THE PLOT.
"A fine day, Mister Game-keeper," quoth Adam, "prime weather for
shooting. Have you much company at the Hall?"
"No one at present. The Squire expects a large party the beginning of
the week."
"Is there much game this season?" asked the poacher, very _innocently_.
"There _was_," I replied, rather fiercely. "But these rascally poachers
are making it scarce. I only wish I had the ringleader of the gang
within the range of this gun."
"How savage you are, Cotton! A soft, easy name that for a hard, cruel
fellow. Why not live and let live? What is it to you, if a poor fellow
dines now and then off the leg of a hare, or the wing of a pheasant? It
don't take one penny out of your pocket. What right have these rich men
to lay an embargo upon the beasts of the field, and the fowls of the
air? Ay, upon the very fish that swims in the stream, which God gave for
the use of all. Tyrants!--they have not enough of the good things of
this world, but they must rob the poor of their natural rights. I only
wish I had them under the range of that, which a poor man dare not carry
without a licence, in a free land. But there will come a day,"--and he
ground his teeth,--"pray God that it may come soon, when these cursed
game laws, and their proud makers, shall be crushed under our feet."
"That will not be in your day--nor yet in mine, Adam Hows. No, not if we
both lived to the age of your venerable namesake of apple-eating
celebrity. Like him--you seem to have a hankering for forbidden fruit;
and taste it too, I apprehend, if I may judge by that lurcher at your
heels. You are wrong to keep that dog. It has a suspicious look."
"I am not acquainted with his private tastes," said Adam, patting the
snaky-headed brute. "Like his betters, he may relish a hare now and
then; but I never saw him eat one. Fox, my boy! Are you fond of
game?--the keeper thinks you are. Fie, fox, fie. It is as bad to look
like a thief, as to be one."
"You had better put that dog away, Adam. If the Squire sees him, he will
order him to be shot."
"D---- the Squire! Who cares for the Squire. He poaches on other
preserves besides his own. Hey, Mister Cotton?"
The colour flushed my face--I scarce knew why. "I don't understand your
joke."
"Oh, no, of course not. You are such an innocent fellow. But there are
others who do. Are you going to the cricket-match to-morrow? The fellows
of S---- have challenged our fellows to a grand set-to on their common:
'tis famous ground. The men of S---- play well--but our bullies can beat
them. I am told that you are the flash man of the F---- club?"
"I love the sport--it is a fine manly, old English game; I should like
to go very well, and they expect me; but I have an engagement
elsewhere."
"You'll have to put it off."
"Impossible."
"But the honour of the club."
"Must yield to duty. I promised to meet Mr. Carlos at the second avenue
gate to-morrow night, at eleven o'clock."
"D----, has he turned thief-taker? Does he mean to catch the poachers
himself? Well, if that is not a queer dodge for a gentleman."
"He would not be a bad hand," said I laughing; "No, no. The coach puts
him down there on his return from I----, and I promised to see him safe
home."
"Safe home! Why, man, 'tis only a mile from the hall. Is he afraid of
ghosts?"
"Not at all," I said, dropping my voice. "No one who knows Squire
Carlos, could ever take him for a coward. But there are a great many
suspicious characters in the neighbourhood, and the Squire returns with
a large sum of money on his person. He was afraid that he might be
robbed in that lonely place, and he asked me, as a particular favour, to
meet him there with my gun."
"A large sum of money did you say?" and the poacher drew nearer and
gazed upon me with an eager and excited stare. "Does he often travel
abroad with such sums about him?"
"Not often. This is a particular case--it is the price of the farm he
sold lately, Crawford's farm, and he wants the money to make another
purchase. Perhaps he will have with him a couple of thousand pounds."
"You don't say--and you are to meet him at the second avenue gate at
eleven o'clock?"
"So I promised. But don't, there's a good fellow, mention it to any one.
I would not for the world be thought to blab my master's secrets. He
would never forgive me, if it came to his ears. To tell you the truth, I
don't much like the job. I would rather have a jolly day with the club
at S----. I am sure we should win the match."
"I thought the coach came in at ten?" said Adam, still dreaming over the
vision of gold.
"Not on market-nights. It is always late. Eleven was the hour he
appointed."
"Oh, of course, he knows best. And such a large sum of money! I would
not venture on the road with twenty shiners in my pocket. But two
thousand! The man's a fool. Good day, Noah--don't raise a bad report
against my poor dog. You know the old proverb--'Give a dog a bad name.'
Two thousand pounds--my eye, what a sum!"
Away trudged the poacher, with the game-destroyer at his heels. I sat
down upon a stile, and looked after him. I was sure of my man.
"Go your ways to Bill Martin," said I. "Tell him the tale I have told to
you, and between us, Mr. Carlos has small chance of sleeping on a
feather-bed to-morrow night."
I felt certain that an attempt would be made to rob Mr. Carlos by these
ruffians. I read it in the fellow's eye. "I would bet my life that
neither of us go to the cricket-match to-morrow at S----. Bill will have
a different job on hand. It will be the ball and not the bat, that is to
win the game they hope to play."
I had only to be at the place at the right hour, and with a dexterous
blow stun, without killing my victim, and secure the prize; and then
return and detect the ruffians in the very act. For this purpose, I
determined to secure the cooperation of another gamekeeper, who might
accompany me to the avenue, and help me to secure the villains. I was so
elated with this plan, that I forgot my own share of the guilt. The
leaven of iniquity that I had introduced into the breast of another, was
already at work, and two human beings were subjected to the same
temptation to which I had yielded.
It is astonishing how a fellowship in guilt hardens the guilty. Men,
like wolves, are often great cowards alone; but give them a few
companions in crime, and pusillanimity is instantly converted into
ferocity. The coward is always cruel; the mean-spirited, merciless. The
consciousness that two of my fellow-men premeditated committing the same
crime, wonderfully strengthened me in my resolution of plunging my soul
into the abyss of guilt. I had another passion to gratify, which had
rankled for years in my breast,--that of revenge. A wish to over-reach
and disappoint Bill Martin was a stronger incentive to this deed than
the mere lucre of gain. The burning hatred I had cherished from boyhood
was on the eve of being gratified. I should, in case of failure on my
part, at least secure his destruction.
When I reached home, I found two of the principal members of the
cricket-club, both respectable tradesmen in the village, waiting to see
me. I was their best hand, and they left no argument unurged, in order
to induce me to go. I took them separately aside, and confidentially
informed them of my reasons for staying at home. This I justly thought
would avert all suspicion from me as the real culprit. Of course they
were convinced that my going was out of the question, and took their
leave with regret.
My mother was not very well. She had a bad head-ache, and complained of
being very nervous, (a fine word she had picked up from the parson's
wife,) and we passed a very dull evening together.
I had never before shunned my mother's eye; but this night I could not
look steadily at her. She at length noticed my agitation, and asked if
anything had gone wrong with the game.
I said, "Nothing more than usual; that I was sorry that I could not go
to the match; that I was afraid our men would be beaten without me; that
I had a great mind to send the second keeper, George Norton, who was a
brave, honest fellow, to meet my master, and start for S---- the next
day."
"You must do no such thing," she said sharply. "You must meet Mr.
Carlos, as you promised him, yourself. If any harm should happen to the
Squire through your neglect, we shall lose the best friend we have in
the world. You must not think of leaving him to the care of another. He
will be justly displeased, and it may mar your fortune for life."
"In what way, Mother?" said I gloomily. "I think you place too much
importance on the 'Squire's good-will. I could earn my own living, if I
were out of employ to-morrow."
My mother replied, "that I was proud and ungrateful. That Mr. Carlos had
raised me out of the dirt, and I ought to be ready to lay down my life
to serve him."
I retorted. She grew angry, and for the first time in my life, she went
to bed without kissing and bidding me good-night, or wishing that God
might bless me.
I felt the omission keenly. It seemed as if my good angel had forsaken
and left me to my fate. For a long time I sat brooding over the fire. My
thoughts were full of sin. I went to the cupboard where my mother kept a
few simple medicines, and a small bottle of brandy in case of accidents
or sudden illness. I hated ardent spirits, and seldom took anything
stronger than a cup of tea or milk; or, when very tired, a little
home-brewed ale. But this night, I took a large glass of brandy--the
first raw liquor I had ever drunk in my life. Stupefied and overpowered,
I soon found relief from torturing thoughts, in a heavy, stupid sleep.
Breakfast was on the table when I unclosed my eyes. The remains of the
brandy were replaced in the cupboard, and my poor mother was regarding
me with a sad countenance and tearful eyes.
"You were ill, Noah, last night?"
"I had a confounded head-ache."
"And you did not tell me."
"You parted with me in anger, Mother. I felt so miserable! We never had
a quarrel before, and I took the brandy to raise my spirits. It had a
contrary effect. It made me drunk for the first time in my life."
"I hope it will be the last."
"Yes; if the repetition does not prove more agreeable. My temples
throb--my limbs tremble--everything is distasteful. Who could feel
pleasure in a vice so bestial?"
"Habit, Noah, reconciles us to many things which at first awaken only
aversion and disgust. All pleasure which has its foundation in sin must
end in pain and self-condemnation. Drunkenness is one of those vices
which when first indulged creates the deepest shame and humiliation; but
custom renders it a terrible necessity."
My mother could preach well against any vice to which she was not
particularly inclined herself. I never saw her take a glass of wine or
spirits in my life. This was from sheer want of inclination; all strong
drinks were disagreeable to her taste.
I took a cup of tea, and after immersing my head in cold water, the
nausea from which I was suffering gradually abated, and I soon felt well
again. While I was standing at the open window I saw Adam Hows and Bill
Martin pass the lodge. They were in earnest conversation. I called to
Adam, and asked him, "If he were going to see the cricket-match?"
He answered, that it depended upon the loan of a horse. Harry Barber had
promised them his; but it had broken pasture, and they were going in
search of it.
I did not believe this statement. I was certain that it was intended for
a blind. I told Adam, that in case he did not find Barber's horse, I
would lend him mine. He was profuse of thanks, but did not accept my
offer. He was certain of finding the lost animal in time: he was going
to drive over his friend to S----, and my mare did not go in harness. I
took no notice of his companion. For many months we had never spoken to
each other--not even to exchange insults. At four o'clock in the
afternoon I heard that they were drinking in a low tavern just out of
the village. If I did not keep my appointment with 'Squire Carlos, I
felt convinced that they would.