns are no good--the rogue knows that. We +will land round the point, and nab him." + +By this time the moon was beginning to open the clouds, and strew +the waves with light; and the vapors, which had lain across the +day, defying all power of sun ray, were gracefully yielding, and +departing softly, at the insinuating whisper of the gliding night. +Between the busy rolling of the distant waves, and the shining +prominence of forward cliffs, a quiet space was left for ships to +sail in, and for men to show activity in shooting one another. And +some of these were hurrying to do so, if they could. + +"There is little chance of hitting them in this bad light; but let +them have it, Jakins; and a guinea for you, if you can only bring +that big mainsail down." + +The gunner was yearning for this, and the bellow of his piece +responded to the captain's words. But the shot only threw up a +long path of fountains, and the bilander ploughed on as merrily as +before. + +"Hard aport! By the Lord, I felt her touch! Go about! So, so-- +easy! Now lie to, for Kestrel and Albatross to join. My certy! +but that was a narrow shave. How the beggar would have laughed if +we had grounded! Give them another shot. It will do the gun good; +she wants a little exercise." + +Nothing loath was master gunner, as the other bow-gun came into +bearing, to make a little more noise in the world, and possibly +produce a greater effect. And therein he must have had a grand +success, and established a noble reputation, by carrying off a +great Grimsby head, if he only had attended to a little matter. +Gunner Jakins was a celebrated shot, and the miss he had made +stirred him up to shoot again. If the other gun was crooked, this +one should be straight; and dark as it was inshore, he got a patch +of white ground to sight by. The bilander was a good sizable +object, and not to hit her anywhere would be too bad. He +considered these things carefully, and cocked both eyes, with a +twinkling ambiguity between them; then trusting mainly to the left +one, as an ancient gunner for the most part does, he watched the +due moment, and fired. The smoke curled over the sea, and so did +the Dutchman's maintop-sail, for the mast beneath it was cut clean +through. Some of the crew were frightened, as may be the bravest +man when for the first time shot at; but James Brown rubbed his +horny hands. + +"Now this is a good judgment for that younker Robin Lyth," he +shouted aloud, with the glory of a man who has verified his own +opinions. "He puts all the danger upon his elders, and tells them +there is none of it. A' might just as well have been my head, if a +wave hadn't lifted the muzzle when that straight-eyed chap let +fire. Bear a hand, boys, and cut away the wreck. He hathn't got +never another shot to send. He hath saved us trouble o' shortening +that there canvas. We don't need too much way on her." + +This was true enough, as all hands knew; for the craft was bound to +take the beach, without going to pieces yet awhile. Jem Brown +stood at the wheel himself, and carried her in with consummate +skill. + +"It goeth to my heart to throw away good stuff," he grumbled at +almost every creak. "Two hunder pound I would 'a paid myself for +this here piece of timber. Steady as a light-house, and as handy +as a mop; but what do they young fellows care? There, now, my +lads, hold your legs a moment; and now make your best of that." + +"With a crash, and a grating, and a long sad grind, the nuptial ark +of the wealthy Dutchman cast herself into her last bed and berth. + +"I done it right well," said the Grimsby man. + +The poor old bilander had made herself such a hole in the shingle +that she rolled no more, but only lifted at the stern and groaned, +as the quiet waves swept under her. The beach was swarming with +men, who gave her a cheer, and flung their hats up; and in two or +three minutes as many gangways of timber and rope were rigged to +her hawse-holes, or fore-chains, or almost anywhere. And then the +rolling of puncheons began, and the hoisting of bales, and the +thump and the creak, and the laughter, and the swearing. + +"Now be you partiklar, uncommon partiklar; never start a stave nor +fray a bale. Powerful precious stuff this time. Gold every bit of +it, if it are a penny. They blessed coast-riders will be on us +round the point. But never you hurry, lads, the more for that. +Better a'most to let 'em have it, than damage a drop or a thread of +such goods." + +"All right, Cappen Brown. Don't you be so wonnerful unaisy. Not +the first time we have handled such stuff." + +"I'm not so sure of that," replied Brown, as he lit a short pipe +and began to puff. "I've a-run some afore, but never none so +precious." + +Then the men of the coast and the sailors worked with a will, by +the broad light of the moon, which showed their brawny arms and +panting chests, with the hoisting, and the heaving, and the +rolling. In less than an hour three-fourths of the cargo was +landed, and some already stowed inland, where no Preventive eye +could penetrate. Then Captain Brown put away his pipe, and was +busy, in a dark empty part of the hold, with some barrels of his +own, which he covered with a sailcloth. + +Presently the tramp of marching men was heard in a lane on the +north side of the cove, and then the like sound echoed from the +south. "Now never you hurry," said the Grimsby man. The others, +however, could not attain such standard of equanimity. They fell +into sudden confusion, and babble of tongues, and hesitation-- +everybody longing to be off, but nobody liking to run without +something good. And to get away with anything at all substantial, +even in the dark, was difficult, because there were cliffs in +front, and the flanks would be stopped by men with cutlasses. + +"Ston' you still," cried Captain Brown; "never you budge, ne'er a +one of ye. I stands upon my legitimacy; and I answer for the +consekence. I takes all responsibility." + +Like all honest Britons, they loved long words, and they knew that +if the worst came to the worst, a mere broken head or two would +make all straight; so they huddled together in the moonlight +waiting, and no one desired to be the outside man. And while they +were striving for precedence toward the middle, the coast-guards +from either side marched upon them, according to their very best +drill and in high discipline, to knock down almost any man with the +pommel of the sword. + +But the smugglers also showed high discipline under the commanding +voice of Captain Brown. + +"Every man ston' with his hands to his sides, and ask of they +sojjers for a pinch of bacca." + +This made them laugh, till Captain Nettlebones strode up. + +"In the name of his Majesty, surrender, all you fellows. You are +fairly caught in the very act of landing a large run of goods +contraband. It is high time to make an example of you. Where is +your skipper, lads? Robin Lyth, come forth." + +"May it please your good honor and his Majesty's commission," said +Brown, in his full, round voice, as he walked down the broadest of +the gangways leisurely, "my name is not Robin Lyth, but James +Brown, a family man of Grimsby, and an honest trader upon the high +seas. My cargo is medical water and rags, mainly for the use of +the revenue men, by reason they han't had their new uniforms this +twelve months." + +Several of the enemy began to giggle, for their winter supply of +clothes had failed, through some lapse of the department. But +Nettlebones marched up, and collared Captain Brown, and said, "You +are my prisoner, sir. Surrender, Robin Lyth, this moment." Brown +made no resistance, but respectfully touched his hat, and thought. + +"I were trying to call upon my memory," he said, as the revenue +officer led him aside, and promised him that he should get off +easily if he would only give up his chief. "I am not going to +deny, your honor, that I have heard tell of that name 'Robin Lyth.' +But my memory never do come in a moment. Now were he a man in the +contraband line?" + +"Brown, you want to provoke me. It will only be ten times worse +for you. Now give him up like an honest fellow, and I will do my +best for you. I might even let a few tubs slip by." + +"Sir, I am a stranger round these parts; and the lingo is beyond +me. Tubs is a bucket as the women use for washing. Never I heared +of any other sort of tubs. But my mate he knoweth more of +Yorkshire talk. Jack, here his honor is a-speaking about tubs; +ever you hear of tubs, Jack?" + +"Make the villain fast to yonder mooring-post," shouted +Nettlebones, losing his temper; "and one of you stand by him, with +a hanger ready. Now, Master Brown, we'll see what tubs are, if you +please; and what sort of rags you land at night. One chance more +for you--will you give up Robin Lyth?" + +"Yes, sir, that I will, without two thoughts about 'un. Only too +happy, as the young women say, to give 'un up, quick stick--so soon +as ever I ha' got 'un." + +"If ever there was a contumacious rogue! Roll up a couple of those +puncheons, Mr. Avery; and now light half a dozen links. Have you +got your spigot-heels--and rummers? Very good; Lieutenant Donovan, +Mr. Avery, and Senior Volunteer Brett, oblige me by standing by to +verify. Gentlemen, we will endeavor to hold what is judicially +called an assay--a proof of the purity of substances. The brand on +these casks is of the very highest order--the renowned Mynheer Van +Dunck himself. Donovan, you shall be our foreman; I have heard you +say that you understood ardent spirits from your birth." + +"Faix, and I quite forget, commander, whether I was weaned on or +off of them. But the foine judge me father was come down till me-- +honey, don't be narvous; slope it well, then--a little thick, is +it? All the richer for that same, me boy. Commander, here's the +good health of his Majesty--Oh Lord!" + +Mr. Corkoran Donovan fell down upon the shingle, and rolled and +bellowed: "Sure me inside's out! 'Tis poisoned I am, every +mortial bit o' me. A docthor, a docthor, and a praste, to kill me! +That ever I should live to die like this! Ochone, ochone, every +bit of me; to be brought forth upon good whiskey, and go out of the +world upon docthor's stuff!" + +"Most folk does that, when they ought to turn ends t'otherwise." +James Brown of Grimsby could see how things were going, though his +power to aid was restricted by a double turn of rope around him; +but a kind hand had given him a pipe, and his manner was to take +things easily. "Commander, or captain, or whatever you be, with +your king's clothes, constructing a hole in they flints, never you +fear, sir. 'Tis medical water, and your own wife wouldn't know you +to-morrow. Your complexion will be like a hangel's." + +"You d----d rogue," cried Nettlebones, striding up, with his sword +flashing in the link-lights, "if ever I had a mind to cut any man +down--" + +"Well, sir, do it, then, upon a roped man, if the honor of the +British navy calleth for it. My will is made, and my widow will +have action; and the executioner of my will is a Grimsby man, with +a pile of money made in the line of salt fish, and such like." + +"Brown, you are a brave man. I would scorn to harm you. Now, upon +your honor, are all your puncheons filled with that stuff, and +nothing else?" + +"Upon my word of honor, sir, they are. Some a little weaker, some +with more bilge-water in it, or a trifle of a dash from the midden. +The main of it, however, in the very same condition as a' bubbleth +out of what they call the spawses. Why, captain, you must 'a lived +long enough to know, partiklar if gifted with a family, that no +sort of spirit as were ever stilled will fetch so much money by the +gallon, duty paid, as the doctor's stuff doth by the phial-bottle." + +"That is true enough; but no lies, Brown, particularly when upon +your honor! If you were importing doctor's stuff, why did you lead +us such a dance, and stand fire?" + +"Well, your honor, you must promise not to be offended, if I tell +you of a little mistake we made. We heared a sight of talk about +some pirate craft as hoisteth his Majesty's flag upon their +villainy. And when first you come up, in the dusk of the night--" + +"You are the most impudent rogue I ever saw. Show your bills of +lading, sir. You know his Majesty's revenue cruisers as well as I +know your smuggling tub." + +"Ship's papers are aboard of her, all correct, sir. Keys at your +service, if you please to feel my pocket, objecting to let my hands +loose." + +"Very well, I must go on board of her, and test a few of your +puncheons and bales, Master Brown. Locker in the master's own +cabin, I suppose?" + +"Yes, sir, plain as can be, on the starboard side, just behind the +cabin door. Only your honor must be smart about it; the time-fuse +can't 'a got three inches left." + +"Time-fuse? What do you mean, you Grimsby villain?" + +"Nothing, commander, but to keep you out of mischief. When we were +compelled to beach the old craft, for fear of them scoundrelly +pirates, it came into my head what a pity it would be to have her +used illegal; for she do outsail a'most everything, as your honor +can bear witness. So I just laid a half-hour fuse to three big- +powder barrels as is down there in the hold; and I expect to see a +blow-up almost every moment. But your honor might be in time yet, +with a run, and good luck to your foot, you might--" + +"Back, lads! back every one of you this moment!" The first concern +of Nettlebones was rightly for his men. "Under the cliff here. +Keep well back. Push out those smuggler fellows into the middle. +Let them have the benefit of their own inventions, and this +impudent Brown the foremost. They have laid a train to their +powder barrels, and the lugger will blow up any moment." + +"No fear for me, commander," James Brown shouted through the hurry +and jostle of a hundred runaways. "More fear for that poor man as +lieth there a-lurching. She won't hit me when she bloweth up, no +more than your honor could. But surely your duty demandeth of you +to board the old bilander, and take samples." + +"Sample enough of you, my friend. But I haven't quite done with +you yet. Simpson, here, bear a hand with poor Lieutenant Donovan." + +Nettlebones set a good example by lifting the prostrate Irishman; +and they bore him into safety, and drew up there; while the +beachmen, forbidden the shelter at point of cutlass, made off right +and left; and then, with a crash that shook the strand and drove +back the water in a white turmoil, the Crown of Gold flew into a +fount of timbers, splinters, shreds, smoke, fire, and dust. + +"Gentlemen, you may come out of your holes," the Grimsby man +shouted from his mooring-post, as the echoes ran along the cliffs, +and rolled to and fro in the distance. "My old woman will miss a +piece of my pigtail, but she hathn't hurt her old skipper else. +She blowed up handsome, and no mistake! No more danger, gentlemen, +and plenty of stuff to pick up afore next pay-day." + +"What shall we do with that insolent hound?" Nettlebones asked poor +Donovan, who was groaning in slow convalescence. "We have caught +him in nothing. We can not commit him; we can not even duck him +legally." + +"Be jabers, let him drink his health in his own potheen." + +"Capital! Bravo for old Ireland, my friend! You shall see it +done, and handsomely. Brown, you recommend these waters, so you +shall have a dose of them." + +A piece of old truncate kelp was found, as good a drinking horn as +need be; and with this Captain Brown was forced to swallow half a +bucketful of his own "medical water"; and they left him fast at his +moorings, to reflect upon this form of importation. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + +BEARDED IN HIS DEN + + +"What do you think of it by this time, Bowler?" Commander +Nettlebones asked his second, who had been left in command afloat, +and to whom they rowed back in a wrathful mood, with a good deal of +impression that the fault was his, "You have been taking it easily +out here. What do you think of the whole of it?" + +"I have simply obeyed your orders, sir; and if I am to be blamed +for that, I had better offer no opinion." + +"No, no, I am finding no fault with you. Don't be so tetchy, +Bowler. I seek your opinion, and you are bound to give it." + +"Well, then, sir, my opinion is that they have made fools of the +lot of us, excepting, of course, my superior officer." + +"You think so, Bowler? Well, and so do I--and myself the biggest +fool of any. They have charged our centre with a dummy cargo, +while they run the real stuff far on either flank. Is that your +opinion?" + +"To a nicety, that is my opinion, now that you put it so clearly, +sir." + +"The trick is a clumsy one, and never should succeed. Carroway +ought to catch one lot, if he has a haporth of sense in him. What +is the time now; and how is the wind?" + +"I hear a church clock striking twelve; and by the moon it must be +that. The wind is still from the shore, but veering, and I felt a +flaw from the east just now." + +"If the wind works round, our turn will come. Is Donovan fit for +duty yet?" + +"Ten times fit, sir--to use his own expression. He is burning to +have at somebody. His eyes work about like the binnacle's card." + +"Then board him, and order him to make all sail for Burlington, and +see what old Carroway is up to. You be off for Whitby, and as far +as Teesmouth, looking into every cove you pass. I shall stand off +and on from this to Scarborough, and as far as Filey. Short +measures, mind, if you come across them. If I nab that fellow +Lyth, I shall go near to hanging him as a felon outlaw. His trick +is a little too outrageous." + +"No fear, commander. If it is as we suppose, it is high time to +make a strong example." + +Hours had been lost, as the captains of the cruisers knew too well +by this time. Robin Lyth's stratagem had duped them all, while the +contraband cargoes might be landed safely, at either extremity of +their heat. By the aid of the fishing-boats, he had learned their +manoeuvres clearly, and outmanoeuvred them. + +Now it would have been better for him, perhaps, to have been +content with a lesser triumph, and to run his own schooner, the +Glimpse, further south, toward Hornsea, or even Aldbrough. +Nothing, however, would satisfy him but to land his fine cargo at +Carroway's own door--a piece of downright insolence, for which he +paid out most bitterly. A man of his courage and lofty fame should +have been above such vindictive feelings. But, as it was, he +cherished and, alas! indulged a certain small grudge against the +bold lieutenant, scarcely so much for endeavoring to shoot him, as +for entrapping him at Byrsa Cottage, during the very sweetest +moment of his life. "You broke in disgracefully," said the +smuggler to himself, "upon my privacy when it should have been most +sacred. The least thing I can do is to return your visit, and pay +my respects to Mrs. Carroway and your interesting family," + +Little expecting such a courtesy as this, the vigilant officer was +hurrying about, here, there, and almost everywhere (except in the +right direction), at one time by pinnace, at another upon +horseback, or on his unwearied though unequal feet. He carried his +sword in one hand, and his spy-glass in the other, and at every fog +he swore so hard that he seemed to turn it yellow. With his heart +worn almost into holes, as an overmangled quilt is, by burdensome +roll of perpetual lies, he condemned, with a round mouth, +smugglers, cutters, the coast-guard and the coast itself, the +weather, and, with a deeper depth of condemnation, the farmers, +landladies, and fishermen. For all of these verily seemed to be in +league to play him the game which school-boys play with a gentle- +faced new-comer--the game of "send the fool further." + +John Gristhorp, of the "Ship Inn," at Filey, had turned out his +visitors, barred his door, and was counting his money by the +fireside, with his wife grumbling at him for such late hours as +half past ten of the clock in the bar, that night when the poor +bilander ended her long career as aforesaid. Then a thundering +knock at the door just fastened made him upset a little pyramid of +pence, and catch up the iron candlestick. + +"None of your roistering here!" cried the lady. "John, you know +better than to let them in, I hope." + +"Copper coomth by daa, goold coomth t'naight-time," the sturdy +publican answered, though resolved to learn who it was before +unbarring. + +"In the name of the King, undo this door," a deep stern voice +resounded, "or by royal command we make splinters of it." + +"It is that horrible Carroway again," whispered Mrs. Gristhorp. +"Much gold comes of him, I doubt. Let him in if you dare, John." + +"'Keep ma oot, if ye de-arr,' saith he. Ah'll awand here's the +tail o' it." + +While Gristhorp, in wholesome fealty to his wife, was doubting, the +door flew open, and in marched Carroway and all his men, or at +least all save one of his present following. He had ordered his +pinnace to meet him here, himself having ridden from Scarborough, +and the pinnace had brought the jolly-boat in tow, according to his +directions. The men had landed with the jolly-boat, which was +handier for beach work, leaving one of their number to mind the +larger craft while they should refresh themselves. They were nine +in all, and Carroway himself the tenth, all sturdy fellows, and for +the main of it tolerably honest; Cadman, Ellis, and Dick +Hackerbody, and one more man from Bridlington, the rest a re- +enforcement from Spurn Head, called up for occasion. + +"Landlord, produce your best, and quickly," the officer said, as he +threw himself into the arm-chair of state, being thoroughly tired. +"In one hour's time we must be off. Therefore, John, bring nothing +tough, for our stomachs are better than our teeth. A shilling per +head is his Majesty's price, and half a crown for officers. Now a +gallon of ale, to begin with." + +Gristhorp, being a prudent man, brought the very toughest parts of +his larder forth, with his wife giving nudge to his elbow. All, +and especially Carroway, too hungry for nice criticism, fell to, by +the light of three tallow candles, and were just getting into the +heart of it, when the rattle of horseshoes on the pitch-stones +shook the long low window, and a little boy came staggering in, +with scanty breath, and dazzled eyes, and a long face pale with +hurrying so. + +"Why, Tom, my boy!" the lieutenant cried, jumping up so suddenly +that he overturned the little table at which he was feeding by +himself, to preserve the proper discipline. "Tom, my darling, what +has brought you here? Anything wrong with your mother?" + +"Nobody wouldn't come, but me," Carroway's eldest son began to +gasp, with his mouth full of crying; "and I borrowed Butcher +Hewson's pony, and he's going to charge five shillings for it." + +"Never mind that. We shall not have to pay it. But what is it all +about, my son?" + +"About the men that are landing the things, just opposite our front +door, father. They have got seven carts, and a wagon with three +horses, and one of the horses is three colors; and ever so many +ponies, more than you could count." + +"Well, then, may I be forever"--here the lieutenant used an +expression which not only was in breach of the third commandment, +but might lead his son to think less of the fifth--"if it isn't +more than I can bear! To be running a cargo at my own hall door!" +He had a passage large enough to hang three hats in, which the lady +of the house always called "the hall." "Very well, very good, very +fine indeed! You sons of"--an animal that is not yet accounted the +mother of the human race--"have you done guzzling and swizzling?" + +The men who were new to his orders jumped up, for they liked his +expressions, by way of a change; but the Bridlington squad stuck to +their trenchers. "Ready in five minutes, sir," said Cadman, with a +glance neither loving nor respectful. + +"If ever there was an old hog for the trough, the name of him is +John Cadman. In ten minutes, lads, we must all be afloat." + +"One more against you," muttered Cadman; and a shrewd quiet man +from Spurn Head, Adam Andrews, heard him, and took heed of him. + +While the men of the coast-guard were hurrying down to make ready +the jolly-boat and hail the pinnace, Carroway stopped to pay the +score, and to give his son some beer and meat. The thirsty little +fellow drained his cup, and filled his mouth and both hands with +food, while the landlady picked out the best bits for him. + +"Don't talk, my son--don't try to talk," said Carroway, looking +proudly at him, while the boy was struggling to tell his +adventures, without loss of feeding-time; "you are a chip of the +old block, Tom, for victualling, and for riding too. Kind madam, +you never saw such a boy before. Mark my words, he will do more in +the world than ever his father did, and his father was pretty well +known in his time, in the Royal Navy, ma'am. To have stuck to his +horse all that way in the dark was wonderful, perfectly wonderful. +And the horse blows more than the rider, ma'am, which is quite +beyond my experience. Now, Tom, ride home very carefully and +slowly, if you feel quite equal to it. The Lord has watched over +you, and He will continue, as He does with brave folk that do their +duty. Half a crown you shall have, all for yourself, and the +sixpenny boat that you longed for in the shops. Keep out of the +way of the smugglers, Tom; don't let them even clap eyes on you. +Kiss me, my son; I am proud of you." + +Little Tom long remembered this; and his mother cried over it +hundreds of times. + +Although it was getting on for midnight now, Master Gristhorp and +his wife came out into the road before their house, to see the +departure of their guests. And this they could do well, because +the moon had cleared all the fog away, and was standing in a good +part of the sky for throwing clear light upon Filey. Along the +uncovered ridge of shore, which served for a road, and was better +than a road, the boy and the pony grew smaller; while upon the +silvery sea the same thing happened to the pinnace, with her white +sails bending, and her six oars glistening. + +"The world goeth up, and the world goeth down," said the lady, with +her arms akimbo; "and the moon goeth over the whole of us, John; +but to my heart I do pity poor folk as canna count the time to have +the sniff of their own blankets." + +"Margery, I loikes the moon, as young as ever ye da. But I sooner +see the snuff of our own taller, a-going out, fra the bed- +curtings." + +Shaking their heads with concrete wisdom, they managed to bar the +door again, and blessing their stars that they did not often want +them, took shelter beneath the quiet canopy of bed. And when they +heard by-and-by what had happened, it cost them a week apiece to +believe it; because with their own eyes they had seen everything so +peaceable, and had such a good night afterward. + +When a thing is least expected, then it loves to come to pass, and +then it is enjoyed the most, whatever good there is of it. After +the fog and the slur of the day, to see the sky at all was joyful, +although there was but a white moon upon it, and faint stars +gliding hazily. And it was a great point for every man to be +satisfied as to where he was; because that helps him vastly toward +being satisfied to be there. The men in the pinnace could see +exactly where they were in this world; and as to the other world, +their place was fixed--if discipline be an abiding gift--by the +stern precision of their commander in ordering the lot of them to +the devil. They carried all sail, and they pulled six oars, and +the wind and sea ran after them, + +"Ha! I see something!" Carroway cried, after a league or more of +swearing. "Dick, the night glass; my eyes are sore. What do you +make her out for?" + +"Sir, she is the Spurn Head yawl," answered Dick Hackerbody, who +was famed for long sight, but could see nothing with a telescope. +"I can see the patch of her foresail." + +"She is looking for us. We are the wrong way of the moon. Ship +oars, lads; bear up for her." + +In ten minutes' time the two boats came to speaking distance off +Bempton Cliffs, and the windmill, that vexed Willie Anerley so, +looked bare and black on the highland. There were only two men in +the Spurn Head boat--not half enough to manage her. "Well, what is +it?" shouted Carroway. + +"Robin Lyth has made his land-fall on Burlington Sands, opposite +your honor's door, sir. There was only two of us to stop him, and +the man as is deaf and dumb." + +"I know it," said Carroway, too wroth to swear. "My boy of eight +years old is worth the entire boiling of you. You got into a +rabbit-hole, and ran to tell your mammy." + +"Captain, I never had no mammy," the other man answered, with his +feelings hurt. "I come to tell you, sir; and something, if you +please, for your own ear, if agreeable." + +"Nothing is agreeable. But let me have it. Hold on; I will come +aboard of you." + +The lieutenant stepped into the Spurn Head boat with confident +activity, and ordered his own to haul off a little, while the +stranger bent down to him in the stern, and whispered. + +"Now are you quite certain of this?" asked Carroway, with his grim +face glowing in the moonlight, "I have had such a heap of cock and +bulls about it. Morcom, are you certain?" + +"As certain, sir, as that I stand here, and you sit there, +commander. Put me under guard, with a pistol to my ear, and shoot +me if it turns out to be a lie." + +"The Dovecote, you say? You are quite sure of that, and not the +Kirk Cave, or Lyth's Hole?" + +"Sir, the Dovecote, and no other. I had it from my own young +brother, who has been cheated of his share. And I know it from my +own eyes too." + +"Then, by the Lord in heaven, Morcom, I shall have my revenge at +last; and I shall not stand upon niceties. If I call for the +jolly-boat, you step in. I doubt if either of these will enter." + +It was more than a fortnight since the lieutenant had received the +attentions of a barber, and when he returned to his own boat, and +changed her course inshore, he looked most bristly even in the +moonlight. The sea and the moon between them gave quite light +enough to show how gaunt he was--the aspect of a man who can not +thrive without his children to make play, and his wife to do +cookery for him. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + +THE DOVECOTE + + +With the tiller in his hand, the brave lieutenant meditated sadly. +There was plenty of time for thought before quick action would be +needed, although the Dovecote was so near that no boat could come +out of it unseen. For the pinnace was fetching a circuit, so as to +escape the eyes of any sentinel, if such there should be at the +mouth of the cavern, and to come upon the inlet suddenly. And the +two other revenue boats were in her wake. + +The wind was slowly veering toward the east, as the Grimsby man had +predicted, with no sign of any storm as yet, but rather a prospect +of winterly weather, and a breeze to bring the woodcocks in. The +gentle rise and fall of waves, or rather, perhaps, of the tidal +flow, was checkered and veined with a ripple of the slanting +breeze, and twinkled in the moonbeams. For the moon was brightly +mounting toward her zenith, and casting bastions of rugged cliff in +gloomy largeness on the mirror of the sea. Hugging these as +closely as their peril would allow, Carroway ordered silence, and +with the sense of coming danger thought: + +"Probably I shall kill this man. He will scarcely be taken alive, +I fear. He is as brave as myself, or braver; and in his place I +would never yield. If he were a Frenchman, it would be all right. +But I hate to kill a gallant Englishman. And such a pretty girl, +and a good girl too, loves him with all her heart, I know. And +that good old couple who depend upon him, and who have had such +shocking luck themselves! He has been a bitter plague to me, and +often I have longed to strike him down. But to-night--I can not +tell why it is--I wish there were some way out of it. God knows +that I would give up the money, and give up my thief-catching +business too, if the honor of the service let me. But duty drives +me; do it I must. And after all, what is life to a man who is +young, and has no children? Better over, better done with, before +the troubles and the disappointment come, the weariness, and the +loss of power, and the sense of growing old, and seeing the little +ones hungry. Life is such a fleeting vapor--I smell some man +sucking peppermint! The smell of it goes on the wind for a mile. +Oh! Cadman again, as usual. Peppermint in the Royal Coast-Guard! +Away with it, you ancient beldame!" + +Muttering something about his bad tooth, the man flung his lozenge +away; and his eyes flashed fire in the moonlight, while the rest +grinned a low grin at him. And Adam Andrews, sitting next him, saw +him lay hands upon his musketoon. + +"Are your firelocks all primed, my lads?" the commander asked, +quite as if he had seen him, although he had not been noticing; and +the foremost to answer "Ay, ay, sir," was Cadman. + +"Then be sure that you fire not, except at my command. We will +take them without shedding blood, if it may be. But happen what +will, we must have Lyth." + +With these words, Carroway drew his sword, and laid it on the bench +beside him; and the rest (who would rather use steel than powder) +felt that their hangers were ready. Few of them wished to strike +at all; for vexed as they were with the smugglers for having +outwitted them so often, as yet there was no bad blood between +them, such as must be quenched with death. And some of them had +friends, and even relatives, among the large body of free-traders, +and counted it too likely that they might be here. + +Meanwhile in the cave there was rare work going on, speedily, +cleverly, and with a merry noise. There was only one boat, with a +crew of six men, besides Robin Lyth the captain; but the six men +made noise enough for twelve, and the echoes made it into twice +enough for any twenty-four. The crew were trusty, hardy fellows, +who liked their joke, and could work with it; and Robin Lyth knew +them too well to attempt any high authority of gagging. The main +of their cargo was landed and gone inland, as snugly as need be; +and having kept beautifully sober over that, they were taking the +liberty of beginning to say, or rather sip, the grace of the fine +indulgence due to them. + +Pleasant times make pleasant scenes, and everything now was fair +and large in this happy cave of freedom. Lights of bright resin +were burning, with strong flare and fume, upon shelves of rock; +dark water softly went lapping round the sides, having dropped all +rude habits at the entrance; and a pulse of quiet rise and fall +opened, and spread to the discovery of light, tremulous fronds and +fans of kelp. The cavern, expanding and mounting from the long +narrow gut of its inlet, shone with staves of snowy crag wherever +the scour of the tide ran round; bulged and scooped, or peaked and +fissured, and sometimes beautifully sculptured by the pliant tools +of water. Above the tide-reach darker hues prevailed, and more +jagged outline, tufted here and there with yellow, where the lichen +freckles spread. And the vault was framed of mountain fabric, +massed with ponderous gray slabs. + +All below was limpid water, or at any rate not very muddy, but as +bright as need be for the time of year, and a sea which is not +tropical. No one may hope to see the bottom through ten feet of +water on the Yorkshire coast, toward the end of the month of +November; but still it tries to look clear upon occasion; and here +in the caves it settles down, after even a week free from churning. +And perhaps the fog outside had helped it to look clearer inside; +for the larger world has a share of the spirit of contrariety +intensified in man. + +Be that as it may, the water was too clear for any hope of sinking +tubs deeper than Preventive eyes could go; and the very honest +fellows who were laboring here had not brought any tubs to sink. +All such coarse gear was shipped off inland, as they vigorously +expressed it; and what they were concerned with now was the cream +and the jewel of their enterprise. + +The sea reserved exclusive right of way around the rocky sides, +without even a niche for human foot, so far as a stranger could +perceive. At the furthermost end of the cave, however, the craggy +basin had a lip of flinty pebbles and shelly sand. This was no +more than a very narrow shelf, just enough for a bather to plunge +from; but it ran across the broad end of the cavern, and from its +southern corner went a deep dry fissure mounting out of sight into +the body of the cliff. And here the smugglers were merrily at +work. + +The nose of their boat was run high upon the shingle; two men on +board of her were passing out the bales, while the other four +received them, and staggered with them up the cranny. Captain Lyth +himself was in the stern-sheets, sitting calmly, but ordering +everything, and jotting down the numbers. Now and then the gentle +wash was lifting the brown timbers, and swelling with a sleepy gush +of hushing murmurs out of sight. And now and then the heavy vault +was echoing with some sailor's song. + +There was only one more bale to land, and that the most precious of +the whole, being all pure lace most closely packed in a water-proof +inclosure. Robin Lyth himself was ready to indulge in a careless +song. For this, as he had promised Mary, was to be his last +illegal act. Henceforth, instead of defrauding the revenue, he +would most loyally cheat the public, as every reputable tradesman +must. How could any man serve his time more notably, toward shop- +keeping, and pave fairer way into the corporation of a grandly +corrupt old English town, than by long graduation of free trade? +And Robin was yet too young and careless to know that he could not +endure dull work. "How pleasant, how comfortable, how secure," he +was saying to himself, "it will be! I shall hardly be able to +believe that I ever lived in hardship." + +But the great laws of human nature were not to be balked so. Robin +Lyth, the prince of smugglers, and the type of hardihood, was never +to wear a grocer's apron, was never to be "licensed to sell tea, +coffee, tobacco, pepper, and snuff." For while he indulged in this +vain dream, and was lifting his last most precious bale, a surge of +neither wind nor tide, but of hostile invasion, washed the rocks, +and broke beneath his feet. + +In a moment all his wits returned, all his plenitude of resource, +and unequalled vigor and coolness. With his left hand--for he was +as ambidexter as a brave writer of this age requires--he caught up +a handspike, and hurled it so truly along the line of torches that +only two were left to blink; with his right he flung the last bale +upon the shelf; then leaped out after it, and hurried it away. +Then he sprang into the boat again, and held an oar in either hand. + +"In the name of the king, surrender," shouted Carroway, standing, +tall and grim, in the bow of the pinnace, which he had skillfully +driven through the entrance, leaving the other boats outside. "We +are three to one, we have muskets, and a cannon. In the name of +the king, surrender." + +"In the name of the devil, splash!" cried Robin, suiting the action +to the word, striking the water with both broad blades, while his +men snatched oars and did the same. A whirl of flashing water +filled the cave, as if with a tempest, soaked poor Carroway, and +drenched his sword, and deluged the priming of the hostile guns. +All was uproar, turmoil, and confusion thrice confounded; no man +could tell where he was, and the grappling boats reeled to and fro. + +"Club your muskets, and at 'em!" cried the lieutenant, mad with +rage, as the gunwale of his boat swung over. "Their blood be upon +their own heads; draw your hangers, and at 'em!" + +He never spoke another word, but furiously leaping at the smuggler +chief, fell back into his own boat, and died, without a syllable, +without a groan. The roar of a gun and the smoke of powder mingled +with the watery hubbub, and hushed in a moment all the oaths of +conflict. + +The revenue men drew back and sheathed their cutlasses, and laid +down their guns; some looked with terror at one another, and some +at their dead commander. His body lay across the heel of the mast, +which had been unstepped at his order; and a heavy drip of blood +was weltering into a ring upon the floor. + +For several moments no one spoke, nor moved, nor listened +carefully; but the fall of the poor lieutenant's death-drops, like +the ticking of a clock, went on. Until an old tar, who had seen a +sight of battles, crooked his legs across a thwart, and propped up +the limp head upon his doubled knee. + +"Dead as a door-nail," he muttered, after laying his ear to the +lips, and one hand on the too impetuous heart, "Who takes command? +This is a hanging job, I'm thinking." + +There was nobody to take command, not even a petty officer. The +command fell to the readiest mind, as it must in such catastrophes. +"Jem, you do it," whispered two or three; and being so elected, he +was clear. + +"Lay her broadside on to the mouth of the cave. Not a man stirs +out without killing me," old Jem shouted; and to hear a plain voice +was sudden relief to most of them. In the wavering dimness they +laid the pinnace across the narrow entrance, while the smugglers +huddled all together in their boat. "Burn two blue-lights," cried +old Jem; and it was done. + +"I'm not going to speechify to any cursed murderers," the old +sailor said, with a sense of authority which made him use mild +language; "but take heed of one thing, I'll blow you all to pieces +with this here four-pounder, without you strikes peremptory." + +The brilliance of the blue-lights filled the cavern, throwing out +everybody's attitude and features, especially those of the dead +lieutenant. "A fine job you have made of it this time!" said Jem. + +They were beaten, they surrendered, they could scarcely even speak +to assert their own innocence of such a wicked job. They submitted +to be bound, and cast down into their boat, imploring only that it +might be there--that they might not be taken to the other boat and +laid near the corpse of Carroway. + +"Let the white-livered cowards have their way," the old sailor +said, contemptuously. "Put their captain on the top of them. Now +which is Robin Lyth?" + +The lights were burned out, and the cave was dark again, except +when a slant of moonlight came through a fissure upon the southern +side. The smugglers muttered something, but they were not heeded. + +"Never mind, make her fast, fetch her out, you lubbers. We shall +see him well enough when we get outside." + +But in spite of all their certainty, they failed of this. They had +only six prisoners, and not one of them was Lyth. + + + +CHAPTER XXXV + +LITTLE CARROWAYS + + +Mrs. Carroway was always glad to be up quite early in the morning. +But some few mornings seemed to slip in between whiles when, in +accordance with human nature, and its operations in the baby stage, +even Lauta Carroway failed to be about the world before the sun +himself. Whenever this happened she was slightly cross, from the +combat of conscience and self-assertion, which fly at one another +worse than any dog and cat. Geraldine knew that her mother was put +out if any one of the household durst go down the stairs before +her. And yet if Geraldine herself held back, and followed the +example of late minutes, she was sure "to catch it worse," as the +poor child expressed it. + +If any active youth with a very small income (such as an active +youth is pretty sure to have) wants a good wife, and has the +courage to set out with one, his proper course is to choose the +eldest daughter of a numerous family. When the others come +thickly, this daughter of the house gets worked down into a +wonderful perfection of looking after others, while she overlooks +herself. Such a course is even better for her than to have a step- +mother--which also is a goodly thing, but sometimes leads to +sourness. Whereas no girl of any decent staple can revolt against +her duty to her own good mother, and the proud sense of fostering +and working for the little ones. Now Geraldine was wise in all +these ways, and pleased to be called the little woman of the house. + +The baby had been troublous in the night, and scant of reason, as +the rising race can be, even while so immature; and after being up +with it, and herself producing a long series of noises--which lead +to peace through the born desire of contradiction--the mother fell +asleep at last, perhaps from simple sympathy, and slept beyond her +usual hour. But instead of being grateful for this, she was angry +and bitter to any one awake before her. + +"I can not tell why it is," she said to Geraldine, who was toasting +a herring for her brothers and sisters, and enjoying the smell +(which was all that she would get), "but perpetually now you stand +exactly like your father. There is every excuse for your father, +because he is an officer, and has been knocked about, as he always +is; but there is no excuse for you, miss. Put your heel decently +under your dress. If we can afford nothing else, we can surely +afford to behave well." + +The child made no answer, but tucked her heel in, and went on +toasting nobly, while she counted the waves on the side of the +herring, where his ribs should have been if he were not too fat; +and she mentally divided him into seven pieces, not one of which, +alas! would be for hungry Geraldine. "Tom must have two, after +being out all night," she was saying to herself; "and to grudge him +would be greedy. But the bit of skin upon the toasting-fork will +be for me, I am almost sure." + +"Geraldine, the least thing you can do, when I speak to you, is to +answer. This morning you are in a most provoking temper, and +giving yourself the most intolerable airs. And who gave you leave +to do your hair like that? One would fancy that you were some +rising court beauty, or a child of the nobility at the very least, +instead of a plain little thing that has to work--or at any rate +that ought to work--to help its poor mother! Oh, now you are going +to cry, I suppose. Let me see a tear, and you shall go to bed +again." + +"Oh, mother, mother, now what do you think has happened?" little +Tom shouted, as he rushed in from the beach. "Father has caught +all the smugglers, every one, and the Royal George is coming home +before a spanking breeze, with three boats behind her, and they +can't be all ours; and one of them must belong to Robin Lyth +himself; and I would almost bet a penny they have been and shot +him; though everybody said that he never could be shot. Jerry, +come and look--never mind the old fish. I never did see such a +sight in all my life. They have got the jib-sail on him, so he +must be dead at last; and instead of half a crown, I am sure to get +a guinea. Come along, Jerry, and perhaps I'll give you some of +it!" + +"Tommy," said his mother, "you are always so impetuous! I never +will believe in such good luck until I see it. But you have been a +wonderfully good brave boy, and your father may thank you for +whatever he has done. I shall not allow Geraldine to go; for she +is not a good child this morning. And of course I can not go +myself, for your father will come home absolutely starving. And it +would not be right for the little ones to go, if things are at all +as you suppose. Now, if I let you go yourself, you are not to go +beyond the flag-staff. Keep far away from the boats, remember; +unless your father calls for you to run on any errand. All the +rest of you go in here, with your bread and milk, and wait until I +call you." + +Mrs. Carroway locked all the little ones in a room from which they +could see nothing of the beach, with orders to Cissy, the next +girl, to feed them, and keep them all quiet till she came again. +But while she was busy, with a very lively stir, to fetch out +whatever could be found of fatness or grease that could be hoped to +turn to gravy in the pan--for Carroway, being so lean, loved fat, +and to put a fish before him was an insult to his bones--just at +the moment when she had struck oil, in the shape of a very fat +chop, from forth a stew, which had beaten all the children by +stearine inertia--then at this moment, when she was rejoicing, the +latch of the door clicked, and a man came in. + +"Whoever you are, you seem to me to make yourself very much at +home," the lady said, sharply, without turning round, because she +supposed it to be a well-accustomed enemy, armed with that odious +"little bill." The intruder made no answer, and she turned to rate +him thoroughly; but the petulance of her eyes drew back before the +sad stern gaze of his. "Who are you, and what do you want?" she +asked, with a yellow dish in one hand, and a frying-pan in the +other. "Geraldine, come here: that man looks wild." + +Her visitor did look wild enough, but without any menace in his +sorrowful dark eyes. "Can't the man speak?" she cried. "Are you +mad, or starving? We are not very rich; but we can give you bread, +poor fellow. Captain Carroway will be at home directly, and he +will see what can be done for you," + +"Have you not heard of the thing that has been done?" the young man +asked her, word by word, and staying himself with one hand upon the +dresser, because he was trembling dreadfully. + +"Yes, I have heard of it all. They have shot the smuggler Robin +Lyth at last. I am very sorry for him. But it was needful; and he +had no family." + +"Lady, I am Robin Lyth. I have not been shot; nor even shot at. +The man that has been shot, I know not how, instead of me, was--was +somebody quite different. With all my heart I wish it had been me; +and no more trouble." + +He looked at the mother and the little girl, and sobbed, and fell +upon a salting stool, which was to have been used that morning. +Then, while Mrs. Carroway stood bewildered, Geraldine ran up to +him, and took his hand, and said: "Don't cry. My papa says that +men never cry. And I am so glad that you were not shot." + +"See me kiss her," said Robin Lyth, as he laid his lips upon the +child's fair forehead. "If I had done it, could I do that? +Darling, you will remember this. Madam, I am hunted like a mad +dog, and shall be hanged to your flag-staff if I am caught. I am +here to tell you that, as God looks down from heaven upon you and +me, I did not do it--I did not even know it." + +The smuggler stood up, with his right hand on his heart, and tears +rolling manifestly down his cheeks, but his eyes like crystal, +clear with truth; and the woman, who knew not that she was a widow, +but felt it already with a helpless wonder, answered, quietly: +"You speak the truth, sir. But what difference can it make to me?" +Lyth tried to answer with the same true look; but neither his eyes +nor his tongue would serve. + +"I shall just go and judge for myself," she said, as if it were a +question of marketing (such bitter defiance came over her), and she +took no more heed of him than if he were a chair; nor even half so +much, for she was a great judge of a chair. "Geraldine, go and put +your bonnet on. We are going to meet your father. Tell Cissy and +all the rest to come but the baby. The baby can not do it, I +suppose. In a minute and a half I shall expect you all--how many? +Seven?--yes, seven of you." + +"Seven, mother, yes. And the baby makes it eight; and yesterday +you said that he was worth all us together." + +Robin Lyth saw that he was no more wanted, or even heeded; and +without delay he quitted such premises of danger. Why should he +linger in a spot where he might have violent hands laid on him, and +be sped to a premature end, without benefit even of trial by jury? +Upon this train of reasoning he made off. + +Without any manner of reasoning at all, but with fierceness of +dread and stupidity of grief, the mother collected her children in +silence, from the damsel of ten to the toddler of two. Then, +leaving the baby tied down in the cradle, she pulled at the rest of +them, on this side and on that, to get them into proper trim of +dresses and of hats, as if they were going to be marched off to +church. For that all the younger ones made up their minds, and put +up their ears for the tinkle of the bell; but the elder children +knew that it was worse than that, because their mother never looked +at them. + +"You will go by the way of the station," she said, for the boats +were still out at sea, and no certainty could be made of them: +"whatever it is, we may thank the station for it." + +The poor little things looked up at her in wonder; and then, acting +up to their discipline, set off, in lopsided pairs of a small and a +big one, to save any tumbling and cutting of knees. The elder ones +walked with discretion, and a strong sense of responsibility, +hushed, moreover, by some inkling of a great black thing to meet. +But the baby ones prattled, and skipped with their feet, and +straggled away toward the flowers by the path. The mother of them +all followed slowly and heavily, holding the youngest by the hand, +because of its trouble in getting through the stones. Her heart +was nearly choking, but her eyes free and reckless, wandering +wildly over earth, and sea, and sky, in vain search of guidance +from any or from all of them. + +The pinnace came nearer, with its sad, cold freight. The men took +off their hats, and rubbed their eyes, and some of them wanted to +back off again; but Mrs. Carroway calmly said, "Please to let me +have my husband." + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI + +MAIDS AND MERMAIDS + + +Day comes with climbing, night by falling; hence the night is so +much swifter. Happiness takes years to build; but misery swoops +like an avalanche. Such, and even more depressing, are the +thoughts young folk give way to when their first great trouble +rushes and sweeps them into a desert, trackless to the inexperienced +hope. + +When Mary Anerley heard, by the zealous offices of watchful +friends, that Robin Lyth had murdered Captain Carroway ferociously, +and had fled for his life across the seas, first wrath at such a +lie was followed by persistent misery. She had too much faith in +his manly valor and tender heart to accept the tale exactly as it +was told to her; but still she could not resist the fear that in +the whirl of conflict, with life against life, he had dealt the +death. And she knew that even such a deed would brand him as a +murderer, stamp out all love, and shatter every hope of quiet +happiness. The blow to her pride was grievous also; for many a +time had she told herself that a noble task lay before her--to +rescue from unlawful ways and redeem to reputable life the man +whose bravery and other gallant gifts had endeared him to the +public and to her. But now, through force of wretched facts, he +must be worse than ever. + +Her father and mother said never a word upon the subject to her. +Mrs. Anerley at first longed to open out, and shed upon the child a +mother's sympathy, as well as a mother's scolding; but firmly +believing, as she did, the darkest version of the late event, it +was better that she should hold her peace, according to her +husband's orders. + +"Let the lass alone," he said; "a word against that fellow now +would make a sight of mischief. Suppose I had shot George +Tanfield, instead of hiding him soundly, when he stuck up to you, +why you must have been sorry for me, Sophy. And Mary is sorry for +that rogue, no doubt, and believes that he did it for her sake, I +dare say. The womenkind always do think that. If a big thief gets +swung for breaking open a cash-box, his lassie will swear he was +looking for her thimble. If you was to go now for discoursing of +this matter, you would never put up with poor Poppet's account of +him, and she would run him higher up, every time you ran him down; +ay, and believe it too: such is the ways of women." + +"Why, Stephen, you make me open up my eyes. I never dreamed you +were half so cunning, and of such low opinions." + +"Well, I don't know, only from my own observance. I would scarcely +trust myself not to abuse that fellow. And, Sophy, you know you +can not stop your tongue, like me." + +"Thank God for that same! He never meant us so to do. But, +Stephen, I will follow your advice; because it is my own opinion." + +Mary was puzzled by this behavior; for everything used to be so +plain among them. She would even have tried for some comfort from +Willie, whose mind was very large upon all social questions. But +Willie had solved at last the problem of perpetual motion, +according to his own conviction, and locked himself up with his +model all day; and the world might stand still, so long as that +went on. "Oh, what would I give for dear Jack!" cried Mary. + +Worn out at length with lonely grief, she asked if she might go to +Byrsa Cottage, for a change. Even that was refused, though her +father's kind heart ached at the necessary denial. Sharp words +again had passed between the farmer and the tanner concerning her, +and the former believed that his brother-in-law would even +encourage the outlaw still. And for Mary herself now the worst of +it was that she had nothing to lay hold of in the way of complaint +or grievance. It was not like that first estrangement, when her +father showed how much he felt it in a hundred ways, and went about +everything upside down, and comforted her by his want of comfort. +Now it was ten times worse than that, for her father took +everything quite easily! + +Shocking as it may be, this was true. Stephen Anerley had been +through a great many things since the violence of his love-time, +and his views upon such tender subjects were not so tender as they +used to be. With the eyes of wisdom he looked back, having had his +own way in the matter, upon such young sensations as very laudable, +but curable. In his own case he had cured them well, and, upon the +whole, very happily, by a good long course of married life; but +having tried that remedy alone, how could he say that there was no +better? He remembered how his own miseries had soon subsided, or +gone into other grooves, after matrimony. This showed that they +were transient, but did not prove such a course to be the only cure +for them. Recovering from illness, has any man been known to say +that the doctor recovered him? + +Mrs. Anerley's views upon the subject were much the same, though +modified, of course, by the force of her own experience. She might +have had a much richer man than Stephen; and when he was stingy, +she reminded him of that, which, after a little disturbance, +generally terminated in five guineas. And now she was clear that +if Mary were not worried, condoled with, or cried over, she would +take her own time, and come gradually round, and be satisfied with +Harry Tanfield. Harry was a fine young fellow, and worshipped the +ground that Mary walked upon; and it seemed a sort of equity that +he should have her, as his father had been disappointed of her +mother. Every Sunday morning he trimmed his whiskers, and put on a +wonderful waistcoat; and now he did more, for he bought a new hat, +and came to church to look at her. + +Oftentimes now, by all these doings, the spirit of the girl was +roused, and her courage made ready to fly out in words; but the +calm look of the elders stopped her, and then true pride came to +her aid. If they chose to say nothing of the matter which was in +her heart continually, would she go whining to them about it, and +scrape a grain of pity from a cartload of contempt? One day, as +she stood before the swinging glass--that present from Aunt +Popplewell which had moved her mother's wrath so--she threw back +her shoulders, and smoothed the plaits of her nice little waist, +and considered herself. The humor of the moment grew upon her, and +crept into indulgence, as she saw what a very fair lass she was, +and could not help being proud of it. She saw how the soft rich +damask of her cheeks returned at being thought of, and the sparkle +of her sweet blue eyes, and the merry delight of her lips, that +made respectable people want to steal a kiss, from the pure +enticement of good-will. + +"I will cry no more in the nights," she said. "Why should I make +such a figure of myself, with nobody to care for it? And here is +my hair full of kinkles and neglect! I declare, if he ever came +back, he would say, 'What a fright you are become, my Mary!' Where +is that stuff of Aunt Deborah's, I wonder, that makes her hair like +satin? It is high time to leave off being such a dreadful dowdy. +I will look as nice as ever, just to let them know that their +cruelty has not killed me." + +Virtuous resolves commend themselves, and improve with being +carried out. She put herself into her very best trim, as simple as +a lily, and as perfect as a rose, though the flutter of a sigh or +two enlarged her gentle breast. She donned a very graceful hat, +adorned with sweet ribbon right skillfully smuggled; and she made +up her mind to have the benefit of the air. + +The prettiest part of all Anerley Farm, for those who are not +farmers, is a soft little valley, where a brook comes down, and +passes from voluntary ruffles into the quiet resignation of a +sheltered lake. A pleasant and a friendly little water-spread is +here, cheerful to the sunshine, and inviting to the moon, with a +variety of gleamy streaks, according to the sky and breeze. +Pasture-land and arable come sloping to the margin, which, instead +of being rough and rocky, lips the pool with gentleness. Ins and +outs of little bays afford a nice variety, while round the brink +are certain trees of a modest and unpretentious bent. These having +risen to a very fair distance toward the sky, come down again, +scarcely so much from a doubt of their merits, as through affection +to their native land. In summer they hang like a permanent shower +of green to refresh the bright water; and in winter, like loose +osier-work, or wattles curved for binding. + +Under one of the largest of these willows the runaway Jack had made +a seat, whereon to sit and watch his toy boat cruising on the +inland wave. Often when Mary was tired of hoping for the return of +her playmate, she came to this place to think about him, and wonder +whether he thought of her. And now in the soft December evening +(lonely and sad, but fair to look at, like herself) she was sitting +here. + +The keen east wind, which had set in as Captain Brown predicted, +was over now, and succeeded by the gentler influence of the west. +Nothing could be heard in this calm nook but the lingering touch of +the dying breeze, and the long soft murmur of the distant sea, and +the silvery plash of a pair of coots at play. Neither was much to +be seen, except the wavering glisten and long shadows of the mere, +the tracery of trees against the fading light, and the outline of +the maiden as she leaned against the trunk. Generations of goat- +moths in their early days of voracity had made a nice hollow for +her hat to rest in, and some of the powdering willow dusted her +bright luxuriant locks with gold. Her face was by no means wan or +gloomy, and she added to the breezes not a single sigh. This +happened without any hardness of heart, or shallow contempt of the +nobler affections; simply from the hopefulness of healthful youth, +and the trust a good will has in powers of good. + +She was looking at those coots, who were full of an idea that the +winter had spent itself in that east wind, that the gloss of spring +plumage must be now upon their necks, and that they felt their toes +growing warmer toward the downy tepefaction of a perfect nest. +Improving a long and kind acquaintance with these birds, some of +whom have confidence in human nature, Mary was beginning to be +absent from her woes, and joyful in the pleasure of a thoughtless +pair, when suddenly, with one accord, they dived, and left a bright +splash and a wrinkle. "Somebody is coming; they must have seen an +enemy," said the damsel to herself. "I am sure I never moved. I +will never have them shot by any wicked poacher." To watch the +bank nicely, without being seen, she drew in her skirt and shrank +behind the tree, not from any fear, but just to catch the fellow; +for one of the laborers on the farm, who had run at his master with +a pitchfork once, was shrewdly suspected of poaching with a gun. +But keener eyes than those of any poacher were upon her, and the +lightest of light steps approached. + +"Oh, Robin, are you come, then, at last?" cried Mary. + +"Three days I have been lurking, in the hope of this. Heart of my +heart, are you glad to see me?" + +"I should think that I was. It is worth a world of crying. Oh, +where have you been this long, long time?" + +"Let me have you in my arms, if it is but for a moment. You are +not afraid of me?--you are not ashamed to love me?" + +"I love you all the better for your many dreadful troubles. Not a +word do I believe of all the wicked people say of you. Don't be +afraid of me. You may kiss me, Robin." + +"You are such a beautiful spick and span! And I am only fit to go +into the pond. Oh, Mary, what a shame of me to take advantage of +you!" + +"Well, I think that it is time for you to leave off now. Though +you must not suppose that I think twice about my things. When I +look at you, it makes me long to give you my best cloak and a tidy +hat. Oh, where is all your finery gone, poor Robin?" + +"Endeavor not to be insolent, on the strength of your fine clothes. +Remember that I have abandoned free trade; and the price of every +article will rise at once." + +Mary Anerley not only smiled, but laughed, with the pleasure of a +great relief. She had always scorned the idea that her lover had +even made a shot at Carroway, often though the brave lieutenant had +done the like to him; and now she felt sure that he could clear +himself; or how could he be so light-hearted? "You see that I am +scarcely fit to lead off a country-dance with you," said Robin, +still holding both her hands, and watching the beauty of her clear +bright eyes, which might gather big tears at any moment, as the +deep blue sky is a sign of sudden rain; "and it will be a very long +time, my darling, before you see me in gay togs again." + +"I like you a great deal better so. You always look brave--but you +look so honest now!" + +"That is a most substantial saying, and worthy of the race of +Anerley. How I wish that your father would like me, Mary! I +suppose it is hopeless to wish for that?" + +"No, not at all--if you could keep on looking shabby. My dear +father has a most generous mind. If he only could be brought to +see how you are ill-treated--" + +"Alas! I shall have no chance of letting him see that. Before to- +morrow morning I must say good-by to England. My last chance of +seeing you was now this evening. I bless every star that is in the +heaven now. I trusted to my luck, and it has not deceived me." + +"Robin dear, I never wish to try to be too pious. But I think that +you should rather trust in Providence than starlight." + +"So I do. And it is Providence that has kept me out of sight--out +of sight of enemies, and in sight of you, my Mary. The Lord looks +down on every place where His lovely angels wander. You are one of +His angels, Mary; and you have made a man of me. For years I shall +not see you, darling; never more again, perhaps. But as long as I +live you will be here; and the place shall be kept pure for you. +If we only could have a shop together--oh, how honest I would be! +I would give full weight, besides the paper; I would never sell an +egg more than three weeks old; and I would not even adulterate! +But that is a dream of the past, I fear. Oh, I never shall hoist +the Royal Arms. But I mean to serve under them, and fight my way. +My captain shall be Lord Nelson." + +"That is the very thing that you were meant for. I will never +forgive Dr. Upandown for not putting you into the navy. You could +have done no smuggling then." + +"I am not altogether sure of that. However, I will shun scandal, +as behooves a man who gets so much. You have not asked me to clear +myself of that horrible thing about poor Carroway. I love you the +more for not asking me; it shows your faith so purely. But you +have the right to know all I know. There is no fear of any +interruption here; so, Mary, I will tell you, if you are sure that +you can bear it." + +"Yes, oh yes! Do tell me all you know. It is so frightful that I +must hear it." + +"What I have to say will not frighten you, darling, because I did +not even see the deed. But my escape was rather strange, and +deserves telling better than I can tell it, even with you to +encourage me by listening. When we were so suddenly caught in the +cave, through treachery of some of our people, I saw in a moment +that we must be taken, but resolved to have some fun for it, with a +kind of whim which comes over me sometimes. So I knocked away the +lights, and began myself to splash with might and main, and ordered +the rest to do likewise. We did it so well that the place was like +a fountain or a geyser; and I sent a great dollop of water into the +face of the poor lieutenant--the only assault I have ever made upon +him. There was just light enough for me to know him, because he +was so tall and strange; but I doubt whether he knew me at all. He +became excited, as he well might be; he dashed away the water from +his eyes with one hand, and with the other made a wild sword-cut, +rushing forward as if to have at me. Like a bird, I dived into the +water from our gunwale, and under the keel of the other boat, and +rose to the surface at the far side of the cave. In the very act +of plunging, a quick flash came before me--or at least I believed +so afterward--and a loud roar, as I struck the wave. It might have +been only from my own eyes and ears receiving so suddenly the +cleavage of the water. If I thought anything at all about it, it +was that somebody had shot at me; but expecting to be followed, I +swam rapidly away. I did not even look back, as I kept in the dark +of the rocks, for it would have lost a stroke, and a stroke was +more than I could spare. To my great surprise, I heard no sound of +any boat coming after me, nor any shouts of Carroway, such as I am +accustomed to. But swimming as I was, for my own poor life, like +an otter with a pack of hounds after him, I assure you I did not +look much after anything except my own run of the gauntlet." + +"Of course not. How could you? It makes me draw my breath to +think of you swimming in the dark like that, with deep water, and +caverns, and guns, and all!" + +"Mary, I thought that my time was come; and only one beautiful +image sustained me, when I came to think of it afterward. I swam +with my hands well under water, and not a breath that could be +heard, and my cap tucked into my belt, and my sea-going pumps +slipped away into a pocket. The water was cold, but it only seemed +to freshen me, and I found myself able to breathe very pleasantly +in the gentle rise and fall of waves. Yet I never expected to +escape, with so many boats to come after me. For now I could see +two boats outside, as well as old Carroway's pinnace in the cave; +and if once they caught sight of me, I could never get away. + +"When I saw those two boats upon the watch outside, I scarcely knew +what to do for the best, whether to put my breast to it and swim +out, or to hide in some niche with my body under water, and cover +my face with oar-weed. Luckily I took the bolder course, +remembering their portfires, which would make the cave like day. +Not everybody could have swum out through that entrance, against a +spring-tide and the lollop of the sea; and one dash against the +rocks would have settled me. But I trusted in the Lord, and tried +a long, slow stroke. + +"My enemies must have been lost in dismay, and panic, and utter +confusion, or else they must have espied me, for twice or thrice, +as I met the waves, my head and shoulders were thrown above the +surface, do what I would; and I durst not dive, for I wanted my +eyes every moment. I kept on the darkest side, of course, but the +shadows were not half so deep as I could wish; and worst of all, +outside there was a piece of moonlight, which I must cross within +fifty yards of the bigger of the sentry boats. + +"The mouth of that cave is two fathoms wide for a longish bit of +channel; and, Mary dear, if I had not been supported by continual +thoughts of you, I must have gone against the sides, or downright +to the bottom, from the waves keeping knocking me about so. I may +tell you that I felt that I should never care again, as my clothes +began to bag about me, except to go down to the bottom and be +quiet, but for the blessed thought of standing up some day, at the +'hymeneal altar,' as great people call it, with a certain lovely +Mary." + +"Oh, Robin, now you make me laugh, when I ought to be quite crying. +If such a thing should ever be, I shall expect to see you +swimming." + +"Such a thing will be, as sure as I stand here--though not at all +in hymeneal garb just now. Whatever my whole heart is set upon, I +do, and overcome all obstacles. Remember that, and hold fast, +darling. However, I had now to overcome the sea, which is worse +than any tide in the affairs of men. A long and hard tussle it +was, I assure you, to fight against the indraught, and to drag my +frame through the long hillocky gorge. At last, however, I managed +it; and to see the open waves again put strength into my limbs, and +vigor into my knocked-about brain. I suppose that you can not +understand it, Mary, but I never enjoyed a thing more than the +danger of crossing that strip of moonlight. I could see the very +eyes and front teeth of the men who were sitting there to look out +for me if I should slip their mates inside; and knowing the twist +of every wave, and the vein of every tide-run, I rested in a smooth +dark spot, and considered their manners quietly. They had not yet +heard a word of any doings in the cavern, but their natures were up +for some business to do, as generally happens with beholders. +Having nothing to do, they were swearing at the rest. + +"In the place where I was halting now the line of a jagged cliff +seemed to cut the air, and fend off the light from its edges. You +can only see such a thing from the level of the sea, and it looks +very odd when you see it, as if the moon and you were a pair of +playing children, feeling round a corner for a glimpse of one +another. But plain enough it was, and far too plain, that the +doubling of that little cape would treble my danger, by reason of +the bold moonlight, I knew that my only refuge was another great +hollow in the crags between the cave I had escaped from and the +point--a place which is called the 'Church Cave,' from an old +legend that it leads up to Flamborough church. To the best of my +knowledge, it does nothing of the kind, at any rate now; but it has +a narrow fissure, known to few except myself, up which a nimble man +may climb; and this was what I hoped to do. Also it has a very +narrow entrance, through which the sea flows into it, so that a +large boat can not enter, and a small one would scarcely attempt it +in the dark, unless it were one of my own, hard pressed. Now it +seemed almost impossible for me to cross that moonlight without +being seen by those fellows in the boat, who could pull, of course, +four times as fast as I could swim, not to mention the chances of a +musket-ball. However, I was just about to risk it, for my limbs +were growing very cold, when I heard a loud shout from the cave +which I had left, and knew that the men there were summoning their +comrades. These at once lay out upon their oars, and turned their +backs to me, and now was my good time. The boat came hissing +through the water toward the Dovecote, while I stretched away for +the other snug cave. Being all in a flurry, they kept no look-out; +if the moon was against me, my good stars were in my favor. Nobody +saw me, and I laughed in my wet sleeves as I thought of the rage of +Carroway, little knowing that the fine old fellow was beyond all +rage or pain." + +"How wonderful your luck was, and your courage too!" cried Mary, +who had listened with bright tears upon her cheeks. "Not one man +in a thousand could have done so bold a thing. And how did you get +away at last, poor Robin?" + +"Exactly as I meant to do, from the time I formed my plan. The +Church has ever been a real friend in need to me; I took the name +for a lucky omen, and swam in with a brisker stroke. It is the +prettiest of all the caves, to my mind, though the smallest, with a +sweet round basin, and a playful little beach, and nothing very +terrible about it. I landed, and rested with a thankful heart upon +the shelly couch of the mermaids." + +"Oh, Robin, I hope none of them came to you. They are so +wonderfully beautiful. And no one that ever has seen them cares +any more for--for dry people that wear dresses." + +"Mary, you delight me much, by showing signs of jealousy. Fifty +may have come, but I saw not one, for I fell into a deep calm +sleep. If they had come, I would have spurned them all, not only +from my constancy to you, my dear, but from having had too much +drip already. Mary, I see a man on the other side of the mere, not +opposite to us, but a good bit further down. You see those two +swimming birds: look far away between them, you will see something +moving." + +"I see nothing, either standing still or moving. It is growing too +dark for any eyes not thoroughly trained in smuggling. But that +reminds me to tell you, Robin, that a strange man--a gentleman they +seemed to say--has been seen upon our land, and he wanted to see +me, without my father knowing it. But only think! I have never +even asked you whether you are hungry--perhaps even starving! How +stupid, how selfish, how churlish of me! But the fault is yours, +because I had so much to hear of." + +"Darling, you may trust me not to starve, I can feed by-and-by. +For the present I must talk, that you may know all about +everything, and bear me harmless in your mind, when evil things are +said of me. Have you heard that I went to see Widow Carroway, even +before she had heard of her loss, but not before I was hunted? I +knew that I must do so, now or never, before the whole world was up +in arms against me; and I thank God that I saw her. A man might +think nothing of such an act, or even might take it for hypocrisy; +but a woman's heart is not so black. Though she did not even know +what I meant, for she had not felt her awful blow, and I could not +tell her of it, she did me justice afterward. In the thick of her +terrible desolation, she stood beside her husband's grave, in +Bridlington Priory Church yard, and she said to a hundred people +there: 'Here lies my husband, foully murdered. The coroner's jury +have brought their verdict against Robin Lyth the smuggler. Robin +Lyth is as innocent as I am. I know who did it, and time will +show. My curse is upon him; and my eyes are on him now.' Then she +fell down in a fit, and the Preventive men, who were drawn up in a +row, came and carried her away. Did anybody tell you, darling? +Perhaps they keep such things from you." + +"Part of it I heard; but not so clearly. I was told that she +acquitted you and I blessed her in my heart for it." + +"Even more than that she did. As soon as she got home again, she +wrote to Robin Cockscroft--a very few words, but as strong as could +be, telling him that I should have no chance of justice if I were +caught just now; that she must have time to carry out her plans; +that the Lord would soon raise up good friends to help her; and as +sure as there was a God in heaven, she would bring the man who did +it to the gallows. Only that I must leave the land at once. And +that is what I shall do this very night. Now I have told you +almost all. Mary, we must say 'good-by.'" + +"But surely I shall hear from you sometimes?" said Mary, striving +to be brave, and to keep her voice from trembling. "Years and +years, without a word--and the whole world bitter against you and +me! Oh, Robin, I think that it will break my heart. And I must +not even talk of you." + +"Think of me, darling, while I think of you. Thinking is better +than talking, I shall never talk of you, but be thinking all the +more. Talking ruins thinking. Take this token of the time you +saved me, and give me that bit of blue ribbon, my Mary; I shall +think of your eyes every time I kiss it. Kiss it yourself before +you give it to me." + +Like a good girl, she did what she was told to do. She gave him +the love-knot from her breast, and stored his little trinket in +that pure shrine. + +"But sometimes--sometimes, I shall hear of you?" she whispered, +lingering, and trembling in the last embrace. + +"To be sure, you shall hear of me from time to time, through Robin +and Joan Cockscroft. I will not grieve you by saying, 'Be true to +me,' my noble one, and my everlasting love." + +Mary was comforted, and ceased to cry. She was proud of him thus +in the depth of his trouble; and she prayed to God to bless him +through the long sad time. + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII + +FACT, OR FACTOR + + +"Papa, I have brought you a wonderful letter," cried Miss Janetta +Upround, toward supper-time of that same night; "and the most +miraculous thing about it is that there is no post to pay. Oh, how +stupid I am! I ought to have got at least a shilling out of you +for postage." + +"My dear, be sorry for your sins, and not for having failed to add +to them. Our little world is brimful of news just now, but nearly +all of it bad news. Why, bless me, this is in regular print, and +it never has passed through the post at all, which explains the +most astounding fact of positively naught to pay. Janetta, every +day I congratulate myself upon such a wondrous daughter. But I +never could have hoped that even you would bring me a letter +gratis." + +"But the worst of it is that I deserve no credit. If I had cheated +the postman, there would have been something to be proud of. But +this letter came in the most ignominious way--poked under the gate, +papa! It is sealed with a foreign coin! Oh, dear, dear, I am all +in a tingle to know all about it. I saw it by the moonlight, and +it must belong to me." + +"My dear, it says, 'Private, and to his own hands.' Therefore you +had better go, and think no more about it. I confide to you many +of my business matters: or at any rate you get them out of me: but +this being private, you must think no more about it." + +"Darling papa, what a flagrant shame! The man must have done it +with no other object than to rob me of every wink of sleep. If I +swallow the outrage and retire, will you promise to tell me every +word to-morrow? You preached a most exquisite sermon last Sunday +about the meanness and futility of small concealments." + +"Be off!" cried the rector; "you are worse than Mr. Mordacks, who +lays down the law about frankness perpetually, but never lets me +guess what his own purpose is." + +"Oh, now I see where the infection comes from! Papa, I am off, for +fear of catching it myself. Don't tell me, whatever you do. I +never can sleep upon dark mysteries." + +"Poor dear, you shall not have your rest disturbed," Dr. Upround +said, sweetly, as he closed the door behind her; "you are much too +good a girl for other people's plagues to visit you." Then, as he +saddled his pleasant old nose with the tranquil span of spectacles, +the smile on his lips and the sigh of his breast arrived at a quiet +little compromise. He was proud of his daughter, her quickness and +power to get the upper turn of words with him; but he grieved at +her not having any deep impressions, even after his very best +sermons. But her mother always told him not to be in any hurry, +for even she herself had felt no very profound impressions until +she married a clergyman; and that argument always made him smile +(as invisibly as possible), because he had not detected yet their +existence in his better half. Such questions are most delicate, +and a husband can only set mute example. A father, on the other +hand, is bound to use his pastoral crook upon his children +foremost. + +"Now for this letter," said Dr. Upround, holding council with +himself; "evidently a good clerk, and perhaps a first-rate scholar. +One of the very best Greek scholars of the age does all his +manuscript in printing hand, when he wishes it to be legible. And +a capital plan it is--without meaning any pun. I can read this +like a gazette itself." + + +"REVEREND AND WORSHIPFUL SIR,--Your long and highly valued kindness +requires at least a word from me, before I leave this country. I +have not ventured into your presence, because it might place you in +a very grave predicament. Your duty to King and State might compel +you with your own hand to arrest me; and against your hand I could +not strive. The evidence brought before you left no choice but to +issue a warrant against me, though it grieved your kind heart to do +that same. Sir, I am purely innocent of the vile crime laid +against me. I used no fire-arm that night, neither did any of my +men. And it is for their sake, as well as my own, that I now take +the liberty of writing this. Failing of me, the authorities may +bring my comrades to trial, and convict them. If that were so, it +would become my duty as a man to surrender myself, and meet my +death in the hope of saving them. But if the case is sifted +properly, they must be acquitted; for no fire-arm of any kind was +in my boat, except one pair of pistols, in a locker under the after +thwart, and they happened to be unloaded. I pray you to verify +this, kind sir. My firm belief is that the revenue officer was +shot by one of his own men; and his widow has the same opinion. I +hear that the wound was in the back of the head. If we had carried +fire-arms, not one of us could have shot him so. + +"It may have been an accident; I can not say. Even so, the man +whose mishap it was is not likely to acknowledge it. And I know +that in a court of law truth must be paid for dearly. I venture to +commit to your good hands a draft upon a well-known Holland firm, +which amounts to 78 pounds British, for the defense of the men who +are in custody. I know that you as a magistrate can not come +forward as their defender; but I beg you as a friend of justice to +place the money for their benefit. Also especially to direct +attention to the crew of the revenue boat and their guns. + +"And now I fear greatly to encroach upon your kindness, and very +long-suffering good-will toward me. But I have brought into sad +trouble and distress with her family--who are most obstinate +people--and with the opinion of the public, I suppose, a young lady +worth more than all the goods I ever ran, or ever could run, if I +went on for fifty years. By name she is Mistress Mary Anerley, and +by birth the daughter of Captain Anerley, of Anerley Farm, outside +our parish. If your reverence could only manage to ride round that +way upon coming home from Sessions, once or twice in the fine +weather, and to say a kind word or two to my Mary, and a good word, +if any can be said of me, to her parents, who are stiff but worthy +people, it would be a truly Christian act, and such as you delight +in, on this side of the Dane-dike. + +"Reverend sir, I must now say farewell. From you I have learned +almost everything I know, within the pale of statutes, which repeal +one another continually. I have wandered sadly outside that pale, +and now I pay the penalty. If I had only paid heed to your advice, +and started in business with the capital acquired by free trade, +and got it properly protected, I might have been able to support my +parents, and even be churchwarden of Flamborough. You always told +me that my unlawful enterprise must close in sadness; and your +words have proved too true. But I never expected anything like +this; and I do not understand it yet. A penetrating mind like +yours, with all the advantages of authority, even that is likely to +be baffled in such a difficult case as this. + +"Reverend sir, my case is hard; for I always have labored to +establish peaceful trade; and I must have succeeded again, if honor +had guided all my followers. We always relied upon the coast-guard +to be too late for any mischief; and so they would have been this +time, if their acts had been straightforward. In sorrow and +lowness of fortune, I remain, with humble respect and gratitude, +your Worship's poor pupil and banished parishioner, + +"ROBIN LYTH, of Flamborough." + + +"Come, now, Robin," Dr. Upround said, as soon as he had well +considered this epistle, "I have put up with many a checkmate at +your hands, but not without the fair delight of a counter-stroke at +the enemy. Here you afford me none of that. You are my master in +every way; and quietly you make me make your moves, quite as if I +were the black in a problem. You leave me to conduct your fellow- +smugglers' case, to look after your sweetheart, and to make myself +generally useful. By-the-way, that touch about my pleading his +cause in my riding-boots, and with a sessional air about me, is +worthy of the great Verdoni. Neither is that a bad hit about my +Christianity stopping at the Dane-dike. Certes, I shall have to +call on that young lady, though from what I have heard of the +sturdy farmer, I may both ride and reason long, even after my +greatest exploits at the Sessions, without converting him to free +trade; and trebly so after that deplorable affair. I wonder +whether we shall ever get to the bottom of that mystery. How often +have I warned the boy that mischief was quite sure to come! though +I never even dreamed that it would be so bad as this." + +Since Dr. Upround first came to Flamborough, nothing (not even the +infliction of his nickname) had grieved him so deeply as the sad +death of Carroway. From the first he felt certain that his own +people were guiltless of any share in it. But his heart misgave +him as to distant smugglers, men who came from afar freebooting, +bringing over ocean woes to men of settlement, good tithe-payers. +For such men (plainly of foreign breed, and very plain specimens of +it) had not at all succeeded in eluding observation, in a +neighborhood where they could have no honest calling. Flamborough +had called to witness Filey, and Filey had attested Bridlington, +that a stranger on horseback had appeared among them with a purpose +obscurely evil. They were right enough as to the fact, although +the purpose was not evil, as little Denmark even now began to own, + +"Here I am again!" cried Mr. Mordacks, laying vehement hold of the +rector's hand, upon the following morning; "just arrived from York, +dear sir, after riding half the night, and going anywhere you +please; except perhaps where you would like to send me, if charity +and Christian courtesy allowed. My dear sir, have you heard the +news? I perceive by your countenance that you have not. Ah, you +are generally benighted in these parts. Your caves have got +something to do with it. The mind gets accustomed to them." + +"I venture to think, Mr. Mordacks, on the whole," said the rector, +who studied this man gently, "that sometimes you are rapid in your +conclusions. Possibly of the two extremes it is the more +desirable; especially in these parts, because of its great rarity. +Still the mere fact of some caves existing, in or out of my parish, +whichever it may be, scarcely seems to prove that all the people of +Flamborough live in them. And even if we did, it was the manner of +the ancient seers, both in the Classics, and in Holy Writ--" + +"Sir, I know all about Elijah and Obadiah, and the rest of them. +Profane literature we leave now for clerks in holy orders--we +positively have no time for it. Everything begins to move with +accelerated pace. This is a new century, and it means to make its +mark. It begins very badly; but it will go on all the better. And +I hope to have the pleasure, at a very early day, of showing you +one of its leading men, a man of large intellect, commanding +character, the most magnificent principles--and, in short, lots of +money. You must be quite familiar with the name of Sir Duncan +Yordas." + +"I fancy that I have heard or seen it somewhere. Oh, something to +do with the Hindoos, or the Africans. I never pay much attention +to such things." + +"Neither do I, Dr. Upround. Still somebody must, and a lot of +money comes of it. Their idols have diamond eyes, which purity of +worship compels us to confiscate. And there are many other ways of +getting on among them, while wafting and expanding them into a +higher sphere of thought. The mere fact of Sir Duncan having +feathered his nest--pardon so vulgar an expression, doctor--proves +that while giving, we may also receive: for which we have the +highest warranty." + +"The laborer is worthy of his hire, Mr. Mordacks. At the same time +we should remember also--" + +"What St. Paul says per contra. Quite so. That is always my first +consideration, when I work for my employers. Ah, Dr. Upround, few +men give such pure service as your humble servant. I have twice +had the honor of handing you my card. If ever you fall into any +difficulty, where zeal, fidelity, and high principle, combined with +very low charges--" + +"Mr. Mordacks, my opinion of you is too high for even yourself to +add to it. But what has this Sir Duncan Yorick--" + +"Yordas, my dear sir--Sir Duncan Yordas--the oldest family in +Yorkshire. Men of great power, both for good and evil, mainly, +perhaps, the latter. It has struck me sometimes that the county +takes its name--But etymology is not my forte. What has he to do +with us, you ask? Sir, I will answer you most frankly. 'Coram +populo' is my business motto. Excuse me, I think I hear that door +creak. No, a mere fancy--we are quite 'in camera.' Very well; +reverend sir, prepare your mind for a highly astounding +disclosure." + +"I have lived too long to be astounded, my good sir. But allow me +to put on my spectacles. Now I am prepared for almost anything." + +"Dr. Upround, my duty compels me to enter largely into minds. Your +mind is of a lofty order--calm, philosophic, benevolent. You have +proved this by your kind reception of me, a stranger, almost an +intruder. You have judged from my manners and appearance, which +are shaped considerably by the inner man, that my object was good, +large, noble. And yet you have not been quite able to refrain, at +weak moments perhaps, but still a dozen times a day, from +exclaiming in the commune of your heart, 'What the devil does this +man want in my parish?'" + +"My good sir, I never use bad language; and if I did my duty, I +should now inflict--" + +"Five shillings for your poor-box. There it is. And it serves me +quite right for being too explicit, and forgetting my reverence to +the cloth. However, I have coarsely expressed your thoughts. Also +you have frequently said to yourself, 'This man prates of openness, +but I find him closer than any oyster.' Am I right? Yes, I see +that I am, by your bow. Very well, you may suppose what pain it +gave me to have the privilege of intercourse with a perfect +gentleman and an eloquent divine, and yet feel myself in an +ambiguous position. In a few words I will clear myself, being now +at liberty to indulge that pleasure. I have been here, as agent +for Sir Duncan Yordas, to follow up the long-lost clew to his son, +and only child, who for very many years was believed to be out of +all human pursuit. My sanguine and penetrating mind scorned +rumors, and went in for certainty. I have found Sir Duncan's son, +and am able to identify him, beyond all doubt, as a certain young +man well known to you, and perhaps too widely known, by the name of +Robin Lyth." + +In spite of the length of his experience of the world, in a place +of so many adventures, the rector of Flamborough was astonished, +and perhaps a little vexed as well. If anything was to be found +out, in such a headlong way, about one of his parishioners, and +notably such a pet pupil and favorite, the proper thing would have +been that he himself should do it. Failing that, he should at +least have been consulted, enlisted, or at any rate apprised of +what was toward. But instead of that, here he had been hoodwinked +(by this marvel of incarnate candor employed in the dark about +several little things), and then suddenly enlightened, when the job +was done. Gentle and void of self-importance as he was, it +misliked him to be treated so. + +"This is a wonderful piece of news," he said, as he fixed a calm +gaze upon the keen, hard eyes of Mordacks. "You understand your +business, sir, and would not make such a statement unless you could +verify it. But I hope that you may not find cause to regret that +you have treated me with so little confidence." + +"I am not open to that reproach. Dr. Upround, consider my +instructions. I was strictly forbidden to disclose my object until +certainty should be obtained. That being done, I have hastened to +apprise you first of a result which is partly due to your own good +offices. Shake hands, my dear sir, and acquit me of rudeness--the +last thing of which I am capable." + +The rector was mollified, and gave his hand to the gallant general +factor. "Allow me to add my congratulations upon your wonderful +success," he said; "but would that I had known it some few hours +sooner! It might have saved you a vast amount of trouble. I might +have kept Robin well within your reach. I fear that he is now +beyond it." + +"I am grieved to hear you say so. But according to my last +instructions, although he is in strict concealment, I can lay hands +upon him when the time is ripe." + +"I fear not. He sailed last night for the Continent, which is a +vague destination, especially in such times as these. But perhaps +that was part of your skillful contrivance?" + +"Not so. And for the time it throws me out. I have kept most +careful watch on him. But the difficulty was that he might +confound my vigilance with that of his enemies; take me for a +constable, I mean. And perhaps he has done so, after all. Things +have gone luckily for me in the main; but that murder came in most +unseasonably. It was the very thing that should have been avoided. +Sir Duncan will need all his influence there. Suppose for a moment +that young Robin did not do it--" + +"Mr. Mordacks, you frighten me. What else could you suppose?" + +"Certainly--yes. A parishioner of yours, when not engaged +unlawfully upon the high seas. We heartily hope that he did not do +it, and we give him the benefit of the doubt; in which I shared +largely, until it became so manifest that he was a Yordas. A +Yordas has made a point of slaying his man--and sometimes from +three to a dozen men--until within the last two generations. In +the third generation the law revives, as is hinted, I think, in the +Decalogue. In my professional course a large stock of hereditary +trail--so to speak--comes before me. Some families always drink, +some always steal, some never tell lies because they never know a +falsehood, some would sell their souls for a sixpence, and these +are the most respectable of any--" + +"My dear sir, my dear sir, I beg your pardon for interrupting you; +but in my house the rule is to speak well of people, or else to say +nothing about them." + +"Then you must resign your commission, doctor; for how can you take +depositions? But, as I was saying, I should have some hope of the +innocence of young Robin if it should turn out that his father, Sir +Duncan, has destroyed a good many of the native race in India. It +may reasonably be hoped that he has done so, which would tend very +strongly to exonerate his son. But the evidence laid before your +Worship and before the coroner was black--black--black." + +"My position forbids me to express opinions. The evidence +compelled me to issue the warrant. But knowing your position, I +may show you this, in every word of which I have perfect faith." + +With these words Dr. Upround produced the letter which he had +received last night, and the general factor took in all the gist of +it in less than half a minute. + +"Very good! very good!" he said, with a smile of experienced +benevolence. "We believe some of it. Our duty is to do so. There +are two points of importance in it. One as to the girl he is in +love with, and the other his kind liberality to the fellows who +will have to bear the brunt of it." + +"You speak sarcastically, and I hope unfairly. To my mind, the +most important facts are these--that poor Carroway was shot from +behind, and that the smugglers had no fire-arms, except two +pistols, both unloaded." + +"Who is to prove that, Dr. Upround? Their mouths are closed; and +if they were open, would anybody believe them? We knew long ago +that the vigilant and deservedly lamented officer took the +deathblow from behind; but of that how simple is the explanation! +The most intelligent of his crew, and apparently his best +subordinate, whose name is John Cadman, deposes that his lamented +chief turned round for one moment to give an order, and during that +moment received the shot. His evidence is the more weighty because +he does not go too far with it. He does not pretend to say who +fired. He knows only that one of the smugglers did. His evidence +will hang those six poor fellows, from the laudable desire of the +law to include the right one. But I trust that the right one will +be far away." + +"I trust not. If even one of them is condemned, even to +transportation, Robin Lyth will surrender immediately. You doubt +it. You smile at the idea. Your opinion of human nature is low. +Mine is not enthusiastic. But I judge others by myself." + +"So do I," Mr. Mordacks answered, with a smile of curious humor. +And the rector could not help smiling too, at this instance of +genuine candor. "However, not to go too deeply into that," his +visitor continued, "there really is one point in Robin's letter +which demands inquiry. I mean about the guns of the Preventive +men. Cadman may be a rogue. Most probably he is. None of the +others confirm, although they do not contradict him. Do you know +anything about him?" + +"Only villainy--in another way. Ho led away a nice girl of this +parish, an industrious mussel-gatherer. And he then had a wife and +large family of his own, of which the poor thing knew nothing. Her +father nearly killed him; and I was compelled (very much against my +will) to inflict a penalty. Cadman is very shy of Flamborough now. +By-the-way, have you called upon poor Widow Carroway?" + +"I thank you for the hint. She is the very person. It will be a +sad intrusion; and I have put it off as long as possible. After +what Robin says, it is most important. I hope that Sir Duncan will +be here very shortly. He is coming from Yarmouth in his own yacht. +Matters are crowding upon me very fast. I will see Mrs. Carroway +as soon as it is decent. Good-morning, and best thanks to your +Worship." + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII + +THE DEMON OF THE AXE + + +The air was sad and heavy thus, with discord, doubt, and death +itself gathering and descending, like the clouds of long night, +upon Flamborough. But far away, among the mountains and the dreary +moorland, the "intake" of the coming winter was a great deal worse +to see. For here no blink of the sea came up, no sunlight under +the sill of clouds (as happens where wide waters are), but rather a +dark rim of brooding on the rough horizon seemed to thicken itself +against the light under the sullen march of vapors--the muffled +funeral of the year. Dry trees and naked crags stood forth, and +the dirge of the wind went to and fro, and there was no comfort +out-of-doors. + +Soon the first snow of the winter came, the first abiding earnest +snow, for several skits had come before, and ribbed with white the +mountain breasts. But nobody took much heed of that, except to +lean over the plough, while it might be sped, or to want more +breakfast. Well resigned was everybody to the stoppage of work by +winter. It was only what must be every year, and a gracious +provision of Providence. If a man earned very little money, that +was against him in one way, but encouraged him in another. It +brought home to his mind the surety that others would be kind to +him; not with any sense of gift, but a large good-will of sharing. + +But the first snow that visits the day, and does not melt in its +own cold tears, is a sterner sign for every one. The hardened +wrinkle, and the herring-bone of white that runs among the brown +fern fronds, the crisp defiant dazzle on the walks, and the crust +that glitters on the patient branch, and the crest curling under +the heel of a gate, and the ridge piled up against the tool-house +door--these, and the shivering wind that spreads them, tell of a +bitter time in store. + +The ladies of Scargate Hall looked out upon such a December +afternoon. The massive walls of their house defied all sudden +change of temperature, and nothing less than a week of rigor +pierced the comfort of their rooms. The polished oak beams +overhead glanced back the merry fire-glow, the painted walls shone +with rosy tints, and warm lights flitting along them, and the +thick-piled carpet yielded back a velvety sense of luxury. It was +nice to see how bleak the crags were, and the sad trees laboring +beneath the wind and snow. + +"If it were not for thinking of the poor cold people, for whom one +feels so deeply," said the gentle Mrs. Carnaby, with a sweet soft +sigh, "one would rather enjoy this dreary prospect. I hope there +will be a deep snow to-night. There is every sign of it upon the +scaurs. And then, Philippa, only think--no post, no plague of +news, no prospect of even that odious Jellicorse! Once more we +shall have our meals in quiet." + +Mrs. Carnaby loved a good dinner right well, a dinner unplagued by +hospitable cares; when a woodcock was her own to dwell on, and +pretty little teeth might pick a pretty little bone at ease. + +"Eliza, you are always such a creature of the moment," Mistress +Yordas answered, indulgently; "you do love the good things of the +world too much. How would you like to be out there, in a naked +little cottage where the wind howls through, and the ewer is frozen +every morning? And where, if you ever get anything to eat--" + +"Philippa, I implore you not to be so dreadful. One never can +utter the most commonplace reflection--and you know that I said I +was sorry for the people." + +"My object is good, as you ought to know. My object is to +habituate your mind--" + +"Philippa, I beg you once more to confine your exertions, in that +way, to your own more lofty mind. Again I refuse to have my mind, +or whatever it is that does duty for it, habituated to anything. A +gracious Providence knows that I should die outright, after all my +blameless life, if reduced to those horrible straits you always +picture. And I have too much faith in a gracious Providence to +conceive for one moment that it would treat me so. I decline the +subject. Why should we make such troubles? There is clear soup +for dinner, and some lovely sweet-breads. Cook has got a new +receipt for bread sauce, and Jordas says that he never did shoot +such a woodcock." + +"Eliza, I trust that you may enjoy them all; your appetite is +delicate, and you require nourishment. Why, what do I see over +yonder in the snow? A slim figure moving at a very great pace, and +avoiding the open places! Are my eyes growing old, or is it +Lancelot?" + +"Pet out in such weather, Philippa! Such a thing is simply +impossible. Or at any rate I should hope so. You know that Jordas +was obliged to put a set of curtains from end to end even of the +bowling-alley, which is so beautifully sheltered; and even then +poor Pet was sneezing. And you should have heard what he said to +me, when I was afraid of the sheets taking fire from his warming- +pan one night. Pet is unaccountable sometimes, I know. But the +very last thing imaginable of him is that he should put his pretty +feet into the snow." + +"You know him best, Eliza; and it is very puzzling to distinguish +things in snow. But if it was not Pet, why, it must have been a +squirrel." + +"The squirrels are gone to sleep for the winter, Philippa. I dare +say it was only Jordas. Don't you think that it must have been +Jordas?" + +"I am quite certain that it was not Jordas. But I will not pretend +to say that it was not a squirrel. He may forego his habitudes +more easily than Lancelot." + +"How horribly dry you are sometimes, Philippa. There seems to be +no softness in your nature. You are fit to do battle with fifty +lawyers; and I pity Mr. Jellicorse, with his best clothes on." + +"You could commit no greater error. We pay the price of his black +silk stockings three times over, every time we see him. The true +objects of pity are--you, I, and the estates." + +"Well, let us drop it for a while. If you begin upon that nauseous +subject, not a particle of food will pass my lips; and I did look +forward to a little nourishment." + +"Dinner, my ladies!" cried the well-appointed Welldrum, throwing +open the door as only such a man can do, while cleverly +accomplishing the necessary bow, which he clinched on such +occasions with a fine smack of his lips. + +"Go and tell Mr. Lancelot, if you please, that we are waiting for +him." A great point was made, but not always effected, of having +Master Pet, in very gorgeous attire, to lead his aunt into the +dining-room. It was fondly believed that this impressed him with +the elegance and nice humanities required by his lofty position and +high walk in life. Pet hated this performance, and generally +spoiled it by making a face over his shoulder at old Welldrum, +while he strode along in real or mock awe of Aunt Philippa. + +"If you please, my ladies," said the butler now, choosing Mrs. +Carnaby for his eyes to rest on, "Mr. Lancelot beg to be excoosed +of dinner. His head is that bad that he have gone for open air." + +"Snow-headache is much in our family; Eliza, you remember how our +dear father used to feel it." With these words Mistress Yordas led +her sister to the dining-room; and they took good care to say +nothing more about it before the officious Welldrum. + +Pet meanwhile was beginning to repent of his cold and lonely +venture. For a mile or two the warmth of his mind and the glow of +exercise sustained him; and he kept on admiring his own courage +till his feet began to tingle. "Insie will be bound to kiss me +now; and she never will be able to laugh at me again," he said to +himself some fifty times. "I am like the great poet who describes +the snow; and I have got some cherry-brandy." He trudged on very +bravely; but his poor dear toes at every step grew colder. Out +upon the moor, where he was now, no shelter of any kind encouraged +him; no mantlet of bank, or ridge, or brush-wood, set up a furry +shiver betwixt him and the tatterdemalion wind. Not even a naked +rock stood up to comfort a man by looking colder than himself. + +But in truth there was no severe cold yet; no depth of snow, no +intensity of frost, no splintery needles of sparkling drift; but +only the beginning of the wintry time, such as makes a strong man +pick his feet up, and a healthy boy start an imaginary slide. The +wind, however, was shrewd and searching, and Lancelot was +accustomed to a warming-pan. Inside his waistcoat he wore a hare- +skin, and his heart began to give rapid thumps against it. He knew +that he was going into bodily peril worse than any frost or snow. + +For a long month he had not even seen his Insie, and his hot young +heart had never before been treated so contemptuously. He had been +allowed to show himself in the gill at his regular interval, a +fortnight ago. But no one had ventured forth to meet him, or even +wave signal of welcome or farewell. But that he could endure, +because he had been warned not to hope for much that Friday; now, +however, it was not his meaning to put up with any more such +nonsense. That he, who had been told by the servants continually +that all the land for miles and miles around was his, should be +shut out like a beggar, and compelled to play bo-peep, by people +who lived in a hole in the ground, was a little more than in the +whole entire course of his life he could ever have imagined. His +mind was now made up to let them know who he was and what he was; +and unless they were very quick in coming to their senses, Jordas +should have orders to turn them out, and take Insie altogether away +from them. + +But in spite of all brave thoughts and words, Master Pet began to +spy about very warily, ere ever he descended from the moor into the +gill. He seemed to have it borne in upon his mind that territorial +rights--however large and goodly--may lead only to a taste of +earth, when earth alone is witness to the treatment of her +claimant. Therefore it behooved him to look sharp; and possessing +the family gift of keen sight, he began to spy about, almost as +shrewdly as if he had been educated in free trade. But first he +had wit enough to step below the break, and get behind a gorse +bush, lest haply he should illustrate only the passive voice of +seeing. + +In the deep cut of the glen there was very little snow, only a few +veins and patches here and there, threading and seaming the steep, +as if a white-footed hare had been coursing about. Little stubby +brier shoots, and clumps of russet bracken, and dead heather, +ruffling like a brown dog's back, broke the dull surface of +withered herbage, thistle stumps, teasels, rugged banks, and naked +brush. Down in the bottom the noisy brook was scurrying over its +pebbles brightly, or plunging into gloom of its own production; and +away at the bend of the valley was seen the cot of poor Lancelot's +longing. + +The situation was worth a sigh, and came half way to share one; Pet +sighed heavily, and deeply felt how wrong it was of any one to +treat him so. What could be easier for him than to go, as Insie +had said to him at least a score of times, and mind his own +business, and shake off the dust--or the mud--of his feet at such +strangers? But, alas! he had tried it, and could shake nothing, +except his sad and sapient head. How deplorably was he altered +from the Pet that used to be! Where were now his lofty joys, the +pleasure he found in wholesome mischief and wholesale destruction, +the high delight of frightening all the world about his safety? + +"There are people here, I do believe," he said to himself, most +touchingly, "who would be quite happy to chop off my head!" + +As if to give edge to so murderous a thought, and wings to the feet +of the thinker, a man both tall and broad came striding down the +cottage garden. He was swinging a heavy axe as if it were a mere +dress cane, and now and then dealing clean slash of a branch, with +an air which made Pet shiver worse than any wind. The poor lad saw +that in the grasp of such a man he could offer less resistance than +a nut within the crackers, and even his champion, the sturdy +Jordas, might struggle without much avail. He gathered in his +legs, and tucked his head well under the gorse to watch him, + +"Surely he is too big to run very fast," thought the boy, with his +valor evaporated; "it must be that horrible Maunder. What a +blessing that I stopped up here just in time! He is going up the +gill to cleave some wood. Shall I cut away at once, or lie flat +upon my stomach? He would be sure to see me if I tried to run +away; and much he would care for his landlord!" + +In such a choice of evils, poor Lancelot resolved to lie still, +unless the monster should turn his steps that way. And presently +he had the heart-felt pleasure of seeing the formidable stranger +take the track that followed the windings of the brook. But +instead of going well away, and rounding the next corner, the big +man stopped at the very spot where Insie used to fill her pitcher, +pulled off his coat and hung it on a bush, and began with mighty +strokes to fell a dead alder-tree that stood there. As his great +arms swung, and his back rose and fell, and the sway of his legs +seemed to shake the bank, and the ring of his axe filled the glen +with echoes, wrath and terror were fighting a hot battle in the +heart of Lancelot. + +His sense of a land-owner's rights and titles had always been most +imperious, and though the Scargate estates were his as yet only in +remainder, he was even more jealous about them than if he held them +already in possession. What right had this man to cut down trees, +to fell and appropriate timber? Even in the garden which he rented +he could not rightfully touch a stick or stock. But to come out +here, a good furlong from his renting, and begin hacking and +hewing, quite as if the land were his--it seemed almost too brazen- +faced for belief! It must be stopped at once--such outrageous +trespass stopped, and punished sternly. He would stride down the +hill with a summary veto--but, alas, if he did, he might get cut +down too! + +Not only this disagreeable reflection, but also his tender regard +for Insie, prevented him from challenging this process of the axe; +but his feelings began to goad him toward something worthy of a +Yordas--for a Yordas he always accounted himself, and not by any +means a Carnaby. And to this end all the powers of his home +conspired. + +"That fellow is terribly big and strong," he said to himself, with +much warmth of spirit; "but his axe is getting dull; and to chop +down that tree of mine will take him at least half an hour. Dead +wood is harder to cut than live. And when he has done that, he +must work till dark to lop the branches, and so on. I need not be +afraid of anybody but this fellow. Now is my time, then, while he +is away. Even if the old folk are at home, they will listen to my +reasons. The next time he comes to hack my tree on this side, I +shall slip out, and go down to the cottage. I have no fear of any +one that pays any heed to reason." + +This sudden admirer and lover of reason cleverly carried out his +bold discretion. For now the savage woodman, intent upon that +levelling which is the highest glory of pugnacious minds, came +round the tree, glaring at it (as if it were the murderer, and he +the victim), redoubling his tremendous thwacks at every sign of +tremor, flinging his head back with a spiteful joy, poising his +shoulders on the swing, and then with all his weight descending +into the trenchant blow. When his back was fairly turned on +Lancelot, and his whole mind and body thus absorbed upon his prey, +the lad rose quickly from his lair, and slipped over the crest of +the gill to the moorland. In a moment he was out of sight to that +demon of the axe, and gliding, with his head bent low, along a +little hollow of the heathery ground, which cut off a bend of the +ravine, and again struck its brink a good furlong down the gill. +Here Pet stopped running, and lay down, and peered over the brink, +for this part was quite new to him, and resolved as he was to make +a bold stroke of it, he naturally wished to see how the land lay, +and what the fortress of the enemy was like, ere ever he ventured +into it. + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX + +BATTERY AND ASSUMPSIT + + +That little moorland glen, whose only murmur was of wavelets, and +principal traffic of birds and rabbits, even at this time of year +looked pretty, with the winter light winding down its shelter and +soft quietude. Ferny pitches and grassy bends set off the harsh +outline of rock and shale, while a white mist (quivering like a +clew above the rivulet) was melting into the faint blue haze +diffused among the foldings and recesses of the land. On the +hither side, nearly at the bottom of the slope, a bright green spot +among the brown and yellow roughness, looking by comparison most +smooth and rich, showed where the little cottage grew its +vegetables, and even indulged in a small attempt at fruit. Behind +this, the humble retirement of the cot was shielded from the wind +by a breastwork of bold rock, fringed with ground-ivy, hanging +broom, and silver stars of the carline. So simple and low was the +building, and so matched with the colors around it, that but for +the smoke curling up from a pipe of red pottery-ware, a stranger +might almost have overlooked it. The walls were made from the +rocks close by, the roof of fir slabs thatched with ling; there was +no upper story, and (except the door and windows) all the materials +seemed native and at home. Lancelot had heard, by putting a crafty +question in safe places, that the people of the gill here had built +their own dwelling, a good many years ago; and it looked as if they +could have done it easily. + +Now, if he intended to spy out the land, and the house as well, +before the giant of the axe returned, there was no time to lose in +beginning. He had a good deal of sagacity in tricks, and some +practice in little arts of robbery. For before he attained to this +exalted state of mind one of his favorite pastimes had been a +course of stealthy raids upon the pears in Scargate garden. He +might have had as many as he liked for asking; but what flavor +would they have thus possessed? Moreover, he bore a noble spite +against the gardener, whose special pride was in that pear wall; +and Pet more than once had the joy of beholding him thrash his own +innocent son for the dark disappearance of Beurre and Bergamot. +Making good use of this experience, he stole his way down the steep +glen-side, behind the low fence of the garden, until he reached the +bottom, and the brush-wood by the stream. Here he stopped to +observe again, and breathe, and get his spirit up. The glassy +water looked as cold as death; and if he got cramp in his feet, how +could he run? And yet he could see no other way but wading, of +approaching the cottage unperceived. + +Now fortune (whose privilege it is to cast mortals into the holes +that most misfit them) sometimes, when she has got them there, +takes pity, and contemptuously lifts them. Pet was in a hole of +hardship, such as his dear mamma never could have dreamed of, and +such as his nurture and constitution made trebly disastrous for +him. He had taken a chill from his ambush, and fright, and the +cold wind over the snow of the moor; and now the long wading of +that icy water might have ended upon the shores of Acheron. +However, he was just about to start upon that passage--for the +spirit of his race was up--when a dull grating sound, as of +footsteps crunching grit, came to his prettily concave ears. + +At this sound Lancelot Carnaby stopped from his rash venture into +the water, and drew himself back into an ivied bush, which served +as the finial of the little garden hedge. Peeping through this, he +could see that the walk from the cottage to the hedge was newly +sprinkled with gray wood ash, perhaps to prevent the rain from +lodging and the snow from lying there. Heavy steps of two old men +(as Pet in the insolence of young days called them) fell upon the +dull soft crust, and ground it, heel and toe--heel first, as stiff +joints have it--with the bruising snip a hungry cow makes, grazing +wiry grasses. "One of them must be Insie's dad," said Pet to +himself, as he crouched more closely behind the hedge; "which of +them, I wonder? Well, the tall one, I suppose, to go by the height +of that Maunder. And the other has only one arm; and a man with +one arm could never have built their house. They are coming to sit +on that bench; I shall hear every word they say, and learn some of +their secrets that I never could get out of Insie one bit of. But +I wonder who that other fellow is?" + +That other fellow, in spite of his lease, would promptly have laid +his surviving hand to the ear of Master Lancelot, or any other +eavesdropper; for a sturdy and resolute man was he, being no less +than our ancient friend and old soldier, Jack of the Smithies. And +now was verified that homely proverb that listeners never hear good +of themselves. + +"Sit down, my friend," said the elder of the twain, a man of rough +dress and hard hands, but good, straightforward aspect, and that +careless humor which generally comes from a life of adventures, and +a long acquaintance with the world's caprice. "I have brought you +here that we may be undisturbed. Little pitchers have long ears. +My daughter is as true as steel; but this matter is not for her at +present. You are sure, then, that Sir Duncan is come home at last? +And he wished that I should know it?" + +"Yes, sir, he wished that you should know it. So soon as I told +him that you was here, and leading what one may call this queer +life, he slapped his thigh like this here--for he hath a downright +way of everything--and he said, 'Now, Smithies, so soon as you get +home, go and tell him that I am coming. I can trust him as I trust +myself; and glad I am for one old friend in the parts I am such a +stranger to. Years and years I have longed to know what was become +of my old friend Bert.' Tears was in his eyes, your honor: Sir +Duncan hath seen such a mighty lot of men, that his heart cometh up +to the few he hath found deserving of the name, sir." + +"You said that you saw him at York, I think?" + +"Yes, sir, at the business house of his agent, one Master Geoffrey +Mordacks. He come there quite unexpected, I believe, to see about +something else he hath in hand, and I got a message to go there at +once. I save his life once in India, sir, from one of they cursed +Sours, which made him take heed of me, and me of him. And then it +come out where I come from, and why; and the both of us spoke the +broad Yorkshire together, like as I dea naa care to do to home. +After that he got on wonderful, as you know; and I stuck to him +through the whole of it, from luck as well as liking, till, if I +had gone out to see to his breeches, I could not very well have +knowed more of him. And I tell you, sir, not to regard him for a +Yordas. He hath a mind far above them lot; though I was born under +them, to say so!" + +"And you think that he will come and recover his rights, in spite +of his father's will against him. I know nothing of the ladies of +the Hall; but it seems a hard thing to turn them out, after being +there so long." + +"Who was turned out first, they or him? Five-and-twenty years of +tent, open sky, jungle, and who knows what, for him--but eider- +down, and fireside, and fat of land for them! No, no, sir; +whatever shall happen there, will be God's own justice." + +"Of His justice who shall judge?" said Insie's father, quietly. +"But is there not a young man grown, who passes for the heir with +every one?" + +"Ay, that there is; and the best game of all will be neck and crop +for that young scamp. A bully, a coward, a puling milksop, is all +the character he beareth. He giveth himself born airs, as if every +inch of the Riding belonged to him. He hath all the viciousness of +Yordas, without the pluck to face it out. A little beast that hath +the venom, without the courage, of a toad. Ah, how I should like +to see--" + +Jack of the Smithies not only saw, but felt. The Yordas blood was +up in Pet. He leaped through the hedge and struck this man with a +sharp quick fist in either eye. Smithies fell backward behind the +bench, his heels danced in the air, and the stump of his arm got +wedged in the stubs of a bush, while Lancelot glared at him with +mad eyes. + +"What next?" said his companion, rising calmly, and steadfastly +gazing at Lancelot. + +"The next thing is to kill him; and it shall be done," the furious +youth replied, while he swung the gentleman's big stick, which he +had seized, and danced round his foe with the speed of a wild-cat. +"Don't meddle, or it will be worse for you. You heard what he said +of me. Get out of the way." + +"Indeed, my young friend, I shall do nothing of the sort." But the +old man was not at all sure that he could do much; such was the +fury and agility of the youth, who jumped three yards for every +step of his, while the poor old soldier could not move. The boy +skipped round the protecting figure, whose grasp he eluded easily, +and swinging the staff with both arms, aimed a great blow at the +head of his enemy. Suddenly the other interposed the bench, upon +which the stick fell, and broke short; and before the assailant +could recover from the jerk, he was a prisoner in two powerful old +arms. + +"You are so wild that we must make you fast," his captor said, with +a benignant smile; and struggle as he might, the boy was very soon +secured. His antagonist drew forth a red bandana handkerchief, and +fastened his bleeding hands behind his back. "There, now, lad," he +said, "you can do no mischief. Recover your temper, sir, and tell +us who you are, as soon as you are sane enough to know." + +Pet, having spent his just indignation, began to perceive that he +had made a bad investment. His desire had been to maintain in this +particular spot strict privacy from all except Insie, to whom in +the largeness of love he had declared himself. Yet here he stood, +promulged and published, strikingly and flagrantly pronounced! At +first he was like to sulk in the style of a hawk who has failed of +his swoop; but seeing his enemy arising slowly with grunts, and +action nodose and angular--rather than flexibly graceful--contempt +became the uppermost feature of his mind. + +"My name," he said, "if you are not afraid of it, that you tie me +in this cowardly low manner, is--Lancelot Yordas Carnaby." + +"My boy, it is a long name for any one to carry. No wonder that +you look weak beneath it. And where do you live, young gentleman?" + +Amazement sat upon the face of Pet--a genuine astonishment, +entirely pure from wrath. It was wholly beyond his imagination +that any one, after hearing his name, should have to ask him where +he lived. He thought that the question must be put in low mockery, +and to answer was far beneath his dignity. + +By this time the veteran Jack of the Smithies had got out of his +trap, and was standing stiffly, passing his hand across his sadly +smitten eyes, and talking to himself about them. + +"Two black eyes, at my time of life, as sure as I'm a Christian! +Howsomever, young chap, I likes you better. Never dreamed there +was such good stuff in you. Master Bert, cast him loose, if so +please you. Let me shake hands with 'un, and bear no malice. Bad +words deserve hard blows, and I ask his pardon for driving him into +it. I called 'un a milksop, and he hath proved me a liar. He may +be a bad 'un, but with good stuff in 'un. Lord bless me, I never +would have believed the lad could hit so smartly!" + +Pet was well pleased with this tribute to his prowess; but as for +shaking hands with a tenant, and a "common man"--as every one not +of gentle birth was then called--such an act was quite below him, +or above him, according as we take his own opinion, or the truth. +And possibly he rose in Smithies' mind by drawing back from bodily +overture. + +Mr. Bert looked on with all the bliss of an ancient interpreter. +He could follow out the level of the vein of each, as no one may do +except a gentleman, perhaps, who has turned himself deliberately +into a "common man." Bert had done his utmost toward this end; but +the process is difficult when voluntary. + +"I think it is time," he now said, firmly, to the unshackled and +triumphant Pet, "for Lancelot Yordas Carnaby to explain what has +brought him into such humble quarters, and induced him to turn +eavesdropper; which was not considered (at least in my young days) +altogether the part of a gentleman." + +The youth had not seen quite enough of the world to be pat with a +fertile lie as yet; especially under such searching eyes. However, +he did as much as could be well expected. + +"I was just looking over my property," he said, "and I thought I +heard somebody cutting down my timber. I came to see who it was, +and I heard people talking, and before I could ask them about it, I +heard myself abused disgracefully; and that was more than I could +stand." + +"We must take it for granted that a brave young gentleman of your +position would tell no falsehood. You assure us, on your honor, +that you heard no more?" + +"Well, I heard voices, sir. But nothing to understand, or make +head or tail of." There was some truth in this; for young Lancelot +had not the least idea who "Sir Duncan" was. His mother and aunt +had kept him wholly in the dark as to any lost uncle in India. "I +should like to know what it was," he added, "if it has anything to +do with me." + +This was a very clever hit of his; and it made the old gentleman +believe him altogether. + +"All in good time, my young friend," he answered, even with a smile +of some pity for the youth. "But you are scarcely old enough for +business questions, although so keen about your timber. Now after +abusing you so disgracefully, as I admit that my friend here has +done, and after roping your pugnacious hands, as I myself was +obliged to do, we never can launch you upon the moor, in such +weather as this, without some food. You are not very strong, and +you have overdone yourself. Let us go to the house, and have +something." + +Jack of the Smithies showed alacrity at this, as nearly all old +soldiers must; but Pet was much oppressed with care, and the +intellect in his breast diverged into sore distraction of anxious +thought. Whether should he draw the keen sword of assurance, put +aside the others, and see Insie, or whether should he start with +best foot foremost, scurry up the hill, and avoid the axe of +Maunder? Pallas counselled this course, and Aphrodite that; and +the latter prevailed, as she always used to do, until she produced +the present dry-cut generation. + +Lancelot bowed to the gentleman of the gill, and followed him along +the track of grit, which set his little pearly teeth on edge; while +Jack of the Smithies led, and formed, the rear-guard. "This is +coming now to something very queer," thought Pet; "after all, it +might have been better for me to take my chance with the hatchet +man." + +Brown dusk was ripely settling down among the mossy apple-trees, +and the leafless alders of the brook, and the russet and yellow +memories of late autumn lingering in the glen, while the peaky +little freaks of snow, and the cold sighs of the wind, suggested +fireside and comfort. Mr. Bert threw open his cottage door, and +bowing as to a welcome guest, invited Pet to enter. No passage, no +cold entrance hall, demanded scrapes of ceremony; but here was the +parlor, and the feeding-place, and the warm dance of the fire-glow. +Logs that meant to have a merry time, and spread a cheerful noise +abroad, ere ever they turned to embers, were snorting forth the +pointed flames, and spitting soft protests of sap. And before them +stood, with eyes more bright than any flash of fire-light, intent +upon rich simmering scents, a lovely form, a grace of dainties--oh, +a goddess certainly! + +"Master Carnaby," said the host, "allow me, sir, the honor to +present my daughter to you, Insie darling, this is Mr. Lancelot +Yordas Carnaby. Make him a pretty courtesy." + +Insie turned round with a rosy blush, brighter than the brightest +fire-wood, and tried to look at Pet as if she had never even +dreamed of such a being. Pet drew hard upon his heart, and stood +bewildered, tranced, and dazzled. He had never seen Insie in-doors +before, which makes a great difference in a girl; and the vision +was too bright for him. + +For here, at her own hearth, she looked so gentle, sweet, and +lovely. No longer wild and shy, or gayly mischievous and watchful, +but calm-eyed, firm-lipped, gravely courteous; intent upon her +father's face, and banishing not into shadow so much as absolute +nullity any one who dreamed that he ever filled a pitcher for her, +or fed her with grouse and partridge, and committed the incredible +atrocity of kissing her. + +Lancelot ceased to believe it possible that he ever could have done +such a thing as that, while he saw how she never would see him at +all, or talk in the voice that he had been accustomed to, or even +toss her head in the style he had admired, when she tried to +pretend to make light of him. If she would only make light of him +now, he would be well contented, and say to himself that she did it +on purpose, for fear of the opposite extreme. But the worst of it +was that she had quite forgotten, beyond blink of inquiry or gleam +of hope, that ever in her life she had set eyes on a youth of such +perfect insignificance before. + +"My friend, you ought to be hungry," said Bert of the Gill, as he +was proud to call himself; "after your exploit you should be fed. +Your vanquished foe will sit next to you. Insie, you are harassed +in mind by the countenance of our old friend Master John Smithies. +He has met with a little mishap--never mind--the rising generation +is quick of temper. A soldier respects his victor; it is a +beautiful arrangement of Providence; otherwise wars would never +cease. Now give our two guests a good dish of the best, piping +hot, and of good meaty fibre. We will have our own supper by-and- +by, when Maunder comes home, and your mother is ready. Gentlemen, +fall to; you have far to go, and the moors are bad after night- +fall." + +Lancelot, proudly as he stood upon his rank, saw fit to make no +objection. Not only did his inner man cry, "Feed, even though a +common man feed with thee," but his mind was under the influence of +a stronger one, which scorned such stuff. Moreover, Insie, for the +first time, gave him a glance, demure but imperative, which meant, +"Obey my father, sir." + +He obeyed, and was rewarded; for the beautiful girl came round him +so, to hand whatever he wanted, and seemed to feel so sweetly for +him in his strange position, that he scarcely knew what he was +eating, only that it savored of rich rare love, and came from the +loveliest creature in the world. In stern fact, it came from the +head of a sheep; but neither jaws nor teeth were seen. Upon one +occasion he was almost sure that a curl of Insie's lovely hair fell +upon the back of his stooping neck; he could scarcely keep himself +from jumping up; and he whispered, very softly, when the old man +was away, "Oh, if you would only do that again!" But his darling +made manifest that this was a mistake, and applied herself +sedulously to the one-armed Jack. + +Jack of the Smithies was a trencherman of the very first order, and +being well wedded (with a promise already of young soldiers to +come), it behooved him to fill all his holes away from home, and +spare his own cupboard for the sake of Mistress Smithies. He +perceived the duty, and performed it, according to the discipline +of the British army. + +But Insie was fretting in the conscience of her heart to get the +young Lancelot fed and dismissed before the return of her great +wild brother. Not that he would hurt their guest, though +unwelcome; or even show any sort of rudeness to him; but more than +ever now, since she heard of Pet's furious onslaught upon the old +soldier--which made her begin to respect him a little--she longed +to prevent any meeting between this gallant and the rough Maunder. +And that anxiety led her to look at Pet with a melancholy kindness. +Then Jack of the Smithies cut things short. + +"Off's the word," he said, "if ever I expects to see home afore +daylight. All of these moors is known to me, and many's the time I +have tracked them all in sleep, when the round world was betwixt +us. But without any moon it is hard to do 'em waking; and the loss +of my arm sends me crooked in the dark. And as for young folk, +they be all abroad to once. With your leave, Master Bert, I'll be +off immediate, after getting all I wants, as the manner of the +world is. My good missus will be wondering what is come of me." + +"You have spoken well," his host replied; "and I think we shall +have a heavy fall to-night. But this young gentleman must not go +home alone. He is not robust, and the way is long and rough. I +have seen him shivering several times. I will fetch my staff, and +march with him." + +"No, sir, I will not have such a thing done," the veteran answered, +sturdily. "If the young gentleman is a gentleman, he will not be +afraid for me to take him home, in spite of what he hath done to +me. Speak up, young man, are you frightened of me?" + +"Not if you are not afraid of me," said Pet, who had now forgotten +all about that Maunder, and only longed to stay where he was, and +set up a delicious little series of glances. For the room, and the +light, and the tenor of the place, began more and more to suit such +uses. And most and best of all, his Insie was very thankful to him +for his good behavior; and he scarcely could believe that she +wanted him to go. To go, however, was his destiny; and when he had +made a highly laudable and far-away salute, it happened--in the +shift of people, and of light, and clothing, which goes on so much +in the winter-time--that a little hand came into his, and rose to +his lips, with ground of action, not for assault and battery, but +simply for assumpsit. + + + +CHAPTER XL + +STORMY GAP + + +Snowy weather now set in, and people were content to stay at home. +Among the scaurs and fells and moors the most perturbed spirit was +compelled to rest, or try to do so, or at any rate not agitate its +body out-of-doors. Lazy folk were suited well with reason good for +laziness; and gentle minds, that dreaded evil, gladly found its +communication stopped. + +Combined excitement and exertion, strong amazement, ardent love, +and a cold of equal severity, laid poor Pet Carnaby by the heels, +and reduced him to perpetual gruel. He was shut off from external +commune, and strictly blockaded in his bedroom, where his only +attendants were his sweet mother, and an excellent nurse who +stroked his forehead, and called him "dear pet," till he hated her, +and, worst of all, that Dr. Spraggs, who lived in the house, +because the weather was so bad. + +"We have taken a chill, and our mind is a little unhinged," said +the skillful practitioner: "careful diet, complete repose, a warm +surrounding atmosphere, absence of undue excitement, and, above +all, a course of my gentle alteratives regularly administered-- +these are the very simple means to restore our beloved patient. He +is certainly making progress; but I assure you, my dear madam, or +rather I need not tell a lady of such wonderfully clear perception, +that remedial measures must be slow to be truly efficacious. With +lower organizations we may deal in a more empiric style; but no +experiments must be tried here--" + +"Dr. Spraggs, I should hope not, indeed. You alarm me by the mere +suggestion." + +"Gradation, delicately pursued, adapted subtly, discriminated +nicely by the unerring diagnosis of extensive medical experience, +combined with deep study of the human system, and a highly +distinguished university career--such, madam, are, in my humble +opinion, the true elements of permanent amelioration. At the same +time we must not conceal from ourselves that our constitution is by +no means one of ordinary organization. None of your hedger and +ditcher class, but delicate, fragile, impulsive, sensitive, liable +to inopine derangements from excessive activity of mind--" + +"Oh, Dr. Spraggs, he has been reading poetry, which none of our +family ever even dreamed of doing--it is a young man, over your way +somewhere. Possibly you may have heard of him." + +"That young man has a great deal to answer for. I have traced a +very bad case of whooping-cough to him. That explains many +symptoms which I could not quite make out. We will take away this +book, madam, and give him Dr. Watts--the only wholesome poet that +our country has produced; though even his opinions would be better +expressed in prose." + +But the lad, in spite of all this treatment, slowly did recover, +and then obtained relief, which set him on his nimble legs again. +For his aunt Philippa, one snowy morning, went into the room +beneath that desperately sick chamber, to see whether wreaths of +snow had entered, as they often did, between the loose joints of +the casement. She walked very carefully, for fear of making a +noise that might be heard above, and disturb the repose of the poor +invalid. But, to her surprise, there came loud thumps from above, +and a quivering of the ceiling, and a sound as of rushing steps, +and laughter, and uproarious jollity. + +"What can it be? I am perfectly amazed," said Mistress Yordas to +herself. "I must inquire into this." + +She knew that her sister was out of the way, and the nurse in the +kitchen, having one of her frequent feeds and agreeable discourses. +So she went to a mighty ring in her own room, as large as an +untaxed carriage wheel, and from it (after due difficulty) took the +spare key of the passage door that led the way to Lancelot. + +No sooner had she passed this door than she heard a noise a great +deal worse than the worst imagination--whiz, and hiss, and crack, +and smash, and rolling of hollow things over hollow places, varied +with shouts, and the flapping of skirts, and jingling of money upon +heart of oak; these and many other travails of the air (including +strong language) amazed the lady. Hastening into the sick-room, +she found the window wide open, with the snow pouring in, a dozen +of phial bottles ranged like skittles, some full and some empty, +and Lancelot dancing about in his night-gown, with Divine Songs +poised for another hurl. + +"Two for a full, and one for an empty. Seven to me, and four to +you. No cheating, now, or I'll knock you over," he was shouting to +Welldrum's boy, who had clearly been smuggled in at the window for +this game. "There's plenty more in old Spraggs's chest. Holloa, +here's Aunt Philippa!" + +Mistress Yordas was not displeased with this spirited application +of pharmacy; she at once flung wide the passage door, and Pet was +free of the house again, but upon parole not to venture out of +doors. The first use he made of his liberty was to seek the +faithful Jordas, who possessed a little private sitting-room, and +there hold secret council with him. + +The dogman threw his curly head back, when he had listened to his +young lord's tale (which contained the truth, and nothing but the +truth, yet not by any means the whole truth, for the leading figure +was left out), and a snort from his broad nostrils showed contempt +and strong vexation. + +"Just what I said would come o' such a job," he muttered, without +thought of Lancelot; "to let in a traitor, and spake him fair, and +make much of him. I wish you had knocked his two eyes out, Master +Lance, instead of only blacking of 'un. And a fortnight lost +through that pisonin' Spraggs! And the weather going on, snow and +thaw, snow and thaw. There's scarcely a dog can stand, let alone a +horse, and the wreaths getting deeper. Most onlucky! It hath come +to pass most ontoimely." + +"But who is Sir Duncan? And who is Mr. Bert? I have told you +everything, Jordas; and all you do is to tell me nothing." + +"What more can I tell you, sir? You seem to know most about 'em. +And what was it as took you down that way, sir, if I may make so +bold to ask?" + +"Jordas, that is no concern of yours; every gentleman has his own +private affairs, which can not in any way concern a common man. +But I wish you particularly to find out all that can be known about +Mr. Bert--what made him come here, and why does he live so, and how +much has he got a year? He seems to be quite a gentleman--" + +"Then his private affairs, sir, can not concern a common man. You +had better ways go yourself and ask him; or ask his friend with the +two black eyes. Now just you do as I bid you, Master Lance. Not a +word of all this here to my ladies; but think of something as you +must have immediate from Middleton. Something as your health +requires"--here Jordas indulged in a sarcastic grin--"something as +must come, if the sky come down, or the day of Judgment was to- +morrow." + +"I know, yes, I am quite up to you, Jordas. Let me see: last time +it was a sweet-bread. That would never do again. It shall be a +hundred oysters; and Spraggs shall command it, or be turned out." + +"Jordas, I really can not bear," said the kind Mrs. Carnaby, an +hour afterward, "that you should seem almost to risk your life by +riding to Middleton in such dreadful weather. Are you sure that it +will not snow again, and quite sure that you can get through all +the wreaths? If not, I would on no account have you go. Perhaps, +after all, it is but the fancy of a poor fantastic invalid, though +Dr. Spraggs feels that it is so important, and may be the turning- +point in his sad illness. It seems such a long way in such +weather; and selfish people, who can never understand, might say +that it was quite unkind of us. But if you have made up your mind +to go, in spite of all remonstrance, you must be sure to come back +to-night; and do please to see that the oysters are round, and have +not got any of their lids up." + +The dogman knew well that he jeopardized his life in either half of +the journey; no little in going, and tenfold as much in returning +through the snows of night. Though the journey in the first place +had been of his own seeking, and his faithful mind was set upon it, +some little sense of bitterness was in his heart, that his life was +not thought more of. He made a low bow, and turned away, that he +might not meet those eyes so full of anxiety for another, and of +none for him. And when he came to think of it, he was sorry +afterward for indulging in a little bit of two-edged satire. + +"Will you please to ask my lady if I may take Marmaduke? Or +whether she would be afeared to risk him in such weather?" + +"I think it is unkind of you to speak like that. I need not ask my +sister, as you ought to know. Of course you may take Marmaduke. I +need not tell you to be careful of him." + +After that, if he had chosen for himself, he would not have taken +Marmaduke. But he thought of the importance of his real purpose, +and could trust no other horse to get him through it. + +In fine summer weather, when the sloughs were in, and the water- +courses low or dry, and the roads firm, wherever there were any, a +good horse and rider, well acquainted with the track, might go from +Scargate Hall to Middleton in about three hours, nearly all of the +journey being well down hill. But the travel to come back was a +very different thing; four hours and a half was quick time for it, +even in the best state of earth and sky, and the Royal Mail pony +was allowed a good seven, because his speed (when first established) +had now impaired his breathing. And ever since the snow set in, +he had received his money for the journey, but preferred to stay +in stable; for which everybody had praised him, finding letters +give them indigestion. + +Now Jordas roughed Marmaduke's shoes himself; for the snow would be +frozen in the colder places, and ball wherever any softness was-- +two things which demand very different measures. Also he fed him +well, and nourished himself, and took nurture for the road; so that +with all haste he could not manage to start before twelve of the +day. Travelling was worse than he expected, and the snow very deep +in places, especially at Stormy Gap, about a league from Scargate. +Moreover, he knew that the strength of his horse must be carefully +husbanded for the return; and so it was dusk of the winter evening, +and the shops of the little town were being lit with hoops of +candles, when Jordas, followed by Saracen, came trotting through +the unpretending street. + +That ancient dog Saracen, the largest of the blood-hounds, had +joined the expedition as a volunteer, craftily following and +crouching out of sight, until he was certain of being too far from +home to be sent back again. Then he boldly appeared, and cantered +gayly on in front of Marmaduke, with his heavy dewlaps laced with +snow. + +Jordas put up at a quiet old inn, and had Saracen chained strongly +to a ringbolt in the stable; then he set off afoot to see Mr. +Jellicorse, and just as he rang the office bell a little fleecy +twinkle fell upon one of his eyelashes, and looking sharply up, he +saw that a snowy night was coming. + +The worthy lawyer received him kindly, but not at all as if he +wished to see him; for Christmas-tide was very nigh at hand, and +the weather made the ink go thick, and only a clerk who was working +for promotion would let his hat stay on its peg after the drum and +fife went by, as they always did at dusk of night, to frighten +Bonyparty. + +"There are only two important facts in all you have told me, +Jordas," Mr. Jellicorse said, when he had heard him out: "one that +Sir Duncan is come home, of which I was aware some time ago; and +the other that he has been consulting an agent of the name of +Mordacks, living in this county. That certainly looks as if he +meant to take some steps against us. But what can he do more than +might have been done five-and-twenty years ago?" The lawyer took +good care to speak to none but his principals concerning that +plaguesome deed of appointment. + +"Well, sir, you know best, no doubt. Only that he hath the money +now, by all accounts; and like enough he hath labored for it a' +purpose to fight my ladies. If your honor knew as well as I do +what a Yordas is for fighting, and for downright stubbornness--" + +"Perhaps I do," replied the lawyer, with a smile; "but if he has no +children of his own, as I believe is the case with him, it seems +unlikely that he would risk his substance in a rash attempt to turn +out those who are his heirs." + +"He is not so old but what he might have children yet, if he hath +none now to hand. Anyways it was my duty to tell you my news +immediate." + +"Jordas, I always say that you are a model of a true retainer-- +a character becoming almost extinct in this faithless and +revolutionary age. Very few men would have ridden into town +through all those dangerous unmade roads, in weather when even the +Royal Mail is kept, by the will of the Lord, in stable." + +"Well, sir," said Jordas, with his brave soft smile, "the smooth +and the rough of it comes in and out, accordin'. Some days I does +next to nought; and some days I earns my keepin'. Any more +commands for me, Lawyer Jellicoose? Time cometh on rather late for +starting." + +"Jordas, you amaze me! You never mean to say that you dream of +setting forth again on such a night as this is? I will find you a +bed; you shall have a hot supper. What would your ladies think of +me, if I let you go forth among the snow again? Just look at the +window-panes, while you and I were talking! And the feathers of +the ice shooting up inside, as long as the last sheaf of quills I +opened for them. Quills, quills, quills, all day! And when I buy +a goose unplucked, if his quills are any good, his legs won't +carve, and his gizzard is full of gravel-stones! Ah, the world +grows every day in roguery." + +"All the world agrees to that, sir; ever since I were as high as +your table, never I hear two opinions about it; and it maketh a man +seem to condemn himself. Good-night, sir, and I hope we shall have +good news so soon as his Royal Majesty the king affordeth a pony as +can lift his legs." + +Mr. Jellicorse vainly strove to keep the man in town that night. +He even called for his sensible wife and his excellent cook to +argue, having no clerk left to make scandal of the scene. The cook +had a turn of mind for Jordas, and did think that he would stop for +her sake; and she took a broom to show him what the depth of snow +was upon the red tiles between the brew-house and the kitchen. An +icicle hung from the lip of the pump, and new snow sparkled on the +cook's white cap, and the dark curly hair which she managed to let +fall; the brew-house smelled nice, and the kitchen still nicer; but +it made no difference to Jordas. If he had told them the reason of +this hurry, they would have said hard things about it, perhaps; +Mrs. Jellicorse especially (being well read in the Scriptures, and +fond of quoting them against all people who had grouse and sent her +none) would have called to mind what David said, when the three +mighty men broke through the host, and brought water from the well +of Bethlehem. So Jordas only answered that he had promised to +return, and a trifle of snow improved the travelling. + +"A willful man must have his way," said Mr. Jellicorse at last. +"We can not put him in the pound, Diana; but the least we can do is +to provide him for a coarse, cold journey. If I know anything of +our country, he will never see Scargate Hall to-night, but his +blanket will be a snowdrift. Give him one of our new whitneys to +go behind his saddle, and I will make him take two things. I am +your legal adviser, Jordas, and you are like all other clients. +Upon the main issue, you cast me off; but in small matters you must +obey me." + +The hardy dogman was touched with this unusual care for his +welfare. At home his services were accepted as a due, requiring +little praise and less of gratitude. It was his place to do this +and that, and be thankful for the privilege. But his comfort was +left for himself to study; and if he had studied it much, reproach +would soon have been the chief reward. It never would do, as his +ladies said, to make too much of Jordas. He would give himself +airs, and think that people could not get on without him. + +Marmaduke looked fresh and bold when he came out of stable; he had +eaten with pleasure a good hot dinner, or supper perhaps he +considered it, liking to have his meals early, as horses generally +do. And he neighed and capered for the homeward road, though he +knew how full it was of hardships; for never yet looked horse +through bridle, without at least one eye resilient toward the charm +of headstall. And now he had both eyes fixed with legitimate aim +in that direction; and what were a few tiny atoms of snow to keep a +big horse from his household? + +Merrily, therefore, he set forth, with a sturdy rider on his back; +his clear neigh rang through the thick dull streets, and kind +people came to their white blurred windows, and exclaimed, as they +glanced at the party-colored horseman rushing away into the dreary +depths, "Well, rather him than me, thank God!" + +"You keep the dog," Master Jordas had said to the hostler, before +he left the yard; "he is like a lamb, when you come to know him. I +can't be plagued with him to-night. Here's a half crown for his +victuals; he eats precious little for the size of him. A bullock's +liver every other day, and a pound and a half the between times. +Don't be afeared of him. He looks like that, to love you, man." + +Instead of keeping on the Durham side of Tees, as he would have +done in fair weather for the first six miles or so, Jordas crossed +by the old town bridge into his native county. The journey would +be longer thus, but easier in some places, and the track more plain +to follow, which on a snowy night was everything. For all things +now were in one indiscriminate pelt and whirl of white; the Tees +was striped with rustling floes among the black moor-water; and the +trees, as long as there were any, bent their shrouded forms and +moaned. + +But with laborious plunges, and broad scatterings of obstruction, +the willing horse ploughed out his way, himself the while wrapped +up in white, and caked in all his tufty places with a crust that +flopped up and down. The rider, himself piled up with snow, and +bearded with a berg of it, from time to time, with his numb right +hand, fumbled at the frozen clouts that clogged the poor horse's +mane and crest. + +"How much longer will a' go, I wonder?" said Jordas to himself for +the twentieth time. "The Lord in heaven knows where we be; but +horse knows better than the Lord a'most. Two hour it must be since +ever I 'tempted to make head or tail of it. But Marmaduke knoweth +when a' hath his head; these creatures is wiser than Christians. +Save me from the witches, if I ever see such weather! And I wish +that Master Lance's oysters wasn't quite so much like him." + +For, broad as his back was, perpetual thump of rugged and +flintified knobs and edges, through the flag basket strapped over +his neck, was beginning to tell upon his stanch but jolted spine; +while his foot in the northern stirrup was numbed, and threatening +to get frost-bitten. + +"The Lord knoweth where we be," he said once more, growing in piety +as the peril grew. "What can old horse know, without the Lord hath +told 'un? And likely he hath never asked, no more than I did. We +mought 'a come twelve moiles, or we mought 'a come no more than +six. What ever is there left in the world to judge by? The hills, +or the hollows, or the boskies, all is one, so far as the power of +a man's eyes goes. Howsomever, drive on, old Dukie." + +Old Dukie drove on with all his might and main, and the stout +spirit which engenders strength, till he came to a white wall +reared before him, twice as high as his snow-capped head, and +swirling like a billow of the sea with drift. Here he stopped +short, for he had his own rein, and turned his clouted neck, and +asked his master what to make of it. + +"We must 'a come at last to Stormy Gap: it might be worse, and it +might be better. Rocks o' both sides, and no way round. No choice +but to get through it, or to spend the night inside of it. You and +I are a pretty good weight, old Dukie. We'll even try a charge for +it, afore we knock under. We can't have much more smother than +we've gotten already. My father was taken like this, I've heard +tell, in the service of old Squire Philip; and he put his nag at +it, and scumbled through. But first you get up your wind, old +chap." + +Marmaduke seemed to know what was expected of him; for he turned +round, retreated a few steps, and then stood panting. Then Jordas +dismounted, as well as he could with his windward leg nearly +frozen. He smote himself lustily, with both arms swinging, upon +his broad breast, and he stamped in the snow till he felt his +tingling feet again. Then he took up the skirt of his thick heavy +coat, and wiped down the head, mane, and shoulders of the horse, +and the great pile of snow upon the crupper. "Start clear is a +good word," he said. + +For a moment he stopped to consider the forlorn hope of his last +resolution. "About me, there is no such great matter," he thought; +"but if I was to kill Dukie, who would ever hear the last of it? +And what a good horse he have been, to be sure! But if I was to +leave him so, the crows would only have him. We be both in one +boat; we must try of it." He said a little prayer, which was all +he knew, for himself and a lass he had a liking to, who lived in a +mill upon the river Lune; and then he got into the saddle again, +and set his teeth hard, and spoke to Marmaduke, a horse who would +never be touched with a spur. "Come on, old chap," was all he +said. + +The horse looked about in the thick of the night, as the head of +the horse peers out of the cloak, in Welsh mummery, at Christmas- +tide. The thick of the night was light and dark, with the dense +intensity of down-pour; light in itself, and dark with shutting out +all sight of everything--a close-at-hand confusion, and a distance +out of measure. The horse, with his wise snow-crusted eyes, took +in all the winnowing of light among the draff, and saw no +possibility of breaking through, but resolved to spend his life as +he was ordered. No power of rush or of dash could he gather, +because of the sinking of his feet; the main chance was of bulk and +weight; and his rider left him free to choose. For a few steps he +walked, nimbly picking up his feet, and then, with a canter of the +best spring he could compass, hurled himself into the depth of the +drift, while Jordas lay flat along his neck, and let him plunge. +For a few yards the light snow flew before him, like froth of the +sea before a broad-bowed ship, and smothered as he was, he fought +onward for his life. But very soon the power of his charge was +gone, his limbs could not rise, and his breath was taken from him; +the hole that he had made was filled up behind him; fresh volumes +from the shaken height came pouring down upon him; his flanks and +his back were wedged fast in the cumber, and he stood still and +trembled, being buried alive. + +Jordas, with a great effort, threw himself off, and put his hat +before his mouth, to make himself a breathing space. He scarcely +knew whether he stood or lay; but he kicked about for want of air, +and the more he kicked the worse it was, as in the depth of +nightmare. Blindness, choking, smothering, and freezing fell in a +lump upon his poor body now, and the shrieking of the horse and the +panting of his struggles came, by some vibration, to him. + +But just as he began to lose his wits, sink away backward, and gasp +for breath, a gleam of light broke upon his closing eyes; he +gathered the remnant of his strength, struck for it, and was in a +space of free air. After several long pants he looked around, and +found that a thicket of stub oak jutting from the crag of the gap +had made a small alcove with billows of snow piled over it. Then +the brave spirit of the man came forth. "There is room for Dukie +as well as me," he gasped; "with God's help, I will fetch him in." + +Weary as he was, he cast himself back into the wall of snow, and +listened. At first he heard nothing, and made sure that all was +over; but presently a faint soft gurgle, like a dying sob, came +through the murk. With all his might he dashed toward the sound, +and laid hold of a hairy chin just foundering. "Rise up, old +chap," he tried to shout, and he gave the horse a breath or two +with the broad-brimmed hat above his nose. Then Marmaduke rallied +for one last fight, with the surety of a man to help him. He +staggered forward to the leading of the hand he knew so well, and +fell down upon his knees; but his head was clear, and he drew long +breaths, and his heart was glad, and his eyes looked up, and he +gave a feeble whinny. + + + +CHAPTER XLI + +BAT OF THE GILL + + +Upon that same evening the cottage in the gill was well snowed up, +as befell it every winter, more or less handsomely, according to +the wind. The wind was in the right way to do it truly now, with +just enough draught to pile bountiful wreaths, and not enough of +wild blast to scatter them again. "Bat of the Gill," as Mr. Bert +was called, sat by the fire, with his wife and daughter, and +listened very calmly to the whistle of the wind, and the sliding of +the soft fall that blocked his window-panes. + +Insie was reading, Mrs. Bert was knitting stockings, and Mr. Bert +was thinking of his own strange life. It never once occurred to +him that great part of its strangeness sprang from the oddities of +his own nature, any more than a man who has been in a quarrel +believes that he could have kept out of it. "Matters beyond my own +control have forced me to do this and that," is the sure belief of +every man whose life has run counter to his fellows, through his +own inborn diversity. In this man's nature were two strange +points, sure (if they are strong enough to survive experience) to +drive anybody into strange ways: he did not care for money, and he +contemned rank. + +How these two horrible twists got into his early composition is +more than can be told, and in truth it does not matter. But being +quite incurable, and meeting with no sympathy, except among people +who aspired to them only, and failed--if they ever got the chance +of failing--these depravations from the standard of mankind drove +Christopher Bert from the beaten tracks of life. Providence +offered him several occasions of return into the ordinary course; +for after he had cast abroad a very nice inheritance, other two +fortunes fell to him, but found him as difficult as ever to stay +with. Not that he was lavish upon luxury of his own, for no man +could have simpler tastes, but that he weakly believed in the duty +of benevolence, and the charms of gratitude. Of the latter it is +needless to say that he got none, while with the former he produced +some harm. When all his bread was cast upon the waters, he set out +to earn his own crust as best he might. + +Hence came a chapter of accidents, and a volume of motley incidents +in various climes, and upon far seas. Being a very strong, active +man, with gift of versatile hand and brain, and early acquaintance +with handicrafts, Christopher Bert could earn his keep, and make in +a year almost as much as he used to give away, or lend without +redemption, in a general day of his wealthy time. Hard labor tried +to make him sour, but did not succeed therein. + +Yet one thing in all this experience vexed him more than any +hardship, to wit, that he never could win true fellowship among his +new fellows in the guild of labor. Some were rather surly, others +very pleasant (from a warm belief that he must yet come into +money); but whatsomever or whosoever they were, or of whatever +land, they all agreed that Christopher Bert was not of their +communion. Manners, appearance, education, freedom from prejudice, +and other wide diversities marked him as an interloper, and perhaps +a spy, among the enlightened working-men of the period. Over and +over again he strove to break down this barrier; but thrice as hard +he might have striven, and found it still too strong for him. This +and another circumstance at last impressed him with the superior +value of his own society. Much as he loved the working-man--in +spite of all experience of him--that worthy fellow would not have +it, but felt a truly and piously hereditary scorn for "a gentleman +as took a order, when, but for being a blessed fool, he might have +stood there giving it." + +The other thing that helped to drive him from this very dense array +was his own romantic marriage, and the copious birth of children. +After the sensitive age was past, and when the sensibles ought to +reign--for then he was past five-and-thirty--he fell (for the first +time of his life) into a violent passion of love for a beautiful +Jewish maid barely turned seventeen; Zilpah admired him, for he was +of noble aspect, rich with variety of thoughts and deeds. With +women he had that peculiar power which men of strong character +possess; his voice was like music, and his words as good as poetry, +and he scarcely ever seemed to contradict himself. Very soon +Zilpah adored him; and then he gave notice to her parents that she +was to be his wife. These stared considerably, being very wealthy +people, of high Jewish blood (and thus the oldest of the old), and +steadfast most--where all are steadfast--to their own race of +religion. Finding their astonishment received serenely, they +locked up their daughter, with some strong expressions; which they +redoubled when they found the door wide open in the morning. +Zilpah was gone, and they scratched out her name from the surface +of their memories. + +Christopher Bert, being lawfully married--for the local restrictions +scorned the case of a foreigner and a Jewess--crossed the Polish +frontier with his mules and tools, and drove his little covered +cart through Austria. And here he lit upon, and helped in some +predicament of the road, a spirited young Englishman undergoing the +miseries of the grand tour, the son and heir of Philip Yordas. +Duncan was large and crooked of thought--as every true Yordas must +be--and finding a mind in advance of his own by several years of +such sallyings, and not yet even swerving toward the turning goal +of corpulence, the young man perceived that he had hit upon a +prophet. + +For Bert scarcely ever talked at all of his generous ideas. A +prophet's proper mantle is the long cloak of Harpocrates, and his +best vaticinations are inspired more than uttered. So it came +about that Duncan Yordas, difficult as he was to lead, largely +shared the devious courses of Christopher Bert the workman, and +these few months of friendship made a lasting mark upon the younger +man. + +Soon after this a heavy blow befell the ingenious wanderer. Among +his many arts and trades, he had some knowledge of engineering, or +at any rate much boldness of it; which led him to conceive a brave +idea concerning some tributary of the Po. The idea was sound and +fine, and might have led to many blessings; but Nature, enjoying +her bad work best, recoiled upon her improver. He left an oozy +channel drying (like a glanderous sponge) in August; and virulent +fever came into his tent. All of his eight children died except +his youngest son Maunder; his own strong frame was shaken sadly; +and his loving wife lost all her strength and buxom beauty. He +gathered the remnants of his race, and stricken but still +unconquered, took his way to a long-forgotten land. "The residue +of us must go home," he said, after all his wanderings. + +In London, of course, he was utterly forgotten, although he had +spent much substance there, in the days of sanguine charity. +Durham was his native county, where he might have been a leading +man, if more like other men. "Cosmopolitan" as he was, and strong +in his own opinions still, the force of years, and sorrow, and long +striving, told upon him. He had felt a longing to mend the kettles +of the house that once was his; but when he came to the brink of +Tees his stout heart failed, and he could not cross. + +Instead of that he turned away, to look for his old friend Yordas; +not to be patronized by him--for patronage he would have none--but +from hankering after a congenial mind, and to touch upon kind +memories. Yordas was gone, as pure an outcast as himself, and his +name almost forbidden there. He thought it a part of the general +wrong, and wandered about to see the land, with his eyes wide open +as usual. + +There was nothing very beautiful in the land, and nothing at all +attractive, except that it commanded length of view, and was noble +in its rugged strength. This, however, pleased him well, and here +he resolved to set up his staff, if means could be found to make it +grow. From the higher fells he could behold (whenever the weather +encouraged him) the dromedary humps of certain hills, at the tail +whereof he had been at school--a charming mist of retrospect. And +he felt, though it might have been hard to make him own it, a +deeply seated joy that here he should be long lengths out of reach +of the most highly illuminated working-man. This was an +inconsistent thing, but consistent forever in coming to pass. + +Where the will is, there the way is, if the will be only wise. +Bert found out a way of living in this howling wilderness, as his +poor wife would have called it, if she had been a bad wife. +Unskillful as he had shown himself in the matter of silver and +gold, he had won great skill in the useful metals, especially in +steel--the type of truth. And here in a break of rock he +discovered a slender vein of a slate-gray mineral, distinct from +cobalt, but not unlike it, such as he had found in the Carpathian +Mountains, and which in metallurgy had no name yet, for its value +was known to very few. But a legend of the spot declared that the +ancient cutlers of Bilbao owed much of their fame to the use of +this mineral in the careful process of conversion. + +"I can make a living out of it, and that is all I want," said Bert, +who was moderately sanguine still. "I know a manufacturer who has +faith in me, and is doing all he can against the supremacy of +Sheffield. If I can make arrangements with him, we will settle +here, and keep to our own affairs for the future." + +He built him a cottage in lonely snugness, far in the waste, and +outside even of the range of title-deeds, though he paid a small +rent to the manor, to save trouble, and to satisfy his conscience +of the mineral deposit. By right of discovery, lease, and user, +this became entirely his, as nobody else had ever heard of it. So +by the fine irony of facts it came to pass, first, that the +squanderer of three fortunes united his lot with a Jewess; next, +that a great "cosmopolitan" hugged a strict corner of jealous +monopoly; and again, that a champion of communism insisted upon his +exclusive right to other people's property. However, for all that, +it might not be easy to find a more consistent man. + +Here Maunder, the surviving son, grew up, and Insie, their last +child, was born; and the land enjoyed peace for twenty years, +because it was of little value. A man who had been about the world +so loosely must have found it hard to be boxed up here, except for +the lowering of strength and pride by sorrow of affection, and sore +bodily affliction. But the air of the moorland is good for such +troubles. Bert possessed a happy nature; and perhaps it was well +that his children could say, "We are nine; but only two to feed." + +It must have been the whistling wind, a long memorial sound, which +sent him, upon this snowy December night, back among the echoes of +the past; for he always had plenty of work to do, even in the +winter evenings, and was not at all given to folded arms. And +before he was tired of his short warm rest, his wife asked, "Where +is Maunder?" + +"I left him doing his work," he replied; "he had a great heap still +to clear. He understands his work right well. He will not go to +bed till he has done it. We must not be quite snowed up, my dear." + +Mrs. Bert shook her head: having lost so many children, she was +anxious about the rest of them. But before she could speak again, +a heavy leap against the door was heard; the strong latch rattled, +and the timbers creaked. Insie jumped up to see what it meant, but +her father stopped her, and went himself. When he opened the door, +a whirl of snow flew in, and through the glitter and the flutter a +great dog came reeling, and rolled upon the floor, a mighty lump of +bristled whiteness. Mrs. Bert was terrified, for she thought it +was a wolf, not having found it in her power to believe that there +could be such a desert place without wolves in the winter-time. + +"Why, Saracen!" said Insie; "I declare it is! You poor old dog, +what can have brought you out this weather?" + +Both her parents were surprised to see her sit down on the floor +and throw her arms around the neck of this self-invited and very +uncouth visitor. For the girl forgot all of her trumpery +concealments in the warmth of her feeling for a poor lost dog. + +Saracen looked at her, with a view to dignity. He had only seen +her once before, when Pet brought him down (both for company and +safeguard), and he was not a dog who would dream of recognizing a +person to whom he had been rashly introduced. And he knew that he +was in a mighty difficulty now, which made self-respect all the +more imperative. However, on the whole, he had been pleased with +Insie at their first interview, and had patronized her--for she had +an honest fragrance, and a little taste of salt--and now with a +side look he let her know that he did not wish to hurt her +feelings, although his business was not with her. But if she +wanted to give him some refreshment, she might do so, while he was +considering. + +The fact was, though he could not tell it, and would scorn to do so +if he could, that he had not had one bit to eat for more hours than +he could reckon. That wicked hostler at Middleton had taken his +money and disbursed it upon beer, adding insult to injury by +remarking, in the hearing of Saracen (while strictly chained), that +he was a deal too fat already. So vile a sentiment had deepened +into passion the dog's ever dominant love of home; and when the +darkness closed upon him in an unknown hungry hole, without even a +horse for company, any other dog would have howled; but this dog +stiffened his tail with self-respect. He scraped away all the +straw to make a clear area for his experiment, and then he stood up +like a pillar, or a fine kangaroo, and made trial of his weight +against the chain. Feeling something give, or show propensity +toward giving, he said to himself that here was one more triumph +for him over the presumptuous intellect of man. The chain might be +strong enough to hold a ship, and the great leathern collar to +secure a bull; but the fastening of chain to collar was unsound, by +reason of the rusting of a rivet. + +Retiring to the manger for a better length of rush, he backed +against the wall for a fulcrum to his spring, while the roll of his +chest and the breadth of his loins quivered with tight muscle. +Then off like the charge of a cannon he dashed, the loop of the +collar flew out of the rivet, and the chain fell clanking on the +paving-bricks. With grim satisfaction the dog set off in the track +of the horse for Scargate Hall. And now he sat panting in the +cottage of the gill, to tell his discovery and to crave for help. + +"Where do you come from, and what do you want?" asked Bert, as the +dog, soon beginning to recover, looked round at the door, and then +back again at him, and jerked up his chin impatiently, "Insie, you +seem to know this fine fellow. Where have you met him? And whose +dog is he? Saracen! Why, that is the name of the dog who is +everybody's terror at Scargate." + +"I gave him some water one day," said Insie, "when he was terribly +thirsty. But he seems to know you, father, better than me. He +wants you to do something, and he scorns me." + +For Saracen, failing of articulate speech, was uttering volumes of +entreaty with his eyes, which were large, and brown, and full of +clear expression under eyebrows of rich tan; and then he ran to the +door, put up one heavy paw and shook it, and ran back, and pushed +the master with his nozzle, and then threw back his great head and +long velvet ears, and opening his enormous jaws, gave vent to a +mighty howl which shook the roof. + +"Oh, put him out, put him out! open the door!" exclaimed Mrs. Bert, +in fresh terror. "If he is not a wolf, he is a great deal worse." + +"His master is out in the snow," cried Bert; "perhaps buried in the +snow, and he is come to tell us. Give me my hat, child, and my +thick coat. See how delighted he is, poor fellow! Oh, here comes +Maunder! Now lead the way, my friend. Maunder, go and fetch the +other shovel. There is somebody lost in the snow, I believe. We +must follow this dog immediately." + +"Not till you both have had much plenty food," the mother said: +"out upon the moors, this bad, bad night, and for leagues possibly +to travel. My son and my husband are much too good. You bad dog, +why did you come, pestilent? But you shall have food also. Insie, +provide him. While I make to eat your father and your brother." + +Saracen would hardly wait, starving as he was; but seeing the men +prepare to start, he made the best of it, and cleared out a +colander of victuals in a minute. + +"Put up what is needful for a starving traveller," Mr. Bert said to +the ladies. "We shall want no lantern; the snow gives light +enough, and the moon will soon be up. Keep a kettle boiling, and +some warm clothes ready. Perhaps we shall be hours away; but have +no fear. Maunder is the boy for snow-drifts." + +The young man being of a dark and silent nature, quite unlike his +father's, made no reply, nor even deigned to give a smile, but +seemed to be wonderfully taken with the dog, who in many ways +resembled him. Then he cast both shovels on his shoulder at the +door, and strode forth, and stamped upon the path that he had +cleared. His father took a stout stick, the dog leaped past them, +and led them out at once upon the open moor. + +"We are in for a night of it," said Mr. Bert, and his son did not +contradict him. + +"The dog goes first, then I, then you," he said to his father, with +his deep slow tone. And the elderly man, whose chief puzzle in +life--since he had given up the problem of the world--was the +nature of his only son, now wondered again, as he seldom ceased +from wondering, whether this boy despised or loved him. The young +fellow always took the very greatest care of his father, as if he +were a child to be protected, and he never showed the smallest sign +of disrespect. Yet Maunder was not the true son of his father, but +of some ancestor, whose pride sprang out of dust at the outrageous +idea of a kettle-mending Bert, and embodied itself in this Maunder. + +The large-minded father never dreamed of such a trifle, but felt in +such weather, with the snow above his leggings, that sometimes it +is good to have a large-bodied son. + + + +CHAPTER XLII + +A CLEW OF BUTTONS + + +When Jack o' the Smithies met his old commander, as related by +himself, at the house of Mr. Mordacks, everything seemed to be +going on well for Sir Duncan, and badly for his sisters. The +general factor, as he hinted long ago, possessed certain knowledge +which the Middleton lawyer fondly supposed to be confined to +himself and his fair clients. Sir Duncan refused to believe that +the ladies could ever have heard of such a document as that which, +if valid, would simply expel them; for, said he, "If they know of +it, they are nothing less than thieves to conceal it and continue +in possession. Of a lawyer I could fancy it, but never of a lady." + +"My good sir," answered the sarcastic Mordacks, "a lady's +conscience is not the same as a gentleman's, but bears more +resemblance to a lawyer's. A lady's honor is of the very highest +standard; but the standard depends upon her state of mind; and +that, again, depends upon the condition of her feelings. You must +not suppose me to admit the faintest shadow of disrespect toward +your good sisters; but ladies are ladies, and facts are facts; and +the former can always surmount the latter; while a man is +comparatively helpless. I know that Mr. Jellicorse, their man of +law, is thoroughly acquainted with this interesting deed; his first +duty was to apprise them of it; and that, you may be quite sure, he +has done." + +"I hope not. I am sure not. A lawyer does not always employ hot +haste in an unwelcome duty." + +"True enough, Sir Duncan. But the duty here was welcome. Their +knowledge of that deed, and of his possession of it, would make him +their master, if he chose to be so. Not that old Jellicorse would +think of such a thing. He is a man of high principle like myself, +of a lofty conscience, and even sentimental. But lawyers are just +like the rest of mankind. Their first consideration is their bread +and cheese; though some of them certainly seem ready to accept it +even in the toasted form." + +"You may say what you like, Mordacks, my sister Philippa is far too +upright, and Eliza too good, for any such thing to be possible. +However, that question may abide. I shall not move until I have +some one to do it for. I have no great affection for a home which +cast me forth, whether it had a right to do so or not. But if we +succeed in the more important matter, it will be my duty to recover +the estates, for the benefit of another. You are sure of your +proofs that it is the boy?" + +"As certain as need be. And we will make it surer when you meet me +there the week after next. For the reasons I have mentioned, we +must wait till then. Your yacht is at Yarmouth. You have followed +my advice in approaching by sea, and not by land, and in hiring at +Yarmouth for the purpose. But you never should have come to York, +Sir Duncan; this is a very great mistake of yours. They are almost +sure to hear of it. And even your name given in our best inn! But +luckily they never see a newspaper at Scargate." + +"I follow the tactics with which you succeed--all above-board, and +no stratagems. Your own letter brought me; but perhaps I am too +old to be so impatient. Where shall I meet you, and on what day?" + +"This day fortnight, at the Thornwick Inn, I shall hope to be with +you at three o'clock, and perhaps bring somebody with me. If I +fixed an earlier day, I should only disappoint you. For many +things have to be delicately managed; and among them, the running +of a certain cargo, without serious consequence. For that we may +trust a certain very skillful youth. For the rest you must trust +to a clumsier person, your humble land-agent and surveyor--titles +inquired into and verified, at a tenth of solicitors' charges." + +"Well," said Sir Duncan, "you shall verify mine, as soon as you +have verified my son, and my title to him. Good-by, Mordacks. I +am sure you mean me well, but you seem to be very long about it." + +"Hot climates breed impatience, sir. A true son of Yorkshire is +never in a hurry. The general complaint of me is concerning my +wild rapidity." + +"You are like the grocer, whose goods, if they have any fault at +all, have the opposite one to what the customer finds in them. +Well, good-by, Mordacks. You are a trusty friend, and I thank +you." + +These words from Sir Duncan Yordas were not merely of commonplace. +For he was a man of great self-reliance, quick conclusion, and +strong resolve. These had served him well in India, and insured +his fortune; while early adversity and bitter losses had tempered +the arrogance of his race. After the loss of his wife and child, +and the breach with all his relatives, he had led a life of peril +and hard labor, varied with few pleasures. When first he learned +from Edinburgh that the ship conveying his only child to the care +of the mother's relatives was lost, with all on board, he did all +in his power to make inquiries. But the illness and death of his +wife, to whom he was deeply attached, overwhelmed him. For while +with some people "one blow drives out another," with some the +second serves only to drive home, deepen, and aggravate the first. +For years he was satisfied to believe both losses irretrievable. +And so he might still have gone on believing, except for a queer +little accident. + +Being called to Calcutta upon government business, he happened to +see a pair of English sailors, lazily playing, in a shady place by +the side of the road, at hole-penny. One of them seemed to have +his pocket cleared out, for just as Sir Duncan was passing, he +cried, "Here, Jack, you give me change of one of them, and I'll +have at you again, my boy. As good as a guinea with these blessed +niggers. Come back to their home, I b'lieve they are, same as I +wish I was; rale gold--ask this gen'leman." + +The other swore that they were "naught but brass, and not worth a +copper farden"; until the tars, being too tipsy for much fighting, +referred the question to Sir Duncan. + +Three hollow beads of gold were what they showed him, and he knew +them at once for his little boy's buttons, the workmanship being +peculiar to one village of his district, and one family thereof. +The sailor would thankfully have taken one rupee apiece for them; +but Sir Duncan gave him thirty for the three--their full metallic +value--upon his pledging honor to tell all he knew about them, and +make affidavit, if required. Then he told all he knew, to the best +of his knowledge, and swore to it when sober, accepted a refresher, +and made oath to it again, with some lively particulars added. And +the facts that he deposed to, and deposited, were these: + +Being down upon his luck, about a twelvemonth back, he thought of +keeping company with a nice young woman, and settling down until a +better time turned up; and happening to get a month's wages from a +schooner of ninety-five tons at Scarborough, he strolled about the +street a bit, and kept looking down the railings for a servant-girl +who might have got her wages in her work-box. Clean he was, and +taut, and clever, beating up street in Sunday rig, keeping sharp +look-out for a consort, and in three or four tacks he hailed one. +As nice a young partner as a lad could want, and his meaning was to +buckle to for the winter. But the night before the splicing-day, +what happened to him he never could tell after. He was bousing up +his jib, as a lad is bound to do, before he takes the breakers. +And when he came to, he was twenty leagues from Scarborough, on +board of his Majesty's recruiting brig the Harpy. He felt in his +pocket for the wedding-ring, and instead of that, there were these +three beads. + +Sir Duncan was sorry for his sad disaster, and gave him ten more +rupees to get over it. And then he discovered that the poor +forsaken maiden's name was Sally Watkins. Sally was the daughter +of a rich pawnbroker, whose frame of mind was sometimes out of +keeping with its true contents. He had very fine feelings, and +real warmth of sympathy; but circumstances seemed sometimes to lead +them into the wrong channel, and induced him to kick his children +out of doors. In the middle of the family he kicked out Sally, +almost before her turn was come; and she took a place at 4 pounds +a year, to disgrace his memory--as she said--carrying off these +buttons, and the jacket, which he had bestowed upon her, in a +larger interval. + +There was no more to be learned than this from the intercepted +bridegroom. He said that he might have no objection to go on with +his love again, as soon as the war was over, leastways, if it was +made worth his while; but he had come across another girl, at the +Cape of Good Hope, and he believed that this time the Lord was in +it, for she had been born in a caul, and he had got it. With such +a dispensation Sir Duncan Yordas saw no right to interfere, but +left the course of true love to itself, after taking down the +sailor's name--"Ned Faithful." + +However, he resolved to follow out the clew of beads, though +without much hope of any good result. Of the three in his +possession he kept one, and one he sent to Edinburgh, and the third +to York, having heard of the great sagacity, vigor, and strict +integrity of Mr. Mordacks, all of which he sharpened by the promise +of a large reward upon discovery. Then he went back to his work, +until his time of leave was due, after twenty years of arduous and +distinguished service. In troublous times, no private affairs, +however urgent, should drive him from his post. + +Now, eager as he was when in England once again, he was true to his +character and the discipline of life. He had proof that the matter +was in very good hands, and long command had taught him the +necessity of obedience. Any previous Yordas would have kicked +against the pricks, rushed forward, and scattered everything. But +Sir Duncan was now of a different fibre. He left York at once, as +Mordacks advised, and posted to Yarmouth, before the roads were +blocked with snow, and while Jack o' the Smithies was returning to +his farm. And from Yarmouth he set sail for Scarborough, in a +sturdy little coaster, which he hired by the week. From +Scarborough he would run down to Bridlington--not too soon, for +fear of setting gossip going, but in time to meet Mordacks at +Flamborough, as agreed upon. + +That gentleman had other business in hand, which must not be +neglected; but he gave to this matter a very large share of his +time, and paid five-and-twenty pounds for the trusty roadster, who +liked the taste of Flamborough pond, and the salt air on the oats +of Widow Tapsy's stable, and now regularly neighed and whisked his +tail as soon as he found himself outside Monk Bar. By favor of +this horse and of his own sword and pistols, Mordacks spent nearly +as much time now at Flamborough as he did in York; but unluckily he +had been obliged to leave on the very afternoon before the run was +accomplished, and Carroway slain so wickedly; for he hurried home +to meet Sir Duncan, and had not heard the bad news when he met him. + +That horrible murder was a sad blow to him, not only as a man of +considerable kindness and desire to think well of every one--so far +as experience allows it--but also because of the sudden apparition +of the law rising sternly in front of him. Justice in those days +was not as now: her truer name was Nemesis. After such an outrage +to the dignity of the realm, an example must be made, without much +consideration whether it were the right one. If Robin Lyth were +caught, there would be the form of trial, but the principal point +would be to hang him. Like the rest of the world, Mr. Mordacks at +first believed entirely in his guilt; but unlike the world, he did +not desire to have him caught, and brought straightway to the +gallows. Instead of seeking him, therefore, he was now compelled +to avoid him, when he wanted him most; for it never must be said +that a citizen of note had discoursed with such a criminal, and +allowed him to escape. On the other hand, here he had to meet Sir +Duncan, and tell him that all those grand promises were shattered, +that in finding his only son all he had found was a cowardly +murderer flying for his life, and far better left at the bottom of +the sea. For once in a way, as he dwelt upon all this, the general +factor became down-hearted, his vigorous face lost the strong lines +of decision, and he even allowed his mouth to open without anything +to put into it. + +But it was impossible for this to last. Nature had provided +Mordacks with an admirably high opinion of himself, enlivened by a +sprightly good-will toward the world, whenever it wagged well with +him. He had plenty of business of his own, and yet could take an +amateur delight in the concerns of everybody; he was always at +liberty to give good advice, and never under duty to take it; he +had vigor of mind, of memory, of character, and of digestion; and +whenever he stole a holiday from self-denial, and launched out +after some favorite thing, there was the cash to do it with, and +the health to do it pleasantly. + +Such a man is not long depressed by a sudden misadventure. Dr. +Upround's opinion in favor of Robin did not go very far with him; +for he looked upon the rector as a man who knew more of divine than +of human nature. But that fault could scarcely be found with a +woman; or at any rate with a widow encumbered with a large family +hanging upon the dry breast of the government. And though Mr. +Mordacks did not invade the cottage quite so soon as he should have +done, if guided by strict business, he thought himself bound to get +over that reluctance, and press her upon a most distressing +subject, before he kept appointment with his principal. + +The snow, which by this time had blockaded Scargate, impounded +Jordas, and compelled Mr. Jellicorse to rest and be thankful for a +hot mince-pie, although it had visited this eastern coast as well, +was not deep enough there to stop the roads. Keeping head-quarters +at the "Hooked Cod" now, and encouraging a butcher to set up again +(who had dropped all his money, in his hurry to get on), Geoffrey +Mordacks began to make way into the outer crust of Flamborough +society. In a council of the boats, upon a Sunday afternoon, every +boat being garnished for its rest upon the flat, and every master +fisherman buttoned with a flower--the last flowers of the year, and +bearing ice-marks in their eyes--a resolution had been passed that +the inland man meant well, had naught to do with Revenue, or +Frenchmen either, or what was even worse, any outside fishers, such +as often-time came sneaking after fishing grounds of Flamborough. +Mother Tapsy stood credit for this strange man, and he might be +allowed to go where he was minded, and to take all the help he +liked to pay for. + +Few men could have achieved such a triumph, without having married +a Flamborough lass, which must have been the crown of all human +ambition, if difficulty crowns it. Even to so great a man it was +an added laurel, and strengthened him much in his opinion of +himself. In spite of all disasters, he recovered faith in fortune, +so many leading Flamborough men began to touch their hats to him! +And thus he set forth before a bitter eastern gale, with the head +of his seasoned charger bent toward the melancholy cot at +Bridlington. + +Having granted a new life of slaughter to that continually +insolvent butcher, who exhibited the body of a sheep once more, +with an eye to the approach of Christmas, this universal factor +made it a point of duty to encourage him. In either saddle-bag he +bore a seven-pound leg of mutton--a credit to a sheep of that +district then--and to show himself no traitor to the staple of the +place, he strapped upon his crupper, in some oar-weed and old +netting, a twenty-pound cod, who found it hard to breathe his last +when beginning to enjoy horse-exercise. + +"There is a lot of mouths to fill," said Mr. Mordacks, with a sigh, +while his landlady squeezed a brown loaf of her baking into the +nick of his big sword-strap; "and you and I are capable of entering +into the condition of the widow and the fatherless." + +"Hoonger is the waa of them, and victuals is the cure for it. Now +mind you coom home afore dark," cried the widow, to whom he had +happened to say, very sadly, that he was now a widower. "To my +moind, a sight o' more snaw is a-coomin'; and what mah sard or goon +foight again it? Captain Moordocks, coom ye home arly. T' hare +sha' be doon to a toorn be fi' o'clock. Coom ye home be that +o'clock, if ye care for deener," + +"I must have made a tender impression on her heart," Mr. Mordacks +said to himself, as he kissed his hand to the capacious hostess. +"Such is my fortune, to be loved by everybody, while aiming at the +sternest rectitude. It is sweet, it is dangerously sweet; but what +a comfort! How that large-hearted female will baste my hare!" + + + +CHAPTER XLIII + +A PLEASANT INTERVIEW + + +Cumbered as he was of body, and burdened with some cares of mind, +the general factor ploughed his way with his usual resolution. A +scowl of dark vapor came over the headlands, and under-ran the +solid snow-clouds with a scud, like bonfire smoke. The keen wind +following the curves of land, and shaking the fringe of every +white-clad bush, piped (like a boy through a comb) wherever stock +or stub divided it. It turned all the coat of the horse the wrong +way, and frizzed up the hair of Mr. Mordacks, which was as short as +a soldier's, and tossed up his heavy riding cape, and got into him +all up the small of his back. Being fond of strong language, he +indulged in much; but none of it warmed him, and the wind whistled +over his shoulders, and whirled the words out of his mouth. + +When he came to the dip of the road, where it crosses the Dane's +Dike, he pulled up his horse for a minute, in the shelter of +shivering fir-trees. "What a cursed bleak country! My fish is +frozen stiff, and my legs are as dead as the mutton in the saddle- +bags. Geoffrey, you are a fool," he said. "Charity is very fine, +and business even better; but a good coal fire is the best of all. +But in for a penny of it, in for a pound. Hark! I hear some +fellow-fool equally determined to be frozen. I'll go at once and +hail him; perhaps the sight of him will warm me." + +He turned his horse down a little lane upon the left, where snow +lay deep, with laden bushes overhanging it, and a rill of water +bridged with bearded ice ran dark in the hedge-trough. And here he +found a stout lusty man, with shining red cheeks and keen blue +eyes, hacking and hewing in a mighty maze of brambles. + +"My friend, you seem busy. I admire your vast industry," Mr. +Mordacks exclaimed, as the man looked at him, but ceased not from +swinging his long hedge-hook. "Happy is the land that owns such +men." + +"The land dothn't own me; I own the land. I shall be pleased to +learn what your business is upon it." + +Farmer Anerley hated chaff, as a good agriculturist should do. +Moreover, he was vexed by many little griefs to-day, and had not +been out long enough to work them off. He guessed pretty shrewdly +that this sworded man was "Moreducks"--as the leading wags of +Flamborough were gradually calling him--and the sight of a sword +upon his farm (unless of an officer bound to it) was already some +disquietude to an English farmer's heart. That was a trifle; for +fools would be fools, and might think it a grand thing to go about +with tools they were never born to the handling of; but a fellow +who was come to take up Robin Lyth's case, and strive to get him +out of his abominable crime, had better go back to the rogue's +highway, instead of coming down the private road to Anerley. + +"Upon my word I do believe," cried Mordacks, with a sprightly joy, +"that I have the pleasure of meeting at last the well-known Captain +Anerley! My dear sir, I can not help commending your prudence in +guarding the entrance to your manor; but not in this employment of +a bill-hook. From all that I hear, it is a Paradise indeed. What +a haven in such weather as the present! Now, Captain Anerley, I +entreat you to consider whether it is wise to take the thorn so +from the rose. If I had so sweet a place, I would plant brambles, +briers, blackthorn, furze, crataegus, every kind of spinous growth, +inside my gates, and never let anybody lop them. Captain, you are +too hospitable." + +Farmer Anerley gazed with wonder at this man, who could talk so +fast for the first time of seeing a body. Then feeling as if his +hospitality were challenged, and desiring more leisure for +reflection, "You better come down the lane, sir," he said. + +"Am I to understand that you invite me to your house, or only to +the gate where the dogs come out? Excuse me: I always am a most +plain-spoken man." + +"Our dogs never bite nobody but rogues." + +"In that case, Captain Anerley, I may trust their moral estimate. +I knew a farmer once who was a thorough thief in hay; a man who +farmed his own land, and trimmed his own hedges; a thoroughly +respectable and solid agriculturist. But his trusses of hay were +always six pounds short, and if ever anybody brought a sample truss +to steelyard, he had got a little dog, just seven pounds weight, +who slipped into the core of it, being just a good hay-color. He +always delivered his hay in the twilight, and when it swung the +beam, he used to say, 'Come, now, I must charge you for overweight.' +Now, captain, have you got such an honest dog as that?" + +"I would have claimed him, that I would, if such a clever dog were +weighed to me. But, sir, you have got the better of me. What a +man for stories you be, for sure! Come in to our fire-place." +Farmer Anerley was conquered by this tale, which he told fifty +times every year he lived thereafter, never failing to finish with, +"What rogues they be, up York way!" + +Master Mordacks was delighted with this piece of luck on his side. +Many times he had been longing to get in at Anerley, not only from +the reputation of good cheer there, but also from kind curiosity to +see the charming Mary, who was now becoming an important element of +business. Since Robin had given him the slip so sadly--a thing it +was impossible to guard against--the best chance of hearing what +became of him would be to get into the good graces of his +sweetheart. + +"We have been very sadly for a long time now," said the farmer, as +he knocked at his own porch door with the handle of his bill-hook. +"There used to be one as was always welcome here; and a pleasure it +was to see him make himself so pleasant, sir. But ever since the +Lord took him home from his family, without a good-by, as a man +might say, my wife hath taken to bar the doors whiles I am away and +out of sight." Stephen Anerley knocked harder, as he thus +explained the need of it; for it grieved him to have his house shut +up. + +"Very wise of them all to bar out such weather," said Mordacks, who +read the farmer's thoughts like print, "Don't relax your rules, +sir, until the weather changes. Ah, that was a very sad thing +about the captain. As gallant an officer, and as single-minded, as +ever killed a Frenchman in the best days of our navy." + +"Single-minded is the very word to give him, sir. I sought about +for it ever since I heard of him coming to an end like that, and +doing of his duty in the thick of it. If I could only get a +gentleman to tell me, or an officer's wife would be better still, +what the manners is when a poor lady gets her husband shot, I'll be +blest if I wouldn't go straight and see her, though they make such +a distance betwixt us and the regulars.--Oh, then, ye've come at +last! No thief, no thief." + +"Father," cried Mary, bravely opening all the door, of which the +ruffian wind made wrong by casting her figure in high relief--and +yet a pardonable wrong--"father, you are quite wise to come home, +before your dear nose is quite cut off.--Oh, I beg your pardon, +sir; I never saw you." + +"My fate in life is to be overlooked," Mr. Mordacks answered, with +a martial stride; "but not always, young lady, with such exquisite +revenge. What I look at pays fiftyfold for being overlooked." + +"You are an impudent, conceited man," thought Mary to herself, with +gross injustice; but she only blushed and said, "I beg your pardon, +sir." + +"You see, sir," quoth the farmer, with some severity, tempered, +however, with a smile of pride, "my daughter, Mary Anerley." + +"And I take off my hat," replied audacious Mordacks, among whose +faults was no false shame, "not only to salute a lady, sir, but +also to have a better look." + +"Well, well," said the farmer, as Mary ran away; "your city ways +are high polite, no doubt, but my little lass is strange to them. +And I like her better so, than to answer pert with pertness. Now +come you in, and warm your feet a bit. None of us are younger than +we used to be." + +This was not Master Anerley's general style of welcoming a guest, +but he hated new-fangled Frenchified manners, as he told his good +wife, when he boasted by-and-by how finely he had put that old +coxcomb down. "You never should have done it," was all the praise +he got. "Mr. Mordacks is a business man, and business men always +must relieve their minds." For no sooner now was the general +factor introduced to Mistress Anerley than she perceived clearly +that the object of his visit was not to make speeches to young +chits of girls, but to seek the advice of a sensible person, who +ought to have been consulted a hundred times for once that she even +had been allowed to open her mouth fairly. Sitting by the fire, he +convinced her that the whole of the mischief had been caused by +sheer neglect of her opinion. Everything she said was so exactly +to the point that he could not conceive how it should have been so +slighted, and she for her part begged him to stay and partake of +their simple dinner. + +"Dear madam, it can not be," he replied; "alas! I must not think of +it. My conscience reproaches me for indulging, as I have done, in +what is far sweeter than even one of your dinners--a most sensible +lady's society. I have a long bitter ride before me, to comfort +the fatherless and the widow. My two legs of mutton will be thawed +by this time in the genial warmth of your stable. I also am +thawed, warmed, feasted I may say, by happy approximation to a mind +so bright and congenial. Captain Anerley, madam, has shown true +kindness in allowing me the privilege of exclusive speech with you. +Little did I hope for such a piece of luck this morning. You have +put so many things in a new and brilliant light, that my road +becomes clear before me. Justice must be done; and you feel quite +sure that Robin Lyth committed this atrocious murder because poor +Carroway surprised him so when making clandestine love, at your +brother Squire Popplewell's, to a beautiful young lady who shall be +nameless. And deeply as you grieve for the loss of such a +neighbor, the bravest officer of the British navy, who leaped from +a strictly immeasurable height into a French ship, and scattered +all her crew, and has since had a baby about three months old, as +well as innumerable children, you feel that you have reason to be +thankful sometimes that the young man's character has been so +clearly shown, before he contrived to make his way into the bosom +of respectable families in the neighborhood." + +"I never thought it out quite so clear as that, sir; for I feel so +sorry for everybody, and especially those who have brought him up, +and those he has made away with." + +"Quite so, my dear madam; such are your fine feelings, springing +from the goodness of your nature. Pardon my saying that you could +have no other, according to my experience of a most benevolent +countenance. Part of my duty, and in such a case as yours, one of +the pleasantest parts of it, is to study the expression of a truly +benevolent--" + +"I am not that old, sir, asking of your pardon, to pretend to be +benevolent. All that I lay claim to is to look at things +sensible." + +"Certainly, yet with a tincture of high feeling. Now if it should +happen that this poor young man were of very high birth, perhaps +the highest in the county, and the heir to very large landed +property, and a title, and all that sort of nonsense, you would +look at him from the very same point of view?" + +"That I would, sir, that I would. So long as he was proclaimed for +hanging. But naturally bound, of course, to be more sorry for +him." + +"Yes, from sense of all the good things he must lose. There seems, +however, to be strong ground for believing--as I may tell you, in +confidence, Dr. Upround does--that he had no more to do with it +than you or I, ma'am. At first I concluded as you have done. I am +going to see Mrs. Carroway now. Till then I suspend my judgment." + +"Now that is what nobody should do, Mr. Mordacks. I have tried, +but never found good come of it. To change your mind is two words +against yourself; and you go wrong both ways, before and after." + +"Undoubtedly you do, ma'am. I never thought of that before. But +you must remember that we have not the gift of hitting--I might say +of making--the truth with a flash or a dash, as you ladies have. +May I be allowed to come again?" + +"To tell you the truth, sir, I am heartily sorry that you are going +away at all. I could have talked to you all the afternoon; and how +seldom I get the chance now, Lord knows. There is that in your +conversation which makes one feel quite sure of being understood; +not so much in what you say, sir--if you understand my meaning--as +in the way you look, quite as if my meaning was not at all too +quick for you. My good husband is of a greater mind than I am, +being nine-and-forty inches round the chest; but his mind seems +somehow to come after mine, the same as the ducks do, going down to +our pond." + +"Mistress Anerley, how thankful you should be! What a picture of +conjugal felicity! But I thought that the drake always led the +way?" + +"Never upon our farm, sir. When he doth, it is a proof of his +being crossed with wild-ducks. The same as they be round +Flamborough." + +"Oh, now I see the truth. How slow I am! It improves their +flavor, at the expense of their behavior. But seriously, madam, +you are fit to take the lead. What a pleasant visit I have had! I +must brace myself up for a very sad one now--a poor lady, with none +to walk behind her." + +"Yes, to be sure! It is very fine of me to talk. But if I was +left without my husband, I should only care to walk after him. +Please to give her my kind love, sir; though I have only seen her +once. And if there is anything that we can do--" + +"If there is anything that we can do," said the farmer, coming out +of his corn-chamber, "we won't talk about it, but we'll do it, Mr. +Moreducks." + +The factor quietly dispersed this rebuke, by waving his hand at his +two legs of mutton and the cod, which had thawed in the stable. "I +knew that I should be too late," he said; "her house will be full +of such little things as these, so warm is the feeling of the +neighborhood. I guessed as much, and arranged with my butcher to +take them back in that case; and he said they would eat all the +better for the ride. But as for the cod, perhaps you will accept +him. I could never take him back to Flamborough." + +"Ride away, sir, ride away," said the farmer, who had better not +have measured swords with Mordacks. "I were thinking of sending a +cart over there, so soon as the weather should be opening of the +roads up. But the children might be hankerin' after meat, the +worse for all the snow-time." + +"It is almost impossible to imagine such a thing. Universally +respected, suddenly cut off, enormous family with hereditary +hunger, all the neighbors well aware of straitened circumstances, +the kindest-hearted county in Great Britain--sorrow and abundance +must have cloyed their appetites, as at a wealthy man's funeral. +What a fool I must have been not to foresee all that!" + +"Better see than foresee," replied the farmer, who was crusty from +remembering that he had done nothing. "Neighbors likes to wait for +neighbors to go in; same as two cows staring at a new-mown meadow." + + + +CHAPTER XLIV + +THE WAY OF THE WORLD + + +Cliffs snow-mantled, and storm-ploughed sands, and dark gray +billows frilled with white, rolling and roaring to the shrill east +wind, made the bay of Bridlington a very different sight from the +smooth fair scene of August. Scarcely could the staggering +colliers, anchored under Flamborough Head (which they gladly would +have rounded if they could), hold their own against wind and sea, +although the outer spit of sand tempered as yet the full violence +of waves. + +But if everything looked cold and dreary, rough, and hard, and bare +of beauty, the cottage of the late lieutenant, standing on the +shallow bluff, beaten by the wind, and blinded of its windows from +within, of all things looked the most forlorn, most desolate, and +freezing. The windward side was piled with snow, on the crest of +which foam pellets lay, looking yellow by comparison, and melting +small holes with their brine. At the door no foot-mark broke the +drift; and against the vaporous sky no warmer vapor tufted the +chimney-pots. + +"I am pretty nearly frozen again," said Mordacks; "but that place +sends another shiver down my back. All the poor little devils must +be icicles at least." + +After peeping through a blind, he turned pale betwixt his blueness, +and galloped to the public-house abutting on the quay. Here he +marched into the parlor, and stamped about, till a merry-looking +landlord came to him. "Have a glass of hot, sir; how blue your +nose is!" the genial master said to him. The reply of the factor +can not be written down in these days of noble language. Enough +that it was a terse malediction of the landlord, the glass of hot, +and even his own nose. Boniface was no Yorkshireman, else would he +have given as much as he got, at least in lingual currency. As it +was, he considered it no affair of his if a guest expressed his +nationality. "You must have better orders than that to give, I +hope, sir." + +"Yes, sir, I have. And you have got the better of me; which has +happened to me three times this day already, because of the +freezing of my wits, young man. Now you go in to your best locker, +and bring me your very best bottle of Cognac--none of your +government stuff, you know, but a sample of your finest bit of +smuggling. Why did I swear at a glass of hot? Why, because you +are all such a set of scoundrels. I want a glass of hot as much as +man ever did. But how can I drink it, when women and children are +dying--perhaps dead, for all I know--for want of warmth and +victuals? Your next-door neighbors almost, and a woman, whose +husband has just been murdered! And here you are swizzling, and +rattling your coppers. Good God, sir! The Almighty from heaven +would send orders to have His own commandment broken." + +Mr. Mordacks was excited, and the landlord saw no cause for it. +"What makes you carry on like this?" he said; "it was only last +night we was talking in the tap-room of getting a subscription up, +downright liberal. I said I was good for a crown, and take it out +of the tick they owes me. And when you come to think of these hard +times--" + +"Take that, and then tell me if you find them softer." Suiting the +action to the word, the universal factor did something omitted on +his card in the list of his comprehensive functions. As the fat +host turned away, to rub his hands, with a phosphoric feeling of +his future generosity, a set of highly energetic toes, prefixed +with the toughest York leather, and tingling for exercise, made him +their example. The landlord flew up among his own pots and +glasses, his head struck the ceiling, which declined too long a +taste of him, and anon a silvery ring announced his return to his +own timbers. + +"Accept that neighborly subscription, my dear friend, and +acknowledge its promptitude," said Mr. Mordacks; "and now be quick +about your orders, peradventure a second flight might be less +agreeable. Now don't show any airs; you have been well treated, +and should be thankful for the facilities you have to offer. I +know a poor man without any legs at all, who would be only too glad +if he could do what you have done." + +"Then his taste must be a queer one," the landlord replied, as he +illustrated sadly the discovery reserved for a riper age--that +human fingers have attained their present flexibility, form, and +skill by habit of assuaging, for some millions of ages, the woes of +the human body. + +"Now don't waste my time like that," cried Mordacks; and seeing him +draw near again, his host became right active. "Benevolence must +be inculcated," continued the factor, following strictly in +pursuit. "I have done you a world of good, my dear friend; and +reflection will compel you to heap every blessing on me." + +"I don't know about that," replied the landlord. It is certain, +however, that this exhibition of philanthropic vigor had a fine +effect. In five minutes all the resources of the house were at the +disposal of this rapid agent, who gave his orders right and left, +clapped down a bag of cash, and took it up again, and said, "Now +just you mind my horse, twice as well as you mind your fellow- +creatures. Take a leg of mutton out, and set it roasting. Have +your biggest bed hot for a lot of frozen children. By the Lord, if +you don't look alive, I'll have you up for murder." As he spoke, a +stout fish-woman came in from the quay; and he beckoned to her, and +took her with him. + +"You can't come in," said a little weak voice, when Mr. Mordacks, +having knocked in vain, began to prise open the cottage door. +"Mother is so poorly; and you mustn't think of coming in. Oh, +whatever shall I do, if you won't stop when I tell you?" + +"Where are all the rest of you? Oh, in the kitchen, are they? You +poor little atomy, how many of you are dead?" + +"None of us dead, sir; without it is the baby;" here Geraldine +burst into a wailing storm of tears. "I gave them every bit," she +sobbed--"every bit, sir, but the rush-lights; and them they +wouldn't eat, sir, or I never would have touched them. But mother +is gone off her head, and baby wouldn't eat it." + +"You are a little heroine," said Mordacks, looking at her--the +pinched face, and the hollow eyes, and the tottering blue legs of +her. "You are greater than a queen. No queen forgets herself in +that way." + +"Please, sir, no; I ate almost a box of rush-lights, and they were +only done last night. Oh, if baby would have took to them!" + +"Hot bread and milk in this bottle; pour it out; feed her first, +Molly," Mr. Mordacks ordered. "The world can't spare such girls as +this. Oh, you won't eat first! Very well; then the others shall +not have a morsel till your mouth is full. And they seem to want +it bad enough. Where is the dead baby?" + +In the kitchen, where now they stood, not a spark of fire was +lingering, but some wood-ash still retained a feeble memory of +warmth; and three little children (blest with small advance from +babyhood) were huddling around, with hands, and faces, and sharp +grimy knees poking in for lukewarm corners; while two rather senior +young Carroways were lying fast asleep, with a jack-towel over +them. But Tommy was not there; that gallant Tommy, who had ridden +all the way to Filey after dark, and brought his poor father to the +fatal place. + +Mordacks, with his short, bitter-sweet smile, considered all these +little ones. They were not beautiful, nor even pretty; one of them +was too literally a chip of the old block, for he had reproduced +his dear father's scar; and every one of them wanted a "wash and +brush up," as well as a warming and sound victualling. Corruptio +optimi pessima. These children had always been so highly scrubbed, +that the great molecular author of existence, dirt, resumed +parental sway, with tenfold power of attachment and protection, the +moment soap and flannel ceased their wicked usurpation. + +"Please, sir, I couldn't keep them clean, I couldn't," cried +Geraldine, choking, both with bread and milk, and tears. "I had +Tommy to feed through the coal-cellar door; and all the bits of +victuals in the house to hunt up; and it did get so dark, and it +was so cold. I am frightened to think of what mother will say for +my burning up all of her brushes, and the baskets. But please, +sir, little Cissy was a-freezing at the nose." + +The three little children at the grate were peeping back over the +pits in their shoulders, half frightened at the tall, strange man, +and half ready to toddle to him for protection; while the two on +the floor sat up and stared, and opened their mouths for their +sister's bread and milk. Then Jerry flew to them, and squatted on +the stones, and very nearly choked them with her spoon and basin. + +"Molly, take two in your apron, and be off," said the factor to the +stout fish-woman--who was simply full of staring, and of crying out +"Oh lor!"--"pop them into the hot bed at once; they want warmth +first, and victuals by-and-by. Our wonderful little maid wants +food most. I will come after you with the other three. But I must +see my little queen fill her own stomach first." + +"But, please, sir, won't you let our Tommy out first?" cried Jerry, +as the strong woman lapped up the two youngest in her woolsey apron +and ran off with them. "He has been so good, and he was too proud +to cry so soon as ever he found out that mother couldn't hear him. +And I gave him the most to eat of anybody else, because of him +being the biggest, sir. It was all as black as ink, going under +the door; but Tommy never minded." + +"Wonderful merit! While you were eating tallow! Show me the coal- +cellar, and out he comes. But why don't you speak of your poor +mother, child?" + +The child, who had been so brave, and clever, self-denying, +laborious, and noble, avoided his eyes, and began to lick her +spoon, as if she had had enough, starving though she was. She +glanced up at the ceiling, and then suddenly withdrew her eyes, and +the blue lids trembled over them. Mordacks saw that it was +childhood's dread of death. "Show me where little Tommy is," he +said; "we must not be too hard upon you, my dear. But what made +your mother lock you up, and carry on so?" + +"I don't know at all, sir," said Geraldine. + +"Now don't tell a story," answered Mr. Mordacks. "You were not +meant for lies; and you know all about it. I shall just go away if +you tell stories." + +"Then all I know is this," cried Jerry, running up to him, and +desperately clutching at his riding coat; "the very night dear +father was put into the pit-hole--oh, hoo, oh, hoo, oh, hoo!" + +"Now we can't stop for that," said the general factor, as he took +her up and kissed her, and the tears, which had vainly tried to +stop, ran out of young eyes upon well-seasoned cheeks; "you have +been a wonder; I am like a father to you. You must tell me +quickly, or else how can I cure it? We will let Tommy out then, +and try to save your mother." + +"Mother was sitting in the window, sir," said the child, trying +strongly to command herself, "and I was to one side of her, and +Tommy to the other, and none of us was saying anything. And then +there came a bad, wicked face against the window, and the man said, +'What was it you said to-day, ma'am?' And mother stood up--she was +quite right then--and she opened the window, and she looked right +at him, and she said, 'I spoke the truth, John Cadman. Between you +and your God it rests.' And the man said, 'You shut your black +mouth up, or you and your brats shall all go the same way. Mind +one thing--you've had your warning.' Then mother fell away, for +she was just worn out; and she lay upon the floor, and she kept on +moaning, 'There is no God! there is no God!' after all she have +taught us to say our prayers to. And there was nothing for baby to +draw ever since." + +For once in his life Mr. Mordacks held his tongue; and his face, +which was generally fiercer than his mind, was now far behind it +in ferocity. He thought within himself, "Well, I am come to +something, to have let such things be going on in a matter which +pertains to my office--pigeon-hole 100! This comes of false +delicacy, my stumbling-block perpetually! No more of that. Now +for action." + +Geraldine looked up at him, and said, "Oh, please, sir." And then +she ran off, to show the way toward little Tommy. + +The coal-cellar flew open before the foot of Mordacks; but no Tommy +appeared, till his sister ran in. The poor little fellow was quite +dazzled with the light; and the grime on his cheeks made the inrush +of fresh air come like wasps to him. "Now, Tommy, you be good," +said Geraldine; "trouble enough has been made about you." + +The boy put out his under lip, and blinked with great amazement. +After such a quantity of darkness and starvation, to be told to be +good was a little too bad. His sense of right and wrong became +fluid with confusion; he saw no sign of anything to eat; and the +loud howl of an injured heart began to issue from the coaly rampart +of neglected teeth. + +"Quite right, my boy," Mr. Mordacks said. "You have had a bad +time, and are entitled to lament. Wipe your nose on your sleeve, +and have at it again." + +"Dirty, dirty things I hear. Who is come into my house like this? +My house and my baby belong to me. Go away all of you. How can I +bear this noise?" + +Mrs. Carroway stood in the passage behind them, looking only fit to +die. One of her husband's watch-coats hung around her, falling +nearly to her feet; and the long clothes of her dead baby, which +she carried, hung over it, shaking like a white dog's tail. She +was standing with her bare feet well apart, and that swing of hip +and heel alternate which mothers for a thousand generations have +supposed to lull their babies into sweet sleep. + +For once in his life the general factor had not the least idea of +the proper thing to do. Not only did he not find it, but he did +not even seek for it, standing aside rather out of the way, and +trying to look like a calm spectator. But this availed him to no +account whatever. He was the only man there, and the woman +naturally fixed upon him. + +"You are the man," she said, in a quiet and reasonable voice, and +coming up to Mordacks with the manner of a lady; "you are the +gentleman, I mean, who promised to bring back my husband. Where is +he? Have you fulfilled your promise?" + +"My dear madam, my dear madam, consider your children, and how cold +you are. Allow me to conduct you to a warmer place. You scarcely +seem to enter into the situation." + +"Oh yes, I do, sir; thoroughly, thoroughly. My husband is in his +grave; my children are going after him; and the best place for +them. But they shall not be murdered. I will lock them up, so +that they never shall be murdered." + +"My dear lady, I agree with you entirely. You do the very wisest +thing in these bad times. But you know me well. I have had the +honor of making your acquaintance in a pleasant manner. I feel for +your children, quite as if I was--I mean, ma'am, a very fine old +gentleman's affection. Geraldine, come and kiss me, my darling. +Tommy, you may have the other side; never mind the coal, my boy; +there is a coal-wharf quite close to my windows at home." + +These children, who had been hiding behind Mr. Mordacks and Molly +(who was now come back), immediately did as he ordered them; or +rather Jerry led the way, and made Tommy come as well, by a signal +which he never durst gainsay. But while they saluted the general +factor (who sat down upon a box to accommodate them), from the +corners of their eyes they kept a timid, trembling, melancholy +watch upon their own mother. + +Poor Mrs. Carroway was capable of wondering. Her power of judgment +was not so far lost as it is in a dream--where we wonder at +nothing, but cast off skeptic misery--and for the moment she seemed +to be brought home from the distance of roving delusion, by looking +at two of her children kissing a man who was hunting in his pocket +for his card. + +"Circumstances, madam," said Mr. Mordacks, "have deprived me of the +pleasure of producing my address. It should be in two of my +pockets; but it seems to have strangely escaped from both of them. +However, I will write it down, if required. Geraldine dear, where +is your school slate? Go and look for it, and take Tommy with +you." + +This surprised Mrs. Carroway, and began to make her think. These +were her children--she was nearly sure of that--her own poor +children, who were threatened from all sides with the likelihood of +being done away with. Yet here was a man who made much of them, +and kissed them; and they kissed him without asking her permission! + +"I scarcely know what it is about," she said; "and my husband is +not here to help me." + +"You have hit the very point, ma'am. You must take it on yourself. +How wonderfully clever the ladies always are! Your family is +waiting for a government supply; everybody knows that everybody in +the world may starve before government thinks of supplying supply. +I do not belong to the government--although if I had my deserts I +should have done so--but fully understanding them, I step in to +anticipate their action. I see that the children of a very noble +officer, and his admirable wife, have been neglected, through the +rigor of the weather and condition of the roads. I am a very large +factor in the neighborhood, who make a good thing out of all such +cases. I step in; circumstances favor me; I discover a good stroke +of business; my very high character, though much obscured by +diffidence, secures me universal confidence. The little dears take +to me, and I to them. They feel themselves safe under my +protection from their most villainous enemies. They are pleased to +kiss a man of strength and spirit, who represents the government." + +Mrs. Carroway scarcely understood a jot of this. Such a rush of +words made her weak brain go round, and she looked about vainly for +her children, who had gladly escaped upon the chance afforded. But +she came to the conclusion she was meant to come to--that this +gentleman before her was the government. + +"I will do whatever I am told," she said, looking miserably round, +as if for anything to care about; "only I must count my children +first, or the government might say there was not the proper +number." + +"Of all points that is the very one that I would urge," Mordacks +answered, without dismay. "Molly, conduct this good lady to her +room. Light a good fire, as the Commissioners have ordered; warm +the soup sent from the arsenal last night, but be sure that you put +no pepper in it. The lady will go with you, and follow our +directions. She sees the importance of having all her faculties +perfectly clear when we make our schedule, as we shall do in a few +hours' time, of all the children; every one, with the date of their +birth, and their Christian names, which nobody knows so well as +their own dear mother. Ah, how very sweet it is to have so many of +them; and to know the pride, the pleasure, the delight, which the +nation feels in providing for the welfare of every little darling!" + + + +CHAPTER XLV + +THE THING IS JUST + + +"Was there ever such a man?" said Mr. Mordacks to himself, as he +rode back to Flamborough against the bitter wind, after "fettling" +the affairs of the poor Carroways, as well as might be for the +present. "As if I had not got my hands too full already, now I am +in for another plaguesome business, which will cost a lot of money, +instead of bringing money in. How many people have I now to look +after? In the first place, two vile wretches--Rickon Goold, the +ship-scuttler, and John Cadman, the murderer--supposing that Dr. +Upandown and Mrs. Carroway are right. Then two drunken tars, with +one leg between them, who may get scared of the law, and cut and +run. Then an outlawed smuggler, who has cut and run already; and a +gentleman from India, who will be wild with disappointment through +the things that have happened since I saw him last. After that a +lawyer, who will fight tooth and nail of course, because it brings +grist to his mill. That makes seven; and now to all these I have +added number eight, and that the worst of all--not only a woman, +but a downright mad one, as well as seven starving children. +Charity is a thing that pays so slowly! That this poor creature +should lose her head just now is most unfortunate. I have nothing +whatever to lay before Sir Duncan, when I tell him of this vile +catastrophe, except the boy's own assertion, and the opinion of Dr. +Upandown. Well, well, 'faint heart,' etc. I must nurse the people +round; without me they would all have been dead. Virtue is its own +reward. I hope the old lady has not burned my hare to death." + +The factor might well say that without his aid that large family +must have perished. Their neighbors were not to be blamed for +this, being locked out of the house, and having no knowledge of the +frost and famine that prevailed within. Perhaps, when the little +ones began to die, Geraldine might heave escaped from a window, and +got help in time to save some of them, if she herself had any +strength remaining; but as it was, she preferred to sacrifice +herself, and obey her mother. "Father always told me," she had +said to Mr. Mordacks, when he asked her how so sharp a child could +let things come to such a pitch, "that when he was out of the way, +the first thing I was to mind always was to do what mother told me; +and now he can't come back no more, to let me off from doing it." + +By this time the "Cod with the Hook in his Gills" was as much at +the mercy of Mr. Mordacks as if he had landed and were crimping +him. Widow Precious was a very tough lady to get over, and she +liked to think the worst she could of everybody--which proves in +the end the most charitable course, because of the good-will +produced by explanation--and for some time she had stood in the +Flamburian attitude of doubt toward the factor. But even a +Flamburian may at last be pierced; and then (as with other +pachydermatous animals) the hole, once made, is almost certain to +grow larger. So by dint of good offices here and there, kind +interest, and great industry among a very simple and grateful race, +he became the St. Oswald of that ancient shrine (as already has +been hinted), and might do as he liked, even on the Sabbath-day. +And as one of the first things he always liked to do was to enter +into everybody's business, he got into an intricacy of little +knowledge too manifold even for his many-fibred brain. But some of +this ran into and strengthened his main clew, leading into the +story he was laboring to explore, and laying before him, as bright +as a diamond, even the mystery of ear-rings. + +"My highly valued hostess and admirable cook," he said to Widow +Precious, after making noble dinner, which his long snowy ride and +work at Bridlington had earned, "in your knowledge of the annals of +this interesting town, happen you to be able to recall the name of +a certain man, John Cadman?" + +"Ah, that ah deah," Widow Tapsy answered, with a heavy sigh, which +rattled all the dishes on the waiter; "and sma' gude o' un, sma' +gude, whativer. Geroot wi' un!" + +The landlady shut her firm lips with a smack, which Mordacks well +knew by this time though seldom foreclosed by it now, as he had +been before he became a Danish citizen. He was sure that she had +some good reason for her silence; and the next day he found that +the girl who had left her home, through Cadman's villainy, was akin +by her mother's side to Mistress Precious. But he had another +matter to discuss with her now, which caused him some misgivings, +yet had better be faced manfully. In the safe philosophical +distance of York from this strong landlady he had (for good reasons +of his own) appointed the place of meeting with Sir Duncan Yordas +at the rival hostelry, the inn of Thornwick. Widow Precious had a +mind of uncommonly large type, so lofty and pure of all petty +emotions, that if any one spoke of the Thornwick Inn, even upon her +back premises, her dignity stepped in and said, "I can't abide the +stinkin' naam o' un." + +Of this persistently noble regard of a lower institution Mr. +Mordacks was well aware; and it gave him pause, in his deep anxiety +to spare a tender heart, and maintain the high standard of his +breakfast kidneys. "Madam," he began, and then he rubbed his mouth +with the cross-cut out of the jack-towel by the sink, newly set on +table, to satisfy him for a dinner napkin--"madam, will you listen, +while I make an explanation?" + +The landlady looked at him with dark suspicions gathering. + +"Joost spak' oot," she said, "whativer's woorkin' i' thah mahnd." + +"I am bound to meet a gentleman near Flamborough to-morrow," Mr. +Mordacks continued, with the effrontery of guilt, "who will come +from the sea. And as it would not suit him to walk far inland, he +has arranged for the interview at a poor little place called the +Thorny Wick, or the Stubby Wick, or something of that sort. I +thought it was due to you, madam, to explain the reason of my +entering, even for a moment--" + +"Ah dawn't care. Sitha--they mah fettle thee there, if thow's +fondhead enew." + +Without another word she left the room, clattering her heavy shoes +at the door; and Mordacks foresaw a sad encounter on the morrow, +without a good breakfast to "fettle" him for it. It was not in his +nature to dread anything much, and he could not see where he had +been at all to blame; but gladly would he have taken ten per cent +off his old contract, than meet Sir Duncan Yordas with the news he +had to tell him. + +One cause of the righteous indignation felt by the good mother +Tapsy, was her knowledge that nobody could land just now in any +cove under the Thornwick Hotel. With the turbulent snow-wind +bringing in the sea, as now it had been doing for several days, +even the fishermen's cobles could not take the beach, much less any +stranger craft. Mr. Mordacks was sharp; but an inland factor is +apt to overlook such little facts marine. + +Upon the following day he stood in the best room of the Thornwick +Inn--which even then was a very decent place to any eyes uncast +with envy--and he saw the long billows of the ocean rolling before +the steady blowing of the salt-tongued wind, and the broad white +valleys that between them lay, and the vaporous generation of great +waves. They seemed to have little gift of power for themselves, +and no sign of any heed of purport; only to keep at proper distance +from each other, and threaten to break over long before they meant +to do it. But to see what they did at the first opposition of +reef, or crag, or headland bluff, was a cure for any delusion about +them, or faith in their liquid benevolence. For spouts of wild +fury dashed up into the clouds; and the shore, wherever any sight +of it was left, weltered in a sadly frothsome state, like the chin +of a Titan with a lather-brush at work. + +"Why, bless my heart!" cried the keen-eyed Mordacks; "this is a +check I never thought of. Nobody could land in such a surf as +that, even if he had conquered all India. Landlord, do you mean to +tell me any one could land? And if not, what's the use of your inn +standing here?" + +"Naw, sir, nawbody cud laun' joost neaw. Lee-ast waas, nut to ca' +fur naw yell to dry hissen." + +The landlord was pleased with his own wit--perhaps by reason of its +scarcity--and went out to tell it in the tap-room while fresh; and +Mordacks had made up his mind to call for something--for the good +of the house and himself--and return with a sense of escape to his +own inn, when the rough frozen road rang with vehement iron, and a +horse was pulled up, and a man strode in. The landlord having told +his own joke three times, came out with the taste of it upon his +lips; but the stern dark eyes looking down into his turned his +smile into a frightened stare. He had so much to think of that he +could not speak--which happens not only at Flamborough--but his +visitor did not wait for the solution of his mental stutter. +Without any rudeness he passed the mooning host, and walked into +the parlor, where he hoped to find two persons. + +Instead of two, he found one only, and that one standing with his +back to the door, and by the snow-flecked window, intent upon the +drizzly distance of the wind-struck sea. The attitude and fixed +regard were so unlike the usual vivacity of Mordacks, that the +visitor thought there must be some mistake, till the other turned +round and looked at him. + +"You see a defeated but not a beaten man," said the factor, to get +through the worst of it. "Thank you, Sir Duncan, I will not shake +hands. My ambition was to do so, and to put into yours another +hand, more near and dear to it. Sir, I have failed. It is open to +you to call me by any hard name that may occur to you. That will +do you good, be a hearty relief, and restore me rapidly to self- +respect, by arousing my anxiety to vindicate myself." + +"It is no time for joking; I came here to meet my son. Have you +found him, or have you not?" + +Sir Duncan sat down and gazed steadfastly at Mordacks. His self- +command had borne many hard trials; but the prime of his life was +over now; and strong as he looked, and thought himself, the +searching wind had sought and found weak places in a sun-beaten +frame. But no man would be of noble aspect by dwelling at all upon +himself. + +The quick intelligence of Mordacks--who was of smaller though +admirable type--entered into these things at a flash. And +throughout their interview he thought less of himself and more of +another than was at all habitual with him, or conducive to good +work. + +"You must bear with a very heavy blow," he said; "and it goes to my +heart to have to deal it." + +Sir Duncan Yordas bowed, and said, "The sooner the better, my good +friend." + +"I have found your son, as I promised you I would," replied +Mordacks, speaking rapidly; "healthy, active, uncommonly clever; a +very fine sailor, and as brave as Nelson; of gallant appearance--as +might be expected; enterprising, steadfast, respected, and admired; +benevolent in private life, and a public benefactor. A youth of +whom the most distinguished father might be proud. But--but--" + +"Will you never finish?" + +"But by the force of circumstances, over which he had no control, +he became in early days a smuggler, and rose to an eminent rank in +that profession." + +"I do not care two pice for that; though I should have been sorry +if he had not risen." + +"He rose to such eminence as to become the High Admiral of +smugglers on this coast, and attain the honors of outlawry." + +"I look upon that as a pity. But still we may be able to rescind +it. Is there anything more against my son?" + +"Unluckily there is. A commander of the Coastguard has been killed +in discharge of his duty; and Robin Lyth has left the country to +escape a warrant." + +"What have we to do with Robin Lyth? I have heard of him +everywhere--a villain and a murderer." + +"God forbid that you should say so! Robin Lyth is your only son." + +The man whose word was law to myriads rose without a word for his +own case; he looked at his agent with a stern, calm gaze, and not a +sign of trembling in his lull broad frame, unless, perhaps, his +under lip gave a little soft vibration to the grizzled beard grown +to meet the change of climate. + +"Unhappily so it is," said Mordacks, firmly meeting Sir Duncan's +eyes. "I have proved the matter beyond dispute; and I wish I had +better news for you." + +"I thank you, sir. You could not well have worse. I believe it +upon your word alone. No Yordas ever yet had pleasure of a son. +The thing is quite just. I will order my horse." + +"Sir Duncan, allow me a few minutes first. You are a man of large +judicial mind. Do you ever condemn any stranger upon rumor? And +will you, upon that, condemn your son?" + +"Certainly not. I proceed upon my knowledge of the fate between +father and son in our race." + +"That generally has been the father's fault. In this case, you are +the father." + +Sir Duncan turned back, being struck with this remark. Then he sat +down again; which his ancestors had always refused to do, and had +rued it. He spoke very gently, with a sad faint smile. + +"I scarcely see how, in the present case, the fault can be upon the +father's side." + +"Not as yet, I grant you. But it would be so if the father refused +to hear out the matter, and joined in the general outcry against +his son, without even having seen him, or afforded him a chance of +self-defense." + +"I am not so unjust or unnatural as that, sir. I have heard much +about this--sad occurrence in the cave. There can be no question +that the smugglers slew the officer. That--that very unfortunate +young man may not have done it himself--I trust in God that he did +not even mean it. Nevertheless, in the eye of the law, if he were +present, he is as guilty as if his own hand did it. Can you +contend that he was not present?" + +"Unhappily I can not. He himself admits it; and if he did not, it +could be proved most clearly." + +"Then all that I can do," said Sir Duncan, rising with a heavy +sigh, and a violent shiver caused by the chill of his long bleak +ride, "is first to require your proofs, Mr. Mordacks, as to the +identity of my child who sailed from India with this--this +unfortunate youth; then to give you a check for 5000 pounds, and +thank you for skillful offices, and great confidence in my honor. +Then I shall leave with you what sum you may think needful for the +defense, if he is ever brought to trial. And probably after that-- +well, I shall even go back to end my life in India." + +"My proofs are not arranged yet, but they will satisfy you. I +shall take no 5000 pounds from you, Sir Duncan, though strictly +speaking I have earned it. But I will take one thousand to cover +past and future outlay, including the possibility of a trial. The +balance I shall live to claim yet, I do believe, and you to +discharge it with great pleasure. For that will not be until I +bring you a son, not only acquitted, but also guiltless; as I have +good reason for believing him to be. But you do not look well; let +me call for something." + +"No, thank you. It is nothing. I am quite well, but not quite +seasoned to my native climate yet. Tell me your reasons for +believing that." + +"I can not do that in a moment. You know what evidence is a +hundred times as well as I do. And in this cold room you must not +stop. Sir Duncan, I am not a coddler any more than you are. And I +do not presume to dictate to you. But I am as resolute a man as +yourself. And I refuse to go further with this subject, until you +are thoroughly warmed and refreshed." + +"Mordacks, you shall have your way," said his visitor, after a +heavy frown, which produced no effect upon the factor. "You are as +kind-hearted as you are shrewd. Tell me once more what your +conviction is; and I will wait for your reasons, till--till you are +ready." + +"Then, sir, my settled conviction is that your son is purely +innocent of this crime, and that we shall be able to establish +that." + +"God bless you for thinking so, my dear friend. I can bear a great +deal; and I would do my duty. But I did love that boy's mother +so." + +The general factor always understood his business; and he knew that +no part of it compelled him now to keep watch upon the eyes of a +stern, proud man. + +"Sir, I am your agent, and I magnify mine office," he said, as he +took up his hat to go forth. "One branch of my duty is to fettle +your horse; and in Flamborough they fettle them on stale fish." +Mr. Mordacks strode with a military tramp, and a loud shout for the +landlord, who had finished his joke by this time, and was paying +the penalties of reaction. "Gil Beilby, thoo'st nobbut a +fondhead," he was saying to himself. "Thoo mun hev thy lahtel +jawk, thof it crack'th thy own pure back." For he thought that he +was driving two great customers away, by the flashing independence +of too brilliant a mind; and many clever people of his native place +had told him so. "Make a roaring fire in that room," said +Mordacks. + + + +CHAPTER XLVI + +STUMPED OUT + + +"I think, my dear, that you never should allow mysterious things to +be doing in your parish, and everybody full of curiosity about +them, while the only proper person to explain their meaning is +allowed to remain without any more knowledge than a man locked up +in York Castle might have. In spite of all the weather, and the +noise the sea makes, I feel quite certain that important things, +which never have any right to happen in our parish, are going on +here, and you never interfere; which on the part of the rector, and +the magistrate of the neighborhood, to my mind is not a proper +course of action. I am sure that I have not the very smallest +curiosity; I feel very often that I should have asked questions, +when it has become too late to do so, and when anybody else would +have put them at the moment, and not had to be sorry afterward." + +"I understand that feeling," Dr. Upround answered, looking at his +wife for the third cup of coffee to wind up his breakfast as usual, +"and without hesitation I reply that it naturally arises in +superior natures. Janetta, you have eaten up that bit of broiled +hake that I was keeping for your dear mother!" + +"Now really, papa, you are too crafty. You put my mother off with +a wretched generality, because you don't choose to tell her +anything; and to stop me from coming to the rescue, you attack me +with a miserable little personality. I perceive by your face, +papa, every trick that rises; and without hesitation I reply that +they naturally arise in inferior natures." + +"Janetta, you never express yourself well." Mrs. Upround insisted +upon filial respect. "When I say 'well,' I mean--Well, well, well, +you know quite well what I mean, Janetta." + +"To be sure, mamma, I always do. You always mean the very best +meaning in the world; but you are not up to half of papa's tricks +yet." + +"This is too bad!" cried the father, with a smile. + +"A great deal too bad!" said the mother, with a frown. "I am sure +I would never have asked a word of anything, if I could ever have +imagined such behavior. Go away, Janetta, this very moment; your +dear father evidently wants to tell me something. Now, my dear, +you were too sleepy last night; but your peace of mind requires you +to unburden itself at once of all these very mysterious goings on." + +"Well, perhaps I shall have no peace of mind unless I do," said the +rector, with a slight sarcasm, which missed her altogether; "only +it might save trouble, my dear, if you would first specify the +points which oppress your--or rather I should say, perhaps, my mind +so much." + +"In the first place, then," began Mrs. Upround, drawing nearer to +the doctor, "who is that highly distinguished stranger who can not +get away from the Thornwick Inn? What made him come to such a +place in dreadful weather; and if he is ill, why not send for Dr. +Stirbacks? Dr. Stirbacks will think it most unkind of you; and +after all he did for dear Janetta. And then, again, what did the +milkman from Sewerby mean by the way he shook his head this +morning, about something in the family at Anerley Farm? And what +did that most unaccountable man, who calls himself Mr. Mordacks-- +though I don't believe that is his name at all--" + +"Yes, it is, my dear; you never should say such things. He is well +known at York, and for miles around; and I entertain very high +respect for him." + +"So you may, Dr. Upround. You do that too freely; but Janetta +quite agrees with me about him. A man with a sword, that goes +slashing about, and kills a rat, that was none of his business! A +more straightforward creature than himself, I do believe, though he +struts like a soldier with a ramrod. And what did he mean, in such +horrible weather, by dragging you out to take a deposition in a +place even colder than Flamborough itself--that vile rabbit-warren +on the other side of Bempton? Deposition of a man who had drunk +himself to death--and a Methodist too, as you could not help +saying." + +"I said it, I know; and I am ashamed of saying it. I was miserably +cold, and much annoyed about my coat." + +"You never say anything to be ashamed of. It is when you do not +say things that you should rather blame yourself. For instance, I +feel no curiosity whatever, but a kind-hearted interest, in the +doings of my neighbors. We very seldom get any sort of excitement; +and when exciting things come all together, quite within the +hearing of our stable bell, to be left to guess them out, and +perhaps be contradicted, destroys one's finest feelings, and +produces downright fidgets." + +"My dear, my dear, you really should endeavor to emancipate +yourself from such small ideas." + +"Large words shall never divert me from my duty. My path of duty +is distinctly traced; and if a thwarting hand withdraws me from it, +it must end in a bilious headache." + +This was a terrible menace to the household, which was always +thrown out of its course for three days when the lady became thus +afflicted. + +"My first duty is to my wife," said the rector. "If people come +into my parish with secrets, which come to my knowledge without my +desire, and without official obligation, and the faithful and +admirable partner of my life threatens to be quite unwell--" + +"Ill, dear, very ill--is what would happen to me." + +"--then I consider that my duty is to impart to her everything that +can not lead to mischief." + +"How could you have any doubt of it, my dear? And as to the +mischief, I am the proper judge of that." + +Dr. Upround laughed in his quiet inner way; and then, as a matter +of form, he said, "My dear, you must promise most faithfully to +keep whatever I tell you as the very strictest secret." + +Mrs. Upround looked shocked at the mere idea of her ever doing +otherwise; which indeed, as she said, was impossible. Her husband +very nearly looked as if he quite believed her; and then they went +into his snug sitting-room, while the maid took away the breakfast +things. + +"Now don't keep me waiting," said the lady. + +"Well, then, my dear," the rector began, after crossing stout legs +stoutly, "you must do your utmost not to interrupt me, and, in +short--to put it courteously--you must try to hold your tongue, and +suffer much astonishment in silence. We have a most distinguished +visitor in Flamborough setting up his staff at the Thornwick +Hotel." + +"Lord Nelson! I knew it must be. Janetta is so quick at things." + +"Janetta is too quick at things; and she is utterly crazy about +Nelson. No; it is the famous Sir Duncan Yordas." + +"Sir Duncan Yordas! Why, I never heard of him." + +"You will find that you have heard of him when you come to think, +my dear. Our Harry is full of his wonderful doings. He is one of +the foremost men in India, though perhaps little heard of in this +country yet. He belongs to an ancient Yorkshire family, and is, I +believe, the head of it. He came here looking for his son, but has +caught a most terrible chill, instead of him; and I think we ought +to send him some of your rare soup." + +"How sensible you are! It will be the very thing. But first of +all, what character does he bear? They do such things in India." + +"His character is spotless; I might say too romantic. He is a man +of magnificent appearance, large mind, and lots of money." + +"My dear, my dear, he must never stay there. I shudder to think of +it, this weather. A chill is a thing upon the kidneys always. You +know my electuary; and if we bring him round, it is high time for +Janetta to begin to think of settling." + +"My dear!" said Dr. Upround; "well, how suddenly you jump! I must +put on my spectacles to look at you. This gentleman must be +getting on for fifty!" + +"Janetta should have a man of some discretion, somebody she would +not dare to snap at. Her expressions are so reckless, that a young +man would not suit her. She ought to have some one to look up to; +and you know how she raves about fame, and celebrity, and that. +She really seems to care for very little else." + +"Then she ought to have fallen in love with Robin Lyth, the most +famous man in all this neighborhood." + +"Dr. Upround, you say things on purpose to provoke me when my +remarks are unanswerable. Robin Lyth indeed! A sailor, a +smuggler, a common working-man! And under that terrible +accusation!" + +"An objectionable party altogether; not even desirable as a +grandson. Therefore say nothing more of Janetta and Sir Duncan." + +"Sometimes, my dear, the chief object of your existence seems to be +to irritate me. What can poor Robin have to do with Sir Duncan +Yordas?" + +"Simply this. He is his only son. The proofs were completed, and +deposited with me for safe custody, last night, by that very active +man of business, Geoffrey Mordacks, of York city." + +"Well!" cried Mrs. Upround, with both hands lifted, and a high +color flowing into her unwrinkled cheeks; "from this day forth I +shall never have any confidence in you again. How long--if I may +dare to put any sort of question--have you been getting into all +this very secret knowledge? And why have I never heard a word of +it till now? And not even now, I do believe, through any proper +urgency of conscience on your part, but only because I insisted +upon knowing. Oh, Dr. Upround, for shame! for shame!" + +"My dear, you have no one but yourself to blame," her husband +replied, with a sweet and placid smile. "Three times I have told +you things that were to go no further, and all three of them went +twenty miles within three days. I do not complain of it; far less +of you. You may have felt it quite as much your duty to spread +knowledge as I felt it mine to restrict it. And I never should +have let you get all this out of me now, if it had been at all +incumbent upon me to keep it quiet." + +"That means that I have never got it out of you at all. I have +taken all this trouble for nothing." + +"No, my dear, not at all. You have worked well, and have promised +not to say a word about it. You might not have known it for a week +at least, except for my confidence in you." + +"Much of it I thank you for. But don't be cross, my dear, because +you have behaved so atrociously. You have not answered half of my +questions yet." + +"Well, there were so many, that I scarcely can remember them. Let +me see: I have told you who the great man is, and the reason that +brought him to Flamborough. Then about the dangerous chill he has +taken; it came through a bitter ride from Scarborough; and if Dr. +Stirbacks came, he would probably make it still more dangerous. At +least so Mordacks says; and the patient is in his hands, and out of +mine; so that Stirbacks can not be aggrieved with us. On the other +hand, as to the milkman from Sewerby. I really do not know why he +shook his head. Perhaps he found the big pump frozen. He is not +of my parish, and may shake his head without asking my permission. +Now I think that I have answered nearly all your questions." + +"Not at all; I have not had time to ask them yet, because I feel so +much above them. But if the milkman meant nothing, because of his +not belonging to our parish, the butcher does, and he can have no +excuse. He says that Mr. Mordacks takes all the best meanings of a +mutton-sheep every other day to Burlington." + +"I know he does. And it ought to put us to the blush that a +stranger should have to do so. Mordacks is finding clothes, food, +and firing for all the little creatures poor Carroway left, and +even for his widow, who has got a wandering mind. Without him +there would not have been one left. The poor mother locked in all +her little ones, and starved them, to save them from some quite +imaginary foe. The neighbors began to think of interfering, and +might have begun to do it when it was all over. Happily, Mordacks +arrived just in time. His promptitude, skill, and generosity saved +them. Never say a word against that man again." + +"My dear, I will not," Mrs. Upround answered, with tears coming +into her kindly eyes. "I never heard of anything more pitiful. I +had no idea Mr. Mordacks was so good. He looks more like an evil +spirit. I always regarded him as an evil spirit; and his name +sounds like it, and he jumps about so. But he ought to have gone +to the rector of the parish." + +"It is a happy thing that he can jump about. The rector of the +parish can not do so, as you know; and he lives two miles away from +them, and had never even heard of it. People always talk about the +rector of a parish as if he could be everywhere and see to +everything. And few of them come near him in their prosperous +times. Have you any other questions to put to me, my dear?" + +"Yes, a quantity of things which I can not think of now. How it +was that little boy--I remember it like yesterday--came ashore +here, and turned out to be Robin Lyth; or at least to be no Robin +Lyth at all, but the son of Sir Duncan Yordas. And what happened +to the poor man in Bempton Warren." + +"The poor man died a most miserable death, but I trust sincerely +penitent. He had led a sad, ungodly life, and he died at last of +wooden legs. He was hunted to his grave, he told us, by these +wooden legs; and he recognized in them Divine retribution, for the +sin of his life was committed in timber. No sooner did any of +those legs appear--and the poor fellow said they were always +coming--than his heart began to patter, and his own legs failed +him, and he tried to stop his ears, but his conscience would not +let him." + +"Now there!" cried Mrs. Upround; "what the power of conscience is! +He had stolen choice timber, perhaps ready-made legs." + +"A great deal worse than that, my dear; he had knocked out a knot +as large as my shovel-hat from the side of a ship home bound from +India, because he was going to be tried for mutiny upon their +arrival at Leith, it was, I think. He and his partners had been in +irons, but unluckily they were just released. The weather was +magnificent, a lovely summer's night, soft fair breeze, and every +one rejoicing in the certainty of home within a few short hours. +And they found home that night, but it was in a better world." + +"You have made me creep all over. And you mean to say that a +wretch like that has any hope of heaven! How did he get away +himself?" + +"Very easily. A little boat was towing at the side. There were +only three men upon deck, through the beauty of the weather, and +two of those were asleep. They bound and gagged the waking one, +lashed the wheel, and made off in the boat wholly unperceived. +There was Rickon Goold, the ringleader, and four others, and they +brought away a little boy who was lying fast asleep, because one of +them had been in the service of his father, and because of the +value of his Indian clothes, which his ayah made him wear now in +his little cot for warmth. The scoundrels took good care that none +should get away to tell the tale. They saw the poor Golconda sink +with every soul on board, including the captain's wife and babies; +then they made for land, and in the morning fog were carried by the +tide toward our North Landing. One of them knew the coast as well +as need be; but they durst not land until their story was +concocted, and everything fitted in to suit it. The sight of the +rising sun, scattering the fog, frightened them, as it well might +do; and they pulled into the cave, from which I always said, as you +may now remember, Robin must have come--the cave which already +bears his name. + +"Here they remained all day, considering a plausible tale to +account for themselves, without making mention of any lost ship, +and trying to remove every trace of identity from the boat they had +stolen. They had brought with them food enough to last three days, +and an anker of rum from the steward's stores; and as they grew +weary of their long confinement, they indulged more freely than +wisely in the consumption of that cordial. In a word, they became +so tipsy that they frightened the little helpless boy; and when +they began to fight about his gold buttons, which were claimed by +the fellow who had saved his life, he scrambled from the side of +the boat upon the rock, and got along a narrow ledge, where none of +them could follow him. They tried to coax him back; but he stamped +his feet, and swore at them, being sadly taught bad language by the +native servants, I dare say. Rickon Goold wanted to shoot him, for +they had got a gun with them, and he feared to leave him there. +But Sir Duncan's former boatman would not allow it; and at dark +they went away and left him there. And the poor little fellow, in +his dark despair, must have been led by the hand of the Lord +through crannies too narrow for a man to pass. There is a well- +known land passage out of that cave; but he must have crawled out +by a smaller one, unknown even to our fishermen, slanting up the +hill, and having outlet in the thicket near the place where the +boats draw up. And so he was found by Robin Cockscroft in the +morning. They had fed the child with biscuit soaked in rum, which +accounts for his heavy sleep and wonderful exertions, and may have +predisposed him for a contraband career." + +"And perhaps for the very bad language which he used," said Mrs. +Upround, thoughtfully. "It is an extraordinary tale, my dear. But +I suppose there can be no doubt of it. But such a clever child +should have known his own name. Why did he call himself +'Izunsabe'?" + +"That is another link in the certainty of proof. On board that +unfortunate ship, and perhaps even before he left India, he was +always called the 'Young Sahib,' and he used, having proud little +ways of his own, to shout, if anybody durst provoke him, 'I'se +young Sahib, I'se young Sahib;' which we rendered into 'Izunsabe.' +But his true name is Wilton Bart Yordas, I believe, and the +initials can be made out upon his gold beads, Mr. Mordacks tells +me, among heathen texts." + +"That seems rather shocking to good principles, my dear. I trust +that Sir Duncan is a Christian at least; or he shall never set foot +in this house." + +"My dear, I can not tell. How should I know? He may have lapsed, +of course, as a good many of them do, from the heat of the climate, +and bad surroundings. But that happens mostly from their marrying +native women. And this gentleman never has done that, I do +believe." + +"They tell me that he is a very handsome man, and of most +commanding aspect--the very thing Janetta likes so much. But what +became of those unhappy sadly tipsy sailors?" + +"Well, they managed very cleverly, and made success of tipsiness. +As soon as it was dark that night, and before the child had crawled +away, they pushed out of the cave, and let the flood-tide take them +round the Head. They meant to have landed at Bridlington Quay, +with a tale of escape from a Frenchman; but they found no necessity +for going so far. A short-handed collier was lying in the roads; +and the skipper, perceiving that they were in liquor, thought it a +fine chance, and took some trouble to secure them. They told him +that they had been trying to run goods, and were chased by a +revenue boat, and so on. He was only too glad to be enabled to +make sail, and by dawn they were under way for the Thames; and that +was the end of the Golconda." + +"What an awful crime! But you never mean to tell me that the Lord +let those men live and prosper?" + +"That subject is beyond our view, my dear. There were five of +them, and Rickon Goold believed himself the last of them. But +being very penitent, he might have exaggerated. He said that one +was swallowed by a shark, at least his head was, and one was hanged +for stealing sheep, and one for a bad sixpence; but the fate of the +other (too terrible to tell you) brought this man down here, to be +looking at the place, and to divide his time between fasting, and +drinking, and poaching, and discoursing to the thoughtless. The +women flocked to hear him preach, when the passion was upon him; +and he used to hint at awful sins of his own, which made him +earnest. I hope that he was so, and I do believe it. But the +wooden-legged sailors, old Joe and his son, who seem to have been +employed by Mordacks, took him at his own word for a 'miserable +sinner'--which, as they told their master, no respectable man would +call himself--and in the most business-like manner they set to to +remove him to a better world; and now they have succeeded." + +"Poor man! After all, one must be rather sorry for him. If old +Joe came stumping after me for half an hour, I should have no +interest in this life left." + +"My dear, they stumped after him the whole day long, and at night +they danced a hornpipe outside his hut. He became convinced that +the Prince of Evil was come, in that naval style, to fetch him; and +he drank everything he could lay hands on, to fortify him for the +contest. The end, as you know, was extremely sad for him, but +highly satisfactory to them, I fear. They have signified their +resolution to attend his funeral; and Mordacks has said, with +unbecoming levity, that if they never were drunk before--which +seems to me an almost romantic supposition--that night they shall +be drunk, and no mistake." + +"All these things, my dear," replied Mrs. Upround, who was gifted +with a fine vein of moral reflection, "are not as we might wish if +we ordered them ourselves. But still there is this to be said in +their favor, that they have a large tendency toward righteousness." + + + +CHAPTER XLVII + +A TANGLE OF VEINS + + +Human resolution, energy, experience, and reason in its loftiest +form may fight against the doctor; but he beats them all, maintains +at least his own vitality, and asserts his guineas. Two more +resolute men than Mr. Mordacks and Sir Duncan Yordas could scarcely +be found in those resolute times. They sternly resolved to have no +sort of doctor; and yet within three days they did have one; and, +more than that, the very one they had positively vowed to abstain +from. + +Dr. Stirbacks let everybody know that he never cared two flips of +his thumb for anybody. If anybody wanted him, they must come and +seek him, and be thankful if he could find time to hear their +nonsense. For he understood not the system only, but also the +nature of mankind. The people at the Thornwick did not want him. +Very good, so much the better for him and for them; because the +more they wanted him, the less would he go near them. Tut! tut! +tut! he said; what did he want with crack-brained patients? + +All this compelled him, with a very strong reluctance, to be +dragged into that very place the very same day; and he saw that he +was not come an hour too soon. Sir Duncan was lying in a bitterly +cold room, with the fire gone out, and the spark of his life not +very far from following it. Mr. Mordacks was gone for the day upon +business, after leaving strict orders that a good fire must be +kept, and many other things attended to. But the chimney took to +smoking, and the patient to coughing, and the landlady opened the +window wide, and the fire took flight into the upper air. Sir +Duncan hated nothing more than any fuss about himself. He had sent +a man to Scarborough for a little chest of clothes, for his saddle- +kit was exhausted; and having promised Mordacks that he would not +quit the house, he had nothing to do except to meditate and shiver. + +Gil Beilby's wife Nell, coming up to take orders for dinner, "got a +dreadful turn" from what she saw, and ran down exclaiming that the +very best customer that ever drew their latch was dead. Without +waiting to think, the landlord sent a most urgent message for Dr. +Stirbacks. That learned man happened to be round the corner, +although he lived at Bempton; he met the messenger, cast to the +winds all sense of wrong, and rushed to the succor of humanity. + +That night, when the general factor returned, with the hunger +excited by feeding the hungry, he was met at the door by Dr. +Stirbacks, saying, "Hush, my good sir," before he had time to think +of speaking. "You!" cried Mr. Mordacks, having met this gentleman +when Rickon Goold was near his last. "You! Then it must be bad +indeed!" + +"It is bad, and it must have been all over, sir, but for my being +providentially at the cheese shop. I say nothing to wound any +gentleman's feelings who thinks that he understands everything; but +our poor patient, with the very best meaning, no doubt, has been +all but murdered." + +"Dr. Stirbacks, you have got him now, and of course you will make +the best of him. Don't let him slip through your fingers, doctor; +he is much too good for that." + +"He shall not slip through my fingers," said the little doctor, +with a twinkle of self-preservation. "I have got him, sir, and I +shall keep him, sir; and you ought to have put him in my hands long +ago." + +The sequel of this needs no detail. Dr. Stirbacks came three times +a day; and without any disrespect to the profession, it must be +admitted that he earned his fees. For Sir Duncan's case was a very +strange one, and beyond the best wisdom of the laity. If that +chill had struck upon him when his spirit was as usual, he might +have cast it off, and gone on upon his business. But coming as it +did, when the temperature of his heart was lowered by nip of +disappointment, it went into him, as water on a duck's back is not +cast away when his rump gland is out of order. + +"A warm room, good victuals, and cheerful society--these three are +indispensable," said Dr. Stirbacks to Mr. Mordacks, over whom he +began to try to tyrannize; "and admirable as you are, my good sir, +I fear that your society is depressing. You are always in a fume +to be doing something--a stew, I might say, without exaggeration--a +wonderful pattern of an active mind. But in a case of illness we +require the passive voice. Everything suggestive of rapid motion +must be removed, and never spoken of. You are rapid motion itself, +my dear sir. We get a relapse every time you come in." + +"You want me out of the way. Very well. Let me know when you have +killed my friend. I suppose your office ends with that. I will +come down and see to his funeral." + +"Mr. Mordacks, you may be premature in such prevision. Your own +may come first, sir. Look well at your eyes the next time you +shave, and I fear you will descry those radiant fibres in the iris +which always co-exist with heart-disease. I can tell you fifty +cases, if you have time to listen." + +"D--n your prognostics, sir!" exclaimed the factor, rudely; but he +seldom lathered himself thenceforth without a little sigh of self- +regard. "Now, Dr. Stirbacks," he continued, with a rally, "you may +find my society depressing, but it is generally considered to be +elevating; and that, sir, by judges of the highest order, and men +of independent income. The head of your profession in the northern +half of England, who takes a hundred guineas for every one you +take, rejoices, sir--rejoices is not too strong a word to use--in +my very humble society. Of course he may be wrong; but when he +hears that Mr. Stirbacks, of Little Under-Bempton--is that the +right address, sir?--speaks of my society as depressing--" + +"Mr. Mordacks, you misunderstood my meaning. I spoke with no +reference to you whatever, but of all male society as enervating-- +if you dislike the word 'depressing'--relaxing, emollient, +emasculating, from want of contradictory element; while I was +proceeding to describe the need of strictly female society. The +rector offers this; he was here just now. His admiration for you +is unbounded. He desires to receive our distinguished patient, +with the vast advantage of ladies' society, double-thick walls, and +a southern aspect, if you should consider it advisable." + +"Undoubtedly I do. If the moving can be done without danger; and +of that you are the proper judge, of course." + +Thus they composed their little disagreement, with mutual respect, +and some approaches to good-will; and Sir Duncan Yordas, being +skillfully removed, spent his Christmas (without knowing much about +it) in the best and warmest bedroom in the rectory. But Mordacks +returned, as an honest man should do, to put the laurel and the +mistletoe on his proper household gods. And where can this be +better done than in that grand old city, York? But before leaving +Flamborough, he settled the claims of business and charity, so far +as he could see them, and so far as the state of things permitted. + +Foiled as he was in his main object by the murder of the revenue +officer, and the consequent flight of Robin Lyth, he had thoroughly +accomplished one part of his task, the discovery of the Golconda's +fate, and the history of Sir Duncan's child. Moreover, his trusty +agents, Joe of the Monument, and Bob his son, had relieved him of +one thorny care, by the zeal and skill with which they worked. It +was to them a sweet instruction to watch, encounter, and drink down +a rogue who had scuttled a ship, and even defeated them at their +own weapons, and made a text of them to teach mankind. Dr. Upround +had not exaggerated the ardor with which they discharged their +duty. + +But Mordacks still had one rogue on hand, and a deeper one than +Rickon Goold. In the course of his visits to Bridlington Quay, he +had managed to meet John Cadman, preferring, as he always did, his +own impressions to almost any other evidence. And his own +impressions had entirely borne out the conviction of Widow +Carroway. But he saw at once that this man could not be plied with +coarse weapons, like the other worn-out villain. He reserved him +as a choice bit for his own skill, and was careful not to alarm him +yet. Only two things concerned him, as immediate in the matter--to +provide against Cadman's departure from the scene, and to learn all +the widow had to tell about him. + +The widow had a great deal to say about that man; but had not said +it yet, from want of power so to do. Mordacks himself had often +stopped her, when she could scarcely stop herself; for until her +health should be set up again, any stir of the mind would be +dangerous. But now, with the many things provided for her, good +nursing, and company, and the kindness of the neighbors (who +jealously rushed in as soon as a stranger led the way), and the +sickening of Tommy with the measles--which he had caught in the +coal-cellar--she began to be started in a different plane of life; +to contemplate the past as a golden age (enshrining a diamond +statue of a revenue officer in full uniform), and to look upon the +present as a period of steel, when a keen edge must be kept against +the world, for a defense of all the little seed of diamonds. + +Now the weather was milder, as it generally is at Christmas time, +and the snow all gone, and the wind blowing off the land again, to +the great satisfaction of both cod and conger. The cottage, which +had looked such a den of cold and famine, with the blinds drawn +down, and the snow piled up against the door, and not a single +child-nose against the glass, was now quite warm again, and almost +as lively as if Lieutenant Carroway were coming home to dinner. +The heart of Mr. Mordacks glowed with pride as he said to himself +that he had done all this; and the glow was reflected on the cheeks +of Geraldine, as she ran out to kiss him, and then jumped upon his +shoulder. For, in spite of his rigid aspect and stern nose, the +little lass had taken kindly to him; while he admired her for +eating candles. + +"If you please, you can come in here," said Jerry. "Oh, don't +knock my head against the door." + +Mrs. Carroway knew what he was come for; and although she had tried +to prepare herself for it, she could not help trembling a little. +The factor had begged her to have some friend present, to encourage +and help her in so grievous an affair; but she would not hear of +it, and said she had no friend. + +Mr. Mordacks sat down, as he was told to do, in the little room +sacred to the poor lieutenant, and faithful even yet to the pious +memory of his pipe. When the children were shut out, he began to +look around, that the lady might have time to cry. But she only +found occasion for a little dry sob. + +"It is horrible, very, very horrible," she murmured, with a +shudder, as her eyes were following his; "but for his sake I endure +it." + +"A most sad and bitter trial, ma'am, as ever I have heard of. But +you are bound to bear in mind that he is looking down on you." + +"I could not put up with it, without the sense of that, sir. But I +say to myself how much he loved it; and that makes me put up with +it." + +"I am quite at a loss to understand you, madam. We seem to be at +cross-purposes. I was speaking of--of a thing it pains me to +mention; and you say how much he loved--" + +"Dirt, sir, dirt. It was his only weakness. Oh, my darling +Charles, my blessed, blessed Charley! Sometimes I used to drive +him almost to his end about it; but I never thought his end would +come; I assure you I never did, sir. But now I shall leave +everything as he would like to see it--every table and every chair, +that he could write his name on it. And his favorite pipe with the +bottom in it. That is what he must love to see, if the Lord allows +him to look down. Only the children mustn't see it, for the sake +of bad example." + +"Mrs. Carroway, I agree with you most strictly. Children must be +taught clean ways, even while they revere their father. You should +see my daughter Arabella, ma'am. She regards me with perfect +devotion. Why? Because I never let her do the things that I +myself do. It is the only true principle of government for a +nation, a parish, a household. How beautifully you have trained +pretty Geraldine! I fear that you scarcely could spare her for a +month, in the spring, and perhaps Tommy after his measles; but a +visit to York would do them good, and establish their expanding +minds, ma'am." + +"Mr. Mordacks, I know not where we may be then. But anything that +you desire is a law to us." + +"Well said! Beautifully said! But I trust, my dear madam, that +you will be here. Indeed, it would never do for you to go away. +Or rather, I should put it thus--for the purposes of justice, and +for other reasons also, it is most important that you should not +leave this place. At least you will promise me that, I hope? +Unless, of course, unless you find the memories too painful. And +even so, you might find comfort in some inland house, not far." + +"Many people might not like to stop," the widow answered, simply; +"but to me it would be a worse pain to go away. I sit, in the +evening, by the window here. Whenever there is light enough to +show the sea, and the beach is fit for landing on, it seems to my +eyes that I can see the boat, with my husband standing up in it. +He had a majestic way of standing, with one leg more up than the +other, sir, through one of his daring exploits; and whenever I see +him, he is just like that; and the little children in the kitchen +peep and say, 'Here's daddy coming at last; we can tell by mammy's +eyes;' and the bigger ones say, 'Hush! You might know better.' +And I look again, wondering which of them is right; and then there +is nothing but the clouds and sea. Still, when it is over, and I +have cried about it, it does me a little good every time. I seem +to be nearer to Charley, as my heart falls quietly into the will of +the Lord." + +"No doubt of it whatever. I can thoroughly understand it, although +there is not a bit of resignation in me. I felt that sort of +thing, to some extent, when I lost my angelic wife, ma'am, though +naturally departed to a sphere more suited for her. And I often +seem to think that still I hear her voice when a coal comes to +table in a well-dish. Life, Mrs. Carroway, is no joke to bandy +back, but trouble to be shared. And none share it fairly but the +husband and the wife, ma'am." + +"You make it very hard for me to get my words," she said, without +minding that her tears ran down, so long as she spoke clearly. "I +am not of the lofty sort, and understand no laws of things; though +my husband was remarkable for doing so. He took all the trouble of +the taxes off, though my part was to pay for them. And in every +other way he was a wonder, sir; not at all because now he is gone +above. That would be my last motive." + +"He was a wonder, a genuine wonder," Mordacks replied, without +irony. "He did his duty, ma'am, with zeal and ardor; a shining +example upon very little pay. I fear that it was his integrity and +zeal, truly British character and striking sense of discipline, +that have so sadly brought him to--to the condition of an example." + +"Yes, Mr. Mordacks, it was all that. He never could put up with a +lazy man, as anybody, to live, must have to do. He kept all his +men, as I used to do our children, to word of command, and no +answer. Honest men like it; but wicked men fly out. And all along +we had a very wicked man here." + +"So I have heard from other good authority--a deceiver of women, a +skulk, a dog. I have met with many villains; and I am not hot. +But my tendency is to take that fellow by the throat with both +hands, and throttle him. Having thoroughly accomplished that, I +should prepare to sift the evidence. Unscientific, illogical, +brutal, are such desires, as you need not tell me. And yet, madam, +they are manly. I hate slow justice; I like it quick--quick, or +none at all, I say, so long as it is justice. Creeping justice is, +to my mind, little better than slow revenge. My opinions are not +orthodox, but I hope they do not frighten you." + +"They do indeed, sir; or at least your face does; though I know how +quick and just you are. He is a bad man--too well I know it--but, +as my dear husband used to say, he has a large lot of children." + +"Well, Mrs. Carroway, I admire you the more, for considering what +he has not considered. Let us put aside that. The question is-- +guilty or not guilty? If he is guilty, shall he get off, and +innocent men be hanged for him? Six men are in jail at this +present moment for the deed which we believe he did. Have they no +wives, no fathers and mothers, no children--not to speak of their +own lives? The case is one in which the Constitution of the realm +must be asserted. Six innocent men must die unless the crime is +brought home to the guilty one. Even that is not all as regards +yourself. You may not care for your own life, but you are bound to +treasure it seven times over for the sake of your seven children. +While John Cadman is at large, and nobody hanged instead of him, +your life is in peril, ma'am. He knows that you know him, and have +denounced him. He has tried to scare you into silence; and the +fright caused your sad illness. I have reason to believe that he, +by scattering crafty rumors, concealed from the neighbors your sad +plight, and that of your dear children. If so, he is worse than +the devil himself. Do you see your duty now, and your interest +also?" + +Mrs. Carroway nodded gently. Her strength of mind was not come +back yet, after so much illness. The baby lay now on its father's +breast, and the mother's had been wild for it. + +"I am sorry to have used harsh words," resumed Mordacks; "but I +always have to do so. They seem to put things clearer; and without +that, where would business be? Now I will not tire you if I can +help it, nor ask a needless question. What provocation had this +man? What fanciful cause for spite, I mean?" + +"Oh, none, Mr. Mordacks, none whatever. My husband rebuked him for +being worthless, and a liar, and a traitor; and he threatened to +get him removed from the force; and he gave him a little throw down +from the cliff--but what little was done was done entirely for his +good." + +"Yes, I see. And, after that, was Cadman ever heard to threaten +him?" + +"Many times, in a most malicious way, when he thought that he was +not heeded. The other men may fear to bear witness. But my +Geraldine has heard him." + +"There could be no better witness. A child, especially a pretty +little girl, tells wonderfully with a jury. But we must have a +great deal more than that. Thousands of men threaten, and do +nothing, according to the proverb. A still more important point +is--how did the muskets in the boat come home? They were all +returned to the station, I presume. Were they all returned with +their charges in them?" + +"I am sure I can not say how that was. There was nobody to attend +to that. But one of them had been lost altogether." + +"One of the guns never came back at all!" Mordacks almost shouted. +"Whose gun was it that did not come back?" + +"How can we say? There was such confusion. My husband would never +let them nick the guns, as they do at some of the stations, for +every man to know his own. But in spite of that, each man had his +own, I believe. Cadman declares that he brought home his; and +nobody contradicted him. But if I saw the guns, I should know +whether Cadman's is among them." + +"How can you possibly pretend to know that, ma'am? English ladies +can do almost anything. But surely you never served out the guns?" + +"No, Mr. Mordacks. But I have cleaned them. Not the inside, of +course; that I know nothing of; and nobody sees that, to be +offended. But several times I have observed, at the station, a +disgraceful quantity of dust upon the guns--dust and rust and +miserable blotches, such as bad girls leave in the top of a fish- +kettle; and I made Charley bring them down, and be sure to have +them empty; because they were so unlike what I have seen on board +of the ship where he won his glory, and took the bullet in his +nineteenth rib." + +"My dear madam, what a frame he must have had! But this is most +instructive. No wonder Geraldine is brave. What a worthy wife for +a naval hero! A lady who could handle guns!" + +"I knew, sir, quite from early years, having lived near a very +large arsenal, that nothing can make a gun go off unless there is +something in it. And I could trust my husband to see to that; and +before I touched one of them I made him put a brimstone match to +the touch-hole. And I found it so pleasant to polish them, from +having such wicked things quite at my mercy. The wood was what I +noticed most, because of understanding chairs. One of them had a +very curious tangle of veins on the left cheek behind the trigger; +and I just had been doing for the children's tea what they call +'crinkly-crankly'--treacle trickled (like a maze) upon the bread; +and Tommy said, 'Look here! it is the very same upon this gun.' +And so it was; just the same pattern on the wood! And while I was +doing it Cadman came up, in his low surly way, and said, 'I want my +gun, missus; I never shoot with no other gun than that. Captain +says I may shoot a sea-pye, for the little ones.' And so I always +called it 'Cadman's gun.' I have not been able to think much yet. +But if that gun is lost, I shall know who it was that lost a gun +that dreadful night." + +"All this is most strictly to the purpose," answered Mordacks, "and +may prove most important. We could never hope to get those six men +off, without throwing most grave suspicion elsewhere; and unless we +can get those six men off, their captain will come and surrender +himself, and be hanged, to a dead certainty. I doubted his +carrying the sense of right so far, until I reflected upon his +birth, dear madam. He belongs, as I may tell you now, to a very +ancient family, a race that would run their heads into a noose out +of pure obstinacy, rather than skulk off. I am of very ancient +race myself, though I never take pride in the matter, because I +have seen more harm than good of it. I always learned Latin at +school so quickly through being a grammatical example of descent. +According to our pedigree, Caius Calpurnius Mordax Naso was the +Governor of Britain under Pertinax. My name means 'biting'; and +bite I can, whether my dinner is before me, or my enemy. In the +present case I shall not bite yet, but prepare myself for doing so. +I watch the proceedings of the government, who are sure to be slow, +as well as blundering. There has been no appointment to this +command as yet, because of so many people wanting it. This +patched-up peace, which may last about six months (even if it is +ever signed), is producing confusion everywhere. You have an old +fool put in charge of this station till a proper successor is +appointed." + +"He is not like Captain Carroway, sir. But that concerns me little +now. But I do wish, for my children's sake, that they would send a +little money." + +"On no account think twice of that. That question is in my hands, +and affords me one of the few pleasures I derive from business. +You are under no sort of obligation about it. I am acting under +authority. A man of exalted position and high office--but never +mind that till the proper time comes; only keep your mind in +perfect rest, and attend to your children and yourself. I am +obliged to proceed very warily, but you shall not be annoyed by +that scoundrel. I will provide for that before I leave; also I +will see the guns still in store, without letting anybody guess my +motive. I have picked up a very sharp fellow here, whose heart is +in the business thoroughly; for one of the prisoners is his twin +brother, and he lost his poor sweetheart through Cadman's villainy-- +a young lass who used to pick mussels, or something. He will see +that the rogue does not give us the slip, and I have looked out for +that in other ways as well. I am greatly afraid of tiring you, my +dear madam; but have you any other thing to tell me of this +Cadman?" + +"No, Mr. Mordacks, except a whole quantity of little things that +tell a great deal to me, but to anybody else would have no sense. +For instance, of his looks, and turns, and habits, and tricks of +seeming neither the one thing nor the other, and jumping all the +morning, when the last man was hanged--" + +"Did he do that, madam? Are you quite sure?" + +"I had it on the authority of his own wife. He beats her, but +still she can not understand him. You may remember that the man to +be suspended was brought to the place where--where--" + +"Where he earned his doom. It is quite right. Things of that sort +should be done upon a far more liberal scale. Example is better +than a thousand precepts. Let us be thankful that we live in such +a country. I have brought some medicine for brave Tommy from our +Dr. Stirbacks. Be sure that you stroke his throat when he takes +it. Boys are such rogues--" + +"Well, Mr. Mordacks, I really hope that I know how to make my +little boy take medicine!" + + + +CHAPTER XLVIII + +SHORT SIGHS, AND LONG ONES + + +Now it came to pass that for several months this neighborhood, +which had begun to regard Mr. Mordacks as its tutelary genius--so +great is the power of bold energy--lost him altogether; and with +brief lamentation began to do very well without him. So fugitive +is vivacious stir, and so well content is the general world to jog +along in its old ruts. The Flamborough butcher once more subsided +into a piscitarian; the postman, who had been driven off his legs, +had time to nurse his grain again; Widow Tapsy relapsed into the +very worst of taps, having none to demand good beverage; and a new +rat, sevenfold worse than the mighty net-devourer (whom Mordacks +slew; but the chronicle has been cut out, for the sake of brevity), +took possession of his galleries, and made them pay. All +Flamborough yearned for the "gentleman as did things," itself being +rather of the contemplative vein, which flows from immemorial +converse with the sea. But the man of dry hand-and-heel activity +came not, and the lanes forgot the echo of his Roman march. + +The postman (with a wicked endeavor of hope to beget faith from +sweet laziness) propagated a loose report that Death had claimed +the general factor, through fear of any rival in activity. The +postman did not put it so, because his education was too good for +long words to enter into it; but he put his meaning in a shorter +form than a smattering of distant tongues leaves to us. The +butcher (having doubt of death, unless by man administered) kicked +the postman out of his expiring shop, where large hooks now had no +sheep for bait; and Widow Tapsy, filled with softer liquid form of +memory, was so upset by the letter-man's tale that she let off a +man who owed four gallons, for beating him as flat as his own bag. +To tell of these things may take time, but time is thoroughly well +spent if it contributes a trifle toward some tendency, on anybody's +part, to hope that there used to be, even in this century, such a +thing as gratitude. + +But why did Mr. Mordacks thus desert his favorite quest and +quarters, and the folk in whom he took most delight--because so +long inaccessible? The reason was as sound as need be: important +business of his own had called him away into Derbyshire. Like +every true son of stone and crag, he required an annual scratch +against them, and hoped to rest among them when the itch of life +was over. But now he had hopes of even more than that--of owning a +good house and fair estate, and henceforth exerting his remarkable +powers of agency on his own behalf. For his cousin, Calpurnius +Mordacks, the head of the family, was badly ailing, and having lost +his only son in the West Indies, had sent for this kinsman to +settle matters with him. His offer was generous and noble; to wit, +that Geoffrey should take, not the property alone, but also his +second cousin, fair Calpurnia, though not without her full consent. +Without the lady, he was not to have the land, and the lady's +consent must be secured before her father ceased to be a sound +testator. + +Now if Calpurnia had been kept in ignorance of this arrangement, a +man possessing the figure, decision, stature, self-confidence, and +other high attributes of our Mordacks, must have triumphed in a +week at latest. But with that candor which appears to have been so +strictly entailed in the family, Colonel Calpurnius called them in; +and there (in the presence of the testator and of each other) they +were fully apprised of this rather urgent call upon their best and +most delicate emotions. And the worst of it was (from the +gentleman's point of view), that the contest was unequal. The +golden apples were not his to cast, but Atalanta's. The lady was +to have the land, even without accepting love. Moreover, he was +fifty per cent beyond her in age, and Hymen would make her a mamma +without invocation of Lucina. But highest and deepest woe of all, +most mountainous of obstacles, was the lofty skyline of his nose, +inherited from the Roman. If the lady's corresponding feature had +not corresponded--in other words, if her nose had been chubby, +snub, or even Greek--his bold bridge must have served him well, and +even shortened access to rosy lips and tender heart. But, alas! +the fair one's nose was also of the fine imperial type, truly +admirable in itself, but (under one of nature's strictest laws) coy +of contact with its own male expression. Love, whose joy and +fierce prank is to buckle to the plated pole ill-matched forms and +incongruous spirits, did not fail of her impartial freaks. Mr. +Mordacks had to cope with his own kin, and found the conflict so +severe that not a breath of time was left him for anybody's +business but his own. + +If luck was against him in that quarter (although he would not own +it yet), at York and Flamborough it was not so. No crisis arose to +demand his presence; no business went amiss because of his having +to work so hard at love. There came, as there sometimes does in +matters pressing, tangled, and exasperating, a quiet period, a +gentle lull, a halcyon time when the jaded brain reposes, and the +heart may hatch her own mares'-nests. Underneath that tranquil +spell lay fond Joe and Bob (with their cash to spend), Widow +Precious (with her beer laid in), and Widow Carroway, with a dole +at last extorted from the government; while Anerley Farm was +content to hearken the creak of wagon and the ring of flail, and +the rector of Flamborough once more rejoiced in the bloodless war +that breeds good-will. + +For Sir Duncan Yordas was a fine chess-player, as many Indian +officers of that time were; and now that he was coming to his +proper temperature (after three months of barbed stab of cold, and +the breach of the seal of the seventy-seventh phial of Dr. +Stirbacks), in gratitude for that miraculous escape, he did his +very best to please everybody. To Dr. Upround he was an agreeable +and penetrative companion; to Mrs. Upround, a gallant guest, with a +story for every slice of bread and butter; to Janetta, a deity +combining the perfections of Jupiter, Phoebus, Mars, and Neptune +(because of his yacht), without any of their drawbacks; and to +Flamborough, more largely speaking, a downright good sort of +gentleman, combining a smoke with a chaw--so they understood +cigars--and not above standing still sometimes for a man to say +some sense to him. + +But before Mr. Mordacks left his client under Dr. Upround's care, +he had done his best to provide that mischief should not come of +gossip; and the only way to prevent that issue is to preclude the +gossip. Sir Duncan Yordas, having lived so long in a large +commanding way, among people who might say what they pleased of +him, desired no concealment here, and accepted it unwillingly. But +his agent was better skilled in English life, and rightly foresaw a +mighty buzz of nuisance--without any honey to be brought home--from +the knowledge of the public that the Indian hero had begotten the +better-known apostle of free trade. Yet it might have been hard to +persuade Sir Duncan to keep that great fact to himself, if his son +had been only a smuggler, or only a fugitive from a false charge of +murder. But that which struck him in the face, as soon as he was +able to consider things, was the fact that his son had fled and +vanished, leaving his underlings to meet their fate. "The +smuggling is a trifle," exclaimed the sick man; "our family never +was law-abiding, and used to be large cattle-lifters; even the +slaying of a man in hot combat is no more than I myself have done, +and never felt the worse for it. But to run away, and leave men to +be hanged, after bringing them into the scrape himself, is not the +right sort of dishonor for a Yordas. If the boy surrenders, I +shall be proud to own him. But until he does that, I agree with +you, Mordacks, that he does not deserve to know who he is." + +This view of the case was harsh, perhaps, and showed some ignorance +of free-trade questions, and of English justice. If Robin Lyth had +been driven, by the heroic view of circumstances, to rush into +embrace constabular, would that have restored the other six men to +family sinuosities? Not a chance of it. Rather would it treble +the pangs of jail--where they enjoyed themselves--to feel that +anxiety about their pledges to fortune from which the free Robin +relieved them. Money was lodged and paid as punctual as the bank +for the benefit of all their belongings. There were times when the +sailors grumbled a little because they had no ropes to climb; but +of any unfriendly rope impending they were too wise to have much +fear. They knew that they had not done the deed, and they felt +assured that twelve good men would never turn round in their box to +believe it. + +Their captain took the same view of the case. He had very little +doubt of their acquittal if they were defended properly; and of +that a far wealthier man than himself, the Chancellor of the +Exchequer of free trade, Master Rideout of Malton, would take good +care, if the money left with Dr. Upround failed. The surrender of +Robin would simply hurt them, unless they were convicted, and in +that case he would yield himself. Sir Duncan did not understand +these points, and condemned his son unjustly. And Mordacks was no +longer there to explain such questions in his sharp clear way. + +Being in this sadly disappointed state, and not thoroughly +delivered from that renal chill (which the northeast wind, coming +over the leather of his valise, had inflicted), this gentleman, +like a long-pendulous grape with the ventilators open, was exposed +to the delicate insidious billing of little birds that love +something good. It might be wrong--indeed, it must be wrong, and a +foul slur upon fair sweet love--to insinuate that Indian gold, or +rank, or renown, or vague romance, contributed toward what came to +pass. Miss Janetta Upround, up to this time of her life, had +laughed at all the wanton tricks of Cupid; and whenever the married +women told her that her time would be safe to come, and then she +might understand their behavior, they had always been ordered to go +home and do their washing. And this made it harder for her to be +mangled by the very tribulation she had laughed at. + +Short little sighs were her first symptom, and a quiet way of going +up the stairs--which used to be a noisy process with her--and then +a desire to know something of history, and a sudden turn of mind +toward soup. Sir Duncan had a basin every day at twelve o'clock, +and Janetta had orders to see him do it, by strict institution of +Stirbacks. Those orders she carried out with such zeal that she +even went so far as to blow upon the spoon; and she did look nice +while doing it. In a word--as there is no time for many--being +stricken, she did her best to strike, as the manner of sweet women +is. + +Sir Duncan Yordas received it well. Being far on toward her +futurity in years, and beyond her whole existence in experience and +size, he smiled at her ardor and short vehemence to please him, and +liked to see her go about, because she turned so lightly. Then the +pleasant agility of thought began to make him turn to answer it; +and whenever she had the best of him in words, her bright eyes +fell, as if she had the worst. "She doesn't even know that she is +clever," said the patient to himself, "and she is the first person +I have met with yet who knows which side of the line Calcutta is." + +The manner of those benighted times was to keep from young ladies +important secrets which seemed to be no concern of theirs. Miss +Upround had never been told what brought this visitor to +Flamborough, and although she had plenty of proper curiosity, she +never got any reward for it. Only four Flamburians knew that Sir +Duncan was Robin Lyth's papa--or, as they would put it (having +faster hold of the end of the stick next to them), that Robin Lyth +was the son of Sir Duncan. And those four were, by force of +circumstance, Robin Cockscroft and Joan his wife, the rector and +the rectoress. Even Dr. Stirbacks (organically inquisitive as he +was, and ill content to sniff at any bottle with the cork tied +down), by mastery of Mordacks and calm dignity of rector, was able +to suspect a lot of things, but to be sure of none of them; and +suspicion, according to its usual manner, never came near the truth +at all. Miss Upround, therefore, had no idea that if she became +Lady Yordas, which she very sincerely longed to be, she would, by +that event, be made the step-mother of a widely celebrated +smuggler; while her Indian hero, having no idea of her flattering +regard as yet, was not bound to enlighten her upon that point. + +At Anerley Farm the like ignorance prevailed; except that Mistress +Anerley, having a quick turn for romance, and liking to get her +predictions confirmed, recalled to her mind (and recited to her +husband in far stronger language) what she had said, in the clover- +blossom time, to the bravest man that ever lived, the lamented +Captain Carroway. Captain Carroway's dauntless end, so thoroughly +befitting his extraordinary exploits, for which she even had his +own authority, made it the clearest thing in all the world that +every word she said to him must turn out Bible-true. And she had +begged him--and one might be certain that he had told it, as a good +man must, to his poor dear widow--not to shoot at Robin Lyth; +because he would get a thousand pounds, instead of a hundred for +doing it. She never could have dreamed to find her words come true +so suddenly; but here was an Indian Prince come home, who employed +the most pleasant-spoken gentleman; and he might know who it was he +had to thank that even in the cave the captain did not like to +shoot that long-lost heir; and from this time out there was no +excuse for Stephen if he ever laughed at anything that his wife +said. Only on no account must Mary ever hear of it; for a bird in +the hand was worth fifty in the bush; and the other gone abroad, +and under accusation, and very likely born of a red Indian mother. +Whereas Harry Tanfield's father, George, had been as fair as a +foal, poor fellow; and perhaps if the church books had been as he +desired, he might have kept out of the church-yard to this day. + +"And me in it," the farmer answered, with a laugh--"dead for love +of my wife, Sophy; as wouldn't 'a been my wife, nor drawn nigh upon +fi' pounds this very week for feathers, fur, and ribbon stuff. +Well, well, George would 'a come again, to think of it. How many +times have I seen him go with a sixpence in the palm of 's hand, +and think better of the king upon it, and worser of the poor chap +as were worn out, like the tail of it! Then back go the sixpence +into George's breeches; and out comes my shilling to the starving +chap, on the sly, and never mentioned. But for all that, I think, +like enow, old George mought 'a managed to get up to heaven." + +"Stephen, I wish to hear nothing of that. The question concerns +his family, not ours, as Providence has seen fit to arrange. Now +what is your desire to have done with Mary? William has made his +great discovery at last; and if we should get the 10,000 pounds, +nobody need look down on us." + +"I should like to see any one look down on me," Master Anerley +said, with his back set straight; "a' mought do so once, but a' +would be sorry afterward. Not that I would hinder him of 's own +way; only that he better keep out of mine. Sometimes, when you go +thinking of your own ideas, you never seem to bear in mind what my +considerations be." + +"Because you can not follow out the quickness of the way I think. +You always acknowledge that, my dear." + +"Well, well. Quick churn spoileth butter. Like Willie with his +perpetual motion. What good to come of it, if he hath found out? +And a' might, if ever a body did, from the way he goeth jumping +about forever, and never hold fast to anything. A nice thing +'twould be for the fools to say, perpetual motion come from Anerley +Farm!" + +"You never will think any good of him, Stephen, because his mind +comes from my side. But wait till you see the 10,000 pounds." + +"That I will; and thank the Lord to live so long. But, to come to +common-sense--how was Mary and Harry a-carrying on this afternoon?" + +"Not so very bad, father; and nothing good to speak of. He kept on +very well from the corners of his eyes; but she never corresponded, +so to speak--same as--you know." + +"The same as you used to do when you was young. Well, manners may +be higher stylish now. Did he ask her about the hay-rick?" + +"That he did. Three or four times over; exactly as you said it to +him. He knew that was how you got the upper hand of me, according +to your memory, but not mine; and he tried to do it the very same +way; but the Lord makes a lot of change in thirty years of time. +Mary quite turned her nose up at any such riddle, and he pulled his +spotted handkerchief out of that new hat of his, and the fagot +never saw fit to heed even the color of his poor red cheeks. +Stephen, you would have marched off for a week if I had behaved to +you so." + +"And the right way too; I shall put him up to that. Long sighs +only leads to turn-up noses. He plays too knuckle-down at it. You +should go on with your sweetheart very mild at first; just a- +feeling for her finger-tips; and emboldening of her to believe that +you are frightened, and bringing her to peep at you as if you was a +blackbird, ready to pop out of sight. That makes 'em wonderful +curious and eager, and sticks you into 'em, like prickly spinach. +But you mustn't stop too long like that. You must come out large, +as a bull runs up to gate; and let them see that you could smash it +if you liked, but feel a goodness in your heart that keeps you out +of mischief. And then they comes up, and they says, 'poor +fellow!'" + +"Stephen, I do not approve of such expressions, or any such low +opinions. You may know how you went on. Such things may have +answered once; because of your being--yourself, you know. But +Mary, although she may not have my sense, must have her own +opinions. And the more you talk of what we used to do--though I +never remember your trotting up, like a great bull roaring, to any +kind of gate--the less I feel inclined to force her. And who is +Harry Tanfield, after all?" + +"We know all about him," the farmer answered; "and that is +something to begin with. His land is worth fifteen shillings an +acre less than ours, and full of kid-bine. But, for all that, he +can keep a family, and is a good home-dweller. However, like the +rest of us, in the way of women, he must bide his bolt, and bode +it." + +"Father," the mistress of the house replied, "I shall never go one +step out of my way to encourage a young man who makes you speak so +lightly of those you owe so much to. Harry Tanfield may take his +chance for me." + +"So a' may for me, mother--so a' may for me. If a' was to have our +Mary, his father George would be coming up between us, out of his +peace in churchyard, more than he doth a'ready; and a' comes too +much a'ready.--Why, poppet, we were talking of you--fie, fie, +listening!" + +"No, now, father," Mary Anerley answered, with a smile at such a +low idea; "you never had that to find fault with me, I think. And +if you are plotting against me for my good--as mother loves to put +it--it would be the best way to shut me out before you begin to do +it." + +"Why, bless my heart and soul," exclaimed the farmer, with a most +crafty laugh--for he meant to kill two birds with one stone--"if +the lass hathn't got her own dear mother's tongue, and the very +same way of turning things! There never hath been such a time as +this here. The childer tell us what to do, and their mothers tell +us what not to do. Better take the business off my hands, and sell +all they turnips as is rotting. Women is cheats, and would warrant +'em sound, with the best to the top of the bury. But mind you one +thing--if I retires from business, like Brother Popplewell, I shall +expect to be supported; cheap, but very substantial." + +"Mary, you are wicked to say such things," Mistress Anerley began, +as he went out, "when you know that your dear father is such a +substantial silent man." + + + +CHAPTER XLIX + +A BOLD ANGLER + + +As if in vexation at being thwarted by one branch of the family, +Cupid began to work harder at the other, among the moors and +mountains. Not that either my lady Philippa or gentle Mistress +Carnaby fell back into the snares of youth, but rather that youth, +contemptuous of age, leaped up, and defied everybody but itself, +and cried tush to its own welfare. + +For as soon as the trance of snow was gone, and the world, +emboldened to behold itself again, smiled up from genial places; +and the timid step of peeping spring awoke a sudden flutter in the +breast of buds; and streams (having sent their broken anger to the +sea) were pleased to be murmuring clearly again, and enjoyed their +own flexibility; and even stern mountains and menacing crags +allowed soft light to play with them--at such a time prudence found +very narrow house-room in the breast of young Lancelot, otherwise +"Pet." + +"If Prudence be present, no Divinity is absent," according to high +authority; but the author of the proverb must have first excluded +Love from the list of Divinities. Pet's breast, or at any rate his +chest, had grown under the expansive enormity of love; his liver, +moreover (which, according to poets, both Latin and Greek, is the +especial throne of love), had quickened its proceedings, from the +exercise he took; from the same cause, his calves increased so +largely that even Jordas could not pull the agate buttons of his +gaiters through their holes. In a word, he gained flesh, muscle, +bone, and digestion, and other great bodily blessings, from the +power believed by the poets to upset and annihilate every one of +them. However, this proves nothing anti-poetical, for the essence +of that youth was to contradict experience. + +Jordas had never, in all his born days, not even in the thick of +the snow-drift, found himself more in a puzzle than now; and he +could not even fly for advice in this matter to Lawyer Jellicorse. +The first great gift of nature, expelled by education, is +gratitude. A child is full of gratitude, or at least has got the +room for it; but no full-grown mortal, after good education, has +been known to keep the rudiments of thankfulness. But Jordas had a +stock of it--as much as can remain to any one superior to the +making of a cross. + +Now the difficulty of it was that Jordas called to mind, every +morning when he saw snow, and afterward when he saw anything white, +that he must have required a grave, and not got it (in time to be +any good to him), without the hard labor, strong endurance, and +brotherly tendance of the people of the gill. Even the three grand +fairy gifts of Lawyer Jellicorse himself might scarcely have saved +him, although they were no less than as follows, in virtue: the tip +of a tongue that had never told a lie (because it belonged to a +bullock slain young), a flask of old Scotch whiskey, and a horn +comfit-box of Irish snuff. All these three had stood him in good +stead, especially the last, which kept him wide-awake, and enabled +him to sneeze a yellow hole in the drift, whenever it threatened to +ingulf his beard. Without those three he could never have got on; +but, with all the three, he could never have got out, if Bat and +Maunder of the gill had not come to his succor in the very nick of +time. Not only did they work hard for hours under the guidance of +Saracen (who was ready to fly at them if they left off), but when +at length they came on Jordas, in his last exhaustion, with the +good horse rubbing up his chin to make him warmer, they did a sight +of things, which the good Samaritan, having finer climate, was +enabled to dispense with. And when they had set him on his legs +again, finding that he could not use them yet, they hoisted him on +the back of Maunder, who was strong; and the whole of that +expedition ended at the little cottage in the gill. But the +kindness of the inhabitants was only just beginning; for when +Jordas came to himself he found that his off-foot--as Marmaduke +would have called it--the one which had ridden with a northeast +aspect, was frozen as hard as a hammer, and as blue as a pistol +barrel. Mrs. Bart happened to have seen such cases in her native +country, and by her skillful treatment and never-wearying care, the +poor fellow's foot was saved and cured, though at one time he +despaired of it. Marmaduke also was restored, and sent home to his +stable some days before his rider was in a condition to mount him. + +In return for all these benefits, how could the dogman, without +being worse than a dog, go and say to his ladies that mischief was +breeding between their heir and a poor girl who lived in a corner +of their land? If he had been ungrateful, or in any way a sneak, +he might have found no trouble in this thing; but being, as he was, +an honest, noble-hearted fellow, he battled severely in his mind to +set up the standard of the proper side to take. For such matters +Pet cared not one jot. Crafty as he was, he could never understand +that Jordas and Welldrum were not the same man, one half working +out-of-doors, and the other in. For him it was enough that Jordas +would not tell, probably because he was afraid to do so, and Pet +resolved to make him useful. For Lancelot Carnaby was very sharp +indeed in espying what suited his purpose. His set purpose was to +marry Insie Bart, in whom he had sense enough to perceive his +better, in every respect but money and birth, in which two he was +before her, or at any rate supposed so. He was proud, as need be, +of his station in life; but he reasoned--if the process of his mind +was reason--that being so exalted, he might please himself; that +his wife would rise to his rank, instead of lowering him; that her +father was a man of education and a gentleman, although he worked +with his own hands; and that Insie was a lady, though she went to +fill a pitcher. + +For one happy fact the youth deserved some credit, or rather, +perhaps, his youth deserved it for him. He was madly in love with +Insie, and his passion could not be of very high spiritual order; +but the idea of obtaining her dishonorably never occurred to his +mind for one moment. He knew her to be better, purer, and nobler +than himself in every way; and he felt, though he did not want to +feel it, that her nature gave a lift to his. Insie, on the other +hand, began to like him better, and to despise him less and less; +his reckless devotion to her made its way; and in spite of all her +common-sense, his beauty and his lordly style had attractions for +her young romance. And at last her heart began to bound, like his, +when they were together. "With all thy faults, I love thee still," +was the loose condition of her youthful mind. + +Into every combination, however steep and deep be the gill of its +quiet incubation, a number of people and of things peep in, and +will enter, like the cuckoo, at the glimpse of a white feather, or +even without it, unless beak and claw are shown. And now the +intruder into Pet's love nest had the right to look in, and to pull +him out, neck and crop, unless he sat there legally. Whether birds +discharge fraternal duty is a question for Notes and Queries even +in the present most positive age. Sophocles says that the clever +birds feed their parents and their benefactors, and men ascribe +piety to them in fables, as a needful ensample to one another. + +Be that as it may, this Maunder Bart, when his rather slow +attention was once aroused, kept a sharp watch upon his young +landlord's works. It was lucky for Pet that he meant no harm, and +that Maunder had contemptuous faith in him; otherwise Insie's +brother would have shortly taken him up by his gaiters, and softly +beaten his head in against a rock. For Mr. Bart's son was of +bitter, morose, and almost savage nature, silent, moody, and as +resolute as death. He resented and darkly repined at the loss of +position and property of which he had heard, and he scorned the +fine sentiments which had led to nothing at all substantial. It +was not in his power to despise his father, for his mind felt the +presence of the larger one; but he did not love him as a son should +do; neither did he speak out his thoughts to anybody beyond a few +mutters to his mother. But he loved his gentle sister, and found +in her a goodness which warmed him up to think about getting some +upon his own account. + +Such thoughts, however, were fugitive, and Maunder's more general +subject of brooding was the wrong he had suffered through his +father. He was living and working like a peasant or a miner, +instead of having horses, and dogs, and men, and the right to kick +out inferior people--as that baby Lancelot Carnaby had--for no +other reason, that he could find, than the magnitude of his +father's mind. He had gone into the subject with his father long +ago--for Mr. Bart felt a noble pride in his convictions--and the +son lamented with all his heart the extent of his own father's +mind. In his lonely walks, heavy hours, and hard work--which last +he never grudged, for his strength required outlet--he pondered +continually upon one thing, and now he seemed to see a chance of +doing it. The first step in his upward course would be Insie's +marriage with Lancelot. + +Pet, who had no fear of any one but Maunder, tried crafty little +tricks to please him; but instead of earning many thanks, got none +at all, which made him endeavor to improve himself. Mr. Bart's +opinion of him now began to follow the course of John Smithies's, +and Smithies looked at it in one light only (ever since Pet so +assaulted him, and then trusted his good-will across the dark +moors), and that light was that "when you come to think of him, you +mustn't be too hard upon him, after all." And one great excellence +of this youth was that he cared not a doit for general opinion, so +long as he got his own special desire. + +His desire was, not to let a day go by without sight and touch of +Insie. These were not to be had at a moment's notice, nor even by +much care; and five times out of six he failed of so much as a +glimpse or a word of her. For the weather and the time of year +have much to say concerning the course of the very truest love, and +worse than the weather itself too often is the cloudy caprice of +maiden mind. + +Insie's father must have known what attraction drew this youth to +such a cold unfurnished spot, and if he had been like other men, he +would either have nipped in the bud this passion, or, for selfish +reasons, fostered it. But being of large theoretical mind, he +found his due outlet in giving advice. + +It is plain at a glance that in such a case the mother is the +proper one to give advice, and the father the one to act +strenuously. But now Mrs. Bart, who was a very good lady, and had +gone through a world of trouble from the want of money--the which +she had cast away for sake of something better--came to the +forefront of this pretty little business, as Insie's mother, +vigorously. + +"Christophare," she said to her husband, "not often do I speak, +between us, of the affairs it is wise to let alone. But now of our +dear child Inesa it is just that I should insist something. +Mandaro, which you call English Maunder, already is destroyed for +life by the magnitude of your good mind. It is just that his +sister should find the occasion of reversion to her proper grade of +life. For you, Christophare, I have abandoned all, and have the +good right to claim something from you. And the only thing that I +demand is one--let Inesa return to the lady." + +"Well," said Mr. Bart, who had that sense of humor without which no +man can give his property away, "I hope that she never has departed +from it. But, my dear, as you make such a point of it, I will +promise not to interfere, unless there is any attempt to do wrong, +and intrap a poor boy who does not know his own mind. Insie is his +equal by birth and education, and perhaps his superior in that +which comes foremost nowadays--the money. Dream not that he is a +great catch, my dear; I know more of that matter than you do. It +is possible that he may stand at the altar with little to settle +upon his bride except his bright waistcoat and gaiters." + +"Tush, Christophare! You are, to my mind, always an enigma." + +"That is as it should be, and keeps me interesting still. But this +is a mere boy and girl romance. If it meant anything, my only +concern would be to know whether the boy was good. If not, I +should promptly kick him back to his own door." + +"From my observation, he is very good--to attend to his rights, and +make the utmost of them." + +Mr. Bart laughed, for he knew that a little hit at himself was +intended; and very often now, as his joints began to stiffen, he +wished that his youth had been wiser. He stuck to his theories +still; but his practice would have been more of the practical kind, +if it had come back to be done again. But his children and his +wife had no claim to bring up anything, because everything was gone +before he undertook their business. However, he obtained reproach-- +as always seems to happen--for those doings of his early days +which led to their existence. Still, he liked to make the best of +things, and laughed, instead of arguing. + +For a short time, therefore, Lancelot Carnaby seemed to have his +own way in this matter, as well as in so many others. As soon as +spring weather unbound the streams, and enlarged both the spots and +the appetite of trout (which mainly thrive together), Pet became +seized, by his own account, with insatiable love of angling. The +beck of the gill, running into the Lune, was alive, in those +unpoaching days, with sweet little trout of a very high breed, +playful, mischievous, and indulging (while they provoked) good +hunger. These were trout who disdained to feed basely on the +ground when they could feed upward, ennobling almost every gulp +with a glimpse of the upper creation. Mrs. Carnaby loved these +"graceful creatures," as she always called them, when fried well; +and she thought it so good and so clever of her son to tempt her +poor appetite with them. + +"Philippa, he knows--perhaps your mind is absent," she said, as she +put the fifth trout on her plate at breakfast one fine morning--"he +feels that these little creatures do me good, and to me it becomes +a sacred duty to endeavor to eat them." + +"You seem to succeed very well, Eliza." + +"Yes, dear, I manage to get on a little, from a sort of sporting +feeling that appeals to me. Before I begin to lift the skins of +any of these little darlings, I can see my dear boy standing over +the torrent, with his wonderful boldness, and bright eagle eyes--" + +"To pull out a fish of an ounce and a half. Without any disrespect +to Pet, whose fishing apparel has cost 20 pounds, I believe that +Jordas catches every one of them." + +Sad to say, this was even so; Lancelot tried once or twice, for +some five minutes at a time, throwing the fly as he threw a +skittle-ball; but finding no fish at once respond to his +precipitance, down he cast the rod, and left the rest of it to +Jordas. But inasmuch as he brought back fish whenever he went out +fishing, and looked as brilliant and picturesque as a salmon-fly, +in his new costume, his mother was delighted, and his aunt, being +full of fresh troubles, paid small heed to him. + +For as soon as the roads became safe again, and an honest attorney +could enter "horse hire" in his bill without being too chivalrous, +and the ink that had clotted in the good-will time began to form +black blood again, Mr. Jellicorse himself resolved legitimately to +set forth upon a legal enterprise. The winter had shaken him +slightly--for even a solicitor's body is vulnerable; and well for +the clerk of the weather it is that no action lies against him--and +his good wife told him to be very careful, although he looked as +young as ever. She had no great opinion of the people he was going +to, and was sure that they would be too high and mighty even to see +that his bed was aired. For her part, she hoped that the reports +were true which were now getting into every honest person's mouth; +and if he would listen to a woman's common-sense, and at once go +over to the other side, it would serve them quite right, and be the +better for his family, and give a good lift to his profession. But +his honesty was stout, and vanquished even his pride in his +profession. + + + +CHAPTER L + +PRINCELY TREATMENT + + +"This, then, is what you have to say," cried my lady Philippa, in a +tone of little gratitude, and perhaps not purely free from wrath; +"this is what has happened, while you did nothing?" + +"Madam, I assure you," Mr. Jellicorse replied, "that no one point +has been neglected. And truly I am bold enough--though you may not +perceive it--to take a little credit to myself for the skill and +activity of my proceedings. I have a most conceited man against +me; no member at all of our honored profession; but rather inclined +to make light of us. A gentleman--if one may so describe him--of +the name of Mordacks, who lives in a den below a bridge in York, +and has very long harassed the law by a sort of cheap-jack, slap- +dash, low-minded style of doing things. 'Jobbing,' I may call it-- +cheap and nasty jobbing--not at all the proper thing, from a +correct point of view. 'A catch-penny fellow,' that's the proper +name for him--I was trying to think of it half the way from +Middleton." + +"And now, in your eloquence, you have hit upon it. I can easily +understand that such a style of business would not meet with your +approbation. But, Mr. Jellicorse, he seems to me to have proved +himself considerably more active in his way--however objectionable +that may be--than you, as our agent, have shown yourself." + +The cheerful, expressive, and innocent face of Mr. Jellicorse +protested now. By nature he was almost as honest as Geoffrey +Mordacks himself could be; and in spite of a very long professional +career, the original element was there, and must be charged for. + +"I can not recall to my memory," he said, "any instance of neglect +on my part. But if that impression is upon your mind, it would be +better for you to change your legal advisers at an early +opportunity. Such has been the frequent practice, madam, of your +family. And but for that, none of this trouble could exist. I +must beg you either to withdraw the charge of negligence, which I +understand you to have brought, or else to appoint some gentleman +of greater activity to conduct your business." + +With the haughtiness of her headstrong race, Miss Yordas had failed +as yet to comprehend that a lawyer could be a gentleman. And even +now that idea scarcely broke upon her, until she looked hard at Mr. +Jellicorse. But he, having cast aside all deference for the +moment, met her stern gaze with such courteous indifference and +poise of self-composure that she suddenly remembered that his +grandfather had been the master of a pack of fox-hounds. + +"I have made no charge of negligence; you are hasty, and +misunderstand me," she answered, after waiting for him to begin +again, as if he were a rash aggressor. "It is possible that you +desire to abandon our case, and conceive affront where none is +meant whatever." + +"God forbid!" Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed, with his legal state of +mind returning. "A finer case never came into any court of law. +There is a coarse axiom, not without some truth, that possession is +nine points of the law. We have possession. What is even more +important, we have the hostile instrument in our possession." + +"You mean that unfortunate and unjust deed, of a by-gone time, that +was so wickedly concealed? Dishonest transaction from first to +last!" + +"Madam, the law is not to blame for that, nor even the lawyers; but +the clients, who kept changing them. But for that, your admirable +father must have known that the will he dictated to me was waste +paper. At least as regards the main part of these demesnes." + +"What monstrous injustice! A positive premium upon filial +depravity. You regard things professionally, I suppose. But +surely it must have struck you as a flagrant dishonesty, a base and +wicked crime, that a document so vile should be allowed even to +exist." + +Miss Yordas had spoken with unusual heat; and the lawyer looked at +her with an air of mild inquiry. Was it possible that she +suggested to him the destruction of the wicked instrument? Ladies +had done queer things, within his knowledge; but this lady showed +herself too cautious for that. + +"I know what my father would have done in such a case," she +continued, with her tranquil smile recovered: "he would just have +ridden up to his solicitor's office, demanded the implement of +robbery, brought it home, and set it upon the hall fire, in the +presence of the whole of his family and household. But now we live +in such a strictly lawful age that no crime can be stopped, if only +perpetrated legally. And you say that Mr. More--something, +'Moresharp,' I think it was, knows of that iniquitous production?" + +"Madam, we can not be certain; but I have reason to suspect that +Mr. Mordacks has got wind of that unfortunate deed of appointment." + +"Supposing that he has, and that he means to use his knowledge, he +can not force the document from your possession, can he?" + +"Not without an order. But by filing affidavit, after issue of +writ in ejectment, they may compel us to produce, and allow +attested copy to be taken." + +"Then the law is disgraceful to the last degree, and it is useless +to own anything. That deed is in your charge, as our attorney, I +suppose, sir?" + +"By no other right, madam: we have twelve chestfuls, any one or all +of which I am bound to render up to your order." + +"Our confidence in you is unshaken. But without shaking it we +might order home any particular chest for inspection?" + +"Most certainly, madam, by giving us receipt for it. For +antiquarian uses, and others, such a thing is by no means +irregular. And the oldest of all the deeds are in that box-- +charters from the crown, grants from corporations, records of assay +by arms--warrants that even I can not decipher." + +"A very learned gentleman is likely soon to visit us--a man of +modern family, who spends his whole time in seeking out the stories +of the older ones. No family in Yorkshire is comparable to ours in +the interest of its annals." + +"That is a truth beyond all denial, madam. The character of your +ancient race has always been a marked one." + +"And always honorable, Mr. Jellicorse. Undeviating principle has +distinguished all my ancestors. Nothing has ever been allowed to +stand between them and their view of right." + +"You could not have put it more clearly, Mistress Yordas. Their +own view of right has been their guiding star throughout. And they +never have failed to act accordingly." + +"Alas! of how very few others can we say it! But being of a very +good old family yourself, you are able to appreciate such conduct. +You would like me, perhaps, to sign the order for that box of +ancient--cartularies--is not that the proper word for them? And it +might be as well to state why they happen to be wanted--for +purposes of family history." + +"Madam, I will at once prepare a memorandum for your signature and +your sister's." + +The mind of Mr. Jellicorse was much relieved, although the relief +was not untempered with misgivings. He sat down immediately at an +ancient writing-table, and prepared a short order for delivery, to +their trusty servant Jordas, of a certain box, with the letter C +upon it, and containing title-deeds of Scargate Hall estate. + +"I think it might be simpler not to put it so precisely," my lady +Philippa suggested, "but merely to say a box containing the oldest +of the title-deeds, as required for an impending antiquarian +research." + +Mr. Jellicorse made the amendment; and then, with the prudence of +long practice, added, "The order should be in your handwriting, +madam; will it give you too much trouble just to copy it?" "How +can it signify, if it bears our signatures?" his client asked, with +a smile at such a trifle; however, she sat down, and copied it upon +another sheet of paper. Then Mr. Jellicorse, beautifully bowing, +drew near to take possession of his own handwriting; but the lady, +with a bow of even greater elegance, lifted the cover of the +standing desk, and therein placed both manuscripts; and the lawyer +perceived that he could say nothing. + +"How delightful it is to be quit of business!" The hostess now +looked hospitable. "We need not recur to this matter, I do hope. +That paper, whatever it is, will be signed by both of us, and +handed over to you, in your legal head-quarters, to-morrow. We +must have the pleasure of sending you home in the morning, Mr. +Jellicorse. We have bought a very wonderful vehicle, invented for +such roads as ours, and to supersede the jumping-car. It is +warranted to traverse any place a horse can travel, with luxurious +ease to the passengers, and safety of no common description. +Jordas will drive you; your horse can trot behind; and you can send +back by it whatever there may be." + +Mr. Jellicorse detested new inventions, and objected most strongly +to any experiment made in his own body. However, he would rather +die than plead his time of life in bar, and his faith in the dogman +was unlimited. And now the gentle Mrs. Carnaby, who had gracefully +taken flight from "horrid business," returned in an evening dress +and with a sweetly smiling countenance, and very nearly turned the +Jellicorsian head, snowy as it was, with soft attentions and +delicious deference. + +"I was treated like a prince," he said next day, when delivered +safe at home, and resting among his rather dingy household gods. +"There never could have been a more absurd idea than that notion of +yours about my being put into wet sheets, Diana. Why, I even had +my night-cap warmed; and a young woman came, with a blush upon her +face, and a question whether I would be pleased to sleep in a gross +of Naples stockings! Ah, to my mind, after all, it proves what I +have always said--that there is nothing like old blood." + +"Nothing like old blood for being made a fool of," his wife +replied, with a coarseness which made him shiver, after Mrs. +Carnaby. "They know what they are about, I'll lay a penny. Some +roguery, no doubt, that they seek to lead you into. That is what +their night-caps and stockings mean. How low it is to make a +foreground of them!" + +"Hush, my dear! I can not bear such want of charity. And what is +even worse, you expose me to an action at law, with heavy damages." + +The lawyer had sundry little qualms of conscience, which were +deepened by his wife's sagacious words; and suddenly it struck him +that the new-fangled vehicle which had brought him home so quietly +from Scargate had shown a strange inability to stand still for more +than two minutes at his side door. So much had he been hurried by +the apparent straits of his charioteer that he ran out with box C +without ever stopping to make an inventory of its contents--as he +intended to do--or even looking whether the all-important deed was +there. In fact, he had scarcely time to seal up the key in a +separate package, hand it to Jordas, and take the order (now become +a receipt) from the horny fist of the dogman, before Marmaduke, +rendered more dashing by snow-drift, was away like a thunder-bolt-- +if such a thing there be, and if it has four legs. + +"How could I have helped doing as I have done?" he whispered to +himself, uncomfortably. "Here are two ladies of high position, and +they send a joint order for their property. By-the-bye, I will +just have a look at that order, now that there is no horse to jump +over me." Upon going to the day file, he found the order right, +transcribed from his own amended copy, and bearing two signatures, +as it should do. But it struck him that the words "Eliza Carnaby" +were written too boldly for that lady's hand; and the more he +looked at them, the more he was convinced of it. That was no +concern of his, for it was not his duty, under the circumstances of +the case, to verify her signature. But this conviction drove him +to an uncomfortable conclusion--"Miss Yordas intends to destroy +that deed without her sister's knowledge. She knows that her +sister's nerve is weaker, and she does not like to involve her in +the job. A very brave, sisterly feeling, no doubt, and much the +wiser course, if she means to do it. It is a bold stroke, and well +worthy of a Yordas. But I hope, with all my heart, that she never +can have thought of it. And she kept that order in my handwriting +to make it look as if the suggestion came from me! And I am as +innocent as any lamb is of the frauds that shall come to be written +on his skin. The duty of attorney toward client prevents me from +opening my lips upon the matter. But she is a deep woman, and a +bold one too. May the Lord direct things aright! I shall retire, +and let Robert have the practice, as soon as Brown's bankruptcy has +worn out captious creditors. It is the Lord alone that doeth all +things well." + +Mr. Jellicorse knew that he had done his best; and though doubtful +of the turn which things had taken, with some exclusion of his +agency, he felt (though his conscience told him not to feel it) +that here was one true source of joy. That impudent, dashing, +unprofessional man, who was always poking his vile unarticled nose +into legal business, that fellow of the name of Mordacks, now would +have no locus standi left. At least a hundred and fifty firms, of +good standing in the county, detested that man, and even a judge +would import a scintillula juris into any measure which relieved +the country of him. Meditating thus, he heard a knock. + + + +CHAPTER LI + +STAND AND DELIVER + + +The day was not far worn as yet; and May month having come at last, +the day could stand a good deal of wear. With Jordas burning to +exhibit the wonders of the new machine (which had been bought upon +his advice), and with Marmaduke conscious of the new gloss on his +coat, all previous times had been beaten--as the sporting writers +put it; that is to say, all previous times of the journey from +Scargate to Middleton, for any man who sat on wheels. A rider +would take a shorter cut, and have many other advantages; but for a +driver the time had been the quickest upon record. + +Mr. Jellicorse, exulting in his safety, had imprinted the chaste +salute upon his good wife's cheek at ten minutes after one o'clock; +when the clerks in the office with laudable promptitude (not +expecting him as yet) had unanimously cast down pen, and betaken +hand and foot toward knife and fork. Instead of blaming them, this +good lawyer went upon that same road himself, with the great +advantage that the road to his dinner lay through his own kitchen. +At dinner-time he had much to tell, and many large helps to +receive, of interest and of admiration, especially from his pet +child Emily (who forgot herself so largely as to lick her spoon +while gazing), and after dinner he was not without reasons for +letting perhaps a little of the time slip by. Therefore, by the +time he had described all dangers, discharged his duty to all +comforts, and held the little confidential talk with his wife and +himself above recorded, the clock had made its way to half past +three. + +Mrs. Jellicorse and Emily were gone forth to pay visits; the +clerks, shut away in their own room, were busy, scratching up a +lovely case for nisi prius; the cook had thrown the sifted cinders +on the kitchen fire, and was gone with the maids to exchange just a +few constitutional words with the gardener; and the whole house was +drowsy with that by-time when light and shadow seem to mix +together, and far-away sounds take a faint to and fro, as if they +were the pendulum of silence. + +"That is Emily's knock. Impatient child! Come back for her +mother's gloves, or something. All the people are out; I must go +and let her in." + +With these words, and a little placid frown--because a soft nap was +impending on his eyelids, and yet they were always glad to open on +his favorite--the worthy lawyer rose, and took a pinch of snuff to +rouse himself; but before he could get to the door, a louder and +more impatient rap almost made him jump. + +"What a hurry you are in, my dear! You really should try to learn +some little patience." + +While he was speaking, he opened the door; and behold, there was no +little girl, but a tall and stately gentleman in horseman's dress, +and of strong commanding aspect. + +"What is your pleasure, sir?" the lawyer asked, while his heart +began to flutter; for exactly such a visitor had caused him scare +of his life, when stronger by a quarter of a century than now. + +"My pleasure, or rather my business, is with Mr. Jellicorse, the +lawyer." + +"Then, sir, you have come to the right man for it. My name is +Jellicorse, and greatly at your service. Allow me the honor of +inviting you within." + +"My name is Yordas--Sir Duncan Yordas," said the stranger, when +seated in the lawyer's private room. "My father, Philip Yordas, +was a client of yours, and of other legal gentlemen before he came +to you. Upon the day of his death, in the year 1777, you prepared +his will, which you have since found to be of no effect, except as +regards his personal estate, and about one-eighth part of the +realty. Of the bulk of the land, including Scargate Hall, he could +not dispose, for the simple reason that it had been strictly +entailed by a deed executed by my grandfather and his wife in 1751. +Under that entail I take in fee, for it could not have been barred +without me; and I never concurred in any disentailing deed, and my +father never knew that such was needful." + +"Excuse me, Sir Duncan, but you seem to be wonderfully apt with the +terms of our profession." + +"I could scarcely be otherwise, after all that I have had to do +with law, in India. Our first object is to apply our own laws, and +our second to spread our religion. But no more of that. Do you +admit the truth of a matter so stated that you can not fail to +grasp it?" + +Sir Duncan Yordas, as he put this question, fixed large, unwavering, +and piercing eyes (against which no spectacles were any shelter) +upon the mild, amiable, and, generally speaking, very honest orbs +of sight which had lighted the path of the elder gentleman to good +repute and competence. But who may turn a lawyer's hand from the +Heaven-sped legal plough? + +"Am I to understand, Sir Duncan Yordas, that your visit to me is +of an amicable nature, and intended (without prejudice to other +interests) to ascertain, so far as may be compatible with +professional rules, how far my clients are acquainted with +documents alleged or imagined to be in existence, and how far their +conduct might be guided by desire to afford every reasonable +facility?" + +"You are to understand simply this, that as the proper owner of +Scargate Hall, and the main part of the estates held with it, I +require you to sign a memorandum that you hold all the title-deeds +on my behalf, and to deliver at once to me that entailing +instrument of 1751, under which I make my claim." + +"You speak, sir, as if you had already brought your action, and +entered verdict. Legal process may be dispensed with in barbarous +countries, but not here. The title-deeds and other papers of +Scargate Hall were placed in my custody neither by you nor on your +behalf, sir. I hold them on behalf of those at present in +possession; and until I receive due instructions from them, or a +final order from a court of law, I should be guilty of a breach of +trust if I parted with a dog's-ear of them." + +"You distinctly refuse my requirements, and defy me to enforce +them?" + +"Not so, Sir Duncan. I do nothing more than declare what my view +of my duty is, and decline in any way to depart from it." + +"Upon that score I have nothing more to say. I did not expect you +to give up the deeds, though in 'barbarous countries,' as you call +them, we have peremptory ways. I will say more than that, Mr. +Jellicorse--I will say that I respect you for clinging to what you +must know better than anybody else to be the weaker side." + +The lawyer bowed his very best bow, but was bound to enter protest +against the calm assumption of the claimant. + +"Let us leave that question," Sir Duncan said; "the time would fail +us to discuss that now. But one thing I surely may insist upon as +the proper heir of my grandfather. I may desire you to produce for +my inspection that deed in pursuance of his marriage settlement, +which has for so many years lain concealed." + +"With pleasure I will do so, Sir Duncan Yordas (presuming that any +such deed exists), upon the production of an order from the Court +either of King's Bench or of Common Pleas." + +"In that case you would be obliged to produce it, and would earn no +thanks of mine. But I ask you to lay aside the legal aspect; for +no action is pending, and perhaps never will be. I ask you, as a +valued adviser of the family, and a trustworthy friend to its +interests--as a gentleman, in fact, rather than a mere lawyer--to +do a wise and amicable thing. You can not in any way injure your +case, if a law case is to come of it, because we know all about the +deed already. We even have an abstract of it as clear as you +yourself could make, and we have discovered that one of the +witnesses is still alive. I have come to you myself in preference +to employing a lawyer, because I hope, if you meet me frankly, to +put things in train for a friendly and fair settlement. I am not a +young man; I have been disappointed of any one to succeed me, and I +wish to settle my affairs in this country, and return to India, +which suits me better, and where I am more useful. My sisters have +not behaved kindly to me; but that I must try to forgive and +forget. I have thought matters over, and am quite prepared to +offer very liberal terms--in short, to leave them in possession of +Scargate, upon certain conditions and in a certain manner." + +"Really, Sir Duncan," Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed, "allow me to offer +you a pinch of snuff. You are pleased with it? Yes, it is of +quite superior quality. It saved the life of a most admirable +fellow, a henchman of your family--in fact, poor Jordas. The power +of this snuff alone supported him from freezing--" + +"At another time I may be highly interested in that matter," the +visitor replied, without meaning to be rude, but knowing that the +man of law was making passes to gain time; "just at present I must +ask you to say yes or no. If you wish me to set my offer plainly +before you, and so relieve the property of the cost of a hopeless +struggle--for I have taken the opinion of the first real property +counsel of the age--you will, as a token of good faith and of +common-sense, produce for my inspection that deed-poll of November +15, 1751." + +Poor Mr. Jellicorse was desperately driven. He looked round the +room, to seek for any interruption. He went to the window, and +pretended to see another visitor knocking at the door. But no help +came; he must face it out himself; and Sir Duncan, with his quiet +resolution, looked more stern than his violent father. + +"I think that before we proceed any further," said the lawyer, at +last sitting down, and taking up a pen and trying what the nib was +like, "we really should understand a little where we are already. +My own desire to avoid litigation is very strong--almost +unprofessionally so--though the first thing consulted by all of us +naturally is the pocket of our client--" + +"Whether it will hold out, I suppose." Sir Duncan Yordas departed +from his dignity in saying this, and was sorry as soon as he had +said it. + +"That is the vulgar impression about us, which it is our duty to +disdain. But without losing time upon that question, let me ask, +what shall I put down as your proposition, sir?" + +"There is nothing to put down. That is just the point. I do not +come here with any formal proposition. If that had been my object, +I would have brought a lawyer. What I say is that I have the right +to see that deed. It forms no part of my sisters' title-deeds, but +even destroys their title. It belongs to me, it is my property, +and only through fraud is it now in your hands. Of course we can +easily wrest it from you, and must do so if you defy me. It rests +with you to take that risk. But I prefer to cut things short. I +pledge myself to two things--first, to leave the document in your +possession; and next, to offer fair and even handsome terms when +you have met me thus fairly. Why should you object? For we know +all about it. Never mind how." + +Those last three words decided the issue. Even worse than the fear +of breach of trust was the fear of treason in the office, and the +lawyer's only chance of getting clew to that was to keep on terms +with this Sir Duncan Yordas. There had been no treason whatever in +the office; neither had anything come out through the proctorial +firm in York, or Sir Walter Carnaby's solicitors; but a note among +longheaded Duncombe's papers had got into the hands of Mordacks. +Of that, however, Mr. Jellicorse had no idea. + +"Sir Duncan Yordas, I will meet you as you come," he said, with his +good, fresh-colored face, as honest as the sun when the clouds roll +off. "It is an unusual step on my part, and perhaps irregular. +But rather than destroy the prospect of a friendly compromise, I +will strain a point, and candidly admit that there is an instrument +open to an interpretation which might, or might not, be in your +favor." + +"That I knew long ago, and more than that. My demand is--to see +it, and to satisfy myself." + +"Under the circumstances, I am half inclined to think that I should +be disposed to allow you that privilege if the document were in my +possession." + +"Now, Mr. Jellicorse," Sir Duncan answered, showing his temper in +his eyes alone, "how much longer will you trifle with me? Where is +that deed?" + +Mr. Jellicorse drew forth his watch, took off his spectacles, and +dusted them carefully with a soft yellow handkerchief; then +restored them to their double sphere of usefulness, and perused, +with some diligence, the time of day. By the law which compels a +man to sneeze when another man sets the example, Sir Duncan also +drew forth his watch. + +"I am trying to make my reply as accurate," said the lawyer, +beginning to enjoy the position as a man, though not quite as a +lawyer--"as accurate as your candor and confidence really deserve, +Sir Duncan. The box containing that document, to which you attach +so much importance (whether duly or otherwise is not for me to say +until counsel's opinion has been taken on our side), considering +the powers of the horse, that box should be about Stormy Gap by +this time. A quarter to four by me. What does your watch say, +sir?" + +"The deed has been sent for, post-haste, has it? And you know for +what purpose?" + +"You must draw a distinction between the deed and the box +containing it, Sir Duncan. Or, to put it more accurately, betwixt +that deed and its casual accompaniments. It happens to be among +very old charters, which happen to be wanted for certain excellent +antiquarian purposes. Such things are not in my line, I must +confess, although so deeply interesting. But a very learned man +seems to have expressed--" + +"Rubbish. Excuse me, but you are most provoking. You know, as +well as I do, that robbery is intended, and you allow yourself to +be made a party to it." + +This was the simple truth; and the lawyer, being (by some strange +inversion of professional excellence) honest at the bottom, was +deeply pained at having such words used, as to, for, about, or in +anywise concerning him. + +"I think, Sir Duncan, that you will be sorry," he answered, with +much dignity, "for employing such language where it can not be +resented. Your father was a violent man, and we all expect +violence of your family." + +"There is no time to go into that question now. If I have wronged +you, I will beg your pardon. A very few hours will prove how that +is. How and by whom have you sent the box?" + +Mr. Jellicorse answered, rather stiffly, that his clients had sent +a trusty servant with a light vehicle to fetch the box, and that +now he must be half way toward home. + +"I shall overtake him," said Sir Duncan, with a smile; "I have a +good horse, and I know the shortcuts. Hoofs without wheels go a +yard to a foot upon such rocky collar-work." + +Without another word, except "Good-by," Sir Duncan Yordas left the +house, walked rapidly to the inn, and cut short the dinner his good +horse was standing up to. In a very few minutes he was on Tees +bridge, with his face toward the home of his ancestors. + +It may be supposed that neither his thoughts nor those of the +lawyer were very cheerful. Mr. Jellicorse was deeply anxious as to +the conflict which must ensue, and as to the figure his fair fame +might cut, if this strange transaction should be exposed and +calumniated by evil tongues. In these elderly days, and with all +experience, he had laid himself open, not legally perhaps, but +morally, to the heavy charge of connivance at a felonious act, and +even some contribution toward it. He told himself vainly that he +could not help it, that the documents were in his charge only until +he was ordered to give them up, and that it was no concern of his +to anticipate what might become of them. His position had truly +been difficult, but still he might have escaped from it with +clearer conscience. His duty was to cast away drawing-room +manners, and warn Miss Yordas that the document she hated so was +not her own to deal with, but belonged (in equity at least) to +those who were entitled under it, and that to take advantage of her +wrongful possession, and destroy the foe, was a crime, and, more +than that, a shabby one. The former point might not have stopped +her; but the latter would have done so without fail, for her pride +was equal to her daring. But poor Mr. Jellicorse had felt the +power of a will more resolute than his own, and of grand +surroundings and exalted style; and his desire to please had +confused, and thereby overcome, his perception of the right. But +now these reflections were all too late, and the weary brain found +comfort only in the shelter of its night-cap. + +If a little slip had brought a very good man to unhappiness, how +much harder was it for Sir Duncan Yordas, who had committed no +offense at all! No Yordas had ever cared a tittle for tattle--to +use their own expression--but deeper mischief than tattle must +ensue, unless great luck prevented it. The brother knew well that +his sister inherited much of the reckless self-will which had made +the name almost a by-word, and which had been master of his own +life until large experience of the world, and the sense of +responsible power, curbed it. He had little affection for that +sister left--for she had used him cruelly, and even now was +imbittering the injury--but he still had some tender feeling for +the other, who had always been his favorite. And though cut off, +by his father's act, from due headship of the family, he was deeply +grieved, in this more enlightened age, to expose their uncivilized +turbulence. + +Therefore he spurred his willing horse against the hill, and up the +many-winding ruggedness of road, hoping, at every turn, to descry +in the distance the vehicle carrying that very plaguesome box. If +his son had been there, he might have told him, on the ridge of +Stormy Gap (which commanded high and low, rough and smooth, dark +and light, for miles ahead), that Jordas was taking the final turn, +by the furthest gleam of the water-mist, whence the stone road +labored up to Scargate. But Sir Duncan's eyes--though as keen as +an eagle's while young--had now seen too much of the sun to make +out that gray atom gliding in the sunset haze. + +Upon the whole, it was a lucky thing that he could not overtake the +car; for Jordas would never have yielded his trust while any life +was in him; and Sir Duncan having no knowledge of him, except as a +boy-of-all-work about the place, might have been tempted to use the +sword, without which no horseman then rode there. Or failing that, +a struggle between two equally resolute men must have followed, +with none at hand to part them. + +When the horseman came to the foot of the long steep pull leading +up to the stronghold of his race, he just caught a glimpse of the +car turning in at the entrance of the court-yard. "They have half +an hour's start of me," he thought, as he drew up behind a rock, +that the house might not descry him; "if I ride up in full view, I +hurry the mischief. Philippa will welcome me with the embers of my +title. She must not suspect that the matter is so urgent. Nobody +shall know that I am coming. For many reasons I had better try the +private road below the Scarfe." + + + +CHAPTER LII + +THE SCARFE + + +Jordas, without suspicion of pursuit, had allowed no grass to grow +under the feet of Marmaduke on the homeward way. His orders were +to use all speed, to do as he had done at the lawyer's private +door, and then, without baiting his horse, to drive back, reserving +the nose-bag for some very humpy halting-place. There is no such +man, at the present time of day, to carry out strict orders, as the +dogman was, and the chance of there being such a one again +diminishes by very rapid process. Marmaduke, as a horse, was of +equal quality, reasoning not about his orders, but about the way to +do them. + +There was no special emergency now, so far as my lady Philippa +knew; but the manner of her mind was to leave no space between a +resolution and its execution. This is the way to go up in the +world, or else to go down abruptly; and to her the latter would +have been far better than to halt between two opinions. Her plan +had been shaped and set last night, and, like all great ideas, was +the simplest of the simple. And Jordas, who had inklings of his +own, though never admitted to confidence, knew how to carry out the +outer part. + +"When the turbot comes," she said to Welldrum, as soon as her long +sight showed her the trusty Jordas beginning the home ascent, "it +is to be taken first out of the car, and to my sister's sitting- +room; the other things Jordas will see to. I may be going for a +little walk. But you will at once carry up the turbot. Mrs. +Carnaby's appetite is delicate." + +The butler had his own opinion upon that interesting subject. But +in her presence it must be his own. Any attempt at enlargement of +her mind by exchange of sentiment--such as Mrs. Carnaby permitted +and enjoyed--would have sent him flying down the hill, pursued by +square-toed men prepared to add elasticity to velocity. Therefore +Welldrum made a leg in silence, and retreated, while his mistress +prepared for her intended exploit. She had her beaver hat and +mantle ready by the shrubbery door--as a little quiet postern of +her own was called--and in the heavy standing desk, or "secretary," +of her private room she had stored a flat basket, or frail, of +stout flags, with a heavy clock weight inside it. + +"Much better to drown the wretched thing than burn it," she had +been saying to herself, "especially at this time of year, when +fires are weak and telltale. And parchment makes such a nasty +smell; Eliza might come in and suspect it. But the Scarfe is a +trusty confidant." + +Mistress Yordas, while sure that her sister (having even more than +herself at stake) would approve and even applaud her scheme, was +equally sure that it must be kept from her, both for its own sake +and for hers. And the sooner it was done, the less the chance of +disturbing poor Eliza's mind. + +The Scarfe is a deep pool, supposed to have no bottom (except, +perhaps, in the very bowels of the earth), upon one of the wildest +head-waters of the Tees. A strong mountain torrent from a desolate +ravine springs forth with great ferocity, and sooner than put up +with any more stabs from the rugged earth, casts itself on air. +For a hundred and twenty feet the water is bright, in the novelty +and the power of itself, striking out freaks of eccentric flashes, +and even little sun-bows, in fine weather. But the triumph is +brief; and a heavy retribution, created by its violence, awaits +below. From the tossing turmoil of the fall two white volumes roll +away, with a clash of waves between them, and sweeping round the +craggy basin, meet (like a snowy wreath) below, and rush back in +coiling eddies flaked with foam. All the middle is dark deep +water, looking on the watch for something to suck down. + +What better duty, or more pious, could a hole like this perform, +than that of swallowing up a lawyer; or, if no such morsel offered, +then at least a lawyer's deeds? Many a sheep had been there +ingulfed, and never saluted by her lambs again; and although a +lawyer by no means is a sheep (except in his clothing, and his eyes +perhaps), yet his doings appear upon the skin thereof, and enhance +its value more than drugs of Tyre. And it is to be feared that +some fleeced clients will not feel the horror which they ought to +feel at the mode pursued by Mistress Yordas in the delivery of her +act and deed. + +She came down the dell, from the private grounds of Scargate, with +a resolute face, and a step of strength. The clock weight, that +should know time no more, was well imbosomed in the old deed-poll, +and all stitched firmly in the tough brown frail, whose handles +would help for a long strong cast. Towering crags, and a ridge of +jagged scaurs, shut out the sunset, while a thicket of dwarf oak, +and the never-absent bramble, aproned the yellow dugs of shale with +brown. In the middle was the caldron of the torrent, called the +"Scarfe," with the sheer trap-rock, which is green in the sunlight, +like black night flung around it, while a snowy wreath of mist +(like foam exhaling) circled round the basined steep, or hovered +over the chasm. + +Miss Yordas had very stanch nerves, but still, for reasons of her +own, she disliked this place, and never came near it for pleasure's +sake, although in dry summers, when the springs were low, the fury +of the scene passed into grandeur, and even beauty. But a Yordas +(long ago gone to answer for it) had flung a man, who plagued him +with the law, into this hole. And what was more disheartening, +although of less importance, a favorite maid of this lady, upon the +exile of her sweetheart, hearing that his feet were upside down to +hers, and that this hole went right through the earth, had jumped +into it, in a lonely moment, instead of taking lessons in +geography. Philippa Yordas was as brave as need be; but now her +heart began to creep as coldly as the shadows crept. + +For now she was out of sight of home, and out of hearing of any +sound, except the roaring of the force. The Hall was half a mile +away, behind a shoulder of thick-ribbed hill; and it took no sight +of this torrent, until it became a quiet river by the downward +road. "I must be getting old," Miss Yordas thought, "or else this +path is much rougher than it used to be. Why, it seems to be +getting quite dangerous! It is too bad of Jordas not to see to +things better. My father used to ride this way sometimes. But how +could a horse get along here now?" + +There used to be a bridle-road from the grounds of Scargate to a +ford below the force, and northward thence toward the Tees; or by +keeping down stream, and then fording it again, a rider might hit +upon the Middleton road, near the rock that warned the public of +the blood-hounds. This bridle-road kept a great distance from the +cliffs overhanging the perilous Scarfe; and the only way down to a +view of the fall was a scrambling track, over rocks and trunks, +unworthy to be called a foot-path. The lady with the bag had no +choice left but to follow this track, or else abandon her +intention. For a moment she was sorry that she had not been +satisfied with some less troublesome destruction of her foe, even +at the risk of chance suspicions. But having thus begun it, she +would not turn back, and be angry with her idle fears when she came +to think of them. + +With hereditary scorn of second thoughts she cast away doubt, and +went down the steep, and stood on the brow of sheer rock, to +recover her breath and strength for a long bold cast. The crag +beneath her feet was trembling with the power of the flood below, +and the white mist from the deep moved slowly, shrouding now, and +now revealing, the black gulf and its slippery walls. For the last +few months Miss Yordas had taken very little exercise, and seldom +tasted the open air; therefore the tumult and terror of the place, +in the fading of the sky and darkening of the earth, got hold of +her more than they should have done. + +With the frail in her right hand, poised upon three fingers (for +the fourth had been broken in her childhood), she planted the sole +of her left foot on the brink, and swung herself for the needful +cast. + +A strong throw was needful to reach the black water that never gave +up anything: if the bag were dropped in the foaming race, it might +be carried back to the heel of the fall. She was proud of her +bodily strength, which was almost equal to that of a muscular man, +and her long arm swelled with the vigor of the throw. But just +when the weight should have been delivered, and flown with a hiss +into the bottomless abyss, a loose flag of the handle twisted on +her broken finger. Instead of being freed, the bag fell back, +struck her in the chest, and threw her back, for the clock weight +was a heavy one. Her balance was lost, her feet flew up, she fell +upon her back, and the smooth beaver cloak began sliding upon the +slippery rock. Horrible death was pulling at her; not a stick nor +a stone was in reach of her hands, and the pitiless crags echoed +one long shriek above all the roar of the water-fall. She strove +to turn over and grasp the ground, but only felt herself going +faster. Her bright boots were flashing against the white mist--a +picture in her mind forever--her body was following, inch by inch. +With elbow and shoulder, and even hair coils, she strove to prolong +the descent into death; but the descent increased its speed, and +the sky itself was sliding. + +Just when the balance was inclining downward, and the plunge +hanging on a hair's-breadth, powerful hands fell upon her +shoulders; a grating of a drag against the grain was the last thing +she was conscious of; and Sir Duncan Yordas, having made a strong +pull, at the imminent risk of his life, threw back his weight on +the heels of his boots, and they helped him. His long Indian +spurs, which had no rowel, held their hold like a falcon's hind +talon; and he drew back the lady without knowing who she was, +having leaped from his horse at her despairing scream. From his +knowledge of the place he concluded that it was some person seeking +suicide, but recoiling from the sight of death; and without another +thought he risked his life to save. + +Breathless himself--for the transit of years and of curry-powder +had not improved his lungs--he labored at the helpless form, and +laid it at last in a place of safety. + +"What a weight the lady is!" was his first idea; "it can not be +want of food that has driven her, nor of money either; her cloak +would fetch a thousand rupees in Calcutta. And a bag full of +something--precious also, to judge by the way she clings to it. +Poor thing! Can I get any water for her? There used to be a +spring here, where the woodcocks came. Is it safe to leave her? +Certainly not, with her head like that; she might even have +apoplexy. Allow me, madam. I will not steal it. It is only for a +cushion." + +The lady, however, though still in a stupor, kept her fingers +clinched upon the handle of the bag; and without using violence he +could not move them. Then the stitching of the frail gave way, and +Sir Duncan espied a roll of parchment. Suddenly the lady opened +large dark eyes, which wandered a little, and then (as he raised +her head) met his, and turned away. + +"Philippa!" he said, and she faintly answered "Yes," being humbled +and shaken by her deadly terror, and scarcely sure of safety yet, +for the roar and the chasm were in sight and hearing still. + +"Philippa, are you better? Never mind what you were thinking of. +All shall be right about that, Philippa. What is land in +comparison with life? Look up at me. Don't be afraid to look. +Surely you know your only brother! I am Duncan, who ran away, and +has lived for years in India. I used to be very kind to you when +we were children, and why should I alter from it now? I remember +when you tumbled in the path down there, and your knee was +bleeding, and I tied it up with a dock leaf and my handkerchief. +Can you remember? It was primrose time." + +"To be sure I do," she said, looking up with cheerfulness; "and you +carried me all the way home almost, and Eliza was dreadfully +jealous." + +"That she always was, and you not much better. But now we are +getting on in life, and we need not have much to do with one +another. Still, we may try not to kill one another by trumpery +squabbles about property. Stay where you are for a moment, sister, +and you shall see the end of that." + +Sir Duncan took the bag, with the deed inside it, returned in three +steps to the perilous shelf, and with one strong hurl sent forth +the load, which cleft the white mist, and sank forever in the waves +of the whirlpool. + +"No one can prosecute me for that," he said, returning with a +smile, "though Mordacks may be much aggrieved. Now, Philippa, +although I can not carry you well, from the additions time has made +to you, I can help you home, my dear; and then on upon my +business." + +The pride and self-esteem of Miss Yordas had never been so crushed +before. She put both hands upon her brother's shoulders, and burst +into a flood of tears. + + + +CHAPTER LIII + +BUTS REBUTTED + + +Sir Duncan Yordas was a man of impulse, as almost every man must be +who sways the wills of other men. But he had not acted upon mere +impulse in casting away his claim to Scargate. He knew that he +could never live in that bleak spot, after all his years in India; +he disliked the place, through his father's harshness; he did not +care that any son of his, who had lain under charge of a foul +crime, and fled instead of meeting it, should become a "Yordas of +Scargate Hall," although that description by no means involved any +very strict equity of conduct. And besides these reasons, he had +another, which will appear very shortly. But whatever the +secondary motives were, it was a large and generous act. + +When Mrs. Carnaby saw her brother, she was sure that he was come to +turn her out, and went through a series of states of mind natural +to an adoring mother with a frail imagination of an appetite-- +as she poetically described it. She was not very swift of +apprehension, although so promptly alive to anything tender, +refined, and succulent. Having too strong a sense of duty to be +guilty of any generosity, she could not believe, either then or +thereafter, that her brother had cast away anything at all, except +a mere shred of a lawsuit. And without any heed of chronology-- +because (as she justly inquired), what two clocks are alike?--she +was certain that if he did anything at all to drive off those +horrible lawyers from the house, there was no credit due to any one +but Pet. It was the noble way Pet looked at him! + +Pet, being introduced to his uncle, after dinner, when he came home +from fishing, certainly did look nobly at him, if a long stare is +noble. Then he went up to him, with a large and liberal sniff, and +an affable inquiry, as a little dog goes up to a big one. Sir +Duncan was amused, having heard already some little particulars +about this youth, whose nature he was able to enter into as none +but a Yordas could rightly do. However, he was bound to make the +best of him, and did so; discovering not only room for improvement, +but some hope of that room being occupied. + +"The boy has been shockingly spoiled," he said to his sister +Philippa that evening; "also he is dreadfully ignorant. None of us +are very great at scholarship, and never have much occasion for it. +But things are becoming very different now. Everybody is beginning +to be expected to know everything. Very likely, as soon as I am no +more wanted, I shall be voted a blockhead. Luckily the wars keep +people from being too choice, when their pick goes every minute. +And this may stop the fuss, that comes from Scotland mainly, about +universal distribution--or some big words--of education. 'Pet,' as +you call him, is a very clever fellow, with much more shape of +words about him than ever I was blessed with. In spelling I saw +that he was my master; and so I tried him with geography, and all +he knew of India was that it takes its name from India rubber!" + +"Now I call that clever of him," said Miss Yordas; "for I really +might have forgotten even that. But the fatal defect in his +education has been the want of what you grow, chiefly in West India +perhaps--the cane, Duncan, the sugar-cane. I have read all about +it; you can tell me nothing. You suck it, you smoke it, and you +beat your children with it." + +"Well," said Sir Duncan, who was not quite sure, in the face of +such authority, "I disremember; but perhaps they do in some parts, +because the country is so large. But it is not the ignorance of +Pet I care for--such a fault is natural and unavoidable; and who is +there to pick holes in it? The boy knows a great deal more than I +did at his age, because he is so much younger. But, Philippa, +unless you do something with him, he will never be a gentleman." + +"Duncan, you are hard. You have seen so much." + +"The more we see, the softer we become. The one thing we harden +against is lying--the seed, the root, and the substance of all +vileness. I am sorry to say your Pet is a liar." + +"He does not always tell the truth, I know. But bear in mind, +Duncan, that his mother did not insist--and, in fact, she does not +herself always--" + +"I know it; I am grieved that it should come from our side. I +never cared for his father much, because he went against me; but +this I will say for him, Lance Carnaby would sooner cut his tongue +out that put it to a lie. When I am at home, my dealings are with +fellows who could not speak the truth if they tried for dear life, +simply through want of practice. They are like your lower class of +horse-dealers, but with infinitely more intelligence. It is late +to teach poor Pet the first of all lessons; and for me to stop to +do it is impossible. But will you try to save further disgrace to +a scapegrace family, but not a mean one?" + +"I feel it as much as you do--perhaps more," Miss Yordas answered, +forgetting altogether about the deed-box and her antiquary. "You +need not tell me how very sad it is. But how can it be cured? His +mother is his mother. She never would part with him; and her +health is delicate." + +"Stronger than either yours or mine, unless she takes too much +nourishment. Philippa, her will is mere petulance. For her own +good, we must set it aside. And if you agree with me, it can be +done. He must go into a marching regiment at once, ordered abroad, +with five shillings in his pocket, earn his pay, and live upon it. +This patched-up peace will never last six months. The war must be +fought out till France goes down, or England. I can get him a +commission; and I know the colonel, a man of my own sort, who sees +things done, instead of talking. It would be the making of +Lancelot. He has plenty of courage, but it has been milched. At +Oxford or Cambridge he would do no good, but simply be ruined by +having his own way. Under my friend Colonel Thacker, he will have +a hard time of it, and tell no lies." + +Thus it was settled. There was a fearful outcry, hysterics of an +elegant order, and weepings enough to produce summer spate in the +Tees. But the only result was the ordering of the tailor, the +hosier, the boot-maker, and the scissors-grinder to put a new edge +upon Squire Philip's razors, that Pet might practice shaving. +"Cold-blooded cruelty, savage homicide; cannibalism itself is +kinder," said poor Mrs. Carnaby, when she saw the razors; but Pet +insisted upon having them, made lather, and practiced with the +backs, till he began to understand them. + +"He promises well; I have great hopes of him," Sir Duncan said to +himself. "He has pride; and no proud boy can be long a liar. I +will go and consult my dear old friend Bart." + +Mr. Bart, who was still of good bodily strength, but becoming less +resolute in mind than of yore, was delighted to see his old friend +again; and these two men, having warm, proud hearts, preserved each +other from self-contempt by looking away through the long hand- +clasp. For each of them was to the other almost the only man +really respected in the world. + +Betwixt them such a thing as concealment could not be. The +difference in their present position was a thing to laugh at. Sir +Duncan looked up to Bart as being the maker of his character, and +Bart admired Sir Duncan as a newer and wiser edition of himself. +They dispatched the past in a cheery talk; for the face of each was +enough to show that it might have been troublous--as all past is-- +but had slidden into quiet satisfaction now, and a gentle flow of +experience. Then they began to speak of present matters, and the +residue of time before them; and among other things, Sir Duncan +Yordas spoke of his nephew Lancelot. + +"Lancelot Yordas Carnaby," said Bart, with the smile of a gray- +beard at young love's dream, "has done us the honor to fall in +love, for ever and ever, with our little Insie. And the worst of +it is that she likes him." + +"What an excellent idea!" his old friend answered; "I was sure +there was something of that sort going on. Now betwixt love and +war we shall make a man of Pet." + +As shortly as possible he told Mr. Bart what his plan about his +nephew was, and how he had carried it against maternal, and now +must carry it against maiden, love. If Lancelot had any good stuff +in him, any vertebrate embryo of honesty, to be put among men, and +upon his mettle (with a guardian angel in the distance of sweet +home), would stablish all the man in him, and stint the beast. Mr. +Bart, though he hated hard fighting, admitted that for weak people +it was needful; and was only too happy so to cut the knot of his +own home entanglements with the ruthless sword. For a man of +liberal education, and much experience in spending money, who can +put a new bottom to his own saucepan, is not the one to feel any +despair of his fellow-creatures mending. + +Then arose the question, who should bell the cat, or rather, who +should lead the cat to the belling. Pet must be taken, under +strong duress, to the altar--as his poor mother said, and shrieked-- +whereat he was to shed his darling blood. His heart was in his +mouth when his uniform came; and he gave his sacred honor to fly, +straight as an arrow, to the port where his regiment was getting +into boats; but Sir Duncan shook his grizzled head. "Somebody must +see him into it," he said. "Not a lady; no, no, my dear Eliza. I +can not go myself; but it must be a man of rigidity, a stern agent. +Oh, I know! how stupid of me!" + +"You mean poor dear Mr. Jellicorse," suggested Mrs. Carnaby, with a +short hot sob. "But, Duncan, he has not the heart for it. For +anything honest and loyal and good, kind people may trust him with +their lives. But to tyranny, rapine, and manslaughter, he never +could lend his fine honorable face." + +"I mean a man of a very different cast--a man who knows what time +is worth; a man who is going to be married on a Sunday, that he may +not lose the day. He has to take three days' holiday, because the +lady is an heiress; otherwise he might get off with one. But he +hopes to be at work again on Wednesday, and we will have him here +post-haste from York on Thursday. It will be the very job to suit +him--a gentleman of Roman ancestry, and of the name of Mordacks." + +"My heart was broken already; and now I can feel the poor pieces +flying into my brain. Oh, why did I ever have a babe for monsters +of the name of Mordacks to devour?" + +Mordacks was only too glad to come. On the very day after their +union, Calpurnia (likewise of Roman descent) had exhibited symptoms +of a strong will of her own. + +Mordacks had temporized during their courtship; but now she was +his, and must learn the great fact. He behaved very well, and made +no attempt at reasoning (which would have been a fatal course), but +promptly donned cloak, boots, and spurs while his horse was being +saddled, and then set off, with his eyes fixed firmly upon +business. A crow could scarcely make less than fifty miles from +York to Scargate, and the factor's trusty roadster had to make up +his mind to seventy. So great, however, is sometimes the +centrifugal force of Hymen, that upon the third day Mr. Mordacks +was there, vigorous, vehement, and fit for any business. + +When he heard what it was, it liked him well; for he bore a fine +grudge against Lancelot for setting the dogs at him three years +ago, when he came (as an agent for adjoining property) to the house +of Yordas, and when Mr. Jellicorse scorned to meet an illegal +meddler with legal matters. If Mordacks had any fault--and he must +have had some, in spite of his resolute conviction to the contrary-- +it was that he did not altogether scorn revenge. + +Lives there man, or even woman, capable of describing now the +miseries, the hardships, the afflictions beyond groaning, which, +like electric hail, came down upon the sacred head of Pet? He was +in the grasp of three strong men--his uncle, Mr. Bart, worst of +all, that Mordacks--escape was impossible, lamentation met with +laughter, and passion led to punishment. Even stern Maunder was +sorry for him, although he despised him for feeling it. The only +beam of light, the only spark of pleasure, was his royal uniform; +and to know that Insie's laugh thereat was hollow, and would melt +away to weeping when he was out of sight, together with the sulky +curiosity of Maunder, kept him up a little, in this time of bitter +sacrifice. + +Enough that he went off, at last, in the claws of that Roman +hippogriff--as Mrs. Carnaby savagely called poor Mordacks--and the +visitor's flag hung half-mast high, and Saracen and the other dogs +made a howling dirge, with such fine hearts (as the poor mother +said, between her sobs) that they got their dinners upon china +plates. + +Sir Duncan had left before this, and was back under Dr. Upround's +hospitable roof. He had made up his mind to put his fortune, or +rather his own value, to the test, in a place of deep interest to +him now, the heart of the fair Janetta. He knew that, according to +popular view, he was much too old for this young lady; but for +popular view he cared not one doit, if her own had the courage and +the will to go against it. For years he had sternly resisted all +temptation of second marriage, toward which shrewd mothers and nice +maidens had labored in vain to lead him. But the bitter +disappointment about his son, and that long illness, and the tender +nursing (added to the tenderness of his own sides, from lying upon +them, with a hard dry cough), had opened some parts of his +constitution to matrimonial propensities. Miss Upround was of a +playful nature, and teased everybody she cared about; and although +Sir Duncan was a great hero to her, she treated him sometimes as if +he were her doll. Being a grave man, he liked this, within the +bounds of good taste and manners; and the young lady always knew +where to stop. From being amused with her, he began to like her; +and from liking her, he went on to miss her; and from missing her +to wanting her was no long step. + +However, Sir Duncan was not at all inclined to make a fool of +himself herein. He liked the lady very much, and saw that she +would suit him, and help him well in the life to which he was +thinking of returning. For within the last fortnight a very high +post at Calcutta had been offered to him by the powers in +Leadenhall Street, upon condition of sailing at once, and foregoing +the residue of his leave. If matters had been to his liking in +England, he certainly would have declined it; but after his sad +disappointment, and the serious blow to his health, he resolved to +accept it, and set forth speedily. The time was an interlude of +the war, and ships need not wait for convoy. + +This had induced him to take his Yorkshire affairs (which Mordacks +had been forced to intermit during his Derbyshire campaign) into +his own hands, and speed the issue, as above related. And part of +his plan was to quit all claim to present possession of Scargate; +that if the young lady should accept his suit, it might not in any +way be for the sake of the landed interest. As it happened, he had +gone much further than this, and cast away his claim entirely, to +save his sister from disgrace and the family property from lawyers. +And now having sought Dr. Upround's leave (which used to be thought +the proper thing to do), he asked Janetta whether she would have +him, and she said, "No, but he might have her." Upon this he +begged permission to set the many drawbacks before her, and she +nodded her head, and told him to begin. + +"I am of a Yorkshire family. But, I am sorry to say that their +temper is bad, and they must have their own way too much." + +"But, that suits me; and I understand it. Because I must have my +own way too." + +"But, I have parted with my inheritance, and have no place in this +country now." + +"But, I am very glad of that. Because I shall be able to go +about." + +"But, India is a dreadfully hot country; many creatures tease you, +and you get tired of almost everything." + +"But, that will make it all the more refreshing not to be tired of +you, perhaps." + +"But, I have a son as old as you, or older." + +"But, you scarcely suppose that I can help that!" + +"But, my hair is growing gray, and I have great crow's-feet, and +everybody will begin to say--" + +"But, I don't believe a word of it, and I won't have it; and I +don't care a pin's head what all the world says put together, so +long as you don't belong to it." + + + +CHAPTER LIV + +TRUE LOVE + + +About a month after Sir Duncan's marriage, when he and his bride +were in London, with the lady's parents come to help, in the misery +of outfit, a little boy ran through a field of wheat, early in the +afternoon, and hid himself in a blackthorn hedge to see what was +going on at Anerley. Nothing escaped him, for his eyes were sharp, +being of true Danish breed. He saw Captain Anerley trudging up the +hill, with a pipe in his mouth, to the bean field, where three or +four men were enjoying the air, without any of the greedy gulps +produced by too great exertion of the muscles; then he saw the +mistress of the house throw wide a lattice, and shake out a cloth +for the birds, who skipped down from the thatch by the dozen +instantly; and then he saw Mary, with a basket and a wooden +measure, going round the corner of the house, and clucking for the +fowls to rally from their scratching-places. These came zealously, +with speed of leg and wing, from straw-rick, threshing-floor, +double hedge, or mixen; and following their tails, the boy slipped +through the rick-yard, and tossed a note to Mary with a truly +Flamburian delivery. + +Although it was only a small-sized boy, no other than the heir of +the "Cod-fish," a brighter rose flew into Mary's cheeks than the +master-cock of all the yard could show upon comb or wattle. +Contemptuous of twopence, which Mary felt for, the boy disappeared +like a rabbit; and the fowls came and helped themselves to the +tail-wheat, while their mistress was thinking of her letter. It +was short and sweet--at least in promise--being no more than these +few words: "Darling, the dike where first we met, an hour after +sunset." + +Mary never doubted that her duty was to go; and at the time +appointed she was there, with firm knowledge of her own mind, being +now a loving and reasonable woman. It was just a year since she +had saved the life of Robin; and patience, and loneliness, and +opposition, had enlarged and ennobled her true and simple heart. +No lord in the land need have looked for a purer or sweeter example +of maidenhood than this daughter of a Yorkshire farmer was, in her +simple dress, and with the dignity of love. The glen was beginning +to bestrew itself with want of light, instead of shadows; and bushy +places thickened with the imperceptible growth of night. Mary went +on, with excitement deepening, while sunset deepened into dusk; and +the color of her clear face flushed and fleeted under the anxious +touch of love, as the tint of a delicate finger-nail, with any +pressure, varies. But not very long was she left in doubt. + +"How long you have been! And oh, where have you been? And how +much longer will you be?" Among many other words and doings she +insisted chiefly on these points. + +"I am a true-blue, as you may see, and a warrant-officer already," +he said, with his old way of smiling at himself. "When the war +begins again (as it must--please God!--before many weeks are over), +I shall very soon get my commission, and go up. I am quite fit +already to command a frigate." + +Mary was astonished at his modesty; she thought that he ought to be +an admiral at least, and so she told him; however, he knew better. + +"You must bear in mind," he replied, with a kindly desire to spare +her feelings, "that until a change for the better comes, I am under +disadvantages. Not only as an outlaw--which has been upon the +whole a comfort--but as a suspected criminal, with warrant against +him, and reward upon him. Of course I am innocent; and everybody +knows it, or at least I hope so, except the one who should have +known it best." + +"I am the person who should know it best of all," his true love +answered, with some jealousy. "Explain yourself, Robin, if you +please." + +"No Robin, so please you, but Mr. James Blyth, captain of the +foretop, then cockswain of the barge, and now master's mate of H. +M. ship of the line Belleisle. But the one who should have trusted +me, next to my own love, is my father, Sir Duncan Yordas." + +"How you are talking! You have such a reckless way. A warrant- +officer, an arrant criminal! And your father, Sir Duncan Yordas, +that very strange gentleman, who could never get warm! Oh, Robin, +you always did talk nonsense, when--whenever I would let you. But +you should not try to make my head go round." + +"Every word of it is true," the young sailor answered, applying a +prompt remedy for vertigo. "It had been clearly proved to his +knowledge, long before the great fact was vouchsafed to me, that I +am the only son of Sir Duncan Yordas, or, at any rate, his only son +for the present. The discovery gratified him so little, that he +took speedy measures to supplant me." + +"The very rich gentleman from India," said Mary, "that married Miss +Upround lately; and her dress was all made of spun diamonds, they +say, as bright as the dew in the morning. Oh, then you will have +to give me up; Robin, you must give up me!" + +Clasping her hands, she looked up at him with courage, keeping down +all sign of tears. She felt that her heart would not hold out +long, and yet she was prouder than to turn away. "Speak," she +said; "it is better to speak plainly; you know that it must be so." + +"Do I? why?" Robin Lyth asked, calmly, being well contented to +prolong her doubts, that he might get the benefit thereafter. + +"Because you belong to great people, and I am just a farmer's +daughter, and no more, and quite satisfied to remain so. Such +things never answer." + +"A little while ago you were above me, weren't you? When I was +nobody's son, and only a castaway, with a nickname." + +"That has nothing to do with it. We must take things exactly as we +find them at the time." + +"And you took me as you found me at the time; only that you made me +out so much better. Mary, I am not worthy of you. What has birth +to do with it? And so far as that goes, yours is better, though +mine may seem the brighter. In every other way you are above me. +You are good, and I am wicked. You are pure, and I am careless. +You are sweet, and I am violent. In truth alone can I ever vie +with you; and I must be a pitiful scoundrel, Mary, if I did not +even try to do that, after all that you have done for me." + +"But," said Mary, with her lovely eyes gleaming with the glittering +shade of tears, "I like you very much to do it--but not exactly as +a duty, Robin." + +"You look at me like that, and you talk of duty! Duty, duty; this +is my duty. I should like to be discharging it forever and a day." + +"I did not come here for ideas of this kind," said Mary, with her +lips as red as pyracanthine berries; "free trade was bad enough, +but the Royal Navy worse, it seems. Now, Robin dear, be sensible, +and tell me what I am to do." + +"To listen to me, and then say whether I deserve what my father has +done to me. He came back from India--as you must understand--with +no other object in life, that I can hear of (for he had any +quantity of money), than to find out me, his only child, and the +child of the only wife he ever could put up with. For twenty years +he had believed me to be drowned, when the ship he sent me home in +to be educated was supposed to have foundered, with all hands. But +something made him fancy that I might have escaped; and as he could +not leave India then, he employed a gentleman of York, named +Mordacks, to hunt out all about it. Mordacks, who seems to be a +wonderful man, and most kind-hearted to everybody, as poor Widow +Carroway says of him with tears, and as he testifies of himself--he +set to work, and found out in no time all about me and my ear- +rings, and my crawling from the cave that will bear my name, they +say, and more things than I have time to tell. He appointed a +meeting with Sir Duncan Yordas here at Flamborough, and would have +brought me to him, and everything might have been quite happy. But +in the mean while that horrible murder of poor Carroway came to +pass, and I was obliged to go into hiding, as no one knows better +than you, my dear. My father (as I suppose I must call him) being +bound, as it seems that they all are, to fall out with their +children, took a hasty turn against me at once. Mordacks, whom I +saw last week, trusting myself to his honor, tells me that Sir +Duncan would not have cared twopence about my free-trade work, and +so on, or even about my having killed the officer in fair conflict, +for he is used to that. But he never will forgive me for +absconding, and leaving my fellows, as he puts it, to bear the +brunt. He says that I am a dastard and a skulk, and unworthy to +bear the name of Yordas." + +"What a wicked, unnatural man he must be!" cried Mary. "He +deserves to have no children." + +"No; I am told that he is a very good man, but stiff-necked and +disdainful. He regards me with scorn, because he knows no better. +He may know our laws, but he knows nothing of our ways, to suppose +that my men were in any danger. If I had been caught while the +stir was on, a gibbet on the cliff would have been set up, even +before my trial--such is the reward of eminence--but no Yorkshire +jury would turn round in the box, with those poor fellows before +them. 'Not guilty, my lord,' was on their tongues, before he had +finished charging them." + +"Oh, I am so glad! They have been acquitted, and you were there to +see it!" + +"To be sure. I was in the court, as Harry Ombler's father. Mr. +Mordacks got it up; and it told on the jury even more than could +have been expected. Even the judge wiped his eyes as he looked at +me, for they say he has a scapegrace son; and Harry was the only +one of all the six in danger, according to the turn of the +evidence. My poor eyes have scarcely come round yet from the +quantity of sobbing that I had to do, and the horrible glare of my +goggles. And then I had a crutch that I stumped with as I sighed, +so that all the court could hear me; and whenever I did it, all the +women sighed too, and even the hardest hearts were moved. Mr. +Mordacks says that it was capital." + +"Oh, but, Robin, how shocking, though you make me laugh! If the +verdict had been otherwise--oh, what then?" + +"Well, then, Harry Ombler had a paper in his hand, done in printing +letters by myself, because he is a very tidy scholar, and signed by +me; the which he was to read before receiving sentence, saying that +Robin Lyth himself was in York town, and would surrender to that +court upon condition that mercy should be warranted to the +prisoners." + +"And you would have given yourself up? And without consulting me +about it!" + +"Bad, I admit," Robin answered, with a smile; "but not half so bad +as to give up you--which you calmly proposed just now, dear heart. +However, there is no need for any trouble now, except that I am +forced to keep out of sight until other evidence is procured. +Mordacks has taken to me, like a better father, mainly from his +paramount love of justice, and of daring gallantry, as he calls +it." + +"So it was, and ten times more; heroic self-devotion is a much more +proper term." + +"Now don't," said Robin. "If you make me blush, you may guess what +I shall do to hide it--carry the war into the sweet land of the +enemy. But truly, my darling, there was very little danger. And I +am up for a much better joke this time. My august Roman father, +who has cast me off, sails as a very great Indian gun, in a ship of +the line, from Spithead, early in September. The Belleisle is +being paid off now, and I have my certificate, as well as lots of +money. Next to his lass, every sailor loves a spree; and mine, +instead of emptying, shall fill the locker. With this disgusting +peace on, and no chance of prize-money, and plenty in their pockets +for a good spell ashore, blue-jackets will be scarce when Sir +Duncan Yordas sails. If I can get a decent berth as a petty +officer, off I go for Calcutta, and watch (like the sweet little +cherub that sits up aloft) for the safety of my dear papa and +mamma, as the Frenchmen are teaching us to call them. What do you +think of such filial devotion?" + +"It would be a great deal more than he deserves," Mary answered, +with sweet simplicity. "But what could you do, if he found out who +you are?" + +"Not the smallest fear of that, my dear. I have never had the +honor of an introduction. My new step-mother, who might have been +my sweetheart if I had not seen somebody a hundred times as good, a +thousand times as gentle, and a million times as lovely--" + +"Oh, Robin, do leave off such very dreadful stories! I saw her in +the church, and she looked beautiful." + +"Fine feathers make fine birds. However, she is well enough in her +way; and I love her father. But, for all that, she has no business +to be my step-mother; and of course it was only the money that did +it. She has a little temper of her own, I can assure you; and I +wish Sir Duncan joy of her when they get among mosquitoes. But, as +I was going to say, the only risk of my being caught is from her +sharp eyes. Even of that there is not much danger, for we common +sailors need not go within hail of those grandees, unless it comes +to boat-work. And even if Miss Janetta--I beg her pardon, Lady +Yordas--should chance to recognize me, I am sure she would never +tell her husband. No, no; she would be too jealous; and for fifty +other reasons. She is very cunning, let me tell you." + +"Well," cried Mary, with a smile of wisdom, "I hope that I may +never live to be a step-mother. The way those poor things get +abused--" + +"You would have more principle, I should hope, than to marry +anybody after me. However, I have told you nearly all my news, and +in a few minutes I must be off. Only two things more. In the +first place, Mordacks has taken a very great fancy to me, and has +turned against my father. He and Widow Carroway and I had a long +talk after the trial, and we all agreed that the murder was +committed by a villain called 'John Cadman,' a sneak and a skulk, +whom I knew well, as one of Carroway's own men. Among other +things, they chanced to say that Cadman's gun was missing, and that +the poor widow can swear to it. I asked if any one had searched +for it; and Mordacks said no, it would be hopeless. I told them +that if I were only free to show myself and choose my time, I would +lay my life upon finding it, if thrown away (as it most likely was) +in some part of that unlucky cave. Mordacks caught at this idea, +and asked me a number of questions, and took down my answers; for +no one else knows the cave as I do. I would run all risks myself, +and be there to do it, if time suited. But only certain tides will +serve, even with the best of weather; and there may be no such tide +for months--I mean tide, weather, and clear water combined, as they +must be for the job. Therefore I am not to wait, but go about my +other business, and leave this to Mordacks, who loves to be captain +of everything. Mr. Mordacks talked of a diving-bell, and some +great American inventions; but nothing of the kind can be used +there, nor even grappling-irons. The thing must not be heard of +even, until it has been accomplished. Whatever is done, must be +done by a man who can swim and dive as I can, and who knows the +place almost as well. I have told him where to find the man, when +the opportunity comes for it; and I have shown my better father, +Robin Cockscroft, the likely spot. So now I have nothing more to +do with that." + +"How wonderfully you can throw off cares!" his sweetheart answered, +softly. "But I shall be miserable till I know what happens. Will +they let me be there? Because I understand so much about tides, +and I can hold my tongue." + +"That you have shown right well, my Mary; but your own sense will +tell you that you could not be there. Now one thing more: here is +a ring, not worthy--although it is the real stuff--to go upon your +precious hand, yet allow me to put it on; no, not there; upon your +wedding finger. Now do you know what that is for?" + +"For me, I suppose," she answered, blushing with pleasure and +admiration; "but it is too good, too beautiful, too costly." + +"Not half good enough. Though, to tell you the truth, it can not +be matched easily; any more than you can. But I know where to get +those things. Now promise me to wear it, when you think of me; and +the one habit will confirm the other. But the more important part +is this, and the last thing for me to say to you. Your father +still hates my name, I fear. Tell him every word I have told you, +and perhaps it will bring him half way round. Sooner or later he +must come round; and the only way to do it is to work him slowly. +When he sees in how many ways I have been wronged, and how +beautifully I have borne it all, he will begin to say to himself, +'Now this young man may be improving.' But he never will say, 'He +hath no need of it.'" + +"I should rather think not, you conceited Robin, or whatever else I +am to call you now. But I bargain for one thing--whatever may +happen, I shall never call you anything else but Robin. It suits +you, and you look well with it. Yordas, indeed, or whatever it may +be--" + +"No bargain is valid without a seal," etc., etc. In the old but +ever-vivid way they went on, until they were forced to part, at the +very lips of the house itself, after longing lingerings. The air +of the fields was sweet with summer fragrance and the breath of +night; the world was ripe with soft repose, whose dreams were hope +and happiness; and the heaven spread some gentle stars, to show +mankind the way to it. Then a noble perfume strewed the ambient +air with stronger presence, as the farmer, in his shirt sleeves, +came, with a clay pipe, and grumbled, "Wherever is our Mary all +this time?" + + + +CHAPTER LV + +NICHOLAS THE FISH + + + +Five hundred years ago there was a great Italian swimmer, even +greater than our Captain Webb; inasmuch as he had what the wags of +the age unjustly ascribe to our hero, that is to say, web toes and +fingers. This capable man could, if history be true, not only swim +for a week without ceasing (reassuring solid nature now and then +by a gulp of live fish), but also could expand his chest so +considerably that it held enough air for a day's consumption. +Fortified thus, he explored Charybdis and all the Liparic +whirlpools, and could have found Cadman's gun anywhere, if it had +only been there. But at last the sea had its revenge upon him, +through the cruel insistence of his king. + +No man so amphibious has since arisen through the unfathomed tide +of time. But a swimmer and diver of great repute was now living +not far from Teesmouth. That is to say, he lived there whenever +the state of the weather or the time of year stranded him in dry +misery. Those who have never come across a man of this description +might suppose that he was happy and content at home with his wife +and growing family, assuaging the brine in the delightful manner +commended by Hero to Leander. But, alas! it was not so at all. +The temper of the man was very slow to move, as generally happens +with deep-chested men, and a little girl might lead him with her +finger on the shore; and he liked to try to smell land flowers, +which in his opinion were but weeds. But if a man can not control +his heart, in the very middle of his system, how can he hope to +command his skin, that unscientific frontier of his frame? + +"Nicholas the fish," as his neighbors (whenever, by coming ashore, +he had such treasures) contemptuously called him, was endowed from +his birth with a peculiar skin, and by exercise had improved it. +Its virtue was excessive thickness--such as a writer should pray +for--protected also by powerful hairiness--largely admired by those +with whom it is restricted to the head. + +Unhappily for Nicholas, the peremptory poises of nature struck a +line with him, and this was his line of flotation. From perpetual +usage this was drawn, obliquely indeed, but as definitely as it is +upon a ship of uniform displacement--a yacht, for instance, or a +man-of-war. Below that line scarcely anything could hurt him; but +above it he was most sensitive, unless he were continually wetted; +and the flies, and the gnats, and many other plagues of England, +with one accord pitched upon him, and pitched into him, during his +short dry intervals, with a bracing sense of saline draught. Also +the sun, and the wind, and even the moon, took advantage of him +when unwetted. + +This made his dry periods a purgatory to him; and no sooner did he +hear from Mr. Mordacks of a promising job under water than he drew +breath enough for a ten-fathom dive, and bursting from long +despair, made a great slap at the flies beneath his collar-bone. +The sound was like a drum which two men strike; and his wife, who +was devoted to him, hastened home from the adjoining parish with a +sad presentiment of parting. And this was speedily verified; for +the champion swimmer and diver set forth that very day for Bempton +Warren, where he was to have a private meeting with the general +factor. + +Now it was a great mistake to think--as many people at this time +did, both in Yorkshire and Derbyshire--that the gulf of connubial +cares had swallowed the great Roman hero Mordacks. Unarmed, and +even without his gallant roadster to support him, he had leaped +into that Curtian lake, and had fought a good fight at the bottom +of it. The details are highly interesting, and the chronicle might +be useful; but, alas! there is no space left for it. It is enough, +and a great thing too, to say that he emerged triumphant, reduced +his wife into very good condition, and obtained the due mastery of +her estates, and lordship of the household. + +Refreshed and recruited by the home campaign, and having now a +double base for future operations--York city with the fosse of Ouse +in the east, and Pretorian Hill, Derbyshire, westward--Mordacks +returned, with a smack of lip more dry than amontilladissimo, to +the strict embrace of business. So far as the needs of the body +were concerned, he might have done handsomely without any business; +but having no flesh fit to weigh against his mind, he gave +preference to the latter. Now the essence of his nature was to +take strong views; not hastily--if he could help it--nor through +narrow aspect of prejudice, but with power of insight (right or +wrong), and stern fixity thereafter. He had kept his opinion about +Sir Duncan Yordas much longer than usual pending, being struck with +the fame of the man, and his manner, and generous impulsive nature. +All these he still admired, but felt that the mind was far too +hasty, and, to put it in his own strong way, Sir Duncan (whatever +he might be in India) had been but a fool in England. Why had he +cast away his claim on Scargate, and foiled the factor's own pet +scheme for a great triumph over the lawyers? And why condemn his +only son, when found with such skill and at heavy expense, without +even hearing both sides of the tale? Last, but not least, what +induced him to marry, when amply old enough to know better, a girl +who might be well enough in her way, but had no family estate to +bring, was shrewdly suspected of a cutting tongue, and had more +than once been anything but polite to Geoffrey Mordacks? + +Although this gentleman was not a lawyer, and indeed bore a +tyrannous hate against that gentle and most precious class, he +shared the solicitor's just abhorrence of the word "farewell," when +addressed to him by any one of good substance. He resolved that +his attentions should not cease, though undervalued for the moment, +but should be continued to the son and heir--whose remainder in +tail subsisted still, though it might be hard to substantiate--and +when his cousin Lancelot should come into possession, he might find +a certain factor to grapple him. Mr. Mordacks hated Lancelot, and +had carried out his banishment with intense enjoyment, holding him +as in a wrench-hammer all the way, silencing his squeaks with +another turn of the screw, and as eager to crack him as if he were +a nut, the first that turns auburn in September. + +This being the condition of so powerful a mind, facts very speedily +shaped themselves thereto, as they do when the power of an eminent +orator lays hold of them and crushes them, and they can not even +squeak. Or even as a still more eminent 'bus driver, when the +street is blocked, and there seems to be no room for his own thumb, +yet (with a gentle whistle and a wink) solves the jostling stir and +balk, makes obstructive traffic slide, like an eddy obsequious, +beside him and behind, and comes forth as the first of an orderly +procession toward the public-house of his true love. + +Now if anything beyond his own conviction were wanted to set this +great agent upon action, soon it was found in York Summer Assizes, +and the sudden inrush of evidence, which--no matter how a case has +been prepared--gets pent up always for the Bar and Bench. Then +Robin Lyth came, with a gallant dash, and offered himself as a +sacrifice, if needful, which proved both his courage and his +common-sense in waiting till due occasion demanded him. Mordacks +was charmed with this young man, not only for proving his own +judgment right, but also for possessing a quickness of decision +akin to his own, and backing up his own ideas. + +With vigor thus renewed by many interests and motives, the general +and generous factor kept his appointment in Bempton Warren. Since +the distressing, but upon the whole desirable, decease of that poor +Rickon Goold, the lonely hut in which he breathed his last had not +been by any means a popular resort. There were said to be things +heard, seen, and felt, even in the brightest summer day, which +commended the spot to the creatures that fear mankind, but not +their spectres. The very last of all to approach it now would have +been the two rollicking tars who had trodden their wooden-legged +watch around it. Nicholas the fish was superstitious also, as it +behooved him well to be; but having heard nothing of the story of +the place, and perceiving no gnats in the neighborhood, he +thankfully took it for his short dry spells. + +Mr. Mordacks met him, and the two men were deeply impressed with +one another. The diver admired the sharp, terse style and definite +expression of the factor, while the factor enjoyed the large +ponderous roll and suggestive reservations of the diver. For this +was a man who had met great beings, and faced mighty wonders in +deep places; and he thought of them more than he liked to say, +because he had to get his living. + +Nothing could be settled to a nicety between them, not even as to +pounds, shillings, and pence. For the nature of the job depended +wholly upon the behavior of the weather; and the weather must be +not only at its best, but also setting meekly in the right +direction at the right moment of big springtide. The diver was +afraid that he might ask too little, and the factor disliked the +risk of offering too much, and possibly spoiling thereby a noble +nature. But each of them realized (to some extent) the honesty of +the other, and neither of them meant to be unreasonable. + +"Give and take, is what I say," said the short man with the +monstrous chest, looking up at the tall man with the Roman nose; +"live and let live. Ah! that's it." + +Mr. Mordacks would have said, "Right you are," if that elegant +expression had been in vogue; but as that brilliance had not yet +risen, he was content to say, "Just so." Then he added, "Here you +have everything you want. Madam Precious will send you twice a +day, to the stone at the bottom of the lane, a gallon of beer, and +victuals in proportion. Your duty is to watch the tides and +weather, keep your boat going, and let me know; and here I am in +half an hour." + +Calpurnia Mordacks was in her duty now, and took her autumn holiday +at Flamborough. And though Widow Precious felt her heart go +pitapat at first sight of another Mrs. Mordacks, she made up her +mind, with a gulp, not to let this cash go to the Thornwick. As a +woman she sighed; but as a landlady she smiled, and had visions of +hoisting a flag on her roof. + +When Mordacks, like a victorious general, conqueror of this Danish +town, went forth for his evening stroll to see his subjects and be +saluted, a handsome young sailor came up from the cliffs, and +begged to have a few quiet words with him. "Say on, my lad; all my +words are quiet," replied the general factor. Then this young man +up and told his tale, which was all in the well-trodden track of +mankind. He had run away to sea, full of glorious dreams--valor, +adventure, heroism, rivers of paradise, and lands of heaven. +Instead of that, he had been hit upon the head, and in places of +deeper tenderness, frequently roasted, and frozen yet more often, +basted with brine when he had no skin left, scorched with thirst, +and devoured by creatures whose appetites grew dainty when his own +was ravening. + +"Excellent youth," Mr. Mordacks said, "your tale might move a heart +of flint. All who know me have but one opinion. I am benevolence +itself. But my balance is low at my banker's." + +"I want no money, sir," the sailor answered, simply offering +benevolence itself a pipeful of tobacco from an ancient bit of +bladder; "I have not got a farthing, but I am with good people who +never would take it if I had it, and that makes everything square +between us. I might have a hatful of money if I chose, but I find +myself better without it, and my constitution braces up. If I only +chose to walk a league sou'west, there would be bonfires burning. +But I vowed I would go home a captain, and I will." + +"Ha!" cried Mr. Mordacks, with his usual quickness, and now knowing +all about everybody; "you are Mr. John Anerley, the son of the +famous Captain Anerley." + +"Jack Anerley, sir, till better times; and better they never will +be, till I make them. But not a word to any one about me, if you +please. It would break my mother's heart (for she doth look down +upon people, without asking) to hear that Robin Cockscroft was +supporting of me. But, bless you, I shall pay him soon, a penny +for a guinea." + +Truth, which struggles through the throng of men to get out and +have a little breath sometimes, now and then succeeds, by accident, +or the stupid misplacement of a word. A penny for a guinea was as +much as Robin Cockscroft was likely ever to see for his outlay upon +this very fine young fellow. Jack Anerley accepted the situation +with the large philosophy of a sailor; and all he wanted from Mr. +Mordacks was leave to be present at the diving job. This he +obtained, as he promised to be useful, and a fourth oar was likely +to be needed. + +It was about an hour before noon of a beautifully soft September +day, when little Sam Precious, the same boy that carried Robin +Lyth's note to Mary, came up to Mr. Mordacks with a bit of plaited +rushes, the scytale of Nicholas the fish, who was happy enough not +to know his alphabet. The factor immediately put on his hat, +girded himself with his riding sword and pistol belt, and told his +good wife that business might take him away for some hours. Then +he hastened to Robin Cockscroft's house, after sending the hostler, +on his own horse, with a letter to Bridlington coast-guard station, +as he had arranged with poor Carroway's successor. + +The Flamborough fishermen were out at sea; and without any fuss, +Robin's boat was launched, and manned by that veteran himself, +together with old Joe and Bob, who had long been chewing the quid +of expectation, and at the bow oar Jack Anerley. Their orders were +to slip quietly round, and wait in the Dovecote till the diver +came. Mordacks saw them on their way; and then he strode up the +deserted path, and struck away toward a northern cove, where the +diver's little boat was housed. There he found Nicholas the fish, +spread out in all his glory, like a polypod awash, or a basking +turtle, or a well-fed calf of Proteus. Laid on his back, where the +wavelets broke, and beaded a silver fringe upon the golden ruff of +sand, he gave his body to soft lullaby, and his mind to perfect +holiday. His breadth, and the spring of fresh air inside it, kept +him gently up and down; and his calm enjoyment was enriched by the +baffled wrath of his enemies. For flies, of innumerable sorts and +sizes, held a hopeless buzz above him, being put upon their mettle +to get at him, and perishing sweetly in the vain attempt. + +With a grunt of reluctance he awoke to business, swam for his boat, +and embarking Mr. Mordacks, pulled him across the placid bay to the +cave where his forces were assembled. + +"Let there be no mistake about it," the factor shouted from the +mermaids' shelf, having promised his Calpurnia to keep upon dry +land whenever the water permitted him; "our friend the great diver +will first ascertain whether the thing which we seek is here. If +so, he will leave it where it is until the arrival of the +Preventive boat. You all understand that we wish to put the matter +so that even a lawyer can not pick any hole in the evidence. Light +no links until I tell you. Now, Nicholas the fish, go down at +once." + +Without a word the diver plunged, having taken something between +his teeth which he would not let the others see. The watery floor +of the cavern was as smooth as a mill-pond in July, and he plunged +so neatly that he made no splash; nothing but a flicker of +reflection on the roof, and a lapping murmur round the sides, gave +token that a big man was gone into the deep. For several minutes +no one spoke, but every eye was strained upon the glassy dimness, +and every ear intent for the first break of sound. + +"T' goop ha' got un," cried old Robin, indignant at this outrage by +a stranger to his caves, "God niver mahd mon to pree intil 's ain +warks." + +Old Joe and Bob grunted approbation, and Mordacks himself was +beginning to believe that some dark whirlpool or coil of tangles +had drowned the poor diver, when a very gentle noise, like a +dabchick playing beneath a bridge, came from the darkest corner. +Nicholas was there, inhaling air, not in greedy gulps and gasps, +like a man who has had no practice, but leisurely encouraging his +lungs with little doses, as a doctor gives soup to a starved boat +crew. Being hailed by loud voices, he answered not, for his nature +was by no means talkative; but presently, with very little breach +of water, he swam to the middle, and asked for his pipe. + +"Have you found the gun?" cried Mordacks, whose loftiest feelings +had subsided in a quarter of a minute to the business level. +Nicholas made no reply until the fire of his pipe was established, +while he stood in the water quite as if he were on land, supporting +himself by nothing more than a gentle movement of his feet, while +the glow of the touch-paper lit his round face and yellow leather +skull-cap. "In coorse I has," he said at last, blowing a roll of +smoke along the gleaming surface; "over to yon little cornder." + +"And you can put your hand upon it in a moment?" The reply was a +nod and another roll of smoke. "Admirable! Now, then, Joe, and +Bob the son of Joe, do what I told you, while Master Cockscroft and +our nimble young friend get the links all ready." + +The torches were fixed on the rocky shelf, as they had been upon +the fatal night; but they were not lit until Joe and his son, sent +forth in the smaller boat to watch, came back with news that the +Preventive gig was round the point, and approaching swiftly, with a +lady in the stern, whose dress was black. + +"Right!" cried Mr. Mordacks, with a brisk voice ringing under the +ponderous brows of rock. "Men, I have brought you to receive a +lesson. You shall see what comes of murder. Light the torches. +Nicholas, go under, with the exception of your nose, or whatever it +is you breathe with. When I lift my hand, go down; and do as I +have ordered you." + +The cavern was lit with the flare of fire, and the dark still water +heaved with it, when the coast-guard boat came gliding in. The +crew, in white jerseys, looked like ghosts flitting into some magic +scene. Only the officer, darkly clad, and standing up with the +tiller-lines in hand, and the figure of a woman sitting in the +stern, relieved their spectral whiteness. + +"Commander Hardlock, and men of the coastguard," shouted Mr. +Mordacks, when the wash of ripples and the drip of oars and the +creak of wood gave silence, "the black crime committed upon this +spot shall no longer go unpunished. The ocean itself has yielded +its dark secret to the perseverance of mankind, and the humble but +not unskillful efforts which it has been my privilege to conduct. +A good man was slain here, in cold blood slain--a man of remarkable +capacity and zeal, gallantry, discipline, and every noble quality, +and the father of a very large family. The villain who slew him +would have slain six other harmless men by perjury if an +enlightened English jury had been fools enough to believe him. Now +I will show you what to believe. I am not eloquent, I am not a man +of words; my motto is strict business. And business with me is a +power, not a name. I lift my hand; you wait for half a minute; and +then, from the depths of this abyss, arises the gun used in the +murder." + +The men understood about half of this, being honest fellows in the +main, and desiring time to put heads together about the meaning; +but one there was who knew too well that his treacherous sin had +found him out. He strove to look like the rest, but felt that his +eyes obeyed heart more than brain; and then the widow, who had +watched him closely through her black veil, lifted it, and fixed +her eyes on his. Deadly terror seized him, and he wished that he +had shot himself. + +"Stand up, men," the commander shouted, "until we see the end of +this. The crime has been laid upon our force. We scorn the charge +of such treachery. Stand up, men, and face, like innocent men, +whatever can be shown against you." + +The men stood up, and the light of the torches fell upon their +faces. All were pale with fear and wonder, but one was white as +death itself. Calling up his dogged courage, and that bitterness +of malice which had made him do the deed, and never yet repent of +it, he stood as firmly as the rest, but differed from them in three +things. His face wore a smile; he watched one place only; and his +breath made a noise, while theirs was held. + +Then, from the water, without a word, or sign of any hand that +moved it, a long gun rose before John Cadman, and the butt was +offered to his hand. He stood with his arms at his sides, and +could not lift them to do anything. Neither could he speak, nor +make defense, but stood like an image that is fastened by the feet. + +"Hand me that," cried the officer, sharply; but instead of obeying, +the man stared malignantly, and then plunged over the gun into the +depth. + +Not so, however, did he cheat the hangman; Nicholas caught him (as +a water-dog catches a worn-out glove), and gave him to any one that +would have him. "Strap him tight," the captain cried; and the men +found relief in doing it. At the next jail-delivery he was tried, +and the jury did their duty. His execution restored good-will, and +revived that faith in justice which subsists upon so little food. + + + +CHAPTER LVI + +IN THE THICK OF IT + + +One of the greatest days in all the history of England, having no +sense of its future fame, and being upon a hostile coast, was +shining rather dismally. And one of England's greatest men, the +greatest of all her sons in battle--though few of them have been +small at that--was out of his usual mood, and full of calm +presentiment and gloomy joy. He knew that he would see the sun no +more; yet his fear was not of that, but only of losing the light of +duty. As long as the sun endures, he shall never see duty done +more brilliantly. + +The wind was dropping, to give the storm of human fury leisure; and +while a sullen swell was rolling, canvas flapped and timbers +creaked. Like a team of mallards in double column, plunging and +lifting buoyant breasts to right and left alternately, the British +fleet bore down upon the swan-like crescent of the foe. These were +doing their best to fly, but failing of that luck, put helm alee, +and shivered in the wind, and made fine speeches, proving that they +must win the day. + +"For this I have lived, and for this it would be worth my while to +die, having no one left, I dare say now, in all the world to care +for me." + +Thus spake the junior lieutenant of that British ship, the Victory-- +a young man after the heart of Nelson, and gazing now on Nelson's +face. No smarter sailor could be found in all that noble fleet +than this Lieutenant Blyth, who once had been the captain of all +smugglers. He had fought his way up by skill, and spirit, and +patience, and good temper, and the precious gift of self-reliance, +failing of which all merit fails. He had always thought well of +himself, but never destroyed the good of it by saying so; and +whoever praised him had to do it again, to outspeak his modesty. +But without good fortune all these merits would never have been +successes. One of Robin's truest merits was that he generally +earned good luck. + +However, his spirits were not in their usual flow of jocundity just +now, and his lively face was dashed with care. Not through fear of +lead, or steel, or wooden splinter, or a knock upon the head, or +any other human mode of encouraging humanity. He hoped to keep out +of the way of these, as even the greatest heroes do; for how could +the world get on if all its bravest men went foremost? His mind +meant clearly, and with trust in proper Providence, to remain in +its present bodily surroundings, with which it had no fault to +find. Grief, however--so far as a man having faith in his luck +admits that point--certainly was making some little hole into a +heart of corky fibre. For Robin Lyth had heard last night, when a +schooner joined the fleet with letters, that Mary Anerley at last +was going to marry Harry Tanfield. He told himself over and over +again that if it were so, the fault was his own, because he had not +taken proper care about the safe dispatch of letters. Changing +from ship to ship and from sea to sea for the last two years or +more, he had found but few opportunities of writing, and even of +those he had not made the utmost. To Mary herself he had never +once written, knowing well that her father forbade it, while his +letters to Flamborough had been few, and some of those few had +miscarried. For the French had a very clever knack just now of +catching the English dispatch-boats, in most of which they found +accounts of their own thrashings, as a listener catches bad news of +himself. But none of these led them to improve their conduct. + +Flamborough (having felt certain that Robin could never exist +without free trade, and missing many little courtesies that flowed +from his liberal administration), was only too ready to lament his +death, without insisting on particulars. Even as a man who has +foretold a very destructive gale of wind tempers with the pride of +truth the sorrow which he ought to feel for his domestic chimney- +pots (as soon as he finds them upon his lawn), so Little Denmark, +while bewailing, accepted the loss as a compliment to its own +renowned sagacity. + +But Robin knew not until last night that he was made dead at +Flamborough, through the wreck of a ship which he had quitted a +month before she was cast away. And now at last he only heard that +news by means of his shipmate, Jack Anerley. Jack was a thorough- +going sailor now, easy, and childish, and full of the present, +leaving the past to cure and the future to care for itself as might +be. He had promised Mr. Mordacks and Robin Cockscroft to find out +Robin Lyth, and tell him all about the conviction of John Cadman; +and knowing his name in the navy and that of his ship, he had done +so after in-and-out chase. But there for the time he had rested +from his labors, and left "Davy Jones" to send back word about it; +which that Pelagian Davy fails to do, unless the message is +enshrined in a bottle, for which he seems to cherish true naval +regard. + +In this state of things the two brothers-in-law--as they fully +intended to be by-and-by--were going into this tremendous battle: +Jack as a petty officer, and Robin as a junior lieutenant of Lord +Nelson's ship. Already had Jack Anerley begun to feel for Robin-- +or Lieutenant Blyth, as he now was called--that liking of +admiration which his clear free manner, and quickness of resource, +and agreeable smile in the teeth of peril, had won for him before +he had the legal right to fight much. And Robin--as he shall still +be called while the memory of Flamborough endures--regarded Jack +Anerley with fatherly affection, and hoped to put strength into his +character. + +However, one necessary step toward that is to keep the character +surviving; and in the world's pell-mell now beginning, the uproar +alone was enough to kill some, and the smoke sufficient to choke +the rest. Many a British sailor who, by the mercy of Providence, +survived that day, never could hear a word concerning any other +battle (even though a son of his own delivered it down a trumpet), +so furious was the concussion of the air, the din of roaring metal, +and the clash of cannon-balls which met in the air, and split up +into founts of iron. + +No less than seven French and Spanish ships agreed with one accord +to fall upon and destroy Lord Nelson's ship. And if they had only +adopted a rational mode of doing it, and shot straight, they could +hardly have helped succeeding. Even as it was, they succeeded far +too well; for they managed to make England rue the tidings of her +greatest victory. + +In the storm and whirl and flame of battle, when shot flew as close +as the teeth of a hay-rake, and fire blazed into furious eyes, and +then with a blow was quenched forever, and raging men flew into +pieces--some of which killed their dearest friends--who was he that +could do more than attend to his own business? Nelson had known +that it would be so, and had twice enjoined it in his orders; and +when he was carried down to die, his dying mind was still on this. +Robin Lyth was close to him when he fell, and helped to bear him to +his plank of death, and came back with orders not to speak, but +work. + +Then ensued that crowning effort of misplaced audacity--the attempt +to board and carry by storm the ship that still was Nelson's. The +captain of the Redoubtable saw through an alley of light, between +walls of smoke, that the quarter-deck of the Victory had plenty of +corpses, but scarcely a life upon it. Also he felt (from the +comfort to his feet, and the increasing firmness of his spinal +column) that the heavy British guns upon the lower decks had ceased +to throb and thunder into his own poor ship. With a bound of high +spirits he leaped to a pleasing conclusion, and shouted, "Forward, +my brave sons; we will take the vessel of war of that Nielson!" + +This, however, proved to be beyond his power, partly through the +inborn absurdity of the thing, and partly, no doubt, through the +quick perception and former vocation of Robin Lyth. What would +England have said if her greatest hero had breathed his last in +French arms, and a captive to the Frenchman? Could Nelson himself +have departed thus to a world in which he never could have put the +matter straight? The wrong would have been redressed very smartly +here, but perhaps outside his knowledge. Even to dream of it +awakes a shudder; yet outrages almost as great have triumphed, and +nothing is quite beyond the irony of fate. + +But if free trade can not be shown as yet to have won for our +country any other blessing, it has earned the last atom of our +patience and fortitude by its indirect benevolence at this great +time. Without free trade--in its sweeter and more innocent +maidenhood of smuggling--there never could have been on board that +English ship the Victory, a man, unless he were a runagate, with a +mind of such laxity as to understand French. But Robin Lyth caught +the French captain's words, and with two bounds, and a holloa, +called up Britons from below. By this time a swarm of brave +Frenchmen was gathered in the mizzen-chains and gangways of their +ship, waiting for a lift of the sea to launch them into the English +outworks. And scarcely a dozen Englishmen were alive within hail +to encounter them. Not even an officer, till Robin Lyth returned, +was there to take command of them. The foremost and readiest there +was Jack Anerley, with a boarder's pike, and a brace of ship +pistols, and his fine ruddy face screwed up as firm as his +father's, before a big sale of wheat "Come on, you froggies; we are +ready for you," he shouted, as if he had a hundred men in ambush. + +They, for their part, failed to enter into the niceties of his +language--which difficulty somehow used never to be felt among +classic warriors--yet from his manner and position they made out +that he offered let and hinderance. To remove him from their +course, they began to load guns, or to look about for loaded ones, +postponing their advance until he should cease to interfere, so +clear at that time was the Gallic perception of an English sailor's +fortitude. Seeing this to be so, Jack (whose mind was not well +balanced) threw a powder-case amongst them, and exhibited a dance. +But this was cut short by a hand-grenade, and, before he had time +to recover from that, the deck within a yard of his head flew open, +and a stunning crash went by. + +Poor Jack Anerley lay quite senseless, while ten or twelve men (who +were rushing up, to repel the enemy) fell and died in a hurricane +of splinters. A heavy round shot, fired up from the enemy's main- +deck, had shattered all before it; and Jack might thank the grenade +that he lay on his back while the havoc swept over. Still, his +peril was hot, for a volley of musketry whistled and rang around +him; and at least a hundred and fifty men were watching their time +to leap down on him. + +Everything now looked as bad as could be, with the drifting of the +smoke, and the flare of fire, and the pelting of bullets, and of +grapnel from coehorns, and the screams of Frenchmen exulting +vastly, with scarcely any Englishmen to stop them. It seemed as if +they were to do as they pleased, level the bulwarks of English +rights, and cover themselves with more glory than ever. But while +they yet waited to give one more scream, a very different sound +arose. Powder, and metal, and crash of timber, and even French and +Spanish throats at their very highest pressure, were of no avail +against the onward vigor and power of an English cheer. This cheer +had a very fine effect. Out of their own mouths the foreigners at +once were convicted of inferior stuff, and their two twelve- +pounders crammed with grapnel, which ought to have scattered +mortality, banged upward, as harmless as a pod discharging seed. + +In no account of this great conflict is any precision observed +concerning the pell-mell and fisticuff parts of it. The worst of +it is that on such occasions almost everybody who was there +enlarges his own share of it; and although reflection ought to curb +this inclination, it seems to do quite the contrary. This may be +the reason why nobody as yet (except Mary Anerley and Flamborough +folk) seems even to have tried to assign fair importance to Robin +Lyth's share in this glorious encounter. It is now too late to +strive against the tide of fortuitous clamor, whose deposit is +called history. Enough that this Englishman came up, with fifty +more behind him, and carried all before him, as he was bound to do. + + + +CHAPTER LVII + +MARY LYTH + + +Conquests, triumphs, and slaughterous glory are not very nice till +they have ceased to drip. After that extinction of the war upon +the waves, the nation which had won the fight went into general +mourning. Sorrow, as deep as a maiden's is at the death of her +lover, spread over the land; and people who had married their +romance away, and fathered off their enthusiasm, abandoned +themselves to even deeper anguish at the insecurity of property. +So deeply had England's faith been anchored into the tenacity of +Nelson. The fall of the funds when the victory was announced +outspoke a thousand monuments. + +From sires and grandsires Englishmen have learned the mood into +which their country fell. To have fought under Nelson in his last +fight was a password to the right hands of men, and into the hearts +of women. Even a man who had never been known to change his mind +began to condemn other people for being obstinate. Farmer Anerley +went to church in his Fencible accoutrements, with a sash of heavy +crape, upon the first day of the Christian year. To prove the +largeness of his mind, he harnessed the white-nosed horse, and +drove his family away from his own parish, to St. Oswald's Church +at Flamborough, where Dr. Upround was to preach upon the death of +Nelson. This sermon was of the noblest order, eloquent, spirited, +theological, and yet so thoroughly practical, that seven +Flamborough boys set off on Monday to destroy French ships of war. +Mary did her very utmost not to cry--for she wanted so particularly +to watch her father--but nature and the doctor were too many for +her. And when he came to speak of the distinguished part played +(under Providence) by a gallant son of Flamborough, who, after +enduring with manly silence evil report and unprecious balms, stood +forward in the breach, like Phineas, and, with the sword of Gideon, +defied Philistia to enter the British ark; and when he went on to +say that but for Flamborough's prowess on that day, and the valor +of the adjoining parish (which had also supplied a hero), England +might be mourning her foremost [Greek word], her very greatest +fighter in the van, without the consolation of burying him, and +embalming him in a nation's tears--for the French might have fired +the magazine--and when he proceeded to ask who it was that (under +the guiding of a gracious hand) had shattered the devices of the +enemy, up stood Robin Cockscroft, with a score of equally ancient +captains, and remembering where they were, touched their forelocks, +and answered--"Robin Lyth, sir!" + +Then Mary permitted the pride of her heart, which had long been +painful with the tight control, to escape in a sob, which her +mother had foreseen; and pulling out the stopper from her smelling- +bottle, Mistress Anerley looked at her husband as if he were +Bonaparte himself. He, though aware that it was inconsistent of +her, felt (as he said afterward) as if he had been a Frenchman; and +looked for his hat, and fumbled about for the button of the pew, to +get out of it. But luckily the clerk, with great presence of mind, +awoke, and believing the sermon to be over, from the number of men +who were standing up, pronounced "Amen" decisively. + +During the whole of the homeward drive Farmer Anerley's countenance +was full of thought; but he knew that it was watched, and he did +not choose to let people get in front of him with his own brains. +Therefore he let his wife and daughter look at him, to their +hearts' content, while he looked at the ledges, and the mud, and +the ears of his horse, and the weather; and he only made two +observations of moment, one of which was "gee!" and the other was +"whoa!" + +With females jolting up and down, upon no springs--except those of +jerksome curiosity--conduct of this character was rude in the +extreme. But knowing what he was, they glanced at one another, not +meaning in any sort of way to blame him, but only that he would be +better by-and-by, and perhaps try to make amends handsomely. And +this, beyond any denial, he did as soon as he had dined, and smoked +his pipe on the butt of the tree by the rick-yard. Nobody knew +where he kept his money, or at least his good wife always said so, +when any one made bold to ask her. And even now he was right down +careful to go to his pot without anybody watching; so that when he +came into the Sunday parlor there was not one of them who could +say, even at a guess, where he last had been. + +Master Simon Popplewell, gentleman-tanner (called out of his name, +and into the name of "Johnny," even by his own wife, because there +was no sign of any Simon in him), he was there, and his good wife +Debby, and Mistress Anerley in her best cap, and Mary, dressed in +royal navy blue, with bars of black (for Lord Nelson's sake), +according to the kind gift of aunt and uncle; also Willie, looking +wonderfully handsome, though pale with the failure of "perpetual +motion," and inclined to be languid, as great genius should be in +its intervals of activity. Among them a lively talk was stirring; +and the farmer said, "Ah! You was talking about me." + +"We mought be; and yet again we mought not," Master Popplewell +returned, with a glance at Mrs. Deborah, who had just been +describing to the company how much her husband excelled in +jokesomeness. "Brother Stephen, a good man seeks to be spoken of, +and a bad one objects to it, in vain." + +"Very well. You shall have something for your money. Mary, you +know where the old Mydeary wine is that come from your godfathers +and godmothers when you was called in baptism. Take you the key +from your mother, child, and bring you up a bottle, and brother +Popplewell will open it, for such things is beyond me." + +"Well done, our side!" exclaimed the tanner; for if he had a +weakness it was for Madeira, which he always declared to have a +musky smack of tan; and a waggish customer had told him once that +the grapes it was made of were always tanned first. The others +kept silence, foreseeing great events. + +Then Mr. Popplewell, poised with calm discretion, and moving with +the nice precision of a fine watchmaker, shed into the best +decanter (softly as an angel's tears) liquid beauty, not too gaudy, +not too sparkling with shallow light, not too ruddy with sullen +glow, but vivid--like a noble gem, a brown cairngorm--with mellow +depth of lustre. "That's your sort!" the tanner cried, after +putting his tongue, while his wife looked shocked, to the lip of +the empty bottle. + +"Such things is beyond my knowledge," answered Farmer Anerley, as +soon as he saw the best glasses filled; "but nothing in nature is +too good to speak a good man's health in. Now fill you up a little +glass for Mary; and, Perpetual Motion, you stand up, which is more +than your machines can do. Now here I stand, and I drink good +health to a man as I never clapped eyes on yet, and would have +preferred to keep the door between us; but the Lord hath ordered +otherwise. He hath wiped out all his faults against the law; he +hath fought for the honor of old England well; and he hath saved +the life of my son Jack. Spite of all that, I might refuse to +unspeak my words, which I never did afore, if it had not been that +I wronged the man. I have wronged the young fellow, and I am man +enough to say so. I called him a murderer and a sneak, and time +hath proved me to have been a liar. Therefore I ask his pardon +humbly; and, what will be more to his liking, perhaps, I say that +he shall have my daughter Mary, if she abides agreeable. And I put +down these here twenty guineas, for Mary to look as she ought to +look. She hath been a good lass, and hath borne with me better +than one in a thousand would have done. Mary, my love to you; and +with leave all round, here's the very good health of Robin Lyth!" + +"Here's the health of Robin Lyth!" shouted Mr. Popplewell, with his +fat cheeks shining merrily. "Hurrah for the lad who saved Nelson's +death from a Frenchman's grins, and saved our Jack boy! Stephen +Anerley, I forgive you. This is the right stuff, and no mistake. +Deborah, come and kiss the farmer." + +Mrs. Popplewell obeyed her husband, as the manner of good wives is. +And over and above this fleeting joy, solid satisfaction entered +into noble hearts, which felt that now the fruit of laborious +years, and the cash of many a tanning season, should never depart +from the family. And to make an end of any weak misgivings, even +before the ladies went--to fill the pipes for the gentlemen--the +tanner drew with equal care, and even better nerve, the second +bottle's cork, and expressed himself as follows: + +"Brother Steve hath done the right thing. We hardly expected it of +him, by rights of his confounded stubbornness. But when a shut-up +man repenteth, he is equal to a hoyster, or this here bottle. What +good would this 'a been without it was sealed over? Now mark my +words. I'll not be behind no man when it comes to the right side +up. I may be a poor man, a very poor man; and people counting +otherwise might find themselves mistaken. I likes to be liked for +myself only. But the day our Mary goes to church with Robin Lyth +she shall have 500 pounds tied upon her back, or else my name's not +Popplewell." + +Mary had left the room long ago, after giving her father a gentle +kiss, and whispering to Willie that he should have half of her +twenty guineas for inventing things; which is a most expensive +process, and should be more highly encouraged. Therefore she could +not express at the moment her gratitude to Squire Popplewell; but +as soon as she heard of his generosity, it lifted a great weight +off her mind, and enabled her to think about furnishing a cottage. +But she never told even her mother of that. Perhaps Robin might +have seen some one he liked better. Perhaps he might have heard +that stupid story about her having taken up with poor Harry +Tanfield; and that might have driven him to wed a foreign lady, and +therefore to fight so desperately. None, however, of these +perhapses went very deeply into her heart, which was equally +trusting and trusty. + +Now some of her confidence in the future was justified that very +moment almost, by a sudden and great arrival, not of Jack Anerley +and Robin Lyth (who were known to be coming home together), but of +a gentleman whose skill and activity deserved all thanks for every +good thing that had happened. + +"Well! I am in the very nick of time. It is my nature," cried Mr. +Mordacks, seated in the best chair by the fire. "Why? you inquire, +with your native penetration. Simply because in very early days I +acquired the habit of punctuality. This holding good where an +appointment is, holds good afterward, from the force of habit, in +matters that are of luck alone. The needle-eye of time gets +accustomed to be hit, and turns itself up, without waiting for the +clew. Wonderful Madeira! Well, Captain Anerley, no wonder that +you have discouraged free trade with your cellars full of this! It +is twenty years since I have tasted such wine. Mistress Anerley, I +have the honor of quaffing this glass to your very best health, and +that of a very charming young lady, who has hitherto failed to +appreciate me." + +"Then, sir, I am here to beg your pardon," said Mary, coming up, +with a beautiful blush. "When I saw you first I did not enter into +your--your--" + +"My outspoken manner and short business style. But I hope that you +have come to like me better. All good persons do, when they come +to know me." + +"Yes, sir; I was quite ashamed of myself, when I came to learn all +that you have done for somebody, and your wonderful kindness at +Bridlington." + +"Famously said! You inherit from your mother the power and the +charm of expression. And now, my dear lady, good Mistress Anerley, +I shall undo all my great merits by showing that I am like the +letter-writers, who never write until they have need of something. +Captain Anerley, it concerns you also, as a military man, and +loyal soldier of King George. A gallant young officer (highly +distinguished in his own way, and very likely to get on, in virtue +of high connection) became of age some few weeks back; and being +the heir to large estates, determined to entail them. I speak as +in a parable. My meaning is one which the ladies will gracefully +enter into. Being a large heir, he is not selfish, but would fain +share his blessings with a little one. In a word, he is to marry a +very beautiful young lady to-morrow, and under my agency. But he +has a very delightful mother, and an aunt of a lofty and commanding +mind, whose views, however, are comparatively narrow. For a hasty, +brief season, they will be wroth; and it would be unjust to be +angry with them. But love's indignation is soon cured by absence, +and tones down rapidly into desire to know how the sinner is +getting on. In the present case, a fortnight will do the business; +or if for a month, so much the better. Heroes are in demand just +now; and this young gentleman took such a scare in his very first +fight that he became a hero, and so has behaved himself ever since. +Ladies, I am astonished at your goodness in not interrupting me. +Your minds must be as practical as my own. Now this lovely young +pair, being married to-morrow, will have to go hunting for the +honey in the moon, to which such enterprises lead." + +"Sir, you are very right," Squire Popplewell replied; and, "That is +Bible truth," said the farmer. + +"Our minds are enlarged by experience," resumed the genial factor, +pleasantly, and bowing to the ladies, who declined to say a word +until a better opportunity, "and we like to see the process going +on with others. But a nest must be found for these young doves--a +quiet one, a simple one, a place where they may learn to put up +with one another's cookery. The secret of happiness in this world +is not to be too particular. I have hit upon the very place to +make them thankful by-and-by, when they come to look back upon it-- +a sweet little hole, half a league away from anybody. All is +arranged--a frying-pan, a brown-ware tea-pot, a skin of lard, a +cock and a hen, to lay some eggs; a hundredweight of ship biscuits, +warranted free from weevil, and a knife and fork. Also a way to +the sea, and a net, for them to fish together. Nothing more +delightful can be imagined. Under such circumstances, they will +settle, in three days, which is to be the master--which I take to +be the most important of all marriage settlements. And, unless I +am very much mistaken, it will be the right one--the lady. My +little heroine, Jerry Carroway, is engaged as their factotum, and +every auspice is favorable. But without your consent, all is +knocked on the head; for the cottage is yours, and the tenant won't +go out, even under temptation of five guineas, without your written +order. Mistress Anerley, I appeal to you. Captain, say nothing. +This is a lady's question." + +"Then I like to have a little voice sometimes, though it is not +often that I get it. And, Mr. Mordacks, I say 'Yes.' And out of +the five guineas we shall get our rent, or some of it, perhaps, +from Poacher Tim, who owes us nigh upon two years now." + +The farmer smiled at his wife's good thrift, and, being in a +pleasant mood, consented, if so be the law could not be brought +against him, and if the young couple would not stop too long, or +have any family to fall upon the rates. The factor assured him +against all evils; and then created quite a brisk sensation by +telling them, in strict confidence, that the young officer was one +Lancelot Yordas, own first cousin to the famous Robin Lyth, and +nephew to Sir Duncan Yordas. And the lady was the daughter of Sir +Duncan's oldest friend, the very one whose name he had given to his +son. Wonder never ceased among them, when they thought how things +came round. + +Things came round not only thus, but also even better afterward. +Mordacks had a very beautiful revenge of laughter at old +Jellicorse, by outstripping him vastly in the family affairs. But +Mr. Jellicorse did not care, so long as he still had eleven boxes +left of title-deeds to Scargate Hall, no liability about the +twelfth, and a very fair prospect of a lawsuit yet for the +multiplication of the legal race. And meeting Mr. Mordacks in the +highest legal circles, at Proctor Brigant's, in Crypt Court, York, +he acknowledged that he never met a more delightful gentleman, +until he found out what his name was. And even then he offered him +a pinch of snuff, and they shook hands very warmly without anything +to pay. + +When Robin Lyth came home he was dissatisfied at first--so +difficult is mankind to please--because his good luck had been too +good. No scratch of steel, no permanent scorch of powder, was upon +him, and England was not in the mood to value any unwounded valor. +But even here his good luck stood him in strong stead, and cured +his wrong. For when the body of the lamented hero arrived at +Spithead, in spirits of wine, early in December, it was found that +the Admiralty had failed to send down any orders about it. +Reports, however, were current of some intention that the hero +should lie in state, and the battered ship went on with him. And +when at last proper care was shown, and the relics of one of the +noblest men that ever lived upon the tide of time were being +transferred to a yacht at the Nore, Robin Lyth, in a sad and angry +mood, neglected to give a wide berth to a gun that was helping to +keep up the mourning salute, and a piece of wad carried off his +starboard whisker. + +This at once replaced him in the popular esteem, and enabled him to +land upon the Yorkshire coast with a certainty of glorious welcome. +Mr. Mordacks himself came down to meet him at the Northern Landing, +with Dr. Upround and Robin Cockscroft, and nearly all the men, and +entirely all the women and children, of Little Denmark. Strangers +also from outlandish parts, Squire Popplewell and his wife Deborah, +Mrs. Carroway (with her Tom, and Jerry, and Cissy, and lesser +Carroways, for her old aunt Jane was gone to Paradise at last, and +had left her enough to keep a pony-carriage), and a great many +others, and especially a group of four distinguished persons, who +stood at the top of the slide, because of the trouble of getting +back if they went down. + +These had a fair and double-horsed carriage in the lane, at the +spot where fish face their last tribunal; and scarcely any brains +but those of Flamborough could have absorbed such a spectacle as +this, together with the deeper expectations from the sea. Of these +four persons, two were young enough, and two not so young as they +had been, but still very lively, and well pleased with one another. +These were Mrs. Carnaby and Mr. Bart; the pet of the one had united +his lot with the darling of the other; for good or for bad, there +was no getting out of it, and the only thing was to make the best +of it. And being good people, they were doing this successfully. +Poor Mrs. Carnaby had said to Mr. Bart, as soon as Mr. Mordacks let +her know about the wedding, "Oh, but, Mr. Bart, you are a +gentleman; now, are you not? I am sure you are, though you do such +things! I am sure of it by your countenance." + +"Madam," Mr. Bart replied, with a bow that was decisive, "if I am +not, it is my own fault, as it is the fault of every man." + +At this present moment they were standing with their children, +Lancelot and Insie, who had nicely recovered from matrimony, and +began to be too high-spirited. They all knew, by virtue of Mr. +Mordacks, who Robin Lyth was; and they wanted to see him, and be +kind to him, if he made no claim upon them. And Mr. Bart desired, +as his father's friend, to shake hands with him, and help him, if +help were needed. + +But Robin, with a grace and elegance which he must have imported +from foreign parts, declined all connection and acquaintance with +them, and declared his set resolve to have nothing to do with the +name of "Yordas." They were grieved, as they honestly declared, to +hear it, but could not help owning that his pride was just; and +they felt that their name was the richer for not having any poor +people to share it. + +Yet Captain Lyth--as he now was called, even by revenue officers-- +in no way impoverished his name by taking another to share it with +him. The farmer declared that there should be no wedding until he +had sold seven stacks of wheat, for his meaning was to do things +well. But this obstacle did not last long, for those were times +when corn was golden, not in landscape only. + +So when the spring was fair with promise of green for the earth, +and of blue for heaven, and of silver-gray upon the sea, the little +church close to Anerley Farm filled up all the complement of +colors. There was scarlet, of Dr. Upround's hood (brought by the +Precious boy from Flamborough); a rich plum-color in the coat of +Mordacks; delicate rose and virgin white in the blush and the brow +of Mary; every tint of the rainbow on her mother's part; and gold, +rich gold, in a great tanned bag, on behalf of Squire Popplewell. +His idea of a "settlement" was cash down, and he put it on the +parish register. + +Mary found no cause to repent of the long endurance of her truth, +and the steadfast power of quiet love. Robin was often in the +distance still, far beyond the silvery streak of England's new +salvation. But Mary prayed for his safe return; and safe he was, +by the will of the Lord, which helps the man who helps himself, and +has made his hand bigger than his tongue. When the war was over, +Captain Lyth came home, and trained his children in the ways in +which he should have walked, and the duties they should do and pay. + + + +THE END. + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mary Anerley, by R. D. Blackmore + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY ANERLEY *** + +This file should be named mrnrl10.txt or mrnrl10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, mrnrl11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, mrnrl10a.txt + +Produced by Don Lainson. + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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